Trust

Anna stood at the nurses' station as Mac cleared Maxie's room, making sure Peter wouldn't return, calling in the PCPD to guarantee his absence.

Standing away from the scene, resigned to watch, she felt completely alienated from those she loved. Everyone was mad at her, justifiably, she thought. She blew up her wedding. She blew up Maxie's wedding, but she knew it was ultimately for the best. She had to protect her nearest and dearest from Peter August and the legacy of Cesar Faison and, unfortunately, that meant sacrificing this most special day. It meant hurting so many of the people she loved most.

She checked her phone, hoping for a message or call from Finn, but there were no notifications. She'd texted and called him several times but he hadn't responded. Equal parts worried and hurt, she wished he would allow her to explain everything to him and was frustrated at his silence.

Valentin came up behind her, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder.

"Can I give you a ride home?"
"I drove," Anna said, focused on Mac and the activity around Maxie's room.
"I know, but you seem a little distracted. I don't want you driving like this."
"I'm fine," she protested.
"You're not," he observed.
"You're right, but I'm okay to drive. I need to get back to Finn, give him the time he needs."
"I understand," he said, unable to hide the worry in his voice.
"I'll text tomorrow. Promise. Thanks for looking out for me," she said with a comforting touch, then left for the elevator.

Anna drove silently, her mind spinning with everything she wanted to tell him, how she loved him, that they could still be married, be a happy family, that everything he said to her in the hall could be true. All she needed was for him to listen, a seemingly impossible hope at this moment. Tears welled in her eyes as she pulled into the Metro Court parking garage. Sitting for a while, she composed herself, putting on the mask of Agent Devane, lest someone realize how close she was to breaking. She walked through the lobby on autopilot avoiding the sideways glances and caring looks of those who knew what happened at what was supposed to be her wedding. Without realizing how, she ended up at the scene of the crime, the Metro Court ballroom.

The room was quiet, festooned with flowers and crystals, wanting a celebration. A time capsule from only hours before, the slide show still flashing photos from the happier days of four, now, very unhappy people. She grabbed a bottle of champagne and poured a glass, taking in the splendor and failure of her wedding day.

She knew they wouldn't be married, from the moment Valentin confirmed her worst suspicions, she knew, but she thought they'd still be together, safe in each other's arms, eating cake and planning when the actual wedding would happen. She thought he'd understand, and maybe he would have if things hadn't gone so spectacularly wrong.

At least Maxie was safe.

Anna poured another glass of champagne, finishing it quickly, the bubbles going to her head. She took in the room, the slideshow and flowers, the two stunning wedding cakes displayed by the bar. Maxie had hijacked her wedding but Anna wouldn't let her take her cake so there were two, one extraordinarily grand, the other sleek and simple, frosted in buttercream and adorned with sugar calla lilies.

In a fit of impulse, Anna took the top tier of her cake and plopped it on a plate, unsure of her endgame but certain she paid for cake and goddamnit she was going to get cake. Looking at it askew on the plate as she wiped frosting from her fingers, she was brought back to the present.

She needed to find Finn.

Anna took her cake and two forks then made her way to the elevator, riding up to the suite she and Finn should be sharing this very moment.

She knocked on the door to no answer, so took matters in her own hands, reaching into her coat pocket, fishing out her lock pick kit. Anna unzipped it with her teeth as she balanced the cake plate in one hand. Crouching down, she placed the cake on her lap and went to work. Within moments she heard the satisfying sound of tumblers shifting followed by a familiar voice.

"Need me to hold your cake while you break into my room?" Finn asked, standing behind her.
"Technically it's our room," she said as she deftly moved the cake from her lap to Finn's hands, standing with ease as she opened the door, following him into the suite, "Can we talk?"
"I wanted to before but you didn't have the time." he said, coolly, dropping the plate on the credenza.
"Peter was on edge, I had to protect Maxie, she needed to know the truth."
"Oh. She needed to know the truth?" he responded sarcastically, grabbing a fork and wiping it clean before digging into the cloud of buttercream and chocolate.
"Yes. She did," Anna said flatly, taking off her coat, "Then she started having contractions and was rushed to General."
"I didn't know, is she okay?" he asked, dropping the fork, his voice softening.
"Yeah... Braxton Hicks, they have her under observation. I didn't want to go, I wanted to stay here, with you, but I had to protect her," she said, with tearful eyes, wanting to touch him, "You are a priority, Finn. I love you. Please, talk to me, I'll tell you everything."
"Too little, too late," he said, turning away.

