"I'm going to smother you in gasoline." Maxie growled at the jade Pinto as it rolled to a halt in front of the only rest stop for twenty miles. "Yes, first I'm going to kick you a few more times and then I'm going to push you off a cliff. 'It's a reliable car,' they said. 'A classic.' A piece of shit." She decided, pushing open the creaky driver's side door and slamming it shut. The right side window, the only one that rolled up and down properly, shook in response. "Go ahead!" She shouted at it. "Break! I don't care. Never spent so much money on such a piece of shit." Maxie fished out a handful of quarters and walked over to the phone, fuming all the way. She pulled a bottle of antibacterial spray from her purse and drenched the phone in it before bringing it to her ear and dialing the familiar number.

"Hello?" Georgie answered distractedly, re-reading the letter for the fifteenth time. She had to have read it wrong. It just could say that. How was she going to explain this to Steven?

"Georgie, hi!" Maxie said in a cheerful tone.

"Maxie? Maxie?" Georgie shook herself to concentrate on her sister. Maxie had torn out of town a week ago and she hadn't heard from her since. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Yes, everything is just...wonderful. How are you?"

"Fine. Yeah I'm fine." If by fine she meant her plans for the rest of the school year were falling apart spectacularly around her, then sure Georgie was fine. "Where are you?"

"Ironically enough, I'm in Tucson." Maxie tried to find humor in it, but there was none. The car hadn't given her a bit of trouble until she entered this damn state.

"Oh. That's...I'm sure that will be funny one day."

"Somehow I doubt that. How are things with you? How's Kristina? Steven?"

"Kristina is good. She misses you like crazy. Says I can't do the voices like you."

"And Steven?"

"He's good. He got a new job lined up that will be huge for him." And one that her wonderful crazy husband would quit in a second if he ever saw this letter. He couldn't see it. He just couldn't. This was way too important to him.

"In Port Charles?"

"No um, Australia actually."

"AUSTRALIA?"

"Yeah. Australia. Baz Luhrmann wants him on his new movie. It's a huge step for him."

"No joke. So are you going with him?"

"That's the plan." Georgie tried to keep her voice from wavering.

"Sounds like a good plan to me. I'll have to come and see you once I get settled. Did you explain to Dad and Alexis about my leaving? I'm sorry about sticking you with that responsibility." She really was. It was her mess, not Georgie's.

"Well if they had actually called, I would have. But surprisingly enough, we've not heard from them. But no worries, I'll tell Alexis first and then Dad."

"Good. That's good. I wish you were here with me. This trip has been pretty crazy so far."

"I'm sure. Tell me about it."

"Well, I stopped at the Hershey's Factory in Pennsylvania. In Ohio I was mistaken for Meg Ryan. I'm hoping the pre-bob Meg Ryan. Instead of going through Illinois as was my original plan, I got a little, well okay very lost, in Kentucky. Which is how I ended up in Arizona. Instead of catching up with the original route, I just picked up this highway and that and now I'm seven hours from Los Angeles."

"Well at least you're close. That's like what a day or so left of driving?"

"I think I might just drive through tonight. The car's starting to give me problems and I don't want to break down."

"Well, no. Breaking down in the desert is the start of many awful horror movies. Just promise you'll be careful."

"I'm always careful."

"Maxie. This is me."

"From now on I'll be careful. No more ignoring my instincts."

"Oh Maxie. I wish I knew how to help you."

"You have helped me. More than you realize. I don't think I could have kept it together if you hadn't been there."

"I just...I just wish you didn't have to leave so fast."

"You know why."

"I do." Georgie sighed. It wouldn't do Maxie any good to know Ric had shown up the day after she had left. "So tell me, what are your plans once you hit L.A.?"

"Getting an apartment, setting up for my new job. The usual."

"Of course I'll expect you to call me every day. So I can assure Dad you are being safe of course. Otherwise he'll be on the first flight out to drag you back."

"No worries. Everyday. I promise."

"You better. Or I won't offer you a place to visit in Australia."

"I'd find you."

"I know. You better get going if you want to make it in before dawn tomorrow."

"Call me before you leave for Australia, will you? I can tell you what to pack."

"Yeah I'll call you." Once again, she re-read the letter. She couldn't let this ruin everything. She just couldn't. "Love you Maxie."

"I—I love you too." Maxie broke off. She didn't know why she was suddenly in tears. No more phone calls until she got to L.A.

*****

"Would you get that?" Accompanied by her voice, Robin's left hand slammed into Patrick's chest. He groaned in response. She thought about rolling over, but that would require too much movement and she was sore in places she had forgotten about.

