Mac loved his wife. She was the only woman in his life, except of course Kristina, who didn't go out of her way to lie to him. It hurt a little that Georgie hadn't been the one to tell him about her pregnancy, but at least Alexis had the good sense to come to him directly after the appointment. They had gone to see Robin, probably to get some well-intentioned while erroneous advice. He loved his niece, God did he ever love her, but she came to no decision logically. Every one she had ever made was done so after she put a lot of emotion into it. And what Georgie needed right now was logic.
Both he and Alexis had the advantage over their girls because of what they did for a living. The gory details they saw everyday had instilled them with the ability to block out any and all emotion. Of course, they weren't cold to the families of the victims they often came across; probably because they had all too often been on that side of the table and been dealt what they were dealt.
Still, that didn't mean he wanted to do what he knew had to be done. If she wasn't going to do it, what choice did he have? Steven deserved to know. God, but it made him insane. If the guy wasn't her husband, he wouldn't have bothered. As much as he believed every man deserved to know if he was a father, he might have been willing to make an exception in his daughter's case. That wasn't to say he disliked Steven Webber. Even if they had gone about things the right way, the better way, the normal way, he doubted his opinion of the young man would have changed. And it wasn't even the age difference; he had had to deal with an even greater one when Maxie decided to date Ric Lansing. He didn't have a reason beyond he was the father, Steven was the son-in-law, and Georgie was scared, alone, and pregnant.
Was it enough to call the man or did he need to go there in person? And if he did go, who would he leave in charge of the station? The answer came to him immediately, but it surprised him nonetheless. Alexis would think he was nuts, but he had to try. He knew Georgie was worried about Steven dropping everything and coming to her, but that's what made his daughter so good, so fragile. Steven needed to come home and take care of her the way she had been taking care of him all this time. She didn't know everything, despite what she might think; in order to be a family, two people had to admit that they needed each other if they wanted their marriage to work.
He groaned aloud. She was so young and already so much responsibility had been dropped on her shoulders. He could still remember the last time this had happened and he would be damned if he let it end the way it had before. If Steven wanted out, Mac would rather know first so he could block the direct blow to his daughter's heart. It was about time he proved once and for all if Steven Webber was willing to go the distance. He dialed a number he barely remembered and booked his flight.
*****
Cruz tapped his fingers across the telephone receiver. "Come on," he whispered. He didn't know why women had cell phones if they weren't going to use them. His wife was about the only one who remembered to charge hers.
"Kate Howard."
"Where have you been?"
"Well hello to you too." Kate laughed. "It's called work. I do still have a job you know."
"Well, partner, I thought you'd want to know Jax took the bait. Before I could even get through the entire conversation with Brett, he told me that Jax has been on the phone with him all morning trying to get insider information—forgive the pun—on our little operation."
"Excellent. So we need to prepare stage two is what you're saying."
"Remember that favor you have waiting in the wings? It'd be a good time to call him."
"As soon as we hang up." Kate promised. "I'll be able to come back to town tomorrow. This story isn't going anywhere."
"You know it's about to get dangerous. Are you sure you still want to be in? I don't put anything past the bastard."
Kate smiled slowly, even though she knew Cruz couldn't see her. "If I didn't like to play rough I would have never suggested the game. I can handle the likes of Jasper Jacks. Don't worry that handsome little head about me."
Before Cruz said anything more, the last person he could have predicted walked into his temporary office. "I'll have to call you back."
"Alright. I'll be on my way back." She promised as she hung up the phone.
"Actually, this falls under better late than never." Brenda Jacks argued.
"What can I do for you?" Cruz's mind was spinning. What was she doing here? Why did she look so determined? And, most importantly, how devoted was she to her husband?
"I heard about your magazine. I'm sorry." Brenda replied blandly.
"I survived." Cruz waved off her concern.
"Are you still licking your wounds or would you like to hear a proposition?" Brenda crossed her legs and that's when he saw what she had brought with her: a thick brown folder.
"I have a few minutes." Cruz replied, somehow getting the words out.
