Chapter 17

Anna smiled as Robert and Robin walked through the door Sunday evening. They had spent the day together, just the two of them. Anna was busy with a case and really wanted to finish it off and had been working all weekend to do just that. A meeting tomorrow afternoon should be all that is needed to wrap it up, hopefully, anyways. She had finished working about twenty minutes ago and was now relaxing on the couch.

"Hi, Mom. I'll be right back." Then Robin ran off up the stairs to her room.

"Oh alright, hi sweety," Anna called after her. Then she turned and smiled at Robert as he walked towards her. "Hello. Did you two enjoy your day?"

"We did." Robert sat down beside her. "Did you finish what you needed to?"

"I did."

"Good," he leaned in and gave her a kiss. "Are you done with work then?"

"I am. I think I have what they wanted." Anna's arm slid around his neck as he sat back, pulling her closer. She turned so her legs were the other way and leaned against him.

"I thought Sean was helping with this one," he said. Robert understood that they were still partners, that they still needed their business to succeed. He also knew Anna was struggling with that at the moment.

"I did ask him for some help so he's taking over the other two cases we have at the moment. I just want to make sure this one is handled properly."

Robert kissed the side of her head, holding her close. "Alright, as long as you aren't working too hard then I won't say anything else."

"I am going to have a very busy week so I wanted to finish this today."

Robert's hands moved to her tummy. He loved the bump that was now there, he loved that he was going to have a son. He leaned in and kissed Anna's neck. "Is there something going on this week?" he asked with a grin.

"Oh, nothing too much. Just a little wedding."

"Oh, that's right. We're getting married." Robert tilted his head a little, resting it against Anna's. "Please don't overdo it. There will be people there to help you, that want to help you. Remember that, okay."

"I will make sure I am not overdoing it," Anna said with a grin. She loved that he wouldn't even suggest she shouldn't be so involved. She wanted their wedding day to be perfect for them and that meant she would be helping, a lot.

"Thank you." His chin was now on her shoulder. "Do you feel like going for a walk with our daughter this evening? She just went up to change."

"I would love that. I want to think about only our little family for the rest of the night."

"That sounds perfect."

…

Anna's day hadn't gone like she had planned. The case she thought she had finished, wasn't. The client still wanted more information about their business partners dealing and Anna understood why. They wanted the strongest case when they took their partner to court. It just meant it would be a very long day for her. At least Felicia was able to reschedule their dress fitting until tomorrow morning. There would still be time for any alterations that might be needed. The shower was tomorrow evening so there will be time between to finish off her report. She didn't know why they were bothering with the shower but Bobbie had promised it would only be a few friends.

It was just about eight when she walked through their front door. No one was in the living room so she walked through to the kitchen. Robert was sitting at the table with Robin, helping her with her homework. "Hi, honey," he said smiling over at her.

Anna walked over to them, she squeezed Robin's shoulder then stepped over to Robert standing right beside him. He put his arms around her as she leaned in and let him hold her. Then she put her hands on his cheeks, he looked up and she kissed him. "Can I borrow your Dad for a little while?" she asked Robin after she had straightened up again.

Robin just grinned as she kept writing her book report. "Yeah, he already helped me with what I needed."

Robert stood up then took Anna's hand as they left the kitchen. Anna had called to say she was working late but Robert thought she looked very tired. She was holding his hand and when she started to lead him to the couch. "Nope, we're getting comfortable in our room for whatever this is."

"This is me really wanting to be in your arms for a little while. I'm exhausted and want to cuddle so going up to bed sounds wonderful," she admitted.

"Did you eat?"

"Yeah, at the office."

"You know you don't have to do this all by yourself. If it takes a little longer then the client will just have to accept that."

"It's time-sensitive."

"Then get Sean to help you."

"No. I have been collecting evidence to support the claim that their business partner has been cheating them for years. I have a very hard time staying focused on this when he's around. All I end up thinking about is what he did to us, to me."