"Get what?" Patrick asked his eyes still closed. He didn't care that it was six in the evening; he was exhausted. Four hours of sleep was cruel when you were used to getting eight, but two hours seemed to make those four hours seem like a godsend.

"The phone." Robin explained. "It's ringing."

"So what? It'll go to the machine." Patrick protested groggily.

"It could be important." Robin argued.

"So they'll leave a message." Patrick insisted. "You know if we don't sleep now we'll never be able to stay up with the babies."

"I know if we let it ring any longer, they're going to wake up anyway." Robin pointed out, reaching for the phone herself. "Hello."

"Luv?" Anna's voice held concern. "Is everything alright? You sound terrible."

"Leave it to you to always be blatantly honest. Everything's fine, Mom. How are you?"

"It sure doesn't sound fine. Where's Patrick? Isn't he helping? If he's going to be a father, he might as well get used to—"

"Mom. Mom. He's right here with me. We were just catching a quick nap."

"A nap with babies? Good luck with that my dear." As Anna offered the half-spent wisdom, Patrick grumbled about pulling the plug out of the wall next time.

"It's so good to hear from you." Robin said, fighting through a yawn.

"It's good to hear your voice my darling." The pride in Anna's voice made Robin smile a bit. "If I had known you were sleeping, of course I wouldn't have…"

"I know, Mom. It's okay. I'll take a conversation with you over sleep any day."

"That makes one of us." Patrick growled into his pillow. Robin put her index finger to her lips, silencing him. He gave her a "get real" look and closed his eyes.

"The reason I'm calling is because your uncle Mac tells me your maid of honor—"

"Elizabeth." Robin supplied.

"Yes. Well he tells me she abandoned you days before your wedding."

"She didn't abandon me. She and Lucky just wanted to spend some time with Cameron alone. His grandparents have been trying to brainwash him into believing that Elizabeth doesn't love him."

"My darling Robin." Anna said condescendingly. "You're always making excuses for other people. I should know. You've made plenty for your father and I haven't you?" There was sadness in her voice and it made Robin's heart break.

"You're both wonderful parents."

"We weren't when you were a little girl." Anna countered. "But it's going to be different now."

"Different?" At Robin's tone, Patrick opened one eye and stared at her anxiously.

"Yes. I know I've made a lot of mistakes, but I want you to know that I'm not going to pull the disappearing act on you or your children. Not anymore." Anna vowed confidently.

"We know you're busy. We're happy to see you when you're in town, but I don't want you turning your life upside-down keeping impossible promises."

"There's nothing impossible about it. I've been talking to a realtor—"

"You're moving?" Robin interrupted.

"Your father will be returning to the field soon and I just want to be near family."

"Near family?" Robin said.

"Is there an echo on this phone? Yes, near family. You are my family. You and Mac and the boys."

"And Patrick." Robin reminded her mother.

"Not officially. Not yet. You could still change your mind."

"MOM!" Robin scolded.

"Don't get mad at me. I'm never going to believe any man is good enough for my only daughter." Anna explained calmly.

"Where were you thinking of moving?"

"What do you mean? Port Charles of course." Anna replied.

"P-Port Charles?" Robin stuttered, unable to look at Patrick.

"Are you alright?"

"Yep. Sure. I'm fine. Mom, that's incredible."

"I know it's sudden and there wasn't a lot of warning, but I'm here now."

"What do you mean, you're here now?"

"I'm at the door. Come and let me in won't you? Your neighbors probably think I've gone senile."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Robin demanded, hopping out of the bed.

"I wanted to give a chance to wake up." As Anna said it, Robin pulled the door open. "There's my beautiful daughter." She complimented, shutting her cell phone.

"Hi." Robin threw her arms around her mother and held her tightly. "How long have you been in town? When did you get here? Does Dad know?" She was still asking questions when they broke apart from each other.

"Breathe, Robin. I got in an hour ago. I drove myself here from the airport. I just got here. Yes your father knows. I called him when the plane landed. He's staying over at Mac's."

"Why didn't you call me? I would have come to get you. What a trip that must have been for you." Anna had barely had a chance to close the door when Robin pushed a steamy cup of tea into her hands.

"I am a grown woman. I am more than capable of driving myself." Anna reminded her daughter, sipping her tea in grateful gulps.

"I know that. I just mean that you shouldn't have had to." Robin explained. "Come sit down. Tell me all about your campaign. Dad says you were—"

"That's all over. I'm so over politics. This country isn't ready for my style yet, but one day they will be." Anna cut her off.

