Chapter Four

Maxie returns to the Scorpio household about an hour later, dragging Chase with her. Georgie was in town visiting and James was slumbering in her baby carrier.

"Is anyone home," she calls enthusiastically.

"Shhhhh," Robin urges. "Emma is sleeping."

"Look who I found lurking," Maxie admits. "I hope it is okay that I invited him for Dinner? Where is everyone?"

Nikolas clears his throat and says with a straight face…"Probably still having sex."

Robin hits him in the shoulder as Maxie's hand goes to her mouth. "Sorry I asked. There are children here you know?"

Robin and Nikolas cannot help the laughter brewing and in seconds, they are giggling.

"Chase will you help me put James down for his nap?"

"Can I help too mommy," Georgie asks?

"Of course you can sweetie."

"You want me to take Emma for you," Chase offers.

"Can you do it without waking her?"

Chase carefully lifts a slumbering Emma and Robin mouths the word "Thank You" as he carries her up stairs.

"I think it's nice that Maxie wants to help him. It was not that long ago that she lost her husband and then Peter hurt her so badly before he was killed. My cousin deserves some happiness you know. Not that she should rush into it but…Chase is a good man."

"You deserve happiness too Robin."

"I'm not saying I don't…but like Maxie, I am not ready for that yet. I have a daughter to think about… She has to come first."

"You are a great mom Robin. Emma clearly adores you."

"I adore her. How is Spencer doing? Is he having a good time with his Grandma?"

"I am sure he is going to have plenty of stories to tell…I mean, anyone that gets to go on adventures with Luke and Laura…"

"Wait…They are back together?"

"I know…but she couldn't go back to Kevin after Ryan attacked Lulu. It was too much of a reminder. I feel bad for Kevin but how can you be with someone who looks exactly like your daughter's tormentor. They tried to make it work but there was something missing. Last I heard he and Lucy were trying again. For their sake, I hope it lasts. I mean how many times can a guy get his heart broken and still believe in Love? But anyways, After Luke came back to see Lulu after her near death experience, they started to spend time together again. I have made my peace with Luke. He makes my mother happy. That's all I want."

"I'm proud of you Nikolas."

"I'm proud of you too."

"For what?"

"For being you."

Kiki and Griffin come down the stairs just as Maxie and Chase are finished putting the kids down for their naps. Even Georgie did not put up a fight with Emma being here. With Robin and Nikolas resting on the couch, they decide to go outside.

"How are you doing Chase," Griffin asks.

"Some days are harder than others but I am doing okay under the circumstances I suppose. Maxie is helping."

She smiles at Chase and admits that he is helping her too. "Maxie tells me you two are engaged," Chase states. "Congratulations."

A smiling Kiki wraps her arm around Griffin's shoulder. "Thank you Detective. We are very happy."

"It shows. I am really glad that you are healing so well. You do not even seem to need that cane very often."

"Well apparently it is in my genes."

Maxie smiles. She might not be a Scorpio biologically but she has that Scorpio gene too. Mac raised her for most of her life.

"Can we talk about how you feel about Anna and my Uncle," Maxie suddenly blurts out. "I know she was dating your brother. I just don't want there to be any drama tonight."

"Honestly Maxie, I think my brother kind of suspected that she still had feelings for Robert. He was trying to give her the time she needed to make up her mind but then he died. I am going to assume that she must have figured it out if she is with Robert already."

"I hope you know that she never meant to hurt him," Maxie says. "I know that she cared a great deal about him but…"

"He wasn't Robert," he finished for her. "Maxie don't worry. I am not angry. They deserve to be happy too. At least she was with my brother when he died. It would have been a lot worse for him if she had broken his heart before that. I have heard many stories about Anna and Robert. I am sure my brother did not stand a chance. She might have loved him, but Robert was the love of her life. Am I right?"

"You are," Maxie admits.

"Then it was only a matter of time."

"Thank you for being so understanding Chase. My Godmother has been through a lot of pain and I just don't want to bring any more to her doorstep."

"You care about your family Maxie. I would never interfere with that."

He kisses her cheek and she smiles. "Thank you for being so much like my late husband."

"That is the highest compliment I could ever receive."

"It was meant that way."

"Okay now that that's settled," Griffin acknowledges. "Why don't we talk about something else. "

"Good idea," Kiki smiles. "Let's talk about your promotion Chase. I heard you are working Narcotics now. How do you like it?"

"It's a lot more dangerous but I feel like I'm doing something that matters. I am not sure how long I will be able to do this kind of work but for now, it is what I need. It helps me forget all I have lost."

"I'm glad," Griffin admits. "That's important. It also gives you something positive to work towards."

"It does," They all agree.

An almost tranquil silence fills the air as they look out into the distance. It was a good day to be alive.

Mac wakes Felicia with a kiss and she smiles into him as she returns his kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck.

"Is someone getting a little frisky," she jokes.

"I was just testing the waters sweetheart…seeing how you might be feeling after that nap."

"You mean, am I in the mood?"

"Well when you put it like that…"

"Yes," Felicia answers, cutting him off. "Yes, I am in the mood."

"Really?"

"Mac…stop talking…we don't know how long this moment will last."

"You have a point there."

