Evan pushed open the door, leaning heavily against it. After his talk with Lucky Spencer, he had called Lulu and told her he would be working through the night. He hadn't waited to hear her take on it, knowing staying on the phone with her would have accomplished nothing. He stopped mid-step when he came face-to-face with the last person he had been expecting. "Mom? What are you—?" He didn't get a chance to finish his question before she threw her arms around him and squeezed him tightly.

"It's about time." She lightly scolded, releasing him and stepping backwards. "Where have you been?"

"I was at work." Evan informed her wearily. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?" Lulu's absence made him nervous.

"I can't visit my son?" Sophie challenged, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"Of course you can visit. I...you know I've never been big on surprises..." Evan backtracked with a tight smile.

"I can't believe you're mad at me for coming." Sophie shook her head in disappointment. "Especially after our last phone call."

"Would you keep your voice down?" Evan insisted, finding Lulu curled up in his bed asleep.

"She tried to wait up for you, but she lost that battle about an hour ago. A train could go past the bed and I doubt she'd notice." Sophie picked up an unfamiliar blanket from the back of Evan's couch. "So, she's pretty."

"Don't start." Evan begged. He went to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.

"You didn't mention her at all and yet she says you're great friends." Sophie watched her words put a smile on her son's face.

"She got into some trouble." Evan evaded. "I'm just trying to help her out of it."

"Don't you have enough to deal with? And what's this about you finding Ethan's killer and going after him yourself? Have you gone completely mad?" Sophie slammed her hand against the counter with enough force to startle him.

"I said I'd taken care of it." Evan reminded her.

"Yes, and that's what scares me." Sophie admitted quietly.

"What do you think, that I killed him?" Evan challenged.

"Did you?"

"I don't believe this!"

"Evan, please. Don't shut me out." Sophie insisted, advancing on him.

"I think it's time for you to go."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Mom, please. It's been a long night. I haven't been to sleep yet. Can we possibly do this another time?"

"Right. I'll just drive to Manhattan and then come back here. What's a few more hours in the car?"

"I'm trying here. Okay? I don't know what else to do."

"I just want to have a normal conversation with you. Is that so terrible?"

"You're accusing me of killing a man. How is that anything but convoluted?"

"It's the longest conversation we've had since you moved here."

"What do you want me to do? I'm not going back to Manhattan. I told you that."

"Would you mind telling me why?"

"I shouldn't have to tell you why."

"You mean you won't." Sophie concluded. "Tell me it has something more to do with than your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend." Evan argued, rubbing his eyes.

"She's sleeping in your bed."

"And once you leave, I won't make it past the couch."

"Do you think it's easy for me to be so far away from you? To see so many similarities…?"

"I'm not him. I'm not depressed. I'm not doing drugs."

"I know." Sophie whispered. "I just wish you would come home."

"That's not my home anymore, Mom." Evan pointed out.

"And this is? Evan, this place isn't safe."

"And Manhattan was? I like it here. I feel like I'm doing something that matters."

"And I am so proud of you. I miss you, that's all."

"Why don't you move here?"

"And leave our home? I could never do that."

"You're there all alone."

"Your father bought me that house. We raised you boys in that house. Every memory of mine over the last thirty years has been made in that house."

"I can't just pick up and leave."

Sophie nodded, unable to meet his gaze. "Bring her over sometime."

"I will. You're not driving back tonight, are you?"

"No. I rented a room at the Metro Court. I'm paid up until tomorrow afternoon."

"I'm sorry." Evan hugged her.

"Don't be."

*****

"Daddy! We're hungry!" Cameron's voice filtered up from downstairs. He and Morgan had disappeared to the basement almost as soon as Morgan arrived. Lucky figured they would be fine until the occasional request for food became constant screams.

"You just had lunch." Lucky pointed out.

"But we're still hungry."

"Cameron, you and Morgan can have a snack later. Right now we're a little busy with the twins and Nathan ok?" Elizabeth smiled over at Lucky as she balanced Nathan on her hip.

"Alright." Cameron responded with a sigh.

"Give them five minutes. They'll get all involved in a video game and forget all about it." Elizabeth advised as she walked into the living room.

"Why did we volunteer for this again?" Lucky asked as he took Nathan from her and put him in the playpen with Jake and Gracie. He was fairly sure she had tricked him into it, but Elizabeth insisted they had both thought it was a good idea. Why on earth would he think having five kids running around his house would be a good idea? He always held Cameron's birthday parties at restaurants and play places for a reason.

"Because if Robin doesn't take a break soon, Morgan is going to start figuring out there is something going on. And she's not ready to tell him about AJ yet."

Lucky could feel his blood boil again at the mention of AJ. He had missed the fireworks in the hospital, a fact he regretted daily. He would have loved to punch that arrogant son of a bitch right in his mouth. An injunction? Using an injunction to keep Morgan from helping Lance recover? What kind of person did that? Scratch that, a human being didn't do that to an innocent child, let alone his own flesh and blood. "I know. And it's been awhile since Cam and Morgan spent any time together."

"Yes. And don't pretend you haven't missed Nathan here." Elizabeth teased. "You spent more time with him than anyone when he was in the hospital."

"I did not. Mom was there just as much as I was."

"Keep telling yourself that. You have a soft spot for him."

"I was trying to warn him about Patrick's cooking."

"Don't worry honey. I won't tell anyone." Elizabeth leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I don't have to. It's written all over your face."

Lucky rolled his eyes. There was one way to stop this topic of conversation. True to her prediction, all they could make out of Cameron and Morgan was indistinct chatter and occasional laughs. The twins and Nathan were easily entertaining themselves with seeing how many different toys they could fit in their mouths at one time. "I had a thought about the wedding."

Elizabeth smiled and tried to hide her laughter. Lucky had been doing better about helping plan the wedding, but his latest thought would just lead to more trouble. "I told you. You aren't planning the wedding favors."

"You haven't even heard my idea yet."

"I don't need to. I already know it will be some attempt to get back at Cruz and Patrick for the tape incident."

"And you don't want a prank war in the middle of your wedding."

"No, I fully expect it to continue. I just think they would be expecting you to rig the favors. You need to think of something else."

Smiling at her, Lucky looped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "You are devious."

"You already knew that."

"I did. But generally it's used against me."

"Well you generally deserve it."

"True." Lucky agreed, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "So if I wanted to use your powers for me rather than against me, what exactly would I have to do?"

"This is a good start."

"I see." Lucky leaned over and kissed the side of her neck. "And this?"

"Helps your case."

"Good to know." He scattered kisses up the side of her neck to her earlobe.

I'd like to point out that there are five children in this house. And this sort of thing led to why three of them are here."

"You know Mom is always talking about how she doesn't see the kids enough."

"That's her code for she wants to come and take over wedding plans." Elizabeth pointed out. "I have a deal for you though."

"A deal?" Lucky raised one eyebrow and kissed the side of her mouth.

"You behave until Morgan and Nathan go home."

"And?"

"And when they leave, we can discuss my deviousness for the rest of the night."

"What time is Patrick picking them up?"

"Two hours." Elizabeth whispered into his ear.

"Then you have a deal."