Home

by eventsco

Home

Jason is startled when Robin returns to Port Charles with a young daughter and Jagger Cates by her side. Jason instantly wants answers but Robin isn't exactly thrilled by the idea of answering to anyone, especially him. Everyone in town is curious to know just how Jagger fits into Robin's life but the 2 keep such a low profile that even Uncle Mac isn't sure what to make of the pair raising his great-niece in Robin's old cottage.

Historic Changes

- Courtney doesn't exist.

- Robin knows Brenda is alive and well

- Emily and Zander never bought the cottage

Robin walked into the cottage carrying a heavy box and instantly felt strange being there again after so long. For the life of her she couldn't figure out how Jagger had managed to convinced her to come back. She didn't want to be in Port Charles, let alone the cottage that held so much history for her.

"Come on, move it." Jagger instructed as he came in behind her carrying more boxes.

Robin rolled her eyes and continued further into the living room, setting the box down and flopping onto Jagger's old, worn-out couch, that had been positioned haphazardly in the room by the movers. "I quit." She pouted. "Jagger, I'm tired, can't we just buy new things instead of unpacking?"

Jagger smirked, his dimples catching Robin's eye instantly. "I don't think either of us can afford that idea sweetie. Not until your Uncle Mac, officially hires me anyway."

"You know you already have the job." Robin replied. "You just have to go through the formality of it all." She propped her feet up on the box she had been carrying and let Jagger move around the cottage setting the other boxes down. "You go see him Monday right?" She heard Jagger mumble a reply. "Where's Abby?" She asked seriously.

"Outside in the yard." Jagger replied as he put his hands on Robin's shoulders from behind. "Come on, the sooner we get this done the sooner we can relax."

Robin rolled her eyes and reluctantly got up to finish unloading boxes from Jagger's beat up jeep. "Abby, stay where I can see you." Robin called to her barely 4 year old daughter who was happily exploring her new and very first yard.

"She's pretty excited." Jagger observed.

"Of course she does. She was too little to play in Paris and you're apartment in Chicago was so far from a park that she didn't get to play on grass nearly enough." Robin smiled a little as she watched the little girl play.

Abby was a little small for her age but in perfect health. Her long hair was brown but far lighter than Robin but she was a near spitting imagine of her mother when she was that age. Only one feature was in stark contrast to her mother's. Abby had the most piercing blue eyes most people had ever seen. As much as Robin felt uneasy about being back in Port Charles, it really was the only place she wanted her daughter to grow up at. They had family there, and that was what Robin wanted most for Abby. The cottage was affordable and Uncle Mac didn't live too far away, which was better than anything Chicago or Paris could ever offer.

"Hey sweet pea, don't you want to see your new room?" Robin called to Abby.

"Yeah!" Abby called excitedly as she ran for the front door with Robin and Jagger coming in close behind her.

Robin dropped a box she was carrying and ran up the stairs after her daughter, as Jagger shook his head and laughed. He knew this would be a good thing for Robin. She needed to set down roots for herself and for Abby, and Port Charles was the best place for that even if it took a lot of convincing to get her to agree. It had taken a year to get her to finally make the move back to the place she always referred to as home, but Jagger knew it would take a lot of getting used too for them all. Abby was 3 when Jagger moved her and Robin in with him in Chicago, after his marriage to Karen Wexler ended on less than friendly terms, followed by a string of less then solid relationships and having them around was probably the only thing that had kept him sane. Robin came back into his life at just the right time, or maybe more accurately, he dragged her back into it to help them both. It was a decision they both benefited from.

As he unpacked a box of photo albums, Jagger caught a glimpse of Robin and Stone. It was hard to believe that the young teenage girl he had known back then had grown up so much and was already raising a child of her own. Jagger could see such happiness in the photograph. It had been taken long before Stones AIDS diagnoses, when he and Robin didn't have a care in the world outside of each other. As Jagger put the album on a shelf he couldn't help but still feel that his younger brother had been taken away from the world far too early.

Upstairs Abby was looking around her new room. The walls were painted yellow--her favorite color--thanks to Uncle Mac and a cute teddy bear boarder lined the wall just above her eye level. Abby decided she already liked this new place better than Chicago. The room was nicer than the pink one she had previously and the house was massive compared to the apartment in Chicago.

Her bed was already set up under the window. Her big girl bed, which she loved from the moment Jagger bought it. And her dresser was next to the closet. Robin was already working on unpacking some toys to keep Abby occupied while she and Jagger unpacked downstairs.

"So what do you think sweet pea?" Robin asked her daughter. Abby smiled and nodded as she began pulling toys out of a box and throwing them onto the floor carelessly. "What are you doing?" Robin laughed.

"Looking for..." Abby grunted and struggled as she finally dumped the box on it's side. "This!" She beamed happily as she pulled out a book of fairytales that Robin read to her every night. She mostly liked the pictures in it but at bedtime it was a must have.

Carly came down the penthouse steps just in time to see Jason walking out the door. She looked at Sonny and frowned, "Where is he going?"

"Across the hall." Sonny replied as he flipped through a stack of mail, paying little attention to her. "Where he lives. Remember?"

"I thought you were going to ask him to have dinner with us." Carly replied as she scowled at her husband for taking a condescending tone with her.

"I did." Sonny stated. "He said he just felt like calling it a night." He explained.

"It's not even 6:30." Carly complained. "Sonny, I'm worry about Jase. He spends too much time alone lately."

Sonny cut her off, "Don't mettle, Jason like's being alone. Whenever you try to drag him out, he just goes to humor you. Leave him alone." He instructed.

Carly huffed but dropped the subject for the time being. "Fine. I'm going to see my mother down at Kelly's. Do you want me to bring you anything back?" Sonny shook his head and walked out of the room reading something with deep interest as Carly went for her jacket.

At Kelly's, Robin was already busy looking over the job section of the newspaper. When she and Jagger were unpacking, Abby came downstairs and told them that she was hungry. It occurred to them both that there wasn't anything to eat in the house, making Kelly's the only choice for something fast and affordable before the little girl would have to turn in for the night.

"We haven't even been here 24 hours and you're already job hunting." Jagger commented as Liz set down their meals which Robin didn't even seem to notice.

Robin sighed, "Well, I don't have a job as a cop already lined up waiting for me." Jagger rolled his eyes. "Don't start, you know I can't sit around for long and it's not in the budget anyway. "

"What's a budget?" Abby asked as she ate a French fry with plenty of ketchup on it while Jagger took a bit of his cheese burger.

"Nothing for you to worry about sweetie." Robin replied as she circled a couple of aids.

"And who do we have here?" Bobby Spencer asked kindly as she looked down at Abby.

Abby shyly grabbed Jagger's arm and tried to hide. "Hey Bobby." Robin greeted casually, "This is my daughter Abby. Abby say hi sweet pea." Abby only continued to hide.

"Aww, she's cute." Bobby smiled. "Maybe you can have a cookie after you eat your dinner honey." Abby smiled a little at that idea of a sugary treat.

As the door opened Robin couldn't help but cringe, bringing the newspaper up as she slouched down in her chair as Carly came in, "Mommy don't slouch." Abby scolded her mother.

"Yeah mommy." Jagger smirked knowing exactly the cause for Robin's change of mode.

Robin kicked his foot under the table and glared at him. "Don't stare." She remarked seriously.

Abby looked up from her plate of French fries, "I'm not."

"Not you Abby." Robin replied as she continued to give Jagger a dirty look as he snatched the paper from her.

"Eat your dinner before it gets cold." He instructed.

"Yes Dad." Robin remarked sarcastically which caused Abby to look at her strangely.

"Mommy, Jagger is not your daddy." She stated seriously.

Both Robin and Jagger could only laugh and shake their heads. Sometimes Abby took things far too literally for such a young girl. She was so smart but some times sarcasm was beyond her which was probably a good thing in Robin's opinion.

"Just ignore her." Jagger instructed, referring to Carly as she made herself comfortable at the counter while chatting to her mother Bobby.

It was obvious that Carly hadn't even noticed Robin yet and Robin wanted to keep it that way. She was far too tired to deal with Sonny's obnoxious wife, let alone deal with a potential barrage of questioning. Thankfully Bobby didn't have much of a reaction to hearing that Abby was Robin's daughter, she just nodded and smiled which Robin was grateful for.

Jason walked around his penthouse completely bored. He was glad that he finally wasn't around anyone. He just wanted to be alone but there really wasn't much to do inside his apartment. Television was never that interesting to him, nor was music, he had no business calls to handle and he wasn't tired yet. He grabbed a book about some far off country and sat down to read it.

That was what he did most of the time. Sat alone in his apartment reading. He didn't like to be around people anymore. It was too much work to pretend he cared about anything just to keep them from questioning him, especially Carly. At least once a week she tried to drag him out to be social but he only ever went along to shut her up for awhile. It was worse when Sonny was around, without her husband to occupy her Carly felt the need to pester Jason with every little detail as well as attempt to set him up with girls she thought he should be interested in. The truth was that Jason wasn't interested in anything. Work was slow which agitated him because it meant that he had to spend time at home where Carly could easily come across the hall to annoy him.

The real draw back of his self imposed solitude was that it allowed Jason ample time for his mind to wonder. He was actually quite miserable but didn't know what to do about that. He didn't want to date or be around people but he was beginning to get rather lonely. He often found himself thinking about the days when his life seemed nearly perfect. It was just him and Michael and Robin and at the time, things seemed headed in the right direction. It seemed like another life now. That all ended long ago. Michael was happy growing up across the hall with his mother and Sonny. Robin was off living her own life somewhere else as far as he knew. And Jason, well he was just existing. He knew he didn't have much of a life anymore and it was easier that way. No strings attached, he could do whatever he wanted and not have to answer to anyone.

Carly finally noticed Robin when Abby spilled her juice. Robin was instantly mopping it up with a napkin and Bobby quickly took them a cloth. "Sorry." Abby apologized quickly.

"It's ok sweet pea." Robin replied.

"It's nothing at all sweetie." Bobby agreed. "I'll get you another drink." She smiled.

"Thanks Bobby." Robin replied as she finished cleaning up the mess. "Come on Abby, let's go wash your hands before you get all sticky." She lifted her daughter up and carried her to the restroom, walking right past Carly without so much as a second glance in the blondes direction.

"What is she doing back here?" Carly demanded as Bobby poured a fresh glass of juice for the little girl.

"Robin? Oh Carly don't start." Bobby replied shaking her head. "You don't own this town as much as you like to think that you do."

Carly huffed as she looked over her shoulder to where Jagger was still sitting. "And that's who, her husband? Poor sap."

"Carly that's enough." Bobby insisted seriously.

"And the kid. My God, that woman shouldn't be allowed to have children." Carly continued as though she didn't even hear her mother. "I wonder who she stole that one from."

"Carly!" Bobby snapped. "Stop it right now. I want you to leave Robin alone do you hear me? Just stay clear of her. I don't know why you still feel threatened by her."

"Threatened? Ha! That's a joke mom." Carly remarked as she shook her head. "Getting rid of her was the smartest thing Jason ever did."

Bobby rolled her eyes and took the juice to the table. Jagger requested the bill and Bobby quickly wrote it up for him as Robin came back to the table and set Abby down. "Jagger will you take her out to the car?" Robin asked tiredly. "I'll take care of the bill, I just really want to get out of here please."

Jagger nodded and scooped Abby up. "Let's roll Abby baby."

"I'm not a baby." Abby laughed as Jagger tickled her in his arms.

Robin grabbed her purse from the floor and tucked the newspaper under her arm. "Are you looking for a job Robin?" Bobby asked casually.

Robin sighed, "Or 3." She pulled out some money and handed it to Bobby, "Keep the change for Liz alright?"

Bobby nodded, "Sure thing. Hey, look, I don't know if you'd be interested but I could use another girl here for the morning shift. The job is yours if you want it."

"Are you serious?" Robin asked. "Oh Bobby you don't know how badly I need a job. I would really appreciate it. I can start as soon as you need."

"How about tomorrow?" Bobby asked casually.

"That would be great. Thank you so much." Robin replied gratefully. "I'm going to get out of here before Jagger start honking the horn. Bobby thank you." She repeated as she headed for the door.

"What just happened here?" Carly demanded as she looked at her mother in disbelief.

"What?" Bobby asked as she began clearing the table.

"Did you really just give the little saint a job?" Carly asked seriously.

Bobby frowned, "Carly, if you still have a problem with Robin that's too bad. She's a nice girl, she needs a job and if you don't like that then you don't have to come down here." She stated bluntly.

Carly stormed into the penthouse in a level of rage Sonny had not seen from her in years. Like a child throwing a tantrum, she threw her purse across the room as Sonny simply looked at her skeptically. "What?" He shook his head, "What are you doing?" He asked seriously as Carly crossed her arms and scowled.

"You will not believe what my mother just did." Carly stated as she roughly sat down on the couch next to Sonny. "She just gave Saint Robin a job at Kelly's and..."

"Wait, wait, Robin? Robin Scorpio?" Sonny asked in disbelief. It had been so long since Sonny had heard the name let alone said it. God, how long had it been he wondered? He lost track because remembering was hard to do. It made his heart ache for the little woman who had once been like a sister to him.

Carly fumed, 1, because she didn't like being interrupted and 2, because who else could it have been. "Yes! Robin Scorpio! She's back in my town with a new little husband and probably someone else's kid." She seethed.

"Husband and kid?" Sonny asked suddenly in shock from what he was hearing. It was too much all at once, he couldn't fathom it. Robin was supposed to be in Paris becoming a doctor. She certainly wasn't supposed to be in Port Charles with a husband and child. "How do you know all this?"

"I saw her at Kelly's with them." Carly explained. "Some guy named Jagger and their kid. A little girl."

"Jagger Cates?" Sonny was instantly on his feet. It couldn't be! Robin and Jagger? It was not possible. No way, no how. Sonny didn't believe it. Robin and Jagger were practically--Sonny's expression froze before he could finish the thought. They were practically family. Jagger was Stone's older brother, Robin was the love of Stone's life. Didn't that count as some sort of unforgivable betrayal on some level?

"Yeah, that's what Bobby said." Carly replied as she sunk into the back of the couch, her arms still crossed and her expression still sour. She looked at Sonny suddenly and could tell his mind was reeling. "Sonny? What is it? You know him or something?"

"Yeah, I know him." Sonny replied sounding very distracted. He looked at Carly seriously, "You didn't storm over to Jason's and tell him all this did you?"

"No, but I'm about too." She snapped as she went to stand up.

Sonny stood in her way. "No, don't say anything to him. I'll tell him once it all sinks in for me."

"Sonny, I'm not going to risk Jason getting blindsided by little Miss Perfect!" Carly shouted.

"Keep your voice down." Sonny demanded. "The whole world doesn't need to know Robin's business."

"Who cares about Robin's business?" Carly fired back. "I'm just trying to look out for Jason..."

Sonny stopped her. "Leave it alone."

Robin had put Abby to bed and she and Jagger worked into the night unpacking everything they could before they were both too exhausted to continue. Jagger crept up behind Robin and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder. "Alright, enough for tonight." He announced.

Robin laughed and slapped him on the back. "Jagger put me down!" He dumped her onto the couch and smirked proudly. "Oh yeah, it takes a big man to pick on me." Robin teased sarcastically. "I bet criminals are really scared of you mister."

Jagger flopped down next to Robin and tickled her, "You better be nice to me little girl." He joked as Robin squirmed to get away. "Or I won't put your bed together tonight."

"I'll do it myself." Robin laughed.

"Oh yeah, because you took it apart so easily." Jagger commented remembering how Robin had finally given up and allowed him to do it after she struggled with it for almost 2 hours. He stopped picking on her long enough to study her for a long moment. "How was seeing the bitch for the first time?" He asked bluntly.

Robin smacked his chest, "I told you to stop swearing."

"No, you told me to stop swearing around Abby and I have. She's in bed so let the curse words roll." Jagger reasoned. "Answer the question."

Robin shrugged. "Were you expecting a cat fight to break out?"

"Maybe." Jagger smirked which caused Robin to slap his chest again. "You don't like her very much and she obviously still hates you."

"Good for her. I don't care." Robin replied seriously. "I've got better things to do than worry about Carly."

"I hope you can keep that in mind the first time you see Jason Morgan because you can't avoid him forever." Jagger reasoned.

Robin rolled her eyes and got up, leaving Jagger alone in the living room. She didn't want to talk about Jason. She didn't want to think about him or acknowledge his existence in any way, shape or form. That was her typical reaction. Jagger was all too used to her shutting down at the mention of her ex. She had no use to Jason and didn't see any need to talk about him at all especially with Jagger. Her life revolved around Abby, not Jason Morgan.

Jagger heard the shower upstairs come on and knew Robin was stepping inside within seconds. He shook his head and went upstairs hoping to have her bed put together before she was ready to turn in for the night.

Waiting tables was nothing new to Robin. She had plenty of practice in Chicago not that Bobby knew that when she hired her. The morning rush wasn't anything Robin couldn't handle and she made a few extra bucks in tips by the time things slowed down. Jagger came in with Abby and Mac shortly before noon which was the first bright spot in Robin's day.

"Hey, if it isn't 3 of my favorite people?" She greeted as Abby ran into her open arms. "Hey there sweet pea." She smiled and kissed Abby on her nose. "Are you being good for Jagger and Uncle Mac?"

"She's an angel." Mac replied. "She always is." The man was hopeless. Abby wrapped him around her little finger the moment he first laid eyes on her when she was barely a week old. Robin knew that twinkle in Mac's eyes instantly. She had the same affect on him years ago. There would be no convincing him she was less than an angel but it was fun to try.

Robin scoffed, "Are we talking about the same kid here?" She teased and tickled Abby.

"Yeah, she terrorizes me nightly." Jagger stated with a grin.

"That's her job." Mac laughed. "But she's always perfect with me. Right Abby?"

"Right Uncle Mac." Abby beamed and squirmed for Robin to put her down.

Mac hugged Robin warmly for a long moment, "Welcome home sweetie."

"Thanks Uncle Mac." Robin replied. "You guys have a seat, I'll be with you in a minute." She explained as she went to check on another table where a young couple were just finishing their meal.

Sonny came into Kelly's a few minutes later and took a seat at the counter, knowing that Mac's eyes were instantly locked on him. He didn't care. The commissioner could stare all he wanted and it wouldn't bother Sonny Corinthos in the very least. Robin on the other hand, her icy gaze was harder to cope with. Sonny knew the coldness in Robin's eyes well but never before had it been directed in his direction. She had always reserved it for people she considered a threat or enemies Carly received it routinely--at one time, Sonny never would have imagined that he too would fall into that category.

"Can I take your order?" Robin asked coldly as she put one hand on her hip and looked at him as though he was the last person on earth she wanted to see. And he was certainly in the top 5 in her opinion. She could tell Mac was about to get to his feet to step in but she waved him off. She could handle Sonny on her own.

Sonny sighed, "Hey sweet-"

"Don't." She cut him off sternly. "What do you want Sonny? I didn't fight with your precious little wife so you can't possibly be mad at me already." She remarked.

"How about coffee?" He asked almost sadly. He wished desperately that things could be different. He did still love Robin but it was obvious she didn't even like him. He didn't blame her. He had hurt her and turned his back on her, siding with Jason when she had tried to do the right thing by telling AJ about his son. Robin poured him a cup of coffee in silence. "Is that you're little girl?" He asked nervously.

Robin simply stared at him for a moment and then walked away without saying a word. She wondered who the hell he thought he was to have the nerve to even ask about Abby but then remembered Sonny Corinthos never did lack nerve. Obviously Carly had been spreading the news already. Until returning back to Port Charles, the only people in town that knew Robin had a child were her immediate family. Meaning only Mac and the girls as well as Luke Spencer because well, the man was her Daddy's best friend and he was family in Robin's mind. Luke was also Abby's godfather. Maybe if Sonny hadn't shut her out of his life then he would know the answer to that question. Robin didn't feel like answering any questions. Sonny was powerful but he didn't scare her and would not even try to scare her into telling him a damn thing.

She sighed as she looked at Mac and Jagger as Abby played with a coloring book Mac had bought for her. "Why don't you head out?" She asked seriously. "I'm done at 2 and I'll be home. We can catch up then." She promised Mac.

"Are you sure?" Mac asked, still looking at Sonny. Robin nodded and sent them on their way. She didn't want Abby exposed to Sonny or her own cross mood brought on by being in his presence. If things blew up she certainly didn't want Abby to witness it.

She instantly went back to where Sonny was sitting and glared at him. Before she could say anything to him Jagger came back into Kelly's and went straight to them. "You forgot your keys on the coffee table this morning." He stated as he handed Robin her house keys never taking his eyes off of Sonny for a second. "I'll see you at home." Robin nodded and waited for him to leave. Robin would have normally rolled her eyes at Jagger but she actually found what he was doing a little amusing. Jagger wanted to make sure Sonny saw him. He wanted to look the man in the eye and silently tell him, 'You blew it again Corinthos.' Their history was long and complicated but the main source of conflict was Jagger's ex-wife Karen, the woman Sonny once adored and employed at one of his dirty little strip clubs. The hatred ran deep between them and the only civil period came about because of Stone being diagnosed with AIDS.

Jagger hated Sonny with a passion. He hated that Stone idolized him and that Robin loved him. He hated the way the awful man shut Robin out of his life when she needed him most. And he knew exactly what Sonny Corinthos would think seeing him with Robin. It was the same thing everyone else would think and both he and Robin had discussed it at length before they moved. They would answer to no one. Everyone could think whatever they wanted with out any explanations offered. The hell with the whole lot of them!

"So you keep company with a lot of cops now huh?" Sonny asked as he watched Jagger disappear.

"Always have." Robin reminded smugly all the while she wondered if Sonny honestly forgot that most of her family worked the opposite side of the law. They upheld it while he schemed to get around it. How did she ever become friends with him? Stone, it all led back to the first time she ever fell in love. Stone was the reason Sonny and Robin became forever linked on some twisted level. She would always love Stone but part of her wished she had never met Sonny. "Maybe you shouldn't come near me. I might be wearing a wire." She remarked. For the first time, Robin was almost ashamed to be a waitress. She wanted to return to town better than Sonny and everyone else but that wasn't the case. She was just a waitress. Struggling to make ends meet and take care of her daughter. It could have been worse though, Robin told herself to be grateful it was Kelly's and not a Dennys on the side of a highway somewhere. At least she didn't have to wear some pathetic uniform or babble off the lunch specials every 10 seconds. Most people in town new the menu at Kelly's by heart. She just had to write their order down and then deliver it.

"So the kid-" Sonny began blatantly ignoring the wire comment which was obviously a direct reference to Brenda meant to wound him.

"Abby." Robin stated coldly. "Her name is Abby, not the kid."

"Abby, that's a nice name." He replied trying to be warm.

Robin wiped the counter and shook her head, "Yeah, I thought so too. That's why I gave it to her."

"So she is yours." Sonny stated.

"Yeah, I own her." Robin remarked sarcastically. "She's my daughter Sonny, not that it's any of your business."

"And Jagger is-"

Before he could finish the question Robin cut him off, "Absolutely none of your business." She put her hands on her hips again and shook her head, "Why don't you just go bother someone else?" She asked seriously.

"Am I bothering you?" He asked simply. That was one of Sonny's most irritating qualities, being about to keep so calm and casual when someone obviously wanted to strangle him. He knew Robin wanted him gone the moment she laid eyes on him coming through the door but he hoped to wear her down just enough to get a few answers from her. He was prying and he knew it but it was Robin and there was no stopping himself.

"You think?" She snapped. "I'm not one of your employees Sonny. I don't have to answer to you. If you want to play 20 questions find someone else." She insisted as she walked away from him.

Well, it certainly didn't go as Sonny would have predicted. Robin was so forgiving that part of him hoped she would smile and say I've missed you Sonny, how have you been? and yet at the same time he half expected her to dump a pot of hot coffee onto his lap. Whatever happened--because Sonny wasn't quite sure--was somewhere in between. She didn't scream at him or injure him but she didn't smile either. Sonny sorely missed her smile. There was something special about Robin when she was happy. Her whole body changed and it was infectious. The young woman could lit up a room or brighten a day with just one smile.

She obviously wanted distance from him so Sonny gave her that and left. She wasn't ready to talk to him, he could understand that but hoped eventually she would come around even just once for a short visit. He desperately wanted to know that she was alright, that she had done just fine on her own without him. She clearly had but Sonny wanted to hear the details even if they included Jagger.

When Robin finally got home she flopped down on the couch tiredly. Her feet were sore from being up all morning serving customers, she still had unpacking to do and her day wasn't even close to being done because she already had another job interview lined up. Her eyes were closed when Abby promptly jumped on her mother squealing happily.

"Mommy, you're home!" She beamed as she dove down to hug Robin tightly.

"Hey sweet pea." Robin smiled as she rubbed Abby's lower back.

"Abby, let your mom relax for a second before you attack her." Jagger insisted as he came into the living room with a soda for Robin. "Here."

Robin laughed, "Gee, thanks dear." She joked.

"Mommy who was that man at your work?" Abby asked, her brow furrowing slightly as she sat on Robin's lap and looked at her seriously. God she looked like her father when she did that. It almost made Robin cringe and want to leave the room to avoid that questioning stare.

Robin shot Jagger a look, questioning if he had said something foolish in front of her daughter but he held up his hands in defense. "Just a customer honey." She ran her hand over Abby's head, "Why do you ask?"

"You talked to him some." Abby replied." And Uncle Mac gave him a funny look when he came into that place."

Robin sighed, "Uncle Mac gives lots of people funny looks. Don't you pay any attention to them." She shifted and sat up a bit, holding on to Abby so she wouldn't lose her balance and fall off of her mother's lap. "Abby, that man if you see him and I'm not with you I want you to stay clear ok?" Abby gave Robin a strange look as though she didn't understand. "Jagger told you about staying away from strangers, remember?" Abby nodded. "Well that man is a stranger." Abby soon lost interest in the topic and went off to play. "Don't look at me like that you big ape." Robin remarked, feeling Jagger's eyes locked on her. "You don't want her going to have cookies with Sonny Corinthos do you?" She asked smugly.

"No, not really." Jagger admitted. "But then again we've been over this already right? You still don't want anyone to know who Abby's father is. Christ Robin! Mac doesn't even know for sure." That was only half true actually and Jagger knew it. While Robin refused to admit it directly, Mac knew his niece and he knew when Abby was born, there was only one option because Robin was never the type of girl to run around. "You just want to keep Abby as far away from Sonny as possible to make sure he doesn't do the math and figure it out." He explained seriously. "My reasons are more practical."

Robin rolled her eyes, "You're the one that wanted to move here. I thought Abby was doing just fine in Chicago." It was a loaded remark and Robin knew it. Staying in Chicago was no longer an option for them for a variety of reasons.

"You know damn well why we moved back here." Jagger snapped crossly. "You want Abby to know her family. To be close to them in case anything ever happens to you. Again." Jagger was only sharing the half of the truth that he felt comfortable admitting too.

"Don't say it like that." Robin replied, rather than remind Jagger of the list of other reasons they had moved. "Anything as though we both don't know the worst case scenario." She stopped and frowned, she didn't mean to be so harsh with him. Jagger was so good to her and he really did worry about what would happen if Robin died from HIV/AIDS eventually. She worried about it too.

She wanted Abby to have as much family around her as possible if that ever happened. People that would love her and take care of her no matter what, Robin needed that for her daughter and for her own peace of mind. She knew Jagger would be one of those people, assuming he didn't get killed in the line of duty which was always a very real possibility for any cop, especially in Port Charles were organized crime was a constant threat to the police.

"Jagger, I'm not dying ok?" She stated more than asked. "You're not getting rid of me anytime soon so don't worry about it so much." Robin looked at her watch and frowned. "I have to go. I have an interview. "

"Have you given any more consideration to telling him?" Jagger asked point blank. The former boxer still pulled no punches even with Robin.

"Telling who what?" She asked blankly, hoping he would get the hint and leave her the hell alone. When Jagger was about to call her bluff she stopped him. "You've been talking to my sister again." She rolled her eyes.

"I know Brenda thinks you should tell Abby's father the truth." Jagger admitted reluctantly because the idea didn't exactly thrill him.

"The truth would imply that I ever lied to him in the first place." Robin reminded. "I did not lie." She insisted. "I just never got around to telling him about Abby." She again felt Jagger's gaze fix upon her. "I tried Jagger. I told you a long time ago that I tried, it just didn't workout."

Jagger rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't get mad at me. I'm not the one telling you that he needs to know. It's Brenda, all Brenda."

"I'm still trying to figure out what she developed a soft spot for..." Robin stopped herself as Abby came tearing through the room. "Look, I really have to head out. My interview..."

He interrupted her, "At the bar."

"At Jakes, yes." She confirmed tiredly. "I need the job Jagger. We need the money if only to cover my medical bills after everything else." She explained. Since the day Abby was born she came first, followed by Robin's HIV medications and then whatever else there was.

This was the point in the conversation where if Brenda was present she would mutter something about things being easier if Abby's father helped out with the expenses which would always be greeted with a disapproving glare from both Robin and Jagger. Robin couldn't believe how different Jagger and Brenda felt when it came to what Robin should do about Abby's father. They were the only 2 people that Robin actually acknowledged and admitted the name of Abby's father. Neither had been particularly thrilled but Brenda wasn't surprised. Jagger was protective, he didn't think Abby's father needed to be in her life, he hadn't been so far and she was doing just fine without him. Brenda on the other hand thought that Abby's dad should at least know about her. She thought he deserved a chance to know his daughter. Robin, well Robin was just conflicted about the whole mess. She never meant to not tell him. It really just sort of happened and how was she supposed to tell him now that Abby was 4 years old? Hey, sorry I didn't tell you sooner but you have a kid. That just didn't seem to fit the bill. Part of her wanted to tell him and the other part wanted to just spare herself and Abby what would undoubtedly be a huge fallout.

"We don't need the money that badly Robin." He tried to reason. Jagger knew that Jakes was rather sleazy at best. The customers were usually deadbeats, the beer was cheap and if Jake could find a girl to work then the customers were thrilled to have some fresh meat put before them. He didn't like the idea of Robin even stepping foot in that place especially at night. "I'm going to be working for the PCPD next week and everything will be fine."

"Jagger, you know how expensive my pills are? Your medical plan isn't going to cover me, the woman you live with or my daughter." Robin reasoned. "I need all the money I can pull in. I'm not going to let you cover everything and you know it. I can serve pancakes at Kelly's in the morning, serve drinks at Jakes at night and still get to spend time with Abby in the afternoon."

"And when does sleep factor into all this?" He questioned.

Robin shrugged, "Abby usually takes her nap at around 3 in the afternoon. We're golden. Don't sweat it. We both know I've worked worse hours than this."

"Yeah and that lead us here." He reminded. Robin ignored him and headed out, hoping to God that she landed the job at Jakes. The tips from sleazy drunk customers alone would make a world of difference in Robin's bank account and she really did need the money.

There was noway Robin was willing to admit that Jagger was right. Working worse hours had been a major reason for having to return to Port Charles. In Chicago, she was working 3 jobs and barely getting to spend anytime with Abby. She caught pneumonia and still refused to take time off until she ended up in the hospital because of it. It scared her and Jagger and shook up poor little Abby who knew that any time her mommy got sick it was not a good thing even though she didn't fully understand what HIV was or did. That had been the final straw and frightened Robin into the decision to move back to Port Charles where Abby would have family in Mac and the girls in case Robin ever did get sick. And to some degree, at least Abby's father would be nearby if Robin did decide to tell him about their child.

Sonny had wanted to give Jason a heads up about Robin being back in town but before he had a chance, Jason had to go away for a few days to take care of some business. It would have been dangerous and stupid to tell him anything until he got home because sending Jason to work after hitting him with the Robin news would only distract him and Sonny didn't want to chance getting his friend killed. It took everything he had to hold Carly at bay to keep her from opening her big mouth about Robin in the first place but when Jason returned to Port Charles 3 days later, the inevitable happened.

Sonny was out somewhere with Carly when Jason stopped by but Michael was thrilled to see him and begged to go to the park. Jason couldn't say no to him even if he was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to crawl into his bed, even though it was only mid-afternoon. He agreed and told Leticia that he was taking Michael out but wouldn't be long.

"Go get your jacket buddy." Jason instructed as he put his hands into his pockets. Michael ran to grab his jacket and returned moments later.

"Can we go now Uncle Jason?" Michael asked excitedly.

Jason smiled and nodded, "Yeah, but only for a little while ok?" Michael was already out the door running past the guards. Jason motioned for them to stay put, he never bothered to take them when he took Michael out, the young boy was safe with Jason and Jason just felt bad for the kid always having an armed shadow lingering while he was just trying to play.

Brenda handed Robin a cup of coffee as she sat down next to her friend on a park bench where they could easily watch Abby play with a few other small children. "I don't know why you just didn't stay home to sleep while I brought Abby here." Brenda commented casually.

Robin shrugged, "You just got in this morning. I wanted to spend a bit of time with my best friend and my daughter, do you have a problem with that?" She teased as she gave Brenda a bit of a nudge with her elbow.

Brenda shook her head and laughed, "But you're obviously tired."

Robin was in fact exhausted but she wasn't about to admit that. Jagger had started working already which meant thank God Bobby was such a sweetheart and didn't mind--Robin spent the morning waiting tables while Abby colored at the counter. They napped in the afternoon and after they had dinner with Jagger, she bolted off to work at Jakes until late into the night. Brenda had come at Jagger's urging because he knew Robin needed help and wouldn't dream of getting a babysitter to spend so much time with Abby. Robin was edgy in Port Charles and the only people she truly trusted with Abby weren't available to babysit her during the day, so that meant Abby stayed with her mother all day until Jagger got home in the evening.

"I'm fine. You and Jagger worry too much." Robin replied as she watched Abby. "Besides 2 jobs wasn't so bad even if both didn't pay all that great. It was a hell of a lot easier than working 3 jobs plus taking care of Abby." Robin still had old student loans to pay off from studying abroad before Abby was born, even with her scholarship she still had to pay out a lot for textbooks and everything else that was required for the medical program. Once she got all of that paid off things would be easier. It was just a slow process with an ever growing child on her hands, as well as other bills that never seemed to stop.

It almost made Robin regret burning the stock certificates she had been given by Sonny years earlier. It wasn't one of her more rational decisions but at the time she was so angry and didn't want anything to do with him or his money. She still didn't want anything to do with Sonny actually. And even though Mac had offered more than once to help her especially with her medications Robin declined and was determined to take care of herself and Abby on her own. It wasn't that she was dead set against getting help from anyone it was just that if she could do it on her own she would and so far that's exactly what she was doing. Just by living with Jagger things were easier, rent was less, bills were easier to pay off and she could focus on Abby and make sure her daughter had whatever she needed. What she needed was a job that had benefits and medical coverage then she wouldn't have to pay for her medications in full every month.

"Because we love you sweetie." Brenda reminded.

"I know." Robin answered. "And I love you 2 both so much. You and Jagger have helped me with Abby so much over the last year."

"Hey, I'm the kids aunt. it's my job to help. And Jagger is her well, he's something." Brenda laughed. "I'm not sure how to define that guy."

Robin laughed, "I know. He's something else, he always has been. And he's so good with Abby, I didn't realize having him around would make such a difference but it has. Though Abby still thinks boys are strange. She tells him that everyday at least 10 times."

"I know! It's so cute!" Brenda chuckled. "I guess that's what happens when a little girl spends all her time with her freakishly normal mommy."

