Upstairs at the Brownstone, Anna was putting her shirt on over the Ace bandages Bobbie had wrapped around her ribcage.

"I really wish you would go to the hospital," Bobbie said for at least the fourth time.

"Why? You said nothing was broken."

"I said I didn’t think anything was broken. You need x-rays just to be sure." Bobbie sighed when the other woman ignored her. She took two pills out of her bag and handed them to Anna.

"Here. Painkillers. Take them," she said sternly. Before Anna could protest, she added, "And don’t argue with me." Anna raised her eyebrows in surprise, but decided that Bobbie had had enough experience dealing with Luke to try and argue.

As she dressed, Anna eyes kept wandering back to the family pictures on the dresser. She noticed the recent ones were of Bobbie and Lucas, or just Lucas. No Tony, no BJ. An idea began to form in the back of her mind that she really didn’t like. Bobbie noticed her looking.

"Is there anything you want to talk about? Or ask me?" she asked quietly. Anna immediately tore her gaze away from the pictures.

"No. I was just thinking," she lied, unwilling to deal with it yet.

"I’ll let you get dressed. I’ll wait downstairs."

*****

Downstairs, Luke told Bobbie that Tony and Frisco were on their way over.

"How do they know she’s here?"

"Don’t ask," Roy interjected. Bobbie gave Luke a reproachful frown and shook her head. Anna rejoined them in the living room. She seemed anxious to leave.

"I should be going. Bobbie, thank you. And thank you for not being angry."

"I’ll be angry later when you’re feeling better," Bobbie replied, giving her another hug.

"Thanks for warning," Anna said with a grin. Bobbie thought that, for the first time that night, Anna seemed like her old self again.

"You can’t leave." Anna turned to stare at Luke, her eyes narrowed.

"Excuse me?"

"Doc-ex-bro-in-law is coming to check you out." Anna was completely bewildered.

"I have absolutely no idea what you just said." Bobbie intervened.

"Tony. Frisco’s bringing Tony over." Anna glared at Luke again.

"And how, exactly, does Frisco know where I am?"

"I called him." Luke grinned at Anna’s incredulous look when he held up her cell phone. "Apparently the WSB didn’t teach you anything about pickpockets." Anna snatched the phone out of his hand and shoved it back in her coat pocket, glaring mutinously.

"Jeez, lighten up Devane. Don’t get all huffy on me." Anna began pacing but ended up back in front of the fireplace, studying the pictures again. As soon as she stopped pacing, Luke pulled his sister aside.

"Don’t you have anything you can give her?"

"Luke, I already gave her two pretty strong painkillers."

"I meant to knock her out." Before Bobbie could protest, he added, "She’s going to try to leave, Barbara." Bobbie smiled.

"Even if she does, she’s not going to get very far between you, Roy and the painkillers."

"Ha! You’ve never seen her do that kung fu stuff." Roy, who had been eavesdropping, suddenly appeared alarmed.

"What kung fu stuff?"

"She’s got a like a black belt in karate, man." Roy glanced warily at Anna.

"So what do we do if she tries to bail?"

"Beats the hell outta me," Luke said with a shrug. "I’m perfectly okay dealing with psychos, mobsters and people with guns but she scares me." Bobbie grinned at the worried looks they were giving her friend.

"Wimps."

Just then, Frisco barged through the front door trailed by Tony. He made a beeline for Anna who turned to face him. She looked every bit as angry as he did.

"What the hell were you thinking? You can’t just take off on your own like that!"

"I need to talk to you," she said over him.

"Do you have any idea –"

"Now!" He stopped and really looked at her. Her face was drawn in anger but her eyes were scared. He looked past her to the mantle and realized why she was upset. He sighed and hung his head.

"Bobbie?"

"Use the bedroom," she said, unfazed by any of it. Frisco and Anna continued their staring contest for a minute, then she stormed past him and up the stairs. He reluctantly followed.

"Now what?" Tony asked, throwing up his hands and throwing himself into a chair. No sooner had he said that than Sean came flying through the door.

"Where is she?"

"Upstairs," everyone answered. As he started to bound up the steps, Bobbie stopped him.

