The Flat

Looking down at the note in her hand Anna already knew she was not going to let him just walk away. They are on the verge of something, if they need to wait that's fine but he doesn't just get to leave. She'll give him a couple days, maybe a week then Anna will go to Bern to see him. Even if he wants to face this battle on his own, Anna wants to make sure Robert knows she is there for him, whenever or however he might need her.

Robin came over and put her arm around her mom and read the note still in her hand. How can he do this? Why won't he let her help him? Robin was about to voice those very thoughts but she noticed the look on her mother's face. Then Anna put her arm around Robin and she knew it was okay. If Anna wasn't upset, there was no need for her to get worked up about it.

"He'll get about a week to himself," Anna said then smiled at Robin, "That should be long enough."

"By then the staff will welcome the help," Robin added with a laugh. She should have known her mother wasn't going to let her father deal with this on his own. That made her feel a lot better even if her dad should have just let her mom go with him.

Anna thought about what would most likely happen when she got there. "I don't think he'll let me stay but I want to see him. To tell him I'll be close by." Seeing the look on her daughter's face, "Don't worry, I'll be back here for your wedding."

"We haven't planned anything yet."

"I'll still be here for it, whenever that is. Maybe your dad will be too."

"Let's see how his treatment goes and when we pick for our wedding date. Patrick and I have a lot to talk about."

They were both smiling happily now, "This is all so exciting. My little girl is getting married to a man that loves her. She's gonna be a mom."

"That will make you a grandmother," Robin playfully reminded her.

"Hush your mouth." Anna smiled, she loved the idea of Robin being a mother but how is she old enough to be someone's grandmother?

Robin smiled seeing the happiness on her mom's face. She reached out and took the note out of her hand. "So, what's going on between my parents?"

Anna looked her in the eyes and smiled. "Your parents love each other, we always have. Is there a way to be more than that? Will we always only be friends but nothing more? I don't know but I do believe we both want to find those things out."

"Only time will tell," Robin said tilting her head a little, Anna's only response was to grin. It wasn't time that was the biggest hurdle they had. One step at a time, there is a battle to be won first.

Please give them the time to figure this out, Robin thought with a smile. Ever since her father had returned there had been something off between them. After this scare and seeing how close they still are. Seeing her support him. Her mother had hardly left her father's side, just like she had back when someone had tried to kill him. Was that what was wrong between them? They were both missing the other but didn't know how to tell the other one that?

…

One week later, laying in bed with his eyes closed, Robert was thinking about what he was facing. Bern seems like a nice place, not that he'll be seeing a lot of it while he's here. His treatment plan was going to take it out of him. His doctors had made that very clear the day before while going over what he was facing in detail. Telling him all the wonderful possible side effects he can expect. In the morning he starts his first round of chemo. He knew this wasn't going to be easy but he wasn't going to give up. He will beat this!

He let out a sigh then smiled, "I was just thinking, it would be nice to have someone to talk to today." Robert opened his eyes and smiled at the beautiful woman leaning in his doorway.

Anna smiled and walked in. "Hi, hon. You didn't really think that note was gonna keep me away, did you?"

He just grinned as he watched her move closer. "Anna, I need to,"

"You need to do this on your own. I get that, I do. Can you accept that I need to help you, anyway I can? If that means late-night phone calls when you can't sleep. Being that voice that gives you strength to keep fighting. Whatever it is, I'm here for you. Well, I'll be in London, to be here for you, but still." Anna sat down on the side of his bed, facing him. "I'm not letting you do this alone but I will give you the space you need."

"I don't want you putting your life on hold," Robert took her hand.

"I'm not putting anything on hold. You have my cell number. I'm saying all you have you have to do is call me."

Robert gave her a little grin then nodded. "It starts tomorrow. I don't know how much it's gonna affect me. The doc says everyone reacts slightly differently. Fatigue is guaranteed, might lose my hair. This first round, I probably won't be able to keep food down right after. It's not gonna be easy."

"No it won't be but you are going to face this head-on. You're going to fight."

Robert smiled, "Yes, I am. Anna, I'm glad you're here. I'm also glad you understand why I came here alone." The look in his eyes, letting her know he knew it was wrong to leave but also that it was what he had to do.

"Baby, if we are going to get another chance, I need you to beat this." She touched his cheek lovingly, "I want another chance."

Robert smiled and sat forward, "So do I." He leaned in and kissed her tenderly. "I'll fight this Luv. I want to see our grandchild. I also owe you several Mia Tias."

"Several?" She had wanted to keep sounding light and cheerful but the slight wobble in her voice deceived her.

Robert nodded with a cute little grin. "I meant all of it. Yeah, I might have been close to death at the time but I meant it."

Anna laughed and hugged him. "Oh, Scorpio."

