Steven picked up the phone, telling himself for the millionth time that he wasn't going to be distracted by his wife's aversion techniques. Something was obviously wrong and she didn't want him to know. He listened to the phone click to voicemail and let out a string of expletives his grandmother would have disowned him for.

"This is Georgie. Leave me a message and I'll call you back soon."

"Not buying it sweetheart. If you're there, pick up." Steven demanded in a tight voice.

Georgie bit her bottom lip, torn between wanting to pick up the phone and not wanting to fight with him again. Maybe if she just sat here a little while longer, he'd assume she wasn't home and just leave a message. Again.

He hung up; the phone slammed against its cradle. Let them bill him for using the landline instead of his cell phone. He could care less. He hadn't thought she would ignore the call if she thought it was someone besides him. He picked up his cell phone this time, frustrated but no less determined.

Why was she avoiding him? What didn't she want him to know? The questions played over and over in his mind like a bad song that just wouldn't leave him alone. "Georgie, please." He begged the answering machine.

It was the please that broke her. One simple word. Raising her eyes to heaven, she sent up a prayer for strength. "Hi. I just got in."

Steven figured he could call her on the lie. She could lie as well as she could cook, but what would be the point of starting another fight? "Hi." The single word was so insufficient, but he was afraid to say more.

"Hi. How are you doing?"

"Georgie."

"What?"

"Why are you talking to me like I'm a stranger?"

"I'm not. That's not what I'm doing."

"Aren't you?" And he hadn't wanted to pick a fight, but that's exactly what he was doing. Damn it. He should hang up now. Fighting got them nowhere.

"No. You're not a stranger."

"What's going on?"

"Robin's finally home. That's where I was." A small lie. Robin was home and she had been over at the penthouse earlier today. She had just left a few hours ago.

"Robin woke up?" Had it been that long since he'd spoken to her? Was she already married to someone else? He had called her all week, but she had conveniently been away. Selfish thoughts.

"Yeah. It's great. I mean she's got a way to go yet but they let her go home. That's good. It's a good sign."

"That's wonderful!" Steven had to be careful. This was always when the conversation tended to leave his control. "Any idea when I should expect you?"

"Expect...expect me?"

"You sound startled. Did you change your mind about coming to Australia?"

"No, no. I still want to come." That was the truth at least. She did still want to go and see the world with him. There was just the tricky part of figuring out how to get there.

"Then what's the hold-up?"

Why couldn't she just open her mouth and tell him the truth? I didn't get into the program. I don't have the money to come on my own. I just don't know if it's possible. She had tried to tell him hundreds of times, but the words just couldn't come. "Tell me what's happening on set."

"Every other day the actors decide they're going to quit and waste a day and a half renegotiating their contracts. So not a lot."

"Still beats hanging around hospitals and helping Maxie leave town again."

"I thought she might stay longer this time."

"No. Not when she's trying to avoid Ric Lansing at all costs."

"Nothing he doesn't deserve." Granted, Steven had only heard one side of the story, but he had grown quite fond of his sister-in-law.

"I won't argue with you there."

"I've been thinking of negotiating my contract as well." Steven said, bringing them back to the topic at hand once more. She was getting better; he kept falling into the same trap.

"Really? What exactly does that mean?"

"I might get to come home for a few days. Nothing's certain yet."

"That's...that's great. When would you know for sure?"

"You mean you don't want to be surprised?"

"Well planning surprises is one of your many talents."

"Then leave me to it. I'll let you know if I can't." Steven would come home one way or the other. He knew that much.

"Good. I miss you."

"Sure you do." Steven teased.

"I do. It's lonely without you."

"I can't understand why the school hasn't gotten back to you by now," Steven muttered to himself. "What with the semester starting soon and everything."

"I'm sure it's just an oversight."

"Maybe I should call them. You're much too sweet."

"No. Let me handle it."

"Are you sure? I will."

"I know you will. But I have to be able to fight some battles on my own right?"

"No." Steven argued.

