"We don't have to do this now." Patrick reminded Robin. They were outside of Lucky and Elizabeth's, their first stop back from their honeymoon.

"No, it's important. This affects all of us." Robin pointed out. She would have been just as thrilled for them to do this in the solitude of their own home, but she wanted this over and done with. Maybe a selfish thought.

"I can just think of better things for newlyweds to do." Patrick grumbled beneath his smile. The solid white envelope in his left hand, the one that wasn't holding Robin's hand, grew heavier by the second. He hated that this had to happen now. This time should be sent celebrating, not worrying over the outcome. Ever since her optimistic vows, he hadn't been able to convince her to put this off.

"Don't worry." Robin squeezed his hand and offered him a smile. "You're stuck with me forever, no matter what."

Her "no matter what" sent chills up and down Patrick's back. He didn't want to consider the alternative, the proof that the scales had turned in someone else's favor instead of his. He didn't want to think that his days were numbered. When thought about it rationally, he knew what a baseless fear it was because look at his lovely wife: She was a living, breathing miracle and there was no reason he couldn't be just as healthy.

"Oh look who's here," Lucky drawled out as he opened the door. "Robin and the unfortunate mistake she married."

"Be nice." Elizabeth warned over his shoulder.

"Well hello to you too cousin-in-law." Robin moved forward to hug him and stood there until he caved enough to wrap her securely in his arms. "Do I want to know what brought this on?" She asked, craning her neck so that she could meet his eyes.

"Apparently there is a reason you never found the secret weapon." Elizabeth explained calmly, smirking in Patrick's direction. "It seems Patrick and Cruz found it first."

"What did they do with it?" Before she asked, she just went ahead and assumed the worst. Get those two together hell, get the guys together in any sort of team, and trouble was never far away.

"You left the wedding favors up to Patrick didn't you?" Lucky questioned, though it sounded more like an accusation.

"The one thing I..." Robin faltered. "Oh, really?" She knew she should have been trying harder to keep back a smile, but it was impossible. She would have to ask Cruz for a copy when he stopped by in a few minutes.

"That's it. I don't like you anymore." Lucky declared as he stepped away from Robin. "As for you..." He pointed in Patrick's direction. "Expect the unexpected and always be prepared. That's all I'm saying."

"Lucky, be reasonable." Robin spun around to give her husband a hard glare. She would deal with him later. "And you should apologize." It sounded like an innocent request, but she made sure to let her eyes do the real talking for her. Patrick visibly gulped.

"For what? It was the best prank I've ever pulled." Patrick whined.

"Sadly this is him reasonable." Elizabeth laughed. "You missed the fun of all the phone calls."

"Ph-phone calls?" Robin was biting her lip against the urge to laugh. This was too ridiculous.

"Did someone try to sign you?" Patrick threw in with a wolfish grin.

"Oh don't play dumb. You had to be the one to forward that tape to Ned." Elizabeth pointed out.

"I have no idea what you could me—OW!" Patrick yelped when Robin tugged his ear down hard.

"Okay, so I might have overnighted it to him." Patrick grudgingly admitted. "But you have to admit it's funny. If you were on the other side..."

"And someday soon I will be." Lucky promised.

"I'll steer clear then." Patrick started for the door, but Robin caught his sleeve. "Robin, I don't think this is the right time."

"You have used every excuse you're going to." Robin assured him. "Now we're doing this right now."

"Not the right time for what?" Elizabeth questioned. "You came here for a reason and Lucky's just embarrassed right now. Sit down and tell us what is going on."

Robin pushed Patrick to the couch in case he thought of showing even a breath of resistance. She took the envelope from Patrick. "Six month test results. Patrick took a second test after we found I was pregnant and they came in the mail this morning."

"I told her you two wouldn't want any part of this. Sorry to be the downer." Patrick quietly apologized looking like he wanted to crawl into himself.

"I swear you two could give the twins and Majandra a run for their money in the biggest babies' contest." Elizabeth shook her head. She looked over at Lucky. "It was a joke. Plot your revenge and move on. And you." She turned to Patrick. "You're family and we'd rather help you through this now than wade through the Grump fest you put us all through the last time."

"You know when she's got a point, she's got a point." Cruz announced as he walked through the door. Even with everything that had happened in the past year, he still didn't feel the need to actually knock on the door.

"Thank you. See Cruz and Robin agree with me." Elizabeth nodded.