"I'm not freakishly normal!" Robin objected with a laugh.

Brenda sighed and turned serious again as Abby played in the sandbox. "So are you going to tell him?" She asked.

Robin rolled her eyes, "Is that the million dollar question or what? You and Jagger need to fight it out with each other and then take it up with me. I can't handle being pulled in 2 different directions by you 2." She complained because really having to fight it out with both of them was absolutely mind-numbing. Jagger said no, Brenda said yes and all Robin wanted to was tell them both to leave it alone.

"Hey, I don't mean to pull you in any direction." Brenda insisted. "It's ultimately up to you Robin but I just..."

"You just think I should tell him." Robin finished for her friend. "I know Bren. It's not a matter of what I should or shouldn't do, it's a matter of what's best for Abby and I'm not so sure her father is very good for her."

"Have you even seen him since you got back?" Brenda asked. Robin shook her head no and stood up to go over to Abby with Brenda instantly by her side. After making sure Abby was enjoying herself, the 2 women went back to the bench. "You can't avoid me." Brenda insisted. "I never go away for good." Robin laughed a little, Brenda tended to find it easier to make light of her lengthy absence from the land of the living free because she didn't like to think of the years she had missed with the people she loved, especially the earliest years she had missed of Abby's life. Are you scared?

"I don't know." Robin admitted. "I'm still debating it. I mean why do I have to tell him at all? He has his life, I have mine with Abby, why mess everything up? Things are ok the way they are." She tried to reason.

"He deserves to at least know he has a child Robin." Brenda replied, she knew that Robin wanted desperately to agree with her. Robin had always felt children should have both parents if possible but she found out that it was easier said than done. "And deep down inside I know you've always wanted to tell him. You want Abby to have a father, her father."

"For how long?" Robin questioned bluntly. "I don't want to risk her losing him because he gets shot or..." She stopped and looked at Brenda directly in the eyes. "When did you become a fan of Jason Morgan huh?" Well, that was a 2 point score for Brenda, she actually managed to get Robin to utter the man's name which was always a challenge. "Since when do you like him? If memory serves me right you and he can't stand each other and you spent many a days trying to tell me how dangerous he is and how it's not safe to be around him. So why should I subject Abby to that life huh?"

"So many questions so little time." Brenda shook her head and frowned. "I'm not a huge supporter of Jason Morgan but he's her father Robin. It's his best quality and he doesn't even know it." She sighed. The first time she set eyes on Abby a little over a year ago without so much as a word from Robin, Brenda knew that Jason was Abby's father. It was in her eyes and her sometimes frustrating ability to question everything with a complete seriousness about her. It pained Brenda to find out that her best friend, her little sister--had gone through so much while she was dead. Robin had always gone through so much unnecessary heartache. "You spent a good chunk of your life wishing to know your parents, do you really want Abby wishing to know her father?"

Before she could reply Robin froze as Jason came into the park with Michael. When she didn't respond, Brenda looked over her shoulder to see what Robin was staring at. Robin was up instantly and went to Abby, scooping the small girl up quickly and shielding her from Jason's view, not that he was even paying attention yet.

Brenda panicked. She wanted Robin to tell Jason about Abby but the look of fear in her friends eyes broke her heart. She couldn't let Robin be cornered in the park with Abby, so she did the only thing she could think of. She got up and went to Jason, distracting him before he even had a chance to notice Robin leaving with the child in her arms.

"Hey you!" Brenda tried to seem cheerful and happy to see Jason but he obviously wasn't buying it and was shocked to see her in Port Charles at all.

Michael ran off to play on the swings, while Jason looked Brenda over, "What are you doing here? I thought you were staying in Switzerland, at that hospital."

"It lasted about a week." Brenda replied bluntly. "I got homesick." Jason looked at her suspiciously. He knew Brenda, she was up to something, he could see it in her eyes and he wasn't even sure he wanted to know what was going on. "Don't give me that look Jason. I'm just visiting. I'll be out of your hair before you know it."

He rolled his eyes, "Well I know you're not here to visit Jax so I'm just wondering who you're here for if you're just visiting like you say."

Brenda frowned, he clearly didn't even know Robin was back in town. She had expected Jason's guards to have informed him or even Carly and Sonny, but apparently he was every bit as clueless as he seemed somedays. "I have to go. God you're so dense." She muttered as she walked away to catch up with Robin.

"Mommy, I want to stay." Abby complained as Robin carried her to the car and put her into her carseat.

"I know sweet pea." Robin replied quickly. "But Mommy just realized I need to do some things at home but we'll come back. And you can play with Auntie Bren in the yard ok?"

She heard Brenda approach and instantly looked at her friend while holding her breath. "He didn't see you and don't you dare think for a second that I would sell you out." Brenda stated seriously.

"Thanks." Robin replied as she got into the car and waited for Brenda to follow suit.

Once in the safety of her own home, Robin sent Abby to play up her room as Brenda looked at her with concern. "Are you ok sweetie?" She asked as Robin sat down on the couch and put her head in her hands.

Robin sighed, "I thought I would handle that better." She looked up at Brenda and almost had tears in her eyes. "I'm such a coward. I just grabbed Abby and ran...God."

"You panicked." Brenda replied as she sat down next to her friend. "I don't think this is the sort of thing you can prepare for. Neither of us expected him to show up there with Carly's son."

Robin shook her head, "It doesn't matter. I'm going to have to face him sooner or later right? I'm just afraid of what will happen the first time he sees Abby. He'll know Bren, Jason will know right away, one look at her and..."

"Hey, Jason isn't that good. In fact, he's pretty damn dense so don't give him so much credit." Brenda reasoned.

Robin still worried. It showed in her eyes that inside she was terrified of what would happen if or when Jason found out about Abby. She didn't want to hide her daughter, she just wanted to protect her and that had been so much easier in Chicago and even in Paris, when she had to do everything alone, before Brenda showed up at her door and before Jagger came along and offered to help. Robin tried to remain calm and to tell herself that Brenda was right, she was overreacting but she had her doubts. Jason had a way of figuring everything out once he decided too. Coming back to Port Charles seemed to have set a countdown off inside of Robin's mind. It felt like a bomb was going to explode at any moment and she didn't like it one bit.

Sonny had finally decided he had to lay everything out for Jason before the man found out from someone else that Robin was back, with Jagger and with a child. He wasn't sure how Jason would react but he wisely made sure that Carly wasn't around to add any fuel to the fire. When Jason came into the penthouse with Michael, a couple hours after taking him to the park. Sonny instantly advised his stepson to go play up in his room while he and Jason spoke about something.

The look in Sonny's eyes warned Jason that something was off. Whatever Sonny had to say wasn't going to be good. However, Sonny didn't even manage to get half of the new details out before Jason had heard enough. In fact, all he heard from Sonny's mouth was, 'Jase, you need to know that Robin is back home...' Jason was in stunned silence but that didn't stop him from leaving the penthouse immediately. He got on his bike and drove, he didn't have a destination in mind, he just had to get away as quickly as possible. He barely noticed Sonny trying to stop him. The mere mention of Robin's name felt like a punch to his gut and Jason didn't even want to hear whatever else Sonny may have had to say. He just wanted to escape it. It couldn't be true. Robin was supposed to be living in Paris, a world away. It was easier knowing she was in Paris, than having to face the reality that she was now walking around Port Charles again where he could bump into her at any moment.

Jason lost track of time while he drove but eventually ended up at Jakes sometime before 10:00. It was dark, the bar was already half filled with regular customers and as much as he hated to admit it, Jason was getting dangerously close to becoming a regular over the past few months. Being out of town on business was the only reason he had yet to run into Robin working there, not that Jason knew that.

When Jason walked into Jakes, he never expected to see Robin behind the bar. She was what he was trying to run from and forget, now she was apparently working at what was supposed to be a safe house of sorts for him. Jason cursed under his breath, as a wave of shock hit him with full force but he wasn't going to just walk out. He was going to get it over with quickly. Like removing a bandaid, one sharp pain and it would be done with. He always knew that the first time seeing her would be the hardest, it could only get easier from there and Jason just wanted it over it. At that very moment, it felt like his chest was in a vice and about to be completely crushed under the enormous pressure.

She didn't notice him at first, as she handed a few customers their drinks mostly bottles of cold beer. She looked like some underage school girl that had somehow managed to land a job at one of the sleaziest bars in Port Charles. Robin had never looked her age, even though she was always wise beyond her years somehow. And there she stood with her dark hair up in a messy ponytail, with a red halter top that didn't nearly cover her flat stomach and a pair of blue jeans.

"Hey Jason." Jake greeted warmly as she crossed his path. Yes, Jake was a woman, a tough woman but a woman nonetheless. She rather liked having Jason come to the bar too because all of her low life customers seemed to behave a little better in the presence of the strong mob enforcer. "How's my favorite coffee man?" She asked with a smirk because hardly anyone in Port Charles was naïve enough to actually think that the only type of business he and Sonny did was import/export coffee.

"Coffee? Oh yeah coffee." Jason mumbled, nearly forgetting his entire life for a second. "I'm fine Jake."

Jake looked at him with a slightly shocked expression. That was quite possibly the most she had heard Jason speak in ages. Usually he came in, gave her a nod and sat down to have a couple of beers in silence, keeping his eyes down and completely to himself before heading out as quietly as he had come in. In all the years she had known Jason Morgan, he was never big on talking. She vaguely remembered that Jason had once dated Robin but the details of that were unimportant to her. She didn't care and when Robin applied for the job, the fact that she used to frequent the bar when Jason lived above it hadn't even crossed her mind until that very moment. For the first time, the no-nonsense bar owner wondered about their relationship for a split second before deciding she really wasn't interested because Jason was a good customer and Robin was an excellent employee, whatever happened between them didn't matter, just so long as it didn't affect business.

Jason walked past Jake and took a seat at a table in the corner. He was staring off into space when Robin noticed him. She took a deep breath and was thankful that Abby at least wasn't anywhere near the bar. She reluctantly grabbed a tray and went over to the table where Jason was sitting because she was the only one working other than Jake who wouldn't dare tend to a table, even Jason's. Jake stayed behind the bar or wondered around a bit but rarely did any of the actual serving herself. She was sort of like Bobby at Kelly's that way.

Robin popped her gum out of habit as she dropped a cardboard coaster onto the table and waited for Jason to look up. For a long moment he only looked at her, unsure of what to say or do but finally she rolled her eyes and Jason realized she was waiting to take his order or at least say something. "Beer?" She finally asked with a raised eyebrow when Jason still wasn't saying anything. Jason nodded and she walked away to get it before he could even comprehend the situation fully.

So it was true, just like Sonny had said Robin was back in town but what the hell was she doing working at Jakes? Jason always thought that when Robin came back--because he did fully expect her to return to Port Charles one day--she would be a doctor or close to it. He never thought he would see the day when Robin Scorpio worked in a bar anywhere. She came back and set the beer down without a word, she went to walk away when Jason caught hold of her wrist.

Instinctively Robin jerked her hand free and glared at him, "Who the hell do you think you are?" She snapped. "Keep you goddamn hands off of me." She went to walk away again but Jason reacted once more.

"Robin wait." He insisted. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow but at least she was still standing there. "Can you sit?"

"No, I'm working." She replied bluntly.

Jason rolled his eyes, he knew Robin didn't want to see him or talk to him but that was just too damn bad. Quick like a bandaid he told himself silently. "When did you get back?"

"Awhile ago." She stated as she stopped chewing her gum. "Can I get you anything else tonight?" She asked with fake cheerfulness.

Before Jason could reply another customer called to Robin with slurred speech. "Hey sweet cheeks! I need another beer over here." He was obviously well intoxicated already and one of the more disgusting patrons in heavy work boots and dingy clothes, probably a construction worker.

Robin rolled her eyes and left Jason's table to tend to the other customer who boldly went to slap her on the rear end, before Jake caught his hand and threatened to break it. "Don't touch my employee." She admonished sternly. Customers could gawk at Robin all they wanted, hell they could shamelessly hit on her as long as it wasn't vulgar but Jake would not tolerate any of her female employees ever being grabbed or slapped at by customers. She felt it was crossing a line and completely unacceptable.

Robin tucked a piece of hair behind her ear nervously as she slipped past the bold customer and took refuge behind the bar, where having men try to look down her top or at her ass were the worst she had to cope with. Jason could still read Robin surprisingly well and knew instantly that she was uncomfortable with the attention of that customer who still pressed his luck and asked her out repeatedly because he could show her a good time.

He pressed on and on until Robin just looked irritated. "Come on sweet cheeks, how about you give me your number?"

Robin glared at him with a clenched jaw before replying, "Alright 5." She stated.

"5 what?" He questioned in confusion.

"You have 5 seconds to leave me alone before I break a bottle over your skull." She remarked harshly. "Now back off!"

Jake laughed at Robin's remark but kept back, letting the young woman fend for herself. Jason actually found himself smirking at the scene once Robin had it under control. She never was one to take that kind of crap. She stood up for herself and if that sleaze ball kept it up, she didn't look like she would have any problem following through with her threat. Even if she was petite, an angry Robin could be a hazard to whoever dared to push her to that point.

Much to Robin's frustration, Jason lingered at Jakes, watching her closely until the bar was closing. Her day had been rather terrible to begin with and she didn't have the strength to deal with him. She just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible so she could get a few hours of sleep before heading to Kelly's in the morning.

"Last call." She stated as she looked down at Jason tiredly. "You want another beer or what Jason?" He shook his head no and put a few bills down on the table to cover his tab. When Robin reached for them he caught her wrist again.

"Would you just take a seat already?" He questioned seriously. "Jake isn't going to care."

"No, she won't." Robin agreed. "But I don't want too." She stated in her most matter of fact tone of voice. "Jason, I need this job ok? I can't risk getting on Jakes bad side by fighting with you." She admitted even though she really didn't want too.

Jason sighed, "Who says I want to fight with you?"

Robin wanted to kick him for being so much like Sonny. Calm, cool and collected when all she wanted to do was scream. "I'm not going to risk it." She walked away from him but Jason got up and followed her to the bar where she began collecting up empty beer bottles and putting them into an empty box. Almost all of the other customers had left and Jake wasn't even paying attention to what was going on because it was quiet and there was no reason to be on guard any longer.

"So you're staying around?" He questioned on he took a seat at the bar. At first Robin flatly ignored him but Jason continued on. "Sonny told me you were back but I didn't know you were working here."

She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. He was far too calm in her opinion. "What else did Sonny tell you?" She questioned.

Jason shrugged, "Nothing, I left after that."

She shook her head. Obviously he didn't know about Abby or even Jagger because knowing Jason, there was noway he wouldn't be questioning all that already if he had known. "So I take it you didn't jump for joy then?" Robin remarked with sarcasm. Jason didn't respond. "I'm staying." She finally answered his original question. "Like it or not, I'm staying in Port Charles Jason."

"Like it or not huh? Would it matter at all?" He asked smugly.

"Obviously not." Robin stated as she draped a cloth over her shoulder. "You stay out of my way and I'll try to stay out of yours." She added.

"You're the one Brenda is visiting." He stated. "I saw her at the park and, I thought I saw you talking to her at your car, I didn't believe it but now I know."

Robin's heart stopped. Did he see Abby? No, he couldn't have. Subtly was not Jason's strong suit, the man said everything point blank as he thought it. There was no filter that told Jason's mouth to keep quiet when his brain thought something. She was convinced it was broken when he was thrown from the car while AJ drove drunk years earlier. The only time Jason kept his mouth shut was when he was waiting for his lawyer to bail him out of jail and even then he still slipped up with sarcastic remarks whenever he felt the urge.

He watched Robin for a long moment in silence, trying to figure out what she was thinking. She looked completely drained but was also keeping her guard up. She distanced herself from him as much as possible. "You still hate me huh?" Jason asked almost smugly which caused Robin to glare at him for a second before shaking her head.

"No Jason, I don't hate you. I've got more important things to do." She answered as she set the now full box of empty beer bottles on the floor and grabbed her tips from under the counter along with her purse. "Jake, can I head out now?" Robin called to her boss.

"Sure thing, I'll see you tomorrow night hun." Jake answered casually.

Jason watched Robin root around in her purse for her keys as she walked out of the bar. She was different now, not just older but changed. Jason didn't know what it was but something had definitely changed in Robin. Maybe it was his fault, he didn't know if he should even be arrogant enough to think that but he wondered. He hadn't seen her in nearly 5 years and to suddenly find her working at Jakes had come as a shock. He wasn't sure how he felt about seeing her there. When Sonny told him that Robin was back, Jason just felt completely twisted up in knots inside.

There was so much that had never been resolved between them. It was done. Robin walked out for the last time after sending a disaster in motion by telling AJ that he was Michaels biological father and yet Jason wasn't sure if he was still mad about that or not. It had worked out ultimately, Michael was happy and healthy with his mother and Sonny and that was really all Jason was concerned with. He had been so angry when Robin left but time allowed him to look at things with a level head afterwards. He hated what she did but on some level he understood why she had done it. Robin couldn't keep something like that a secret and Jason regretted having ever made her do it in the first place. It never should have been her burden.

When Jason arrived back at the penthouse, he stepped off of the elevator and Carly was instantly out in the hall after him. "Jason, you're home!" She exclaimed as she embraced him quickly. "Sonny told me you just walked out and I got worried..."

He shook his head and stopped her. "Don't worry."

"He told you huh?" She asked. "I can't believe it either. Little Saint Robin returns to town with a kid and Jagger Cates by her side. Sonny told me about that guy. God, he and Robin deserve each other." Jason was looking at Carly with wide eyes. "I mean hell..."

He finally interrupted her. "A kid and Jagger? Sonny didn't tell me about that. I just saw her and..."

"You saw her?" Sonny asked as he came out into the hall after hearing Carly's voice. "Jason, I tried to tell you but you just left and..."

"Wait, go back." Jason demanded. "A kid?" Sonny nodded as Carly wrapped her arms around his waist. "And Jagger? What the hell is she doing with Jagger? Isn't he supposed to be in Chicago?"

"He was released from the department there." Sonny explained having had his men look into it already. "Well, technically I think he quit because if he didn't they were going to have to fire him. He beat the hell out of a rape suspect in front of about a dozen witnesses. Now he's joined PCPD as one of Mac Scorpio's finest." Carly rolled her eyes at the mention of Robin's uncle.

Jason shook his head, This is too much. He held his hands up in surrender. "I don't even want to hear anymore."

"But you saw her?" Carly pressed seriously. "I'm so sorry Jason. That little brat put you through such hell." She felt Sonny nudge her to shut up. He never did tolerate her trashing Robin very well. "Don't try to shut me up." She complained and half whined.

Jason couldn't take it, he walked away from them both and locked himself in his penthouse before turning off the phone. His head was spinning and suddenly aching, what the hell was going on? Robin was with Jagger and they had a kid? How the hell had that happened? And most importantly why did he even care?

Robin came into the cottage and dropped her purse and keys near the door. Brenda came in from the kitchen and frowned, "Oh honey you look exhausted." She sighed. "Come on, come here and tell big sister all about you night."

Robin smirked and followed Brenda's orders, moving to the couch and flopping down. "Help me." She whined as she put her feet up on the coffee table and struggled with the laces because she was so tired and her feet were aching terribly.

Brenda sat on the table with Robin's feet on her lap as she made quick work of the boots, tossing them aside carelessly. "Tough night?"

"You could say that again." Robin answered flatly as she slouched down. "Where's Jagger?"

"Mac called and asked if he could go out on a call since he knows I'm here for Abby." Brenda explained. "So tell me about working at the old bar." She insisted. "What was so bad tonight?"

"The typical drunk creeps trying to grab my butt and hit on me." Robin replied. "Oh and Jason." She stated casually just to make Brenda jump. "He showed up and..."

"And did you tell him?" Brenda asked seriously.

"Oh yeah, right after I handed him a beer." Robin replied sarcastically. "Of course not." She stated. "He still doesn't know about Abby, he didn't so much as mention her."

Brenda sighed, "I can't believe he doesn't know. I mean Mac never said anything? Neither did Luke? How did you pull that off?" She questioned.

Robin shrugged. "Mac is probably in some form of denial. We don't talk about it ever. And Luke well, Luke probably just figures if Jason doesn't bring it up, why should he? It's not like I ever told Luke either."

"But he has to know Robin. Come on, you're one of the most loyal and true people on the face of the earth so do they just like to pretend Abby was created through immaculate conception?" Brenda smirked. "She's an angel but she's not that angelic."

"Hey, if that helps Uncle Mac sleep better at night, why crush his little denial bubble?" Robin almost laughed. "I'm not sure Luke has ever done the math. He doesn't care really, he adores Abby and that's all that matters to him. He probably just thinks I met some French guy when I left for Paris."

"Yeah because you're known for those one night stands." Brenda mocked.

Robin couldn't help but laugh at that idea. "Some nights I wish I could be that careless." She admitted. It just wasn't even an option for Robin. While most people her age went to clubs and hooked up without names, Robin was studying to become a doctor and taking her HIV medications. And then Abby was born and taking care of her daughter became Robin's only priority.

Brenda looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "How long as it been sweetie?"

Robin sighed, "I don't know, I try not to think about sex." Brenda obviously wanted more of an answer than that. "How old is Abby now 16, 17 years old?" She joked.

"Oh my God!" Brenda was shocked. "Sweetie we really need to get you out in the world. That's just not right. You weren't with anyone in Paris?" She asked in disbelief. She just found it so hard to believe. Robin was smart, funny and not to mention beautiful, how on Earth did that girl stay single she wondered.

"Yeah, I'm such a catch huh? Single mother to a 4 year old and then I'm also HIV positive. Why don't I have them beating down the door for a chance with me?" She asked sarcastically.

"God, and you have Jagger just down the hall honey." Brenda replied.

"Oh ick!" Robin was completely appalled. "Bren, it's Jagger!"

"Exactly!" Brenda laughed, "The man is still hot."

And he was. Robin could admit that Jagger was a very attractive man. He always had been. Tall, dark, muscular. He was practically a God but he was Jagger Cates. Stones big brother Jagger Cates. Her friend Jagger Cates. Robin adored him but one of the great things about being around Jagger was there wasn't any of that annoying sexual tension that can sometimes happen between even just friends of the opposite sex. Hell, Jagger still considered her a kid some days and she was in her mid-twenties.

"But he's Jagger. That would just be freaky." Robin explained. "He's Stones brother and one of your many ex's." She reminded seriously.

"Yeah well I dated Jason Quartermaine for awhile and you didn't care." Brenda countered. "And again, Jagger is hot!"

"I never dated Jason Quartermaine." Robin corrected sternly. "And I've told you before, Jagger and I are friends. He's practically family. You think he's so hot you go after him."

"I just might have to if you won't." Brenda smirked. "But seriously sweetie, you've been alone for too long, you need to have a little grown up fun once in awhile."

Robin scoffed, "I don't have time for grown up fun nor do I have the energy." She cringed and sunk into the couch. "How did it get like this?" She questioned.

"Well Robin, you see when a man and a woman are in love..." Brenda laughed as Robin hit her with a pillow.

Jagger sat in an unmarked car with Mac behind the wheel in complete darkness. He missed the night shift. It was more exciting then day life but since Robin was working nights Jagger took the day shift with the police department so someone could always be with Abby. It was only because Brenda was in town that he got to attend this call. A drug deal was supposed to go down and Mac wanted Jagger there. It also meant further interrogation of the young man he knew as a teenager.

Mac looked over at Jagger suspiciously. They only got to talk at work unless Mac was visiting Abby and at work talk was almost always strictly business but the drug bust seemed to be taking place later than expected, so he decided to make the most of the time alone. "So, I'm just curious what is exactly going on between you and my niece these days?" He questioned.

Jagger shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat. He had managed to avoid this conversation for so long that he almost thought that he and Robin were in the clear. The could be no lying to Mac Scorpio, the man was a cop and a parent which meant he could smell a lie miles away and Robin always decided that she wouldn't dare lie to her family.

"We live together." Jagger replied finally.

"I know that." Mac stated. "You've lived together for almost a year now and I just want to know if your roommates or more."

Jagger laughed, "Mac, you only want to know if were roommates."

Jagger was completely right Mac still didn't like the idea of his precious niece and sex even though she was now a mother. It was just something he tried to keep out of his mind. "Don't start with me Cates." Mac replied with a smirk. He liked Jagger, if he and Robin were together it wouldn't have bothered Mac, he just wanted to know.

"You've seen the house Mac, we have separate rooms." Jagger answered. "Robin and I are friends and I adore Abby so if it saves them some money to have a roommate than great. It means I'm not living alone and Robin has help." Mac nodded his approval. "It's still not considered normal for a man and woman to live together without being together I guess."

"Well, you know most people will think there's more going on there." Mac replied as he sat up a bit.

"Let them." Jagger stated bluntly. "Robin and I don't give a damn."

Mac radio went off suddenly and the conversation was ended there. Things were going to pick up and they had to move to make their bust.

Jason didn't sleep at all that night. His mind was racing more than ever. Robin was a mother and she was with someone else. He couldn't wrap his mind around it. Jason didn't want to acknowledge it but he still didn't like the idea of Robin being with anyone else. As if he needed another reason to hate Jagger. The guy was a cop, which made him an instant enemy but he also had Robin which Jason couldn't stand.

Jason couldn't help it. His jealously surfaced quickly and there was no fighting it away. He paced around the penthouse until he realized the sun was coming up and decided that he had to try to get some rest. However, instead of rest all Jason did was toss and turn in bed unable to stop thinking about Robin's new life.

And why the hell wasn't she a doctor? She had everything else she wanted except for that one goal which she had always strived for with fierce determination. What could ever make her put that aside to work at some run down bar in Port Charles? Jagger just let her give up on her dream to do that while he was off playing cops and robbers. That bastard, Jason actually muttered in the total darkness of his bedroom. How the hell had the 2 of them even gotten together while she was supposed to be in Paris and he was supposed to be in Chicago? It didn't make sense to Jason at all.

And the child, who was home with their child while she and Jagger were working all night? How old was he or she? Was it a boy or a girl? Jason couldn't help but wonder.

Kelly's was especially busy the next day and Robin was having a bit of trouble keeping up with the orders customers made rapidly but she managed to pull it off, mixing up only a couple of plates and not spilling anything on anyone so she really couldn't complain. Abby was being a little gem and staying out of the way, playing with a couple of dolls at the counter where her mother could keep an eye on her but still do her job.

"Here cutie pie." Bobby smiled as she put a glass of chocolate milk in front of Abby.

"Thank you." Abby replied sweetly. Every time she saw Bobby the woman was very sweet to her so Abby was quickly beginning to adore her and her never ending supply of chocolate milk and cookies. Really, it didn't take much to win over Abby, once she came out of her she'll she could talk someones ear off for hours about anything and everything. She liked Kelly's diner and the people that worked there.

"Aww, you're starting to talk to me now." Bobby beam. "That definitely warrants a cookie celebration." She explained as she reached over and got a cookie for Abby to snack on.

"Hey sis, and the angel." Luke greeted as he came into Kelly's to visit Bobby.

Abby hugged Luke tightly and then ate her cookie while looking up at her godfather adoringly. Bobby had already given him one hell of a lecture for not mentioning sooner, that he was the godfather to Robin's child but Luke shrugged it off by replying, 'You never asked.'

"The place is busy today." He observed. "How's Robin holding up?"

"She's doing alright." Bobby replied. "It should die down soon and Elizabeth starts in another 15 minutes so she'll get a much deserved break finally."

"Mommy works hard." Abby commented.

"She does indeed angel." Luke agreed. "You keep an eye on Bobby and make sure she doesn't work your mommy too hard alright?" Abby nodded as Bobby smiled and shook her head at her brother. "Alright, I just stopped by for a cup of coffee so I've got to run. See you later little Darlin." He kissed Abby on the head and said a quick hello and goodbye to Robin before heading out to start his day.

Robin didn't even notice when Jason came into the restaurant a short time, after Liz had arrived to start her own shift. Robin was clearing the counter and chatting to Abby who was simply marveling over some travel broachers that Liz had left on the counter.

"Hey you want to come with me sweetie?" Liz laughed Abby unfolded a big booklet on Rome where Liz was planning to go to explore some of the grand art museums in the next year.

Abby looked at Liz as though she was crazy, "I only go where Mommy goes."

"Well maybe one day, when you're big, we'll go travel together. Just us girls." Liz replied as she secured her apron. Jason had watched the whole exchange from the door until Robin moved into the back to fetch something. "Hey Jase." Liz greeted as he approached the counter.

"Hey, can I get a black coffee to go?" He requested tiredly.

"Sure thing." Liz replied, able to tell that Jason was exhausted just by looking at him. Even Abby was starting to get tired and Liz couldn't help but smirk to herself at the thought that Jason, Robin and Abby like they could all use a nap and it wasn't even noon yet.

Abby reached into her little pink backpack that she took with her everywhere and pulled out the coloring book that Uncle Mac had given her. When she searched inside for her crayons she accidentally spilled them onto the floor. "Uh-oh." She sighed as she tried to slip off of her high stool seat so she could pick them up.

"Here, I'll get them." Jason told her gently as he bent down and picked up the assorted wax crayons. As he stood up his eyes met Abby's and lingered on her angelic face. She looked so familiar and her eyes were like crystal, filled with complete innocence. He was quickly drawn to the small girl though he couldn't for the life of him guess why.

"We have the same eyes." Abby remarked, putting aside her generally very shy temperament when she noticed that Jason had blue eyes like her own. "My daddy has blue eyes." She added as Jason handed her the crayons and looked at her in awe. She turned and began looking for a page to color on right away having already lost interest in any type of conversation when Jason didn't say anything right away. The truth was, anytime Abby saw a man with blue eyes she found it extremely interesting because Robin explained to her that she got her eye color from her father when Abby asked why she didn't have brown eyes like her.

Robin came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of glasses, the moment she caught sight of Jason Morgan so close to her daughter, her one hand let go of the tray and shot to her gapping mouth in disbelief causing the tray to nearly topple to the ground. As soon as the first smashing glass rang out Robin managed to catch the tray before dumping it completely, losing only a few glasses in the process.

"Shit!" She cursed despite herself when she realized what she had done as both Liz and Jason moved to help her clean up the glass while other customers looked up from their plates to see what had caused the clatter. "I've got it! Really!" She snapped as she picked up several pieces of glass.

"Hey, no just let me so you don't cut yourself." Liz insisted gently as she pulled Robin upright.

"Mommy you owe me!" Abby demanded as she scowled at her mother for cursing.

Robin sighed and pulled a dollar bill out of her pocket, handing it over to Abby who promptly put it in her own little pocket. Jason couldn't help but grin, Robin had done the same thing whenever Jason cursed in front of Michael. It was a dollar fine which was added to a bank to buy a new toy. Apparently the angelic little girl was Robin's child and she had been well schooled by her mother that swearing was a costly bad habit.

Robin looked to Bobby apologetically, "I'm so sorry Bobby, I'll pay for them and..."

"Don't you worry about it Robin." We've got plenty of them in the back. Bobby replied as Robin washed her hands quickly and inspected herself for cuts.

"Are you ok Mommy?" Abby asked as she leaned over the counter to look at Robin's hands. She knew enough about Robin's HIV to understand that cuts here not good because that meant Mommy have to be extra careful around her so as not to pass it on to her. Though for the life of her Abby couldn't quite grasp what the big deal was. She was still a little too young to fully get what it meant when Robin tried to explain. All Abby knew was that HIV was not a very good thing and some people got sick from it and even died if it got real bad.

"Yeah sweet pea, I'm fine." Robin replied once she was sure there were no cuts on her hands. She had almost forgotten Jason was even there until she looked up again, her heart racing right away as she quickly removed her apron and tossed it under the counter.

"You work here too?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah." Robin answered as she came around the counter and frantically packed up Abby's things and picked up her small child with one arm. "I'll be back Bobby. I'm just going to take Abby for a walk." She called as she headed out in a blur. Once outside Robin put Abby down and led her away from Kelly's before pulling out her cell and calling her best friend. "Bren, I know you're shopping but I need you to come pick up Abby right away." She pleaded. "I'll explain when you get here. Please!"

Liz looked at Jason as she finished cleaning up the glass and could tell the wheels in his head were turning at an alarming rate for someone who was clearly in desperate need of sleep. "What is it Jase?"

"Huh? Oh nothing." He replied. "That's Robin's kid?" He asked Liz trying to sound casual.

She nodded, "Yeah, that's Abby. Bobby says she looks just like Robin when she was little aside from the eyes." She explained as she disposed of the shattered glass. "Guess she gets it from her dad. She's an absolute doll. She sits and entertains herself while Robin works and..."

Before she could finish Jason had to ask, "How long as she worked here?"

"Oh, since the day after she got back into town. Bobby hired her for the morning shift because Robin mentioned that she needed a job or somethingI don't know, I wasn't here." She stopped and actually smirked a little, "Carly through a hell of a fit though from what I heard. She won't even come in while Robin's working."

'Why the hell did Robin have 2 jobs.' Jason wondered suddenly. What was Jagger thinking letting her so blatantly work herself into the ground? Jason was liking him even less with each new detail. He headed out in hopes of catching Robin while she was still on her break but only saw her handing Abby to Brenda who drove off within seconds with the little girl happily giggling and talking away in the backseat.

Robin turned around so quickly that she almost walked right into Jason as he approached her. "What's going on? Why are you working 2 jobs?" He questioned seriously.

"That's really none of your business." She answered as she moved to walk past him.

"Maybe not but..."

Robin cut him off sharply, "Maybe? Maybe not? Oh please there is no maybe about it." She insisted crossly. "It is none of your business what I do or where I work."

When Robin disappeared back into Kelly's to finish her shift Jason decided that the best source of information would be Robin's best friend. Brenda was never very good at keeping her mouth shut in Jason's opinion and he knew something was up. He had gotten that strange vibe from Brenda the day before and he was certainly picking up on something from Robin. She was working herself into the ground and she was definitely hiding something. She wasn't looking him in the eyes when they saw each other and even though it had been years it sent up a red flag in Jason's mind. Something was very wrong with this picture.

Jason found Brenda at the park with Abby waiting for Robin's shift to end at Kelly's. Abby was running around with another little girl as Brenda watched on from the same bench she and Robin occupied before.

"Do you make it a habit of lurking around parks in the afternoon?" She questioned as Jason approached this time obviously without Michael by his side.

"Not really." He replied. "Just when I'm looking for someone." He added as he stood looking down at her.

"Well Sonny is childish but I don't think he hangs out around here." She remarked sarcastically. Abby came running over to her and noticed that Jason was there. Her more shy side took over and she clung to Brenda's side silently as she looked up to him. "Hey there Abby-baby, what's up?" Brenda asked sweetly as she smoothed Abby's hair away from her face with her free hand. She instinctively pulled Abby close, allowing the child to bury her face against her shoulder to hide from the suddenly very large seeming stranger. Abby felt secure in Kelly's and she didn't think Jason was nearly as big there but now in the open park he seemed very big and she wasn't sure she liked him towering over her Auntie Bren not looking very friendly at all.

Robin only had enough time to explain that Jason had come into Kelly's and beg Brenda to get Abby out of there before she had to go back to work. She knew her friend was desperate, it wasn't like Robin to get so upset about things but Jason wasn't just anything. He was Abby's father and Robin was suddenly fearful of him finding out. Brenda knew she should have been trying to disappear with Abby but she had a feeling Jason wouldn't be easy to lose. He had that look in his eyes that told her he had a mission on his mind and wasn't going to let up anytime soon.

