Chapter 11

Pelham Hotel, London, England

"Well, isn't this cozy," scoffed Luke Spencer. "Look at the two of you, dressed to the nines. I hope you haven't spent all of that antidote money already."

Robert set Holly on her feet before growling at Luke. "Spencer, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I saw a report on the news about the prison in the Markham Islands being blown up. Took me a little time to track you down, buddy, but I thought I'd make sure you were ok. Wasn't expecting to have to break this sort of thing up."

The three moved into the hotel room. A collection of tiny bottles adorned the table in the corner of the room. Robert raised an eyebrow at Luke in an unspoken question.

"Had to keep myself entertained, didn't I? Took you long enough to get back, I was thinking you were going to be out all night. But it looks like I managed to get here just in time," smirked Luke.

"Listen, mate, there's a lot more to this story that we didn't know. Holly is being set up by Crylium, for some reason. And we don't have the antidote money, you idiot." Robert tried to explain, futilely.

"Oh buddy, what did I tell you on the docks? You never listen to me. I told you she would play you. She told me she was just in it for the money, didn't you, English?"

"Luke, I was grasping at straws, trying not to go to prison," replied Holly, though knowing she had minimal chance of convincing Luke.

"I think you're probably grasping at straws now that you've seen the light of day again. Or just grasping at Robert." commented Luke snidely.

"That's enough, Luke," interjected Robert.

Luke sat back down at the table and had another drink. He went on and on at length about Holly's duplicitious nature.

"Hello? Remember me? There is nothing wrong with my hearing and I am still in the room, for now, anyway." Holly went into the bathroom to change out of her dress. She came out a few minutes later in a pair of cotton pyjamas, wearing no makeup. Robert was struck by just how simply pretty she was and smiled at her. Holly smiled back, shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes in Luke's direction. Robert laughed silently and bitterly at Luke's atrocious timing. He felt his heart start to race as he recalled the passion and the potential of the kiss that he and Holly had just shared. He looked longingly in her direction and tried to ignore Luke's continued ramblings.

"I think I will get some sleep whilst you two keep catching up." Holly turned most of the lights off and got into bed.

"Scorpio, you're obviously not thinking clearly. What happened to packing her off to the Islands and wishing her 'good riddance'?" The alcohol and the lack of audience had made Luke petulant.

Robert's stomach clenched as he felt time stop. He was glad the lights were dim enough that he couldn't see the hurt and betrayal that he knew would be on Holly's face. However, the low light didn't mean that he couldn't hear the sound of her sharp, shocked, intake of breath.

"Bloody hell, Luke. Shut your goddamned mouth for once." Robert put his head in his hands.

Luke got up from the table and stumbled over to the other bed. He passed out once his head hit the pillow.

Robert crossed the room to speak to Holly. "Holly, luv, let me explain. Please."

"Robert, the bad rubbish doesn't want to be anywhere near you right now." She turned her back to him and buried her face in the pillows. Holly cried herself to sleep that night, silent hot tears that burned tracks down her face.

Robert grabbed the covers off Luke's bed and stomped over to the armchair. He sighed in utter frustration and tried to make himself comfortable for the night.

Heathrow Airport, London

Morning had come quickly. Holly once again arose first, showing no concern for the other occupants of the room as she pounded around the hotel room, opening the blinds to let in some light, slamming drawers closed as she packed up her clothes. Robert could barely move again, having spent the night in the armchair. He watched her storm about the room and wished there was someway he could explain things to her.

The ride to the airport had been painfully silent. Robert had hoped that they would be able to get away without Luke, but he awoke as they were leaving and insisted on coming along. He had snoozed his way to the airport, sleeping off the massive hangover he had created the night before. Holly had stared out the window the entire time, but had not managed to conceal her red eyes from Robert, who for his part was mortified that his ill-considered words had been thrown out there for Holly to hear. When he had said them originally, it was only to throw Luke off the scent. The sight of Holly again and his conflicted feelings over her offer to run away had completely discombobulated him, so he had resorted to a version of locker-room talk to move on to another topic of conversation. He had thought it had worked, but he now regretted the words like few others he had ever spoken.

Luke bought a ticket to Phoenix on the same flights as Robert and Holly. They proceeded through security in relative silence. Once through the gate, Holly grabbed Luke's boarding pass from his hand, handed him her own, and headed for the back of the plane. "Have a nice flight." she shot angrily at Robert and Luke.

Luke got a pillow from the flight attendant and proceeded to fall asleep almost instantly. A while after take-off, Robert managed to finagle himself the seat beside Holly. He charmed her seatmate into switching with him: "Excuse me, but my wife and I weren't able to get seats together, and I was hoping to be able to sit with her. Would you be willing to switch with me?" He smiled his ingratiating smile and the older woman fell for his charm.

"Of course, dear, it's so annoying to be split up on a flight." Robert gave her his seat number and hoped that Luke's boozy breath wouldn't be too much to endure. He slid into the vacated seat.

Holly's back had stiffened at Robert's use of the term "my wife". Although it was just the night before that they had kissed the way they did when she was his wife, it felt like a lifetime gone already.

"Holly, please, talk to me," implored Robert.

"Did you really say it?" she asked, hoping that it had all been a misunderstanding or a figment of Luke's drunken ramblings.

Robert's pause said it all. "Oh, oh, oh," said Holly brokenly.

"You have to let me explain, please luv," begged Robert.

"I can't believe you would ever, ever say anything like that about me. No matter what you thought I had done. How could you say that about someone you once loved?" she appealed. "I was so stupid, what was I thinking..." she said in frustration.

"Please, Holly, let me help you." Robert was terrified that she would flee now, with Crylium hot on her heels for some unknown reason.

"What choice do I have? I can't really go anywhere, there's an arrest warrant out for me, there are goons chasing me over the continents." Holly started to cry again. "But I was beginning to feel safe again with you, Robert, and look what that got me."

Robert didn't know what to say. Holly put her headphones on, turning her back on Robert, and stared out the window at the clouds, fighting a new round of bitter tears. Robert sat silently beside her, at a loss as to what to do next.