"Sean wait! Frisco’s up there with her."

"Yeah, I wouldn’t go up there if I were you," Tony added. "It looks like little brother’s about to get the ass-chewing of all time."

"What now?" Sean asked sounding disgusted as he glanced around the room, his gaze coming to rest on the pictures above the fireplace.

"Seems to be a lot of interest in those pictures tonight," Luke noted. Sean sighed and sat down heavily in the chair next to Tony.

"Oh, Christ," he said, putting his hand over his eyes.

"You wanna share with the rest of the class?" Luke asked.

"We didn’t tell her. Something….happened afterwards and we decided it wasn’t a good time. And a good time never came up."

"What didn’t you tell her?" Roy asked quietly.

"She doesn’t know about BJ."

*****

Before Frisco could even close the door, Anna shoved a picture of BJ under his nose. She waited impatiently for him to say something. He quietly closed the door.

"Tell me," she demanded. He took the picture from her and put it back on the dresser. She followed him, grabbing his arm to force him to face her.

"How old is that, Frisco? Tell me. I can see not having pictures of Tony around – they’re obviously not together. But why wouldn’t Bobbie have recent pictures of her daughter?" Frisco studied her face but didn’t answer. She raised both hands and shoved him.

"Damn it, answer me!"

"BJ died," he said quietly, holding her gaze. Anna was stunned even though she’d been expecting him to say just that. She began shaking her head. As she tried to turn away, he caught her hand.

"There was a drunk driver. The school bus overturned. The seat BJ was sitting on was pulled out of the floor. It fell on her," Frisco went on as Anna continued to shake her head, to deny what he was telling her. "Anna, listen to me," he said, catching her face in his hands so she would look at him. "It happened so fast, the doctors said she didn’t feel anything."

"When did this happen?" she whispered.

"When Maxie was sick. While I was here. Bobbie and Tony –" Frisco’s voice broke and he stopped to take a deep breath as Anna began to cry. "Bobbie and Tony gave BJ’s heart to Maxie. She’s the reason Maxie’s still alive." He began to cry. Anna took him in her arms and rocked him back and forth.

"I’m sorry," he whispered in her hair. "I’m sorry. I just couldn’t tell you. Not then. Not right after you lost Andrew."

*****

After Anna’s initial outburst all was quiet. Everyone in the living room sat staring at the ceiling waiting for the second explosion. After several minutes, Sean stood.

"It’s way too quiet up there. I’m going to check."

Tony, still staring at the ceiling, replied, "I didn’t hear a thud. He’s probably okay." Sean ignored him as Bobbie admonished her ex-husband with a "Tony!"

"Oh, come on, they haven’t killed each other yet. Its just another one of their usual childish, bullheaded, knock down, drag out fights. They’ll get over it," he said as a loud thump came from the floor above them. Sean stopped as all eyes returned to the ceiling.

"I stand corrected," Tony said, his eyes wide. Sean took the stairs two at a time and threw open the bedroom door in time to see Frisco righting an overturned quilt stand. Anna was sitting on the bed. They both looked up, startled.

"What was that noise?" Sean asked, suspicious.

"We knocked this damn thing over." As Sean continued to look at him, then Anna, Frisco added, "What’s the matter with you? In all these years we haven’t killed each other yet." He glanced at Anna out of the corner of his eye, "Not that there haven’t been times…."

"Shut up Frisco. I’m still mad at you," she said as he tossed her the box of Kleenex they’d been reaching for. She dropped it on the floor.

"No you’re not. You know you can’t stay mad at me."

"Yes I am. Can." Her forehead wrinkled in concentration. "What?" Both Sean and Frisco looked at her more closely.

"Did Bobbie give you something?" Sean asked carefully.

"What?"

"You’re stoned," Frisco laughed.

"I am not!" Anna replied indignantly. Sean took in her drooping posture and slurred words and knelt in front of her.

"Anna, honey, did Bobbie give you something to take?"

"She – yeah, she gave me some painkillers."

"Did she say what kind of painkillers?" Sean asked as Tony rapped on the doorframe.

