As Jason, Robin and Emily left Kelly's courtyard, Emily looked up at
Jason and asked, "So how long have the two of you been back together".
Robin burst into giggles as Jason consulted his watch and solemnly
proclaimed, "one hour and fourteen minutes".
Emily looked at her brother and the love of his life and wondered if she
would ever be that happy, and if it would be with Nicholas.
"Are you to sure you want me tagging along than", Emily asked once Robin had stopped laughing. "Emily, don't worry about it", Jason said. "We could take her back to the Quatermaines if she doesn't want to do this", Robin said with a mischievous smile. "Em, I'm begging you just come with us, because if we take you back there, she's going to make me go in, and she'll actually enjoy it", Jason said as he placed his hands on Emily's shoulders and turned her to face him. "If you're that sure you want to go home", Emily started to say. "I knew you would see it my way", Jason interrupted. "I was going to say you could take me home", Emily finished. At the look on Jason's face, both girls once again dissolved into laughter. After they finished laughing, Emily reached up and kissed Jason's cheek as she whispered, "I'm glad you two found each other again". With that, the three of them finished the walk to the brownstone in companionable silence.
The small group paused at the foot of the steps and Robin took a deep breath. Jason pulled her close and whispered, "Are you sure you want to do this". "It's the only way", Robin said as they went up the steps and she knocked on the door.
"Frisco, we can't, I can't do this again", Felicia said as she pulled back from their kiss and wrapped her arms around herself. "Do what Felicia", Frisco asked as he watched her distance herself physically and emotionally from him. "This, whatever, this is. You can't just sweep into our lives once or twice a decade and make us believe your staying, only to have that phone ring just as we finally believe you. And poof your gone again", Felicia said as tears filled her eyes and she turned toward the fireplace. "I want a chance to know the girls, and the woman you've become", Frisco said sincerely. "That's the problem Frisco, I'm not that young girl who hid under your bed anymore. I want more. I need more. I need a man who can handle the responsibility of helping me raise our daughters, who can give me the space to find fulfillment on my own, and not stifle me because it's not what he thinks I should be doing", Felicia said as she turned to face him again. "Does that mean you don't love me anymore", Frisco asked as he could feel his heart break. "Loving you has never been the problem", Felicia said, "trusting you not to break my heart or more importantly your daughters' hearts is". "This time will be different", Frisco said as he reached to brush the tears off her cheeks. "That's what you told me last time", Felicia said as she stepped back out of his reach.
Maxie told Georgie and Lucas to stay in the kitchen as she went to answer the door. Felicia and Frisco were so busy staring at each other they hadn't even heard Robin knock. Maxie didn't care who was at the door as she threw it open as long as they stopped Mom and her Father before she took him back. It wasn't that Maxie didn't love her Dad it's just she was tired of being left behind, and she didn't want Georgie to ever feel that bad.
"Robin", Maxie cried as she rushed into her arms. "I'm glad you're so happy to see me", Robin exclaimed as Maxie drug her into the house without paying any attention to the other two people in the foyer. "You have to stop her", Maxie said as she pulled Robin into the living room, before Robin had a chance to ask any questions. This didn't look good Robin thought to herself as she saw Felicia crying. Robin cleared her throat and said, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything". Felicia looked towards the doorway startled and Frisco slowly turned around as Jason stepped up behind Robin. At that moment Georgie came barreling out of the kitchen and ran to Felicia saying, "Santa did bring me my family for Christmas". Robin leaned against Jason and whispered, "We would have been better off with your family", as she thought to herself that maybe the real world she and Jason were going to attempt to live in this time was not all that it was cracked up to be.
"Robin", Felicia said as she slowly started to recover. "I hope you don't mind, us coming over. No one was at the house and I ran into Luke, he said you and the girls were staying here", Robin said in a rush, as Felicia finally looked at the other occupants in the room. "You know you are always welcome sweetheart", Felicia said as moved to hug Robin, "Why didn't you let someone know you were coming home". "It was a last minute decision", Robin replied. "We can leave", Robin whispered into Felicia's ear. "No", Felicia said out loud. "I promised the girls we would get at least one batch of cookies in the oven, would you keep Frisco company for a few minutes well I do that", Felicia asked desperately needing to put some space between him and those lost little boy looks he was giving her. "Sure", Robin replied wondering exactly what she had walked in on. "Jason, why don't you give Felicia a hand getting the platter down, Bobbie keeps it on the top shelf", Robin turned and said to Jason. Jason squeezed her hand and followed Felicia into the kitchen with Emily.