Jason sighed and shook his head, he didn't care if Brenda wanted to insult Sonny or even Carly. It was meaningless and didn't matter to him one bit. Why the He stopped himself before he swore in front of the little girl and cleared his throat. "Why is Robin working 2 jobs?" He asked bluntly.

"Why do you care?" She retorted sternly.

"Because she's going to wear herself out if she isn't careful and I don't want to see that happen." He replied.

"Then don't watch her." She stated sarcastically. "Jason, it's none of your business what she does." Brenda sighed heavily. "It's her life."

So it doesn't concern you at all that your best friend works late into the night and then works again early during the day? He asked seriously. You know it's not good for her

Yeah, I know. She agreed, wanting to stop Jason before he alarmed Abby. But Robin does what she feels she has too to take care of her daughter. She stood up with Abby in her arms and grabbed the little pink backpack from the bench, slinging it over her shoulder and trying to leave.

She's a waitress Brenda. You and I both know she's better than that. He tried to reason.

Brenda turned to face him with an icy glare Robin is better than most things in that town. It was definitely meant to wound Jason but she couldn't tell if it worked. How dare he try to bully information out of her? She was not going to give him anything to use against Robin ever. "She's a waitress because it's a job Jason. It's a good, fine, LEGAL job. It's not great but it pays the bills and that's what matters."

"That wasn't good enough for Jason." She's supposed to be more.

Brenda scoffed. "What do you know about it? She's not going to spend the rest of her life waiting tables and slinging drinks Jason. She's going to be more. It's just going to take longer than she planned." And with that Brenda walked away with Abby who peered over her aunts shoulder, looking back at the blue eyed man from the diner. Jason was drawn into her eyes until she and Brenda turned a corner and he could no longer see her.

Jason couldn't shake the image of Abby's eyes from his mind. They pierced his soul the moment he first looked into them at Kelly's and he began calculating the time that had passed since Robin had left Port Charles. When he heard that Robin had a child he wasn't expecting her to a child as old as Abby. Abby was small but unless Robin and Jagger had gotten together right away there was noway in hell he could be the girls father and Jason was damn near positive that the cop didn't have blue eyes.

Not to mention that there was noway Robin was having an affair with Jagger while she was still with Jason. She wasn't that kind of person and there was simply noway she could have been going to and from Chicago without Jason knowing about it while she lived in Port Charles.

He thought long and hard about the time before Robin left. She had been battling the flu but neither of them thought anything of it. They both just wrote it off as an emotional stress because she was certainly under a lot as her relationship with Jason ended along with her friendship with Sonny. He suddenly found himself wondering if maybe it was the 9 month long sort of flu. But there was noway Robin would keep that from him. Not Robin Scorpio, not the woman who had been so adamant about AJ knowing Michael was his son that she was willing to risk everything so he could know even if it meant Jason would never forgive such a betrayal.

It didn't make sense, that wasn't the type of person Robin was. Mac would have thrown it in his face the first chance he had if Robin had moved on so quickly. Jason had no doubt about that and yet his not so friendly neighborhood Police Commissioner had never once mentioned that Robin was with someone, starting a new life and expecting a child.

Jason went across the hall to seek guidance from Sonny. His couldn't think clearly and needed someone with a level head to help him figure out what the hell was going on.

"Well, do you know when Abby's birthday is?" Sonny asked seriously.

Jason shook his head, "No, But I'm going to find out one way or another."

"Jason, do you really think there's a chance Robin had your child without telling you?" His friend questioned in disbelief. "That just doesn't sound like Robin to me man."

Jason was pacing suddenly as he clenched his jaw. "I don't know Sonny. Abby said she has blue eyes like her father and Jagger sure as hell doesn't have blue eyes."

"You don't remember Jagger." Sonny reminded because it was true, Jagger left town before Jason's accident and Jason technically had no memory of the man. He did however know that even Jason Quartermaine wasn't a fan of the amateur boxer turned cop.

"I know enough about him. I've seen pictures Sonny." Jason reasoned.

"But that still doesn't mean you're the father Jase." Sonny reasoned. "I mean the kid is only like 3 or 4 and Robin could have met someone else soon after she left for Paris."

Jason glared at Sonny and then shook his head again as he continued to pace. "Robin doesn't just sleep with anyone. Do you have any idea how long we were together before we had sex because she was so worried about infecting me?" Sonny didn't really want to know the exact date, though he was well aware that Robin didn't want to chance passing HIV along to anyone, especially Jason which meant for a long time she was afraid to have sex because of the risk it would be for him. If she was in a relationship with someone why didn't she finish school? Why isn't she doing it now instead of working 2 dead end jobs while Jagger runs around flashing his shiny new PCPD police badge?

"I don't know Jase." Sonny admitted. "I wish I had the answers for you but I don't. I can only guess that they need the money so Robin is working her ass off instead of going to school." He sighed, "Why don't you just ask Robin who Abby's father is? The worst case scenario is that she slaps you and tells you to go to hell."

Jason rolled his eyes. "She's not going to tell me a damn thing. She won't talk to me, she won't even look at me. She practically takes off whenever I'm within 20' of her." He sighed, "The only way I'm going to find out for sure is if I get a court order for a paternity test."

"And that will send Robin running ever faster if you are Abby's father." Sonny reasoned wisely. "Jason, Robin only knows 2 instincts, fight or flight if you push her too hard from the get go she's going to disappear from your life with that little girl and you'll never see them again. Robin knows how to disappear, it's a Scorpio trademark. Genetically encoded on her DNA and Abby's too."

"So I'm not supposed to do anything?" Jason snapped in frustration.

"No. You're supposed to think this through and remember how hard you fought to protect Michael because Robin will do the same if she thinks her little girl is in any sort of danger. That's what mothers do." Sonny explained. "You're just going to have to try to talk to her. If you're not Abby's father than Robin will be able to look you in the eye and say it." Even if it was followed by a heavy slap Sonny knew that Robin would tell Jason flat out if he wasn't the father and she would certainly be offended he could even suggest it but it really was the only option for Jason's peace of mind. The man was frantic already and that in turn made Sonny uneasy.

"And if she won't?" Jason replied.

Sonny frowned, "Then you may need to call Justus to start working on that court order." It wasn't an idea that Sonny especially liked but if it was the only option than so be it. Jason had a right to know if he had a child and if Abby was his daughter than Jason had rights to her legally no matter who Robin was with and what she felt about it.

Robin was having a near meltdown as Brenda tried desperately to calm her down before Jagger got home for the evening. Robin was so worried that she considered packing Abby up and just leaving before anything could happen. She saw the look on Jason's face, he had gotten too close to Abby and could feel it. His senses were too good and Robin was terrified suddenly for her daughters safety. It was easy to think in terms of If he knew as thought it would never happen but when faced with the very real possibility if Jason finding out about Abby, Robin suddenly went on the defensive.

It was no longer just wanting to protect Abby from the emotional fall out it was wanting to protect herself as well. She knew Jason well enough to know if he found out he was a father he would want Abby. The Quartermaine blood in him would send him out for the hunt. She was not going to let Jason take her daughter away as long as she was still alive.

"Robin calm down!" Brenda insisted. "You're overreacting. He just wanted to know why you're working so hard. He didn't ask anything else."

"He saw her!" Robin nearly yelled. "He looked into her eyes Brenda, I saw it. It's only a matter of time before he starts putting it together. Coming back here was a mistake." She stressed seriously.

"What's going on here?" Jagger asked as he came into the cottage and right away saw Robin was upset. He took one look at her and Brenda and knew exactly what was going on. "Oh God Robin come here." He instructed, pulling her into his arms and trying to calm her down.

"Coming here was a mistake Jagger." She told him over and over again. "Jason is going to find out he's Abby's father and he's going to take her away from me."

"No he's not." Jagger tried to reassure her. "Robin, we won't let him do that even if he does find out. No judge in their right mind would take Abby away from her mother and a cop to give her to a known criminal." He tried to reason.

Robin shook her head adamantly. "Jason will bribe a judge if he has too. You don't know him the way I do. He doesn't let things go hell fight until he gets what he wants and if he finds out he's Abby's father he's going to want her." She was talking so quickly that Jagger and Brenda had a hard time keeping up. "I can't lose her Jagger. Abby is all I have."

Jagger pulled her close and looked at Brenda with a worried expression. He couldn't believe Robin's best friend would actually ever think telling Jason about Abby could ever be a good thing. Just look at what the mere thought of it was already doing to Robin. A big custody fight would be so hard on her and especially Abby. She didn't even know Jason but that wouldn't matter if he paid off a judge to get custody, they would just send her off to live with a total stranger and a very dangerous man.

Abby came down the stairs with her favorite doll tucked under one arm. Seeing Robin in Jagger's arms clearly upset alarmed the little girl and her lower lip began to tremble. "Mommy what's wrong?" She asked fearfully.

Robin wiped a couple of stray tears away from her cheeks before turning away from Jagger and going to Abby. She shook her head and let Abby cling to her instantly. "Nothing for you to worry about sweet pea. Mommy is just really tired. I've had a long day baby."

"Right." Brenda agreed. "Robin, why don't you go lay down while Jagger and I start dinner."

"You don't cook Bren." Robin reminded as she picked Abby up.

"I'll supervise." She replied smugly. "Go on." She nodded to the stairs and Robin reluctantly went up with Abby to try to calm down before she really lost her mind beyond repair. She knew that she was dangerously close to entering a Carly sized breakdown and that was the last thing she wanted to have happen.

Once Robin was gone Jagger shot Brenda a hard look. "And you actually encourage her to tell him?" He questioned. "Damn it Bren, look what it's putting her through."

"Only because you suggest every worst possible out come and it gets planted in her head." She reasoned sternly as they went into the kitchen. "I've heard you suggest the bribing a judge scenario in the past Jagger."

Jagger sighed, she was right, he had suggested it to Robin before by asking her if she thought Jason was capable of doing it. "I just want to protect Robin and Abby, you know that."

"You're right, I do." Brenda agreed as Jagger started dinner. "But I also know there's a part of Robin that really wants Abby to know her father. Come on Jagger, you grew up without your dad, it's rough."

"It's not impossible and Abby isn't growing up homeless on the streets of New York like I did." He replied. "She has a family that loves her and would do anything for her. She doesn't need Jason Morgan complicating it all. Robin doesn't need that guy in her life again, you know what he put her through."

Brenda frowned, "You don't think finding out he missed out on 4 years of his child's life will be punishment enough?" She questioned.

For the first time since starting Robin actually had the morning off from Kelly's and got to sleep in a bit before Abby came into her room and crawled into bed with her. "Hey Abby-baby." Robin yawned as her daughter cuddled up to her under the blankets.

"Mommy, Jagger is making breakfast." Abby whispered as Robin ran her fingers through her hair.

"Uh-oh." Robin laughed. Breakfast was not one of Jagger's specialties by a long shot. "Ok, I'll get up and make sure he doesn't burn the house down huh?" Abby giggled as Robin threw the covers back and stretched. "Let's get down there sweet pea."

She and Abby walked into the kitchen barefoot and pajama clad while Jagger listened to the radio set on some rock station. Robin laughed and poured herself a cup of coffee as Jagger flipped eggs in the frying pan. "You know she won't eat that so why do you bother?" She questioned with a smirk.

"Because I'm trying to teach your daughter the value of eating something other than pancakes and sugary breakfast cereal." Jagger answered as the toaster popped.

"I like cereal." Abby stated as she climbed up into her seat at the kitchen table. "You can't burn cereal." She commented as she turned her nose up at the badly burnt toast he had produced.

Robin tried not to laugh but it was useless. "She's just like you." Jagger commented as Robin grabbed a box of cereal and a bowl for Abby.

"Hey, we like when you make dinner or lunch." Robin reminded with a grin. "It's just breakfast you need to stay away from or we'll all have stomach aches for the rest of the day." She looked down at Abby as she placed her bowl on the table and poured some cereal into it. "What do you want to drink sweet pea, milk or orange juice?"

"Juice please." Abby smiled brightly as she picked out the little marshmallow bits from her cereal and ate half of them before Robin could even pour the milk in and give her a spoon.

Brenda came in from the other room and jumped when she saw Jagger manning the stove. "Who let him make breakfast?" She asked in disbelief which caused both Robin and Abby to laugh out loud.

"Grab a bowl." Robin smirked as she motioned to the box of cereal.

Brenda nudged Jagger in the side, "Oh come on, even I can make toast without burning it." She teased.

"Somehow I'm not sure I believe that." He replied with a cheeky grin.

"Auntie Bren, you're shirt if on inside out." Abby observed suspiciously.

Robin looked at Brenda and Jagger with her mouth slightly open. They both avoided Robin's gaze and shifted uncomfortably for a second. "Oops, silly me." Brenda finally answered nervously. "I'll fix it after breakfast."

"Where were you?" Abby asked innocently. "You weren't on the couch when Mommy and I came downstairs."

Robin almost laughed at that one. She was going to let it slide but Abby obviously had other ideas. "Umm,I was in the bathroom Abby-baby." Brenda replied.

Jagger sat down across from Robin and kept his eyes down as she shook her head at him and Brenda but didn't say anything. "What time do you go in?" Robin asked him casually while she still tried not to laugh. Brenda certainly didn't waste anytime when it came to Jagger. She had always had a thing for him and in a lot of ways it was almost as bad as her attraction to Sonny. She would become a driven woman around them and Robin always found it somewhat amusing.

"In a couple of hours." He replied almost hesitantly as Abby took a big mouthful of her cereal and looked a little like a squirrel storing for the winter.

"Abby, little bites." Robin laughed at her daughter and shook her head.

Brenda laughed, "Jagger, she so learned that from you."

Jagger looked around the table and shook his head. "If I don't get out of here soon I think you 3 are going to turn me into a woman. There isn't enough testosterone in this house." Robin laughed and threw a dishtowel at him. "See how they abuse me Abby?" He asked. "Your mommy and Aunt Brenda have picked on me like this for years and years."

"Oh whatever!" Brenda replied. "Don't you listen to him Abby-baby. You're mommy and I are perfect little angels and always have been."

"Well, I'm not so sure about you Bren." Robin teased.

Brenda laughed, "Jagger, you're just a wimp." Jagger tossed a piece of burnt toast at her.

"Hey now children, no throwing food." Robin admonished jokingly. "Tell them to behave Abby."

The doorbell rang and Robin got up to answer it she was stunned to find Jason standing there when she opened the door. He had his hands in his pockets and took a deep breath when he looked down at her standing before him in her pajamas. "Jason." She stated uncomfortably. "What what are you doing here?" She asked, stepping outside a little and pulling the door almost completely closed behind her.

"We need to talk." He replied seriously.

"I can't. I don't have time." She tried to lie but Jason busted her on it.

"You're not working at Kelly's, I already stopped by and asked Bobby." He stated.

Damn it, she needed to think fast before Abby or Jagger came to see who was at the door. "So? I have other things to do you know." She crossed her arms and for the first time Jason looked at her left hand and realized there wasn't a ring on it, so apparently she and Jagger weren't married or even engaged. She did however wear Stones old ring around her neck on a thin silver chain. "I really don't have time."

"So make time." He insisted bluntly.

Robin heard Abby call her from inside and bit her lower lip nervously. She had to get him out of there before he saw Abby and before Jagger saw him. Robin's heart was pounding so hard she was certain that he could hear it. "Fine." She stated coldly. "Not here. Not now." She added crossly because she didn't like being ordered around by anyone especially Jason Morgan.

Jason rolled his eyes, "Today."

"Alright, fine." She agreed because delaying him would only give him more time to figure things out and she didn't want that. She had to stop things before it all got out of hand. She just didn't know how she could pull it off. If she was more manipulative in general it would have been easier but she just didn't have that in her. "Anywhere but here."

That didn't bother Jason one but. He didn't exactly like the idea of stepping foot in the cottage that he and Robin had once shared anyway. "Meet me at the bridge this afternoon." He instructed before leaving.

Robin was panicked. Jason knew something was going on, she could tell and she had to figure out a way to get him to back down. She headed inside and as soon as Brenda looked at her, she knew. Jagger could tell something was wrong as well. He picked Abby up and left Brenda and Robin to talk in the kitchen, hoping that they would be able to figure out at solution to Robin's rather large and intimidating problem known as Jason Morgan.

"Do you really think he knows?" Brenda asked softly.

"I don't know." Robin admitted as she shook her head. "He looked mad Bren. He knows somethings up. What am I going to do?" She asked helplessly.

Brenda frowned. "You know you only have 2 options. Tell him or lie and you have never really been a good liar sweetie. And deep inside we both know you don't want to become one."

Robin put her elbows on the kitchen table and held her head in her hands. "I need more time even if he finds out the truth I don't know what I'm supposed to tell Abby." She looked up at Brenda with tears in her eyes, "You can watch her right? I can't take her to the bridge."

"Of course." Brenda assured her. "She and I will be right here when you get home."

Robin wasn't thrilled at the thought of going to the bridge that held so many memories of the past she wanted so desperately to forget most days but she couldn't think of any other solution. Jason had her cornered at her own home and she would have agreed to just about anything to get him away from there and away from Abby. She didn't tell Jagger what was going on. She didn't want him showing up at the bridge and further complicating things. Whatever happened had to be between she and Jason at least in the beginning. She needed to figure out just what he was thinking so she could act accordingly.

When Robin arrived at the bridge, Jason was already there waiting for her. She felt a sudden surge of anger rip through her as soon as she laid eyes on him. How dare he show up at her house and make demands. "Who the hell do you think you are?" She demanded loudly as she approached.

Jason turned to face her, slightly taken back by her temper and wondering what the hell she had to be mad about when he was the one potentially being lied too and kept in the dark. "You tell me." He stated bluntly. "Who is Abby's father?"

Robin glared at him with fire in her eyes, "You don't have any right to even ask me that Jason." She shook her head and clenched her jaw. She wanted to lash out at him and scream but she was determined that he wouldn't get the best of her. She wasn't going to give him a damn thing.

"I have every right, legal and otherwise if I'm her father." He countered. "If Abby's my daughter..."

She cut him off sharply, "Abby is MY daughter."

The fact that she wasn't flat out denying if he was the father of Abby or not was not lost on Jason. It only served to further his suspicions. "If you're raising my child with another man than you're a goddamn hypocrite! You're not better than me or Carly!"

She went to slap him but Jason caught her hand and she violently pulled away to get free of his grip. "Go to hell!" She snapped back harshly. "I am nothing like Carly! I never whored around town then passed my child off as having 3 different fathers! 4, if you count Tony Jones!" Robin knew she was screaming. Jason had done it, he had pushed her over the edge already and she couldn't control her temper at all.

"You just blow back into town playing house, raising my child with your dead boyfriend's big brother! That's pretty damn twisted Robin!" He fired back.

That was crossing a line and Jason should have known better. Robin went at him again only this time he didn't catch her hand in time and instead of a slap she caught him with a right hook landing square against his jaw. Living with a former boxer, Robin had picked up a thing or 2 and combined with her already raging temper it was dangerous to continue pushing her. She wasn't going to stand for Jason Morgan bringing Stone up that way. He had absolutely no right to do that.

"You bastard!" She screamed. "How dare you bring Stone into this to hurt me! You don't know a goddamn thing! Abby is MY child so you just stay the hell away from us both!" She demanded as Jason held his jaw in disbelief.

Robin left quickly before Jason could stop her. He shook his head and rubbed his throbbing jaw. She was tiny but she was powerful, that's for sure. She also never actually said the words that was or wasn't Abby's biological father. And Robin was right, Jason had purposely thrown Stone out there just to wound Robin. He was angry and couldn't hold it back. How dare she think he wouldn't figure it out. There was noway in hell he was going to just stand by and let her continue to keep his child away from him if Abby was indeed his daughter.

Thankfully Brenda had just put Abby down for a nap when Robin returned home with tears in her eyes. "That son of a bitch!" She spat angrily as Brenda looked at her little sister in utter shock. Robin never spoke like that but obviously talking to Jason had not gone very well. "He knows. I didn't have to say it, I told you he would take one look at her and know." She continued to rant as tears began to race down her cheeks. "He says he has legal rights! This from the man who didn't give a damn about AJ's legal rights let alone his rights in general. This from the man who would have gladly continued to lie about being Michael's father because that bitch asked him too!" She shook her head. "He actually compared me to her! He said I was no better than him and Carly!"

Brenda wrapped her arms around Robin and tried to calm her down before she woke Abby up. "Don't listen to him sweetie. Carly is dirt, she's lower than dirt. She's scum. You're not like her. You had entirely different reasons for not telling him about Abby and he's a creep for even suggesting you're like her." She tried to reason. Suddenly she couldn't believe she had even thought Jason should know about Abby. She had expected more from him and had been wrong. Robin cried against her and struggled to breathe. "You tried to tell him before and he wouldn't listen. That's his fault not yours."

"He accused me of raising Abby with Jagger because he's Stones brother." Robin explained weakly. "How can he say that? Jagger isn't Abby's father, Abby doesn't call him daddy. It's not the same thing." She cried. "What if he's right?" She asked hesitantly. "What if I really am no better than Carly?"

Jason was already on the phone with Justus Ward, ordering he get a court order for a paternity test. Sonny's caution about not pushing Robin too hard from the very beginning was already thrown out the window. Jason was too mad to think clearly and rationally. Justus couldn't believe what he was hearing. Like most people in town, he had heard that Robin had a child and was living with Jagger but he didn't expect to be getting such a frantic phone call from Jason regarding the child.

"I don't care. I want this done as soon as possible." Jason insisted just as one of the guards knocked on the door.

Brenda pushed her way into the penthouse and slapped Jason with all of her strength. "You jackass! Put that goddamn phone down right this minute!" Jason glared at her and Brenda decided that if Jason was going to take the low road and suggest that Robin and Carly could ever be in the same category, then she was going to follow suit. "You are no better than AJ!" She remarked loudly. It was a blatant cheap shot but it obviously struck a cord in Jason and hit him hard. That's what he got for comparing her little sister to that bitch Carly, and Brenda couldn't help but smirk slightly because she knew it had to sting to hear those words fired in his direction.

Jason frozen with wide eyes. "Get the hell out!" He demanded.

"Oh what can't you handle the truth?" She continued. "You're doing exactly what AJ would do! You're on the phone with your lawyer and you're going to try to bully Robin into giving you what you want. You sorry son of a bitch!"

Jason slammed the phone down and grabbed Brenda by the arm and leading her back to the door. "You know what, if Robin asked you to come here to scream at me."

"Actually she begged me not too!" Brenda interjected. "She begged me to stay with her and help her pack up Abby, so they could just get the hell out of Port Charles before you did something stupid. She explained. "Don't you even see how afraid of you Robin is?" She questioned.

Jason looked at her as though he didn't understand. "You're insane."

Brenda scoffed, insane could have been an understatement when it came to protecting Robin and Abby. "Yeah, maybe but you're an idiot if you can't see that you frighten Robin. The power you have, the life you lead, it's all one big bomb waiting to go off and." She stopped and shook her head. "Jason, you don't even realize that Robin as lived this all longer than you have. She knows the rules of the mob, the way men like you work and she has seen families used as leverage and lose everything. I thought you were better than this but I guess you're just as stupid as everyone thinks." Brenda jerked her arm away from him and tried to slap him again but Jason managed to catch her. He had been hit more than enough for one day, in fact, his jaw was still sore thanks to Robin. "What the hell do you think you'll gain by screaming at Robin and trying to use Stone to hurt her? That was cold and heartless Jason and you know it!" She shook her head, "You're right, Abby is technically your daughter but you're the one who used to tell Robin all the time that biology doesn't make someone a parent."

He cut her off, "And Robin is the one who insisted that a father has a right to know!"

"Now you do know and look at what you're doing!" Brenda fired back. "Where the hell were you for the first 4 years of Abby's life?"

"I didn't even know she existed!" Jason countered. "Robin never told me she was pregnant."

Brenda shook her head. "You don't even know the half of it." She stated seriously. "Jason, if you try to take Abby away, Robin will leave and you'll never see either of them again. Is that what you want?" Jason didn't say a word because of course it wasn't what he wanted. He was angry, he was lashing out but he certainly didn't want Robin to disappear with Abby. "You've got a chance here to get to know you're daughter but right now Robin, sees you as a threat. You need to prove to her that you're not. Make her a deal. Work with her for Abby's sake but don't try to take her away from the only person she's ever had to rely on." She frowned. "Jason, I'm begging you to calm down and stop. Just think about it."

Jagger bolted through the front door of the cottage and raced upstairs to find Robin and Abby. Robin had finally composed herself enough to call the station, looking for him but he was out on a call and had just got the message that something was wrong at home. It was already dark outside, Abby should have been getting ready for bed but when Jagger peered into her open bedroom door at the top of the stairs, she wasn't inside. Panicking, he worried that Robin had already left with the little girl to hide from Jason. He knew all too well that Robin had the resources to disappear without being traced, her up bringing gave her all sorts of skills most people would never even consider employing but Robin would do whatever it took to keep Abby with her and safe.

Robin came out of her bedroom just before Jagger could reach for the doorframe. "Shh." She held her finger up to her lips and motioned to Abby, asleep inside on her mother's bed. "He knows." She whispered. She seemed strangely calm but Jagger was worried. "That was the hard part right? Him just finding out and now he has so it has to get easier from here." She tried to reason as she led Jagger away from the room so they could talk without waking Abby.

"How the hell did he find out?" Jagger questioned. "No one else knows, just you me and oh God she didn't!" He gasped at the thought of Brenda telling Jason.

Robin shook her head, "He just figured it out."

"You told him he was wrong right?" Jagger replied seriously.

"I told him that Abby is my daughter." She answered with such honesty that it alarmed Jagger. Why couldn't she just lie? It would have been so easy to just tell Jason he was wrong. Even if he didn't believe it they would have at least had more time to get out of there before he could do anything about it.

Jagger looked at her with wide eyes, "But you didn't tell him that he isn't her father?"

"I couldn't lie to him." Robin replied. "He knows and-"

"Fine, we'll start making arrangements to get out of Port Charles." Jagger insisted. "I'm not going to let him hurt you or Abby."

"No, Jagger." She stated weakly. "I can't. I can't just uproot Abby again. It's not fair to her. None of this is fair to her." She explained. Robin had time to think things through and Jason's remark about her being like Carly kept ringing in her head. It hit her with more force than she had ever expected and it damn near killed her, because she knew he had a point. "I can't take Abby away from her family."

"Alright..." He agreed because it was ultimately Robin's choice to stay or leave. "Then we'll fight him. Whatever he tries we'll fight."

Robin frowned, it seemed as though she had spent so much of her life fighting against something and it just took so much out of her every time. "Jagger, I only have some many good fights left in me. It's too hard."

"What are you saying? You just want to let him ruin Abby's life?" He questioned in disbelief.

"Of course not!" She insisted loudly. "I just can't fight what isn't here yet. Jason just found out he's a father."

"Genetically." Jagger interjected because DNA did not make someone a father in his opinion. Jason had about the same rank as a sperm donor in Jagger's mind. He was not a parent, he was just the man that shared DNA with Abby. Jason was Robin's ex for a reason. He betrayed her and turned his back on her when she needed him the most and it was unforgivable.

She shook her head, "Whatever I feel about Jason or whatever you think, he's her father."

Jagger looked into Robin's eyes and tried to figure out what she was thinking." What did that bastard say to you?" He questioned, getting the undeniable feeling that somehow Jason had said or done something that had shaken Robin up.

"I just don't want to lie to Abby anymore when she asks me why she can't meet her daddy." Robin replied in a whisper. "I don't even want to lie to my child. I don't want to be like. And I won't use her as a weapon to hurt Jason just because-"

"Carly." Jagger stated. "That's what he held over your head. Robin it's different-"

"Maybe." She cut him off weakly. "But in a lot of ways it's the same too."

Jason sat on the couch holding his head in his hands as Brenda watched him closely. "What am I supposed to do?" He questioned. "Am I supposed to just step aside and let Robin and Jagger raise MY daughter?"

It wasn't really an option and they both knew it. Now that Jason knew he was Abby's father, there was noway he would just walk away from her. Brenda shook her head, "You prove to everyone that you're capable of being a good man and a good father. Right now Robin as absolutely no reason to trust you Jason."

He looked up at her and sighed, "So this is my punishment right? This is how Robin gets back at me for choosing Michael and Carly over her."

"No, Jason, you know Robin better than that." Brenda stated bluntly. "It was never about hurting you. It was about protecting herself and Abby. That little girl is Robin's whole world." She explained thoughtfully. "Robin's been working her ass off to support herself and Abby. She came back to Port Charles because she worked herself right into the hospital a few months ago." Jason looked shocked. "She wants Abby to have a good life surrounded by people that love her."

Jason looked down for a moment then back to Brenda, "Is Abby, I mean...Does she have."

"She's negative." Brenda replied realizing what Jason was trying to ask. "Abby was perfectly healthy and HIV negative. She's healthy, she's so small because she was born prematurely. Robin was scared and alone in Paris trying to fend for herself. She went into labor in the middle of the night over a month early. They delivered her through an emergency c-section and they both spent 2 weeks in the hospital."

Jason held his head again, he suddenly wished that Robin hadn't had to go through all of that alone. It must have terrified her but he would have been there if only she had told him. Hell, he would have been there whether she liked it or not because no one should have to go through all of that alone without any family or support from anyone. He was still torn between anger and regret. Never in a million years did he expect to be sitting there while Brenda tried to reason with him and calm him down. There was another knock at Jason's door, lighter and almost hesitant. The guards waited for Jason to come because they had heard yelling inside before and didn't want to risk interrupting. Jason got up from the couch, walked past Brenda and went to the door. He was surprised to find Robin standing there though she didn't look shocked to see Brenda with him.

"Can I come in?" She asked in a weak tone. Jason stepped aside and held the door open wider for her. "Bren, can you give us some time?"

Brenda hugged Robin tightly and asked if she was sure. Robin was and let Brenda go. "Do the right thing Jase." She whispered to him as she headed out the door.

"Say it." Jason demanded bluntly. "Tell me the truth Robin. Right now just get it out in the open once and for all."

She hesitated, her fist tightly clenched at her sides. She didn't want to say it, she didn't want to admit that it was really happening but Jason's gaze was locked onto her, he already knew the truth but he was determined to hear it from her. She swallowed hard and looked down, thank God for small favors because tearing her eyes away from Jason's was not easy. It was almost as hard as looking at them and knowing they were Abby's eyes.

"Ok." She whispered because it was exactly what she had gone there to do. Face the truth and brace for the reality of it. "You're Abby's father." She looked up as Jason shook his head, she could see he was clenching his jaw and trying to keep his temper under control, his breathing was a little strained and he made it a point not to look at her for a long moment. "I know you're mad Jason." Robin stated. "But it doesn't matter because it won't change anything." Jason looked at her crossly but said nothing because he couldn't form words at that point. "We could spend the next 4 years going back and fourth fighting and trying to hurt each other and blame each other but what's the point?" She asked seriously. She had obviously thought it through and come to terms with a lot of things already. She just wanted to try to make everything as easy on Abby as possible and cushion the fallout of her own actions. Robin knew she should have told him and she wasn't going to deny it but she couldn't undo the past or wouldn't even if she could. "It wouldn't get us anywhere and it would just take up more energy then either of us can spare."

"Fine." He replied finally able to speak. His tone wasn't at all forgiving but Robin hadn't expected it to be. In his eyes she could see that he was still livid every time he looked at her. "So what do we do Robin? How do we figure this out?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. But I just want what's best for Abby."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He questioned sharply, "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant or even after Abby was born? Did you actually think that you could just show up in Port Charles with a little girl and I wouldn't notice?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "Maybe, I just thought you were be to busy with your own life that you would just leave us alone. But I tried to tell you Jason, I did." She tried to make him believe her.

Jason shook his head in disbelief. "When?"

Robin took a deep breath, "I didn't even find out until I was already in Paris and I called you. Do you remember?" She asked.

He thought about it for a moment, he remembered just about everything when it came to Robin, right down to the most minor details. She called once after she left and they never spoke again until that night at Jakes. "About 2 weeks later, about one of your textbooks or something." He answered hesitantly.

"I chickened out." She replied honestly. "I heard your voice and I couldn't do it. Then you said you had to get somewhere with Carly and Michael, so you didn't have time." She looked down and slowly let that deep breath out. "I guess it could have gone worse, you could have just hung up on me because I knew you were still furious with me but, I just couldn't get the words out."

"Alright, so you just gave up?" He questioned. "Because I blew you off once, you just decided I didn't need to know about Abby?"

"It only got harder." She reasoned. "I thought after she was born I could tell you but days turned into weeks, then months and before I knew it. Abby and I were back here again and you still didn't know. I tried to call you again when Abby was a month old." She admitted reluctantly. "Carly answered the phone so I just, I hung up. She never was very good with taking messages." When she looked up at Jason for the first time, he saw that she had tears in her eyes. "I can't say that I'm sorry Jason. I'm not because I've done what I've felt I needed to do to protect my daughter and I can't see how it could be wrong."

"Protecting her from me? Did you really think I would hurt you or Abby if I knew Robin?" Jason asked as though he was hurt by the idea of it.

"I don't know what you would have done Jason. I know that I was already hurt and I didn't want Abby to get put in the middle of that." She stated. "I guess I was afraid you would try to take her away from me. I just kept picturing you showing up with a court order to bring her here and I knew I couldn't come back to Port Charles. I couldn't handle it." She explained.

"I would have done anything I could to help you." He stated seriously.

"Oh yeah, we would have been one big perfect family." She answered sarcastically. "Carly, Michael, you, me and Abby. Jason it would never have worked. You choose your life here and I made mine with Abby in Paris. I didn't fit into your life here and you couldn't make one in Paris." She shook her head. "We can go back and forth for hours about what I could have done differently and how things might have turned out but I stand by my decisions now."

"Does Jagger know you're here?" He asked suddenly as he poured himself a drink. His nerves were shot and he was willing to try anything to keep his hands from shaking because of everything coursing through him. Inside, Jason knew his remark about Stone on the bridge was completely uncalled for and inexcusable and he did actually regret it but he wasn't about to take it back just yet. Jagger Cates raising Abby with Robin did not sit well with him in the very least.

"Yes. He's home with Abby right now." Robin explained.

Jason was still for a moment then asked, "Does she does she call him dad?" He asked quietly.

"No." Robin replied honestly. "She calls him Jagger because she knows that he isn't her father. He's her friend. I would never let her think someone else was her father Jason. I do not lie to my daughter." Jason was actually somewhat relieved to hear that Abby wasn't calling another man her father and in that moment he felt a bit of understanding of what AJ must have felt like, when the truth about Michael came out and then when he lost his son to Sonny and Carly.

He sat down and seemed to relax just a little as Robin watched him closely. She stood her ground and didn't dare budge from her spot several feet away from him. Jason could tell she was apprehensive about being alone with him in the first place as though she somehow actually thought he would lash out at her physically. He never would and deep inside Robin had to know that or she wouldn't have dared to ask Brenda to leave. Jason sighed, "Brenda's he said that Abby was born early."

"Yeah, July 19th." Robin told him softly.

"What does she know about me?" He asked quietly. Jason was drained, his anger took all of his strength and now that Robin was able to be calm so was he. He didn't want to yell anymore, it didn't get him anywhere and he knew it only served to make Robin shut down and fight back.

Robin frowned, "Not much." She admitted. "Umm." She tried to remember everything she had told Abby about her father the few times she had ever asked. "When we lived in Paris I told her you lived in America. She knows you have blue eyes."

"That's what she said at Kelly's." He stated.