"Have we reached détente or should I come back later?" he asked cheerfully. He shooed the other two men out of the room.

*****

By the time Tony was finished examining her, Anna had passed out from the medication. (Or as Tony had so tactfully put it she was "out like a light"…"down for the count"…"sleeping like a log"…"an earthquake wouldn’t wake her." He had kept it up, irritating Sean to the point where he finally snapped at him to shut up. Sean not being one of his favorite people, Luke thought it was all quite funny.) Sean and Frisco had no choice but to spend the night after Tony and Bobbie suggested that trying to carry Anna might do more damage. And, as Tony had said, staying the night would allow him to examine Anna again in the morning "without all that Mission Impossible crap to get to your little hideout." Sean was trying to get rid of Luke and Roy but, at least with Luke, it wasn’t working.

"I’ll stay down here and keep and eye on things. Frisco, go get some sleep," Sean said.

"Great! Roy and I will keep you company."

"Uh, Luke, I probably oughta be going. Bobbie, I’ll call you tomorrow," Roy said, trying to avoid causing a scene.

"Nonsense! Donely needs somebody to keep him awake. Besides, Robert would kill me if I let anything to happen to her now."

Frisco, who had been headed up to the guestroom with Tony, stopped and asked, "She told you about Robert?" Sean gave him a furious look.

"No. You just did," Luke said gleefully on his way into the kitchen. Frisco stared at Luke’s retreating back, shocked. Then he noticed that Sean was still glaring at him.

"I’ve had a bad night," he snapped.

"Since you’re telling secrets, is Robin with him?" Tony asked.

"Yes. She’s fine. Everybody’s fine," Sean answered, still angry.

From the kitchen, Luke called out, "Anybody want a beer?"

Bobbie rolled her eyes and said, "Make yourself at home Luke."

"You know me darlin’."

"That I do. Goodnight guys."

She was about to go rescue him when she heard Mac enter the babies’ room.

"Robbie? What are you doing up?"

"Hey girls look! It’s Uncle Mac!" Robert said sweetly before thrusting one of the squirming, fussing babies at his brother. "Here take one."

"Robert I don’t know anything about babies!"

"Well you’re about to get a crash course. See if you can find her bloody binky."

Robin heard the amusement in her uncle’s voice when he asked, "Find the what? What did you say?"

"Her binky." Mac began snickering, causing Robert to snap at him. "The pacifier, damn it! You know what I mean." In her room, Robin tried to cover a fresh fit of giggles, as Mac made no effort to hide his amusement.

"Hell with it," Robert said, "Let’s go to the kitchen before we wake Robin. She deserves to sleep in this morning." Robin felt a moment’s regret for laughing at him. Then she lay back down and smiled again, thinking Mac had no idea what he was in for.

*****

Carly awoke early to find that Sonny had never come to bed. As she started down the stairs, she saw that he had dragged one of the dining room chairs over to the window so he could watch the sun come up. He didn’t hear her and jumped when she touched his shoulder.

"Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you."

"You didn’t," he said gruffly. "I was just thinking."

"Did you get any sleep?"

"No, I’ve been making some calls, trying to find out what’s going on."

"Did you? Find out, I mean."

"Nope. Nothing. It’s like these people don’t exist."

"Well…until yesterday they sorta didn’t, right?"

"Yeah," Sonny answered, deep in thought. Carly stood next to him, unsure of what to do.

"How did Jason take the news?"

"How do you think, Carly?" Sonny answered sarcastically. "He was drunk. And angry. And scared. He hasn’t slept for days. He drinks too much, he doesn’t – just don’t worry about it, okay? We’ll take care of this. It’s not like you really give a damn."

"That’s not true. I care about you and Jason and I know how important Robin is to you. So I want her to be okay for both of you," she said quietly. "And I wouldn’t wish that perverted creep on anybody. Not even Robin."

"Gee, that’s comforting," he said as he got up. He started to put the chair back but she grabbed his arm.

"I’m just trying to help Sonny. I’m trying to be supportive. Isn’t that what you want?" Before he could answer, Leticia carried Michael downstairs. Carly turned to them.

