Chapter 19

"Michelle?" Michael was waiting at the door of the Quartermaine mansion for the young woman as soon as she pulled up the drive. Her text had worried him. "What's wrong?"

"Your mom approached me today." Michelle let him lead her into the living room and she sat down on the couch with him. "She wanted to know about my dad."

"Your dad?" Michael was surprised. "Why?"

"I think to cause problems." Michelle knew that she could trust him. "You see…"

"Hey guys." AJ walked in to see Michael and Michelle sitting together on the couch. He had sensed that there was more to their relationship than either one was letting on and he was thrilled about it. From what he had seen, Robin's daughter was a good match for his son. "Good to see you two getting along."

Michael took Michelle's hand in his. "Michelle is here because she thinks that Carly is up to something."

AJ sat down in one of the armchairs. "It's Carly, when isn't she up to something."

"Something involving Robin, maybe a little payback for telling the truth about my paternity?" Michael hated that his mother couldn't let this vendetta against Robin go. He squeezed Michelle's hand. "What were you saying?"

Michelle knew that her mother was friends with AJ and decided to take a chance. "Okay, but what I am about to tell you cannot be repeated outside of this room. There are only a few people who know the truth about why we moved to Port Charles."

"I thought you came here for nursing school?" Michael was confused.

"That's why we decided on Port Charles but we needed to leave town." Michelle took a deep breath. "My mom was being stalked and the guy attacked her one night."

"Is Robin okay?" AJ would always be protective of Michelle's mom.

"Yes, he was caught and put in jail for assault but we knew we needed to start over. PCU offered the perfect excuse to move." Michelle was working up to the important part of the story.

"Well at least he is in jail but I don't see what that has to do with your dad?" Michael was confused. "I mean, your dad has passed away long before this guy came around."

"Carly came to me today and started asking about my dad, about how she was wanting to create a scholarship in his name as a way of mending fences with my mom." Michelle rolled her eyes at the very notion. "Apparently she was under the misconception that I was born yesterday if she thought I would buy that line for one second. I quickly cleared that up."

"Yeah, Carly really isn't the altruistic type." AJ was in agreement with Michelle, Carly was up to something. "So she was asking questions about your dad…"

She took a deep breath. "She made a comment about how she couldn't find any record of a firefighter with his name."

"There must be a reason for that – maybe an error in the database or a misspelling?" Michael could think of several reasons right off the top of his head.

Michelle shook her head. "There could be but the truth is that there is only one reason and that is because his last name wasn't Soltini – we changed our names so that this guy couldn't find us after he got out of prison."

"And Carly must have figured out that you changed your name which is why she is digging into your past." AJ shook his head. "She knows that Robin has a secret and wants to pay her back for revealing Michael's paternity."

"You would think she could let this go after all this time." Michael stood up and began pacing the floor. "I mean, it was almost 20 years ago and I have a great life."

"One that doesn't include her or Sonny." AJ reminded him. "Carly can't see that though, she just sees that Robin has something to hide and she wants expose her – to hell with the fact that Robin has a very good reason for hiding this."

"That doesn't matter to her – all she cares about is revenge." Michael sat back down and wrapped his arms around Michelle. "We will do everything in our power to stop her and protect all of you."

AJ picked up his phone. "There is one more person we need to include in this though."

"Who?" Michelle couldn't imagine who else needed to be told the truth.

"My brother." AJ made the call. "Jason, I need you to get over here to the Quartermaine mansion ASAP. It's about Robin."


Robin sat on the bed and smiled as she listened to Patrick reading Rylee her bedtime story. The little girl had begged him to try and do a princess voice and he was making a valiant effort. "Belle pulled the Beast to safety. 'Please don't leave me,' she sobbed."

"You don't sound like a princess." Rylee cuddled in closer to Patrick on the bed and pointed at the book. "Try again."

"Rylee…" Robin was trying to rein her granddaughter in – Patrick was a pushover for the little girl.

Rylee looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Please Uncle Patrick?"

Patrick shook his head but raised his voice an octave. "'Please don't leave me,' she sobbed. 'I love you."

Rylee yawned and smiled, finally satisfied with the voice now that the story was almost over. "Thank you."

"As she spoke, the last rose petal fell. Then a shower of sparks filled the air. The Beast began to transform...," Patrick turned the page, "...into a handsome prince!" He turned the last page of the book and finished the story. "The enchanted objects were filled with joy as they too turned back into humans and watched their prince and Belle fall in love anew. The end."

"Thank you Uncle Patrick." The little girl gave Patrick a kiss on the cheek. "Good night."

"Good night little one – I hope you feel better tomorrow." He kissed her on the forehead and smiled at Robin. "I'll get Jason's file and meet you in the living room with some wine, if that is okay with you?"

Robin nodded as she tucked her granddaughter into bed. "I'll be right there." She waited until Patrick was out of the room before she kissed Rylee good night. "How are you feeling?"

"Uncle Patrick's ice cream made me all better." Rylee yawned once again.

Robin smiled at her. "I'm sure it did. You really like Uncle Patrick don't you?"

Rylee nodded her head. "I love Uncle Patrick – he's the best."

"Yes he is." Robin sighed and headed out of the bedroom. "I love you Ry."

"Love you too Grandma." The little girl closed her eyes and started drifting off to sleep as Robin turned out the light and headed to the living room.

She walked in to see Patrick sitting on the couch with the promised wine and file. "Now I have had a chance to…"

"Why did you try to keep me off Jason's case?" Robin sat down next to him and took a glass of wine off the table. She sipped it slowly while she waited for his answer.

Patrick took a moment to sip his own wine before he answered her. "I want to make it clear – my decision to not tell you had absolutely nothing to do with my belief in your abilities. You are the most gifted doctor I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and working with. Your compassion, intelligence and ability to connect with your patients, to try and find the best option for them, even if it is surgery, is something that amazes me more every single day. You are the first doctor I think of whenever I want a consult."

"Except for Jason?"

"Except for the man who broke your heart and turned his back on you." Patrick clarified. "The man who put your life in danger dozens of times and then had the nerve to act like you were a horrible person for having the courage to tell the truth. I didn't do it because I don't trust you – I did it because I don't trust him."

Robin just nodded her head, choosing not to interrupt him as he spoke.

"Robin, Jason Morgan is a dangerous man who has chosen to spend his life being a criminal. I can't do anything about the past but I will do my damndest to protect you now and in the future."

She took a moment to consider what he was saying. "I understand what you are saying but, in the end, it is my decision to make. I appreciate your concern but I am a doctor and a damn good one at that. To me Jason is just another patient and one who desperately needs our help."

"So you forgive me?" Patrick asked her hopefully.

She smirked at him. "This time but don't let it happen again." She set down her wine glass and picked up the file. "Now, about this protocol…"