Dinner the following night included more than just Mac and Holly. Robert took it upon himself to invite Sean, Tiffany, Frisco, Felicia, Bobbie and Tony. Thankfully Olin volunteered to take care of the entire meal, much to everyone's appreciation. The tension was high in the room as the current guests waited for the arrival of Mac and Holly. Anna felt the tension but really couldn't understand what everyone was expecting. By nature, she is not an insecure person and was a little insulted by the questions and the assumptions her friends were making on her behalf. In addition, she had other concerns and issues that she felt were more important than Robert's ex-wife dating his brother. She struggled with hiding her animosity toward Sean in light of Mac's revelations the day before.
Robert was beginning to detect that something was wrong and kept giving her sideways glances like "what is going on?". But knowing him the way she does, he was most likely attributing her abruptness to hormones or whatever. After about an hour of playing hostess, she hears her son, who decides it is time to eat and quickly lets everyone know it through the baby monitor.
"I'll take care of him." Robert says standing up.
"Okay, I already heated a bottle, it's on the counter in the kitchen ready for him." Anna says into his ear before he straightens up. He goes into kitchen to retrieve the bottle then heads upstairs.
"I never thought I would see the day Robert Scorpio would be dealing in bottles and diapers." Frisco says with a smile.
"It's very sobering isn't it?" Tiffany adds while everyone laughs.
"Yeah, and it took one woman to do it." Sean says smiling looking at Anna.
"I don't know how to take that, but I'll assume it's a compliment." She says looking at Sean.
"Of course it is sweetheart. I mean I don't know of any other woman who could have domesticated the man this much without Godly intervention, so I must say you have a lot of power over him." While everyone is laughing, they look up and notice Mac and Holly standing in the threshold.
Anna ignores Sean's comment because it pissed her off. Holly heard Sean's entire statement and tried desperately to hide her reaction. She was somewhat successful, but not to the degree she would have liked.
"Hi Mac, Holly come in. We were getting worried about you." Anna says.
"Yes I'm sorry that was my fault, had a little union trouble at the club. Nothing serious but I had to make some phone calls before I left." Mac says ushering Holly into the room.
"Anna, hi thank you for inviting us I have been looking forward to it all day." Holly says with practiced grace as she shakes Anna's hand.
"Me too, it's been long overdue." She says giving Mac a sideways glance which he translates correctly. That interaction seemed to ease everyone's nerves in the room as Mac and Holly say there hellos.
"Where's Robbie?" Mac asks Anna.
"He's upstairs feeding William, they should be down soon and probably sooner than later. We are trying to get William to take a bottle but he wants no part of it yet."
"That's my nephew, he knows what he wants." Mac says with pride.
"Yeah, he definitely takes after your side of the family, stubborn and pig-headed, you both should be so proud." She laughs with Mac. Holly is listening to the conversation and wonders if she will be able to last through the evening.
Robert comes downstairs a few minutes later with a fussing baby looking for Anna who is standing near Mac by the fireplace.
"Love, he's not taking the bottle too well, I think he's looking for you." He says smiling at her. She goes to him and rubs the baby's back while he's on Robert's shoulder.
"Did he take any of it?"
"Barely, he wants his mommy's stuff, just like his old man." He whispers to her.
"You're an idiot" She says and kisses him quickly while taking the baby.
"But you love me anyway." He says in her ear
"Always. I'll be right back." She responds and she heads upstairs.
Holly has witnessed this interaction and is trying to hide her discomfort and her animosity; she has to prove to Mac that this whole situation is not having an adverse effect on her. If she is to succeed in her ultimate goal of getting Robert back, she will have to endure this "new baby" period. She knew going in that it will be an uphill battle, but when the initial thrill wears off, she knows that she will be successful. She knows Robert still has feeling for her, she felt it; she saw in his eyes. It is only a matter of time now and she must stay close to him through Mac, it is the only way. This dinner is the first step in this process and will be the path to future interactions where she can become closer to Robert again.
The evening progresses and much of the earlier tension has dissipated while the guests focus on the baby as he gets passed from one person to another. Tiffany has noticed that Holly has been taking glances at Robert and Anna, who are sitting close together on the couch with Robert's arm around Anna and Anna's hand steadily resting on his thigh. They are talking and laughing with Frisco and Felicia while they discuss the trials and tribulations of having a new baby in the house.
The baby starts to cry and Tiffany passes him back to Anna and he quiets immediately. Holly watches as Robert caresses his son's head as he rests on Anna's shoulder. Tiffany looks over at Holly and knows that look on her face, she has seen it before. She is convinced now more than ever, that Holly is still in love with Robert. However, the questions still remain as to what is her end-goal. What has she done up until this point to get him back in her life? Is she using Mac? She needs to accelerate her game-plan and tonight is the tipping point. Anna and Robert's acceptance of her as part of Mac's life is basically official with this dinner. She knows now is the time to gain her confidence.