Patrick thought back to the last time the three of them had worked together against him and Lucky and knew why his old friend agreed so readily. He tore the top flap off the envelope before he could chicken out and then pulled out the thin piece of paper that was waiting for them inside. Glancing around, he realized that he couldn't think of any four people he could stand to be vulnerable around more than the ones that surrounded him. He closed his eyes and unfolded the results. "I can't." He said after a moment's pause.

Lucky held out his hand. "Give it." Taking the piece of paper out of his cousin's hand, Lucky scanned through the blur of medical words and results, looking for something that might this seem somewhat normal. Finally he forced himself to look at the last words, the ones that he had been dreading in the back of his mind for months. "I could be an asshole about this right now but I won't. Negative. The results are negative."

"Do you hear that?" Robin squealed when Patrick didn't react immediately, or at all. "Patrick?" She rubbed her hands up and down his arms. "You okay?"

Cruz waved his hand in front of Patrick's face, but there was still no response. "Hold on. I've got it." He hurried to the kitchen and then returned with a Chuck E. Cheese's cup. He threw the water in Patrick's face and finally his friend's eyes blinked and he coughed.

"Thanks." Patrick said once he was able to speak.

"Anytime." Cruz promised with a chuckle. "This is great news, man."

"I can't quite believe it." Patrick told the group. "I mean of course I'm relieved, but who would have thought I really could have it all?" As he asked this, he reached for Robin's hand.

"Oh God. Please don't tell me you're becoming a sap." Lucky groaned.

"Yeah got to leave Lucky his territory." Cruz chimed in without missing a beat.

"True enough." Patrick beamed. "What do you say we celebrate?"

Robin grimaced. "Hopefully it will end better than our last celebration dinner."

"Good point." Patrick reasoned.

"Yes let's do a check list. Ok pregnancies are all out and open right?" Elizabeth shot Lucky a wink.

"Check." Robin agreed.

"Don't look at me." Cruz laughed.

"And not happening again in the near future." Elizabeth nodded.

"If you want something more to love," Robin told Patrick, "I'll buy you a puppy."

"No secret affairs for Patrick to jump to conclusions about?" Lucky wondered.

"Check."

"Everyone with who they want to be with or should we expect more engagements?" Robin meant it as a joke, but she noticed Elizabeth's flinch. "Elizabeth?"

"Might not have told you everything on that front." Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders.

"Elizabeth Imogene Webber." Robin scolded. "How could you not have told me?"

"Excuse me? When did I find you weren't really engaged?" Elizabeth shot back. Robin glared, saying nothing.

"For the record we were waiting till after your wedding to tell everyone. We know how much Patrick hates sharing the spotlight." Lucky explained.

"Well that is true."

"Forgive me?" Elizabeth batted her eyes at Robin. "Just a little?"

"Yes. I suppose. Tell me everything."

"Later." Elizabeth promised. "The details would probably encourage a prank war the likes we would never recover from."

"In the spirit of true disclosure, I guess I could warn you that Dad is waiting for you to get home so he can start his campaign to have you name the baby after him." Lucky offered up.

"Actually," Robin began. "We've already come up with a name we think you'll like."

"Finally just decided you couldn't fight the awesome power of my name could you?" Cruz laughed.

"Well we were going to go with Maria..." Patrick teased. "Actually, I got to put in the first name and Robin chose the middle name."

"Robin, have you lost your mind?" Cruz pretended to shake violently.

"Oh god. It's Dale isn't it?" Lucky guessed

"Over my dead body." Robin promised.

"Thank goodness for small favors." Elizabeth breathed out.

"If you knew how long that name was shoved on the table..." Robin shuddered.

"Nathaniel." Patrick told his friends.

"As in Nathaniel Baldwin?" Lucky asked carefully, a grin lighting his face.

"Funny. What was the name we used to get into clubs when we were in college?"

"If I remember correctly, you always used Nathaniel Seetle, Lucky always used Nathan Seetle, and I was Nate Seetle." Cruz tapped his chin lightly.

"We wanted a name that could honor your friendship." Robin explained. "And I happened to find the old ID."

"You know you are totally sharing those pictures right?" Elizabeth leaned over to whisper to Robin.

"Oh yeah." Robin murmured.

"Good." Elizabeth said quietly. "So it's Nathaniel Malcolm then?"

"Yes it is. Nathaniel Malcolm Drake." Robin clarified. "What do you guys think?"

"Well we do already have the nicknames all set up." Cruz mused.