"Can you stay for a while?" Anna answered by getting up then turning and sitting back down beside him. Robert put his arm around her, resting his forehead against hers. "I'll call you. I'll probably call a lot actually. I'll tell you how terrible it is here. How none of the people here know how to do their jobs. How all I want to do is get out of here."

"Oh good, something to look forward to," she said with a grin.

"Talking to you is what I'll be looking forward to. Short-term goals. Talking dirty with you before falling asleep."

Anna laughed and turned towards him. "See, you already have a game plan to beat this."

"When I call it won't all be sexy talk," Robert said, sounding a little more serious.

Anna snuggled in a little closer, understanding what he was really saying. It felt so nice knowing they are going to talk, to really talk. There was still a lot to cover but as painful as some of it might be she knows it will help them both. "I know, we need to have those less fun conversations too." He smiled then put his head back. Neither of them knew what was going to happen next between them but for right now, she just needs him to beat this.

…

Robert hung up the phone, he always seems to feel better after talking to Anna. Hearing her voice put his mind at ease. It had been a rough couple of days after his last chemo treatment. At least today he had kept his dinner down.

Anna had told him all about the latest Robin news. As much as he would love to be at his daughter's wedding he understood why they didn't want to wait. The baby would be here before long. It's wonderful hearing about Maxie and all the work she is doing to make sure Robin has her perfect wedding. Hearing about Robin's latest checkups. Hearing about all of that, it was easy to forget about what he was facing while letting himself lost in Anna's words.

Robert had been at the clinic for two months now. He still had one more round of chemo to go through but at least he would get a break from that for another week. That was why he had agreed to let Anna come see him on her way to Port Charles. Hearing her voice was wonderful but getting to see her, oh. He closed his eyes and smiled. She is still incredibly beautiful and if he plays his cards right and beats this cancer thing, Robert knows he's going to win her back. He knows they will be friends, he hopes they can be more. With thoughts of Anna playing in his head, Robert let himself drift off to sleep. Soon the dreams of her will start, wonderful dreams of what could have been. Of what still could be.

…

Anna let herself drop into the chair in Robin's hospital room. Yesterday morning she never imagined this would have been how the wedding day would go. Robin's water breaking before the wedding could really get started. Then both mother and baby were in danger. Robin had to fight to survive and she had. Anna put her head back, her little girl had fought so hard, now she seems to be doing a little better. They'll know in the morning if she's out of the woods.

Anna knew she needed to rest but her mind didn't seem to want to let her. She reached for her bag and pulled out her phone. She knew it was still rather early there but Anna bit her lip then hit call. She needed to hear his voice.

After the fourth ring, "Morning Luv." Anna let out the breath she'd been holding. "It's early, is everything alright?" He paused, "Mac called me yesterday. How's our little girl?"

Anna smiled and wiped at her tears. How does he do that? She already felt so much better and he's only been on the line for a few seconds. "She's hanging in there. I'm in her room watching her sleep at this very moment."

Robert had been worried but knew Anna was there with their daughter and knew she wouldn't let anything happen to Robin or the baby. "She is going to be fine, Luv. She's a fighter like her mom. You helped her, I knew you did."

Anna smiled again, hearing his voice. Hearing his words was all she needed to put her more at ease. Finally, she started to relax a little and got more comfortable in her chair.

"You were there for her. You were there when she needed you. You weren't going to give up on her and there is something so powerful in that. Knowing that Anna Devane is fighting for you. Oh, it gives you strength and the drive to go on, and the last thing us Scorpios want to do is let her down."

Again she wiped the tears from her eyes, this time there was a little smile on her face. "There's a new little Scorpio. Well Scorpio-Drake, I've already held our granddaughter, gramps."

"I bet she's beautiful," Robert said, wiping at a few tears of his own. "I can't wait to meet her."

"Emma Scorpio-Drake, she's precious. I'll send you some pictures later." Anna heard him yawn. "I'm sorry, I know it's early there."

"I'm tired because I couldn't really sleep last night not because you woke me up. I was worried about what was going on there, not because of my treatments. I needed you to call as much as you needed to hear my voice."

Anna sighed, god, he knows her so well. His treatments are fine, that made her feel better, one less thing to worry about at the moment. "It was scary and Robin was so weak but we got through and in a few more hours they'll have more information for us."

"I don't want to think about that stuff, not right now. You're there with her, that's all I need to know. I want to hear what happened. She went into labour during the wedding, is that right?"

"Yes," Anna started to tell him what all had gone on at the church and the at the hospital. Then she ended up telling him all about Emma and how perfect she is. She didn't know how long they were on the phone talking but it had been exactly what she had needed. When she finally hung up she fell asleep almost instantly, still sitting in the chair by Robin's bed.