Jason woke up the next morning with a strange feeling. He wasn't alarmed or even worried really. It was just that something was slightly off about the room. Sitting up he heard the shower running in his bathroom and realized that was the problem. Someone was in his shower and he wanted to know who the hell they were and why they were there!

Grabbing a pair of shorts off the chair where he had thrown them the night before he hurriedly jumped into them. Deciding not to bother with the t-shirt at the moment he turned to head into the bathroom. It was then that the bathroom door opened. It took him a moment to grasp that the figure before him wearing his robe and having her hair up in a towel was Spinelli's girlfriend, Maxie Jones. Jason found Maxie hard to deal with unless it was in very short bursts. Any extended contact with her and she would continue to go on and on about things he couldn't even begin to care about in the fashion world. Somewhere along the way he would get so bored that his eyes would glaze over and he would begin to wonder if shooting himself in the head might be a better option than having to listen to her. Dealing with Maxie was always a chore but faced with her the very first thing in the morning was asking a lot. Finding her in his bedroom was more than he could take.

"Honestly Jason!" Maxie began in her high-pitched scolding tone "there are other people in the house. You could at least have the decency to put some clothes on!"

Jason stared at her for a moment. He wasn't even sure where to begin. She was scolding him in his own house, in his own bedroom no less. Part of him wanted to innumerate the many ways she was in the wrong at the moment. Another part of him wanted to put his hands around her neck and choke the life out of her. Coming silently to the forefront, a third portion of Jason's mind took control and it immediately ruled out the first two options.

Instead he marched across the room and took Maxie by the elbow. He ignored her look which was an equal mix of shock and fear. Wordlessly he took a firm hold on her elbow and pulled her with him across the room. Upon reaching his bedroom door he shoved her into the hall and then slammed the door as hard as he could. The noise reverberated loudly in the hallway. It served to knock the pictures from their spots lining the wall and to wake Spinelli from a sound sleep.

Three quarters of an hour later a freshly showered and dressed Jason Morgan headed down the stairs to the living room. Spinelli and Maxie were fidgeting as they sat silently on the couch.

"What on earth were you doing on my shower?" Jason demanded of Maxie. While he was still very upset, the initial anger had passed now and he was calmer than he had been upstairs.

Just then there was a knock at the front door. Spinelli got up to answer the door. Normally he would have checked the peep hole before opening the door and announced their visitor. His mind was not on the door at the moment. He was focused solely on his mentor and his "beloved Maximista" and opened the door without even looking to see who was standing there. Both Maxie and Jason were equally oblivious to the visitor as well.

"I needed a shower after last night's ah, activities," Maxie was saying to Jason. "I was planning to get showered and get out before you woke up."

"What activities would those be?" Maxie's father Police Commissioner Mac Scorpio demanded from the doorway. "Just get your things Maxie; I am taking you home this instant."

"No. I am an adult now Mac and I will date whoever I want to." Maxie stated defiantly.

"I want to know what is going on." Mac demanded of his daughter and Spinelli.

While the three of them talked somewhat heatedly Jason's phone rang. 'Saved by the bell' he thought as he answered the phone.

"Yeah?" Jason asked immediately.

"Jason," Robin said quietly. "I need to talk to you. When will you have some time?"

"How about now?" Jason asked promptly. Her voice was calm and steady but something still nagged at him and he wanted to see her immediately. "Where are you?"

"Dutton's." Robin replied simply. Jason nodded even though he knew Robin couldn't see it. It explained a lot about the quietness of her voice. Being at the funeral home had to be extremely difficult on her.

"I'm on my way," Jason assured her. So far he was running under Mac's radar today and he wanted to keep it that way. Instead of removing the lock box from the closet and inserting the clip in his gun before leaving the house as was his custom; he simply took the lock box with him as he quietly slipped out his front door.

Once the elevator doors closed Jason took his gun from the lock box and inserted the clip. He tended to feel naked until he felt the gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans in the small of his back. He wasn't expecting any trouble today but experience had taught him to always be prepared for it anyway.

Stepping off the elevator Jason went straight to his SUV. It was second nature to Jason to always be mindful of security. He checked each room as he entered it and always kept an eye out for a tail while driving. The 20 minute drive to Dutton's Funeral Home was uneventful.

Heading into the building Jason thought to himself that he had been here too many times. It was Sonny's custom to pay for the funeral of anyone who died while working for him. They always used Dutton's Funeral Home and the owner and his sons tended to be very accommodating to their wishes.

"Good morning Mr. Morgan" Tim Dutton said as he approached Jason. He was the oldest son and the heir apparent if his father ever decided to retire. Unlike his father, Tim was nervous around Jason and Sonny.

"Good to see you Tim," Jason said as he shook hands with the man. He glanced casually around the room as he did so.

"Dr. Scorpio is in the office with my father." Tim told him as he pointed toward the door at the end of the hall.

Robin looked up as Jason knocked on the door and then entered. Frank Dutton stood up and walked around the desk to shake hands.

"Always good to see you Jason," Frank said with a smile. "I wish it was under better circumstances."

"So do I." Jason agreed as he sat in the chair next to Robin. Frank went into the hall leaving Jason and Robin to talk in his office privately.

"My mom called last night. Dad is meeting her in London today and they will fly over together." Robin said quietly. She was talking so quietly that it seemed to Jason she was talking to herself more than him. He reached over and patted her hand. She grabbed it and held tightly.

"I went in to see Patrick." Robin said in a whisper. "I always loved to see him wearing that suit. He looks good. Better than I thought he would. He had so much blood on him that night."

"Robin?" Jason asked hesitantly.

"A lot of what happened that night started coming back when I saw him in the coffin."

"Are you ready to talk about it?" Jason asked with concern.

"I think so," Robin replied in that far away voice that was beginning to worry Jason. "I can't talk here. I need to get out of here."

Jason nodded. They needed someplace private to talk where she could relax and take all the time she needed to fill him in on what she remembered. It was then that the cabin he bought on the outskirts of town would be perfect. It was secluded to afford them all the privacy they could want.

Robin just looked at him as he held her coat for her. She made no move to put it on so he simply put it around her shoulders. With his arm across her shoulder he guided her from the office and toward the front door.

Frank Dutton was talking with his son Tim as they entered the foyer. He opened the door for Jason who was holding tightly to Robin.

"One of us will call you later to finalize everything." Jason said simply as he steered Robin toward his SUV. "Sonny will send someone over later to get her car and take care of things."

Jason registered the look of nervousness that crossed Tim Dutton's face but brushed it from his thoughts immediately. Frank understood that Jason was referring to the cost of the funeral and the fact that Jason was planning on paying for everything. He hoped Frank never retired.

Once they reached the SUV Jason opened the passenger side door. Wordlessly Robin climbed in and buckled her seat belt. Jason set her purse on the floorboard by her feet before closing the door carefully. He really wished he could make everything okay for her again. It was so much to ask anyone to process. However, he knew without a doubt that she would process it in her own time and find a way to go on with her life. She would say that he gave her his strength. Maybe he did but she gave him hers as well. They made each other strong.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Please be sure to review.