*****

Jax glanced up at the wall clock and sighed. He didn't even have business to see to right now. Everything was in place. He was more than caught up; he was ahead of the game. He had thought that since this was his first break in months his wife would want to join him for a quiet evening at home or even on the town if she preferred, but she wasn't here. She was never here anymore.

He knew where she was, but there was no point following her there. He would just be in the way and what advice could he possibly offer to the Jones's? He had suggested a better doctor, but Karen Wexler had no worthy competition in her field. Brenda had become absolutely offended when he mentioned covering their finances with one rather large check. She had become even angrier when he pointed out that, if it were his kid, he wouldn't want to be worrying about medical expenses. She had thrown back that he had no idea what money problems were, never had, and she didn't think the answer was to throw money at it.

So here he sat in his favorite chair with an empty crystal glass in one hand and a long black remote in the other. The television had been muted for a while now; he just focused on their faces. It was a lot like watching one of Brenda's mindless soap operas in that the actual sound wasn't needed. Everything was obvious on their faces. God, he needed a drink. He gripped the glass harder and willed the thought away. The bar was empty; there was no liquor in the house. His eyes squeezed closed when he was reminded why. He still couldn't believe the situation had gotten so out of hand.

The sound of shattering glass was held forever in these walls. They seemed to close in on him as the memories seeped closer. It had been a terrible night. His father's death had left his mother bereft and without any way to support her lifestyle so he had spent the remainder of the afternoon clearing her finances through his account, the same account who had the audacity to remind Jax of what a bad investment he was entering into. To insult his mother that way! Jax had held his tongue and cut the man's earnings in half. What was he supposed to have done? Leave her to starve to death? This was his mother for God's sake!

Brenda only beat him home by five minutes. There were shopping bags in her hands. She started chattering away without giving him a second to even greet her and avoided his kiss. Already in a foul mood, her selfish reaction to seeing him home made him even angrier. He hadn't been paying attention to the glasses of alcohol he had consumed since the meeting with his accountant. His driver had brought him home naturally, just like always. Brenda was the only one who went anywhere in a cab. She walked past him and went to put her new purchases in the bedroom closet, barely noticing him at all.

"Did you hear what I said?" He could still hear the callousness in his voice when he spoke to her for the fist time she had walked in.

"No, I'm sorry." Brenda set the bags down and turned to give him her full attention. "What did you say?"

"Mother's in way over her head." Jax said directly. He never could have imagined she would react the way she did. How could he have known?

"Is that what she told you?" Brenda asked instead. "Because I just saw her at Nordstrom's and she didn't look homeless."

"Is that supposed to be funny?" Jax barked in response.

"Don't yell at me just because you're in a bad mood." Brenda warned him. "I'm not one of your employees."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning you don't get to order me around." Brenda explained with a lift of her chin.

"I know this is hard for you to understand since your family is nothing like mine."

"And what does that mean?" Brenda snapped in defense. He noticed her start to back away despite her incredulity.

"Only that they don't give two figs about you or the other way around."

"Who do you think you are? Leave my family out of this."

"But it's okay for you to poke at mine with a stick?"

"I don't want to fight." Brenda moved toward the door. Jax acted as her shadow, reaching the door first.

"Looks like it's inevitable." Jax remembered smiling then. He wanted to wish the memory away, but it was impossible.

"Let go of me." He hadn't realized he was gripping her wrist until she had spoken.

"You're not running away from this." Jax argued.

"From what? You to fly off the handle? Too late for that."

"What's the matter Princess?" Jax sneered. "Is this not quite what you expected?"

"What I expected? Let's see. No. This is nothing like I thought it would be. For one thing, I didn't realize marrying you would give you the right to treat me this way." Though her words were accusatory, they were quiet. She wouldn't look at him.

"If I had known what a traitor you would turn out to be…" He let his voice trail off.

"Traitor? What are you even talking about?"

"You can't support me in anything." He charged.

"Like what?"

"My mother for one."

"Your mother is a manipulator." Brenda stated. "And I'm not going to live as her puppet or yours for that matter."

"Puppet?" He said the word in such anger it was as if he no longer understood its meaning.

"Yes puppet! At least your brother was too smart to fall for her tricks. You, on the other hand, always had to be the good son, the one she could lean on and take advantage of."

"Is there suddenly something wrong with wanting to take care of her?"

"Maybe you could try taking care of me first, just once?" Brenda's question had caught him by surprise. It must have shown in his face because she continued, "Must I always come second to her?"

