A Flame Still Burns

Robert and Anna, 20 Sentences

Horror: She wants to be angry with the man who shot her son but she cannot find a reason to; He was only trying to save her life. The horror of the situation lies in the fact that her flesh and blood hated her so much that he wanted her dead. Maybe this is what she deserved. Maybe this was her penance. It was hard to think of anything but the fallout when Robert was rushing forward and pulling her against him in relief. "Are you okay," He demands. "Anna, look at me damn it. I need to know you haven't been hurt." Leave it to Robert Scorpio to only be concerned with her life…never his own. "You saved me Robert. Just like you always do. I'm fine." He can only express his relief by holding her in his arms and feeling her heartbeat against his own…It proves she is still breathing.

Lies: The doctors inform her that Heinrich needs a blood transfusion and although she wants to make up for all she feels she has done wrong with him, the doctors find that she is not a match. "What do you mean I am not a match," she asks. "I am his mother." The doctors tell her that she cannot possibly be the mother of this man with her blood type.

Shock: She goes from anger and disbelief to being completely numb. She does not know how to feel when she learns that Heinrich is dead. "He's not my son Robert," Anna says. "My God, he is not even my son." He wraps his arms around her and she falls into them easily just as she always did in the past. How did he always know exactly what she needed?

Anger: Anna gives her statement to the police, exonerating a good man for murder. "He saved my life Dante…Just like he has so many times before. Heinrich is not even my son. I'm done protecting him." Robert and Dante worry about her as her anger propels her into action. "I want to see Dr. Maddox, "she insists.

Betrayal: She sits across from the man who she thought was her friend, her body trembling as she looks into his eyes. "You made me remember things that were not really there didn't you? How else can you explain that Heinrich is not my son?" He wants to tell her the truth but he fears retribution. It is not until she tells him that he is dead that he caves. "I never wanted to betray you Anna. I care about you. That part I did not lie about."

Truth: "He wanted to take over your son's identity but he was raised to hate his father. Faison was never Nathan's dad…He was your son with Robert. The one you do not remember having when you were in that boat explosion and lost your memory." Anna is so stunned she does not know what to say at first. How could she have not remembered something so momentous? "How did my son end up with the Westbourne's then," she questioned. "Dr. Obrech stole him," he says. "I think she was trying to keep him safe."

Sadness: "So you planted false memories in my mind? How could you do that to me? How could you use our friendship to destroy me? I could have had a chance to get to know my son…Robert could have known his son…but now…now he is dead." The sadness in her voice was evident, even as she walks away. The past had held her prisoner for too many years; she had to find a way to let it go. The only way forward is through.

Trust: "Are you okay Love," Robert asks her when she comes out of the bathroom a little while later? Robert insisted on sleeping on her couch until he knew she was no longer in danger and she had not had the strength to tell him no. "We had a son Robert," she finally says. "I found out today that Heinrich wasn't my son…all that torture I put myself through was for nothing…none of that was even true. I never had sex with that monster…I never bore his child…it was just…It was false memories. They were planted in my brain." Robert looks at her with tenderness as he reaches for her hand. "I always believed that you were wrong. I know you Anna. Probably better than anyone else. Even during the worst of our time together, you would never do the things that you said you did…You are a good woman Anna Devane…the best woman I know…That is how I knew that even as you said the words, there was something missing from the story." He brushes the stray tears from her cheek as he looks at her. She is always her own worst enemy. "You believed in me when I didn't believe in me…and you still didn't hate me even when you were going along with what I believed was the truth. How…How did you never hate me after all the pain I have put you through?"

Better: "I tried to hate you remember? I even married another woman. It did not work. She was never you." He holds her hands in his larger ones as he looks into her eyes. "The truth is that I would rather fight with you then love anyone else. We are good together Anna. Much better than we ever were apart." She is amazed at the depth of his love. They had been apart for so many years and yet it still seemed like only yesterday when they were saying their vows to each other. They would always share a connection they could never have with anyone else. They shared a history that Time or mind control could not erase. "You said we had a son," he finally asks her, tears of joy in his eyes. "We did," she says…"He was a wonderful man Robert…so much like you…I should have known he was yours…but…but he is dead now. I am sorry Robert. Our son is dead."

Comfort: They sit on the bed and she pulls up photos of their son's wedding on her laptop. "They look so happy," Robert comments, and she rests her head on his shoulder. "Oh they were. Nathan loved his wife so much. He would have done anything for her…even risk his life." Robert looks at Anna as if she holds the answers to all of his questions and she smiles at him knowingly. "Like father, like son," he admits, as he brushes his lips against hers. It was strange to her that even after all these years, the moment his lips met hers, she knew that it was the reason that none of her relationships ever worked out. He was home to her. He had always been home to her.

