Robert, Mac and Frisco watched Anna pace the length of the living room. Frisco and Mac were carefully avoiding looking at one another and the air between them was charged with hostility. Robert would occasionally glance at one or the other and roll his eyes before turning his attention back to his wife.

Anna, so focused on her first meeting with his sister, barely noticed anything going on around her. Since Lindsay’s death, Anna desperately missed having a sister. She missed the bond they had shared. Now she was afraid that Faison had already ruined any chance she had of ever being close to her twin. Anna was certain that Alex would hate her when she realized what had been done to her. How I am supposed to explain that all of the awful things that happened to her were my fault? There were so many things Alexandra didn’t remember. How much would she want to remember? How would Alexandra handle the news about Faison? And what about Avery? How could she tell Alexandra about Avery? She didn’t even understand herself. Her sister might really end up in an institution before all was said and done.

Anna was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the racket outside when the Quartermaines arrived. The knock on the door startled her. The sensation of being suffocated returned and it suddenly seemed like all of the oxygen had been sucked out of the room leaving her breathless. Her entire body seemed frozen in place along with her mind. She forced herself to break free of the panic that gripped her. She started for the front door but Robert quickly rose from his seat and blocked her path. She wordlessly tried to sidestep him but he moved with her.

"Robert! Move!"

"Sean knows to use the back door," he said sensibly. She glared at him irritated that he could remain so calm.

"Maybe he forgot," she suggested. Robert’s eyebrows rose. Anna gestured impatiently at the door. "Then you go look."

"You know I can’t – "

"Then I will," Anna replied as she tried to go around him the other way. Robert stepped in front of her again. "Stop it!" She tried again to dodge him and once more he blocked her path. She stubbornly crossed her arms. "Either you go or I go. What’s it going to be?"

"I’ll go," both Frisco and Mac offered at the same time. They stopped midway out of their chairs trying to stare each other down. Both Robert and Anna rolled their eyes.

"Bloody hell! One of you get the damn door!" Robert ordered.

Mac stood and announced, "It’s my house. I’ll get it. If Frisco doesn’t mind that is." Frisco sarcastically waved him toward the door and slouched down in his chair to pout. He cursed Felicia again for not letting him pick the girls up from school.

Robert and Anna stepped aside as Mac cautiously cracked open the door only to have Edward Quartermaine shove past him. Edward was followed by Alan, Monica and Reginald. One of the WSB agents raised his hands helplessly when Mac glared at him and quickly closed the door.

*****

Robin stopped at the top of the stairs and sat down still holding Olivia. She called out to Parker who was continuing down the steps.

"Hey!" she whispered. "Where are you going?"

"Aren’t we going down there?" he whispered back, bouncing Isabella in his arms to keep her quiet.

"Nope, not yet. Let my mother wear him down a little first."

"Wear who down?"

"Edward." Parker shook his head but sat next to her. He watched in amazement as she listened to the upheaval downstairs like it was an everyday occurrence. He compared this new Robin to the insecure but determined young woman he met several months ago. Since reuniting with her parents, Robin’s self-confidence had grown steadily. He knew she must be nervous about the prospect facing Jason’s family, but so far she had kept her composure.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Now we wait and listen." He heaved a big exaggerated sigh and Robin grinned at him. "Hey at least its entertaining."

*****

Sonny followed Jason into his penthouse then ordered him to go clean up. While Jason changed clothes and washed up, he called Johnny in to tell him about Faison’s visit. Jason returned in a clean T-shirt and jeans and went straight to the refrigerator. He sighed when he realized Gina had dumped the last two bottles of beer. He got himself a can of soda instead and went to stare out at the balcony, careful to avoid Sonny’s eyes.

Sonny quietly studied his friend. He noticed that Jason had washed most of the blood off of his face and hands but his knuckles were bruised, his lip was split and at least one of his eyes would be black by morning. Sonny also noticed that Jason seemed more subdued than he had been that morning. He suspected Jason’s mood swing had been affected by more than just being used as a punching bag.

"So are you going to tell me what happened?" Sonny asked. Jason shrugged.

"Three guys jumped me on the docks," he replied without turning.

"And…" Sonny prompted.

"What does it look like, Sonny?"

"It looks like somebody beat the hell out of you. Did they just let you go?" Jason winced.

"Yeah, well, so were Robin’s parents until a few days ago." Sonny nodded thoughtfully. If his death was staged, maybe Robin’s disappearance was, too. That’s a helluva lot better than thinking that creep Faison had her.

"What were you doing down on the docks?" Jason dropped his eyes and turned away. "Jason? What were you doing?"

