"Why are you asking me Cesar, you said you were going to ask the mother" "I just did my dear you see you are this childs biological mother" Holly laughed out loud "Obviously Faison you have gone quite mad I think I would remember giving birth" She quipped. Robert was staring at Holly with a questioning look on his face which concerned her but she continued to address Faison. "Cesar dear I do believe you should see someone about your break with reality because I can assure you that is not my child". Faison sat there smiling at Roberts look of bewilderment and Hollys apparent mirth. "Connie dear would you care to explain to the Scorpios here how you came about the child?" Connie took a deep breath and started telling a story that would sound incredible but by the time she was finished the lives of so many people would be changed.
"Three and a half years ago I was approached by a doctor a fertility specialist who offered to help me have a baby. You see I had tried for years to get pregnant and when that didn't happen I consulted doctor after doctor even trying IVF but nothing was successful. And then one day this doctor approached me and said he could assure me a baby. He had a frozen embryo that he said the parents had died before they were ready for the implant. It was experimental and the embryo was slated to be destroyed and he offered to do it for free. Robert I swear by God that I had no idea it was yours and Hollys. I didn't know" Connie broke down at this point and started weeping. Holly felt totally confused nothing about Connies story made sense. "Connie, Robert and I never had an embryo frozen, we never conceived a child" At this point Faison picked up the sleeping child from Roberts lap gently stroking his hair as he sat back down and spoke "Au Contraire my dear Holly you see our mate Scorpio here must have gotten in a lucky shot before leaving you ,for Anna, in Australia because while you lay in your coma after your accident it was discovered that you were pregnant and well not knowing if you would survive I took it upon myself to have the embryo harvested and frozen for just such a day as this" "Bloody hell" Robert swore "You sick bastard, you stole our child" Robert leaped up from the chair having untied his ropes while Faison was busy telling his story. Before Robert could get his hands on him Faison stood and held his arm around Rex's neck waking him in the process. "Now now Scorpio, you wouldn't want anything to happen to the boy would you?" Faison taunted "Tell me what you want Faison" Robert hissed. "I want the daughter you stole from me, you call up sweet little Robin and have her meet you down here and then I will turn little Rex here over to his mummy" Faisons grip on Rex tightened as the boy started to cry in earnest. "Faison you are hurting him, please put him down" Connie begged. "You swore he wouldn't be hurt" Connie said as she caught a glimpse of someone in the shadows. Robert having seen the same thing Connie did sat back down in the chair and said "Look Faison just let the boy go and Connie can tie me back up so no one gets hurt" Faison motioned for Connie to tie him up and he eased his grip on Rex. Holly then spoke to Faison "Cesar, please let me hold him just once, I have never held my own child" Faison appeared to be touched by Hollys plea and he stood and put the still crying boy in Hollys lap. Even though she couldn't put her arms around him she leaned her head down and tried to soothe the frightened child all the while feeling a surge of emotion the likes of which she had never felt before. Unknown to Faison Connie had not tied Roberts hands just wrapped the rope around them loosely. At that moment Luke stepped out of the shadows behind Faison. Robert looked over at Holly with Rex in her lap. He could see the trail of tears running down her cheeks and felt a rage toward Faison that would only be appeased by his blood. Luke approached Faison slowly from behind and just as he was within reach of Faison Robert leaped from the chair and tackled him as Luke grabbed him from behind. While the three were struggling Connie untied Hollys ropes. Hollys arms immediately wrapped around her son tightly. Holly heard Connies scream and looked toward Robert, Luke and Faison on the floor and saw Faisons hand with a gun in it thats when she heard the blast from the gun and immediately covered Rex with her body. Robert saw Holly fall in slow motion and was overcome with a blind rage as he grabbed Faisons gun and emptied the remaining bullets into the evil man whose last words to Robert were "I hope they both die so you will be as alone as I have always been" Robert ran over to Holly who was lying on top of Rex with Connie kneeled next to her . He saw the blood on Hollys back and screamed an eery hollow scream. "Holly, Holly please say something" Robert begged while turning her over. Her eyes opened and Robert could see there was no wound on the front either but where was the blood coming from. He inspected Rex thoroughly before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek "Oh my God Robert it's Connie" Holly gasped as she saw Connie holding her chest struggling to breathe. Robert and luke immediately began to examine Connies wound while instructing Holly to use Lukes phone to call 911.
"The ambulance is on the way" Holly said while trying to shield Rex from seeing the only mother he had ever known lying on the floor bleeding.
