Everything Burns
Chapter: 8
Pairing: Robert and Holly
Rating: PG
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.
"Your sons?" Cesar questioned. "We're a little possessive aren't we, Holly?" he said as he grabbed her arm tightly.
Holly winced in pain. "Let me go!" she demanded as she tried to worm her way out of his grasp. "Cesar, let go!"
"Lower you're voice!" he hissed as he released her from his grasp. "You never answered my question."
She rubbed her arm, trying to make his hand print disappear from her delicate flesh. "I did answer your question." she snapped.
"No, you didn't!" Cesar said sternly.
"I did." she repeated.
"Where are Alexander and Benjamin?" he asked again. "I want a straight answer!"
Holly looked into his cold eyes. "How the hell should I know where they are, Cesar!" she exclaimed. "I haven't seen my sons in fifteen years. You banished me, don't you remember?"
"You knew far too much!" he replied. "But I spared you, my beloved, didn't I? I let you live when I could have and should killed you."
"You're right." she agreed. "You should have killed me. Losing Alexander and Benjamin in such a cruel manner is more than any Mother should ever have to bear. In a way, Cesar, you did kill me. You knew that I would be miserable knowing that my children were alive and that I couldn't be with them." she cried. "It broke my heart."
"It didn't break your heart too badly." he scoffed. "You went to New York and threw yourself at Robert, didn't you?"
"No." she answered. "I went to New York because my family was there and I needed them. Did you honestly expect me just to pick up the pieces and move on so quickly after you shattered everything I loved, everything I counted on?"
"You know where Alexander and Benjamin are and I expect you to tell me!" he shouted.
"I don't know where they are!" she shouted back. "I thought you had them with you on the boat when it exploded. I assumed they were with you and Robert and Anna." Holly tried her hardest to be as convincing as possible. She relied on all her experience with the WSB as well as her women's intuition to get her through it. "I thought that they died with you."
"No!" Cesar yelled. "They weren't with me."
"Then where are they?" she asked. "Because I don't have them!"
"They're teenagers by now Holly." he told her. "They're not little boys that need to be shielded from the sick, sad, cruel world by Mummy."
"You better not be telling me that my sons are alive and have been out there all this time!" Holly yelled. "Because if they weren't with you then they must still be alive right? If one of your enemies didn't kill them. You know something about them being alive don't you?" she asked, turning the tables. "You we talked earlier you only mentioned Alexander, why not Benjamin?" she asked. "Why did he not merit a mention, Cesar?"
"I know nothing." he replied. "We both know why I mentioned only Alexander."
"I want you to leave." she told him. "You and I have nothing more to discuss."
"We have plenty to discuss!" he shouted. "And I'm not leaving until I get exactly what I came for."
"I thought you got what you came for earlier tonight, Cesar?" she asked, disgusted. "What else could you possibly take from me?"
As Cesar went to answer his cell phone started to ring, not being able to ignore it he pulled it from his pocket and answered it. "Faison." he said. Holly stood motionless whilst Cesar made demands from one of his men and then told them to forget it he would do it himself. "Holly." he sighed as he slipped his phone back in his pocket. "I have some business to take care of. Some very important business, but our conversation isn't over."
"Of course not!" she retorted.
"I will be back." he threatened as he quickly slipped out the balcony doors.
Holly walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed and picked her cell phone up off the night stand. She hesitated for several long moments before she dialed Barry's number. The phone rang several times but no one picked up. Finally the answering machine kicked in. "Benjamin, if you're there please pick up." she pleaded. "Benjamin, please. It's important." Holly heard the phone being picked up. "Benjamin?"
"Sorry, luv." Barry said. "It's only me."
"Barry." she sighed. "Where's Benjamin?"
"Holly." he said softly. "I'm sorry. Benjamin doesn't want to talk to you."
Her tears started to fall all over again. "Dammit!" she swore. "I should have never lied to him about his Father!"
tbc...