"It's good to see you Frisco", Robin said as her godfather enfolded her into a hug. "I'm sorry we missed each other in Italy in the spring", Frisco said, as he looked her over. "Somehow it didn't really surprise me", Robin said, as Frisco wouldn't meet her eyes. "Do you want to tell me why your really here", Robin asked in a tone of voice that had come straight from her mother. "You look so much like Anna", Frisco said. "That didn't answer the question", Robin pointed out. "You even sound like her", Frisco said with a laugh. "Don't make promise you can't keep Frisco, Felecia and the girls both deserve better", Robin said as he turned to stir the fire. "What if I can do it this time", Frisco asked? "You had better be damned sure you can, or be out of here after the girls open their presents in the morning", Robin stated coldly.
"When did you grow up", Frisco asked as he sat on the couch. "When you weren't watching, just like Maxie and Georgie have. It's one thing if you make promises to Felicia or I, we don't like when you break them, but we have enough experience in dealing with the disappointment. The girls don't need to learn that lesson". Robin said as she sat next to him. "You all must really hate me", Frisco said sadly. "No", Robin said in exasperation, "we just don't want to get our hearts broken again". "So what are suggesting than, that I leave town again", Frisco asked. "Get your own place to live and take this one day at a time and stay out of Felecia's bed", Robin stated matter of factly. "I know from experience, it just clouds the issues and you two definitely don't need that right now", Robin finished.
"I missed so much time with them, how do I make it up", Frisco questioned. "Don't" was Robin's advise, "you can't make it up to them any more than mom and dad could have made it up to me when I was younger. Start with the people your daughters are now and build from there" "Now on a different topic can I get another one of those hugs, I've missed you", Robin said as she smiled at him. As he pulled her close to him she whispered, "and Felicia did to, just don't tell her I said that". And they both started laughing.
"Would you excuse me for a minute", Robin said as she noticed Emily heading for the door. "I'll go check what's going on in the kitchen", Frisco said as he kissed the top of her head and though how proud Robert and Anna would have been with the way she had matured.
"Going somewhere", Robin asked Emily as she slipped into her coat. "I didn't want to be in the way, with Maxies's dad and everything", Emily stated softly. "I keep telling you we're family, and family sticks together. I wouldn't sneak out on you at the Quatermaines", Robin said. "But", Emily protested, "I'm just Jason's adopted sister". "If it were that simple you could get out of here like that", Robin said as she snapped her fingers, "The problem is Luke considers you to be just like a daughter, he feels the same way about Liz and I, and unfortunately in this town that makes us Spencer's and they don't have honorary membership. You're one or your not. And therefore, it's our curse to lead an interesting life for lack of a better term; unfortunately, you get a double dose of that on the Quatermaine side. So, stop with this you don't belong here stuff, okay. Besides someday, that brother of yours may even get around to proposing and we would be officially family.", Robin said as she finally ran out of breath. "Thank you" Emily said as the two girls hugged and a knock sounded on the door.
"You want to bet its Nicholas", Robin asked as her eyes lit up and Emily blushed. "He wouldn't know I was here", Emily replied. "That depends on whether anyone told him where to find you", Robin said. "Luke wouldn't, would he", Emily asked as she shook her head. "In a heartbeat" the girls said in unison as Robin opened the door.
Instead of Nicholas on the other side of the door, the girls found Lucy. "Robin, I didn't know you were home. It's so good to see you and I would love to come in and chat, but Sigmund has gone missing and I don't want anyone mistaking him for Christmas dinner. You haven't seen him have you". Lucy said as Luke pulled up at the curb. "I'll let you get back to your Christmas", Lucy said as she turned and yelled for Luke to wait for her. The three young people stood in the open doorway as Lucy hopped into the Caddy talking a mile a minute and Luke cursed what ever evil spirit had decide he needed to be tortured tonight. Back on the steps, Nicholas asked Emily if they could talk for a minute. Robin gave Emily's hand a quick squeeze before heading back in.