"Holly, Holly" Connie whispered . Luke stood and took Rex from Hollys arms
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"I think we are gonna go outside and wait for the ambulance" Luke said looking at Robert and Holly knowingly. Holly bent down next to Connie "I'm here Connie"
Connie was gasping for breath and she knew her time was near she had to say what needed to be said now. "Holly, Faison showed up in my hospital room on the day Rex was born, he came bearing flowers and documents from the hospital you were at in England. He had proof that the embryo was harvested from you in 1987 and frozen" "Connie we don't have to do this now" Robert said looking at Holly knowing she felt the same surreal shock that he felt. "No Robby i have no time I need to get it out, Rex was born on August 4, 2003, he weighed seven pounds and three ounces and was twenty inches long. I named him Robert Xavier but i call him Rex for short. He is stubborn and sweet and constantly asking me why" Connie closed her eyes with that and took a deep breath "I carried him for nine months inside my body Holly, I felt like he was my child. I wanted to find you and tell you but I couldn't, I couldn't lose my baby" Holly felt her heart breaking for Connie knowing she was just as much a victim to Faisons evil plans as she was. Holly spoke softly to Connie holding her hand "Thank you for caring for my son and loving him Connie. I will never let him forget you" Holly sobbed as Connies eyes fluttered closed. Robert knew she was gone and for the first time in years he felt tears stinging his eyes. He leaned down and kissed her cheek "Rest well my friend"
Holly Robert Luke and Rex were all taken to the hospital where they were examined and held in a room to be questioned. Bobbie Spencer came in and took Rex who had grown quite attached to Holly in a short period of time but Holly relented because she knew Rex did not need to be present when Mac and the authorities arrived. Luke related to Robert and Holly how he had found Helena skulking on the docks. After a few moments alone with her she had divulged that Faison was the person behind Cryllium and where he was at that time.
With a signed statement from Helena the original charges against Holly were dropped and therefor the subsequent charges of aiding and abetting against Robert were also dropped.
Robert and Holly had settled into a small house near Luke and Lauras old house in port Charles and eased Rex into his new life. Holly knew Robert was happy with their new family but he was also haunted by his old one. The things Faison had said about Robins parentage were eating away at him
"Robert" Holly spoke as she lay in his arms one night "Go find Anna, go and find out what you need to know and if you decide to come back Rex and I will be here" Holly felt her heart breaking as the words came from her mouth. What was the old adage "If you love someone set them free and if they come back to you then you were meant to be" Robert sat straight up in the bed and grabbed Hollys shoulders"Now you listen to me you stubborn foolish woman, don't you ever ever give me permission to leave you because I am not going anywhere" Robert stood up and paced the room and then turned back to Holly "If and when I decide to find Anna, you and Rex will be going with me" He sat on the side of the bed and wiped the tears from Hollys eyes "Don't you think I know what I have been given here luv?" Robert asked gently. Holly shook her head negatively "I have been given a second chance at life, a second chance with the woman I love and a second chance to be the father I never was to Robin" Just then there was a little knock on the door and the door slowly opened. Rex peeked his head in and said "Holly, Wobert can I get in the big bed pwease" Rex said in his little baby voice. Robert walked over and scooped him up into his arms hugging him tightly and walked back around to his side of the bed putting Rex down in the middle between them. "Now this is what keeps me sane" Robert whispered and Holly knew what he meant. It didn't matter to him that Robin might not be his child although he did love her dearly and was taking steps at bridging the gap between himself and Robin. Holly knew Robert better than anyone in the world and she knew that he was way too chauvinistic not to favor a son over a daughter. She giggled to herself at the memory of Robert in the backyard teaching Rex about Rugby. She finally convinced Robert that perhaps Rex was too young to learn Rugby at this time. "What are you laughing about luv?" Robert whispered while stroking Rex's sandy brown hair. Holly raised up on her elbow and looked at her guys snuggled together with the little one being the mirror image of the big one. "I was thinking about you Robert Scorpio and about how raising a small child at your age may very well be the death of you" "Oh ye of little faith Luv, i'll have you know that this old man has many more years ahead of him and ya know maybe we could even give Rex a little brother or sister" Holly nearly choked on the last statement and reached down and touched her tummy protectively smiling knowing that there was already a baby growing beneath her heart. She laid down and reached over and put her hand over Roberts heart and closed her eyes thanking God for all he had given her and knowing in her heart it would only get better from here...