Love: "I love you Anna," he says, as he brushes the stray hair back from her face. "I have always loved you and I love you now." Anna looks at him with tears in her eyes. This man is the one who fought death for her many times…the man who always shows up when she is in trouble…She does not feel she is worthy of his love but God help her, she loves him too. "All these years, I always wondered why I could never seem to find a relationship that would last but now I know why. They were never you Robert. None of them was you."

Fire: It was apparent in the way he kissed her that the fire that used to burn between them was still alive and kicking. His mouth is hot on her neck and she feels the shivers almost immediately as he slips the silk material from her shoulders. "Tell me this is what you want love," he asks, as his fingers slide down her backside and she can feel the need in every touch. "I should have chosen you all those years ago Robert…When I had the chance to have you back, I didn't make the right choice…how could you still want me after all the times I hurt you?"

Hunger: "Maybe we just were just not meant to be together back then. Maybe we needed to learn and grow before we really had a chance. I will not deny that you hurt me but I know that I hurt you too. I do not want you to keep doing this to yourself Anna. I do not want you to keep torturing yourself. All I want to do right now is kiss away all of your tears and make you feel safe again… I want you to let someone love you. Can you do that love…can you let me love you the way you always deserved to be loved?" He places his hand on her heart and she can feel her own speed up as she joins her hand with his. He kisses her knuckles and then her fingers. He has never wanted anyone this much before. "You make me believe in love again somehow…I didn't think it was possible to want someone so much," she whispers. There is a hunger in her eyes as she kisses him fiercely…her fingers sliding under his chest. All she wants in this moment is to memorize how he feels when he joins with her once more. He is the greatest man she has ever known or ever will know and she is through running from the ache in her heart that is all him. She will never be whole until he is hers again.

Blowjob: He undresses her in the moonlight as he tangles his fingers into her hair. He kisses her hair as he breathes in the scent of her ocean breeze shampoo. "You smell incredible," he says, as she pulls the belt from his pants with rapid urgency. "Not as good as I taste," she quips, and he whispers his agreements as his tongue slips into her mouth and their kisses become a frenzy of hot desire and frantic need. Her fingers dig into his back as he arches her hips and her legs fall at his side. "You're so hard Scorpio," she says, as she kneads her fingers into his hardening penis. He can barely focus as she slides down his body and kisses his erect member before closing her mouth around it. "Fuck Devane," he moans, as she continues to drink him in. "Fuck, you feel good." Her hair falls on his bare chest as she looks up at him, desire flowing in her dark eyes. "How good," she challenges. He reaches for her hand and drags her under him, his lips searing against her own. "Good enough to ravage," he says, as her legs lock around his torso. God, he feels good. How is it possible for him to feel this good?

Greedy: She could not get enough of him. It has been hours since the first time he joined with her and she is still high on the euphoria. She buries her scream in his shoulder as he plunges even further inside her warmth. "Robert, Please," she cries, as he holds her trembling body in his arms. "Please, I can't take it much longer. I need more." He smiles because it has been a long time since he felt her love this way and he does not ever want to lose it. "Hang on baby," he says. "I want you to come with me." She tightens around him one more time and together they ride the wave of pleasure right over the edge. She sighs in ecstasy as she lets her head fall down on his chest, her fingers playing with the hair there. "So, I take it you approve," he jokes, as he kisses her deeply. "It is a whole hell of a lot better than approve," she says. He wraps his arm around her and she kisses his chest, before settling into his strong arms. "Best Sex of my life," she laughs. "Mine too," he agrees, and together they finally nod off to sleep. For her it is the first restful sleep that she has had since this whole nightmare began.

Family: Robert and Anna went to visit Maxie, who had just given birth to her son James. The little boy looked just like his dad, Anna mused. "How are you feeling Maxie," Anna asks. She talks about how when she looks at her son, she forgets all the pain she went through to get here and how she wishes Nathan could be here to see his son grow up. Anna tells Maxie about her own experiences over the last few months and Maxie reaches out her hand to her Godmother. "I am so sorry Anna. Nathan loved you, you know. He never would have judged you in any way…And you Robert…you remind me so much of him. I can't believe we never knew you were his parents." Robert smiles as he kisses Maxie on the head. She was his niece in every way that mattered and he feels honored that she was also the woman his son chose to love. "I never really knew my son," Robert says. "Will you tell me about him?" Maxie can see that both Anna and Robert are struggling not to break down so she grabs their hands and says, "That is my favorite thing to talk about. I would be honored to tell you about the greatest man I have ever known." Robert and Anna thank her and pull up chairs beside her bed. It was a bittersweet moment between all of them.