"Are you to sure you want me tagging along than", Emily asked once Robin had stopped laughing. "Emily, don't worry about it", Jason said. "We could take her back to the Quatermaines if she doesn't want to do this", Robin said with a mischievous smile. "Em, I'm begging you just come with us, because if we take you back there, she's going to make me go in, and she'll actually enjoy it", Jason said as he placed his hands on Emily's shoulders and turned her to face him. "If you're that sure you want to go home", Emily started to say. "I knew you would see it my way", Jason interrupted. "I was going to say you could take me home", Emily finished. At the look on Jason's face, both girls once again dissolved into laughter. After they finished laughing, Emily reached up and kissed Jason's cheek as she whispered, "I'm glad you two found each other again". With that, the three of them finished the walk to the brownstone in companionable silence.
The small group paused at the foot of the steps and Robin took a deep breath. Jason pulled her close and whispered, "Are you sure you want to do this". "It's the only way", Robin said as they went up the steps and she knocked on the door.
"Frisco, we can't, I can't do this again", Felicia said as she pulled back from their kiss and wrapped her arms around herself. "Do what Felicia", Frisco asked as he watched her distance herself physically and emotionally from him. "This, whatever, this is. You can't just sweep into our lives once or twice a decade and make us believe your staying, only to have that phone ring just as we finally believe you. And poof your gone again", Felicia said as tears filled her eyes and she turned toward the fireplace. "I want a chance to know the girls, and the woman you've become", Frisco said sincerely. "That's the problem Frisco, I'm not that young girl who hid under your bed anymore. I want more. I need more. I need a man who can handle the responsibility of helping me raise our daughters, who can give me the space to find fulfillment on my own, and not stifle me because it's not what he thinks I should be doing", Felicia said as she turned to face him again. "Does that mean you don't love me anymore", Frisco asked as he could feel his heart break. "Loving you has never been the problem", Felicia said, "trusting you not to break my heart or more importantly your daughters' hearts is". "This time will be different", Frisco said as he reached to brush the tears off her cheeks. "That's what you told me last time", Felicia said as she stepped back out of his reach.
Maxie told Georgie and Lucas to stay in the kitchen as she went to answer the door. Felicia and Frisco were so busy staring at each other they hadn't even heard Robin knock. Maxie didn't care who was at the door as she threw it open as long as they stopped Mom and her Father before she took him back. It wasn't that Maxie didn't love her Dad it's just she was tired of being left behind, and she didn't want Georgie to ever feel that bad.
"Robin", Maxie cried as she rushed into her arms. "I'm glad you're so happy to see me", Robin exclaimed as Maxie drug her into the house without paying any attention to the other two people in the foyer. "You have to stop her", Maxie said as she pulled Robin into the living room, before Robin had a chance to ask any questions. This didn't look good Robin thought to herself as she saw Felicia crying. Robin cleared her throat and said, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything". Felicia looked towards the doorway startled and Frisco slowly turned around as Jason stepped up behind Robin. At that moment Georgie came barreling out of the kitchen and ran to Felicia saying, "Santa did bring me my family for Christmas". Robin leaned against Jason and whispered, "We would have been better off with your family", as she thought to herself that maybe the real world she and Jason were going to attempt to live in this time was not all that it was cracked up to be.
"Robin", Felicia said as she slowly started to recover. "I hope you don't mind, us coming over. No one was at the house and I ran into Luke, he said you and the girls were staying here", Robin said in a rush, as Felicia finally looked at the other occupants in the room. "You know you are always welcome sweetheart", Felicia said as moved to hug Robin, "Why didn't you let someone know you were coming home". "It was a last minute decision", Robin replied. "We can leave", Robin whispered into Felicia's ear. "No", Felicia said out loud. "I promised the girls we would get at least one batch of cookies in the oven, would you keep Frisco company for a few minutes well I do that", Felicia asked desperately needing to put some space between him and those lost little boy looks he was giving her. "Sure", Robin replied wondering exactly what she had walked in on. "Jason, why don't you give Felicia a hand getting the platter down, Bobbie keeps it on the top shelf", Robin turned and said to Jason. Jason squeezed her hand and followed Felicia into the kitchen with Emily.
