ROBERT & HOLLY SCORPIO: DESTINED FOR ETERNITY

CHAPTER 8

MAY 1983

Feeling bad about her altercation with Luke, the followind day Holly decides to look him up so they can talk. She first tries Tiffany Hill's. Luke had been staying with her and Hackie since his return from the mountain.

"Sorry," Tiffany tells her. "Luke left early this morning for a meeting with DL Brock."

"Really?" Holly asks curiously. "What about?"

"I have no idea," Tiffany answers. "Luke has been in a horrible mood. What is going on, Holly?"

Holly tries to evade the question. "With what?"

Tiffany sighs in exasperation. "With you, Robert and Luke! You are still living with Robert but you and Luke keep meeting. You're here now looking for him. Come on, tell me."

Tears are in Holly's eyes. She decides she could definitely trust Tiffany and pours out the story to her friend. She makes Tiffany swear not to tell anyone and why it was so important until she could divorce Robert without fear of retribution from Immigration.

Tiffany is astounded for a moment. "You are really going to divorce Robert?" She asks in shock.

"Is that such a surprise?" Holly replies as she stands and begins to pace the floor. "Remember, it was a marriage of convenience."

Tiffany continues to watch Holly closely. "Yes," Tiffany agrees. "But the most important word in your sentence is 'was'. I have never seen Robert so besotted with a woman in his life, and that even includes me,darling." She says with a laugh. Seeing Holly's sad expression, Tiffany then adds, "And unless I miss my mark, which is usually never, you are definitely NOT without feelings for him, are you?"

Just as she is about to answer, Jackie Templeton walks into the room. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Mrs. SCORPIO. I can't help but wonder, does your husband know where you are right now?"

Choosing to ignore Jackie's deliberate remarks, Holly bids Tiffany farewell and walks out the door.

Feeling strangely depressed, Holly decides to go see Robert. He is always so good at making her feel better and lightening her spirits, which was exactly what she needed.

When she walks into his office, Robert quickly jumps up from his chair to greet her. "Hi, this is a nice surprise."

"Well, I just thought I would see what your agenda was for this evening," She says, without much conviction.

"What's wrong?" Robert asks. "Come on, it's written on your face. Tell me."

She sits down. "I had a run in with Jackie Templeton."

"Uh.oh," He replies. "Not good, I can imagine."

Holly looks up at him. "I'm sure you could easily take up where you left off with her. She's still obviously very jealous of you."

Robert can't help but laugh. "No, thanks. As a matte of fact, I don't know what I ever saw in the woman."

Holly smiles. "Oh, really?" She asks in disbelief.

Robert sits in his chair with a perplexed look on his face. "It is really kind of strange," He tells Holly.

"What is?" She asks curiously.

"I never realized how much I have really changed until our situation."

"How do you mean?" Holly asks.

Robert looks at her seriously. "I always thought life was all fun and games. Play hard, fight back, love fast. I loved living life on the edge with no committments. But now it is all different. I really liked my life. No, I loved it. I loved my home, my ordinary job, and my lovely wife. I had never felt more complete. You changed me," He tells her. "You completed me. I didn't need anyone or anything else."

Holly closes her eyes in pain. She tries to not let his words affect her. How could she tell him that he had changed her life,too. That, until him, she had never felt so cherished. Robert made her want to be a better person. How could she tell him those things, without hurting him even more? Before she can say aword, Robert speaks up once again.

"I'm sorry, Holly. I really didn't mean to go down that road."

"It's okay," Holly answers. "And who knows, just maybe you can go back to that fun, carefree life when this is all over."

Robert frowns. "Funny, but I have no desire to do so. I guess we will see. But one thing is for sure, and that is that I will always carry good memories of our time together. I hope you will as well."

"I will," She promises. "And I hope I never lose you from my life."

"Never," Robert swears. "After all, you are my best friend."

Holly looks away guiltily. "Only because I broke up your friendship with Luke. I regret that more than anything, Robert. I so wish you two could be friends again."

Robert goes over to the front of his desk and stands before her. "Maybe one day we will. Luke might see the truth for what it actually is instead of what he wants the think it is. Luke has every reason to be forgiving, becaue he won. He has you."

Holly stands up to stand before him. "It wasn't a contest, Robert. I hope you believe that. It was the most difficult decision I have ever made in my entire life."

"Yes, I know." He replies. "But at any rate it will get easier eventually. You will be free of me and things will all fall into place. You and Luke can then prepare your futures together and I will . . ." Robert stops talking.

Holly looks at him curiously. "And you will what?" She asks.

Robert shrugs. "I'm not really sure. When my term as Police Commissioner is up, maybe I will rejoin the WSB."

"You mean leave Port Charles?" She asks in alarm.

"I think it will be for the best," He tells her. "It will be too hard on you living with Luke and me being here."

"Robert, please don't ruin your life because of me."

"I wouldn't be doing that," He assures her. "Really, it will all be okay."

Tears come to Holly's eyes. "Look what I've done. I should be the one to leave town. I have hurt Luke and I have hurt you. And all you did was help me through the worst time of my life. You don't deserve this, Robert."

Robert takes her into his arms to console her with a hug. "I would not trade one second of our time together, Holly. You have made me feel things I never had before. I am a better man because of you. I only wish that you had no regrets either."

She removes her head from his shoulder so she can look up at him. "I don't have any regrets about us, Robert." He gently takes his fingers to wipe her tears from her cheeks. "I will treasure our time together for the rest of my life." She promises.

Reading the honesty and love in her eyes, Robert can no longer help himself. He bends to give her a tender kiss on the mouth. When Holly doesn't turn away from him, Robert turns the kiss into a very deep and intense one and Holly returns the kiss in full measure.