"Oh." Robert hadn't realized this case was hitting so close to home for her. "That can all wait until tomorrow now," he said as they walked through their bedroom door.

"Yes, it can." Anna walked over to her closet. She started getting changed and smiled at Robert. When she came back over to the bed she was in one of his T-shirts and a pair of sweatpants, her evening comfy clothes he thought with a smile. He knew she had no intention of going anywhere else today. Robert had already sat on the bed, "Lay down, we're cuddling," she told him.

He chuckled at that, "Alright." He laid back and Anna cuddled in beside him. Stroking her hair he watched her fall asleep within minutes of laying down.

...

Tuesday evening Robert stood staring out at the water. He had been on edge all day and just could not relax. There was so much going on in his head he felt like he just couldn't focus on any of it. He was worried about Anna pushing herself too hard trying to work and get everything ready for the wedding. Anna had fallen asleep in his arms not half an hour after she got home last night. Not only that, she had called earlier saying Duke had left a message saying they had to talk. What does he want now?

In just a matter of days, he is marrying Anna. They are going to welcome a son in a little over four months. They are living together already. So far that is going splendidly but it's all still so new. They haven't even really gotten into any disagreements or real fights since getting back together. He knows there is still a lot that could go wrong. Hell, what if he messes this up so badly Anna wants nothing to do with him? He put his hands to his face, please don't let that happen.

Robert ran his hands across his face. He knew the likelihood of that happening was very slim but he just couldn't stop himself from thinking like this. Anna was having her shower this evening and everyone was so excited about the wedding and the planning. Anna wanted him to pick a best man but he still hadn't asked anyone. Anna and Robin would be busy most of the evening and he needed to do something. He needed to talk to someone just so he could get all of this out of his head. He turned and walked off down the waterfront, a lot weighing on his mind.

…

Sean was alone at home, Tiffany was at Anna's shower. He wasn't expecting anyone so when the doorbell rang he wanted who it could be. He answered the door to see Robert standing there. Sean saw the other man's jaw clench and cleared his throat and nodded in greeting. "Robert."

"Sean." Robert stood there waiting, he knew why he was here but wasn't sure if he could go through with it. "We need to talk."

"As long as that's all you have in mind."

"You said you'd be there, so be there." The anger he still felt towards this man coming to the surface, evident in his voice.

"What?" Sean didn't know what had brought him here. "What do you need?"

"We are going to talk, then I need to drink with my friend." Sean stepped back and Robert stepped inside. "I'm getting married in a couple of days. I'm going to be a father again. There is a lot going on, Donely."

"Scotch?" Sean was already moving over to pour drinks.

"You piece of shit!" Robert said after him. "That man in Paris, I want to rip that man to shreds!"

"I'm not that man any longer," Sean said as he walked back over and handed Robert a glass.

"Do you?" Robert stopped before finishing that question. He started pacing, not sure what he needed to say. He downed his drink then went and poured himself another.

"Look, Robert."

"Shut up! You don't get to talk yet!" Robert yelled as he pointed at him. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Was," Sean corrected with his head down. "I wouldn't do what he did."

"Right because you would never cross me more than once! Oh wait, should we talk about the Aztec treasure? Or maybe what else you did to Anna!"

"Robert, the Aztec treasure was about money, a challenge to see if I still had it. Anna was my agent. I was doing what I thought was best for the WSB."

"You keep telling yourself that Sean." He drank another shot then held the bottle out waiting for Sean to do the same. "You better start drinking because once I'm done yelling at you I need to talk to my friend."

Sean was hit with the realization of what was actually happening here. Robert was here to settle this. "If you need to hit me again can you avoid the face this time?"

"I'm not here to fight, Sean."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Robert started to pace the bottle of scotch still in his hand. "You knew I loved her enough to marry her but you still went on about how we can't let some woman mess with our heads." He turned and pointed at Sean. "You knew the Swede was alive. You had to have known what I was going through because of that. Then to tell me that Anna should be in higher standing with me. It's your damn fault I ever had reason to doubt her!"