"It's good to see you Frisco", Robin said as her godfather enfolded her into a hug. "I'm sorry we missed each other in Italy in the spring", Frisco said, as he looked her over. "Somehow it didn't really surprise me", Robin said, as Frisco wouldn't meet her eyes. "Do you want to tell me why your really here", Robin asked in a tone of voice that had come straight from her mother. "You look so much like Anna", Frisco said. "That didn't answer the question", Robin pointed out. "You even sound like her", Frisco said with a laugh. "Don't make promise you can't keep Frisco, Felecia and the girls both deserve better", Robin said as he turned to stir the fire. "What if I can do it this time", Frisco asked? "You had better be damned sure you can, or be out of here after the girls open their presents in the morning", Robin stated coldly.
"When did you grow up", Frisco asked as he sat on the couch. "When you weren't watching, just like Maxie and Georgie have. It's one thing if you make promises to Felicia or I, we don't like when you break them, but we have enough experience in dealing with the disappointment. The girls don't need to learn that lesson". Robin said as she sat next to him. "You all must really hate me", Frisco said sadly. "No", Robin said in exasperation, "we just don't want to get our hearts broken again". "So what are suggesting than, that I leave town again", Frisco asked. "Get your own place to live and take this one day at a time and stay out of Felecia's bed", Robin stated matter of factly. "I know from experience, it just clouds the issues and you two definitely don't need that right now", Robin finished.
"I missed so much time with them, how do I make it up", Frisco questioned. "Don't" was Robin's advise, "you can't make it up to them any more than mom and dad could have made it up to me when I was younger. Start with the people your daughters are now and build from there" "Now on a different topic can I get another one of those hugs, I've missed you", Robin said as she smiled at him. As he pulled her close to him she whispered, "and Felicia did to, just don't tell her I said that". And they both started laughing.
"Would you excuse me for a minute", Robin said as she noticed Emily heading for the door. "I'll go check what's going on in the kitchen", Frisco said as he kissed the top of her head and though how proud Robert and Anna would have been with the way she had matured.
"Going somewhere", Robin asked Emily as she slipped into her coat. "I didn't want to be in the way, with Maxies's dad and everything", Emily stated softly. "I keep telling you we're family, and family sticks together. I wouldn't sneak out on you at the Quatermaines", Robin said. "But", Emily protested, "I'm just Jason's adopted sister". "If it were that simple you could get out of here like that", Robin said as she snapped her fingers, "The problem is Luke considers you to be just like a daughter, he feels the same way about Liz and I, and unfortunately in this town that makes us Spencer's and they don't have honorary membership. You're one or your not. And therefore, it's our curse to lead an interesting life for lack of a better term; unfortunately, you get a double dose of that on the Quatermaine side. So, stop with this you don't belong here stuff, okay. Besides someday, that brother of yours may even get around to proposing and we would be officially family.", Robin said as she finally ran out of breath. "Thank you" Emily said as the two girls hugged and a knock sounded on the door.
"You want to bet its Nicholas", Robin asked as her eyes lit up and Emily blushed. "He wouldn't know I was here", Emily replied. "That depends on whether anyone told him where to find you", Robin said. "Luke wouldn't, would he", Emily asked as she shook her head. "In a heartbeat" the girls said in unison as Robin opened the door.
Instead of Nicholas on the other side of the door, the girls found Lucy. "Robin, I didn't know you were home. It's so good to see you and I would love to come in and chat, but Sigmund has gone missing and I don't want anyone mistaking him for Christmas dinner. You haven't seen him have you". Lucy said as Luke pulled up at the curb. "I'll let you get back to your Christmas", Lucy said as she turned and yelled for Luke to wait for her. The three young people stood in the open doorway as Lucy hopped into the Caddy talking a mile a minute and Luke cursed what ever evil spirit had decide he needed to be tortured tonight. Back on the steps, Nicholas asked Emily if they could talk for a minute. Robin gave Emily's hand a quick squeeze before heading back in.