"Is it really?"

"I don't… No… just…" he stammered before exploding, "You could trust Cassadine but not me!?"
"OH GOD! Is that it?" she asked, moving closer, frustrated by his jealousy, "Valentin!? You're angry about Valentin!? I don't trust him more than you, I barely trust him at all, it's not about trust, I was protecting you! Do you know what would have happened if we were caught!? If you were part of the plan?! You could have lost your medical licence! Lost custody of Violet! I couldn't let that happen!"
"You don't know that!" he yelled, their faces so close.
"I couldn't risk it."
"Sure… it has nothing to do with your need for secrets."
"It's not about secrets, you know that. This was our mess, we caused it and had to fix it. He gave Peter to Faison and I..."
"Did nothing! You did nothing! Alex is his mother, apparently…" he snarked, stabbing the cake aggressively with his fork.
"I still feel like his mother, have the memories of his mother."
"But you're not his mother! You've known since, what, October? And you didn't tell me, but you did tell Cassadine!" his voice thick with condescension as he ate another chunk of cake.
"I didn't tell Valentin anything! He was there when the messenger came and when the dust settled Alex was dead. You were shot! The test didn't seem to matter. Peter thought I was his mother, I felt like his mother. I thought he was on the path to becoming a better man, I didn't want to shake his confidence and change that."
"So what happened?" he asked, dropping his fork, crossing to the couch and sinking down with all his weight.

"It was a lie. All of it. Peter was never reformed, never even tried to be a better man. He's a sociopath, like his father, just better at hiding it. He lied to Maxie, lied to me, and all the while he was conspiring, killing… I wanted to believe him so badly but once I saw concrete proof, I knew he had to be stopped."

Finn looked at her, his eyes full of pain, "How long did you know? Did you plan this wedding just to blow it up so you could catch your man?" he asked coldly.
"NO! I wanted… I WANT to marry you," she said sitting down on the arm of the chair across from him, her leg sliding out, touching his. He looked down but didn't move away, "We only figured it all out the other day…"
"You and Cassadine," he corrected.
"Yes," she said with a sigh, "I thought our plan would work and you'd be protected."
"Well, it didn't," he said, leaning forward.
"Don't I know," she ruefully chuckled.

He looked up at her, an expression of confusion on his face, "How did you think this would end?"
"If it all worked?"
"Yeah."

"Peter would be securely hidden, awaiting the WSB who'd have all they needed to put him away for life. Maxie would have found a letter telling her he loved her but couldn't lie to her anymore. She'd be heartbroken, but she'd be safe…" Anna took a breath to continue, but Finn interrupted.

"What about us?"

She moved closer, looking deeply into his sad blue eyes, sparkling with tears. She wanted, so badly, to take his face in her hands and convince him with a kiss, but she settled for his hand, rubbing her thumb softly against his palm.

"We'd be safe in each other's arms, having just made love, talking about our wedding, ours and only ours, even if it's just in the woods somewhere with only an officiant, a witness, Violet, and us," she said softly, taking both his hands in her own, "It could still happen… us… everything we wanted, everything you talked about just a few hours ago…" her eyes begging him to believe her.
"I don't know." he said, closing his eyes, allowing a tear to fall, freeing one of his hands to wipe it away.
"Oh," Anna said, releasing his hand, "Okay..." she swallowed heavily, "I guess I should go…"

Anna stood, grabbing her coat from the back of the chair, but before she could move, Finn's hand was around her wrist, "No. Anna, please."
"We just keep talking in circles, Finn," she whispered, sadness filling her voice, unable to look at him.
"I don't want you to go," he said, his voice gruff.
"What DO you want?"