"Good. I'd hate to think I wasted the trip." Brenda handed over the folder. "I want to help you bring down my husband."
"You understand why I can't just take your word for it."
Brenda stood up and pushed her hair back from her neck showing him the fresh bruises on her neck. "Convinced?"
Cruz stopped just before touching the scaly skin. "My God."
Brenda smiled wryly. "I doubt God had anything to do with it."
"Have you been to the hospital? You should have those looked at." Cruz insisted.
Her smile widened. "You're a sweet guy, but I have an appointment with my doctor for later this afternoon. I didn't think I'd be contacting a plastic surgeon at twenty-nine, but stranger things have happened."
"How long has this been going on?"
"Off the record?" Brenda mocked him and rolled her eyes. "Look, I didn't come here for your sympathy."
"What did you bring me?" Cruz returned to the desk where he had dropped the folder.
"An early Christmas present. I'm sure you'll know what to do with it. Oh, and, if you could keep from using my name until he's in prison or dead, I'd appreciate it."
"This meeting never happened." Cruz swore.
"Thank you."
"Do you mind if I ask you something?"
"It's in the file." Brenda countered.
"I'm not talking about what's in the file." Cruz explained.
"All right. What do you want to know?" Brenda's hand hovered over the doorknob.
"Why did you come to me now?"
Brenda's back stiffened. "I'm pregnant."
*****
"And then the big bad wolf moved to Hollywood and made a ton of money as an agent. He was so happy in his new life he gave Red Ridding Hood and the Woodsman a special bonus check and they all lived happily ever after." Dillon declared as he shut the book. Smiling over at Lance, he ruffled his son's hair. "And that's the way the story really happened."
"That's not what the book says." Lance argued.
"It is too."
"Daddy Dillon I can read. It's not what the book said."
"Well it should say that. My version is so much better."
"I agree." Lucas swept into the room with a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies. Lance's favorite. So much had been going on lately that he and Dillon hadn't been spending enough time with their son and the last thing either of the wanted was for Lance to feel neglected.
"Read me another story?" Lance asked while reaching for a cookie.
"I don't know. If you can read and all, maybe you should read one to us." Dillon smiled.
"Which book do you want?" Lucas wondered, halfway to the stairs.
"Can we start on Harry Potter?" Lance asked.
"It's a school night. Let's start with something a little shorter for tonight." Lucas suggested.
"Please?" Lance begged. "Just one chapter?"
Lucas knew he couldn't argue with his beautiful son. "Alright. The first book?"
Lance nodded eagerly a split second before his face contorted in pain. "Ow."
"What? What's wrong?" Dillon wrapped his arms around Lance. He shot Lucas a worried glance.
"I hurt." Lance said simply. "Here." He pointed roughly to where his kidneys would be.
"Okay. Let's call Dr. Walker." Lucas barely kept his voice steady. He shot a look at Dillon to stay calm.
Dillon nodded in Lucas's direction, acknowledging the unspoken request. "Right. We'll just check with Dr. Walker. It's probably nothing. Too much sugar tonight."
"Yeah. Too...too much sugar." Lucas hesitantly agreed.
Lance nodded and then winced again as another cramp rolled through his body. "Make it stop Daddy. Make it stop."
"We're going to get you to the hospital. Dillon, grab him. Why isn't she answering?" Lucas whispered the last part, frustrated tears stinging his eyes.
"Leave a message. Tell her to meet us at GH." Dillon instructed as he picked up Lance carefully. "We're going to get you some medicine and we're going to make this better for you. Ok? You just stay tough alright? Just like Uncle Luke taught you ok?"
"Okay Daddy." Lance whispered. "Promise."
"Lucas. Lucas." Dillon prompted his husband. "Come on, we need you."
"This is Lucas Jones. My son is in extreme pain. We're on our way to General Hospital. Call me back as soon as you get this." Lucas followed Dillon out the door, letting the phone dangle from the hook. Lance screamed all the way to the car and all the way to the hospital. When he finally stopped, it was because he had passed out.