"I heard." Robin replied in a fragile tone that actually made Jason feel a little sympathy towards her. Robin was exhausted and she didn't really have the strength to hide anymore. He knew the truth and she was just trying to deal with it. "She umm she asked me once what you do for a living but I didn't know what to say, so I just said I didn't know. I guess it's half true because I don't know the details or anything. I just didn't think she needed to know about the business just yet."

Jason rubbed the bridge of his nose and nodded, "Right, yeah that's probably for the best. Michael still doesn't really know what Sonny and I do aside from the coffee thing."

"I guess I could have told her that but it didn't really cross my mind." She explained. "Jason, she doesn't know your name or that you live in Port Charles. She doesn't know why were not together."

"So can we figure something out here or is it going to have to get even more complicated?" He asked seriously as he looked directly at Robin. "I just want to be able to know my kid Robin."

"Ok." She replied as she looked down because his gaze was too intense for her.

"Ok?" He repeated, a little shocked at how easily she agreed.

Robin nodded. "You should know her, she's an amazing little person." She finally looked up at his eyes again. "But you can't just jump into being her father Jason. You're going to have to be her friend first and prove to me that you're good for her because, I'm terrified here. I don't want Abby to get hurt." She looked at her watch and shifted uncomfortably. She promised Jagger she wouldn't be long and he didn't want her going over there in the first place. "I have to go but umm I work tomorrow at Kelly's and Abby comes with me so, you could kind of meet her tomorrow if you want?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." Jason replied because he could tell how hard it was for Robin to even offer him a chance to see Abby so soon. And Brenda was right, it would be better for everyone involved especially little Abby if he and Robin could work something out civilly, instead of making a big court case of it. Jason had been through all of that with Michael and even though he won joint custody of him, it proved to be too difficult on everyone and he signed over his parental rights soon after because he wanted what was best for Michael, even if he didn't have much faith in AJ or the rest of the Quartermaines.

Jagger couldn't believe what Robin was willing to do to avoid having to go through a custody case. He tried to reason with her and explain that she had to take action and Jason couldn't be trusted with Abby but Robin stood her ground. She didn't want to put Abby through any unnecessary trauma or stress and Jason was her father, Robin didn't really think he would try to snatch her as long as she let him see Abby. Kidnapping just didn't seem like Jason's style and at least Robin had Brenda's support even if Jagger did promptly fill Mac in on his niece's laps in judgment.

It was a slow morning at Kelly's thankfully, which meant that Robin had a chance to sit down with Abby, who decided to sport some jean overall with a purple T-shirt. The large front pocket had a big star on them which Abby loved because it was yellow and had a bit of glitter to it that hadn't come off in the wash yet. It was one of her favorite things to wear and that morning Robin braided her hair back out of her face so she wouldn't have to mess with it during the day.

"Mommy, why do you look like that?" Abby asked as she looked up at her mother.

"Like what sweet pea?" Robin replied as she took a deep breath and looked at her watch.

Abby seemed to try to think of the right word for a moment before settling on, "Scared."

"It's more like nervous." Robin replied. "You know what nervous is right?"

Abby nodded, "It's kind of like scared but a little different." She looked at Robin strangely, "Why are you nervous Mommy?"

Robin sighed and avoided the actually question. "Maybe if you give me a big hug I won't be nervous anymore."

Abby smiled and threw her arms around Robin tightly and held on to her for a long moment. "Better mommy?"

"Much better sweet pea." Robin replied with a forced smile as Jason came into Kelly's alone. "Ok. Abby, you're going to meet someone now ok? You don't need to be scared because I'm going to be right here." She assured her. "I'll be right back." Robin got up and met Jason halfway. She noticed that his jaw was still a little red and swollen from where she had punched him and took a bit of satisfaction in that. He deserved a good punch of what he had said the day before. In the light of day, she still wanted to strangle him for bring up Stone that way but she resisted for Abby's sake. "Umm, this might be a strange question but do you have your gun right now?" She asked seriously. Jason looked at her strangely because they both knew he rarely went anywhere without it, just out of habit. "Slip it into your jacket and give it to me." She instructed as she ran her hand through her hair. "I don't let Jagger carry his around her either unless he's on duty and it's clipped to his belt. The same rule goes for Uncle Mac." She explained so he would understand that it wasn't just a cautionary measure specifically for him.

Jason did as she instructed, careful to make sure no one in the restaurant saw it, as he put the gun into his jacket and handed it to Robin. "Any other rules I should know about?"

"Plenty, but I reserve the right to change and add to them at any time without notice." Robin replied. "Abby is pretty shy around people she doesn't know and I want you both to stay here where I can see you."

"Alright." Jason agreed. He had to admit that seeing Robin work in Kelly's was easier than seeing her at Jakes. He didn't like the idea of her working in a cheap bar and getting hit on by drunks. Jakes wasn't exactly located in a safe part of town either and the thought of her out there at night alone made him uneasy. She didn't wear makeup at Kelly's and her clothes weren't revealing, it was just easier to cope with than at Jakes.

"Don't tell her that you're her father yet. Abby is still adjusting to being here and it's a lot for a little kid to take in." She reasoned.

Jason rolled his eyes, "For how long?"

"I don't know yet. In case you haven't noticed, I've never done any of this before." Robin replied seriously. "Well, come on." She led Jason over to where Abby was sitting at the counter already coloring and not paying any attention.

Robin folded Jason's leather jacket up and placed it under the counter so his gun was safely out of sight. Jason's eyes were already locked on Abby but she hadn't noticed him as she made sure to color carefully in the lines of the picture she was working on.

"Abby." Robin spoke softly to get her daughters attention. "Do you remember Jason from yesterday?" She asked. Abby looked at Jason suddenly and seemed to study him for a moment. She stood up on the stool so their eyes were level and stared at him as she nodded. Again in the safety of Kelly's, with her mommy so close, Jason didn't seem scary to her. "Hey, sit down Missy." Robin insisted. "Can you say hello?"

"Hi." Abby spoke quietly as she continued to watch Jason very closely as he sat down on the stool next to hers. "Do you know how to color?" She asked with a strange seriousness that actually made Robin smile.

"Umm." Jason wasn't expecting that question though he wasn't really sure what to expect. He had never really tried to color before, he knew he couldn't draw to save his life. "How about you show me how it's done?" He asked.

"Ok, it's real easy." Abby stated as she handed him a blue crayon. "You just stay in the lines like this." She demonstrated by coloring in part of the picture and then looking at Jason. "See?"

So far so good, Robin figured. "Ok, I'm going to get back to work. You 2 just stay here and have fun coloring." She took an order to a nearby table and cleaned up a bit as Jason and Abby sat at the counter. Robin noticed Mac lurking outside protectively and went out to talk to him, "Are you here to spy or do you want something to eat?" She questioned.

Mac shook his head, "I can't believe you're ok with him being around Abby." He stated.

"Uncle Mac, I love you and I love that you care about Abby so much but please try to understand." Robin pleaded. "If I can save myself and Abby a lot of trouble just by being civil to Jason than I'm willing to do that. He is her father."

"And what if?"

"Don't." Robin cut him off sternly. "Don't you dare give me all the possibilities because I know them. I know you and Jagger aren't happy about this but Abby is my daughter and I have to do what's best for her."

"And you think Jason Morgan is best for her?" Mac asked in disbelief.

"I think staying in Port Charles with her family is best yes." Robin replied. "Mac, my only other option is to disappear and take everything away from Abby and I don't want to do that if I can stay in Port Charles and give her the life she deserves." She shook her head and sighed. "You don't have to like the decisions I make but I would rather make the decision to let Jason be a part of her life than have a judge force me to."

Mac sighed, "It had to be him huh? It just had to be Jason Morgan." He put his hand on Robin's shoulder and looked into her eyes, "I hope for your sake and Abby's that everything works out here because I would hate to see Abby get hurt and I would hate to see you go through hell because him."

It was probably all Robin could ask for really. Mac may not have liked Jason but he wouldn't stand in the way of him getting to know Abby as long as he didn't screw it up. The truth was, Mac was more worried about Robin. Jason had hurt her so badly in the past and Mac didn't want to see his niece suffer anymore because of him. When Robin and Jagger told him they were going to move back to Port Charles with Abby, Mac was elated that he would get to see the girls more than a few times a year but his next thought was instantly for Robin's well being. He didn't want to see Jason work his way back into her life and her heart only to destroy her again. After Mac was satisfied that Abby wasn't in any immediate danger with Jason around, he headed back to work to inform Jagger that things were going alright.

"Mommy why didn't Uncle Mac come inside?" Abby questioned innocently.

"He's busy sweet pea." Robin replied. "He just stopped by on his way to work." Jason rolled his eyes, knowing instantly that Mac had to be checking in on Robin and Abby. Robin shook her head at Jason and poured him another cup of coffee.

"How do you know my mommy?" Abby asked suddenly while Robin was taking the order of a new table on the other side of the diner.

Jason shifted nervously. "Umm, I knew her when she lived in Port Charles before you were born."

"You were friends?" Abby asked. "Mommy knows a lot of people here from before. She lived here when she was little and then when she was big too." She looked at Jason strangely, "Do you have any kids?"

Robin heard the question and looked up right away. Jason looked over at her and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I have one." He replied. "A little girl."

"Oh." Abby seemed satisfied and didn't ask anymore questions for a little while. "This is Molly." She stated holding up her doll suddenly. "I don't have any little brothers or sisters so sometimes I pretend that Molly is my baby sister."

Jason smiled as Abby offered him the doll to take a closer look at her. "She's almost as pretty as you." Abby smiled and looked just like Robin.

"Mommy." Abby looked up when Robin stepped behind the counter. She motioned for Robin to come close and whispered something in her ear.

"Umm why don't you ask him?" Robin replied as she draped a cloth over her shoulder after wiping the counter.

Abby looked at Jason and smiled brightly. "Mommy said she would take me to the park after she's done working today. Do you want to come with us?" She asked.

Jason looked at Robin to see what she thought and she nodded a little signaling that it was really alright with her if he wanted to come and spend more time with Abby. "I'd love to." He told Abby.

She slipped off of her stool and excused herself to go to the bathroom. "She likes you." Robin commented. "Normally Abby doesn't like when anyone comes to the park with us other than Brenda." She looked at Jason who was smiling a little. "I umm, I have something for you, it's in my car so I'll give it to you at the park if that's alright."

"Yeah sure." Jason replied almost nervously.

"It's not bad." Robin laughed a little as she took a tray of drinks to another table.

Sonny stood looking out the large window in the dinning room of the penthouse. Carly was complaining about not being able to go to Kelly's because Robin worked there and was busy listing all of the reasons why Bobby shouldn't have hired her.

"Carly give it a rest." Sonny insisted. "Bobby told you, she isn't going to fire Robin just because you don't like her. For the life of me I don't know why you get so bothered by it."

"Because Robin tried to ruin my life." She snapped.

"And if I recall correctly you tried to ruin hers." Sonny stated seriously. "In fact, you successfully got between she and Jason and he hasn't been the same since."

"Sonny, Jason is my friend and it's my job to look out for him. That little brat isn't good for him." Carly tried to reason. She clearly didn't like how Sonny apparently saw things because that wasn't at all how she recalled them. In Carly's version of the past, Robin was the villain and always would be. She thought she had finally rid Port Charles of the petite brunette once and for all. She thought that she had rid Jason's and Sonny's lives of her most importantly. "I just protected him from her."

"You were in love with him." Sonny reminded. "And Robin was in the way of you getting him. You drove a wedge between them and she finally decided enough was enough." His tone was strangely harsh with her. It was the same tone he used when he was angry but Carly couldn't figure out why on earth Sonny would be angry with her, she was just speaking the truth, and the last time she checked he didn't defend Robin anymore so what was going on?

"Why do I get the impression that you're on her side?" Carly demanded sharply. "You don't even like her. I don't know why you ever even put up with her!"

"Because I love her." Sonny replied thoughtfully as he turned his gaze back to the window. Carly obviously thought he said loved or she would have jumped all over his words without missing a beat. "She was important to Stone and then to Jason. Through it all, she was important to me. She's not like us Carly."

"Exactly." Carly agreed quickly thinking that Sonny was once again coming around to her side of things. "She doesn't belong in Jason's life."

Sonny rolled his eyes. Lately he couldn't stand his wife. All she did was nag and complain, mostly about Jason and it was getting more than a little irritating. It was also becoming increasing apparent to him that he would never be able to trust Carly completely. Every time he told her not to do something, she had to do it anyway. Verbally attacking Robin over and over again was one of the many things Sonny had repeatedly told her not to do. Carly couldn't help it, she was a natural pain in the ass and always had been. At one time, Sonny found it somewhat endearing but lately it had cost him business deals because he was constantly having to clean up messes she caused by butting in. Like the time she tried to arrange for them to enter into witness protection after telling the FBI, Sonny would provide them with the names of several mob bosses. She didn't take into account that Sonny wouldn't cooperate. She always seemed to get herself into messes and Sonny was getting fed up with it. The marriage was falling apart but neither seemed willing to admit it. Unfortunately for Sonny, he did love her, he just couldn't stand her.

"Well get over it because I have a feeling she's back in it for good." He told her flatly.

"Over my dead body." She remarked.

Sonny looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "I certainly hope it doesn't come to that." He sighed. "Just let Jason make his own decisions. For once just stay out of it Carly. It isn't your place to tell him what to do as far as Robin and Abby are concerned."

Carly looked at her husband suspiciously. "What does her little rugrat have to do with anything?"

Sonny sighed and rubbed his temples. "She's just old enough that she might be Jason's rugrat." Carly's jaw nearly hit the floor with a thud as she ran a hand through her bleach blonde hair. Sonny took a deep breath and braced himself for a Carly sized tantrum that he had surely just unleashed.

Jason locked his gun in the glovebox of Robin's car since he couldn't think of anywhere safer to put it while they were at the park. He would definitely have to start leaving it at home or bringing a car out when he saw Abby, if he was going to follow Robin's no gun policy.

Robin sat down on the bench with Jason next to her as Abby played on the swings nearby. "Here." Robin stated as she handed Jason a small book that she had pulled out of her purse.

"What's this?" Jason asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A photo album." Robin replied. "You know pictures." She smirked a little as Jason began looking through it. "I thought you might want some photos of Abby when she was smaller."

He nodded a little, he didn't except Robin to do that for him. She had to have pulled it together late the night before or early that morning and he could tell that making so much effort wasn't easy for her. And he could understand why she was so protective of Abby, she was her mother and that was her job. "Thanks." He couldn't help but laugh at a picture of Abby licking a spoon full of cake mix.

"That was her birthday." Robin laughed when she saw which one Jason was looking at. "She's a very messy cook just like you."

"Chocolate cake." Jason shook his head with a smile.

"It's her favorite." Robin replied softly.

Jason looked at her, "I should have guessed. I think most little kids like chocolate cake."

"Well, I'm little, does that still count?" Robin smirked.

Jason watched Abby for a moment and sighed, "So how long before I get unsupervised visits?" He asked seriously. "I don't want to push you but-"

"I know." She whispered. "I just, I'm not ready to just hand her over to you yet. It's probably not fair but I need more time to adjust to this than you do." Jason nodded his understanding and they sat in silence while Abby played until it was time for Robin to take her home for dinner. What neither of them realized was that while they watched Abby, someone else was watching them.

Brenda rolled her eyes at Jagger as he started dinner. Robin and Abby hadn't come home yet and he was getting edgy about it. "Would you relax? She was going to take Abby to the park when she was done work. It's not like Jason would kidnap them for crying out loud." She knew that Jason saved his underhanded business practices strictly for business and honestly believed that her friend and niece would be just fine, during the first official meeting of father and daughter.

"How do you know?" Jagger remarked. "I wouldn't put it past him. He is a criminal after all."

Career criminal actually but Brenda didn't think she should stress that because Jagger knew it all too well. Jason made his living by working for Sonny and occasionally running the territory himself. He was the enforcer of the operation, which meant that yes, Jason was a very dangerous man but never to Robin. Never, ever in a million years would Jason be dangerous to Robin, the way Jagger was clearly hinting at. Once everyone realized that, and calmed down, things would be easier in Brenda's estimation.

"Jason's done a lot of stupid things but he's never intentionally endangered Robin and he won't hurt Abby." Brenda reasoned. She smirked, "Aww what's wrong Jagger? Are you jealous that you might not get to spend as much time with your playmate?" She teased. "Come on, you just have to share Abby now." She laughed.

"It's not funny Bren." He replied seriously. "Jason is dangerous."

She sighed, "Not to the people he cares about. Jason's life is dangerous, yes but-"

He cut her off, "Exactly." He kept his eyes focused on the task he was performing, chopping carrots at the counter just so he wouldn't have to meet Brenda's unrelenting and hypnotizing gaze.

Brenda walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. "Just try to keep an open mind. Nothing can stay a secret forever. This isn't easy for Robin either or Jason for that matter. Everyone's life is going to change because now he knows that Abby is his daughter. You're just going to have to adjust like everyone else. I've given Jason a hard time about Robin in the past but he did always love her and he protected her even when they weren't together, until their last breakup when they both shut down completely."

She sighed because it was the truth. Both Robin and Jason shut down completely. She saw it in Jason the first time she came back to Port Charles and she knew when Jason looked at her, he saw Robin and it killed him but he helped her anyway when she needed it, most likely because she was Robin's friend, because he certainly didn't like Brenda at all. And when Brenda went to Paris and met Abby for the first time and spoke to Robin about Jason, she could tell that it was painful for her friend. The only thing that brought Robin back to life after the big breakup, was the little life that grew inside of her and became Abby. Maybe Abby would bring Jason back to life as well.

Jagger hooked his right arm around Brenda's waist and brought her around himself slightly. "I don't trust him." He stated seriously.

"And he probably doesn't trust you either." She replied frankly. "But you 2 will just have to play nice for Abby's sake because he's going to be a part of her life whether you like it or not."

Jagger kissed Brenda's forehead and sighed, "You frustrate me you know?"

Brenda smirked proudly, "Well we all have to be good at something Jagger." She slapped him on the butt and walked away, just before Robin and Abby came into the house.

Abby came tearing into the kitchen excitedly and instantly wrapped her tiny arms around Jagger's legs. "Hey Abby-baby, did you have a good day at work with your mommy?" He asked trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Yup." She beamed. "What's for dinner Jagger?" She asked as she stole a carrot stick from the counter by standing on her tiptoes to look at what he was doing.

"Chicken." He replied. "Go wash up ok?"

Abby nodded and ran up to wash her hands before dinner, while Robin sat down at the table next to Brenda. "Stop staring. It's rude." She commented as they both looked at her expectantly.

"Come on, dish." Brenda instructed. "Inquiring minds what to know how things went with Jason." Jagger rolled his eyes but said nothing, turning his back to Robin for a moment so she wouldn't catch the annoyed expression on his face.

Robin shrugged her shoulders and ran a lazy hand through her brown hair. "Fine I guess. Abby likes him so that's a good sign right? She was comfortable around him right away and I've never seen her do that before." Jagger scoffed and mumbled something under his breath that Robin couldn't catch. "Will you please try to be supportive here Jagger?" She questioned. "It's this or a court fight which I for one don't want to go through."

"You know, not even 48 hours ago this was your worst nightmare." He stated in a matter of fact sort of way as he folded his arms over his midsection and leaned against the counter.

"No, 48 hours ago, my worst nightmare was the same as it is now. Losing custody of Abby." She countered. "Look Jagger, I was panicking ok? I don't know, I was fearing the worst but right now, if I can keep this all under control then why shouldn't I let Jason get to know his daughter? I never intended to keep Abby a secret but then I got scared and it was just easier. Now he knows and I have to deal with the reality of it." She shook her head, "We can fight about this until were both blue in the face but Abby is my daughter and this is my call." She got up suddenly and left the room as Jagger clenched his jaw and tried to keep his temper in check.

Jason waited until he was sure Carly was out, to go over to talk to Sonny. He walked into the penthouse and made sure the coast was clear. Sonny came down the stairs looking over some papers. He looked up and was a little surprised to see Jason there but it wasn't entirely unexpected.

"I got something to show you." Jason stated as he pulled the little photo album from his pocket and offered it to Sonny. "Robin gave it to me this afternoon."

Sonny took it and smiled, "So things went alright?"

"Yeah, I guess." Jason replied. "She's a great kid Sonny."

"She's beautiful." Sonny stated. "She does really have your eyes huh?" Jason nodded. "And you and Robin are working out some sort of understanding?"

"Trying to, yeah." Jason answered. "I just hope it works."

"Are you still mad?" Sonny asked as he gave the photo album back.

Jason shrugged, "I don't know. Not really, it just seems pointless. I mean, Robin should have told me but at least I know now and she's not being too difficult about it. She let me spend some time with Abby and even invited me to go to the park with them after."

"So that's something." Sonny agreed. "I hope you 2 can come to terms. That little girl deserves both of her parents." He watched Jason for a moment, studying him and trying to read him. He knew Jason well but at times he still couldn't figure him out. "How do you feel about Robin?" He asked bluntly.

"What do you mean?" Jason replied, his brow creased as he looked at Sonny with confusion.

"I mean how do you feel about her?" Sonny repeated. "I know you were really mad yesterday but." He shrugged. "I guess I just sort of always thought you and Robin would one day have kids and-"

"Don't start." Jason cut him off. "This is real life Sonny, it's not some fairytale where Robin and I will get together and ride off into the sunset with Abby. Robin and I broke up a long time ago."

"For all the wrong reasons." Sonny stated. He shrugged his shoulders again. "What do I know right? I just hope you and Robin can both be happy and take good care of Abby together even if you're not together while you do it."

It was Jason's turn to study his friend as Sonny put his hands in his pockets and went to the window. "What's wrong?" He asked. "You always stare out the window when something's up."

"Just considering my options." Sonny replied cryptically. The truth was Sonny was trying to decide what to do about his relationship with Carly. He couldn't get it out of his mind but he knew something was going to happen, he could feel it. He looked at Jason suddenly, "You called Justus off right? He's not going to try to get the blood test or anything?"

Jason nodded, "I don't need a blood test at this point. Robin already admits that I'm Abby's father. I told Justus to hold off. If I can just work something out with Robin then that's what I'll do. I don't like the idea of fighting it out in court anymore than she does." Jason's cell began to ring and he quickly pulled it from his jacket, "Morgan." There was a pause while whoever was at the other end of the line spoke. Jason's facial expression hardened and Sonny turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, I'll take care of it." Jason stated before disconnecting the call. "I have to get down to the warehouse." Sonny nodded and let Jason leave without delay, Carly would be home soon and Jason certainly didn't want to deal with her anyway.

Luke was passing by quite by chance when he saw Jason down on the docks after taking care of things at the warehouse. He had heard from Robin, that Jason finally knew and he had also heard most of the details involved in him finding out about Abby. He approached Jason as he held one of his cigars in his mouth. "So, Robin told me you finally know." He stated bluntly.

"You knew?" Jason asked furrowing his brow at Luke in disbelief. Son of a bitch, who else knew about his child years before he did? That just didn't seem right. Typically the father was one of the first to know and apparently in this case he was one of the last.

Jason knew that Luke loved Robin like a daughter and was fiercely protective of her, almost as much as Mac was but he never thought Luke could keep something so big a secret. Then again, he didn't think Robin could either and he had been wrong about that as well. Robin was family to Luke and the way things ended between her and Jason didn't sit well with him which was why he didn't tell Jason about Abby. Jason was usually a good man but Luke's opinion of him wasn't the highest at times. Robin was so important to Luke that he was stake his own life to keep her safe as well as Abby and that meant that when it came to Jason, Luke was on his highest guard and sharpest watch to carefully over see that no harm came to the 2 little Scorpios.

"I had my suspicions. Luke replied as he held his cigar. I am Abby's godfather after all and I've known Robin since she was a little girl. There isn't much that little Scorpio can keep from me and what she tries, I figure out anyway." He looked Jason up and down and shook his head a little. "Jase, I've known you a long time now and I respect you, so what I'm about to say is filled with the utmost respect." Jason looked at Luke seriously. "If you do anything to hurt either of those 2 girls I will personally break every damn bone you have before I kill you and no one will ever find your body. You got that?"

"You think you're tough enough Luke?" Jason asked smugly because he honestly wasn't the least bit intimidated by Luke Spencer. He never had a reason to be before, so he wasn't about to start being cautious around him now until he was given a reason. Then again, Robin and Abby were probably 2 damn good reasons for Jason to watch himself where Luke was concerned.

"Oh I'm plenty tough enough boy." Luke replied confidently. "You're strong but you're not invincible. I've taken down bigger men than you for less." He stated seriously. "You're only going to get one chance with Abby, so don't screw it up." He warned. Luke was the master of disappearing acts and he was fully prepared to help Robin vanish with Abby if the need arose and Jason would never find either of them again. Luke was prepared since the day Abby was born, all Robin would have to do was give the word and in a matter of hours, he would set everything into motion for her.

Life was relatively and surprisingly easy for the next couple of weeks. Jagger calmed down and decided to just avoid any Jason related conversations to avoid fighting with Robin and just getting angry in general. Abby still didn't know that Jason was her father, but Robin let him see her again. More rules were laid out without any room for negotiation.

Carly was not to be anywhere in sight when Jason spent time with Abby. Robin didn't want to subject her daughter to Carly's hostility and Jason didn't argue. He had already informed Carly that she was to stay the hell away from both Abby and Robin. He told her that Abby was his daughter and he wouldn't let her whine or complain about it. If she so much as brought up anything negative about Robin, Jason and Sonny both stopped her immediately with cold glares. However, from the moment Jason told Carly about Abby well, technically he didn't tell her, she over heard him talking to Sonny and demanded answers then threw a fit about itSonny got the impression that his wife was already plotting something. When he called her on it she acted completely offended and claimed that she had better things to do than waste time even thinking about Robin and her child. Neither Jason nor Sonny bought that for a second and Jason became highly suspicious of her but decided to just keep an eye on her as much as possible through the guards because he couldn't be bothered to confront her himself now that he had Abby on his mind almost constantly.

It was also understood that Sonny would not be allowed around Abby because it still made Robin as well as Jagger and Mac uncomfortable. She simply was not ready to even be civil to the man she had once adored and loved so dearly, only to have him turn his back on her. Jason knew that it would only be a matter of time before she and Sonny would eventually talk face to face and hopefully forgive each other. He reluctantly agreed to that rule but only because he knew Robin was still in complete control and didn't have to let him see Abby at all yet.

The next rule was that Jason was not allowed to fight with Jagger or speak ill of him in Abby's presence. He had no choice but to accept that Jagger was a part of her life and if he didn't like that was just too damn bad. Jagger loved Abby and she loved him, Jason would just have to put his pride aside and keep his mouth shut about his dislike for him.

There was to be absolutely nothing business related around Abby. Without a doubt if Robin thought that her daughter was in danger because of Jason's enemies, she would step in to protect her before Jason even had a chance to respond. Jason's employees, including guards were to stay away from Abby at all times. Robin didn't want her daughter to have to deal with that side of Jason's life, if she could avoid it.

The first time Robin allowed Jason out of her sight with Abby was to take her to the park when Kelly's became especially busy one Sunday morning. Still no one in town really knew what was going on. Both Robin and Jason were private people, so those who knew them were reluctant to ask, except for Bobby who never seemed to be very shy.

"Jason and Abby have been spending quite a bit of time together lately." She commented as Robin cleared a table quickly.

"Umm, yeah." Robin replied as she put the dirty dishes in a bin behind the counter. She half expected Carly to have ran straight to her mother screaming but apparently mother and daughter still weren't on the best of terms after Bobby hired Robin in the first place.

Bobby pressed on for information, "She and Jason sort of look alike their eyes I mean." Robin looked at her and sighed. "Is she."

"Bobby, if you're trying to ask if he's Abby's father than the answer is yes." She replied honestly. "But Abby doesn't know that yet and Jason has decided that it's probably for the best if a lot of people don't know. He's got something going on business wise and-"

"Say no more. I completely understand." Bobby replied. Well that was another detail she was going to have to kick Luke for withholding. There was noway he didn't know that Jason was Abby's father from the get go. "Carly said that Sonny has been acting strangely lately. Jason and you are probably right to keep it quiet for awhile especially until Abby knows herself." She frowned. "Is Jagger jealous?"

Robin looked at her strangely, "What would Jagger have to be jealous about? He knows that Jason is Abby's father." She explained before getting back to work.

Robin was clearing tables outside of Kelly's when Brenda stopped by, "Hey, I just wanted to see you again before I left for New York." She explained.

Robin frowned and hugged Brenda warmly, "Do you really have to go?"

"For a little while." Brenda replied. "But I'm just a phone call away and you seem to have things under control here. If I'm going to get back into the whole modeling game I've got to move before I'm considered over the hill." She laughed. "Where's Abby, I want to say goodbye before I leave, I promised her this morning."

"Jase took her to the park." Robin replied as she loaded up a tray with cups.

"Alone?" Brenda asked with a bit of surprise in her voice. "Well, now that's progress." She smiled. "I'm proud of you sweetie."

"Don't be. I check my watch every 3 minutes waiting for him to bring her back." Robin admitted. "He promised to have her back by the end of my shift."

Brenda nodded, "Then he will. I'm going to stop by there to say goodbye. I'll talk to you in a couple days ok?" Robin nodded and they hugged once more before Brenda headed off.

When Jason returned right on time with Abby, Robin was relieved but she could tell instantly that Abby was sad because Brenda was gone. She adored her aunt so much that on more than one occasion she asked why Brenda couldn't just live with them always like Jagger. She held Jason's hand until she saw Robin and ran to her.

"Did you have fun at the park sweet pea?" Robin asked as she knelt down to Abby's level. Abby nodded with her bottom lip out a little. "Did you give Auntie Bren a big hug and tell her you'll miss her lots?" Abby nodded again. "She'll be back to visit again soon baby. I promise, you know Auntie Bren loves you a lot and doesn't stay away long." She looked at Abby's hands and laughed a little. "Nice to see you got good and dirty while you were gone." She looked up at Jason who could only smirk sheepishly in response. "Why don't you go wash your hands while I talk to Jason for a minute."

"Ok." Abby replied before heading off to clean herself up.

Jason put his hands into his pockets and sighed, "Ok, I can't stand this. I have to ask. Do you really have to keep working here AND at Jakes? You look really tired and it can't be good for you." He reasoned.

Robin shrugged. "I have bills to pay Jason. Jagger and I split everything 50-50 but I still have debts to pay off from school."

"Ok, so let me pay those off for you and you can quit working at Jakes at least." He replied. Robin knew that he hated her working there with a passion but couldn't figure out why it was such a big deal. It was just a job. Sure Jason had never held a legitimate job for more than a few weeks but she had never had that problem herself. As long as she was taking care of herself and Abby she didn't care where she worked or how tired she was from doing it.

"No, noway." She answered seriously. "Abby and I are doing just fine the way we are. I don't want money from you."

"I thought we both wanted what's best for Abby?" He continued. "Having you exhaust yourself isn't best for her. Especially when I'm able to make things easier for you."

Robin shook her head. "I don't want to owe you anything."

"You won't." Jason stated. "You could even go back to school if you wanted to."

Robin cut him off, "And I will once Abby starts school and I can afford it on my own."

Thanks to Brenda, Jason knew full well that the only reason Robin had stopped going to school was because after Abby was born she decided to work instead of except help from anyone else. Robin had been supporting herself and Abby completely un her own until she moved to Chicago after Jagger showed up in Paris and saw that Robin was busting her butt to make ends meet. Even Jagger wanted Robin to go back to school but hadn't been able to convince her it was affordable or practical with Abby.

In a sense, Jason blamed himself for Robin not following through with her plans to become a doctor, even if she had been delayed a year or so, if she and Jason had still been together he would have made sure she felt confident in going back to school sooner rather than later. He could have hired a nanny for Abby and they definitely would have been able to afford anything Robin needed as well as all of Abby's needs. But that ship had sailed and Robin was now already 4 years behind.

She shook her head, she didn't want to talk about school or money in general. She was determined to stand her ground. She and Abby were doing just fine and didn't need Jason's money to get by. "Look, enough ok? I want to talk to you about something else."

Jason sighed and gave up for the time being, "Alright, fine what new rules are there today?" He asked in exasperation.

"None." Robin replied bluntly as she motioned for Jason to sit down with her. "I've been thinking, maybe it's time to tell Abby." Jason looked at her with a bit of shock. "If you want to, then we can together."

"Are you sure?" He answered seriously.

Robin shrugged her shoulders, "Abby already adores you and you've been really good with everything so, I just, I figure you deserve that much now."

"And what does Jagger think?" Jason asked smugly. It was an all too typical question. Jason didn't like Jagger one bit and really didn't give a damn what he thought but he was certain that Robin asked his opinion on just about everything and it was no doubt a very strong opinion.

Robin rolled her eyes. "It's not up to Jagger, it's up to me. Abby is my daughter and he respects my decisions."

"He doesn't like them though." Jason reminded.

"He doesn't have to." Robin answered flatly.

Jason's cell went off in his pocket and he reluctantly answered it. He kept it quick which told Robin that it was most likely a business call. She tried to look uninterested and not pay too much attention but when he hung up he didn't look pleased. "Are you working at Jakes tonight?"

Robin shook her head, "No, I'm off until Tuesday night."

Alright, look I really want to tell Abby but something just came up. Can we do it tonight? He requested seriously.

Robin looked up at Jason as he stood and tucked his phone away, Yeah, sure. She replied.

"Ok, I'll call you at home later?" He asked.

"Alright." She agreed just before Jason took a quick second to tell Abby he would see her later and then headed out quickly. Robin pulled Abby onto her lap and looked at her for a moment, smoothing her hair away from her face gently. "You like Jason right baby?"

Abby nodded. "Yeah, he tells me about places like where Elizabeth is going to go and he's fun at the park." Robin laughed a little. "He always leaves real quick though."

"Yeah, it's because of his job sweet pea. If Jason could he wouldn't leave in such a hurry." She explained.

Jason walked through the rose garden at the Quartermaine mansion in search of his younger sister Emily and their grandmother. The call he had gotten had been from Emily. The Quartermaine men were arguing again and it had Lila quite upset which wasn't very good for the elderly woman at all.

He spotted Emily and she walked towards him looking worried and upset, "Thanks for coming. I can't get grandmother to calm down." She explained as she wrapped her arms around Jason.

"What's going on? What has the old man done this time?" Jason questioned.

"How did you know it was grandfather?" Emily asked, a little surprised that Jason didn't even need to be told that indeed Edward was the source of the most recent conflict.

Jason sighed, "No one else upsets Grandmother this much. What did he do?"

Emily frowned, Jason wasn't going to exactly want to solve this problem but she hoped he could at least soothe Lila. "He went off on AJ again calling him a drunk and an ingrate."

"AJ is a drunk." Jason remarked bluntly however he was careful that it wasn't so loud Lila could catch it.

"He's been sober for almost 90 days this time Jase." Emily tried to reason. "Grandfather just got mad because with Ned on vacation, he left AJ in charge of ELQ without telling everyone."

Jason snickered a little to himself. Edward Quartermaine was a control freak, the fact that Ned had done anything without first getting his approval, probably caused the old man to have a mild heart attack. "And Grandmother heard it all?" Emily nodded and led him towards their grandmother.

Lila looked as regal as ever with her silver hair atop her head and her always sophisticated clothing nearly laid out over her legs as she sat in her wheel chair looking out over the garden with troubled eyes. "Oh Jason, darling I'm so glad to see you." She stated gratefully as Jason knelt down and took her fragile hands gently. "It has been an absolutely terrible day."

