Chapter 7

Mac sat down on the couch and smiled at Emma. The little girl's face was in full determined mode as she sat at the coffee table, working on creating the perfect picture with her crayons and paper. "What you doing Em?"

"Making Mommy a picture – you said she was coming home today?" Emma was scared it wasn't true but relaxed when her uncle smiled at her and nodded his head.

"Yes sweetheart, she is finally home." He and Felicia had sat the little girl down this morning and explained that the bad people had taken her mother away again and that Grandma Anna and Grandpa Robert had found her and were bringing her home.

"And Daddy isn't marrying Sam?"

"No, he isn't." They hadn't told her about the double who had taken Patrick's place – that was something her parents needed to explain to her. "You don't seem that upset – I thought you loved Sam."

"I do but…" Emma got up and sat in her uncle's lap. "Daddy isn't daddy with Sam."

"What do mean?" Mac wasn't surprised that Emma had noticed something was off with the fake Patrick – she was a Scorpio after all.

Emma looked away, she didn't want to get her dad in trouble. "Nothing." She started to get off Mac's lap but he hugged her close.

"You know you can tell me anything Emma – I promise you that it will be okay and I won't be mad." Mac needed to make sure that his great-niece was okay.

"He just, he didn't talk about work and he forgot about mommy. I thought he loved mommy but he wouldn't let me talk to her. He said I had Sam now." Emma's lips trembled as tears came to her eyes. "I love Sam but I want my mommy."

Mac rubbed the little girl's back and slowly rocked her back and forth while trying to control his anger at the imposter and the Cassadines. He was about to say something else when he heard the front door open.

"Emma?" Robin and Patrick stood in the door together. Both of them had tears in their eyes as they looked at their little girl for the first time in over a year.

"Mommy?" Emma jumped off her uncle's lap and ran over to her parents. Patrick bent down, picked her up and hugged her close as Robin wrapped her arms around them both. "Mommy!"

Patrick kissed her cheek and pulled Robin closer as Mac joined the family and hugged Robin. "Oh sweetheart, I have missed you. I thought I told you not to do this to me again."

"I'm so sorry Uncle Mac." Robin began crying as she wrapped her arms around her uncle. "I don't mean to…"

"I'm just happy you're home." He led the group to the couch and they all sat down – Emma on Patrick's lap as Robin scooted as close to the two as possible. "Where are your parents?"

"At the hospital questioning Tyson." Patrick was furious that his father had once again hid something so major from him and that Noah's past had put him and his family in danger.

"Who's Tyson?" Emma didn't know anyone by that name.

Robin turned to Emma and gently ran her hand down the little girl's cheek. "Emma, sweetie, there is something we need to tell you."

"Yes mommy?" Emma held her mom's hand, so happy to have her home again.

"You know how Daddy has a brother named Matt?" The little girl nodded her head – Uncle Matt was away on a trip but Daddy had promised she would meet him someday. "Well it turns out that Daddy has another brother and he looks just like Daddy."

Emma looked at her mom curiously. "Like a twin?"

Robin nodded. "Yes but they have a different mommy." Robin considered her next statement. She looked at Patrick who nodded as tears filled his eyes. "Anyway, he was helping the people who had taken me away and they decided that I needed your dad to help me with my work in the lab so they brought your dad to me and had his brother come here to take care of you."

"So that wasn't daddy who was going to marry Sam?" Emma was a little confused but things were making a lot more sense now.

"No baby, I love your mommy." Patrick reached out and took Robin's free hand.

Emma looked at her dad. "And you were with mommy?"

"We wanted to be home with you so badly but the bad people wouldn't let us leave." Robin's tears were streaming down her cheeks. "We knew that Uncle Mac and Grandma Anna were here with you and helping take care of you and that helped but we missed you so much Emma. We love you."

"I love you too." Emma hugged her mom tight.

Patrick wrapped her arms around both of his girls and held them both. The family sat there like that for a moment, just enjoying being together again before Patrick finally let go and smiled at Emma. "There's one more thing your mom and I want to tell you."

Emma wiped away the tears of happiness she had started crying. "What is that daddy?"

Robin took Emma's hand and placed it on the slight bulge in her stomach. "You're going to be a big sister."

Emma shrieked in delight and placed her other hand on her mom's belly. "Really?"

Robin looked at Patrick and laughed as Mac hugged her from behind. "Yes sweetie, in about five months your brother or sister will be here."

Emma clapped her hands and leaned into her dad. "This is the best day ever!"

Patrick pulled Robin close once more as he held the two most important women in his life in his arms. He smiled at Mac. "Yes it is."