"What are you going to do now?" Robin couldn't place her uneasy feeling. Her parents had always been career driven. She wasn't used to Anna Scorpio having more than a few minutes to talk.

"I haven't figured that out yet. Until I do, I thought I could help with the boys."

"You're more than welcome to visit with your grandsons, but we've got it under control. We really don't need—"

"You haven't a clue what you need. You won't until my beautiful new grandson makes his appearance."

"Parenting is a learning process and Patrick and I are both very capable people." Robin insisted.

"I love you, but you are being rather naïve about all of this aren't you? There are going to be instances where what's happening won't be found in one of your baby books. What are you going to do then? You're going to need someone who has been there."

Robin didn't let the initial response fly from her lips because it would have been mean. The truth was, for the first year of her life, she had been raised by the nanny. "I think we'll get along just fine. We could use any advice you're willing to give."

"Where is that wayward fiancé of yours?" Anna demanded when the twins started to cry in unison.

"He probably fell back asleep." Robin wished she could take the words back. "We haven't been..."

"Fell asleep? Parenting is a team sport. He should be helping, not hindering." Anna declared, making a run for the stairs.

"Mom, please. I'll go and get them and then we can have a nice long chat, okay?"

"Nonsense. I'm here to help." Anna waved off Robin's suggestion and followed her to the second floor.

Robin watched helplessly as her mother moved about the room as if she had a thorough knowledge of it and tended to Jake first. "Well there's a handsome boy." She cooed, picking him up. Robin watched in wordless wonder as Anna soothed the fussy infant into silent compliance. "That's better. You were just lonely, huh?" Anna's eyes found Robin's. "Aren't you going to check on the other one?"

"Yes. Yes of course." Robin rambled, taking Gracie from the crib and walking over to rocking chair.

"Don't sit there. You've got to walk and rock." Anna demonstrated. Jake lay content in her arms.

"I don't want to drop her." Robin whined tiredly. "At least if we both fall asleep in the chair..." But Anna was paying her no attention. Feeling as if she were still a child herself, Robin listened to her mother but Gracie would not be tricked. She knew Robin was an amateur and she was milking that for all it was worth.

"Is something sticking her? She sounds like she's in agony." Anna noticed.

"You should hear her when her meal is five seconds late." Robin stated.

"Here, I'll take her." Anna offered.

"No. I can do it." Robin nearly growled.

"It's not as easy as you thought it'd be, is it?"

"Don't make fun of me. It's only been a few days. I'm going to have a lot more time with my son. I'm going to get the hang of it."

"Of course you will. She probably just misses her parents." Anna figured.

"Why won't she stop crying?" Robin was in tears herself, rocking Gracie the only way she knew how. "All she does is cry. There's nothing I can do to stop it. She hates me. Babies hate me."

"Oh Robin." Anna laid Jake in the crib and took Gracie. "She's just not used to change. It's nothing to do with you."

"Then why isn't she crying now?" Robin snapped, stomping out of the room. Anna followed, her hand lightly patting Gracie's back.

"Babies pick up on stress." Anna explained.

"I can't even get my own niece to stop crying and she knows me. I've held her plenty of times."

"In the presence of her parents. She just misses them. That's all."

"Look at me."

"I am looking at you."

"I'm covered in formula and...phlegm. I haven't had a shower since last night. I'm losing track of what day it is."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself. What you're going through is nothing every parent hasn't gone through at some point or another. You'll get the hang of it."

"What if I don't? What if I'm a terrible mother?" Robin whimpered.

"How can you even think that? Look at how you are with Morgan."

"He came to me walking, talking, and thinking for himself."

"It's normal to worry. It's a natural reaction to parenthood."

"Really?" Robin wiped her eyes and nose with the sleeve of her lightweight sweater.

"Really. You've just got to know what they want. For instance, the twins only cried until they got some attention. Sometimes it's food, or a dirty diaper, but more often than that, it's just your presence. They need to know they aren't alone."

"I'm so scared I'm going to mess this up." Robin admitted.

"What's the worst that can happen in a week's time?"

"I mean this baby." Robin pointed to her stomach.

"You underestimate the bond between a mother and her child. You'll know. You'll struggle. You and Patrick both will, but in the end, you'll understand."

"Do you swear?"

"I swear. Here. Take her." Anna handed Gracie to Robin. "Use these two as your crash course. Not literally of course." She laughed and Robin was shocked when she laughed too.

"Mom."

"I know. I'm awesome. Let's have that talk now."