"Robert I was wrong. I know that. I can't change what I did. I'm sorry for what I did to you, for what I put you through."

"I would have forgiven her a hell of a lot sooner if I had known the truth."

"You were with Holly! Should I have ruined that relationship too?" he shot back.

Anger flashed in Robert's eyes, smug asshole, he thought. Then he let out a huff of hot air, Sean had a point. "Shut up!" That made Sean grin. "She's working too hard. You need to be at the PI office more."

Sean scoffed, "She wants to see me about as much as you do."

"You're partners, she's almost five months pregnant and planning our wedding that is happening in three days. She's dealing with a lot." Robert took a sip of his drink. "We want to get past this. I also want to punch you," Robert admitted. He started to pace then walked over and filled Sean's glass again. "Anna's been working a case that has business partners not trusting each other and I think that is why she doesn't want to see you. It's a bit much."

"Yeah," Sean nodded as he considered that. He knew it would be better if he just let Robert talk.

"God, I loved her. This crazy sexy beautiful challenge walked into your office and changed everything. She doesn't take my crap, she calls me on it. The way I just know what she is going to do in a situation, she goes left I go right. That was there almost from the start, as soon as we had to start thinking on our feet. Oh, it was just so smooth, so natural. Throw in that she is the sexiest woman I have ever seen." A grown came from his throat, "We got married on the spur of the moment but we both knew it was the right thing to do, what we were meant to do. We had found our," he paused, then smiled, "our everything. She's my perfect woman, Sean."

Robert walked over and finally sat down, putting his glass and the bottle of Scotch on the coffee table. "Then when all we wanted was to be free to have a life together, one we had already started. Apparently our boss took that away from us." Robert looked up from his glass, looking right into Sean's eyes. "Do you have any idea what that did to us? I was a mess after walking out on her. You thought I was eaten by the guilt of having the Swede killed. Yeah, that was a shame I never thought I would live down. But I missed my wife! I was heartbroken about losing her. My heart didn't understand the work part, it just wanted her."

"If I hadn't met Tiff, I don't know if I ever would have understood that kind of love."

"She was alone, pregnant and recovering from that bloody explosion. She would rather have had me hate her than let anyone harm me. I sent a man to his death to save her. Doesn't that seem like some intense feelings to you? Did you really think we had just gotten caught up in the excitement of the mission? That we were just a little fling that the sooner it ended the better it would be for you?"

"Yeah! When Faison told me the two of you were married that was exactly what I thought. It wasn't until it was all in motion until there was no turning back that I think I first started to realize that you two might actually be in love. After it was over that was when I think I knew," Sean admitted. "Why are you telling me all this now?"

"So you actually understand what you took away from us." Again Robert's anger was starting to show. "I should have been married to Anna for over ten years now. Robin should have been a big sister before this. Ten years! Sean, you took ten years away from us. Seven of those years I tried to hate her, tried to forget her. We never should have gotten the bloody divorce!" he all but yelled.

"I know!" Sean sat down by him, "I fucked up! I get it. Trust me, I am well aware of that by now but Scorpio. You are marrying your perfect woman again in three days. I swear I will stop anyone that tries to take that away from you."

"Yeah, I am." Robert sat back and looked over at Sean. "I still don't have a best man." Robert felt like he had said what he needed to for now. This is who he wants standing beside him when he marries Anna. He wants to be there for him when he marries Tiff.

"Anna mentioned that last week at the office." Sean leaned forward and poured them both another shot. He looked over, studying Robert's profile for a moment.

"The guy I want to ask is a total dick and the other guy is off being a spy."

"I'm sure Guy would do it if you asked him."

"I don't want to ask Guy. How bloody stupid are you?" The scotch was starting to have an effect on him.