"Hey mister man. Look who’s up. Why don’t you ask Uncle Sonny to make you his special pancakes for breakfast?" she said, taking her son from Leticia.

"Carly, I said I’ve got work to do." Sonny tried to get out of it, but he couldn’t resist Michael’s "peez Unca Sonny" and gave in. As Carly and Leticia followed him into the kitchen they exchanged knowing glances. At least Michael could take his mind off worrying for a little while.

*****

Emily glanced over her shoulder to find Johnny still watching her, obviously worried. She knocked again on Jason’s door, louder this time. When she’d arrived, Johnny had tried to discourage her from visiting her brother, saying only that Jason had "had a bad night". Emily knew this was code for "Jason got drunk again and broke some more stuff". She wasn’t afraid. She’d never been afraid of Jason. Besides, she’d waited all night for the opportunity to sneak out of the house to talk to him in person and she wasn’t leaving until she did. She knocked yet again, pounding on the door. Still no answer. Emily decided to use the key Jason had given her and let herself in.

She was shocked by the destruction she saw. It looked like everything in the penthouse had been broken, then re-broken, until its owner had played out his rage. It was also freezing cold. She saw that the balcony doors stood open. Emily carefully picked her way over to the doors, scared for the first time since she’d arrived. She cautiously peeked outside and saw Jason sitting in a chair. He was talking to himself. No, she thought as she listened, he’s talking to someone. Except he was alone. She looked around again, thinking she’d missed somebody.

"Jason?" she said, stepping outside. He jerked around in his chair. The wild look in his bloodshot eyes stopped her cold. He was wearing only a T-shirt and jeans. His face was very pale except for the red rawness of his cheeks. He grinned at her, causing a shiver to run down her spine. It was the grin of a lunatic.

"Hey Em. C’mon out. Pull up a chair."

"I – I just came to see how you were doing? Did Sonny talked to you about Faison? And Robin?"

"Robin’s fine Emily. There’s nothing to worry about," he said happily.

"Really? How do you know? What happened?"

"Ask her yourself."

"What?" Emily asked after a brief hesitation.

"Ask her," he repeated, gesturing toward the railing. "Robin, Emily wants to know where you’ve been." He appeared to listen. He nodded, then said, "Well, there you go. I guess she doesn’t want you to know. Probably doesn’t want to upset you." Emily stared at the brother and felt her insides begin to shake.

"Jason…do you…see Robin right now?" Jason looked at her like she’d just asked the dumbest question in the world.

"Of course I do, she’s sitting right there," he said, again waving toward the railing. Emily tried to think of what to do, who to call. Should she call 911? Her parents? Sonny? Maybe AJ? He’d had a lot of experience dealing with drunks although she doubted it was just the alcohol causing Jason to have this hallucination. The combination of lack of sleep, fear and grief were contributing to this…what? Breakdown? Emily wasn’t sure what to call it. But what was she supposed to do? Jason was now giving her a suspicious glare.

"Who sent you here Emily? Edward? Sonny? Well, you can tell them they can’t have her. They’re not going to take her away from me." Emily’s eyes got even bigger.

"Jason, no one sent me. But, I don’t see any – Robin. I can’t see her. Are you sure she’s here?" Emily asked, trying to reason with him.

"Yes I’m sure. We’ve been talking for hours." He leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, "I think she’s forgiven, Em me." So much for reason, Emily thought, numbly.

"That’s…great, Jason. Really great. Have you told anyone else?"

"No. I don’t want to leave her. I just want to sit here and look at her," Jason said with a smile. "Robin" smiled back at him from her perch on the railing. He thought her hair looked amazing in the orange light of the sunrise. Emily began backing into the living room.

"You know what? I can’t wait to tell…um…Liz! Liz will be so excited. I’m going to go call her, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." Jason was still smiling dreamily at thin air when she ran to get Johnny.

