Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 3

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

July 10th 1992

The door at Kelly's flung open and Tiffany came flying in like a whirlwind. "Holly...thank God..." she breathed out, trying to catch her breath. "Holly, you're never...going...to..."

"Calm down." Holly instructed. "Sit down and take a few deep breaths before you hyperventilate."

She reluctantly sat down across from her friend. "I was on my way to meet Sean." she quickly breathed out.

"Tiffany, try to catch you breath first."

She waved her off. "Robert." she started.

"Robert?" Holly questioned as her heart starting beating wildly. "You saw Robert?"

Tiffany nodded.

"Where?" she asked. "Where did you see him?"

"On the pier."

All of the sudden Holly couldn't think straight. This is what she had wanted, Robert to come home so that she could tell him about the baby, but in the moment she had never been so scared, so nervous. She dreaded his reaction because she feared that his state of mind was still the same as it was the night he knocked on her door, or worse that it had deteriorate even further. It had always been her intention to tell him the moment she saw him, especially after what Anna had done to him in regards to Robin, but now she wasn't sure of what to do. There was nothing like a good dose of reality to put things into perspective.

"Holly?" Tiffany called out as her breathing returned to normal. "Holly?"

"What?" she asked, dazed.

"Welcome back to earth."

"Sorry." she apologized. "I was just thinking."

"Would you like to think out loud?"

"I don't know what to do." Holly said hesitantly. "About Robert and the baby."

"Oh, honey, you have to tell him."

She nodded. "I know I should, but..."

"But what?" Tiffany asked. "He deserves to know."

"I agree." she replied. "It's just that I'm not sure how he'll take the news."

"I'm sure he'll be shocked, but thrilled."

Holly nodded. "I hope you're right."

"I know I am." Tiffany replied. "You're so in love with Robert and he's in love with you too. A love like that, the love that the two of you shared, doesn't die. Maybe this baby will bring the two of you back together."

"I don't know about that."

"You're still his wife." she pointed out. "You've made no moves to file those divorce papers."

"I know." Holly sighed. "I just can't bring myself to do it, I don't know why, but I can't."

"You can't file them because you love him and you don't want to end your marriage." she clarified. "Robert's the love of your life, you'll never find that kind of love with any other man."

"Must you romanticize everything?" she laughed.

"People like you and Robert give the rest of this cynical world hope." Tiffany told her. "You just have to believe in..." she trailed off.

"Tiffany?" Holly called out. She hated when Tiffany stopped mid-sentence.

"Robert." Tiffany said happily. "You're back."

Holly could literally feel the color draining from her face. What transpired in the next few minutes could be a disaster or a salvation for Robert.

Robert approached the table. "Yeah, I got back early this morning." he told them. "Hello, Holly, how are you?"

"Good." she managed to answer.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You look a little pale."

"I'm sure." Holly answered quickly.

"Would you like to join us?" Tiffany asked him.

"Sure." he agreed as he pulled a chair away from a nearby table and placed it in between the two women. "Anything new in your lives?"

"Holly bought a new house." Tiffany offered up. "A few houses down from where the two of you used to live."

"Really?" Robert asked. "That's great it always was a lovely neighborhood."

Holly only nodded. Robert seemed to be alright. He even seemed to be in a good mood.

"Well." Tiffany began as she stood up. "I have to be going. I'm sure the two of you have a lot to talk about."

"Tiffany." Holly said sternly.

"No." Robert interjected. "It's alright, Holly and I do have some things to talk over."

Tiffany smiled. "Well then I guess I'll see the two of you later."

"Bye." Holly said softly as Tiffany headed for the door.

Robert moved his chair closer to Holly. "You and I do have to have a serious talk."

"We do?" she asked.

"Yes." he answered. "I owe you an apology. I should have never showed up at your apartment that night in April like that."

tbc...