Jason rubbed her hands softly and spoke to her calmly. "Don't listen to Edward or the rest of them grandmother. You know the men in this family are completely out of their minds." And Jason fully believed that. He loved Emily and Lila and got along most of the time with his mother Monica but he couldn't stand being around any of the Quartermaine men for more then a few seconds before he wanted to tie them all up and lock them in a closet, just so he wouldn't have to deal with them.

"Except for you darling." Lila replied.

"Well, I don't know about that." Jason smirked. He looked around at Lila's prized roses and knew just the trick to calm her. "The garden looks lovely this year."

Her face lit up. She loved her rose garden and talking about it was a sure fire way to brighten her day. "Oh yes, the roses have come in just absolutely perfect this year."

Jason looked up at Emily who was smiling proudly then returned his attention to Lila who was explaining that the heavy rain in early spring had done the garden good followed by a hot spell that lasted for almost 2 weeks before the season finally evened off.

"Oh this must be a terrible bore to you." She sighed suddenly and then gave a bit of a chuckled because she knew even if it did which yes it did, Jason would never say so. He would just smile and let her go on and on to her hearts content. "Tell me what you've been up to lately dear. You look rather pleased." She observed.

Jason smiled and debated whether or not he should reveal anything about Abby just yet. He was trying to keep it quiet for Abby's own good which he had explained to Robin already. So far only Sonny and unfortunately Carly knew that he was indeed Abby's father aside from those that knew Robin best which meant Jagger, Brenda, Mac and Luke. However, he knew that Emily and Lila weren't untrustworthy and they certainly weren't a threat to Abby's well being so he decided that it was safe to tell them. "Well, Grandmother, you remember Robin don't you?" He asked.

"Oh of course dear, Mac Scorpio's niece and you 2 dated before Carly." She stopped and decided not to continue with the thought because she was not a fan of Carly at all but knew Jason was her friend to some degree. "Well, before Carly." Lila frowned slightly, remembering how Jason's life seemed to tailspin out of control thanks to Carly. His grandmother was strangely enough, the only person Jason fully confided in when Robin left for Paris so she knew the situation better than most.

Jason smirked as Emily rolled her eyes at the mention of Carly. "Robin is back in town. She's been here for a couple of weeks now."

"Are you 2 back together?" Emily asked excitedly. She had always adored Robin and pleaded with Jason to go after her when she left for Paris. In retrospect his little sister was right, he should have done just that and he now knew it.

"Not right now, we're just trying to be friends I guess." Jason replied shaking his head. He wasn't really sure what he and Robin were other than Abby's parents. She was his ex-girlfriend and there were still unresolved issues that possibly would never truly be resolved but they were civil to each other and they seemed to be getting along on somewhat friendly terms. "But she has a daughter. My daughter." He stated.

"You have a little girl?" Lila asked with a smile. "Oh Jason that's wonderful!"

"Wait, Robin's little girl is yours?" Emily asked in disbelief. Jason nodded, "Oh wow. Did you?"

Jason waved her off to stop any unnecessary questions that Lila really didn't need to hear about just yet. "Her name is Abby and she's 4 years old grandmother. You'll get to meet her soon, I promise."

"My goodness, 4 years old." Lila replied sounding slightly astonished. She looked up at Jason and smiled softly. "Well, I think it's wonderful news darling and I can not wait to meet my new great granddaughter." They heard Edwards voice calling in the distance and she frowned slightly. "I do hope you won't allow your grandfather to prevent you for coming around Jason. He isn't as bad as you think. He's just a grumpy spoiled loud old man." She smirked when Jason laughed a little.

"I'm well aware of that." Jason replied. As long as Edward didn't look at Abby as the next Quartermaine heir like he had done with Michael, then Jason didn't see anything that would prevent him from bringing Abby to visit Lila. If there was so much as a hint that Edward was plotting anything than Jason would never let them near his daughter. The Quartermaine's would not be allowed to use Abby as leverage or a bargaining tool against him. "But I'm just going to get out of here before he sees me. You've had enough excitement for one afternoon. Don't tell the rest of the family about Abby yet ok?" He asked looking up towards Emily.

"Sure thing Jase." Emily agreed as he stood up, kissed his grandmother on the cheek and hugged them both goodbye before Edward spotted him.

Robin came into the cottage with Abby, carrying a few grocery bags in her arms while Jagger talked on the phone. Cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder he went to Robin and took one of the bags from her as Abby raced to turn on the television to watch some cartoons as her mommy promised she could once they got home. Jagger didn't miss a beat in his conversation while he followed Robin into the kitchen with the bags.

"No, I'll consider it." Jagger stated. "I'll have to get back to you." He told whoever he was talking to. "Yes, Port Charles PD Mac Scorpio." Robin looked at him with a raised eyebrow as she began putting things away. "Alright, thank you." He stated before hanging ending the call and clicking off the cordless phone.

"What was that about?" Robin asked with deep interest as Jagger also began putting things away along side her.

"My old Captain in Chicago." He replied casually.

"Larry? What did he want?" Robin pressed as she strained to put a can up on a high shelf.

"Umm." Jagger looked at her hesitantly. "Nothing really. Just as he wanted to know if I'd be interested in being reinstated at my own precinct."

Robin looked at him with wide eyes. "He wants you to go back? Even after they basically made you quit so they wouldn't have to investigate you?" She stopped and took a deep breath before asking softly, "Do you want to move back to Chicago? We just got settled in here and I thought you liked working for Uncle Mac."

It never even entered Robin's mind as a possibility that the police in Chicago would want to rehire Jagger. It had all been such a mess when he lost his job with them for beating up the rape suspect. Not that any number of other officers and detectives didn't want to do the same thing. The disturbed man had assaulted several young women and as the police closed in on him he snatched a small girl off the street as a hostage to attempt a negotiation for his release. SomehowRobin for the life of her didn't know howJagger had managed to get into the mans home. When he saw the young girl tied up to a chair his instincts took over mere seconds before other officers stormed into the house. Almost a dozen officers and a few detectives witnessed Jagger beat the man within an inch of his life. When Robin asked him about it Jagger could only explain that he thought of Abby when he looked at that poor little girl, afraid for her life and trapped with that sick man.

"I do like working for Mac but it's not Chicago. Port Charles is pretty small and-" He stopped when he saw that Robin looked more than a little worried. "Look, I just said that I'd think about it Robin. I know you don't want to uproot Abby again."

"Jagger, don't do that. Don't make it about me and Abby. If you want to go back to Chicago than you should." She replied seriously.

Jagger rolled his eyes, "And just leave you here to deal with Jason Morgan alone? Robin you can't afford it and-"

"We would be fine." She insisted as she hoped onto the countertop and began winding a strand of sleek brown hair around her finger. "I've survived on my own with Abby before. And I'd figure something out."

"Quit doing that. You look like Brenda when you twirl your hair." He admonished sounding more than a little grumpy. Sometimes it was hard to believe that Robin and Brenda weren't really sisters. They looked similar and had many of the same little habits. They could effortlessly convince people who didn't know them that they were in fact family.

"What's wrong? You miss her already?" Robin smirked. "You know she'll be back. Brenda has developed quite habit of coming and going. It's not so bad, you should know that by now. I give it a month tops and then she'll be sleeping on the couch again or in your room." Jagger shot her a look and Robin laughed, "You think I didn't know?"

Jagger didn't want to discuss whatever was going on between he and Brenda. It was all up in the air and he knew Brenda well enough to know that she would gladly fill Robin in on ALL of the details which made him a little nervous. "What are your plans for tonight?" He asked.

Robin took a deep breath and slowly let it out, preparing herself for Jagger to hit the roof. "Jason and I are going to tell Abby the truth." She stated quietly, avoiding Jagger's gaze right away.

"What? So soon?" He asked sharply. "Do you really think that's a good idea? Robin."

When Jagger looked into Robin's eyes he still saw a hint of fear as far as Jason was concerned. It in turn made him nervous. Sometimes he wondered if there were things that Robin still hadn't told him. Was Jason ever violent with her he wondered? Of course it was ridiculous and Brenda had told him that more than once. Just ask Robin and she'll tell you the same thing. She would say with confidence. Jason was a lot of things but physically abusive towards Robin was never one. There was no shortage of people who would have eliminated Jason at the first hint of it and there was noway Robin would have been able to hide it forever. But Jagger couldn't figure it out. What was it that still made Robin so cautious when it came to Jason Morgan? Robin knew the wheels in his head were turning but as long as he still didn't ask then she didn't have to figure out the answers.

The truth was Robin didn't exactly know why. She used to tell herself it was just the fear that Jason could try to take Abby away but now he was trying to work with her and gain her trust so even she wasn't sure what the problem was. She still kept very guarded whenever Jason was around or even mentioned. Everything was on high alert as far as Jason was concerned and Robin knew she had to figure out a safe way to lower her defenses if only for Abby's sake.

"Jagger, stop." She insisted calmly. "It's not going to get easier the longer I put it off. She's just going to wonder why I didn't tell her sooner. Abby is too smart for her own good and Jason has been really good about this all so far." She reasoned.

"So far." Jagger remarked under his breath.

"Jagger, he could have filed court papers already but he hasn't." She replied. "Come on, just work with me here. Look at the bright side, Abby is here with us and she'll be excited to finally know her father. This is good for her."

"And what about you?" He asked. "Do you really think Jason Morgan is good for you?"

She shrugged, "It's not really about me now."

"Taking the past into consideration Robin, it's very much about you." He replied. He sighed and shook his head, "I have to go get ready for work." She nodded and watched him walk out of the kitchen. She had hoped he had the night off and would be able to be there for Abby, incase she became confused but Robin wasn't going to ask him to stay since she was sure Jagger wanted to be far from Jason at all times unless he was arresting him for something, hell anything to keep him away from Abby as much as possible.

When Jason stopped by the cottage, Jagger was just coming down the stairs about to head to work. He opened the door and rolled his eyes before Robin came into the room. "Play nice." She instructed as seriously as possible. She looked at Jason and sighed, knowing that the idea of stepping into the cottage didn't actually appeal to him. "Come on, one step at a time. It won't kill you." Jagger stepped aside but made it a point to stick close to Robin's side because he could see that Jason didn't like that one bit.

Jagger smirked at Jason's obvious jealousy and protectively put his hand on Robin's lower back. Jason put his hand in his pockets and reluctantly entered the cottage at last. It looked different from when he and Robin had lived there together with Michael but he had expected that. He just didn't anticipate all of the old memories that hit him once he was inside. It made him a little uncomfortable which wasn't easily accomplished. Abby had crayons and papers spread out on the coffee table along with toys littering the floor and there was absolutely no doubt that a 4 year old lived there.

"So you're heading out now right?" Robin asked as she looked up at Jagger. She felt terribly short standing there with Jagger and Jason, since they both towered over her so dramatically.

Jagger nodded slightly, "Yeah, I'll be home late." He told her before grabbing his jacket off of a nearby hook. "But you know how to get a hold of me if you need anything." He stated as he looked in Jason's direction.

Robin nudged him with her elbow and rolled her eyes, "Everything will be fine. Go on." She instructed before leaning up and giving him a quick peck on the cheek which wasn't at all rare for Robin considering it was how she greeted and said goodbye to most of the people she was close to, after spending so much time in Paris but Jason still took note of it.

Once Jagger was gone Jason seemed to relax a little bit. "Abby is upstairs." Robin explained as she slipped her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. She looked around at the mess in the living room and sighed, "She seems to thrive on leaving a trail of destruction in her wake." She bent down and began picking up a few toys then placing them in a large toy box in the corner as Jason watched her. "We haven't had dinner yet, did you want to eat with us?" She asked as she looked up at Jason from a few feet away.

"Do I have to cook?" He smirked.

Robin laughed, "No, I'll cook or order pizza. I have a feeling you and Abby would both like that. In her books it's second only to chocolate cake."

Jason laughed a little, "Smart kid."

Robin nodded, "She's really smart Jase, I mean, she's not a typical 4 year old."

"I've noticed." He replied. Abby spent time telling Jason all sorts of facts about Paris and books that Robin had read to her. She could already read really well on her own but still preferred holding the books while Robin read to her at night. She was well spoken and very well mannered but what else could anyone expect of Robin's child? He bent down and picked up a travel book from a nearby chair, "Is this yours or Jagger's?" He asked.

Robin smiled a little, "It's Abby's. She likes to look at the pictures and see different places around the world." She could tell that hearing that pleased Jason because it meant he could talk to Abby at length about different places. Robin remembered how when Michael was a baby, Jason used to show him books and explain far off countries to him all the time because he wasn't a fan of reading fairytales himself. That often happened in that very cottage which made Robin's heart ache slightly. She had adored Michael so much and their little life there seemed almost perfect until Carly dropped smack dab in the middle of it all. She pushed the memories away and decided to move on. "Come on, I'll take you upstairs, Abby is cleaning her room because she wants to show it to you."

Jason nodded and followed Robin up the stairs, keeping a couple of feet between them at all times because it had become habit. It felt a little strange for them both to be there in the cottage together but they tried to hide it. Jason hadn't stepped foot in the cottage in ages and he certainly didn't think there would come a day when Robin would again be living there with THEIR child. Abby's bedroom door had a bunch of hand drawn pictures taped to it and a name plate that had been given to her by Luke. It was shaped like a castle sitting atop clouds and said Princess Abby in gold tone lettering. Jason knew that it was Michael's old bedroom the moment they got to the top of the stairs.

Robin cringed and reached for Jagger's bedroom door pulling it closed to conceal the mess inside. He had weights all over the floor along with dirty laundry because he was still very much used to living like a single sloppy bachelor which he pretty much was, he just happened to live with 2 little brunette females that he adored. Robin tucked a strand of hair behind her ears and put on hand back into her pocket before opened Abby's bedroom door.

"Hi Mommy." Abby beamed devilishly as she shoved some toys under her bed. Robin had left her hair down for once and Abby had dressed herself in a denim skirt with lace along the hem and a pink T-shirt. She looked adorable but then again, she always did even when she was messy.

"Hey, don't do that!" Robin laughed. "You're as bad as Jagger."

Abby ignored Robin's remark and smiled up at Jason. "You came! Look, look! I want to show you my room!" She insisted as she got up from her knees on the floor, took Jason by the hand and pulled him inside quickly. "See this is my bed." She pointed to it and kicked a stray sock under it which only caused Jason to laugh as Robin shook her head. "And that's me! See!" She pointed up to a photograph of herself that was mounted on the wall. "The day I was born." She explained.

Jason looked at the photograph which was black and white and read the printing along the bottom which gave Abby's birthday, her weight and her full name. "Abby Rose Scorpio." He said out loud. "That's a pretty name Abby." He told her softly. He looked over at Robin who stood watching from the doorway. "Rose?"

She nodded a little, "I kept thinking about Lila's garden when I was pregnant and I guess I thought she might like it." Lila had always been very kind to Robin and Jason knew that Robin thought the world of the Quartermaine matriarch.

Jason nodded, "I think she would too."

"Who's Lila?" Abby asked, giving Jason's hand a tug to get his attention.

"Umm." Jason rubbed the back of his neck almost nervously as Abby looked up at him waiting for an answer. "She's my grandmother."

"Can I meet her?" She asked innocently.

Robin smiled and let Jason field the question. "Ah yeah, you can meet her." He replied softly.

"You'll like Lila, Abby, she's really nice." Robin added as she leaned against the doorframe. "So how does pizza sound Abby?" She asked casually.

"Hmm!" Abby's eye lit up.

"Alright, I'll go downstairs and order it. Don't shove anything else under your bed sweet pea." Robin laughed as she left Jason alone so Abby could show him everything else her little heart desired.

"Oh look!" Abby stated as she went and grabbed her very own little photo album. "This is my baby book. Mommy let's me keep it in here because I promised not to take anything out." She explained as she crawled up onto her bed and opened it up. "And that's Luke and me." She stated as she pointed out a picture of Luke at her baptism. "Do you know Luke? He lives in Port Charles too."

Jason nodded as Abby motioned for him to sit next to her on the bed, "Yeah, I know Luke."

She pointed out a few more things before jumping off of the bed suddenly. She went over to her dresser and pulled down a small jewelry box. The type that had a little ballerina dancing when it was opened up. She took it over to the bed and set it beside Jason as she began looking through it for something. "Oh where is it?" She asked herself. "Mommy must have it in her room for safe keeping." She explained as she grabbed Jason's hand and pulled him up from the bed. "Come on, I wanna show you." She stated seriously. "It's important."

She led Jason down the hall to the far bedroom, the one he and Robin had once shared. Obviously the idea of sleeping in Carly's old bedroom didn't appeal to Robin one bit, not that Jason would have blamed her. Abby pushed the door open and Jason was surprised to see Robin's belongings inside. "This is your mommy's room?" He asked as he looked around.

Abby nodded as she got up on Robin's bed and crawled across it to her jewelry box, which was on her nightstand. "Yeah, you can come in, Mommy won't mind." She stated casually.

Everything was white and crisp and clean in the room. Robin's bed was made neatly until Abby climbed up and rumbled the blanket a little. Only a few boxes remained unpacked in a far corner because Robin didn't know what to do with the things inside. Odds and ends that didn't have a place in her room really. Several photographs of Abby were on the dresser along with one of Mac and his daughters. It was classic Robin, simple and sophisticated but very comfortable and soft at the same time.

"Your mom and Jagger don't share a room?" He asked trying to sound casual. He knew it was probably low to press Abby for information but Jason couldn't help himself. His curiosity got the best of him suddenly because he was still under the impression that Jagger and Robin were a couple just like most people believed not that anyone bothered to ask either of them, they just assumed it. He occurred to him that apparently Robin had adopted his old policy if it's not lying it no one asks.

"No silly. Why would they?" Abby asked making a confused little face because for the life of her she couldn't understand why Jason would even think that. "Jagger snores real loud. Mommy would never get any sleep if her bed was in there and there wouldn't be enough room anyway unless they had bunk beds." She explained as she opened Robin's jewelry box and looked inside. Jason tried not to laugh and just shook his head. "Oh here it is!" Abby's face lit up as she pulled out Robin's pearl necklace, the one Jason had given her for Christmas. "Mommy was holding onto this so it wouldn't get lost when we moved here." She explained. "My daddy gave it to her a long time ago and she said I could have it since I don't know him. She said he would want me to have it. See?" She held it up for Jason. "Isn't it pretty?" Jason could only nod in response.

Ok, too many memories, Jason suggested that they head downstairs, surely there was something she could show him down there that wouldn't be such a blast from the past. Abby out the necklace in her pocket and let Jason lift her up off of Robin's bed. He closed her door behind them and took Abby downstairs where Robin was straightening up a little in the living room.

"The pizza will be here soon." She stated casually. "Do you want a drink?" She asked looking up at Jason as she put some of Abby's toys aside.

Yeah, a good stiff one after that unexpected jolt down memory lane Jason thought to himself, "No thanks." He replied as he set Abby down.

"Is everything ok?" She asked, looking at Jason strangely. He nodded and put his hands in his pockets. "Abby, come here sweet pea. Let me see your hands." Abby reluctantly complied and Robin smirked. "Just what I thought, go wash, you have marks all over you baby." Abby dashed off to do as her mother told her. "Are you sure you're alright?" Robin asked seriously.

"Yeah, Abby was just telling me about well me." He replied.

Robin got the idea and sighed, "Oh did you tell her?" She asked.

"No, we said we were going to do that together." Jason answered.

Neither Robin nor Jason noticed the dark luxury car drive past the cottage slowly while they talked inside. Carly peered out the car window and didn't like what she saw taking place inside the cottage. Robin and Jason were getting along and it made her cringe. She hated that house almost as much as she hated Robin herself. Adding Jason into the mix, just made Carly more resentful. Why on earth was he even tolerating the little saint? He was supposed to hate her damn it! Big deal, she had his kid, Jason could get custody and be rid of Robin again in no time at all. A terrible thought crossed Carly's mind suddenly. What if Jason fell for Robin again? Oh no, that would not do at all. "Take me home now!" Carly barked at the driver Sonny employed to take her around Port Charles so he wouldn't have to do it himself whenever she wanted to leave the penthouse since Carly herself was lethal behind the wheel, stray cats were not safe with her on the street nor were pedestrians especially slow moving elderly ones.

Jason and Robin watched Abby as she devoured a slice of pizza with the type of energy only a 4 year old could emanate. Robin laughed and shook her head as she picked up a napkin and tried to clean her daughter up a little, "I don't know how you manage to get so messy, so quickly." She teased as Abby beamed almost proudly. "Come here baby." She instructed as she motioned for Abby to climb onto her lap on the sofa while Jason sat in a nearby chair. Robin wiped Abby's face and took a deep breath. "We need to talk sweet pea." She explained as she tossed the napkin onto the table and shifted a little with Abby safely positioned on her lap.

Jason sat up and took a deep breath as Abby looked at them both with a confused expression on her face. "Abby, you like when we spend time together right?" He asked softly. Abby nodded but found the question a little strange. Of course she liked spending time with Jason, he was nice and gave her lots of attention and he took her to the park to play. She was easily pleased, and most importantly, Jason talked to her rather than at her, the way most grown ups did and he listened to her talk as well. He was great as far as Abby was concerned.

Robin ran her hand down Abby's back, sensing that her daughter was getting concerned by their serious tones. "You remember how you asked me to tell you about your daddy? And I told you he lived in America and had blue eyes and that he would love you the minute he laid eyes on you."

Abby looked into her mothers eyes and nodded, "Yes, I remember." She leaned into her mother suddenly and rested her head against Robin's shoulder as Jason watched. Robin had been right, the moment he knew Abby was his daughter, his heart loved her without hesitation. Abby reached into her pocket and pulled out the pearls, wrapping her tiny hand around them.

Robin looked down and saw the pearls and she realized instantly that Abby had been in her bedroom. "Here baby." She whispered taking the pearls from Abby's hand and securing them around her neck because Abby didn't know how to work the clasp just yet. She could feel Jason watching them but kept her eyes fixed on the little girl in her arms. "Abby how would you feel if I told you that Jason is your daddy?" She asked softly.

Abby looked up at her mother, her blue eyes sparkling as she did so. Robin nodded a little before Abby even said a word. Abby slipped from her mother's arms and walked over to Jason, looking at him very closely. With one little finger she motioned for Jason to lean down close as though she had a secret to tell him. Her 2 little hands took Jason's face as she took in every detail of him and then gazed into his eyes. "I'm your little girl?" She asked in a tiny voice.

Jason nodded, "Yeah, you're my little girl." He confirmed.

Abby touched the pearls around her neck and looked down at them for a moment, "Mommy said I could wear these when I met you." She explained. She met Jason's eyes again and held his teary gaze. "I asked God for you." She confessed quietly. "Every night I prayed."

Robin tucked her hair behind her ears and tried to keep herself together. She knew that Abby wanted a father but she didn't know just how badly until that very moment. It broke her heart to know how long Abby had gone without her daddy and how long Jason had gone without her. Abby wrapped her arms around Jason's neck and he picked her up, holding her close against his chest as he sat there with her. Robin got up and collected their plates, taking them into the kitchen so Jason and Abby could have a few minutes alone. Once out of sight Robin put her hands down on the counter and bowed her head as she closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling. "Dear God, please keep my little girl safe." She whispered and then covered her mouth with one hand.

Robin was relieved that Abby finally knew Jason was her father but she still had her reservations. The last thing she wanted was for Abby to get her heart broken if anything happened to Jason or it things ever took a turn for the worse. So far she and Jason were working things out civilly for Abby's sake and she just hoped it could stay that way so Abby would never be put in the middle.

After Robin pulled herself together she turned to the living room with coffee for herself and Jason, as Abby became increasingly excited about learning everything she could about her father. "And you've been here? Right here all along?" She asked as Robin sat in the corner of the couch and brought her legs up under her while she watched.

Jason looked over at Robin and then smiled back at Abby, "Yeah, I've been here in Port Charles."

Abby beamed brightly, "Are you going to live here with us now?"

Jason and Robin both looked at her with shocked expression. "Oh Abby." Robin cringed. "Sweet pea, Jason has his own home across town."

"Oh." Abby frowned for a moment but didn't waste much time dwelling on it. She tried and it was time to move on with the next set of questions. "Do you have any pets? We can't have any here cause Jagger is allergic." She spoke so quickly that Jason's mind raced to keep up. "Mommy said I could get a kitty some day but it as to wait cause Jagger will itch and sneeze and get all blotchy."

"No, I don't have any pets." Jason replied, trying not to show that the idea of Jagger all red really amused him. "I don't think I could take care of fish, let alone any other pets."

"Oh! I could help you!" Abby replied excitedly which caused Robin to laugh a little. She was sure Jason hadn't planned on being roped into pets but Abby clearly had other ideas since she knew pets a Jason's place wouldn't make Jagger itch at home.

"Careful, before you know it, Abby will have your place looking like a petting zoo." Robin joked a little. She could tell that Abby was well on her way to wrapping Jason around her little finger already so there was a good chance that she might actually get her way, if Jason wasn't careful. Robin was well aware that Jason would have trouble denying Abby anything her little heart desired, hell most people had that problem already because it was hard to tell Abby no and hold to it.

Jason smiled, "We'll see about that."

"How old are you?" Abby asked suddenly.

Jason laughed, "About 8." He looked up as Robin shook her head and hide behind her hands. Abby looked at Jason as though he was completely out of his mind. He was far too big to be 8, and she didn't believe him for a minute. "It's complicated. I'm old, let's just go with that for now." He explained.

Abby looked at Robin who just shrugged. "Why are boys always so strange?" She asked her mother.

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself sweet pea." Robin replied. "What on earth are you doing?" She laughed as Abby suddenly sat down on the floor and pulled off her socks.

"I have a freckled on my big toe." She told Jason. "Mommy doesn't have that, do you?" She asked with such seriousness that both Robin and Jason couldn't help but laugh as she held up her foot.

"Umm, I don't think so Abby." Jason replied. If he did he certainly never noticed but Jason was pretty sure he didn't have a freckle on his big toe though, he would have to check later because now Abby had him curious to know. "That's just one of the things that is unique to you."

It went on like that for hours, well past Abby's bedtime until she was completely worn out. She crawled onto Jason's lap and snuggled close to him with a book, asking him to read to her. Jason was more then willing to indulge her request and it wasn't long before Abby's fell asleep in his arms. Jason let Robin take the book and place it on the coffee table so he wouldn't wake Abby moving.

"She's a pretty heavy sleeper." Robin explained gently as Jason gazed down at the child in his arms that really did look strikingly like her mother and even more so when she was peacefully asleep, at complete ease.

"Can I put her to bed?" He asked quietly as he looked up at Robin sitting a few feet away on the couch. She nodded and Jason carefully stood up with Abby securely held against his body. Robin watched as Jason disappeared up the stairs to put his daughter to bed for the first time in her short life.

Jason gently laid Abby on her bed after pulling her blanket back. He carefully covered her up and smoothed her hair away from her face. She was such a beautiful little girl and Jason couldn't help but stare at her while she slept. She was so much like Robin that if she noticed Jason looking at her too intently while she was awake she questioned him and would fidget a little until he looked away for a moment. She turned onto her side and her little fist rested on the pillow next to her head, a slight smile formed on her lips and Jason fell even more in love with his little girl. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Abby's forehead and then clicked on the moon shaped nightlight that was next to the bed.

When Jason came back down the stairs he spotted Robin putting a few books away on a set of bookshelves he had built into the wall when they lived together. She was using the shelves as a ladder to reach up high and Jason worried she would fall. "Didn't I used to give you hell for doing that?" He asked seriously as he approached her.

Robin smirked, "And as I recall I did it anyway. Please, Jason you mounted these things to the wall, there's noway I'm big enough to pull them down." She explained.

"It's not a chance you should take." Jason replied as he took her by the waist and lifted her down. Robin wasn't expecting that, her body suddenly tensed and her arms came up against Jason's chest as her breath caught in her throat. He caught a strange look in her eyes right away. "Whoa, wait what was that?" He asked when she looked away. "Robin-"

"What?" She asked without daring to meet his eyes. He had a way of seeing right there her and that was what Robin had been afraid of. It clicked in her mind that being so close to Jason was what she had feared almost as much as she had been of him finding out about Abby.

"Are you scared of me?" He asked seriously. "You had that look at the penthouse that night when." He tilted Robin's chin up so she would look at him. "Robin, I'm not going to hurt you." He told her sincerely because it really did look like Robin thought he was some sort of physical threat or something.

Robin shook her head and slipped from Jason's arms, instantly putting a bit of distance between them. "I can't be that close to you." She whispered. Standing there in the old cottage with Jason so close, his hands on her waist, it caused a jolt of old memories to hit Robin out of left field and it was more than she could handle on top of everything else that was going on. "It's too hard, it's too-"

"Intense." Jason finished for her because he felt it too.

"It hurt." Robin didn't want to admit it but being that close to Jason and remembering the life they once shared hurt. In Paris and even Chicago it had been easy to not think about it. It was easy to pretend it never happened the way she remembered but in Port Charles, in that cottage the memories were too strong. The pain of losing it was still raw and every time it was just she and Jason alone she felt it.

Robin's eyes scanned around nervously searching for something anything to focus on other than Jason. Anything neutral, something safe. Uh-oh, as she tried to distract herself Jason moved closer and touched her face. He wanted her to calm down, he could tell she was trying to put up her defenses but things had been going so well he didn't want to let her. She made the mistake of looking up when Jason touched her again and his eyes captured hers. Robin was sure how long she stood there just staring up at Jason but the next thing she knew she could hear Jagger's keys in the front door. She slipped away from Jason again and went towards the door just as Jagger came inside.

She hadn't moved away quickly enough and Jagger had caught her moving away from Jason. Something was definitely going on but he couldn't be sure what. "Hey." She greeted uncomfortably as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Hey, is everything ok here?" Jagger asked protectively as he locked his eyes on Jason while putting a hand on Robin's arm.

She nodded and forced a smile, "Yeah, everything is just fine."

"Where's Abby?" He asked looking down at her.

"She's in bed Jagger, it's late." Robin replied as she swallowed hard.

Jason grabbed his jacket off of the side of the couch, "I should go."

"I think that's a good idea." Jagger replied as though he had any say in the matter.

Jason looked at Robin and sighed, "I'll talk to you and Abby later." Robin nodded and when Jason left she seemed to relax.

"What was going on here?" Jagger asked seriously.

Robin shrugged, "Nothing. He was just leaving." She quickly retreated to the safety of her own bedroom before Jagger could press the matter further. Leaning against her door Robin let out a sigh of relief. "What the hell was that?" She whispered to herself.

Luke strolled into Kelly's for his morning coffee just as Mac was leaving with Abby to take her to see Georgie and Maxie for awhile so Robin could work without having to watch her child at the same time for once. "Hey there Darlin." Luke greeted as he slid onto a stool at the counter.

"Hmm? Oh hey Luke." Robin replied sounding completely distracted as she cleaned the same coffeepot for an extended period of time.

"Umm, I think it's clean Darlin." Luke stated as he leaned forward and took the coffeepot from Robin's hand then set it down on the counter. "Is everything ok baby girl?" He asked casually as Robin poured him a cup of coffee.

She had been distracted all morning and had spent most of the time just watching Abby sleep after Jagger had gone to bed. She couldn't shake the unsettling feeling she had gotten caused by the flood of old memories that had been unleashed the night before. She seemed to think for a moment before responding, choosing her words very carefully, "Luke, I need to talk to you about something." She confessed at last.

He looked at her suspiciously as he took a sip of his coffee, "If you're looking for another job you can forget it baby girl. You can swallow your pride and ask Abby's rich daddy for some money. Now that he's in her life it's high time Jason started helping you out." He saw the expression on Robin's face change when he mentioned Jason's name.

"I'm not looking for another job Luke." She assured him. "And I don't want Jason's money."

"That's not the point. He's her father, he should help pay for the things she needs now Robin." He reasoned. "But that's not what you want to talk about is it? I know that look. You used to get it whenever Jason did something that upset you."

"He didn't do anything Luke." She replied as she wiped the counter. "Not intentionally anyway." She corrected hesitantly. "He doesn't even know he did anything actually."

"Darlin I'm getting old, I need things spelled out for me because I can't guess what you're talking about here." He stated seriously as he stopped Robin's hand on the counter. "Did something happen last night?" He asked, knowing that Robin had finally agreed to tell Abby that Jason was her father. A vein in his neck pulsed slightly as his jaw clenched waiting for an answer.

"Down boy, you don't need to go hunt Jason down or anything Luke." Robin insisted because well, she knew Luke would do just that if he thought Jason had done anything to hurt her or Abby. She took a deep breath and looked around, thankful that the only customers there were busy eating and didn't care what Robin was talking about with Luke because they only knew her as the waitress at Kelly's. "You know what? Never mind, it's stupid." She stated seriously as she shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm just being ridiculous."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" Luke replied. "Come on, tell old Luke what's going on. You look like you need to talk to someone and well, I'm someone." He winked when Robin looked up at him.

Robin reluctantly explained to him what had happened after Abby was in bed and how it had so obviously affected her. It was unexpected but clearly shaken her to the core. Luke let everything sink in for a long moment as he finished his coffee and Robin poured him a second cup.

"And here I thought you were completely over Jason." He commented casually.

Robin looked at him with wide eyes, "I am over Jason." She insisted. "I was over him a long time ago Luke."

He shook his head, "You can say that all you want Darlin, but it doesn't make it true." He took Robin by the hand and brought her around the counter, sitting her on the stool next to his. "Trust me Robin, when you have a child with someone, it's damn near impossible to ever get them out of your system completely. Laura and I have done the whole breakup and make up thing more times than I care to remember and even when I can't stand her I love her because she's the mother of my children."

"Ok, so Jason is Abby's father, that explains it right?" She stated adamantly.

"No, that doesn't quite explain. Plenty of couples break up, still love each other but aren't in love with each other." He reasoned.

"Whoa, whoa, back the love train up a bit Spencer." Robin interrupted quickly. "I am certainly not in love with Jason Morgan anymore. I know that."

Luke sighed, "No, you keep telling yourself that." She shot him a crossed glare. "It's easy to say you're not in love with someone you never have to see them. Hell, you can even convince yourself of it when your halfway around the world and working so hard, you don't have time to stop and think about it anymore. But it's a lot harder when the person is suddenly right back in the thick of your life."

She shook her head, "It's too different now. I can't afford to still have feelings for Jason. I have to think of Abby and I can't risk her heart or mine for him. For something that never works out in the end anyway." She sighed. "Jason and I have tried to make it work between us and it just doesn't. We're too different."

"Opposites attract Darlin." Luke replied casually. "Where's the fun in being with a clone of yourself? And now you 2 have a reason to fight through everything with more determination." Abby was in Luke's mind a perfect reason to try again with Jason but instead of seeing that it seemed as though Robin was hiding behind her daughter subconsciously. And maybe Abby's heart was a good reason. For Robin to be cautious but she had never been afraid of love before and Luke would be damned if he would just let her start now. As long as Jason didn't do anything stupid to screw things up again, Luke would gladly give them his blessing.

"You can protect Abby from a lot of things but heart ache isn't one of them. Trust me Robin, your Daddy would have protected your heart if he could have, so would Mac but the truth is, hearts get broken and if you just lock yours away for the rest of your life, well you'll never know what might have been."

Robin let his words sink in for a moment and then frowned. "You talk like you think Jason is in love with me or something."