"I was on my way to Spoon Island," he answered quietly. Jason felt Sonny’s anger hit him like a physical force. He watched as the other man ran a hand over his mouth, his whole body tense. He waited, but Sonny apparently decided to forgo the lecture.

"What were you saying about the hospital?" Sonny asked suddenly. His question caught Jason off-guard and he only stared blankly. "You said Robin was terrified of him at the hospital. What did you mean?" Sonny repeated impatiently. Jason wearily sat on the step that led to the balcony doors.

"Robin came to visit me when I was in the hospital. I told you that."

"Yeah, but you left out the part about Faison."

"I didn’t remember. Not until you’d been shot. Tony mentioned his name and I remembered him being there."

"Did he do something to her?"

"No." Jason sighed in frustration. "At least I don’t think so. I just remember him being there. He was smoking one of those damn cigars." His was silent for a moment before he quietly added, "And I remember she was scared." Sonny brooded for a few moments before retrieving a folder from the desk. He handed the folder to Jason then sat beside him.

"What’s this?"

"Benny dropped it off for you." Sonny stared curiously at the folder.

"I asked him to see what he could find out about Robin and the twins," Jason explained.

"Maybe we’d better see what he found," Sonny suggested.

*****

"Now see here Scorpio, I demand to see my great-granddaughters this instant!" Anna stepped forward before Mac could let loose the angry reply she could see brewing on his face. She tapped Edward on the shoulder.

"Excuse me. Edward?" she smiled sweetly.

"What?" Edward said, turning around. "Oh, Anna dear. And Robert, too, I see. Well, it’s…nice to see you’re all right. Now where is that daughter of yours? I – "

"I’m sorry, Edward. Did you just ‘demand’ to see my granddaughters? Is that what you said? Without even saying hello? Is that all I get after bringing you home to your family?" Anna asked, trying to make him feel guilty.

"Is there any way you can take him back where you found him?" Reginald muttered. Mac snickered and Robert suppressed a grin.

"I’ll second that," Mac added, raising his hand. Edward gave them each a reproachful look.

"Well, of course dear. How are you?" Edward gave her a little pat on the arm. "Now about Robin – "

"What about my daughter?" Anna challenged. Edward floundered under her steady gaze.

"Well…I…now, you see…" Anna crossed her arms pretending to listen intently. "This is ridiculous! I already have one great-grandchild I never get to see and I’ll be damned if I let the same thing happen with these two!"

"The reason you never get to see that little boy wouldn’t happen to be because you tried to kidnap him, would it?" Anna asked.

"Now that is a complete exaggeration – "

"Put a sock in it, Edward!" said Monica. She went to hug Anna. "I didn’t get a chance to do this the other night. Welcome home." Alan stepped up to hug Anna as Monica moved on to Robert. Edward was becoming impatient and began to bluster again.

"Yes, yes, that’s all very nice but I want to see my great-granddaughters!" he whined.

"Well I see all hell has broken loose here," Luke said dryly as he wandered into the living room from the kitchen. He saw Robert’s harried look and grinned.

"How in the devil did you get in here?" Edward asked. No one else looked overly surprised by Luke’s appearance. Luke jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"Back door was unlocked," he answered with a shrug. Edward rounded on Mac.

"But I’m like family, right Mac?" Luke asked with a wink and a smirk. Mac almost couldn’t stop himself from returning the smile.

"Oh, Father would you knock it off!"

"That’s exactly my point!"

"You don’t have a point, Edward!" Monica said irritably.

"You let this…this…this…"

"Hoodlum?" Frisco suggested. He was trying and failing to hide his amusement with the whole situation.

Luke sat down on the couch near Frisco and said, "I prefer scoundrel. It has a nicer ring to it. Say it with me. Scoundrel. Scoundrel." Frisco nodded his agreement. Edward continued his rant about certain people being allowed to "waltz right in" while he was being kept away from his "own flesh and blood". Alan and Monica tried to shut him up. Mac, Anna, Robert and Reginald joined the fray while Luke and Frisco simply tried to egg the argument on for their own enjoyment.

*****

At the top of the stairs, Parker listened slack-jawed as they bickered back and forth. It took him a minute to register that Robin was giggling beside him. He stared at her, wondering how anyone could find humor in the situation.

"C’mon, let’s go put them out of their misery," she said as she stood. She waited for him to follow.

"You’re not actually thinking of going down there, are you?" Robin looked genuinely puzzled.

"Sure why not?" She giggled again at his horrified look.

"I don’t think the girls should be exposed to that."