Sean elbows her discretely and nods in Holly's direction. "I know, I see it too." She whispers to him. "Now is the time, the door has been opened." Sean whispers back.
He quietly enters the bedroom and sees she is sleeping soundly. The soft night light casts a warm glow on her face. He stands at the foot of the bed momentarily taking in the sight of her and he smiles. He walks over to his son's bassinet and sees that he too is sound asleep. He's thankful for the momentary quiet; he looks at his watch as is surprised that it is after midnight.
He didn't realize that he was downstairs in the office for so long and heads for the bathroom shutting the door quietly. He comes out ten minutes later dressed for bed and gently pulls the covers back and lies down trying not to wake her. His mind is racing as he thinks about his life now. All of the people that were in the house tonight were from different periods in his life.
Those were times he almost doesn't recognize any longer. His brother, their childhood together and subsequent years of separation after their parent's deaths. Sean, the early part of his adult life and career and the much darker period that followed. Tiffany was there in his carefree, early bachelor days of his secret agent life when he first arrived in Port Charles after the tumultuous period with Anna. Frisco and Felicia, and Holly who each represent a time when he thought he knew what his life was going to be. He thinks about Holly. Their time together represented a time in his life when he thought he had everything. But he knows it pales in comparison to what he has now. Anna, Robin and now William are his entire life. It amazes him, how he has come full circle and how when you think you know what and who are, life has a way of turning everything upside down.
He continues to think back through all the years when Anna suddenly stirs next to him and rolls over to lay across his chest. She does not awaken as she snuggles closer into his neck and sighs. This woman, he thinks, is and always has been the center of his life since she walked into it almost 15 years ago.
PI Office, Port Charles
"I don't know Sean, we have been running into dead-ends for weeks now. All of the leads both inside and outside the WSB have dried up, so basically, we are still where we were almost two months ago. There has to be something we're missing here. Even the linkage with Anna's childhood has lead to nowhere. It's as if someone reached out their tentacles and pulled in all this information leaving us nothing but dry sand. I know there is a bigger connection here that we are not seeing, or someone is not allowing us to see and I think it all points to Holly's family. How is Tiffany doing on that front, by the way?" Frisco says in exasperation.
"There's not much traction there either as you know. Maybe we misread that whole situation with Robert, but I honestly don't think so. You've seen it the couple of times when Holly has been in Robert's presence and especially when Anna is there. Maybe we are looking at it too critically, but I know something's there. Robert hasn't mentioned it, but then again, he's probably oblivious to everything else right now. I wonder if Mac notices a change in her behavior when she's around Robert I don't know, but whatever it is, she's not revealing anything one way or the other. At this point, we need to find out what her motives are and what she has done up until this point. Frisco, we can't sit back and wait for something else to happen, I will never forgive myself." Sean says leaning back in his chair.
"I know we just have to keep digging, I'll be in New York all next week and then I fly to London for the bureau, maybe I can check with MI5 while I'm there. I have a few contacts so maybe there are something's that have not been cleansed." Frisco says getting up.
"Okay, I'll light a fire under Tiffany as well, even though she has been trying very hard, we might have to try a different approach. Now that Holly is basically living with Mac now at the club, chance meetings and interactions are more probable now, so we can leverage that."
Robert comes home to a very quiet house and wonders where everybody is. He looks in the kitchen and doesn't see Olin or anyone else. He knows Anna's home; her car is in the driveway. He decides to head upstairs, and it too is quiet. He looks in Robin's room and sees she's not there, but then remembers she has dance tonight and then he heads for William's room and his room is empty.
He heads for their bedroom and opens the door and sees William sleeping on their bed surrounded by a pile of pillows and clothes. He chuckles knowing she is trying to find something that fits her now. He looks to his left and hears her muttering to herself.
"Having problems?" He says softly and she jumps and drops everything in her hands.
"Idiot, you scared me." She says smiling picking up the clothes she dropped, and he chuckles.
"Are you leaving me?" He asks as he takes off his tie and goes to look at his son sleeping soundly.
"Very funny. I'm trying to find something to wear that doesn't make me look like I'm still pregnant." She says.
"Why are you going somewhere?" He asks sitting on the bed noticing for the first time she is just in her bra and underwear.
"Not tonight, but tomorrow you are taking me out to dinner for a few hours." She says laying two more outfits on the bed. He grabs her by the waist as she walks by.
"I am? Mmmm, I like that idea. Although staying home can be just as interesting." He says as he pulls her closer. She smiles at him and wraps her arms around his neck as she steps between his legs.