Luke shrugged. He was one of the few people to see both Robin and Jason regularly after they broke up. Jason lost himself in his work. Robin lost herself in Abby. They both tried to become so consumed with something else so they wouldn't have to think about each other. Brenda was probably the only other person who saw it but Luke understood it more than she did. He had done the same thing more than once in his life. Hiding and getting lost just passed time, it never truly healed the ache.

"I know Jason has never been the same since you 2 broke up. When I see him sitting with Abby here or at the park, it's almost like he's whole again but somethings still missing. Robin you taught that boy to love and I know you got burned in the end. I'd hate for that to happen again but if Laura never gave me a second or third or, well you get the idea, another chance, well we would have missed out on some great times." He explained. "Just take some time and listen to your heart. If it tells you that you're really not in love with Jason then fine but if it says maybe you are, then at least consider it an option."

The last place on earth Jagger wanted to be was anywhere near Jason Morgan's penthouse. He was on duty but it was not by a long shot, police business. His instincts to protect Robin and Abby had kicked in full gear and there was no stopping him. If Robin had known he was going to confront Jason she would have tried to stop it.

'For Abby's sake Jagger, just don't fight with him, please.' She had told him more than once but after what Jagger had seen the night before when he came home he could not in good conscience remain silent anymore while Jason Morgan just slinked into Abby's life after missing the first 4 years of it.

"Is Mr. Morgan expecting you?" The guard posted outside Jason's door asked dutifully.

"Just go in there and get him." Jagger demanded. "This isn't police business. It's family business." He remarked coldly as he glared at the man in a dark suit standing watch like a good little mob soldier.

The guard knocked on Jason's door and then entered the penthouse as Jason came down his stairs. "Jagger Cates is here to see you sir."

Jason looked at the guard strangely and then nodded a little, "Let him in and stay close." He instructed because if anything happened Jason didn't want to be the one to have to tend to Jagger. He could justify a guard removing Jagger from the building if Robin found out, but he couldn't very well explain it if the 2 beat the hell out of each other, like they both wanted. Abby wasn't around so Jason didn't even consider putting his gun away especially since there was a good chance Jagger was armed himself.

The guard showed Jagger into the penthouse and Jason just looked at him coldly. "We need to have a little talk Morgan." Jagger stated bluntly. "Does your goon really need to stand over my shoulder? What are you afraid of?"

It sure as hell wasn't Jagger, Jason motioned for the guard to take his post back outside the door but signaled him to keep a close listen for any trouble. That was one of the few good things about his guards, Jason really didn't have to speak to them. They understood his looks and without question followed orders. "What do you want?" Jason asked without any hint of emotion.

"What did you do to Robin last night?" Jagger asked point blank because he sure as hell wasn't there to make smalltalk with the mob enforcer.

Jason rolled his eyes, "What did Robin tell you?"

"Nothing. Do you think I want to be here?" Jagger bit back coldly. "But you did something that upset her, you sorry son of a bitch."

"You have a lot of nerve coming into my home and speaking to me that way." Jason replied calmly.

"You're a fine one to talk about nerve. You sure as hell had a lot to throw Stone at Robin when you wanted to hurt her." Jagger reminded.

"You're right." Jason admitted. "And not that I owe you a damn thing but for your information I already apologized to Robin for that. I shouldn't have done it but that had nothing to do with last night." He shook his head. "What's wrong Jagger? There isn't enough action going on here in Port Charles, that you think it's a good idea to come here to piss me off, just so you can be a big shot? I'm not going to fight with you."

Jagger glared at Jason for a long moment. If he thought that he intimidated Jason, he was dead wrong. He only annoyed him with his very existence but then again, most people had that effect on Jason. "You're an asshole you know that? You manipulate Robin to get to Abby and show absolutely no remorse. You're just like Sonny Corinthos and I don't know what Robin ever saw in you. She made a mistake when she got involved with you and now what? Abby is supposed to suffer for it? You're not her father Morgan. You haven't been there for either one of them in years, and now you think you can just work your way back into Robin's life, like you didn't do a damn thing wrong."

Jason folded his arms over his chest and strained to remain calm. His instincts told him to just get rid of Jagger all together, to simplify his life but because that would without a doubt hurt Abby and Robin. Jason would not give in to his impulses. "It's none of your goddamn business what happened between Robin and me, in the past or last night. And as far as Abby is concerned I AM her father."

Jagger cut him off. "Bullshit!" Rage flashed in his eyes and it was apparent that he did not possess Jason's ability to stay so calm. "What was Abby's first word? Where were you when she took her first steps? How about the first time she scrapped her knee? Or when Robin had to explain to her for the first time that her FATHER was off somewhere living a different life!"

"Oh and you were there for all that?" Jason questioned knowing the answer already. Jagger was right, Jason wasn't there for those moments but he would have been if he had a choice. And that last one never would have taken place at all. It was too late to fix any of that but if Jason could do it over again he would.

"You skipped all the hard stuff. Midnight feedings, nightmares, diapers, trips to the doctor while Robin waited to find out if she had transmitted HIV to her newborn baby. Robin did all that alone!" He shouted furiously because it wasn't right that she had to go through all of that, while Jason stayed in Port Charles with his little mob family. "Where were you when Abby had the chicken pox huh?" Jagger asked coldly, the memory of Abby crying and itching with a fever still fresh in his mind because it was barely 8 months earlier when they still lived in Chicago and she attended the police station daycare center while Robin worked to support them. "I was the one who sat up with her all night so Robin could get some sleep. I was the only one she let help her because you threw her out of her life and she didn't trust anyone else. You treated her just like Sonny did Brenda-"

Jason smirked he rather liked seeing Jagger lose his cool, "So that's what this is about?" He shook his head, "Unbelievable, you come in here and accuse me of manipulating Robin, when that's what you're doing to get close to her best friend. Robin and Brenda are completely different people and what happened with Brenda is nothing like what happened with Robin and me."

Jagger scoffed, "Men like you and Corinthos are immoral. You use people and you throw them away when you don't want them anymore. I watched Sonny do it to Karen and he did it to Brenda then Robin, well you both did it to Robin though didn't you?"

"Ok, you want to go over old history Jagger?" Jason replied with a raised eyebrow. "Karen divorced you because you screwed around on her. You screwed around on Brenda too." He reminded, even though it was a piece of Jason Quartermaine's history, not his own because Jagger cheated on Brenda with Karen while Karen dated the young golden Quartermaine kid. Oh it was all so complicated and melodramatic that it made Jason's head hurt a little.

Before Jason could even get to Robin, Jagger interrupted, "You cheated on Robin with Carly Benson! And then you left her to go off and raise Carly's kid when Robin couldn't take it anymore! You crushed Robin and didn't even notice." Well that hit Jason and he knew there was no defending himself against it. It was the truth and just about everyone knew it. "So don't think for one second you have a damn thing on me. Robin is too good for you, she always has been and she always will be." Jagger continued heatedly. "If you think I'm just going to stand by and watch you use Robin to get to Abby and Abby to get to her well you've got another thing coming! I'm not going to let you hurt Robin again and I'm sure as hell not going to let you break Abby's heart!"

Jason rubbed his temples and looked at Jagger, still composed for the most part but Jagger knew that he had at least made Jason angry. "Are you finished?" He asked bluntly. Jagger didn't speak and Jason nodded a little. "You think that you know everything well you don't. I screwed up with Robin, I hurt her and I know that but it's none of your business. I'm Abby's father and I'm going to be a part of her life. You can accept it or you can leave because I'm not going anywhere. Now you run off and think about that while you write someone a speeding ticket or something, because I have better things to do than stand here listening to you." His voice was so completely calm that Jagger wanted to shoot him just for that alone.

Jagger left and Jason was relieved to have it over with. His head ached and he went into the kitchen to grab a beer from the refrigerator. Jagger could throw old history at Jason all he wanted, that wasn't the part that mattered anymore. But it was the mention of using Robin and Abby to get at each other that stuck in Jason's mind, no matter how he tried to force it away. That wasn't at all what he wanted. Yes, he wanted to be in Abby's life but he didn't want to exactly use Robin to accomplish it. They really were sort of a package deal. There was no Abby without Robin, but Jason couldn't deny that he was starting to like spending time around Robin a little more than he had expected.

He thought about the night before, when he stood looking into Robin's deep eyes and touched her face. It reminded him of the first time he had ever kissed her. She was so confused that night so long ago. Her emotions were completely out of whack, Jason's were buried and misdirected, her eyes looked so fearful and yet she was so incredibly strong. It was the same the night before. He had wanted to kiss her then but Jagger had come home and promptly put an end to any chance of that happening. What had come over him? Jason shook his head and blamed it on the cottage. There were so many memories in that house and yes most of them were good. Often, Jason wished for the simplicity that he and Robin had built there. The 2 of them and Michael seemed to have everything until, Jason stopped. He couldn't blame it on Carly. It was his fault, he screwed it up day by day until the damage was too great to repair. He wanted things that weren't his. Michael was never his son and Robin had put up with so much. She had helped Jason take care of Michael, she let Carly move in with them and in the end, for all the good she had done, Robin was left with nothing. And Jason was left with such unrelenting regret.

Suddenly he heard Sonny's voice in the back of his head asking. 'How do you feel about her?'

'God, I don't know.' Jason whispered even though he was completely alone. He shook his head and took a swig of his beer before muttering, "Undeserving." He shook his head, realizing that talking to himself was probably a sure fire way to land himself in the nuthouse. With his luck Carly would follow suit and they would be paired together to wait out their days in a padded room wearing straight jackets while she whined and demanded he save her yet again because she was never capable of saving herself. And all the while Robin would be out raising Abby, just trying to get by while he missed them both terribly.

Because of problems in the business Jason was unable to see Abby for a few days with drove him insane because there was nothing he wanted more than to spend time with his daughter. But he managed to talk to her on the telephone every night before Robin put her to bed and headed off to Jakes.

That's where Robin was when Sonny came in without a guard by his side late one night. She saw him right away. Men like Sonny Corinthos didn't frequent Jakes and all of the other patrons looked up as he walked towards the bar. Wearing a dark blue dress shirt, the top 2 buttons undone and the cuffs rolled up to his elbows with a pair of black slacks. And that was his casual look. The whole outfit probably cost upwards of 1000, only the best for that man because hell he could definitely afford it. Classic Sonny, he had to make an entranced and have all eyes on him, it only would have been better if he strolled in wearing a black pinstripe suit with 2 armed guards that struck such terror into everyone that they dove for cover. Not that Sonny particularly liked scaring innocent people but random drunks were hardly completely innocent especially at Jakes. Robin decided that she wasn't going to play along and turned her back to him until he sat down at the bar finally. When she turned around she already had a glass of dark liquor for him which she placed in front of him without a word.

"Last call is in 15 minutes." She stated flatly as Sonny took the drink and she poured herself a shot of something clear.

"Since when do you drink liquor?" He asked simply as Robin drank it back quickly.

She smirked, "Since you're buying."

"Oh I am huh?" He questioned with a hint of amusement as the drink clearly burned a line down Robin's throat. She cringed slightly and shook her head a little. "Alright well in that case, it's a good thing I brought my wallet."

She put one hand on the bar and leaned her weight on it as she studied him, "What took you so long?"

"What do you mean?" He replied casually.

"Well, I told you off weeks ago." Robin answered. "I half expected you to try again the very next day. When did you develop some patience?" She was quite a spitfire behind the bar, all made up to look like she belonged there, when in truth, Sonny looked at her no matter how much makeup she wore, she still looked like the innocent young girl he first met years earlier.

"It is a virtue hmm?" Sonny grinned, flashing his dimples slightly. Oh those dimples, it was no wonder women had trouble resisting him but then, Robin wasn't just a woman. She was Robin Scorpio, damn it and he wouldn't wear her down so easily. "Maybe I can do this right this time?" He actually made it sound like a question rather than a statement which perked Robin's interest because Sonny Corinthos wasn't known for questions, he preferred demands and declarations. "Am I bothering you?" He asked remembering the first time they spoke at Kelly's.

She scoffed, "More obnoxious men than you bother me here nightly. It comes with the territory." She stated as she glanced down the bar at a particularly drunk customer. She reached over and took a half empty beer bottle from in front of him, knowing he couldn't finish it even if he tried. She called him a cab and took his keys before turning her attention back to Sonny. "No guards this evening Mr. Corinthos?" She smirked.

"Outside. Why do you think there are some hitmen in here?" He replied in a mock hushed tone.

Robin actually laughed a little as she shook her head. "If there are, they're all too drunk to be a threat." Sonny smiled a little as he looked at Robin, he had missed the sound of her laughter, even when it was gentle it was completely genuine and warmed his heart.

"I'm sorry sweetheart." He stated boldly. "I should have said that a long time ago but, I am truly sorry." Robin leaned against the bar again and simply looked at him. She didn't look angry, but she didn't look completely forgiving either and Sonny knew he would have to do better than that. 'Confess your sins and pray for forgiveness.' he told himself as he took a deep breath. "I know I hurt you when you needed me most-"

Robin shook her head and held up her hand, stopping him, "Do you want me to say you're forgiven?" Sonny couldn't think fast enough before she continued. "Sonny, there's no point in me being angry at you anymore. You've always punished yourself worst of all. The way you torture yourself is far worse than anything anyone else could ever put you through. If you want me to stand here and crucify you for the past than you've come to the wrong place. I'm not without sin." She concluded thoughtfully.

Sonny took in her words for a moment and sipped his drink, letting the liquor drip down his throat slowly. "Do you think he would forgive me?" He asked motioning towards Robin's neck where he spotted Stones ring hanging. "I promised to look out for you and I didn't do that in the end. When you needed me I." He stopped. "I turned my back on you Robin. I am sorry for that and I want you to know that if I could change anything-"

"I wouldn't let you." She stated seriously. "Things happen for a reason Sonny. You didn't break a promise to Stone because I really didn't need you to look out for me anymore." She sighed, and remembered that it wasn't long after she left for Paris that it occurred to her. She really didn't need Sonny and in reality, Jason at that time did. Maybe it was presumptuous but Robin couldn't help but think that if Sonny hadn't turned her away she probably would have told him to tend to Jason anyway. She had other people who loved her and accepted her. Jason at that time didn't have anyone he could truly trust. He needed Sonny more than she ever had. "I wasn't a kid Sonny, it hurt when you walked away from me but I survived and I realized something. I'm ok. I can do just fine for myself on my own." She continued.

He nodded, "Jason always said you were the strongest person he ever knew. He's right you know. You're stronger than most people."

She shrugged, "I've been through more than most people."

"Yeah but it's different. We all go through a lot but you're built different. Me, I'm a city boy I wouldn't survive a night lost in a forest or in a strange place. I'd freeze to death and you would build a fire to get through the night."

Robin smirked, "And with my luck I'd burn the whole damn forest to the ground by morning." The remark was lined with sarcasm but only served to make a slight smile form at the edges of Sonny's lips

"But you would still emerge from the rubble." Sonny shook his head a little and looked down at his hands resting on either side of his drink, "You would just pick yourself up and dust yourself off. You're not afraid of hard work."

She laughed, "And you hire people to work for you. What's up Sonny?" She finally asked. "Do you want something or what?"

He looked up at her with such honesty in her eyes, that even Robin didn't know it was possible to want to believe someone so badly. "I just want to know you again Robin."

It was a simple request but massive at the same time. Something Sonny could only accomplish so gracefully. Damn him. He was good, too good in fact. Sonny was so smooth Robin didn't even catch him getting through to her. "You make it sound so easy." She replied after a long pause. "I wish it were but we both know it isn't."

"Why? Because of Mac or Jagger or even Carly?" Sonny questioned. "The hell with them all, we can be friends again if you want."

"The hell with your wife huh?" Robin stated skeptically. "I've been thinking that for years but somewhere along the line, you and I apparently started seeing things a little differently."

"So if I hadn't married Carly?" He asked with such seriousness that Robin wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

She shrugged, "Like I said, everything happens for a reason." She looked into Sonny's eyes and gave him a weak smile. "I'm happy with my little life. It's not much but it's mine. I've got Abby and she's all I need. I want you to be happy Sonny, because for as long as I can remember, you've never allowed yourself to just BE happy. Truly happy. You always find a reason to punish yourself and I hope that I'm not one anymore because I really am happy. It's been hard but, Abby is more than worth it."

"Spoken like a true parent." Sonny smiled softly. "I'm glad you're happy Robin. And I hope it lasts the rest of your life because no one deserves happiness more than you and your little girl." He put his hand on Robin's and was relieved that she didn't pull away from him. "I love you sweetheart."

She nodded, "I know that Sonny."

He stood up and nodded a little, "Good, because it's always been true." He placed some money down on the bar and smirked, "Maybe we'll have drinks again sometime."

"Maybe." Robin replied as she collected up the money and watched Sonny head out again with all eyes on him, just as he would always want.

The next afternoon Jason was finally able to see Abby and with Robin's permission arranged for her to go with him to visit Lila in the garden, that had inspired her middle name.

Robin answered the door of the cottage, and let Jason inside as she finished putting some of Abby's things into her little backpack. Her crayons and a coloring book, some extra paper, her doll Molly, along with a little list of emergency numbers that she always tucked into Abby's bag when she was going to be out of her mother's direct supervision, and a few other little toys that Abby had requested she pack. Robin was wearing a skirt, for the first time since returning to town. Paired with a white top, the blue skirt stopped just below her knee but that didn't stop Jason from scanning her legs whenever Robin bent over to pick up Abby's thing. It was a reflex he told himself, Robin had great legs, it would have been stupid not to look. "What's in the bag?" She asked casually as she motioned to a bag that Jason was carrying.

"It depends on if you're going to get mad at me or not." He replied. "It's for Abby. I asked Leticia to go shopping with me just to pick her up some clothes and stuff." Jason knew she told him flat out she didn't want his money or help at that point, but it was for Abby and she would have to put her damn pride aside sooner or later.

Robin looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "She went shopping for you or with you?"

"With me." Jason smirked because he and Robin both knew how much he hated to shop. With Michael, Jason just paid Leticia extra to do the shopping unless he could talk Robin into going to the mall, to keep him from losing his temper. Crowded public places were not Jason's idea of a good time EVER. "So are you mad?"

She sighed, "No, I'm sure Abby will love them." Jason watched her for a moment wondering what was going through her head. "Thank you." She finally added.

Jason shrugged, "It's nothing big, but you and Abby are both welcome. I'm her father, it's part of the job description." He joked which actually got a bit of a smile from Robin. He put the shopping bag down near the armchair in the living room and looked around casually.

"Abby come on now." Robin called up the stairs before handing Jason the backpack, which really did look rather ridiculous with his leather jacket and faded blue jeans. Robin had to make and effort to not laugh at the sight.

"You're not coming?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Robin was a bit taken back. "I thought you would want an unsupervised visit this time."

Jason considered making a crack about surrendering his passport but he didn't know if Robin would see the humor in it so he didn't suggest it. "If I show up there without you, Grandmother might kick me in the shin." He smirked.

Robin laughed, "Well then in that case, I should give Abby a camera, I'd want to see pictures of that." She teased.

"Ha, ha, aren't you a clever little one?" Jason retorted jokingly.

"Abby what are you doing up there?" Robin called from the bottom of the stairs when she heard Abby grunting and groaning.

Abby appeared at the top of the stairs suddenly in her favorite overall and dropped her shoes, letting them fall step by step down to her mother, as she crossed her arms and pouted. "Laces. You had to buy laces." She complained as she descended holding the railing tightly in her little hand. "I can't tie them." She told Jason as she sat down on the last step and let Robin slip them onto her feet.

"What did you do to your hair?" Robin chuckled as she undid Abby's uneven pigtails after tying her little shoes for her. "Just leave it down sweet pea."

"Oh! I made a card for, for umm Lila!" Abby told her parents. "It's up in my room, hold on." She scampered up the steps quickly to retrieve it, once again leaving Jason and Robin alone in a slightly awkward silence.

"Come with us." Jason finally insisted. "The Quartermaine's have me outnumbered, I could use a little help incase Abby is afraid of them."

"They're not that scary Jason." Robin replied before looking up to see Jason giving her a questionable look. "Ok, maybe some of them are." She admitted with a smirk. "Are you sure you want me to come with you?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Please." He replied seriously as Abby came back down.

As Robin put Abby into the backseat of one of his cars, it occurred to Jason that she probably didn't have the slightest clue about Jagger's little visit to the penthouse. She certainly would have questioned him about it by now, to hear his side of the story. However, since she didn't say anything about it, Jason decided he wouldn't openly address it either, because there was no point in making her angry over Jagger being a pain in the ass for him. Even if he had wanted desperately to just rip Jagger's throat out to shut him up. The real point was, that Jason hadn't, he stayed composed because he promised Robin that he wouldn't fight with Jagger for Abby's sake. At least Jason had some idea of what he had put her through with Carly, not letting them fight by using Michael as an excuse to put their differences aside. It was hard but Robin had done her best, so he was determined to do the same with Jagger. No matter what buttons he pushed, Jason was going to at least try to keep calm about things.

"Hey, I have a question." Jason stated, trying to sound casual as Robin closed the backdoor of the car.

"Ok." She replied hesitantly.

"What was Abby's first word?" He asked seriously because well, he just thought it was something a father should know, even though he was a few years too late.

"Me!" Abby cheered having heard the question from inside the car.

Robin laughed, "She's right. Abby was her first word. She saw her reflection in a store window in Paris, pointed right at it and said, 'Abby!'." She loves that story because she thinks it's funny that it wasn't the usual momma or anything like that.

Jason nodded with a bit of a smile before opening Robin's door for her, then getting behind the wheel. He really was glad that she agreed to go to the Quartermaine mansion with him for all of the reasons he had given her at the cottage and more. He was still trying to figure out what had come over them both, the night they told Abby the truth. But Robin obviously didn't want to talk about it, which was a little strange considering the Robin he once knew so well, insisted on talking about everything just to get things out in the open and cleared up. Something was going on in her mind and Jason still knew her well enough to understand that Robin would always open up when she was ready. She simply wasn't good at keeping things bottled up inside of her. That was Jason's specialty, never hers.

"God, what is he thinking?" Carly asked herself as she sat in the back of one of Sonny's cars yet again, watching as Jason spent time with his daughter, though Carly still had her doubts about that one and his awful little ex girlfriend. "I've got to stop this before Jason gets hurt." She had been following Jason out routinely since Robin arrived in town. Always making up some excuse to use on Sonny as she walked out the door, not that he seemed to notice or even care. More often than not, she saw Jason going to spend time with Abby, which also meant spending time around Robin. Carly became convinced that Robin was using Abby to get back at Jason or worse still, to get back WITH Jason.

Well that would happen over Carly's dead body, she vowed. If Abby was what Jason wanted then fine, but there was noway in hell Carly would ever let Robin be a part of the picture why she could ruin everything! The little Saint always had a way of manipulating Sonny and suddenly Carly was very fearful that Robin would manipulate her right out of Sonny's life and that simply could not happen. Oh no, Carly would never give up her little life easily not for Robin or anyone else. She decided that there was only one thing she could do. To protect Jason of course. She had to figure out a way to get Jason what he wanted Abby without him being stuck with what he didn't need, Robin.

Emily Quartermaine beamed with pride when she saw Jason come onto the property with Abby AND Robin. They looked like such a cute little family in her opinion, now if only they would become one, she thought with a determined grin. She would get Jason to open his eyes if it killed her. She had been telling Jason for years that he should have gone after Robin. Hell, she told him that the day Robin left and now he knew damn well that he should have done just that.

Thank goodness for small favors. Aunt Tracy was off somewhere in Europe having abandoned her teenage son at the house before disappearing, Dylan got along with Robin anyway because he was dating her little cousin Georgie so he wouldn't be a problem. Ned was working down town at ELQ and Alan was on call at the hospital. Skye was out with AJ doing whatever the hell it was that those 2 did to amuse themselves and Edward, well Emily just hoped Edward would stay in the house out of sight and out of mind.

Abby's first visit to the Quartermaine house would hopefully go smoothly, so she would feel comfortable being there and Jason would feel confident in bringing her by once in awhile. Monica was the only other Quartermaine informed of the visit, and she was excited about the prospect of meeting her first granddaughter especially since Carly no longer brought little Michael to visit with them, since AJ finally signed away his rights and allowed Sonny Corinthos to officially adopt him.

Jason looked apprehensive until he spotted Emily walking towards them. He really didn't like being there, everyone knew that, but for Lila, Emily and Monica, there wasn't much that Jason wouldn't do, even put up with the others if need be, but only for short periods of time. Abby stood between her parents, allowing Robin some distance from Jason until she saw Emily and became a little shy, moving closer to her mother and gripping her hand tightly. Robin sighed and scooped Abby up so she would feel safe as Emily hugged Jason warmly.

"Hey, we've been expecting you." Emily told him.

Jason cringed a little, "Who are we exactly?"

"Just grandmother, mom and me." Emily laughed. "Just about everyone else is out." Jason relaxed a little. "They don't know you're coming, so you don't have to worry." He nodded a bit. "Hello Abby." She smiled at the little girl in Robin's arms.

"Abby, you remember Emily from Kelly's right?" Robin asked.

Abby nodded hesitantly, "Hi."

"Emily is your aunt sweet pea." Robin told her. "Like Auntie Bren."

Abby looked to Jason and then back to her mother with questioning eyes. "She's my little sister, the way your mom is Brenda's little sister." Jason explained, because well it was the easiest answer. Emily was the lucky one without any Quartermaine DNA in her. She was the daughter of Monica's best friend, who died of cancer years earlier, leaving a then little Emily to the care of the Quartermaine's, a laps in judgment as far as Jason was concerned but Emily seemed happy, so maybe it wasn't that bad.

Emily smiled at Robin sensing that she was more than a little uncomfortable being there, "I'm glad you came with Jason. Grandmother will be happy to see you too."

Robin shifted Abby a little in her arms and tried to look calm and composed. She had her doubts. The Quartermaine's would not be pleased to learn they had a new heir, that they had not been told about. She knew all too well the lengths Edward and the others had gone through in an attempt to get Michael away from Jason, and there was noway she would allow them to pull that with Abby. She let Jason take Abby and he walked a bit ahead of the 2 young women as Emily hooked her arm through Robin's and continued to smile brightly while making small talk.

"Robin does Abby know?" She whispered gently.

Robin nodded, "Yes, she's known for a few days now."

Emily sighed contently, "I really am glad you came. I know we see each other at Kelly's a bit, but you're always working and busy so it's nice to see you out of there. I've missed hanging out you know."

"Em, you're welcome to visit us at the cottage anytime you want." Robin told her.

"I just might take you up on that." Emily replied happily.

Monica was sitting with Lila on the patio, as a member of the staff brought out a tray of iced tea when Jason came up with Abby on his hip. Monica's face absolutely lit up when she saw them, she stood and gave Jason a bit of a hug and then smiled at Abby. "And who do we have here?" She asked softly.

Abby clung to Jason, not because Monica was at all frightening but because she was a little overwhelmed suddenly. "Monica this is Abby." Jason introduced as Abby gripped his t-shirt in her little fist.

"Abby be careful you don't choke him to death." Robin reminded gently as she and Emily stood nearby.

"Oh Robin!" Monica gushed and went to hug the young woman she had once hoped would be her daughter in law. Oh who was she trying to kid, Monica still held onto that hope. Robin was a sweet, smart young woman and she would have been a welcomed addition to the family any day. "It's wonderful to see you dear."

"It's good to see you too Monica." Robin replied before feeling Lila take her hand gently, "Hello Lila, how are you?" She asked as she knelt down carefully and smiled at the elderly woman.

"I'm just wonderful today dear." Lila replied. "I'm so glad you and Jason have brought Abby here today." She beamed.

Robin looked up at Abby as Jason set her down. "Come here sweet pea." She instructed gently as she unzipped Abby's little backpack, so she could pull out the card she made for Lila.

"I made this for you." Abby explained as she offered the card to Lila.

"Oh thank you Abby, it's very beautiful." Lila replied as she looked at the card. On the front, Abby had drawn her rendition of a rose because Robin told her that Lila liked them so much. Within minutes, Abby was at ease with Lila, though still a little shy with Monica and Emily, who understood that it would take a bit of time and that Abby was likely in awe of her suddenly rapidly growing family.

For most of Abby's life, it was just she and Robin with occasional visits from Mac and Luke, then Brenda came along followed by Jagger. All that had taken place over 4 years and since arriving in Port Charles, she suddenly had a father who came with a bunch of other new people, that she didn't even know existed.

"So Robin, have you started your internship anywhere yet?" Monica asked casually as she looked over to where Abby's mother was sitting, slightly away from the semi-circle everyone else had formed.

Jason looked up at Robin apologetically, he hadn't expected anyone to start with those questions so soon. She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear and sighed, "Umm, no Monica, I haven't finished my studies. With Abby, I decided to put being a doctor on hold for awhile."

"You want to be a doctor Mommy?" Abby asked suddenly as she looked up to her mother. Abby had watched her mother do a lot of jobs. Waitress, sells person at department stores, telemarketing, and even cleaning, but she never knew that she wanted to become a doctor. It just wasn't something Robin ever thought to address with or in front of Abby. It simply never crossed her mind

"Someday sweet pea." Robin replied.

"Maybe I can be a doctor when I'm big too. Or maybe something else like an acrobat." Abby contemplated it for a moment which caused the adults to all chuckle a little.

"I think you would be a marvelous acrobat." Lila told her proudly.

Robin was thankful to have the attention away from herself so quickly. It wasn't that she didn't want to be there exactly, but she did feel uncomfortable and there were a million other places she would have preferred to be. Sitting there with Lila, Monica and Emily, she had noway of being able to know when she would have to field a tricky question such as the ever popular, 'Why didn't you tell Jason?' God, how Robin hated the thought of explaining that one to Lila.

"Hey, would you mind giving me a hand with this?" Emily asked as she collected up their glasses and the tray of iced tea.

"Sure, no problem." Robin replied, gratefully for a bit of an escape away from everyone else even if only for a few minutes.

As she and Emily walked through the Quartermaine mansion, they unexpectedly bumped into Edward Quartermaine who was very surprised to see Robin there. However, Robin's protective maternal instincts kicked in, and she decided that she really didn't want to see Edward go out there and cause a scene, because of Jason visiting with his grandmother.

"Why Robin, I heard you were back in Port Charles." He greeted in that suspicious tone of his that told both Robin and Emily he was probably up to something when they walked in. There wasn't time to question him, they had to do damage control to keep him in the house. "Let me ask you a personal question." He insisted as he went to Robin and took her by the arm, bringing her further into the living room. "Are you seeing anyone because I know of a young doctor that would be so much better for you than that hooligan-"

Robin cut him off with a quick response, "Oh Edward, how can I ever fall for anyone when I'm so distraught that Lila snatched you up?"

Well that did it, a little flattery and Edward was as happy as a clam, "Oh well now, I knew there was a reason I really missed your beautiful face." He smirked and went on his way. "You girls have a good day, I've got some work to do in my office."

Emily burst out laughing once Edward was safely out of earshot, "Robin! Really, shame on you playing with his old heart that way. You're lucky he didn't have a heart attack." She playfully scolded. "But since he brought it up..." She went in for the question that had been on her mind since Robin came back. "Are you and Jagger a couple?"

"Me and Jagger?" Robin asked laughing. "No, we just live together Em."

"I bet Jase was glad to hear that." Emily replied.

Robin shook her head, "It doesn't concern Jason-"

"It would if you were with Jagger." Emily insisted sternly. "He hasn't really dated anyone since you." She stopped and looked at Robin almost sadly. "You 2 aren't back together yet are you?" She asked.

"Whoa yet?" Robin questioned.

Emily frowned, "You put a lot of distance between the 2 of you and you're still only feet's apart. I remember when Jason barely left your side." She reminisced.

Robin shrugged, "That was along time ago."

"Not so long ago actually." Emily retorted. "Come on, seeing him so much doesn't even bring back those old feelings?"

"It brings back a lot of things." Robin confessed almost in a whisper.

Emily sighed, "Not all of them are good huh? I'm sorry, I shouldn't press you like this."

"No, I know you mean well Em, it's just things are complicated and I really don't have the time or energy to even think about it all. Abby is my everything, after her there isn't much left that really matters." Robin explained.

Carly tapped her foot impatiently as she hatched her plans. She had overheard Jason and Sonny talking a few days earlier. Jason would be going out of town for a few days soon, he was always going out of town for a few days. That was the only explanation she ever got, because it was business and she wasn't allowed to know about those things which always annoyed her, she could set things into motion then but how?

She had to get rid of Robin. Just get her out of the picture for good. Take her out. That was it! Her face lit up with a twisted smile. She would just do what a good mob wife would and take out any and all competition. Robin wouldn't even see it coming. Sonny employed enough people that Carly was sure a handful of them would follow her orders without question. If they did question her she would get to Sonny before they could tattle and have him fire them right away. She would make up the most outrages lies if need be but one way or another she would get what she wanted. Carly always got what she wanted. Except Jason. She never did get him, not that she wanted him anymore because she had Sonny and she loved him. That was why Robin had to go. She loved Sonny too much to chance Robin getting in his ear.

A guard knocked on the door and looked inside. Carly was talking to herself and he was getting a little worried. It was mumbling really but she was certainly up to something. All of the guards joked that maybe she really was crazy and that Jason never should have gotten her released in the first place but it was the first time the guard actually thought it might be true.

She sat down on the couch suddenly and noticed a stack of DVD's that she and Sonny had bought and had yet to get around to watching. She had hoped Jason would humor her and watch one or 2 with her, while Sonny did whatever it was he did when he was out, but alas, Jason hated movies, they made his head hurt and just plain bored him. She looked through the stack and came across and interesting one. Panic Room

"Hmm maybe Hollywood is onto something." She snickered, remembering how the film was about a super secure room, that was meant to keep a family safe if intruders broke into their home. If a panic room could keep the bad people out, surely it could keep the little saint in and that way Carly could have some fun before doing away with Robin for good.

It was too perfect for words! At least that was how Carly's twisted evil mind saw things.

Lila had long since returned into the house to get some rest and Monica had to take a call from the hospital about a patient. Seeing an opening, Emily asked Abby if she wanted to explore around the garden with her, thus leaving Jason and Robin completely alone in an isolated part of the yard, a safe distance from the house.

Jason shot his little sister a look as she waved back at them, and wandered away with Abby, holding her hand. Robin was sitting down on the grass and Jason decided that he probably had nothing to lose by sitting down there with her. "What did Emily say when you went into the house?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hmm? Oh just a bit of catching up, girl stuff mostly." Robin replied, mentally praying that Jason didn't see through her completely. It was after all partially true. She decided to shift the subject. "Did you send Sonny to Jakes to talk to me?" She asked seriously.

"What? No." Jason replied. "He showed up there?"

She nodded, "A couple nights ago."

He shook his head, "No, he didn't tell me anything about it. Did you 2 fight?"

"No, we don't have anything to fight about." Robin answered as she picked at the grass to avoid Jason's intense eyes. Damn, he and Abby could both do it to her now. One look and she, the mother, the adult, the boss damn it!, felt like she was under a microscope, under interrogation, being looked right through! She was quiet for a moment before hesitantly looking up at Jason finally. "Is he...is he happy now?"

Jason thought about it for a moment, "Sometimes, I think."

"Oh." Robin sighed and ran her hand through her hair before leaning back a bit.

"Do you care?" Jason asked seriously as he studied her. Robin and Sonny hadn't spoken in years. He knew she had her reservations about Sonny being anywhere near Abby but she never really said how she FELT about him. Jason was curious to see if Robin still cared about Sonny a fraction of what she once did. The love between brother and little sister had been so strong one time and had ended so abruptly, it was unnatural in so many ways.

