Unspoken

Chapter: 2

Pairing: Robert and Holly

Rating: PG

"It's just business." Duke tried to assure her. "And it's something that I have to take care of personally. I promise you that I'll be back as soon as I possibly can."

Holly's resolve started to crack. She trusted him and she loved him and that was that. "Okay." she exhaled. "It's just that this place you're going...is it where you used to live?"

"Yes." he answered, honestly. "I don't want to go back there, but I don't have a choice in the matter. I want to get in and out of that town as quickly as I possibly can and home to you and Elizabeth."

She nodded in understanding. Perhaps her husband was braver than she was because she could never again step foot in Port Charles. The fact that he was willing to go back into his past and not be afraid to face it said something for his character. He was a man of honor and integrity and that's why she loved him so much. But there was still one question on her mind.

"Are you going to see her?"

"See who?"

"Your ex-wife?" she asked. "Are you going to see her whilst you're in town?"

Duke paused. This wasn't a question he had been expecting. It was very rare that they ever mentioned their past lives. The only thing they focused on was their life together. "No." he replied after giving it some thought. "I'm not going to see her. She's in my past and the only thing that matters now is our life together with our daughter."

"I just don't want you to get hurt, that's all." she told him. "We've both worked so hard to move on with our lives."

"And nothing is going to change that." he assured her. "This is exactly where I want to be."

Duke had kissed his wife and daughter goodbye and boarded the plane on his way to JFK. There he would pick up a connecting flight to Port Charles and hopefully arrive before it got too dark. The anticipation was building up within him. The fear of the unknown. It wasn't ever his intention to come back to Port Charles. Especially since he had married the supposed dead wife of the police commissioner.

Hopefully he could get business taken care of and get out of Port Charles undetected by anyone from his past. High hopes that he himself knew could not possibly be fulfilled. His one concern in all of it was Holly. He didn't want her hurt in any way and it was becoming increasing clear that there was going to be no way around it. The closer the plane got to the States the more fear filled Duke's veins.

The only thing Duke could do to calm his nerves was to think about the events of the previous night and his birthday celebration with his wife and daughter and their friends. He finally had everything he had always wanted. A happy, normal life. No danger. No bad guys. No constantly looking over his shoulder. It was a good life. And it was because of Holly.

The only thing Duke could make out were bright lights. Flashing bright lights. And even they seemed to fade in and out. The last thing he could remember was seeing his wife and daughter at the airport. Everything else was a complete blur. There was a thick Australian accent in the background. Loud and demanding and persistent. Finally things faded completely out for Duke.

"I need that man alive!" Robert was yelling. "You cannot let him die!"

"We're going to do everything we can, Commissioner." the doctor tried to assure him. "It doesn't look good though."

Anna came bursting through the elevator doors and directly over to where Robert was standing. "Is it true?" she asked. "Is it really Duke? Is he really alive?"

Robert was silent.

"Answer me." she demanded. "Is it true?"

"Yes." he answered, softly. "He shot though down on the docks and things don't look good."

"How is this possible?" she asked. "How can he possibly be alive?"

"I don't know." Robert replied. "Duke had deep connections, Anna."

"There's no way he would willingly leave me." she told him. "We were happy together. We were a family. I was never so happy as when I was with Duke."

The words were somewhat painful and somewhat of a relief to Robert. He was nothing more than a stand in just like she was nothing more than a stand in for Holly. "I know." he exhaled. "Duke's been gone for years, Anna, we don't know where he's been or what he's been doing."

"Are you saying that he's in the mob again?"

"I don't know." he replied. "But it certainly appears that way."

It was the call that no wife ever wanted to get. The dreaded call that something has gone terribly wrong. The call that could change absolutely everything. Holly was awoken early morning by this call and fear and panic were the first two things that began to spin around in her mind. And then there came even more shocking news, Duke was at General Hospital in Port Charles.

Port Charles of all places on earth. Duke said that he had to return to the small town where he once lived to take care of business. Even in her wildest imagination she would have never guessed Port Charles. It made her wonder exactly what else her loving husband had been keeping from her. And what exactly his connection was to the town she had once called home.

The dreaded re-entry back into Port Charles was terrifying to Holly. Everyone she knew and loved thought that she was dead and she decided to stay that way. But now she was forced into facing what she should have faced a very long time ago, even if it meant that she was going to get hurt. She was going to walk into a hospital where she knew the doctors and the nurses by name.

The step off of the elevator was a difficult one. One that took all the strength that Holly had. The walk over to the nurses station took an eternity and when she looked at the nurses before her she was relieved to not recognize any of them from her former life.

"May I help you?" a young nurse asked.

"Yes." she replied. "I'm here to see my husband, Duke Lavery."

"I'll call the doctor." she replied. "He can explain things to you and then take you to see him. Just give me a few moments."

Holly walked over to the waiting area, wanting to keep her face out of sight as much as possible. She stared at the walls and out the window. Anything to keep people from noticing who she was. But unbeknownst to Holly it was too late.

Anna caught a glimpse of dark hair from across the lobby. And something caused her to look twice. It couldn't be, but it looked so much like...Holly. The lady's hair was longer, but it was curly and the same color. Curiosity had gotten the best of her so she decided to approach the lady. As soon as she got close enough to take a good look a doctor walked over to the lady.

"Mrs. Lavery." the doctor said. "I'm Dr. Thomas, I would like to talk to you about your husband and then I'll take you to see him."

"Mrs. Lavery?" Anna repeated to herself. "It can't be."

It was then that Holly turned toward her frame of view. And it was her. It was unmistakably Holly Scorpio. But had the doctor really have just said to Holly what she thought he said? Did he call her Mrs. Lavery? As in Mrs. Duke Lavery?

tbc...