"When we get home, I promise to make it interesting." She says and chuckles. He is stroking her back and her but and brings her closer so he can kiss her breast. She moans as her head goes back. She brings her head forward and they kiss deeply and passionately.
"I missed you today." He says kissing her neck and stroking her body.
"I missed you too." She says on a moan.
Their hunger for each other escalates quickly as Robert hooks his thumbs in her underwear and brings them down her legs. He caresses her ass and squeezes which drives her need for him even higher. She begins to unbutton his shirt and takes it off of him.
"What time is Robin getting home?" He says as he is kissing her neck.
"In two hours. Hmmm." She says as he is now caressing her breast.
"Where's Olin?" He asks as he feels her unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning and unzipping his pants.
"She went home about an hour ago."
"Mmmm." He says kissing her deeply again.
They both know they still can't have sex yet since the doctor said 3 days ago, that because of all the stitching she had, she still needs a few more weeks to heal. However, they have found several ways to satisfy each other these past weeks. She proceeds to straddle his lap putting her knees tightly around his hips. He removes her bra and gently caresses her breast running his thumb across her nipple before gently taking it into his mouth. He knows he can't suck, so he just caresses her with his tongue and again her head goes back and she lets out a long moan at the sensation. His hand goes to her center and he feels how wet she is and moans. He aches to be inside her, but he pleasures her for long moments as she stares into his eyes.
"Hmmm, That feels so good." She says. She needs to feel him so her hands reach down into his boxers and she frees him much to his relief. She is surprised at how hard he is already and she aches to have him inside her.
"God, I need you." He says against her neck. "
Me too." She says on a moan.
He pulls her closer to him so that he is resting between her folds and they begin to rock together.
"You ok, does it hurt?" He asks against her neck.
"No, not at all. You feel amazing. I love you." She says and then kisses him passionately as she grinds against him.
"God you're so wet." He says against her lips and she groans against his mouth.
"You're so hard Robert, so good. Ugh." She says as he guides her up and down his length.
"That's it, right there, oh God Robert." She says and throws her head back letting him guide her. She feels her orgasm coming quickly and can feel it will be powerful. They kiss again hungrily as they both come apart reaching powerful climaxes at the same time. They are both still shuddering as they look at each other and smile.
"You are amazing." He says smiling at her. "I've been thinking about you all day, well as usual." He says wiping her damp hair away from her face.
"I could tell. Just what exactly were you thinking about when you are supposed to be protecting the people?" She asks on a chuckle and he laughs with her.
"Oh a little of this and a little of that." He says kissing each breast. "But mostly how much I love you, adore you and desire you." He adds looking into her eyes. She tears up and kisses him deeply.
"I love you too. So much." She says caressing his face. They hug tightly for a long moment. Robert then looks over his shoulder at William still sleeping soundly. He chuckles, "Just like his Mom." He says and she laughs. They briefly talk about their days still holding each other intimately.
"So what do you say, we get cleaned up and just relax on the couch downstairs for a little while? I brought home dinner from Dino's." He says.
"Oh, I definitely love you, thank you. But can you help me clean up the room? Please." She says smiling at him, and he smirks at her. After cleaning, showering, eating and getting William and themselves changed into their pajamas, they head downstairs. Its nearly 8pm as they settle on the couch with William in the bassinette.
"What time did you say Robin would be home?" Robert says.
"She said 930. They were going for pizza with the dance class and Jodi's Mom would drive them home right after." Anna says sitting down next to him as he puts his arm around her.
"Kinda late isn't it for a school night?" He says kissing her head.
"Well she told me all her homework is done, so she can just go right to bed when she gets home." She replies.
Just as they begin to relax and settle in to watch a movie, William begins to cry. Robert picks him up and brings him back to the couch. Anna settles between Robert's legs with her back to his front and she rests William on her thighs as they look at him.
"He's getting bigger by the day." Robert says holding his son's hand.
"I know, when I take him next week, I have no doubt he probably gained 2 pounds again." Anna replies smiling at her son as he looks at her.
"Well considering how much he eats, I'm not surprised." Robert says chuckling.
"Tell me about it." Anna says laughing with him. They sit, watch and talk to their baby together while he is very content.
"Did you see that smile?" Robert says amazed. "I think it's just gas Robert." She says chuckling.
"Oh come on, that was a real smile." He says proudly and then the baby spits up and Anna laughs and grabs the cloth diaper. "Know it all." He says kissing the side of her head.
After another half hour the baby starts to get fussy and its past his time to eat. Anna gets comfortable still reclining against Robert and lowers her nightgown to feed him. Robert has restarted the movie he wanted to watch, and they settle in.
"Don't play it too loud." She says as she caresses her son's head."
"Ok, but he should get used to loud noises." Robert replies.
"Robert."
"Yes Dear." He says smirking and lowers the volume.