Everything Burns

Chapter: 21

Pairing: Robert & Holly

Rating: PG

It was early morning when Holly arrived in Provence. She immediately headed for the Faison compound, a complete and utter mess, to seek 'solace' in Cesar. True she was a complete and utter mess but not for the reasons she was about to feed Cesar. Once the guards let her through the doors she made her way into the massive compound and waited for him to greet her.

This was it. This was her plan. This is what she wanted. She knew it would be difficult but she didn't know that every breath she took would shatter her heart even more than it already was. Now inside the house she realized the compound reality of what she was about to do and it began to terrify her. Silent tears fell rapidly as she awaited Cesar. Holly hoped more than anything that she would be convincing enough to pull it off.

Cesar quietly entered the foyer of the house, curious as well as pleased that Holly was there. She was so angry the last time they spoke. She was with Robert Scorpio and he was more than sure that she was here on his behalf, she had to be. His sons had disappeared right off the radar and he knew that Scorpio had something to do with it.

Holly turned around to find Cesar standing in front of her. She tried to suppress her sobs, but she couldn't. Seeing him standing there in what was their home several years before only made all the horrible memories flood back to her. Cesar seemed to be affected by her outburst because he held his arms out.

"What's the matter, my little English rose?" he asked.

Holly flew into his arms, clinging to him tightly. "It's Benjamin and Alexander." she sobbed. "There was an accident..." she cried.

Cesar wrapped his arms around her tightly. "What kind of accident?" he asked. "Are they alright?"

"A car...accident." she continued to cry. "It was raining and the streets were slick and the car lost control." she said bursting into heart wrenching sobs. "Our sons are gone!"

He held Holly's trembling body as close to him as he possibly could. "No, no, no!" he repeated. "There has to be some sort of mistake."

"Benjamin and Alexander are dead." she cried. "Our sons are dead."

Cesar tilted Holly's chin up so that he could look into her eyes, which he found red and swollen. "It's going to be okay." he said as he tried to soothe her, his heart breaking as well. "We're going to get through this together."

Holly's Home, The Next Evening

"What do you mean you had to fake Benjamin and Alexander's deaths!" Robert yelled. "Why was that necessary?"

"They were Holly's instructions!" Frisco yelled back.

"Where the hell is Holly!" he asked. "Did you send her on assignment?"

"She's not on assignment." he answered. "All I know is that Holly was very passionate about wanting Benjamin and Alexander's deaths faked. She wouldn't have asked if she didn't have a good reason."

"You know where she is!" he accused.

"Look, Robert, I know you're upset, but Holly didn't tell me where she was going." Frisco told him. "Now if you'll excuse me I have work to do."

"Why don't you include finding Holly in that 'work'!" Robert said sternly. "How can you not know where one of your agents are?"

"I'm not Holly's keeper and neither are you, Robert." he replied. "Holly is obviously doing something she doesn't want either one of us to know about."

"That's bullshit!" he yelled. "You know more than you're telling me."

"Robert." Barry said as he entered the room, interrupting the current conversation that was getting more and more intense by the moment. "I found this." he said as he handed him the letter in his hand.

"This is Holly's handwriting." Robert said. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it in my desk drawer." he answered. "You should read it."

Robert opened the envelope, took out the letter and unfolded it.

Faison Compound

Holly had finally stopped crying and Cesar had convinced her to have dinner with him. He told her that they just needed an hour to relax without thinking about anything. Sort of like a break from reality. She reluctantly agreed and told him that she would meet him for dinner at seven. Holly made her way down the long, dark hallway and towards the dining room, prepared to start her mission.

"Holly." Cesar greeted her. "I'm so glad you agreed to join me." he said as he pulled her chair out for her. "I've had Anna-Maria prepare a lovely meal for us."

"Thank you." she replied. "I don't feel very hungry though."

"You need to eat." he told her. "At least try."

"I want something chocolate." Holly told him. "Do you think Anna-Maria can whip something up?"

Cesar smiled. "I'm sure she can." he replied. "Chocolate cake with chocolate icing?" he asked as he got up and headed for the kitchen door. "An English recipe perhaps?"

"Yes." Holly answered. "Thank you, Cesar."

My Darling, Robert,

As soon as the kitchen door closed, Holly reached down into her bra and pulled out a small vial. She quickly took the top off and poured it into the open bottle of wine on the table and then placed it back. She heard the kitchen door open just as she readjusted her dress.

By the time you get this I will already be gone. Please don't be angry at me for leaving, but there was simply no other way.

"Anna-Maria said she had the perfect recipe in mind." he said as he reclaimed his seat. He picked up the bottle of wine. "Would you like a glass."

"Yes." she answered.

Cesar poured her a glass and then him one. "We're going to get through this Holly, one day at a time." he said as he swirled the wine around in his glass. "You're not alone in this."

I have to go back to Cesar. Things will be much worse if he comes to me first. This way I'll have options. I'll have choices, unlike last time.

"I don't want to talk about it." she replied as she picked up her glass and took a long drink and swallowed down the poison. It was tasteless, but it was almost as though she could feel it burning her throat simply because she knew it was there. "You said that we could have a quiet dinner away from reality."

"I'm sorry, dear." he said as he reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. "What would you like to talk about?" he picked up his wine glass and drank down half of it's contents. "It's a great year isn't it?" he asked. "The wine."

"Yes." she answered. "Delicious." she said as Cesar finished off his glass and then proceeded to pour another. "I thought we could talk about the future."

Please, Robert, I beg of you, do not come after me. Do not make the same mistake twice. My sons need a Father. They need you. I leave them safely in your hands and I know that you'll take good care of them.

"The future?" he asked. "Are you saying you're interesting in a future with me?"

"Isn't that my question?" Holly asked. "You are the one that left me for Anna Devane all those years ago. I was the Mother of your children. Your wife."

You must understand that I'm doing this in order t o protect Benjamin and Alexander because without them I would have given up on life a long time ago.

"And I'm sorry." he apologized. "I made a mistake with Anna."

"I want things to be different this time, Cesar."

Please forgive me. This is the only way.

"They will be." he assured her.

Holly finished off the rest of her wine. The poison was undetected by Cesar just as it should have been. Poisoning herself in the process was the only way she could kill him. And what had to be done, had to be done. There was no other way.

Love you, love you,

Holly

tbc...