He captures her lips in his again and they help each other out of their clothing. Mac kisses her belly first.

"You be a good boy," he whispers and Felicia cannot stop laughing.

"Don't you dare talk to our son about our sex life Mac Scorpio."

"Felicia, I wasn't…"

"I'm kidding Mac. Geese, I thought I was the one with raging hormones."

"Maybe I'm just having sympathy hormones," he quips.

"Right now I just want you to shut up and make love to me. Can you do that?"

"Your wish is my command."

"Finally," she states as his lips find hers , their limbs tangle together and they get lost in the passion.

Anna cups Robert's face in her hands as she brushes kisses across the fallen tears. She knows that he is cursing himself for showing what society has long deemed unacceptable in males.

"Don't you dare look at me with Shame Robert Scorpio? You are more of a man than anyone I have ever known. This is new to me too okay. We are going to learn this together."

"Can you honestly tell me that this is sexy," he snaps.

"You know what I see when I look at your catheter? I see a man who survived. You see it as a shortcoming Robert…but I see it as evidence that life may have handed you a different set of circumstances, but you didn't just let them beat you…you persevered. So when you ask me if I think it is sexy…you damn well better believe it is…it is proof that you are here with me and we still have a chance to right all those wrongs we made in the past. I love you Robert Scorpio…Do you have any idea how much you turn me on? No…here…let me show you."

Anna shifts her hips so she is lying on her side next to him. "Give me your hand, Robert. I promise you…I won't let you fall."

"You never do," he whispers.

Anna glides his hand to her moist center. "How does it make you feel, knowing that you make me so wet huh? That's not the reaction of someone who thinks of you as an invalid…it is the reaction of someone who thinks of you as the sexiest man alive…who craves your touch like nothing else…Please Robert…I want to make love to you…I know you want to make love to me…"

"More than I want to breathe…"

"Then let me help you…I promise you…we will both feel so much better. You have taken care of me so many times…it's my turn to take care of you."

"You never cease to amaze me Anna Devane," he sates, as he pulls her into a passionate kiss. Anna tells him to close his eyes as she cleans his Catheter.

"I'm not risking infection Scorpio. Just close your eyes and imagine that I am pleasuring you in the shower. Can you do that for me?"

"I can do anything for you."

She reaches over to the table beside the bed and takes the sponge from the soapy water.

"What your hands do to me Devane," he states huskily.

"Good. That means you can still feel something. "

After cleaning the catheter, she brushes it across his penis.

"Now it's playtime," she states as she pulls out a mirror.

"I know you don't have full sensation down there but I think this will help. You can watch me pleasure you."

He opens his eyes as Anna positions the mirror just right for him to hold. "The doctor told me this might help with giving you an erection. I hope you don't mind."

His eyes grew wide as she pulled out a tiny massager.

"You talked to my doctor did you?"

"What can I say…If I waited for you, we'd still be waiting? I want you too much for that."

He did not have to say anything for her to know he felt it too. She carefully slid the massager across his shaft and watched him with the eyes of someone in love. Robert's eyes slowly came alive and she knew he was feeling it.

"You feel that don't you?"

"Oh Annie…Annie I feel it. Come here."

She puts the massager down and looks at him. "I am going to take my time Robert. You are going to feel how much I adore you. "

She kisses up his toes to his legs to his stomach and then she smiles at him as her hands reach for the buttons on his pajama top. "You won't be needing this sweetheart."

"You won't be needing yours either."

"We'll get to that."

She finishes removing his top and then kisses his bare chest, slowly finishing her climb up his body with her lips. When she reaches his mouth, he plunges his tongue inside and kisses her as if his life depended on it.

"I think someone's ready to play," she quips.

"I need you Annie. I need you so much."

She shifts her hips so Robert can reach for her negligee and pull it over her head. He tosses it off the bed until it lands on the lamp.

"I love you Robert Scorpio. Now make love to me. We've waited long enough."

"With pleasure," he says, as she helps him move his body so he could thrust inside her. It does Robert's pride good to hear her call his name in passion. Even through all the pain, her touch always drove him wild. Now was no exception.

"No more talk of being an invalid Scorpio," she says, as she holds him in her arms after they finally came down from the high. "That was the best sex of my life. You were more attentive then usual. "

"I have an understanding partner...How can I go wrong?"

"You can't. I'm here for the long haul."

"I can't believe we just did that," he laughs.

"I can. You just needed a little encouragement."

"I love you Annie. "

"I love you too Bobby."

When she hears his rapid breathing slow, she kisses the top of his head and allows herself to fall asleep in his arms. Robert watches her sleep for a moment grateful for the gift of her undying love. When he was weak, she was strong. It was a love built from two equals who gave as much as they took. He would never again doubt where he knew his heart belonged. It was Anna's. It had always been Anna's.

This, of course, just made him more determined than ever to walk again. He wanted to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle…and to be standing when Anna walks down the aisle on their wedding. Someday soon, he would ask her. She is the only one he wants to grow old with…the only one he can ever see himself sitting beside in their rocking chairs and telling stories about all the adventures in their lives…adventures they lived together. With that thought in his head, he closes his eyes and allows himself to sleep. Life was finally good again