"Yes. I love you. But I don't want to be like so many of the other girls in this town. I love you baby, but I need to be able to do some things on my own."

"I don't want to pressure you."

"You're not. I just need to be able to handle this on my own, in my own way ok?"

"Okay."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Mac stepped into the living room. He hadn't meant to listen in, but it was the most reliable way to get information when his daughters chose to ignore his offers to help.

"Because...because he'd quit and come home. I'm not going to be the reason he screws up his career."

"Then tell him the truth. Make him see reason. You're his wife. This isn't high school anymore. You owe it to him to say something."

"I will say something. I just don't how."

"Whether you believe it or not, I do understand."

"You're right. I don't believe you. But I appreciate your advice." George walked over to him, hugging him tight and kissing his cheek. "See I told you I'd still need you."

*****

Her plan was absolutely brilliant. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. To take down a monster, you just needed the right kind of spray. Cruz smiled tapping his pen to a rhythm only he could follow.

There were two things that must be done, one far more difficult than the other. Not that either of them would be especially easy. Becca and Axe would love all of the hidden mirrors this particular assignment required and Cruz would find out who had betrayed him. That wasn't the most important factor though. He closed his eyes. He wished to be done with all of this.

He would need a computer expert with very little moral fiber, one that would do what he wanted without asking any questions or leaving any trails. He needed Stan Johnson in the worst way, but that meant taking a risk that could cost him his own freedom. The computer genius was currently on parole, ironic considering the kidnappers' plan to have him released. Had they known he was only six months from parole anyway? Hardened criminal he wasn't, but Cruz knew how much the man thought of himself. There was one thing everyone understood and that was money. At one time this might have thwarted him, sent him back to square one, but Ms. Howard had a way around that too. He didn't know why she was so invested in bringing Jasper Jacks down and he didn't care.

All they needed was a company that looked reliable enough and would pass any test Jax's experts' tests. They would have to use the newspapers, rival papers, papers that had almost ruined each of their lives—Cruz with his inability to keep his company and the blasphemous accusations that had torn Kate's marriage apart.

Jax would jump at the very idea of competition and that's exactly what their company would appear as. Brand-new, unpredictable. He would play his pieces and eventually he would insist on initiating a truce with them that is once he knew they couldn't be underhanded. He would sink his money into their company and then they would take it, blame it on the stock market and go on about their day.

What would Jasper Jacks be without his money? Cruz wanted him to lose everything. If Brenda was loyal, she might stay with him, but Cruz had a feeling her loyalty only ran skin-deep. She wouldn't want to sacrifice her image to live in the gutter with him and after they were through with him, he would never work again. It was fool-proof if they played their cards right. Cruz rubbed his neck, tired for the first time not due to stress but actual exhaustion. He had forgotten how much he loved working angles.

"Someone looks happier then when I last saw him." Bobbie walked in, wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind. Placing a kiss on his cheek she smiled at him. "Good day at work?"

"The best. I'm going to take a shower and then let's say I take my girls out for lunch?"

"That sounds wonderful." Bobbie smiled at him.

Cruz whistled as he sauntered off to the bathroom, smiling at his daughter when he passed her nursery. She was sitting up looking at him, her fingers wrapped around the wooden bars so she could rock back and forth. Every time he saw her, he couldn't believe so much time had gone by.

Bobbie smiled as she noticed the extra energy her husband suddenly seemed to possess. She had no idea what happened today at work and what had caused this good mood but she wasn't going to question it. Maybe Axe and Becca had come up with a plan to save the magazine. Maybe she should call them and invite them to lunch too, as a thank you.

The ringing of his cell phone caught her attention. Still watching her husband's retreating form, Bobbie answered it without checking the caller ID. "Hello."

"Hello. Is Cruz Rodriguez there?" An unfamiliar female voice reached Bobbie's ears.

"No. He's busy. Can I take a message?"

"That's alright. It's not that big of a deal. I'll just talk to him tomorrow."

"Well can I at least tell him who called?"

"Kate. Kate called."