Finn took her coat and threw it back on the chair, closing the distance between them, the hand on her wrist moving to her waist, his body pressing against her. Their breath mingled, lips so close to touching, his fingers on her jaw. Their eyes filled with sadness and want. The tension breaking when his lips touched hers.

The kiss was fierce and hungry, tasting of sugar and chocolate. Hands tangled in hair, grasping for connection. He pulled her head back, his mouth on her neck, a longing sigh escaped from her lips.

"Finn..." she gasped, before his mouth reclaimed hers once more.
"I need you to trust me," he growled in her ear.
"I do," she sighed, "With my heart, my life."
"But not your secrets," he said, pulling away, but she pressed on, moving closer to him.
"Because I need to protect you," she said, her hand running along his jaw, fingers lingering on his lips.
"I can take care of myself."
She moved her hand to his chest, pressing hard on the still tender scar near his heart, "This suggests otherwise," she said as he winced, "Most people won't fall for your doctor moves, Finn, and, as far as I know, that's all you have."
"You did," he said with a smirk, his hand on her neck feeling her heart race at his touch.
"Alex didn't," she said with a poke.
"Ouch," he flinched, "I've been going to the gym. Working the speed bag… Plus Chase taught me a few things."
"Oh? Chase taught you a few things? Show me," she said with an arched eyebrow.

He moved quickly, grabbing the hand that was tormenting him and twisting her arm behind her back, forcing her against the wall with an audible "Oof." Her face pressed against the cool paint, a sharp pain shooting up from her shoulder, he used his weight as leverage against her and she was, indeed, at least temporarily, immobilized. He caught her off guard, she was impressed, not that she'd tell him, at least not yet. She really hated to lose.

"Classic move," she said, wiggling, trying to break free.
"Anna," he moaned, feeling her rub against him, unzipping the top of her dress, his mouth on her neck, following along her spine.
"Where did you learn this?" she shivered, melting into him.
"I'm improvising," he murmured into her skin.
"Oh," she sighed, "clever…" the weight of yearning growing in her core, "This won't… oh…" she stammered, legs trembling as his mouth found a particularly sensitive spot, before gaining her composure, "This won't exactly work in most situations."
"I like to live in the moment," he said, kissing along her shoulder.
"Oh," she breathed, finding her moment, disarming him with a whimper.

Breaking his hold she slammed him against the wall with a thud. Taking his mouth, dominating him. It was her turn to improvise. Fingers unbuttoning, hands grasping at flesh. Her leg moving between his, grinding against his thigh. His hands combed through her hair, across the bare flesh of her back. She kissed along his neck, her hands moving down to his belt.

"You want to protect me, I want to protect you," she breathed into his skin as his belt hit the floor, "It shouldn't be this hard."
"You make it hard, Anna," he growled, shifting the dynamic once more, her back against the wall, lifted, toes barely touching the floor.
"I know," she said with a throaty laugh, trying to wrap her legs around him, straining against tight fabric, a loud rip filling the air, "Oh God! My dress!"
"I don't care, I hate it," he said, his eyes intense.
"You told me I looked beautiful."
"You did, you do, but this dress… it's everything that's wrong with today. All the lies and the secrets, this dress is all of that," he said, crouching down, ripping until the seam at her waist stopped him, "Damn. Wait here," he said as he stood, kissing her on the cheek before walking away.
"Where are you going?"

"Finn?

He didn't answer, disappearing into the hall.

Anna leaned against the wall, feeling it's cool touch against the back of her now exposed thighs. Moments later he emerged with his doctor's bag. Her eyebrow arched with curiosity as Finn placed the bag on the table and began to root around, still not talking.

"What's up, Doc?" she asked with a wry smile.
"Ha. Funny." he deadpanned, finally finding what he was looking for, a pair of EMT shears, "Come here."

Anna pushed herself off the wall, crossing to him slowly, eyes locked with his. He stopped her in front of the mirrored credenza.

"Turn around," he said, his hands running down her sides.

They looked at each other in the glass, eyes dark with want. Anna felt the cool touch of the shears against the small of her back.

