Chapter 7

"She won't talk to me Mac and I don't blame her. What was I thinking – I should have taken the first plane to Paris and tracked her down." Anna paced the floor of her room while talking on the phone to her ex-brother-in-law. Neither of them had spoken to Robin since her return to Port Charles. "I failed her again."

Mac wanted to reassure her but he couldn't. "Yes you did. Why didn't you tell me what was going on Anna?"

"I thought I was protecting her." Even Anna couldn't believe what she was saying. "She said she needed some time away to figure things out."

"And you didn't think to tell me or Robert what was going on?" Mac hated that he believed that Robin had willingly abandoned her daughter. "You didn't realize that she needed you and us to help her? Instead she had to depend on a stranger – a stranger who won't let me anywhere near her. I want to hold her and reassure her that she made the right decision to come back to Port Charles, to come home."

Anna sighed. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go to the hospital and see her at work. I am going to try and see if I can get five minutes alone with her. I would suggest that you call Robert and tell him everything that has happened. Tell him that he needs to get to Paris and find out what exactly happened to Robin while she was over there." Mac was trying his best not to yell but he was still furious that Patrick and Anna had kept him out of the loop about what was going on with Robin. "You want to make it up to her – you make sure that she really is safe and healthy."

Mac hung up the phone and headed to the door. He needed to talk to his niece – now.

Mac knocked on Robin's office door and took a deep breath before opening it. "Is it okay if I come in?"

Robin smiled at him. "Of course it is." She got up from her desk and gave her uncle a big hug. "I've missed you so much."

Mac held her close. "Me too kiddo." They sat down on the couch together. "I barely got to talk to you the other night – when did you get back?" Mac was trying to keep the conversation as normal as possible.

"The day of the Nurse's Ball. I, uh, I was nervous and I thought it would be best if I just jumped right into the deep end." Robin started to turn away from Mac but he stopped her.

"You know you can tell me anything." Mac took her hand in his. "We have been through so much together and I want you to know that if I had had a clue as to what was going on – I would have been there for you."

Tears ran down Robin's face as she listened to her uncle's words. "I know."

"Robin, no matter what is going on – you can trust me. I love you and I want to help you. Let me help you." Mac stared her straight in the eyes, almost daring her to tell him the truth.

"Mac, I…"

"Hello Robin." Marcus stood in the doorway of Robin's office, almost glaring at her. He took a few steps in and held out his hand. "You must be the infamous Mac Scorpio. Robin had told me so much about you."

Mac and Robin both stood up and Mac shook the man's hand, unhappy about the interruption. "And you must be Dr. Marcus Banks. I understand I have you to thank for my niece's return?"

Marcus nodded his head and moved over to Robin's side, putting his arm around her shoulders and holding her close. "Yes, I felt it was best if we came back to Port Charles and faced all of Robin's demons. It really is the only way we can ever have a normal life together with her daughter. Emma means more than anything to Robin and it is my intention that they never be separated again."

"I know Robin and Emma both appreciate that, almost as much as I do. I was just about to ask my niece to have lunch with me so we can catch up."

Marcus interrupted the man. "I'm afraid that won't be possible – Robin and I have plans."

"Well then how about dinner?" Mac wasn't going to give up.

Marcus dropped his arm from around Robin and turned her around so she was facing him. "Why don't you go check on those files Epiphany was getting for you – I want to talk to your uncle for a minute."

Robin nodded and then left the room, stopping to give Mac a quick hug and a kiss on her way out. Once she was gone, Marcus sighed and looked at Mac. "I'm sorry but I don't think you understand just how fragile your niece is at the moment. Short visits like this are fine but anything longer and she may feel pressured and take off again. I want Robin to feel safe and secure. We are easing her back into her normal life but she really only has the emotional strength to deal with rebuilding one relationship at this time and I think we would be in agreement that her relationship with Emma is the most important one to work on, right?"

Mac had never honestly hated anyone immediately in his life but he hated Dr. Banks. "Yes, Emma should always be the priority."

Marcus smiled at him. "Good – I'm glad we are in agreement. Now I am going to take Robin to lunch and we will discuss maybe having another short meeting with you next week. It was nice meeting you Mr. Scorpio."

Marcus gestured to the door and Mac reluctantly left the room. Both gentlemen left the office with Marcus heading towards the nurse's desk and Mac to the elevator. Mac took the elevator to the ground floor and pulled out his phone, calling a number he hadn't used in a long time. "Lucky – yeah it's Mac. I know your mom sees Dr. LeGrasse. Could you contact him and see what he knows about a Dr. Marcus Banks?"