For seven years Robert had worked covert ops for the WSB. The deal he had made with them was that they would let Anna live and that they would protect her in exchange for him working for them. Robin was not to be harmed in any way either, she was to be left to live her life. That was the only way he would agree to their terms and stay away from his family. The black box order had been lifted on both of them after the tanker explosion and it was clear that Anna had been Faison's prisoner, not his accomplice. When Robert had finally found them, two WSB agents had followed him onto the tanker and they had seen her locked in a room with a chain around one ankle. Robert had gotten her out of her room and had a brief reunion but they hadn't had time to get off the tanker before the explosion, that was when Anna had been injured. As much as they had wanted to believe the worst of Anna, there was no denying what they had seen. Even knowing that the WSB still wouldn't forget that Anna could have past secrets on to Faison and that was their reason for the agreement.
The WSB had to keep Robert informed about his family as well. His demands hadn't seemed out of line, they were just a father and husband's needs. The WSB had never thought that after seven years it was Robert's requirements that would lead to them having to let Robert out of their agreement. He was good at what he had been doing for them but when they lost Anna. When they could no longer give Robert updates and show him current pictures they knew they had a problem. He had insisted that if they could not show him Anna in the flesh that they had no right to hold him to their agreement, that they had failed to protect her. There was nothing they could do and had let him leave.
The WSB had not told him about the two attempts on her life while she was getting treatment. Well, they would tell him she was getting treatment but it was really just what was needed to keep her symptoms from getting worse. If she couldn't remember her life then they would never have to worry that she might pass on information she has. No matter what they didn't want to accept that she had not betrayed the WSB, that she had not told Faison secrets. They had not told Robert that they might know who took her either. They couldn't be sure it had been Burt that had helped her get away, or if she was even still alive.
For almost two years Robert had searched for Anna, he had kept tabs on Robin but couldn't bring himself to go to her without Anna, without at least knowing she was alive. He knows about Robin's HIV and he knew she was now going to school in Paris. When he had finally found Anna he would let Robin know he was alive as well. He would finally bring her mother home to her.
His search has now led him to Pine Valley. After all this time he wouldn't let himself believe it was true, not until he had seen her with his own eyes. This latest lead was very strange, there was a woman that looked almost exactly like Anna living in Pine Valley, she was a doctor there. She had gone missing for a while and was now back but she was in the hospital. Robert believed there was a lot more going on then this doctor becoming ill. He had a hunch and needed to see her for himself. He would be in Pine Valley this evening and would see for himself just who was in that hospital bed.
When he got to the hospital it was the middle of the night, he thought it was actually a better time for this. No one would see him go into her room, no one would question what he was doing there or who he was. He read over her chart before entering the room he didn't really understand it all but he knew she was needed treatment to deal with symptoms from head trauma she had suffered in the past. When he entered the hospital room he couldn't believe he was finally seeing her again. Even asleep he would know her anywhere, this was his Anna. After all these years he had found her. Where had she been all this time? Why was she listed as Dr. Alexander Merrick? That could wait, for now, he was just happy she was here.
She was asleep and he didn't want to disturb her but he had to touch her so he knew she was real. Robert sat down in the chair beside her bed and took her hand. "Oh Luv, I have missed you," he whispered. "You aren't alone any longer. I finally found you. It is so good to see you."
She opened her eyes and looked at him, she didn't know his name but she knew him. He was sitting in the chair beside her bed looking at her with a little grin on his face. She knew he was the man she would seeing in mind, he was important to her. Having a strange man in her room should worry her but it doesn't. It might be the middle of the night but she knew she had nothing to worry about, not from him. "Hi."
"Hi, Luv."
She gasped, "It is you."
"Of course, it is Anna."
"You know I'm not her."
"I would know you anywhere," he said as he reached up and stroked her cheek.
"They say I'm in danger."
"Not from me. I have been looking for you for years."
"I was in hiding."
"Anna, do you know who I am?" He knew all about the injuries she had sustained in the tanker explosion. He knew she had been left with amnesia and during the years she had been missing he didn't think she had gotten her memory back. He also didn't know was what kind of condition she was in now, but no matter what she was alive and he could finally go see Robin to tell her just that.
"I know I love you."
"I love you too."
"You're all that's there from before. Why don't I know your name?"
"It will come Luv." He touched her cheek again, "Dr. Merrick, is she your sister?"
Anna nodded, "My twin, she said we were separated at birth. Did I know I had a twin?"
"No, that's news to me. Your sister will help you, she'll fix what's wrong then hopefully you'll remember more, Luv."
"You always called me that."
"I did," he wanted to say their daughter had called her that as well but he wasn't really sure what would happen if he told her too much before she got the medical attention she needed to stop her seizures. Reading her chart had scared him more than comforted him.
"Are you staying here with me?"
"I can stay for a little while then I have to go to Paris for a little while. I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise. I am so glad I have finally found you."
"Please don't leave, not yet."
"I'm not going anywhere yet. I'll have to leave early this morning though."
She nodded slightly and winced, "The pain, darling my head hurts all the time."
"That's why you're here. They are going to finally give you the proper treatment you need. Your seizures will stop and hopefully once you start to heal you'll start to remember your life."
"I want that, I want to know our story. I know I love you, even if I don't know your name."
"Anna," he wiped a tear from his eye, "am I really the only person you remember from before?"
She started to sit up, "I hardly remember you!"
He could hear the frustration in her voice, "Luv, you need to stay calm, please. I know this must be frustrating but don't worry about what you can't remember right now. Worry about getting better, about your treatments."
"I will. When will you be back?"
"I can't say for sure. I need to go talk to a couple people, and there's one person I want to try and convince to come here. You wait for me, don't go running off when you start feeling better. I'll be back, you can count on me I'll never let you down again."
She wiped his tears this time, "Robert," she said softly just above a whisper.
He inhaled sharply, "Oh Anna. It's me, your Robert." She smiled up at him, she knew his name, this was the man she loved. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She knew the feel of his arms around her, she sat back and moved over and patted her bed. Robert grinned again then got on the bed with her and held her close. She was still very tired and weak so she put her head on his shoulder and fell asleep. Robert held her for a while just watching her sleep. Before the nurse came to check on her he had shifted out from under her and left her room. Robert had a plane to catch, he was finally going to tell his daughter he was alive, that they are both alive.