"Finn… I think you've made your point about the dress."
"No, I don't think I have," he said, making the first cut at the waist, then sliding the shears up her back, moving her hair aside for the final snip.

When he was done, he parted it like a present, sliding it off her shoulders, grabbing the fabric before it fell to the floor. He crossed to the balcony door, opened it and tossed the tattered dress into the cold Port Charles night.

"NOW I've made my point about the dress," he said with a satisfied smile as he turned to her, "God you're beautiful."

Anna smiled at him, her dress out in the elements, left wearing only lingerie and heels, white lace and thin straps accented with gold hardware.

"This should be mine right now," he sighed as he leaned against the glass.
"It is yours," she said, beckoning him back to her, "A piece of paper and some platitudes from Lucy Coe doesn't change that," she said as she wrapped him in her arms, "Everything I am belongs to you. All I wanted from today was you and cake… In a way, it seems, I've gotten my wish."

He turned her to the mirror watching as his hands ran over her body, discovering it once more. Fingers running along straps, moving under her bra, her head falling back, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

"Finn… I haven't actually had my cake yet," she said looking at him in the mirror with a sly smile.

He nodded dutifully, grabbing a small morsel, his fingers covered with frosting, and brought it to her lips. She opened her mouth eagerly, taking the cake and his fingers as well, her tongue and lips wrapping around them, tasting their buttery sweetness.

"More?" he asked, his voice thick with want.
"Yes, please," she smiled, her mouth open for him.

He repeated the task, taking a bite cake between his thumb and forefinger, allowing the frosting to cover them, bringing it to her beautiful mouth to devour, her lips and tongue enveloping his fingers once more.

"You're so hungry," he growled, pulling his finger from her mouth with a longing moan.

Finn pressed against her, his clothed body against bare skin. His arms wrapped around her, one hand dipping between her legs. She sighed, her hands reaching back, running through his hair as he tasted her neck, their eyes locked in the mirror. Anna rocked against his fingers as they pushed aside fabric and into her, his thumb making small circles as she moved, sighs becoming moans, her hips rocking against his growing need. He felt her body shiver and tense, her breath catch, her release imminent.

"No. Not yet," he growled in her ear as removed his hand, a sly grin on his lips.
"Finn…" she sighed in frustrated longing.
"Not," he said, unclasping her bra, "Yet," pulling down her barely there pants.

Anna let the wisps of lace fall to the ground as his hands moved across the plains and curves of her body, down her arms, pressing her hands to the table. She felt his leg slide between hers, forcing her to widen her stance.

"Good," he whispered, his voice sending shivers through her body, before stepping back to observe his work.
"Finn?" she asked as he walked away, releasing the final buttons on his shirt with a mischievous smile.

It was her turn to watch as he removed his shirt and pants. She stared at his body with an approving sigh, biting her lower lip, fit and tan though he spent more hours in the lab than in the gym. The tattoos from his previous life lending an air of mysterious danger to his overall appearance, a danger he seemed to be capitalizing on right now. Her body buzzed with anticipation, every nerve vibrating with want.

He crossed back to her, hands running down her back, along her spin, sending shivers through her body, before resting on her hips, pressing himself into her.

"Finn," she gasped, feeling him move with her, their eyes still linked in the mirror's reflection.

There were no words, just motion and moans, their eyes burning into each other through the glass. Her legs quaked beneath her as she steadied herself with one hand against the mirror, his force and passion relentless. He wanted to tease her, wanted to deny her as he had before, play the long game, but his need for connection, his need for her was too much, revenge seemed petty now that he was with her, in her.

All he wanted was Anna, all he cared about was Anna. Everything else, the schemes and jealousies, pomp and ceremony, seemed so distant in this moment with just them, flesh upon flesh, sigh answering sigh. Her voice grew louder, her body building to release, hands grasping for anything to steady herself as her legs gave way beneath her. Her body trembled and pulsed against him and soon he joined her, holding her tight as they both surrendered to ecstasy.

Finn collapsed into her, his arms encircling her, kissing her shoulders, tasting the salt on her skin.

