Everything Burns

Chapter: 7

Pairing: Robert & Holly

Rating: PG

"Then tell me what's going on." Alexander pleaded. "I know you're upset. Have you spoken with..."

"Your Father?" Holly interjected. "Yes."

"Did the two of you fight?" he asked. "Seeing him again after all these year had to be extremely difficult."

"It was." she admitted. "But don't worry, I can handle your Father."

"I know." Alexander said. "I just wish I was there with you. I hate being stuck here and not being able to leave."

"I wouldn't have you at the safe house if I didn't think it was absolutely necessary." she told him. "You just have to trust me on this one. I promise you I'm not doing it to punish you."

"You're keeping me safe." he concluded. "And I understand that but I'm a teenager and it's difficult not to have some sort of independence. I can't see or talk to my friends or my girlfriend. Sarah probably thinks I've died."

"Alexander!" she exclaimed. "It's been three hours, you act as if you've been trapped in there for years."

"I just miss Sarah."

Holly sighed heavily. Why did son's always have to pick a girlfriend that the Mother hated? Why couldn't he have picked a nice, polite girl instead of Sarah the wild child? "I'm going to deal with the situation as quickly and efficiently as I possibly can, okay?"

"My Mother: superwoman." Alexander laughed. "Just promise me something."

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll be careful."

"I always am." she assured him.

"Yeah, but I need to hear the words."

"I'll be careful." she promised. "I have to go. I have work to do."

"I love you." Alexander said. "I'll see you soon."

"I love you too." she echoed as she placed the phone back in it's cradle. Talking to Alexander had made her feel a lot better. Nothing could erase Cesar and what he had done to her or what he had done to her in the past, but her son's voice eased the pain enough for her to continue on, something she wasn't always sure she wanted to do.

Soft knocking snapped Holly out of her thoughts. "Holly?" Robert called out from the other side of the door. "I want to talk to you, please open the door." he pleaded. "Holly, please."

Holly flung the door open and then walked across the room to the balcony doors. Robert hesitantly came inside and shut the door behind him. "Holly?"

"Robert?"

"Please, tell me what's going on."

She turned around to face him. "There's nothing going on." she told him. "I'm working undercover and I've hit a few bumps along the way. I'm just frustrated."

"It's more than that." Robert replied.

Damn! He knew her well, perhaps better than she knew herself. She knew that Robert knew that she was lying, but she couldn't let him find out the truth. Over the years Holly had collected many secrets, secrets that she'd rather take to the grave that to reveal to anyone. "It's WSB business, Robert."

"You can still tell me." he replied. "Maybe I can help you out."

"It's confidential."

Robert didn't like being on the other side of this confidentiality crap. Now he knew exactly how she felt all those years ago. "Well." he sighed. "I can't tell you how much I hate hearing that."

A brief smile appeared on Holly's face as she thought about her past with Robert and how he wouldn't let her get involved with some of his cases. "I guess we're even."

"Yeah." Robert sighed.

"So why are you here?" she asked. "You're not flying back to Port Charles?"

Robert shrugged. "I thought I'd stick around a bit." he replied. "I thought maybe you and I could get together and reminisce over dinner."

Holly's head was still spinning from the events of earlier. Before Cesar had showed up she had every intention of wanting to reconnect with Robert. At least on some level. But now she wasn't so sure. "I have a lot of work to do." she told him.

"Oh." he sighed sadly.

She watched as the expression on his face fell. She knew that she shouldn't let Cesar ruin anything else for her, she couldn't not when he had already taken so much. "How about breakfast?" she suggested.

Robert smiled. "Yeah." he replied. "I'd like that. How about nine?"

"Nine it is." she said with a smile.

He headed for the door. "Goodnight, Holly."

"Goodnight Robert." she replied as he closed the door behind him. Holly felt her heart sink. Seeing Robert only confirmed what she knew all along: the truth would destroy him.

Holly could feel the tears welling up in her eyes again. As she started to cry she heard the balcony doors open. "Holly." Cesar called out as he came up behind her. She never attempted to move or to speak. After several long moments he turned her around to face him. "What's the matter?" he asked. "Is this a lot harder than you thought it would be."

She looked up at him, her tears now falling freely. "What do you want, Cesar?"

"Where are Alexander and Benjamin?" he asked. "I want to see them."

"What makes you think that I'm going to let you anywhere near my sons?" Holly asked.

tbc...