"History says, pretty stupid."

"You've got that right." Robert leaned forward and picked up his drink. "We've been through a lot, Donely."

"Yes, we have."

"These last few years, here in Port Charles. Those are the ones I'm thinking about, the ones that are shaping this decision. Besides, if I don't ask you people are going to ask why you aren't and I don't want to have to explain that. So will you be my best man or what?"

Sean understood just how hard that had been for Robert to say. He hadn't been sure if Robert would actually ask him. "Of course I'll be your best man, if you're sure that's what you want."

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

"Well, I mean it too."

"Good, that good, it's settled."

Sean held up his glass, "To you and Anna, Cheers."

Robert nodded and held up his glass, "Cheers." Robert finished half his drink, "That's some good scotch." He looked down at his glass, "Anna's having my baby. It's a boy, oh. I don't know if I was supposed to tell people that."

"I won't tell. I'm good with secrets."

"Ha," Robert looked up at Sean. "Six months ago I did not see this coming." He took another sip of his drink. "I am living with Anna. We are getting married on Friday. There is going to be a small human in our house. A very small human that I helped make and I don't want to mess this up."

"You aren't going to mess anything up." Sean noticed Robert's glass was almost empty and poured him another.

"Our daughter is amazing but I wasn't there to drop her and mess up her perfect little head."

"I don't think you are going to drop your baby."

"It could happen, Sean. What if I'm left with junior and, and, it could happen." Robert picked up his glass again. "This thing never ends. I love her Sean. I can't lose her again and then there's Robin. I don't want to let any of them down."

"This is happening pretty quick, isn't it but aren't you two the agents that got married five days after meeting each other?"

"It was four actually," he kind of slurred the last word.

"You knew it then, why are you doubting it now?"

"We aren't just two people grabbing life by the balls. We have kids. We're parents."

"You've been parents for a while now."

"I know that. Robin is so cute."

"To my goddaughter." They both cheered and took another sip.

"I am now a full-time parent. Anna and me are a full-time couple. I live with them. Sean!"

Sean looked over at Robert and started laughing. Robert looked confused, scared, happy and kinda drunk all at the same time. "You want this!"

"Yeah, I do! And it's happening, right now."

"I guess that's a lot of change for you?"

"I was worried about Robin and everything changing for her. How she would handle it. Didn't think it'd be me."

"You're not having cold feet are you?"

"No, nothing like that. I keep thinking things are changing. That my life is going to be different. That happened already. I was too excited to be worried."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I think it's just hitting me." Robert looked over at Sean, "After all this time. I have her back. We are going to have the life we wanted."

"The one I took away."

"Yeah, but we aren't talking about that now. If we start that again I'll end up hitting you."

"I'm good without that happening."

The apartment door opened and Tiffany walked in, she was surprised to see them sitting there. "Oh, hello Robert."

"Hi Tiff." As soon as he spoke she knew they had been drinking a fair amount.

Sean stood up and walked over to her, kissing her cheek, "Hi hon. How was the shower?"

"It was nice, I think everyone had a good time," Tiffany told him, then she turned more towards Robert. "Anna is a little worried that her groom doesn't have a best man yet but I told her he wouldn't let her down."

"Donely has a black suit, doesn't he?"

"Yes, he does," Sean answered.

"Then we're good." Robert stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Anna will tell me what colour tie I need to wear, right?"

"Yeah, sure." Robert gave Tiff a quick kiss on the cheek.

"You aren't driving are you?"

"Nooo." He had done what he'd come to do now it was time to head home.

"Alright. Bye, darling." Then Robert left the apartment. She turned back to Sean, "He asked you?"

"Yeah, after he told me off for a while. It isn't fixed yet but we're making a start at fixing what I broke." Tiffany hugged him. She was glad to hear that. She hated that they were at odds right now but was glad Robert and Anna were still willing to have Sean in their lives.