"I asked didn't I?" Robin answered without giving it much thought at all.

Jason shrugged his shoulders and leaned back on his elbows in the grass a foot or so away from Robin. "But does it really matter to you?" He asked, looking up and half closing his eyes to guard against the bright sunlight.

Robin thought about it for a long time. It was a hard question. It wasn't did it matter? but rather how much? She wasn't sure. It seemed strange even to her that she would care at all, after years of not giving a damn about Sonny. She didn't think about him much when she was gone, unless she thought about Stone and the memories they had all shared so long ago. "Yes." She finally answered quietly.

For a long time Jason didn't say anything. When he spoke again it was with complete honesty. "He's missed you a lot." He paused and decided to sit up. Somehow that got him closer to Robin but neither seemed to notice it right away. "It's harder knowing you're here and don't want to talk to him."

"There isn't much to talk about." She replied frankly. It's hard for me too." She finally admitted.

"I can tell." Jason stated without any hesitation.

Robin looked at him and bent her knees to rest her elbows on them. There weren't many positions for sitting on the ground while wearing a skirt that were possible but she would make do as best she could there. "Can you?" She asked seriously.

He nodded, "You miss him just as much. When you say his name, I can see it."

She sighed and shook her head a little bit. "And here I thought I'd changed."

Jason reached over out of instinct and brushed a bit of hair away from Robin's face. "You have but you're still you. Deep down inside there's no changing that." When his hand brushed against her cheek, Robin looked over at him again. "I always used to know what you were thinking just by looking at you." He practically whispered.

Robin smirked a little, "No fair, I could never tell with you, unless you were thinking about." Before she could complete her thought Jason's mouth softly pressed against hers.

When she didn't immediately push him again, he kissed her more firmly. His hand held the back of her neck gently. And within seconds Robin was kissing him back. It didn't last long. Abby's laughter as she and Emily made their way back brought them out of it and Robin shifted away from Jason, and covered her mouth with her fingertips. She hadn't expected that to happen. Neither had Jason really, he just couldn't help himself, impulse took over and before he could stop it, he was already kissing her. Abby and Emily came around the corner and Abby ran to her mother right away.

"Mommy this place is great!" She cheered excitedly, obviously she had taken to Emily already. "It's really big and Aunt Emily said she has a horse! Is Jagger allergic to horses?"

Robin laughed and brushed Abby's hair out of her eyes, "I don't think we have enough room for a horse sweet pea." Abby whispered something to her mother and Robin nodded. "Yeah, I remember where it is. Excuse us." Robin told Emily and Jason as she got up carefully and took Abby to use the restroom.

Emily sat down on the grass and looked at Jason curiously. "What did you do?" She asked bluntly. Jason looked at her with a raised eyebrow but didn't dare respond. "You look like you're up to something." She stated suspiciously. "All the men in this family, even you get this strange look whenever you try to hide something."

Jason shook his head and looked away, "You're just as crazy as everyone else around here." She laughed and slapped him on the knee but didn't deny it. One had to be at least a little crazy to survive in that house and they both knew it. The perfect Quartermaine image that most of them tried to project to the public was a complete hoax, they were probably one of the most dysfunctional groups in Port Charles or the state of New York for that matter. Money certainly did not equal sanity, if anything it just made Edward paranoid whenever someone asked him about the weather, because he instantly thought they would want money from him.

Abby was worn out by the time Jason took her and Robin home for the evening. He carried her into the house, while Robin went to check the answering machine. Jagger had called, just checking in to make sure everything was alright. Jason rolled his eyes but didn't say anything as he put Abby down and she instantly went to work removing her shoes. The message after that was from Jagger's former boss in Chicago, wondering if he had given their offer anymore thought. Robin cringed, feeling 2 sets of blue eyes barring into her expectantly. She fast forward the rest of that message and turned the machine off.

"Abby, why don't you take your bag up to your room and wash up for dinner ok?" Robin suggested as she picked up a stack of mail and tried to seem perfectly casual. She and Jason had been noticeably quiet around each other since that kiss and she had a feeling that Jason would suddenly be done with quiet.

"What was that about?" He asked seriously once Abby was upstairs.

Robin shrugged, "It was for Jagger. It's not really any of my business or yours for that matter."

Jason looked at her with wide eyes, "It is, if you're thinking about."

"Jase, relax." Robin insisted calmly. "I want Abby to grow up in Port Charles. She likes it here and her family is here. Whatever Jagger decides to do with his life, is his business not yours." Jason scoffed a bit and looked away, he wasn't sure how much he believed what she was saying. It was certainly his business, if there was even a chance she and Abby would move back to Chicago with Jagger. If the thought so much as crossed Robin's mind he wanted to know about it.

Abby came back down the stairs and looked at Jason with a bright smile having already forgotten about the answering machine, "Can we go to the park tomorrow?" She asked sweetly.

Jason sighed and knelt down to Abby's level, "Abby, I would love to take you to the park tomorrow but I can't. I'm sorry." His heart broke at the disappointment in Abby's eyes. "I have a lot of things I have to get done because I have to go away for a few days." Her lower lip instantly began to tremble and tears threatened to fall from her big blue eyes. "But I'll see you before I go, I promise. And I won't be gone long."

"How long?" She asked seriously.

"Maybe 3 days." Jason answered truthfully. "I'm not completely sure."

"But why do you have to go?" She continued.

Jason looked up at Robin for a little help. She frowned and shook her head a bit but also knelt down in front of Abby, taking her little hands in her own. "Baby, it's grownup stuff you wouldn't understand. But he'll be back and you can go to the park then."

Robin was right, Abby didn't understand. She and Jagger worked and they didn't ever go away for days at a time. Why did Jason have to go anywhere? Why couldn't he just stay and play with her all the time? Abby hugged Jason tightly for a long moment and he again promised her that he wouldn't be long and that he would stop by before he left. She sadly went up to her room leaving Jason and Robin alone once more.

"That was really hard." Jason admitted.

Robin sighed, "You think it was tough on you? All Abby wants to do is spend time with you everyday now that she knows you're her father and you're already going away for." She shook her head, "You don't even know how long."

"I have to take care of some things." He reasoned. "It's better if I go do it now rather than wait for the problems to come here Robin." He was right, Robin didn't like it but he was. The men Jason dealt with were dangerous and it really was better to deal with them as far from Port Charles as possible. If they showed up in town, it would be harder to get rid of them and Jason couldn't chance that.

"I know that Jason and I understand it." She answered. "But Abby is too young. She just hears that you're leaving." She pressed her lips together for a moment and shook her head again. "And we both know you won't even be able to call her while you're gone because that would be too dangerous. I always hated this stuff, I can't even begin to imagine how Abby is going to feel about it when it becomes part of regular life for her."

"It's my job." Jason replied sounding slightly defeated.

"I know." Robin stated as she put her hands on her hips. "Believe me Jason, I know all about what your job means."

Jason sighed, "So is this the part where you tell me I should make a choice between my daughter and my job as though it's just as easy as that?"

"No, because I know it's not easy. It never is." Robin replied and took a deep breath. She wanted to strangle Jason just to keep him from going. She knew what a short notice trip meant. It was bad, it meant he was up to something that had to be acted upon swiftly, so there was less chance of others involved finding out or getting caught. The easy stuff in the business wasn't so bad, Jason would have weeks of notice before having to go anywhere but it always made Robin's blood run cold whenever Jason suddenly had to go away. Those where the trips she used to wait up all night wondering if he was coming back alive or if his and Sonny's enemies would just send notice that he was gone. "The days where I try to get you to leave the business are long over. It's your life Jason but Abby is a part of your life to now and you're going to have to figure out a way to balance that, so Abby knows she's more important to you than any stupid job." Jason wanted to say something but Robin didn't give him a chance. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go upstairs and make sure Abby is alright." Within seconds Robin disappeared to check on Abby and Jason reluctantly headed out of the cottage.

It was late that same night and Robin sat on the couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table and an old medical book in her lap. Abby was safely tucked in bed, satisfied by her mothers certainly that Jason would miss her terribly and be home as soon as he could that way he could take her to the park and spend more time with her.

"Who knew coffee was such a big deal?" Abby complained a little. Robin could only sigh and shake her head. Abby was far too young to be told that Jason's coffee business with Sonny wasn't exactly the business that caused so many complications. Robin didn't want Abby to understand it just yet either.

Jagger came in after going to the gym and wondered what Robin was up to. He hadn't seen her read much in months, because she worked so hard that she usually didn't have the energy to focus on words by the end of the night, unless she was working at Jakes. "Hey, what do you have there?" Jagger asked as he looked over Robin's shoulder while standing behind the couch.

Robin sighed and put her head back, "One of my medical books." She admitted.

Jagger rested his elbows on the couch and kissed Robin's forehead gently, "Your thinking about going back to school?" She shrugged but didn't say anything. "You should you know. It would be good for you. Hell, it would be a lot better then working in bars and waitressing." He observed. "Being a doctor pays A LOT better."

"Eventually." Robin replied, "After all the expenses to get there." She closed the book and looked up at him. "I forgot to tell you earlier, there's a message for you from Chicago on the machine."

"Yeah, I checked it." Jagger stated as he hopped over the back of the couch and sat down next to Robin. He took the book from Robin and thumbed through it casually, "None of this stuff makes sense to me. I'm not going to pretend that it does but you're one of the few people that can make sense of it. You could be a good doctor Robin. Don't give up on that. If you still want it, make it happen."

She took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know what I want anymore, other than to take care of Abby."

"Uh-oh." Jagger groaned, "I know that tone of voice, 'That's the Robin Scorpio 100% focused on being a mom voice'. You can be a doctor and a mom, Robin. You can be anything you want and it doesn't take away from what you are to Abby."

She shook her head, "Except to be a doctor, I'd have to give up even more time with her." She thought of Jason suddenly, and the way his job would surely take him away from Abby often. And well, Robin also thought about how much time she had left to spend with Abby herself. She didn't know because it was impossible to guess but there was always a little voice in Robin's mind reminding her that there was a chance she wouldn't see Abby grow up and get married and do all the things she wanted like become a doctor or an acrobat. Ever since she was hospitalized with pneumonia, Robin couldn't get back into the swing of living life day by day without worrying so much about her HIV status. "So, have you given any more thought to going back to Chicago?" She asked seriously.

Jagger shrugged, "A little. But you can't afford this place on your own Robin."

She cut him off, "Abby and I will be fine. We'll get a different place, if we have too. I'm not exactly wild about this cottage Jagger."

"But Abby is." He reminded.

"But she'll like another place too eventually." Robin reasoned. "If you want to go back to Chicago, then you should. I know you love Abby and she'll miss you but it's not like she would never see you again. You'd visit, we'd visit and there's this nifty little thing called a phone." She teased. "It wouldn't be the end of the world, it would just be something different."

Jagger sighed and patted Robin on the leg, "I'm going to go take a shower. Don't stay up too late reading that stuff, if you've got to get up early tomorrow alright? You need to get some sleep once in awhile Miss." Robin nodded and watched as Jagger headed upstairs to shower.

She sat there for awhile longer looking through the book and reading bits and pieces of it not that it was overly interesting. She still knew a lot of it from all the time she spent studying before Abby was born. Robin looked at her watch and considered giving Brenda a call before decided that she had more than enough input from everyone on just about everything that she didn't need anymore right away, not even from her best friend. She put the book away and went up to her room. She undressed, draping her clothes over a chair that sat near her bedroom window and then pulled an oversized t-shirt over her head followed by a pair of shorts up over her legs. There was no sense in dressing to impress considering she was going to bed alone.

She pulled the covers back and crawled into bed, laying her head down as she tried to relax. That was when she couldn't ignore it any longer. In the dark silence of her bedroom with nothing to distract her, she thought of Jason and that kiss at the Quartermaine mansion. Why had he done that and why the hell had she let him? She closed her eyes and pulled her sheet up over her shoulder as she turned onto her side, turning her back to the window.

Across town Jason was getting into the shower thinking the very same thing. What had come over him? They were talking about Sonny and then he just kissed her. Maybe he was also talking about himself, he wasn't sure. He closed his eyes and tried to put it out of his mind. In the morning he had to go take care of some business matters and then get ready to leave for a few days even though he wasn't looking forward to being away from Abby or Robin for that matter.

Morning came without further incident. Robin managed to get Abby settled after she had a frightening dream and then headed back to her own room for a very sleepless night. Jagger came down the stairs as Robin prepared for work with Abby watching morning cartoons on the couch near by.

"Hey, you alright?" Jagger asked casually. "You don't look like you got any sleep."

"I got some." Robin replied before freezing. "Some sleep!" she corrected quickly, "I got some sleep." Damn it, she couldn't get Jason out of her head and the thoughts were not at all innocent. She could feel his lips against hers from that damn kiss and after one very interesting dream she was unable to focus.

Jagger looked at her strangely but didn't really think much of her weird attitude, he just figured that it was one of the rare days were Robin seemed a little strange. It wasn't a big deal. Jagger never pretended he could understand the opposite sex, especially Robin. "Ok then." He replied shaking his head a little. "I gotta run but I'll see you 2 later?" Robin nodded and watched as he gave Abby a quick kiss on the head and dashed off to work at the PCPD.

"Come on sweet pea." Robin called to her daughter. "We don't want to be late, Bobby wouldn't like that."

"Mommy I'm tired." Abby pouted because she hadn't slept very well either.

Robin sighed, "I know Abby, me too but we have to go. I have to work." Abby reluctantly got up and grabbed her bag, following Robin out of the house dragging her little feet slightly. God, Brenda was right, it had been way too long since Robin had any grown up fun of any type, especially the type she dreamed about the night before and with Jason of all people. She was spending way too much time around that man. It was starting to affect her every thought. Maybe a few Jason free days wouldn't be such a bad thing for her, though Abby still didn't like it one bit.

You don't look like a very happy camper. Sonny commented as Jason walked into the penthouse. Jason just scowled a little and put his hands into his pockets. What did he have to be happy about? He was going to be leaving town for a few days, going into a situation he could very well never return from because let's face it, that was always a chance and he was going to be away from Abby. Not to mention his body was still a little tense from those thoughts of his ex and making love to her.

"Hey Jase!" Carly beamed as she came down the stairs of the penthouse. "Oh, you look pissed." She finally settled on. "What did the Saint do this time?" She sneered.

"Don't start." He ordered sternly. He wasn't in any mood to deal with Carly in general. When was the last time he wanted to deal with her? Ages ago he figured, lately he just wanted her to go away, out of sight, out of mind.

Sonny gave his wife a disapproving look but it was lost on her. She was too pleased by thought of Jason possibly being angry at Robin. "Carly, Jason and I need to discuss some business, you know the drill. March yourself right back up those stairs for awhile. Fine something to do and leave us alone." She scoffed and stomped back up to the second level of the penthouse muttering her frustration under her breath.

Sonny and Jason discussed what had to be done over the next few days and Jason knew that he was the only one who could pull it all off. It was a big deal, Sonny couldn't trust any of his other men to not screw it up, so Jason was the only option. It wasn't that Sonny wanted to send Jason but he would have loved nothing more than to allow his friend more time with his daughter but it just wasn't an option. Things would be safer for everyone including Abby once things were taken care of. Sonny advised Jason to be careful which was possibly a first ever and with that, Jason headed out to see Abby before he left town.

Robin was already on her break at Kelly's when Jason came in but Abby was nowhere in sight. "She'll be back in a second." Robin told him in a forced casual way because being anywhere near him at that point was the last thing she wanted. It just felt too strange right then.

"That's alright, I was hoping to talk to you anyway." Jason replied as he motioned for her to sit down. She looked tense and that somewhat concerned him within seconds. Robin reluctantly sat down at a table with him and looked anywhere but into his eyes.

"What?" She finally asked when Jason didn't say anything.

"About yesterday." Jason began.

She shook her head, "I told Abby you would only be a few days. Don't worry about it."

"No, before that. At the Quartermaine mansion." He replied. Robin leaned back and wrapped her arms around herself protectively. "Are you mad about what happened?" He asked seriously.

"Jason, I just don't even want to talk about it." She answered flatly.

"Since when?" He remarked.

"Since, if Jagger finds out, he's going to freak." Robin snapped crossly. Maybe she was getting good at this lying thing after all. With a little practice, she was actually pulling it off with a straight face. She didn't give a damn what Jagger thought about Jason kissing her. She really didn't want to listen to his, tell her that she would be making a huge mistake if this or if that, blah-blah-blah. Everyone started to sound like the teacher from Charlie Brown after awhile. No words, only noise. Sometimes it got to be like nails on a chalkboard too. She just didn't want to think about that kiss. She didn't know how she felt about it and quite frankly she didn't want to know. The possible answer scared her.

Jason smirked, "Because I'm supposed to think that you're with him?" Robin looked at him inquisitively. "Oh come on, that's what you want everyone to think just so they'll leave you alone." She looked away and bit the inside of her cheek. Suddenly she crossed her legs and began bouncing her foot as she wondered what on earth was taking Abby so long in the restroom. "You wouldn't have actually let me kiss you if you were with him." He reasoned. "And Abby told me."

"You pumped my daughter for information?" She snapped a little louder than she intended too.

"Our daughter." Jason corrected calmly. "And I didn't pump her for information. It just sort of came up." The look on Robin's face told Jason that she didn't believe a damn thing he was saying. "She showed me your room."

"You stay the hell away from my room for future reference." She told him sternly.

"You're really bent out of shape about this." He commented, seeming a little too amused by it. Robin considered asking him if it actually shocked him but decided against it. Too much deja vu for her taste. "Look, I know you don't trust me."

"Jason, if I didn't trust you, I wouldn't let you anywhere near Abby without my direct supervision." She told him seriously.

"That's not what I meant. Abby isn't very pleased with me at the moment but I never broke her heart." He replied. "I know I screwed up with you Robin."

"We are not having this conversation." Robin answered before he could finish. "Don't you get it? I'm done with everything that happened in the past. I don't want to think about it. And I don't want to talk about it. It's too hard Jason."

He shook his head, "Well life is hard Robin." He sighed, "Will you just listen?"

"When did you become so big on talking?" She asked skeptically.

"I don't know." Jason answered honestly. "Maybe because I kept my mouth shut once along time ago and everything got screwed up. I watched the person I loved more then anything walk out of my life because I didn't know what to say to make her stay." Robin looked at him with sadness in her eyes. She was right, it was hard to talk about but it had to be done and Jason knew if he didn't say it then he never would. "I've done a lot of thinking since you left town. It used to be, I hated to think about anything but when you left, I didn't have anything else to do. All I could think about was how badly I'd blown everything and I'm sorry. I wish I could change things but we both know WE can't." Robin rubbed the back of her neck which was suddenly very tight and painful. "Robin, I." Before Jason could finish Abby suddenly arrived on the scene and instantly buried herself against him. "Hey you." He greeted warmly as he looked down at Abby holding onto him tightly.

Robin got up and left the table, retreating as quickly as possible and leaving Jason to say goodbye to his daughter. She went into the bathroom and splashed water on her face trying to wash everything away. She didn't know how to deal with the things he was saying. He wanted to say something when she left for Paris? Then why the hell didn't he? He had plenty of chances to say something, anything at all! And he just let her leave. Maybe she wouldn't have stayed but it sure as hell would have made things easier to know that he was at least a little bit sorry when everything went so terribly wrong. And he had 4 years to at least try to go to Paris to see her, and he never did.

She shook her head as she looked at her reflection wondering why she even cared so much now. That dream flashed in her mind and Robin's breath caught in her throat as she tore her eyes away from the mirror. That damn dream! That damn memory of her and Jason making love. It got to her. It made her want to admit the things she had been fighting so hard against, what she was STILL fighting against deep inside she knew though, her heart wanted to scream it but her head said no. She still loved him in such a way that the thought of having it and losing it again was absolutely unbearable.

Jason pulled Abby onto his lap and let her hold onto him for dear life. "I don't want you to go." She told him weakly.

"I know Abby but I won't be gone long." He told her. "The sooner I go, the sooner I'll be back ok?"

She looked up at him with teary eyes, "You promise that you'll come back?"

"I promise Abby, I'll always come back." Jason told her and kissed her forehead. "You're with me forever now. Nothing is going to change that Abby."

She nodded and gave him another big hug then kissed him sweetly on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too Abby." He told her as he held her close.

Robin came back out and again kept a distance of a couple of feet at all times. Jason set Abby down and said goodbye one last time. He reached for Robin and put his hand on her arm. "I'll be back in a few days. We'll talk more then." He told her. Reluctantly Robin nodded a little and then picked Abby up.

"Bye Daddy." Abby frowned. It was the first time she had actually used the word daddy and it really made Jason want to stay but he had to leave. He had to take care of things and then he would be back with her. God it broke his heart.

Abby rested her head against Robin's neck and Robin suddenly put her hand against her daughters forehead. "Are you feeling alright sweet pea? You're a little warm." Abby only shrugged and wrapped her arms around Robin securely. "How about I get you some orange juice ok? Come on, it's ok Abby, he'll be back."

Jason had been gone for 2 days, and Carly had made herself quite busy, or more accurately she found employees to make quite busy. The panic room was set up with little more than a single metal bed with a hard mattress and a thin pillow. Comfort wasn't important, the saint wouldn't be there long. It was also rather dark inside, the walls were thin, so little heat could get in. It certainly wasn't like the one in the movie, in fact it was little more than a high secure cellar outfitted with a camera mounted on the wall.

"Mrs. Corinthos, if you don't mind my asking what is this for?" Max the guard asked hesitantly.

"You'll see soon enough." Carly smirked.

When she returned to the penthouse a situation too perfect for words arose. Justus Ward, Jason's lawyer and fellow Quartermaine outcast was standing outside Jason's door. Obviously he hadn't been one of the few Jason informed of his little out of town trip. She saw her opportunity to get Jason his daughter. "Is there something I can help you with Justus?" Carly asked trying to seem her most helpful and sweet.

Justus looked at her skeptically, "Do you know when Jason is going to be home?"

"Oh he had somethings to take care of." She replied. Justus was a well trusted employee. He had worked for Sonny and Jason in the past and recently returned just as faithful as he always was. He knew many of the ins and outs of the business and how to make sure Jason and Sonny stayed OUT of jail.

Justus looked at his watch and sighed in frustration. He really had places to be but needed to talk to Jason. "Is this about his kid?" Carly asked bluntly. "Or is it business?"

"It's about Abby." Justus confirmed because he certainly knew better then to discuss anything remotely business related in front of Sonny's big mouth wife.

Carly cheered wildly inside. "He told me he was going to call you." She stated. "He wants custody. FULL Custody."

Justus looked at her in disbelief. "What? Jason told me things were going alright."

"It's not anymore." Carly interjected sternly. "He wants the kid and he wants Robin Scorpio gone. He told me he wanted it all done as soon as possible. You know, get the papers together and have Robin serves so she can get herself some dirt cheap lawyer that you'll destroy in no time at all."

Justus shook his head, "I think I'll just wait until I can talk to Jason myself."

"Listen to me! My husband and Jason pay you and you listen to me damn it!" She snapped. "Jason could be gone for weeks. He wants this all taken care of by the time he gets back. So you go down to your little office, draw up the papers and make sure Robin gets them as soon as possible. If Jason finds out you were so rude to me, he'll fire you and make you disappear!"

It wasn't that Carly scared Justus, he couldn't stand her and didn't take his orders from her but he had indeed come to see how Jason was doing with Abby and Robin. Jason had put a hold on all the legal work, when Robin agreed to work with him for Abby's sake and Justus had just wanted to make sure that it was still the case. The only reason the things Carly said seemed even remotely possible, was because Jason had indeed tried to contact Justus before he left. Justus had noway of knowing that, what Jason really wanted was to just arrange some things for the business. It had absolutely nothing to do with Abby or Robin at all.

"Fine." Justus relented. "I'll have the papers drawn up and served as soon as possible." But he didn't like it. A) because he didn't like taking orders from Carly and B) because he knew Robin, she was a good person and didn't deserve what he was capable of doing to her in a court of law, if her lawyer wasn't careful. He left the building scratching his head and wishing that there could have been a way for Jason and Robin to just work together with Abby.

Carly felt triumphant after that. Robin would be so distracted and distraught over the court papers, that she wouldn't think clearly and she sure as hell wouldn't see anything else coming.

Robin was working late at Jakes as usual when the phone under the counter rang. "Jakes, Robin speaking." She answered casually as she took money from a customer and got him his change. "Jagger, slow down What? Oh God, ok, I'll be there as soon as I can. No wait. Ok Bye." Robin looked downright pale when she hung up the phone, already grabbing her purse from under the counter. "Jake, I need to go." She called to her boss.

"What? Why? You still have 2 hours left." Jake reminded as she made the rounds to greet her regular customers.

Robin was already pulling on her jacket. "Look, fire me if you want. My daughter is sick, I have to go. She needs to go to the hospital." She explained.

"Alright, go, go." Jake replied because while she didn't have children of her own she could still sympathize.

Robin jogged across the parking lot and got into Jagger's old beat up jeep, racing home in record time. Jagger met her at the door with Abby in his arms. She was sweaty and pale, as he handed her to Robin, she could feel the high fever radiating off of her tiny body.

"Mommy." Abby cried weakly and held her stomach.

"Oh baby.' Robin held her close as she and Jagger headed to the jeep and left for General Hospital quickly.

Jagger was scared. He had never seen a child this sick before and it seemed to have come on so suddenly. He didn't know what else to do other than call Robin at work. Abby had been sick all day. Her stomach was so upset and her fever skyrocketed after Robin left for work that night. Robin whispered soothingly to her daughter as she rubbed her back gently, while Jagger ran through stop lights and sped through the streets. He was a cop and he sure as hell wasn't going to stop until they got to the hospital. If someone wanted to write him a pile of speeding tickets, that was just fine but it could wait.

A doctor saw them without delay as soon as they entered the hospital emergency room. Abby cried and clung to her mother desperately as a doctor tried to look at her to figure out what was wrong. Jagger was dumbfounded by the seemingly secret language that passed between Robin and the doctor. If doctors made the worst patients, their children made the best because they could practically be diagnosed or at least have some idea of what to do before they even arrived.

Abby screamed when a nurse put an I.V in her tiny arm and it practically caused Robin to have her own breakdown. She hated to see her child in pain but she knew it was necessary to put the I.V in, so she held Abby and rubbed her back while it was done. Sniffling through the ache, Abby held tight to her mommy, while Robin sat on the hospital exam bed with an obvious expression of worry on her face. Abby's whole body seemed to be in pain and only Robin was allowed to touch her after the I.V was finally in. Her mother rubbing her back was the only thing that wasn't excruciating to the tiny 4 year old. She began to shiver in Robin's arm, the fever was getting worse and the doctor decided to do some blood work but sedated her first so as not to cause her too much pain or trauma.

The sun was just coming up when Jagger finally and very reluctantly left the hospital to retrieve a change of clothes for Robin. Abby was asleep and Robin was exhausted but still hanging on. She draped over the side of Abby's bed while sitting in a chair next to it, stroking Abby's hair while she slept a little. "Here." Jagger whispered when he returned with a duffle bag of clothing. "I just grabbed you a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a sweater because it's kind of cold in here." He explained. "Your pills are in there too, you're late taking them but only by an hour."

"Thanks." Robin replied tiredly. She had completely forgotten about her medication, that was a bad sign of how distracted and exhausted she was. Abby hadn't spent time in a hospital since she was born and it was as hard as her as it was on her mother.

"Are her tests back yet?" He asked as he rubbed Robin's shoulders gently.

"Not all of them." She answered. "But Dr. Conner is pretty sure she has some stomach virus and it will just have to run it's course. She's dehydrated but the fever seems to be going down a little."

"It's always worse at night right?" Jagger asked.

Robin nodded, "It seems to happen that way. I'm sure there's an explanation but I'm too tired to think of it right now." She looked up at him tiredly. "Thanks for being here Jagger."

Yet again, Abby needed her father and Jason wasn't there. Instead it was Jagger who was at Robin's side supporting her and helping her. Jagger shook his head a little and sighed. Robin looked so drained, she had been doing everything on her own for far too long and it was taking it's toll.

Justus had tried to drag his feet on it but Carly continually called his office to ask if he had the paperwork together. She must have called a dozen times before noon and threatened him a million times that Jason would not be happy to come home and find that it wasn't done. He reluctantly put the papers together and went to Kelly's in search of Robin, mostly to apologize and partly to hand her the stack of legal forms. Liz was working, covering for Robin of course and thought that she was being helpful by telling Justus that Robin was at the hospital because Abby was sick. That only made what he had to do worse. Justus begrudgingly went to GH after Carly called yet again and screamed at him for not having it done already.

Abby had been moved to her own room with Robin by her side every minute and Justus lightly tapped on the doorframe, causing Robin to look up. "Jagger stayed with Abby." and Robin went out into the hall wondering why Justus was there.

"I'm sorry Robin." He apologized instantly.

She wrapped her arms around herself and looked up at him with confusion. "Justus what." She didn't like the tone in his voice. Something was wrong, very wrong and she wasn't sure that she even wanted to know. She already had enough on her mind with everything that had been going on lately.

He opened his briefcase and handed her the papers. "I really don't like doing this but here. I'm so very sorry."

She looked at the first couple of paged in complete disbelief. "No." She stated flatly. "I can't handle this right now. Take them back." She demanded. "This isn't happening. Jason, he." She couldn't even think. "No!"

Jagger came out into the hall to see what the problem was and Robin thrust the papers at him, pressing them to his chest and going back into Abby's room, trying to convince herself that she hadn't just seen those legal orders that said Jason was suing her for full custody of Abby.

Jagger looked at the pages and felt his temper flare instantly. "What are you doing man? Her kid is laying in a hospital bed and you bring these to her?" He shook his head, "That son of a bitch Jason."

He went into the room and could tell right away that Robin had tears in her eyes. "This can't be happening. I don't I don't get it." She confided. "I thought things were." She broke down and cried quietly so as not to wake up Abby. Robin felt like her head was going to explode. It was all just too much to take in. She felt sick to her stomach suddenly. Her whole world threatened to come crashing down around her and Abby.

"We'll fight this Robin." Jagger told her gently as he threw the papers in the trash and went to her. "Jason isn't going to get away with this."

She shook her head and wiped her face with the sleeves of her sweater, "There's not going to be a fight." She reached into the duffle bag and found her cell.

"What do you mean?" Jagger asked sounding very concerned.

"You're going back to Chicago, and Abby and I, as soon as she's well enough to travel, we'll be out of the country." She explained in a strangely calm tone suddenly. She pressed a few numbers and when the other end of the line connected she let out a small sigh of relief, "Luke, It's me...Yeah...No...I need your help." Jagger rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He didn't like what Robin was obviously planning to do but if it meant keeping Abby safe and with her, then so be it.

Luke arrived within a couple of hours, ignoring a nurses insistence that she had to clear him with Robin before allowing him into the room. "I'm her Godfather." He told her. "And I don't give a damn what you say anyway."

Robin heard his voice and came out into the hall, nodding to the nurse who backed off right away. "What was that about?" He asked Robin casually.

"Security caution?" She shrugged. "I don't know, Jagger told them no visitors that weren't authorized should be allowed near the room."

They entered the room and Jagger stood up. He wasn't a huge fan of Luke, but he knew that he loved Robin and Abby and would do anything to help them. However, Jagger was still a cop and it probably wasn't in anyone's best interest for him to be there then. "How about I go down to Kelly's and get you something to eat?" He suggested. It had been years since he himself had worked at Kelly's but he still knew the menu by heart. It hadn't changed in so long that even he didn't have to consult it after so many years away from Port Charles.

"Sure, whatever." Robin replied as Abby began to stir.

Luke reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope for Robin, "These will get you anywhere you need to go." He explained, "Robin and Abby Scorpio won't exist on paper once you leave."

"That's a scary thought." Robin confessed as she stroked Abby's hair.

Luke frowned sadly, he knew Robin didn't really want to disappear with Abby. She always wanted Abby to be with her family, especially Mac. "Well you could stay and-"

"No, I'll lose her if I stay." She replied tiredly. She couldn't believe she had been so naïve and actually gave Jason a chance to know Abby. She couldn't believe that even Jason could do something so terrible now that he knew Abby. Things were going so well and then. She shook her head, she wouldn't think about that kiss that twisted her mind and actually made her want to forgive and forget everything that had ever happened. It had all been part of Jason's plan to distract her. He probably wasn't even away on business, the creep was probably just waiting it up to come back in time for court, which would no doubt be very soon. "I can't risk it."

Luke saw the papers tucked into Robin's bag and pulled them out. She had taken them out of the trash but they were already badly wrinkled. "They're not signed." He commented suddenly. "Jason's signature isn't on them yet." Robin looked up at Luke with a raised eyebrow. "Well, Justus can deliver them to you anytime but he can't send them to the court until Jason has signed them. Technically they're not official until-"

She shook her head, "He'll probably have them signed the minute he gets back into town then."

"And when is that?" Luke asked.

"I don't know for sure which is possibly the hardest part." She answered and ran a hand through her own messy hair. "Any day now. Maybe even today, I don't know."

"So he's out taking care of business." Luke commented. "Nice, his kid is here sick and he's doing God knows what, God knows where." Robin shrugged and kept her eyes on Abby. "Probably for the best. You don't want any charges filed and well, I think one of us would put the bastard in his own hospital bed if he showed up."

"I'd like to do more than put him in a hospital bed." Robin remarked.

"Well you get the first shot right?" Luke sighed. "If you need anything else Darlin and I do mean ANYTHING, you just let me know alright?" She nodded. "I love you girls and I'll see you soon."

"Thanks Luke." Robin whispered and rested her head on her arms against the bed after she sat down finally.

Jason threw his bag into his penthouse carelessly and then went across the hall to tell Sonny he was back and that everything was taken care of. "Hey Jase ."Carly greeted casually as she flipped through a magazine on the couch.

Jason barely acknowledged her at all before asking, "Where's Sonny?"

"Right here man." Sonny called as he came down the stairs. "How did things go?"

Jason nodded, "Fine. No complications at all." Sonny motioned for Carly to leave but she ignored him. Jason looked at her and shook his head, "Let her stay. I want to get out of here anyway. Robin's supposed to be working at Jakes tonight and I need to talk to her."

Carly mumbled something crossly. "Enough." Sonny told her sternly. "Sure, go on Jason, we'll talk about things later when there's NO ONE around." He shook his head at Carly and sighed. She was getting more stubborn with each day and it was becoming more trouble then she was worth to put up with. Not that Sonny wanted a completely subservient wife but at least one who knew that business was separate and could respect that, as well as know when not to start trouble such as when it came to Robin.

When Jason arrived at Jakes bar he didn't see Robin anywhere, so he decided to ask Jake herself where she was. "She hasn't been in for a couple of nights now." Jake explained. "Poor thing as been at the hospital 24/7."

"Wait, what?" Jason asked with concern. "Why is Robin in the hospital? Something bad had happened while he was gone. His mind envisioned every terrible thing it could before Jake stopped him. Oh God, he never should have left

"She's not Jason, her kid is." Jake replied. And with that Jason practically bolted through the door, worried about them both.

Robin hadn't eaten at all and she hadn't slept more than a few minutes at a time. Because he wasn't Abby's father, Jagger had to go home that night, which meant Robin was all alone to watch over Abby. Her fever had broken more, which was a good sign but the little girl was still quite sick. She wasn't eating and she was having a hard time drinking the awful tasting excuse for juice that the nurses and doctor wanted her too. It was full of hydrates, vitamins and what not sort of like a sports drink without the sugar, caffeine or fruit flavor. In fact, the stuff tasted absolutely terrible but Robin still tried to urge Abby to drink it, so she would get better and they could leave.