"They’re not so bad. They don’t bite or anything. Well – okay – Lois did say that Ned’s little brother Dillon was a biter but that was years ago and he doesn’t even live here. He just visits occasionally."

"Those people are insane, Robin!" Even as she laughed at him, she realized he had just addressed her by her first name. He had never done that before. In fact the only time he ever used her first name was in conjunction with her last name; such as "I’m assigned to Robin Scorpio." Otherwise he called her "Miss Scorpio" or, if he was really furious with her, he slipped and called her simply "Scorpio". Before Robin could comment, her mother rounded the corner on the landing and almost ran into her. Robin took one look at the anger in Anna’s eyes, shifted Olivia onto her hip and raised her free hand in mock surrender.

"I know. We’re coming. We give up." Anna’s frown deepened.

"Are you sure you’re ready for this?" she asked. She was still worried about Robin’s fragile confidence.

"Do I have a choice?" Robin asked with the lopsided grin she had inherited from Robert.

"Absolutely," Anna replied fiercely. Robin smiled at her mother’s protectiveness. She’d forgotten how good it felt.

"It’s okay. Let’s just get it over with." Anna put a protective hand on her daughter’s back as she and Parker followed Robin down the steps. Luke saw them first and came over to wrap his arms around her.

"Hey darlin’! Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!" he cried. "And look at this little cutie," he said looking first at the baby in Robin’s arms, then to the one Parker was holding. "Looks like you got a matched set, too." They waited for the others to realize that Robin and the twins had arrived but they were too engrossed in their argument to notice. Luke put two fingers in his mouth and let loose a piercing whistle. The argument around them came to a sudden halt as all eyes turned in Robin’s direction. The Quartermaines seemed particularly interested in the handsome man holding Isabella with such ease. Alan again suspected that there was more to their relationship than Robin had said. Robert walked to Anna’s side and put his arm around her waist. Robin braced herself then faced the Quartermaines.

Robin smiled as Luke leaned over to add in a stage whisper, "Don’t let the old goat push you around."

"Never," she whispered back.

Edward marched straight over to Parker and barked, "And just who in blazes are you?" Robin saw Parker’s jaw tighten in anger and stepped between the two men before he could fire back with an insult.

"Mr. Quartermaine, this is Special Agent Parker. He’s been looking out for me and the girls." Her explanation seemed to at least partially mollify Edward so she brushed past him, signaling for Parker to follow.

Robin handed Olivia to Alan and said, "Olivia, meet your Grandpa Alan." Tears filled his eyes as Alan took the baby gently. Robin took Isabella from Parker and passed her to Monica. "Isabella, this is your Grandma Monica." Robin stepped back to stand in front of her parents who each put a hand on her shoulders. They watched Alan and Monica study the tiny faces of their granddaughters in awe. Monica looked at Robin and mouthed her thanks as she hugged the baby to her.

Robin smiled but she could feel her nervousness returning as she watched Edward hover around her daughters. For just a moment she felt a pang of regret for keeping them from the twins for so long but then she remembered what Jason went through with Michael. She hoped the Quartermaines – mainly Edward – weren’t going to try to take her children from her, too. She felt the warmth of her parents’ hands as Mac caught her eye from across the room. He smiled his encouragement. She looked at Frisco, then Luke and saw them keeping a close eye on her daughters. Parker, too, was standing guard. She smiled and reminded herself that she wasn’t alone. If Edward Quartermaine thought he was going to take her children away, he had no idea what he was up against because the Scorpios - and their extended family - weren’t about to let anyone separate them again. She shook her head as Edward greedily tried to convince Alan and Monica to let him hold one of the babies. You’re in for the fight of your life, Robin silently promised.

Chapter 26

Jason and Sonny stared at the folder that Jason held in his hands. They had gone over the folder’s contents together. As Sonny’s anger grew, Jason’s remorse deepened. In his mind’s eye, all Jason could see were his daughters’ beautiful faces. His stubborn foolish pride had almost cost him his children. They could be dead right now, he thought numbly. Robin, too. They could all be dead.

Sonny abruptly stood and began to pace. Jason watched his friend stalk back and forth across the living room. He noticed that Sonny seemed pale even though his anger brought a flush to his cheeks. On closer inspection, Jason saw the perspiration forming on Sonny’s forehead and upper lip. He didn’t want him to overexert himself on his first day out of the hospital.

"Sonny, sit down. And calm down." Sonny turned to glare at him. "You can’t help her if you end up back at the hospital."

"I think you’re the last person that needs to be telling me what to do," Sonny said angrily. Jason looked away for a moment, then returned Sonny’s stare.

"How could you be so stupid?" Sonny asked. Jason’s eyes widened.