"What am I gonna do with you?" he whispered into her neck, arms tight around her, bringing her up as he stood.

She smiled as she turned, pressing her body to his, kissing him, taking his lower lip between her teeth, slowly releasing it with a sigh.

"I have a few ideas…" she said, her hands roaming his body, "Do you trust me?" she asked, a half smile playing on her face.
"Oh Anna…" he laughed as he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

He laid her out on the bed, his fingers gently trailing up her body as she sank down into the lush linens.

"I want to help you catch him."
"Okay," she said, her flesh tingling at his touch.
"No more secrets, no more trying to protect me. We work together, we protect each other," he said, barely grazing her skin as he joined her on the bed.
She curled to him in response, "Deal."
"I'll have your back," he said, drawing small circles along her spine, "and you can tell that rat Cassadine to get lost."

Anna shifted, looking into Finn's crisp blue eyes, "No, I can't. He needs this just as much as I do, just as much as WE do. I can't take away his chance at redemption in this whole mess just because you're jealous."
"Jealous? You think I'm jealous of that snake?" he said, with a guffaw that was a little too loud to be believable.
She shook her head with a chuckle, "I do. If it wasn't so frustrating, It'd be kinda cute."
"Oh? Kinda cute, huh? Is that all I am? Kinda cute?" he asked, eyes twinkling as he moved over her, kissing along her jaw and down her neck.
"Oh… you're very cute," she sighed as she slid underneath him, wrapping her legs around his waist, "and cuddly… like a bunny… like a sarcastic bunny.

She laced her fingers through his hair, pulling him to her, kissing him deeply.

Finn moaned into her mouth, their tongues dancing. She moved beneath him, using her legs to shift their weight until she was on top, taking him in her hand before easing her body onto him, her hips rocking to the rhythm of their breath and sighs. He groaned as he moved, his mouth enveloping one breast then the other before moving to her collarbone, her head falling back in pure pleasure. Calling each other's name in canon as passion overtook them. Bodies pulsating, hearts racing as they crumpled into each other.

"Finn," she said catching her breath, looking down at him, "I never thought I'd be able to love like this again. I was so scared that I lost you forever today."

He smiled at her, brushing the hair out of her face with a tender touch before moving from under her, climbing out of the bed.

"Where are you going?" she asked, confusion playing over her beautiful face as he wrapped himself in a thick Metro Court robe.
"Trust me."
"Is this a test?" she asked with a glint in her eye, sitting up, allowing the sheet to fall off her body, tempting him back to bed.

Finn just shrugged and walked out of the room.

A few minutes later he returned with the remains of the cake and two glasses, one of champagne the other sparkling water. He handed Anna the champagne and a fork and settled back into bed, the cake on his lap.

"Mmmm. Everything I ever wanted," she smiled, taking a big bite of cake, relishing the moment and the company.
"So a wedding in the woods?"
"Or the pier… the park… anywhere, as long as it's to you. I just want to be with you forever, it doesn't matter how we get there."

Finn raised his glass, "To us… and love and trust," he said, tapping his glass to hers, "I'm so sorry I turned away from you today… you must have been hurting so much. I let my jealousy get in the way."

Anna took a sip from her glass, kissed him gently, then took a bite of cake, "Thank you. I should have told you."
"You were protecting me, I understand that now."
"To protection," she said, raising her glass with a smile, "And protecting each other."

They gazed into each other's eyes as they drank deeply, then both dipped their forks into what was left of the cake. Anna cleaned her fork and began tapping it on the side of her glass filling the room with crisp ringing.

Finn looked at her, brows furrowed in confusion, a bemused smile playing on his lips, "What are you doing?"
"You're supposed to kiss me. It's tradition."
"Oh? Well… if it's tradition…"

He took her glass and fork and placed it on the nightstand with his glass and the cake.

"So I have to kiss you?"
"It's tradition."
"Oh, well, you shouldn't mess with tradition." he said, his fingers running through her hair as he enveloped her in his arms.

He kissed her deeply, melting into her. Their bodies becoming one again. Joined forever, for all the days of their lives.