D- Defeat

He feels defeated every time he comes back from Chemo and finds her waiting there expectantly. A part of him wants to shield her from the pain of his cancer but he knows better than to fight her. Robert Is a stubborn man but Anna and Robin are just as hard headed. Robin helps her father back into his bed and updates her mother on his progress.

"He is a fighter mom. You should not worry so much."

"I don't like to see him in so much pain, "she admits.

"Neither do I," Robin says, and gives her father a kiss on his head.

"Behave yourself," she says.

"What fun is that," he says in return, getting a smack in his shoulder from Anna.

"Did you see that? The cancer patient is being attacked here."

"You'll live," Robin said, and when Anna's face fell, she realized her mistake. The reality of Cancer was that not everybody does live. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"It is okay love," Robert said. "I can handle a little cancer humor."

Robin leaves to go make her rounds and Anna looks up at Robert smiling. "You think you are so funny don't you?"

"You are smiling, aren't you?"

"Oh no, you are doing it again," she says.

"What?"

"Oh do not play coy with me. You are giving me that look. You always do that when you are trying to charm me. What is it Robert. What do you want this time?"

"Maybe I just like looking at you smile. "

"You can really flirt with me at a time like this."

"I can always flirt with you love…it is my favorite past time."

"See that's why I never had a chance…you and that impossibly sweet but mischievous look in your eyes…I was destined to be yours forever."

"I'm working on the forever part," he says, drawing her closer into his arms. His kisses were sweet and tender and then hot and fiery. She is lying beside him when he feels the urge to wretch.

"It's okay Robert, I'm here," she says, helping him lean over the bowl as she wipes his neck with a cool washcloth. She knows he wishes she did not see him like this but she refused to let his pride cost her precious time with the man she loves. They tried to move on…tried to love other people but in the end, their hearts always ended up right where they started.

"Hold me," he asks. She knows it kills him to ask for anything so she does not give him time to question what he considers weakness.

"Was that so hard," she asks him, hours later when she is still wrapped in his arms.

"Harder than you will ever know," he admits.

She kisses his forehead as she wipes another cool washcloth against his skin. His fever was going down now.

"I'm proud of you Robert. Do not ever be afraid to show me your fears. Chances are that I have them too."

"Anna I…All I ever wanted to be was your hero. Now I cannot even lift my own head to throw up. "

"You are my hero Robert. Just because it is my turn to take care of you now, does not mean that you are any less of a hero. You will always be my hero. Always."

"I love you Anna. I hope you know how much."

"I always knew that Robert. Even when we were apart, I knew it. I know that now. I feel exactly the same way. You are always going to be the man that I love. Always. "