Forgiveness: Anna goes to see Finn because she feels that she owes him the truth, even though they ended before they began. She knows that he was hoping she would change her mind and she hates to hurt him with the truth but he deserves that from her. He deserves so much more than she can give him. "I came to see you because I don't want you to hear this anywhere else. I care about you Finn…You have been a great friend to me when I really needed one…even when I know how much I have hurt you. I just can't let you go on hoping for something that will never happen with us…You deserve someone who can love you unconditionally…that just won't ever be me. My heart is not mine to give away. It never was." He looks at her with that same broken look she has seen too many times…and maybe a little understanding. "You are not over your husband's death, are you? Anna, I am sorry. I never meant to push you into something you were not ready for…I can wait as long as you need." She cuts into his train of thoughts because she cannot bear to listen to him go on thinking he still has a chance with her. "I'm so sorry Finn but this is not about Duke…It is about my first love…the father of my children…I have come to realize that I never really got over him. The last thing I want to do is hurt you again but Robert and I have decided to get back together. It was a mistake for us to divorce and I…I love him so much it scares me sometimes." He wipes the tears that have now formed in his eyes and says, "I never had a chance, did I?" She reaches out to caress his cheek and says, "I never meant to lead you on. I promise I did not. Robert and I were just lying to ourselves…and to each other," she says. "Does he make you happy," he asks her, in response. "Deliriously," she says and he kisses her cheek. "Then I forgive you. All I wanted was your happiness. Go be happy Anna. For once in your life, let yourself be happy. Let someone love you back."

Skinny-Dipping: Robert watches her in the moonlight, her robe falling to the sand as she steps into the ocean. He cannot get over how breathtaking she is in the nude. "What's taking so long slowpoke," she quips. He soon follows suit and strips his robe to join her in the water. They spent their first date at an exotic food-tasting event but the food only made them hungrier for each other so they purchased a bottle of the best wine and watched the sunset together. Now they were swimming in the nude and loving every moment of it. When the waves washed over them, he lifted her into his arms, her hair still wet from the water. "Dear God, I love you," he says, as their lips connect in passion. It almost seems like the depth of his love still surprises him. She has to admit that he still makes her feel more alive than anyone else ever did. "Dear God, I love you too." They finish out the evening reliving a moment that neither of them could ever forget…making love on the shore of the beach as the waves crashed around them. It is just as earth shattering as it was years ago. Maybe even more so because their love has only grown deeper.

Italy: They spend a couple days with Robin in L.A. telling her about their reconnection and all the secrets that they held. Robin and her family seem genuinely happy for the couple, who they admit always belonged together. They look at some photos of Nathan that Maxie sent her a while back and she tells her parents how sorry she is they never got to know him better. Robert then surprises Anna by whisking her away to Italy; in the same place, they once shared their vows. "This place looks the same Robert? How is that even possible?" When she looks back at the man she loves, he is kneeling in the sand, offering her a ring. "Oh Robert," she cries. "This place was magical all those years ago. It was the first place I made you my wife. I made a mistake walking away from you then. I will not make it again. I do not need any more time to know that you are the only woman I have ever really loved…Marry me Anna. Make me the happiest man in the world, and just say yes." He did not need the words to know that when she shook her head, she was saying yes. He slipped the ring onto her finger and he picked her up into his arms, twirling her around as they kissed, as if they were still two kids in love.

Mai Tai's: Robert and Anna finally got their happy ever after. They moved to Italy and quit their jobs at the WSB. They spent time with their grandchildren and their remaining child. They even got a chance to travel the world and take in all the sights they never had a chance to do when they were younger. Then one day he found her on the beach sipping on a Mai Tai, he would soon learn was a virgin. She handed him his drink. "Why so serious my darling?" She laughs because she always laughs when he is with her. "I have some news…and I really…I thought we were past this stage in our lives…we're not getting any younger." He raises an eyebrow as he kisses her deeply. "Are you kidding me? You still look like a spring chicken?" She giggles as he kisses her neck. "Even so…I did not think it was possible for me to get pregnant anymore but guess what…I am." To say that he was shocked was an understatement but it only took him a second before he threw his arms around her and they started kissing. "You know what this is don't you? It is our son up there giving us one more chance to get it right. This time when we have our child…we'll be there to spoil him rotten." She smiles at his happiness because she feels it too. She should not be able to get pregnant anymore but she is… and she knows damn well that Nathan is up there pulling strings so his parents can finally have what they missed for so long. "Or her," she counters, to which he agrees. They celebrate by making love again on the beach and then taking their Mai Tai's to their boat, where they bask in the wonder of their everlasting love. They had finally come full circle.

THE END