Chapter 2

Edmond was of the few people that knew it was Alex's twin in the hospital, not her. He had visited Anna a few times and he had even comforted her when she would have dreams that scared her. Today he was concerned about her insistence that someone named Robert had been there to see her. That he had come to her in the middle of the night and that she wanted to see him again. Eventually, she had relaxed but he was worried and went to talk to Alex about what had happened. When he walked into Wildwind he went looking for his sister-in-law. She was in the sitting room reading. "Alex, I thought you should know Anna was a little worked up this morning when I saw her. She was insisting that someone had come to see her last night. She said Robert had been there and that she wanted to see him again."

"What, she said Robert? That's her husband's name." Since Anna had been in the hospital, Alex had been trying to learn as much about her sister as she could so she could hopefully help her regain her memory. "He apparently died several years ago."

"Does she know that? Did it happen before she was injured?"

"No, from what I read about what happened to her, they were both believed to have died in a tanker explosion in 1992. That was how she was injured."

"Does she remember him, I don't remember her mentioning Robert before this."

"Maybe she remembered his name, she might have had a dream about him. Do not tell her he is dead. Her injuries are very serious and I will not have her upset and risk her treatment."

"What do I do if she talks about his? Asks where he is?"

"Talk to her about him, let her tell you what she knows about him, but do not let on that she must have imagined him. I just found my sister I don't want anything to compromise her chances of recovery," Alex told him.

...

Robin had just gotten back to her apartment, classes were done for the week and she just wanted to relax. A few more exams early next week, then she gets a break. She took off her shoes and went to get herself a glass of wine, she was looking forward to a quiet weekend in, she could do some studying and maybe read a book. She had just sat down when there was a knock at her door. She sighed and got back up wondering who would be at her door. She looked through the peephole, then shook her head and looked again. How tired was she? No, there is no way he is standing there. She stepped back from the door a little, not sure of what was going on. The person on the other side of the door knocked again. She thought about it a moment longer, then slowly opened the door and looked up at the man standing there. "Hello, sweetheart."

Robin just stared at him, her mouth dropped open slightly. "Daddy?"

"Hi, Robin. I'm sorry it took so long but I found her. I found your mother."

"You aren't real! I'm tired, I've been working too hard at school. You're just my imagination."

"No Robin, it's me. I'm really here, I didn't die and neither did Anna. She is getting treatment for her amnesia, I just found her the other day. I talked to her, it really is her. Once I knew for sure it was her I came here to see you."

Robin turned and walked back into her apartment, "No this is not happening." She picked up her glass of wine, smelt it then put it down again. What was going on, was she having a full on hallucination. "Is someone else dying? Is that why you're here again?" Robin hadn't noticed that Robert had walked in behind her and closed her door. "I saw you and mom when Stone was dying, is that what it is?" She ran her hands through her hair. "Oh no, Uncle Mac."

"I'm sure Mac is fine. I'll have to talk to him soon but you were the first person I needed to see, to talk to."

Without turning around, "You aren't real!"

"Robin, I am real." He put his hands on her shoulders, "I'm real and I'm here. I didn't die in that tanker explosion. Your mother and I were both injured but we didn't die." She could feel his hands on her, there was pressure there. "Please Robin, look at me."

Slowly she turned to look at him, there were tears in his eyes, "Daddy, is it really you?"

"Yes, I'm really here. I am so sorry I didn't come back sooner. Once I could I needed to find your mother. They lost her, and I needed to find her for you, for us."

"Mom's alive? Where?"

"She's in a hospital in Pine Valley. Can we sit, I think this is going to be a rather long conversation?"

"Yeah. Wait. You're alive, my daddy is alive," tears poured from her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her close and just held her, in just a few days he had held the two people he loves most in the world. "Where have you been?" she asked her head still against his chest.