*****

At the Brownstone, Sean was talking on the phone to his wife Tiffany and whoever the "doodlebug" was as Luke and Roy picked up the playing cards and poker chips scattered on the table. Sean glanced up as Frisco stumbled down the stairs, still only half-awake, his hair sticking out in every direction. Tony practically bounced down the steps behind his brother, looking wide-awake and positively cheerful for the early hour. Sean nodded to them before returning his attention to his phone call.

Frisco stopped in front of Luke and Roy and asked, grumpily, "Where’s the coffee?"

"No coffee," Luke said with a smirk, "Whiskey."

He held the bottle out to Frisco who snarled, "I never liked you." Tony went to make coffee as Bobbie came downstairs in her robe. Sean ended his phone call and followed Tony and Bobbie into the kitchen.

"How much longer is she going to sleep?" Sean asked.

"I thought she’d be awake by now. She must be tired," Tony said.

As Bobbie began pulling out pots and pans and issuing orders for breakfast chores, Sean went upstairs to check on Anna. He quietly entered the darkened bedroom and sat on the side of the bed, studying his friend. Anna looked so peaceful that he hated to wake her but he knew they needed to get out of there before too many people were up moving around.

"Time to wake up Sunshine," he said. He brushed her hair back from her face, causing her to jerk awake with a gasp. She began flailing her arms at him in a panic. He caught her hands and tried to calm her.

"Whoa, whoa, it’s me! It’s just me! Anna it’s okay! It’s me, it’s Sean." His voice brought her back to the present as she slowly realized who he was. She stopped trying to push him away but was still shaking.

"I’m sorry. I thought you were – "

"No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I just didn’t want you to wake up alone in a strange place," he said as she continued to shake. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her heart pounding through her shirt. "Hey it’s okay. Breathe. Did you have another dream?" He felt her shake her head against his chest. He sighed, wondering if she was lying to him.

Although she told him it wasn’t necessary, Sean insisted on waiting with her as she got ready. While she washed her face and tried to tame her hair into a loose knot at the base of her neck, he told her about his conversation with Tiffany and their daughter.

Downstairs they found that Frisco had snapped out of his stupor. He was trading insults with Luke as his made his famous omelets. Except for when Anna pulled Bobbie and Tony aside to offer her sympathy about BJ, the mood in the house remained light. As they were laughing at one of Tony’s lame jokes, the doorbell rang.

Bobbie went to the door with Luke and Roy hovering nearby as backup. When she peeked through the curtains, she saw a delivery man holding an enormous bouquet of flowers. As she opened the door, she smiled at Roy thinking he must have sent them.

"Can I help you?"

"I have a delivery for a…Anna Devane." Bobbie was shocked but had the presence of mind not to turn and look back toward the dining room. At the table, Sean and Frisco looked at Anna who sat there stone-faced. Luke recovered first. He stepped up to the door, gently pushing Bobbie aside.

"I’ll see that she’s gets them," he said, taking the flowers. As he walked back to the dining room he pulled an envelope out of the arrangement. He held it out to Anna, dropping the flowers on the table.

Anna stared at the envelope for a long moment before taking it. She recognized the handwriting. She wanted to tear it up and throw it away along with the flowers. No one said a word as she carefully opened the envelope and read the card inside: Come to dinner tonight. I have something to show you. There was no signature, though none was needed. Faison had also included several of the pictures he’d had taken the night before: Anna alone on Pier 17; Anna with Luke after he’d arrived; and a particularly disturbing shot of her brief argument with Frisco apparently taken through the window. Anna gave into her urge and tore the note and pictures into pieces. She left the table.

"Where are you going?" Frisco asked as she passed behind him.

"To get my coat. We’re leaving," she replied tersely.

"What’s your hurry? He obviously knows you’re here." Anna ignored him as she hurried upstairs.

"What’s the matter with you?" Sean growled as he stood to follow her.

"Don’t baby her Sean," Frisco replied harshly. "If she goes running out of here now, he’ll know he got to her. Sit down, finish your breakfast and give her some privacy. She’ll be fine." Sean hesitated before going to Anna’s empty chair. He picked up the scraps of paper and began piecing them back together. Luke moved to help him as the others watched in silence. Luke frowned as he read the reassembled note.

"I’ll just bet he’s got something to show her," he remarked.