"What?"

"I’ve kept my mouth shut up until this point but this is the last straw! That stupid stunt you pulled with Carly and Michael cost you your own family and you didn’t even care! I think the only reason you give a damn now is because you see the opportunity to replace Michael with those two little girls!"

"Sonny – "

"I’m not finished! I’m going to ask you something and you’d better damn well tell me the truth because if I find out you’re lying Faison is going to be the least of your problems! There won’t be anyone who can save you!" Sonny paused to catch his breath then asked, "Did Robin try to contact you?"

Jason found he couldn’t look Sonny in the eye. He thought again about the letters Robin sent. He’d had five chances to do the decent thing. Five chances to apologize. Five chances to try and get her back. Five chances to be there for her. Five chances to be a father. Sonny took his silence for an answer.

"How many times?" he asked quietly. His eyes seemed to bore straight through Jason.

"Five," Jason admitted softly.

"Did she call you?" Jason shook his head. "She write you?" Jason nodded. "You didn’t read her letters?" Jason shook his head slightly. "I’m sorry. Did you forget how to speak? Do you still have them?"

"I sent them back."

"You sent them back?" Sonny repeated. "Without even opening them to see why she would bother writing to your sorry ass after the way you treated her?" He didn’t get an answer. "What did you think she wanted? You?" he asked sarcastically.

Jason stood and walked to the windows, convinced Sonny could see straight through to his soul. That was exactly what he had thought she wanted. He thought she was writing to apologize or justify her actions or just ask him to take her back. God, I’m an idiot. You saw her face that night on the bridge. Why would she want you back after the things you said?  he asked himself. He destroyed any chance of ever being with her the minute the words left his mouth. He saw it in her eyes. Yet even after the way he had treated her, she still tried to tell him about their babies. He remembered how she had always tensed up when he mentioned having a family together someday. The unexpected news of her pregnancy must have terrified Robin. Jason felt awful that she had been so isolated from her friends and family when she needed them the most. That he was the cause for her isolation only increased his guilt.

"What if she was sick, Jason? What if she was in danger? What if she was trying to tell you somebody was hassling her? Did you not think of that? You could’ve just given the letters to me. I could have taken care of–"

"Why didn’t she write to you, Sonny?" Jason asked, finally sick of Sonny’s badgering. "She could have written to you just as easily as she did me. So why didn’t she?" Sonny glared, but couldn’t come up with a suitable answer. "Maybe because you’re not blameless here either. Did you check up on her? Did you have guards on her? Did you call her? Or write to her? No. Because you were just as mad as I was!"

"I was wrong! I realize that!" Sonny shouted back.

"And I don’t?" They both looked away, disgusted with themselves and each other.

"What makes you angrier? That she found someone else or that you didn’t?" Sonny asked, trying to provoke the other man. Instead, his question had the opposite effect. Jason went out on the balcony to stare down at the city below him. Sonny followed him, worried he might do something stupid. They stood in silence for several long minutes before Jason spoke again.

"I always knew she’d find someone else," he said quietly. "That she would…leave me again for somebody who could give her everything she wanted. And deserved… She was going to marry him, Sonny. She was happy. You saw the report. All those people who said he doted on her, took her everywhere just to show her off." He gave a small, self-depreciating laugh. "I wouldn’t even take her to her uncle’s wedding. She had to ask Nikolas Cassadine to take her."

Sonny felt his anger draining away. As much as learning about Robin’s life in Paris was hurting him, it was tearing Jason apart. The report gave only the official version of the story. That Robin met a man shortly after returning to Paris. Just a few weeks later, they were engaged and a few weeks after that, she moved in with him. The report stated that the man had in fact almost completed the process of adopting the girls when he was killed.

The rest of the information that Benny provided made Sonny close his eyes against the pain and guilt. Two or more intruders cut the phone lines and electricity, broke into the house and took the twins, leaving a ransom note behind. According to the police, Gerard came home early, surprised them and was taken as well. Robin was left to die lying in a pool of blood. Luckily, someone had taken pity on the twins and left them at a shelter the next day. The woman also called the police and told them where to find Robin. When they found her she was barely clinging to life, still clutching the useless telephone receiver in her hand. She lay in a coma for five days. The day she woke up, Gerard’s body was found dumped in an alley. He had to be identified by dental records. Robin spent the next three weeks in the hospital recovering from her injuries then had to build a new life for herself and her daughters alone.

