Chapter 12

"I take it you are keeping our little bird in her cage." Helena was basking in the Greek sun in while checking in with her cohort in Port Charles.

"I told you Helena, everything is under control." Marcus was relieved to be able to speak in his natural English accent, this southern thing was annoying. "Robin is getting more work done than ever now that she has been reunited with her daughter and we get the added bonus of torturing the Scorpios and Anna DeVane with the fact that she won't have anything to do with them."

"And no one is suspicious? What about that dog of a husband?" Helena never could understand why Robin had put up with the man.

"Dr. Drake was a slight problem but I have taken care of it. Everything is going according to plan. Another six months and we will have everything we need done. Robin, Emma and I will be able to start our new lives far away from Robert Scorpio, Anna DeVane and Port Charles and my beautiful little bird will be available to do anything you want for her from our new home. I will check in with you next week." Marcus hung up the phone and walked over to the window of his room. He looked out to see Robin and Emma playing in the Wyndamere maze.

It wasn't supposed to be like this – he wasn't supposed to have feelings for Robin. This was supposed to be about revenge for his father and what Anna and Robert had done to him. Helena had put a call out to all enemies of the spy duo years ago and he had happily responded on behalf of his father. It was because of Robert that Marcus had grown up only seeing his father once or twice a year in secured rooms.

After his father's arrest, Marcus's mother had moved them to England and changed their names so that Marcus wouldn't grow up with the stigma of being the son of a criminal. His mother brought him back to the states for visits with his father, visits that Marcus couldn't wait for. He was a good son and listened closely to all the stories his father had to tell him about what had happened with Anna and Robert. He listened to his father's plans carefully and, after Marcus turned 18, they spent years working together and figuring out their revenge. He knew what his father wanted him to do and he would do it.

But during his time with Robin, getting her to trust him and agree to be with him, he had actually fallen in love with her. Marcus had never understood the attraction his father had for Anna until he spent time with her equally beautiful and brilliant daughter. While Helena had not been happy about his changing feelings, Marcus' father had encouraged them. Marcus and his father had both assured Helena that she would still have access to the brilliant doctor but, from now on, Marcus would be her keeper. Besides, as long as Emma was with them, Robin would do whatever he wanted.

He would have Robin and they would be a family – no matter what it took.

Nikolas paced the living room, debating his next step. He had seen Marcus carrying Robin up from the catacombs, crying and upset. Nikolas had confronted him about Robin's state but Marcus had insisted that it was all Nikolas' fault. Because of the poor security Nikolas had at Wyndamere, a madman had snuck in, taken Robin and terrorized her. Marcus swore that he went searching for her and saw a man fleeing the tunnels right before he found Robin and brought her upstairs.

Nikolas didn't believe a word the man said, he hadn't since the moment he had walked in the door. Marcus was not trustworthy and Robin's dependence on the man was baffling to say the least. She seemed to have complete faith in the man to protect her and Nik was beginning to wonder if what he had seen the other day was the reason why. Something was wrong with the whole situation, beyond his grandmother's involvement, and Nikolas needed help to figure out what it was. But first, he needed to let someone know that Robin hadn't been in Paris before she came home.

Nikolas thought about it and picked up his phone. He knew exactly who he needed to call.

"Drake." Patrick didn't even look at his phone before answering; he was too busy reviewing the additional information Kevin had given him treatments for PTSD.

"Patrick, it's Nikolas." Patrick started talking but Nikolas interrupted him. "I need to talk to you as soon as possible – it's about Robin."

Patrick dropped his papers. "Can you meet me on the docks in 10 minutes?"

"Make it 20." Nikolas was already headed out the door as he finished speaking to Patrick. "I am headed to the launch now."

Patrick took a few moments to clean up his research before he left his office and headed to the docks, getting there just as the launch was pulling up. "What is it? Is she okay?"

Nikolas stared at him, unsure of what to say. Patrick was living with his cousin but it was obvious to Nikolas that he was still in love with Robin. "This needs to stay between the two of us – at least for now. I'm not sure who I can trust and it is in Robin's best interest to keep this quiet."

"To keep what quiet?" Patrick watched Nikolas warily. "What is going on?"

"Robin wasn't in Paris. I don't know where she was but I got a call right before she showed up from Dr. Banks saying that she would be coming back and needed a place to stay. I would do anything for Robin so I said yes." Nikolas hated not telling Patrick the whole truth but he wanted to give Patrick just enough information to spark his curiosity. He remembered Patrick's refusal to give up on Robin when Jerry Jacks forced Nikolas and Robin to pretend to be in a relationship and he was counting on that Patrick to be the one who heard him.

"Why lie and tell me she was?" Patrick had a feeling that Nikolas was hiding something else besides this secret.

"Because she asked me to and she is obviously in a very precarious state of mind. I don't trust Dr. Banks and I am hoping you may be in a position to help her." Nikolas turned around and started walking back to the launch. "I guess I just thought you should know the truth."

Nikolas boarded the launch, leaving behind a very confused and concerned Patrick.