"You're not second." Jax vehemently argued.

"Yes I am." Another whispered accusation. He wanted to look away.

"Then tell me what to do, Bren. What should I do, huh? Ignore her phone calls? Go against what I know is right because you're insecure?" His words were like acid to her perfect skin. She looked ready to fold into herself.

"Oh so this is my fault?"

"It's not mine." Jax pointed out.

"Then I'll just go." Brenda suggested.

"You're not going anywhere." Jax countered. He kept her securely locked in his grip.

"Let me go. I won't tell you again." Brenda growled, her brown eyes flashing.

"What if I don't?" Jax challenged. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Jax let me go." It was a plea now, her voice suddenly very innocent.

"Say please." He was never taking another drink. Not ever again.

"You're hurting me." Brenda wilted under the pressure of his hand.

"You don't just get to call it quits because you disagree." Jax told her. "Do you understand?"

"Jax." Brenda's voice trembled ever so slightly.

"You are my wife. That means you have responsibilities." Jax brushed her dark hair behind her ears, ignoring the way she shivered at his touch.

"Responsibilities?" It was a struggle for her to talk, wasn't it?

"You don't always have to agree with me, but you're not going to patronize me either."

"Any other conditions?" Brenda grumbled back. The words were barely out of her mouth when they both noticed his hand come down and slap her hard across the face. She fell gracefully at his feet, her entire body crumbling. He let her go then and walked out the door.

Jax jerked out of the trance, tasting blood in his mouth. He must have done some major damage to his lip without realizing it. Not that it mattered. Not that any of it mattered. She asked him for one thing, one measly little thing, and he was struggling with it? He let the glass crash to the ground, but the sound never registered. This house was closing in on him. He had to get out of here. But where could he go where alcohol wouldn't hypnotize him? He would not break his promise to his wife.

He was halfway to the door when the phone rang. "This is Jasper Jacks." What was left of him anyway.

"Mr. Jacks, how many times do I have to tell you no? I am running out of languages to turn you down in." Kate Howard's strident tone blasted into his ear.

"Than quit saying no and try a simpler answer." Jax suggested.

"I've already told you that's not going to happen."

"Then why are you calling me? I assumed once you failed to reconcile with your ex-husband, you would realize the kind of opportunity this is."

The truth was she didn't have a clue why she continued to call him or entertain his offers in the slightest. She hadn't been kidding when she had told Ric she had no interest in coming back to Port Charles, even less of an interest in taking over a magazine. There was just something about Jasper Jacks that refused to let her ignore him, no matter how much simpler her life would be if she would do just that. Of course, Kate knew full well the insanity that would be admitting such a weakness to him. "Mr. Jacks, I appreciate your optimism, but let me explain something to you. Going from regional television to editing a local magazine isn't exactly the career trajectory journalists who want the top spots take."

"Then what are you interested in?"

"Nothing you could give me I'm sure."

"Is it just Port Charles that repulses you? I could always use you at one of my other branches. Belize maybe?" He didn't try to fight back his grin. Kate Howard had no idea all he could do for her if she would let him.

"I wasn't aware you were a media mogul. I thought you were just another run of the mill corporate raiders."

"That's what you get for assuming, though I'm not offended. However, if you had put in as much effort finding out my good points as I did…well you would see your mistake."

"If I spent half as much time as you do chasing dead-end leads I would still be a news editor in some Podunk town out West." Kate responded back quickly.

"Tell me why you don't want this job. I'm genuinely interested." And he was.

"I've never been interested in doing print media. It's a dying form. Port Charles holds no interest for me. It's a fine town for short visits, but to actually live there might start to drive me insane."

"I thought the same thing when I met my wife. And then to find out she didn't want to leave? Of course, what else was I to do? It's not like I could leave her behind."

"Ah but you see, I have no one who wants to stick around that town. I am a free agent Mr. Jacks. A fact I pride myself on." At least lately she did. It had taken some time to remove herself from the pain of signing the divorce papers, but Kate really felt as if she had done it, moved on and put the past behind her. Even if she hadn't, Ric's immediate flight from that one brief kiss sealed the deal. There was no use in pining for the past when it clearly didn't want you in the future.

"Okay, you win." Jax lied. "I won't ask you again."

"Good. I'm glad we can finally agree on that. It was a pleasure not doing business with you Mr. Jacks."

"You too Ms. Howard. Good luck." Jax clicked the phone shut and smiled.