Sonny’s guilt was overwhelming. If he had at least kept guards on her, she would have been safe. He could have prevented the whole incident and she might be happily married right now. Instead, he cut her out of his life completely. At the time, he thought he was doing the right thing. He could see what living with Jason and Carly was doing to her and he knew she hated the business he and Jason were in. He thought that by pushing her away, he was helping her. He wanted to keep her out of the dangerous lives he and Jason led. Now he craved her unwavering support. Never had Robin judged him, never had she not stood by him and never had she given in to popular opinion and turned him away. She had only shown him unconditional love and acceptance. He knew he would have to work hard to earn the right to be her friend again. He also knew that he might not be able to regain her trust. But he wasn’t about to let anyone hurt her again. Not even Jason.

*****

Edward kept hovering around Alan and Monica trying to get a good look at the twins but they kept shooing him away. As they traded babies, Edward tried to get them to let him hold one but Alan simply said, "Back off Father!" Robin watched apprehensively. Alan and Monica still hadn’t said anything about her decision to keep her daughters a secret, but she knew they must be angry and disappointed in her. It was like Michael all over again. She knew how hurt they had been when they found out she lied about Michael’s paternity but this must be worse. She knew how much they missed Jason and the twins provided a link to him. A link she denied them for over a year.

She just hadn’t been able to bring herself to tell anyone in Port Charles about her children, feeling that if their own father didn’t want them no one else would either. She didn’t want to see the disappointment and embarrassment on Mac and Felicia’s faces when people found out she’d been stupid and careless enough to get pregnant, endangering Jason’s health in the process, then have the babies regardless of the risks. She also didn’t want to have people point and stare and whisper behind her daughters’ backs as they had done to her while she was living with Jason, Carly and Michael. She didn’t want them to be the butt of jokes or the objects of gossip. And she never wanted her daughters’ to feel like they were anything less than the miracles they were. She didn’t want them to be the consolation prize after losing Michael.

Seeing the girls with their grandparents, her fears now seemed both very real and completely ridiculous. Of course the Quartermaines would love the girls no matter who their mother was. They loved Michael, didn’t they? Robin hoped an arrangement could be worked out that would benefit them all. She believed the girls needed all of the family they could get, especially in the event that something happened to her. She dared to think it was possible for the twins to see Jason’s family on a regular basis as long as Edward and his scheming stayed out of it. At the same time, she noted Emily’s conspicuous absence. And she didn’t even want to think about AJ’s reaction when he heard the news. And what about Lila? the traitorous little voice in her head whispered. What’s she going to think of you now? Robin didn’t think she was strong enough to face the disappointment in Lila’s eyes.

"Robin –"

Robert and Anna saw the change in Robin’s demeanor, too, and were anxious to get rid of the Quartermaines. Robin had slowly come out of her depression in the last few months they had been together. They couldn’t bear to see her backslide, but at the same time, they knew she had to come to terms with the consequences of her actions. Alan nudged Monica. She could tell by his look that their visit was over. She vowed to throttle her father-in-law the minute they got in the car. No, better yet, I’ll sic Lila on him. That’ll teach him to keep his mouth shut.

Before anyone else could speak there was another commotion outside. Robert and Robin instantly turned their attention to Anna. She stood perfectly still for a moment before heading for the kitchen. Robin handed Isabella back to Alan and asked them to stay for a short while and watch the babies. Then she and Robert followed Anna to the back of the house. The Quartermaines were puzzled as they watched Frisco, Luke, Mac and Parker file out of the room after them.

In the kitchen, Anna stood in front of the door taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself. She started when Robert put his hands on her shoulders. She put one hand over his. With her other hand she reached out for Robin who clasped it tightly. Frisco leaned against the kitchen counter and flashed her a grin. Anna was so nervous she couldn’t smile in return. The door cracked open. Sean stuck his head in and smiled, then pushed the door open and stepped back. Alex cautiously stepped inside, looking every bit as pale and anxious as her sister. Both sisters froze when they saw each other. The room was absolutely silent as they stood in awe, each studying the other, trying to pick out the subtle differences between them. Dimitri moved to stand beside Alex and took her hand in his.

On top of the house next door, a man lay flat against the roof, his dark clothes blending in with the shingles. He sighted the crosshairs of the scope on his rifle. He was aiming at the back of Alexandra’s head. He didn’t see Felicia, Maxie and Georgie arrive home or hear Felicia’s gasp when she saw Alex. Georgie, oblivious to the tension in the air, ran into the kitchen and threw her arms around Anna’s legs causing her to jump. She bent down to pry Georgie off of her as Dimitri moved closer to his wife and the sniper pulled the trigger. He swore realizing that he hit the wrong person and quickly fired four more shots. The last thing he heard were the screams and shouts of the people below.