"Dillon, what's going on?" Lucas whispered as he maneuvered the car around the growing traffic.
"I don't know. I hope it's not what we both think it is."
"He was fine. He was happy." Lucas grumbled, slamming his fist against the wheel. "If I hadn't argued with him, if I had been paying closer attention..."
"Hey." Dillon reached out and grabbed Lucas's hand. "It's not your fault. You didn't cause this."
"Neither did you." Lucas stressed every word.
"As long as we have that clear. Right now let's just concentrate on finding whatever will help our son."
*****
Patrick stepped off the elevator to the most absolute and utter silence he had ever encountered. Before he met Robin, he was used to the sound. It wasn't as loud before, wasn't as palpable. He was almost afraid to enter the apartment. What a stupid thought. Maybe they were finally getting into a routine and the baby had started sleeping more. He bet she was upstairs with Morgan playing a game or something. She wouldn't want to be far from the nursery and Morgan's room was right beside it.
This was his life and he loved it. Whether or not he deserved it, whether or not he had had earned it, it was his and he wouldn't give it up for anyone. Two years ago he hadn't thought he would be able to love another person as much as he loved Robin. It physically hurt him to be away from her and she had expressed similar sentiments. His little family had been through hell this past year, but they were still standing. Nothing could break them apart as long as they were together.
He pushed open the door and realized why he was always waiting for the other shoe to drop: because it always did. Robin was curled up in the chair they had picked out together with Nathan asleep in her arms. She rocked him continuously and for all Patrick knew this had always been true and he'd been too blind to notice. She didn't register that he was even in the room. Her eyes were hidden in the shadows, the room so dark Patrick had to stumble in order to reach her. He touched her shoulder and she screamed. The sound startled the baby and he began to cry. Robin continued to scream.
"What is it?" Patrick demanded. "What happened? Why is it so dark in here?" She ignored him and her screams only grew louder. Frightened, he took Nathan from her and placed in the bassinet where at least Patrick knew he wouldn't be dropped. That done, he folded his arms around Robin. "Sweetheart?" Her eyes stared straight ahead now and she stopped screaming. He searched for whatever she saw before realizing that whatever she was looking at no longer existed in this room. Her eyes glazed over. She spoke.
"What are you doing out here all alone?" Robin asked, finding Morgan sitting in one of the empty chairs on the balcony.
Morgan looked up. "When is Patrick getting home?"
Robin smiled sadly. Ever since she was released from the hospital, Morgan fretted every time the four of them weren't in the same place at the same time. Getting him to return to school had been one of the hardest challenges they had faced thus far. He had begged her to stay. Now she wished she had. "He'll be home by the time dinner's ready." With less than four months until the Daytona, Patrick had spent every moment of daylight on the track. He would be home by dark, Robin knew, but the exact time was always a mystery.
"I want him home now." Morgan shook his head at her answer, obviously not appreciating it.
"It's getting chilly. Why don't you come inside and we'll get some hot cocoa?" Robin offered, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"What if Nathan wakes up?" Morgan challenged, folding his arms stubbornly.
"Well he's too little for hot cocoa." Robin teased. "Listen, I know things haven't settled down yet, but they will."
"You've said that before." Morgan accused faintly.
"I know, but this time I mean it." Robin emphasized. "Come on. Let's get some of that cocoa."
"I don't want any." Morgan argued.
"Not even the kind with marshmallows?"
"They're stale."
"When have I ever relied on packaged hot cocoa? We add our own marshmallows. Remember?"
"I want the big marshmallows." Morgan told her.
"That's the only kind we have." Robin promised. "Now will you please come inside? I don't want you to catch cold."
"Alright." Morgan gave in. "Can we watch a movie?"
"Sure. Why don't you pick one out while I take the baby upstairs?" Robin suggested.
"So we don't wake him up." Morgan realized.
"That's right."
"Can we watch Cars?"