"Sit with me," he let her go and they sat down on her couch. "It's a long story. After I had recovered from my injuries from the explosion I had to work covert ops for the WSB, I'm not proud of all the things I had to do. I had made an agreement with the WSB. Even though they knew Anna had been Faison's prisoner they would only lift the black box order on us if I agreed to work for them. They wanted me deep undercover. No one could know I was alive. I have been kept informed about you, I know about your HIV. Robin, I wish I could have been there for you during that time. That last time I had seen your mother she was in the hospital, she had amnesia and was only awake for a few minutes at a time. Part of the agreement I made was that she was to be kept safe. The WSB lost her somehow and had to let me out of the agreement. Robin I know I should have come to you before this but I needed to find your mom. You had people looking out for you, I knew you were in good hands. Your mother was out there alone I had to find her first. I didn't know what Anna was going through if she was OK. Please understand why I went after her and didn't come to you."

"You're both alive. For the last nine years, I have believed you were dead." She had heard all that he had said but it was still sinking in that he was even there.

"I know sweetheart and I am so sorry you had to go through that."

"When did you start looking for mom again? When did that agreement end?"

"Almost two years ago. I haven't made contact with anyone from before. I didn't know what happened or how Anna went missing but I got the feeling someone might be after her. I didn't want people finding out about me then following me to her. Please understand Robin, I wanted to come to you, I wanted you to know I was alive but I was worried about your mom. I have missed you so much. I love you, Robin," he touched her face. "You are a beautiful young woman, so much like your mom."

"Are you sure she isn't in danger now?"

"I believe she is in good hands. Where's your computer? Look up, Dr. Alexandra Merrick."

"What, why?"

"That's who looking over her right now. When you see her you'll understand why I think she's safe there for now."

Robin was about to get up but stopped, she put her arms around Robert again, "I love you too Daddy." He kissed her cheek then she got up and got her laptop. After a quick search, she was staring at a picture of a woman that could be her mom. "What is this? Who is she?"

"That is your mom's sister. We didn't talk for a long time but Anna knew that much. Twins apparently separated at birth. We'll find out more about that later. Your mother still has amnesia, she doesn't really remember anything about her life. She did recognize me, she knew she loves me and eventually she remembered my first name. She also knows I called her Luv. She is getting treatment because she is having seizures, they're bad. Without treatment, she could have died. I'm hoping she will be able to remember more once her treatment is done."

"Did you talk to her sister?" Robert was giving her a lot of information but she still had a lot of questions of her own.

"No, it was the middle of the night when I saw her. I could tell she was trying very hard to remember more about our life and I didn't want her causing any more problems for herself. I left Pine Valley and came here. I told her I had to leave but wanted to try and bring someone back with me."

Robin smiled hearing that. "How do you know so much about her case?"

"I read her chart over three times before leaving then did some research on my way here."

"I want to go see her."

"I came here to get you, to take you to her."

"I have tests on Monday and Tuesday I can't miss. After that, I can go with you."

"So do you want to leave on Wednesday or Tuesday evening?"

"Tuesday, I want to see her. Even if she doesn't know me."

"I'll make the arrangements. There is someone in London that I need to see, we have unfinished business and I have been waiting to confront her. Can I stay here tonight, I'll get a flight tomorrow take care of this problem then come back so we can leave together."

"Yes, you're staying here," she said with a smile. "Are you going to see Holly?"

"Yes, she didn't sign the divorce papers I left her. I choose Anna, she knew that."

"We all thought you had died."

"Robin that was months after I had given her the papers, I guess I can understand not seeing the point in divorcing a dead guy." He paused then added, "No one knew it would take so long for me to find her, Holly should have signed them and filed them when I left."

"You and mom would have wanted to be free to legally be married when you came back."

"Exactly," he said and gave her a little grin.

Robin smiled, as a tear rolled down her cheek. That did it, that was his grin. This is her dad, this is not a dream. "I have missed you so much. Daddy, I'm so happy you're here."

Robert put his arm around her shoulder and she cuddled in beside him, "I have missed you too. I have my little girl back." Robin looked up at him and smiled. "Why don't you tell me what I've missed? The evening's still young we can order something later for dinner. Right now I just want to hold my little girl close. We need to make up for lost time."

"I'd like that very much," Robin said the started to tell him about her life and their family and friends. Robert also told her more about what had kept him away and the time he had spent searching for Anna. They talked into the early hours telling each other everything they could think of.