"Whatever you want." Robin promised scooping Nathan out of the white bassinet Laura had given them the day they were cleared to go home. Ever since Dillon recommended the movie to Patrick—and recommended meant that he purposely forgot the movie here the last time Lance came over to play—he and Morgan had watched it nonstop.
"Yeah!" Morgan ran for the movie case while Robin climbed the stairs.
Robin traced the lace lining of the bassinet and then continued her story. "I didn't even make it to the nursery."
"What are you talking about?" Patrick demanded carefully.
"Morgan yelled up the stairs to tell me that someone was the door. He must have remembered what we always tell him about not just opening the door to anyone." Her eyes filled with tears and she had to stare at her hands to keep her voice from shaking too badly.
"What happened next?"
"I carried the baby back downstairs without even realizing it and went to the door."
"Who was at the door?"
"Robin." Ned shifted back and forth on his feet. He didn't know why he always had to show up with bad news but it seemed to be his lot in life.
"Ned? What a pleasant...Come in." Robin pulled the door open wider and carried Nathan to his bassinet. "Morgan and I were just about to watch Cars. Interested?"
"Not this time." Ned smiled.
Robin almost asked him for a rain check, but his face was too serious. "Has something happened? Is Lois alright?" To say that Ned showed up at her door, well ever, would have been a lie. She had never been as close to Ned as Lucky and Patrick were.
"Lois is fine." She was ready to spit nails and sweep Robin, Morgan, Nathan, and Patrick out of the country under new names, but he was trying to keep a more rational head here. "Something has happened Robin. Something you need to know about. You need to be prepared."
"You're scaring me." Remembering Morgan behind her, Robin sent him to the kitchen to start the popcorn.
"I don't mean to scare you. But no one else is going to tell you. I don't want you to be surprised." Ned took a deep breath and took a further step towards Robin. "I saw AJ."
"I saw AJ with Monica and Alan at the Estate." Ned clarified. "They didn't see me, so I overheard them talking. About Morgan."
"My Morgan?"
"Your Morgan." Ned nodded. Looking around, he could make out the boy's form in the kitchen. "Is there somewhere we can talk? He doesn't need to hear this."
"Morgan, honey, how about we put the movie on in your room?" Robin suggested with a placating smile.
"But I want Patrick to watch it with us." Morgan protested.
"I'll send him up just as soon as he gets home." Robin promised.
"I don't want to be alone." Morgan whined.
"Ned and I just have to talk about adult stuff for a second. I'll be right there. Promise." Robin told him. "Please."
"I'm just going to borrow your mom for a few minutes. I promise." Ned spoke up.
"Okay." Morgan gave in. "Should I take Nathan?"
Robin laughed and it felt hollow. "No, you just go on ahead. Be right there baby." She waited for him to disappear upstairs before she let any worry spread across her features. "What does Morgan have to do with AJ?"
"More than we thought." Ned sighed. "I'm not sure of all the details, but from I heard, AJ seems to think he's Morgan's father. Not Sonny."
"That's preposterous!"
"I agree with you. But they were talking about lawyers and judges, ordering DNA tests, the works."
"Why?" Robin bit down hard on her bottom lip. She would not crumble. "Why now?"
"I don't know. I wish I did." Ned reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I didn't want to tell you this, but I didn't want you to blind-sided when AJ showed up with a subpoena."
"He can't do that."
"He has money Robin. And the backing of the Quartermaines. I don't think Edward knows just yet, but you remember how he was like when Michael was a baby."
"He just got home." Robin whimpered.
"And we're going to make sure he stays here. AJ is no more his father than Sonny was. He doesn't know Morgan. You do. You are his mother. No judge is just going to ignore that. As usual Junior isn't planning ahead effectively. It's always his downfall."
"Where is Morgan?" Patrick wanted to know.
"They didn't come and take him while you were God only knows where. I promise you that." Robin bit off, pushing away from him and getting to her feet. "He's upstairs asleep."
"Ned was right. They won't take Morgan from us." Patrick tried to reassure her.
"How do you know that?" Robin challenged, advancing on him.
"Because Morgan is as much our son as Nathan is." Patrick reminded her.