"Hey, I thought you might want this." Bobby whispered as she brought Robin a blanket and a pillow. "It's not much but I know how hard those chairs are. It might make things a little more bearable."

"Thanks Bobby." Robin replied as she shifted awkwardly on the hospital chair.

"Has she drank anymore of the juice?" Bobby asked as she picked up Abby's chart and scanned it quickly.

"Not really." Robin admitted, "She mostly just wants little bits of ice when she wakes up. I think her throat is sore from crying and fighting with the other nurse put her I.V back in." She sighed, remembering how Abby had pulled the little needle from her hand, when she threw a very weak but frantic fit after Dr. Conner said she would need to spend another night there. She definitely had Jason's strong hatred of everything hospital related, that's for sure.

Bobby put her hand on Robin's shoulder, "This is the hardest part about being a parent honey." She sighed, "It's torture watching your child get sick but it will pass. I know it's hard but believe me, Abby will bounce back from this and it will be like nothing ever happened. You'll see, I give it less than a week."

Robin nodded a little, "That's what the doctor said this afternoon. The virus should be out of her system by the end of the week or so. I just want to get her out of here."

"Well, I have the night shift so if you need anything I'll be around ok?" Bobby told her before leaving the room quietly.

Robin looked at her watch and realized she needed to take her pills again. Sitting up a little she reached to the side table which was cluttered with cups, tissues, her pills, those damn papers and the envelope Luke had given her. She took her pills with some water and then picked up the envelope and tore it open. She stood and dumped the contents onto the foot of Abby's bed since there was plenty of room. 2 passports spilled along with fake birth certificates and other forms of identification for the 2 of them or actually 2 people that didn't really exist yet. There were also several plane tickets to choose from so they could disappear to any number of countries around the world.

"Bobby, where's Abby?" Jason asked seriously once he arrived on the floor.

She looked at him in disbelief. "You aren't serious? Jason what are you thinking coming here?" She demanded crossly.

"My daughter is sick, where is she?" He insisted.

She shook her head, "Visiting hours are over and even if they weren't, I highly doubt Robin would let you anywhere near that little girl, after what you pulled today."

"What are you talking about?" He asked. He shook his head, it didn't matter what Bobby was talking about, he just wanted to get to Abby. "You know what? Never mind, I'll find her myself."

"The hell you will." Robin stated as she came out into the hall. Her expression was hard and unmoving. She was filled with such hurt and anger that she could barely think straight or form full sentences. "Leave." She demanded. "You're not getting anywhere near Abby."

"Robin." Jason was confused instantly. What the hell was going on? He was lost but the look in Robin's eyes told him something had happened. "What happened to Abby?"

She moved towards him and gave him the court papers Justus had given to her. "You son of a bitch! How could you do this?" She demanded loudly. "If you think you're getting anywhere near MY daughter, then you have another coming!" Bobby was already on the phone calling security to come before things could get out of hand.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about." Jason defended. "What is this?" He asked as he took the papers.

"Your lawyer dropped them off today!" Robin practically yelled.

"Robin, wait." Jason dropped the papers and tried to reach for her but Robin slapped him with all of her strength, which wasn't that much considering her lack of energy in general from not eating or sleeping, just before security arrived and insisted on escorting Jason out. "I'm her father Robin, you can't do this-"

"Abby's birth certificate says that she doesn't have a father." Robin retorted coldly.

"Just listen to me, Robin I didn't do this." Jason tried to call to her but she had already returned to Abby's room, closing the door behind her making his words nothing more than muffled yelling.

Jason was irate and already on the phone calling Justus, waking him up at home. "What the hell did you do?" He demanded into his cell as he threw the door to his penthouse open. "I didn't tell you to...Carly? No. You don't take orders from her, do you hear me?" Jason shook his head in disbelief as Justus explained what Carly had told him. "No, you stop it. I don't care how you do it but stop it." He ordered before disconnecting the call and going across the hall.

He stormed into Sonny's penthouse without even knocking. "Where's Carly?" He demanded.

"Whoa, Jase, what's wrong?" Sonny asked in confusion. He had seen Jason angry before, hell he had seen Jason downright deadly with rage, but this was new. The look in Jason's eyes was actually frightening and very alarming.

"Where is she?" He yelled.

"Why?" Sonny asked because for the life of him he couldn't even begin to guess what Carly had done to make Jason so angry with her.

Jason moved towards the stairs and climbed them 2 at a time with Sonny after him. "Because I'm going to kill her." He snapped in a tone that was so serious Sonny completely believed that was what Jason wanted to do. "Carly! Carly get out here now!" He yelled.

"Jason, keep it down Michael is asleep." Carly insisted as she came out of one of the rooms.

"What the hell did you do?" He demanded, Sonny was already holding him back to keep Jason from actually following through with his desire to kill Carly with his bare hands.

"What?" She asked innocently, more than a little alarmed by Jason's anger.

"You told Justus I wanted to sue Robin for custody of Abby!" Jason yelled. "What were you thinking?" Sonny was so shocked that he actually lost his grip on Jason, allowing the enraged man to go after his wife. Jason had never been violent towards a woman but within a split second he had Carly pinned to the wall by her shoulders and wouldn't let her go.

"I thought you wanted your daughter!" Carly defended. "Sonny help me!" She pleaded weakly. "Sonny!" She looked at Jason with fear. "Jase, you're hurting me, let go."

"I never wanted to just take her away from Robin!" Jason insisted loudly. "I wanted to know the truth and Robin told me. We were working it out together! You had no right!"

Sonny finally composed himself enough to pulled Jason away from Carly, "Come on, Jase don't do anything stupid. Calm down."

"Calm down?" Jason asked sarcastically. "Calm down? How the hell am I supposed to calm down? Robin thinks I want to take Abby away from her! She's going to disappear because your goddamn wife can't mind her own goddamn business!"

"You are my business!" Carly shouted adamantly.

"No I'm not!" Jason retorted quickly. "You controlled my life once but that ended a long time ago! I lost 4 years with my own kid because I was an idiot choosing you, when I should have listened to my heart and gone after Robin when she left! Instead I stayed! I did everything I could to protect you and Michael, and this is how you repay me? This is what you do? You just screw everything up so I'll lose Abby forever and never see Robin again. I'm done! I'm sick of fixing your messes and you've gone too far this time Carly! I'll be damned if you're going to ruin my life again!"

"Jason, wait, we can do something-" Sonny tried to reason.

"No." Jason shook his head, his eyes locked on Carly. If only looks could kill then surely the blonde woman would have dropped dead at that very moment. Jason wanted to kill her but he couldn't bring himself to do anything. He let her go and Carly slid down the wall, looking up at him in terror. He pointed down at her and clenched his jaw for a moment. "You stay out of my life. We're done Carly, we're not friends and we're not family. Not anymore." He walked away then, right past Sonny, leaving Carly there with tears running down her face.

"Sonny." She whispered weakly.

"Don't look at me like you don't think you've done anything wrong." He told her crossly. "Jason may never see his daughter again because of you. You really screwed things up this time Carly."

She cried, "I thought-"

"No, Carly you didn't think!" He told her loudly. "You never think! You just act selfishly to get what you want and yet again, what you wanted was to hurt Robin." He shook his head. "Well this time you hurt Jason and if he loses Abby because of this, he will never forgive you. He has put up with so much for you Carly. He's defended you and taken care of you and what have you ever done for him?"

Sonny left his wife there without so much as a hint of pity for her. That was the final straw, Sonny could barely even look at her. She disgusted him, he wanted her gone. And he most certainly didn't want to deal with her hysterical crying and screaming. He went in search of Jason and found him in his own penthouse across the hall, ordering Justus to come over right away so they could figure out how to fix things. "Jason, man, I know it doesn't make any difference right now but, I'm sorry." Sonny stated. "I didn't know she would do anything like this."

Jason sat down on the couch and held his head in his hands. "Why wouldn't she? Carly has been furious since Robin got back." He looked up at Sonny suddenly seeming very sad and worried. "I can't lose Abby, I love her Sonny and, I love Robin." He admitted. "I've been in love with her all along even though she wasn't here. Even though she didn't tell me about Abby. No matter how mad I ever got, I've never stopped loving her."

"Jason, I know, believe me I know." Sonny replied, slightly pleased to hear that Jason had at least figured that out on his own.

"This is all my fault. I brought Carly into Robin's life and she's been trying to ruin her ever since. I never saw or maybe I did and I just let it happen." Jason vented. "Carly is the second biggest mistake I ever made."

"Second?" Sonny questioned.

"The biggest was letting Robin go." Jason confided. "Do you know the worst thing I ever did to Robin was never fighting for her. I just let Carly come in and manipulate everything until it was all so distorted, that I couldn't fix it. Robin left and I didn't find out about Abby until a few weeks ago. I was an idiot for ever putting Carly before Robin and I know that. I've always known that!" He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "I screwed up Sonny but why does Robin have to be punished for my mistakes? Why does Abby have to suffer?"

Justus came to the door and the guards let him in. "Jason, I." He was at a loss for words. Sorry just didn't seem nearly good enough. He was silently cursing himself for letting Carly play him like that. It was her constant screaming and demanding, it broke him down and he did something so terrible, he fully expected Jason to lash out in rage.

"Just tell me how to fix this." Jason replied weakly. He was mad but he knew firsthand how hard it could be for other people to just ignore Carly. Jason's himself was one of the few people who could actually gets her to shut up from time to time, though obviously he never figured out how to keep her from manipulating him and destroying his life. "I don't have much time Justus. Robin could disappear with Abby and." He stopped unable to even continue the thought. He knew he would die if Robin and Abby left, he didn't want to think about it. It hurt too badly.

Justus sat down cautiously and opened up his briefcase. "The papers aren't official yet because you never signed them." He explained as he handed Jason his own copy of the custody papers. "If you can get Robin to just listen."

"She won't." Jason interrupted. "She's scared. She's not going to listen to anything I have to say."

"Will she listen to you?" Justus asked, looking up at Sonny.

Sonny shook his head, "Not likely. She's going to shut down and shut everyone out to protect Abby. She's a mother, all she knows is to protect her child at all costs."

"Alright. Well, Abby is sick right?" Justus asked. Jason nodded as his heart splintered even more. "Robin can't very well move with her like that. She'll have to wait until Abby is stronger. You've got a little time. I'll try to talk to her and explain that it was my fault. It was a mix up. She'll calm down and Jason, you'll hopefully be able to reason with her."

"Jason do you still have power of attorney over Carly?" Sonny asked suddenly.

Jason looked at him strangely. He didn't even want to think about Carly anymore. She wasn't worth the energy it took. But he nodded anyway, "Yeah, she arranged it when the 2 of you split up for awhile last year because-"

"I don't care why." Sonny replied. He just wanted things done once and for all. He was done with Carly and he was done with her mess. If Carly wanted to use lawyers to hurt Robin, then Sonny would do the same thing, only he would do it right. With Carly taken care of, Jason would be able to focus on making things right and making Robin see that it wasn't what he wanted to happen. The sooner Carly was out of the way, the sooner life could move on and be better for everyone. "Justus, do you have those papers I asked about the other day?"

Justus shuffled through his briefcase and produced 2 sets of documents. "Right here."

Sonny took them and signed them without a second thought. "Here, sign them." He ordered Jason.

"What what are these?" Jason asked as he picked up a pen. "Petition for divorce and you want me to sign over Carly's parental rights to you?"

"I'm legally Michael's father and Carly is obviously unstable." Sonny replied bluntly. "She's spent time in the nuthouse and I'm claiming she has incurable insanity."

"That's an understatement." Jason muttered coldly as he signed the papers. If Sonny was divorcing Carly, she would without a doubt go off the deep end. Hell, a fight with her husband practically caused her to have a mental breakdown. There was no possible way she could take care of Michael without Sonny or Jason to take care of HER.

Carly picked up the phone and tried to compose herself enough to speak. "This is Mrs. Corinthos." She told the person she called. "I want what we discussed to happen as soon as possible. I want Robin Scorpio kidnapped." There was a pause. "I want it done tonight." She told whoever it was.

Max the guard hung up the phone nervously. Carly hadn't told him that her plan was to have Robin kidnapped. She never mentioned any names until then. He knew who Robin was. He hadn't met her but he knew everything about her because she was Jason's ex and all of the guards had been told when Robin returned, that if they saw anything suspicious, they were to protect her as well.

He didn't want to hurt Robin especially since it would very likely cost him his own life. He knew she had a child, Jason's child, something had to be done to stop the madness. He couldn't just let Carly pull off her plan but there wasn't any way to stop her either. Damn it, he was dead either way. If he hurt Robin Jason would kill him. If he didn't follow Carly's orders she would make up a reason for Sonny to do away with him. He had seen it done before with other guards. Max was so confused, he didn't know what to do.

Robin packed up the things Luke had given her, not even realizing that she dropped one of the passports on the floor, knocking it under the bed when she turned around. "Mommy." Abby moaned. "I want to go home."

"I know sweet pea." Robin told her as she rubbed her back gently under her hospital pajama shirt. Kids were lucky, instead of those God awful hospital gowns adults were given, they got actual pajamas. Little blue tops with long pants. It was certainly better than an open back gown. "We'll leave here soon baby." She told Abby as she sat down next to the bed.

The hospital was so quiet late at night that Robin couldn't help but hear the slow, cautious steps approach the room after Abby drifted off again. Doctors didn't walk that way. They were almost always too tired to walk lightly. They shuffled their feet and trudged on through their shifts never really getting a break or any rest.

The door opened and Robin stood up as quickly as she could, trying to force it closed again. A gloved hand pushed her back and a figure dressed in black, wearing a mask grabbed her, instantly putting a cloth over her face soaked in chloroform. She tried to struggle but it was useless, in a matter of seconds Robin lost consciousness, the last thing she saw was Abby, sound asleep only a few steps away.

"I'm sorry." She heard he attacker whisper before everything completely stopped and there was nothing but complete and utter darkness and silence.

It was early in the morning, when Jason returned to the hospital with Justus by his side. As soon as the elevator doors opened they could hear Abby screaming and crying for her mother. Instincts gripped Jason and he ran to her room.

"Mommy! I want my mommy!" Abby cried as Bobby and Jagger tried to calm her.

"She'll be here honey. You need to calm down." Bobby tried to reason with the young child.

"Mommy!" Abby continued and sobbed. She had woken up and been terrified to find Robin gone. Bobby searched the hospital and called Jagger to come right away but still no one could find Robin anywhere. Her bag was still there but her medication was gone.

Jagger looked up and saw Jason, he reacted immediately by keeping Jason out. "You have a lot of nerve showing your face here." He snapped crossly.

"Where's Robin?" Jason demanded.

"No one can find her." Jagger replied angrily. "So help me God Morgan, if you did anything else to her-"

"Daddy!" Abby cried as soon as she caught a glimpse of Jason.

Jason pinned Jagger against the wall and glared into his eyes. "My child needs me right now and if you try to stand in my way, I will make you disappear." He threatened before letting go of Jagger and going to Abby quickly.

Abby practically dove into Jason's arms frantically. "Daddy, mommy's gone." Abby cried over and over again.

"She's here somewhere Abby." Jason told her. "She has to be. Your mommy wouldn't leave your side for a second if something important hadn't come up." He tried to reason, all the while wondering what on earth could ever be so important, that Robin would leave her sick child unattended. Jason saw the lone passport on the floor and bent down, with Abby in his arms still, to pick it up. It was meant for Robin. Obviously Luke had already been helping her. But Robin couldn't have gone anywhere without it and there was noway she would have even considered leaving without Abby. Something wasn't right. "When was the last time anyone saw Robin?" He asked Bobby seriously.

"I checked on her around midnight." Bobby answered. "She was cleaning up, putting things into her bag there."

"Did she say anything?" He asked. "That she had to get something this morning maybe?"

She shook her head, "No, she hasn't even left the room since Abby was admitted." She looked worried.

Something else on the floor caught Jason's eye. A white cloth next to the door. He placed Abby down on the bed and went to retrieve it. As soon as he picked it up he could tell what had been on it.

"What is it?" Jagger asked coldly as he watched Jason's every movement like a hawk.

Jason gave it to him, "You're the cop here, shouldn't you have some investigation skills?" He remarked. "Someone." He stopped and looked at Abby who was already terrified. "Out in the hall." He told Jagger. "Abby, were just going to step into the hall ok? You'll be able to see us, we're not going anywhere." He assured her as Bobby stayed by her side. "Someone took Robin." He told Jagger even though he really didn't want to confide in the cop.

"To get to you?" Jagger demanded.

"I don't know." Jason admitted. "There's been no warnings." As far as Jason knew, none of his enemies were even aware of Robin or Abby being around. It wasn't as though Robin made it a habit of alerting mob bosses of her presence. She learned even before Jason became involved in the business that the best way to keep herself safe from dangerous people was to keep a low profile.

"What have you done now?" Mac Scorpio demanded as he approached. "Where is my niece?" He glared at Jason and would have grabbed him by the throat if he hadn't realized Abby could see them from her hospital bed. He noticed Justus standing nearby and shook his head in disgust. "And you...You 2 wait until Robin is so wrapped up in taking care of her daughter to make a move."

"Mac, it was a misunderstanding." Justus tried to reason. "Jason didn't order those custody papers. It was my fault, I-"

"I don't want to hear it!" Mac snapped. "I don't believe a damn thing either of you say."

"Well believe this!" Jason fired back crossly. "Robin is missing and she could very well be in danger, so you can hate me all you want but it's not going to do anyone any damn good."

Sonny had not gone to bed the night before, so when Carly came down the penthouse stairs that following morning, she was very apprehensive. She saw her husband sitting on the sofa, a coffee in one hand and the other propping his head up as he leaned against the side of the sofa. "Sonny." She spoke softly, hoping he would have calmed down a little. "Sonny please, I just wanted to help Jason." She tried to reason.

He sat up, putting his coffee aside and shaking his head. "Do you ever tell the truth Carly?" He asked bluntly. "You did this to get back at Robin. Just admit it. You wanted to punish her for telling AJ about Michael before she left."

"Maybe a little." She admitted. "But Sonny, it was really for Jason. I know how much he wants that kid and Robin-"

"Robin was letting him be a part of Abby's life!" Sonny snapped.

Carly kept a distance from him nervously, "It's for the best Sonny. I just gave Jason a shove in the right direction." She insisted. "He needs to get the kid before Robin dies from HIV or AIDS or whatever, and has custody signed over to someone else."

Or whatever? Using HIV/AIDS as a way to hurt Robin or anyone else was completely unacceptable. That was one button that Carly knew better than to push. It wasn't like Robin got HIV from running around and doing risky things like intravenous drugs. She caught it from someone she loved and someone who loved her. She caught it from Stone, Sonny's little brother. Sonny hated that damn disease because he couldn't stop it. He couldn't keep it from killing Stone and the fact that one day it could take Robin as well terrified him. Carly had always done that. She always tried to hang Robin's status over her head like a weakness or a weapon, a tool to hurt and manipulate her and Sonny would not stand for it. He would not tolerate Carly's ignorance and cruelty and he fired back at Carly with authority.

"You shut your mouth! The only place you shoved Jason was right out of your life." Sonny answered. "And Robin is not dying! She has HIV, it won't kill her, she's fighting it just like she's fought everything in her life!" He stopped and stood up, retrieving the legal forms Justus had drafted. "Go upstairs, pack a bag and get the hell out of my house." He stated. "You've gone too far this time."

Carly looked at the papers in disbelief. "What the hell is this? Jason can't sign divorce papers for me. Sonny you love me!"

"No, I don't." Sonny stated calmly. "I did a long time ago. And Jason can sign them, because you gave him that right. It's done, it's final and I want you gone." He ordered sternly.

Carly's eyes welled with tears. This was what she had been fearing. This was all because of Robin. If she hadn't come back to town none of this would be happening to Carly. "Fine, Michael and I-"

"Michael's staying." He interrupted. "I have custody and if you fight me on it, you will lose Carly. Just get the hell out of here!"

Carly tore the pages in half and threw them at Sonny before storming out, "This isn't over Sonny! You love me!" She slammed the door behind her and decided there was no time to toy with Robin. She had to be taken out as soon as possible.

Robin's head throbbed as she finally began started coming to. Her exhaustion kept her out for hours. She didn't know where she was or how she got there or even how long she had been there. The night before was fuzzy but she could barely recall a man dressed in black grabbing her. "Abby." She gasped, fearful for her child. "Oh God! Help! Somebody help me!" She pleaded, praying that someone could save her.

The door opened and a man stepped inside reluctantly. "Shh It's ok." He told her.

"Ok? Ok? What is ok about this?" She snapped, "Where's my daughter?"

"She's safe, she's still at the hospital." He told her.

Robin lunged at him, trying to hit him but her arms were weak and she could barely even stand. "Let me go!" She screamed.

"Ms Scorpio please." He held her arms and forced her to sit on the bed. "I don't want to hurt you. I swear-"

"Because I should really believe you!" She snapped as tears slipped down her cheeks. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He frowned, "My name is Max. I work for-"

"Sonny and Jason." She finished for him weakly. He just looked like the sort man that Sonny and Jason would hire. Smart, but not too smart. Big, strong, intimidating. Someone who could follow orders without asking questions. "Jason did-"

"No. No, this isn't because of Mr. Morgan." Max insisted. "It's-"

"Now, now, Max, shut up. Tie her up." Carly demanded as she came into the room. Max reluctantly followed orders and bound Robin's hands together while she struggled weakly against him. When he was finished, he backed away and looked at Carly nervously. "Get out!" She barked at him crossly.

Jason was on his cell, despite Mac and Jagger both objecting he was ordering security to be placed outside of Abby's room. Robin was already missing and Jason wasn't going to risk anyone coming back for Abby.

"What do you think you're going to do Jason? You don't even know who took Robin." Mac reasoned flatly as he paced in the hall.

"I'm going to find out and I'm going to get her back." Jason answered.

Jagger shook his head, "Or get yourself AND Robin killed and leave Abby orphan."

"Aren't you the one that keeps telling me I'm not a father?" Jason remarked crossly. "Make up your goddamn mind."

"You're the closest thing she has to a father at this point!" Jagger snapped.

Mac stepped between them and glared at them both. "I'm not exactly a fan of Jason Morgan either Jagger, but he is Abby's father and he's brought Robin home safely before. He's all we have at this point." He looked to Jason then and frowned. "I don't like you and I don't trust you." He told him flatly. "But by the time the police can do anything, Robin could be." He stopped and swallowed hard. He didn't even want to acknowledge a chance that Robin could be killed. The thought was not allowed in his mind, let alone to be uttered. "She could be in even more trouble. Abby needs her mother and you say that you didn't want to take her away but you just remember that when Robin is home. You remember that Abby needs her mother and Robin needs her. If you try to split them up."

"I don't have any intensions of that." Jason insisted. He sighed and shook his head, it didn't matter what he said, only Justus really believed him and he was just trying to stay out of the way. He went into the room and took Abby in his arms.

"Where's Mommy?" She asked weakly.

"I don't know Abby but I'm going to find her." Jason told her softly.

She looked up at him, her lower lip trembling, "And you'll bring her here. You'll bring mommy back to me?"

"That's the plan baby." He replied.

"And you'll come back too?" She asked.

"I promised you that I will always come back." Jason reminded her. "But I have to go now and find her ok?"

"I'm going with you." Mac insisted.

Jason shook his head, of all the people there, Mac was probably the only one Jason trusted with Abby. He didn't like him but he respected him. Mac had always done everything he could for Robin, she was a daughter to him and he was one of the single most important people in her life. If anything happened, Abby would be best off with Mac, he would care of her the way he always had for Robin and protect her at all costs. Jason needed to know that while he was gone, Abby was safe and with someone who loved her dearly, that meant Mac coming along was not an option. Jason also knew that Robin would want her daughter and her uncle far from whatever danger there was. She would want to know that they at least had each other and Abby would be with a TRUSTED family member because Jason did trust Mac when it came to the girls anyway. "No." Jason told him seriously. "Whether I like you or not, Abby loves you and she needs you here with her." Jagger tried to interrupt but Jason didn't let him. "You're staying here." He demanded.

Jason kissed Abby on the head and left quickly to begin contacting anyone who might know what happened. Namely, his enemies and business adversaries with help from Sonny. Jagger arrived at the penthouse soon after and insisted Jason let him help. He couldn't just sit at the hospital. It was making him crazy and he had to do something. He didn't like Jason but for Robin's sake that didn't really matter anymore.

"It's not my job to keep you alive Jagger." Jason told him bluntly. "I don't know what I'm up against here so if you come along, you're on your own."

"Fine." Jagger agreed.

His methods may have been off but there was no denying that Jagger cared for both Robin and Abby very deeply. Jason could see that and whether he liked it or not, Robin and Abby both loved Jagger as well. He was there friend and practically family. He had taken care of them and for that Jason could respect him a little.

Carly glared down at Robin in disgust. "I hate you." She told her coldly.

"The feeling was mutual." Robin wouldn't have minded one bit if Carly were hit by a bus, aside from the fact she would feel sorry for Michael. There was noway that little boy could possibly know what a nutcase his mother was. It wasn't his fault he got stuck with her.

"Jason won't speak to me and this morning my husband served me with divorce papers." She seethed. "Jason, the man who is supposed to be MY friend and MY confidant took it upon himself to sign away MY rights to MY son!" She practically screamed. "Those 2 are so stupid when it comes to you! Even after everything you've done to ruin his life, Jason is still in love with you! How dare you turn him against me? And I don't know how you did it but Sonny too! This is all your fault. You had to come back didn't you? You couldn't just live you miserable little life far away from here could you?"

"My life isn't miserable." Robin stated sternly. "I have a beautiful daughter."

"Beautiful?" Carly laughed, "That little rugrat? Please!"

"You know what Carly?" Robin snapped angrily. "Good for Sonny! And good for Jason! It's about goddamn time those 2 realized you're a waste of life! Just because you're life is ruined doesn't mean it's my fault! You've always been perfectly capable of screwing up all on your own!" Carly tried to make a grab for Robin but was kicked away. "You know there's a special place in hell for people just like you! Sick, twisted, miserable individuals who can't be happy unless their making others more miserable then them! You're a cold, heartless, SELFISH BITCH and you're delusional too!"

"How does it feel to know you're going to die Robin?" Carly asked smugly.

"We're all going to die Carly." Robin answered flatly. She wasn't going to show any fear in front of that stupid bitch, noway, nohow.

Carly smirked, "But I mean soon." She laughed a twisted little laugh and left the room.

Half an hour passed before Max returned. "Are you alright?" He asked. Robin scoffed and ignored him. Was he serious? Of course she wasn't alright! She was locked in a room and a madwoman was planning to kill her. He sighed and loosened the rope around Robin's wrist. "How how old is you're little girl?" He asked nervously.

Robin took a deep breath and replied. "She's 4. She just turned 4 a few months ago." She knew that if she could get Max to sympathize or relate to her somehow then her odds of getting away would increase. She just had to find some sort of common ground but for the life of her, she didn't know how. She watched Max for a moment, he looked worried. What the hell did he have to be worried about, Robin wasn't exactly frightening. "Do you have any kids?" she asked, thinking of something Abby would probably ask him.

"A son." He replied. "He's 2. I don't see him much." Robin looked at him inquisitively. "He and his mother live in New York. We split up before he was born." He shook his head, "Why does Mrs. Corinthos hate you so much?"

Robin shrugged, "I'm solely responsible for the fall of Carly's universe apparently." She couldn't help but laugh nervously. "That or she's just plain crazy. Are you are you going to kill me?" She asked.

"I don't want to." He answered honestly.

"That's not what I asked." Robin remarked seriously. "Are you going to?" Max bowed his head, unable to look into Robin's dark eyes and know that he may be the one to take her life very soon. "You could let me go." She suggested weakly. "If Carly leaves wherever we are. Or you could-"

"No, I can't." He insisted before she could even suggest something else. "I'm sorry." He shook his head and left the room, locking the door behind him.

Robin couldn't hold herself together any longer. She had been through too much all at once. She wasn't used to all the drama surrounding life in Port Charles life with Carly around. She was worried about Abby and afraid that Carly would follow through and kill her. She pulled her legs close to her body and cried as she prayed for a way out.

"No one is claiming responsibility." Sonny groaned in frustration as Jason paced in the penthouse living room. "No one wants to negotiate her release or make demands. It doesn't make sense Jase, if this was a mob kidnapping, someone would have stepped up by now."

Jason was lost in thought. It was so much like the time Tony Jones had taken Robin hostage because she found out he had kidnapped new born Michael. Jason had acting too quickly then too. He went to war with one of his enemies only to find out that they didn't have her or Michael. But who else would want to hurt Robin? Who else would take her captive? It wasn't as though Robin had an extensive list of people that would want to snatch her from the hospital.

Jagger's eyes were locked on Sonny from the moment he arrived. If saving Robin meant having to work together with 2 men he hated, then so be it. He would do anything for her but he didn't have to be nice while doing it and he sure as hell didn't have to like it. "So basically what you're saying is you 2 have no idea who has Robin?" He remarked coldly. "Great." He added sarcastically.

"Can we gag him please?" Sonny asked Jason wholeheartedly.

Jason rolled his eyes, "No, Robin would never let us hear the end of it." He reasoned before looking at Jagger. "Shut up alright? I don't need your damn attitude right now. The best thing you can do for Robin right now is just shut the hell up and let Sonny and I figure this out." He looked to Sonny and took a deep breath, "You put an extra guard on Michael right?"

"Yeah, Ray and Carl." Sonny replied. "They're keeping an eye on him and Leticia."

"Where's Max?" Jason asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know. I think he went with Carly to make sure she didn't get herself into too much trouble after I gave her the papers this morning." Sonny explained. Jagger rolled his eyes at the mention of Carly, he didn't even know her and he knew he hated her. After everything she had put Robin through. Jagger knew that Carly was no good.

Max watched sympathetically as Robin cried. Carly paced and ranted to herself about Jason and Sonny but Max didn't know what was going on. He knew there had been some sort of argument but the things Carly was muttering didn't make coherent sentences or thoughts.

"Where's the gun I told you to buy?" She demanded suddenly.

Max looked up at Carly slightly startled. She was really going to go through with this. She really wanted him to kill Robin. He couldn't believe it was happening. What had Robin ever done to deserve this? It wasn't business. Robin was innocent, she wasn't a real threat to anything and Max didn't think he could go through with it. It was easy to shot at enemies. They were nameless people that would just as soon just him if he didn't beat them to it. He didn't know them and he didn't care but Robin, well he knew things about Robin. He knew she had a child for crying out loud. A little girl would grow up without her mother if this all played out the way Carly envisioned. He suddenly made a decision. "It's in the trunk of the car." He told her almost robotically.

"Get it." She ordered.

Max nodded and headed outside, taking his cell with him. If he was going to die either way then damn it, it was going to be for doing the right thing and not being spineless. He would die a man that his son could be proud of even if he never knew. He dialed Jason's number and for a long time the line simply rang before Jason finally answered sounding very frustrated. "Mr. Morgan." Max answered. "There's something you need to know about Mrs. Corinthos. It involves Ms. Scorpio." He explained and proceeded to give Jason the address of their location.

Jason hung up the phone and looked at Sonny, "Remember how last night I said I was going to kill Carly?" He asked and Sonny nodded. "Looks like I'm going to do it today."

"What are you talking about?" Jagger asked. "What does Carly have to do with...Wait, never mind, the whole world revolves around Carly. I almost forgot." He shook his head. "Does she have Robin?" He asked seriously.

Jason nodded, "She had Max kidnap her. She's holding Robin in some old house that she had a panic room installed in this week." He paused and took a deep breath. "She's planning to kill her."

"We have to go." Sonny insisted as he stood up.

"No, Carly is out of her mind Sonny. She'll probably try to kill you too and then Michael would be left all alone or worse." Worse being that Michael end up in the Quartermaine house surrounded by strangers, many of which were just as crazy as Carly half the time. And for once, AJ wasn't Jason's primary concern when it came to the young boy. Hell, maybe AJ should be allowed visitation or something, Jason didn't know but the rest of the family was nuts. All of their fighting wasn't good for a child to be around and they had always fought when it came to that little boy. He looked at Jagger and grabbed his gun from a desk drawer, "You still plan to be a part of this?" He asked seriously.

"You're damn right I'm coming." Jagger answered.

Jason nodded and pulled another gun from the drawer, "You can write it up as suspect was armed and dangerous because trust me, Carly is both." He looked at Sonny and frowned, "If I have to Sonny-"

"Do what you have to do Jase. Just save Robin." Sonny told him.

Jason and Jagger drove towards the location in complete silence. There was nothing to talk about. Carly was crazy. Robin was in danger. They would end things by any means necessary. They could agree on that and nothing else seemed important. In those moments, Jagger stopped being a cop and was only someone who cared about Robin enough to do anything to save her. Jason was no longer a mob enforcer, he was just a man desperate to save the mother of his child and the only woman he had ever loved.

"Max is going to be inside alright." Jason explained as the neared the house. "He's going to hold Carly off as long as he can. Don't kill him. He isn't a threat."

"Why because you say so?" Jagger asked coldly. "What makes you so sure that he isn't just luring you out here so Carly can kill you too?"

"Because Carly isn't that smart and Max isn't that stupid." Jason answered flatly.

"If he's so smart, he'll take cover because I plan to shot at whatever moves and is taller than Robin." Jagger replied. "I'm not sparing one of your men if Robin dies."

"Fair enough." Jason agreed.

A strange thought occurred to Jagger suddenly out of nowhere. His little brother Stone, Robin's first love probably would have really liked Jason. They were friends before Jason's accident but they could have very well gotten along even better after it. Jagger could hear Stone's voice in the back of his mind, telling him that Jason loved Robin deeply. And was Stone, up in heaven, watching down over Robin always. He would have wanted whatever it took to save her to be done without hesitation. Stone would want her safe. He would want her to have someone who loved her, even Jason Morgan. Jagger put his personal feelings about Jason aside for Stone and for Robin. It's what they would both want. He would do whatever was necessary to save Robin because it was the right thing to do, even if in the end it wasn't legal.

"You should have stayed in Paris or wherever else you were angel." Carly told Robin as she glared at her.

The look in Carly's eyes was eerily familiar. She looked completely soulless and without a conscience. She didn't look sane at all which was saying something even though Carly was probably always crazy. Even in her most destructive moments, she didn't seem very intimidating. Then it hit Robin like a brick wall, the look was familiar because it was the same crazed expression Carly had when she lost it and shot Tony Jones in open court in front countless witnesses.

Robin was trying to work the rope from her wrist without Carly noticing but it was difficult. Max had loosened it slightly but it was still tight and she couldn't get a grip on the knot he tied. "You know you're pretty damn stupid!" Robin fired back. "You brought me here and went through whatever trouble when I was already planning on taking Abby and leaving this town forever!" She figured if maybe she could bait Carly into a verbal fight, she could get her so upset she would back down for at least a little while.

"See, now that doesn't work either." Carly stated as she gestured with her hands as though she was directing her thoughts in the air. "Jason wants his daughter. I arranged for that to happen and he actually had the nerve to get mad about it! I did him a favor and he turns his back on me! What the hell is that?" She yelled, her arms flailing wildly as she spoke with intense animation. Robin's heart froze, realizing that Carly had been the one to organize the custody suit. It hadn't been Jason's doing at all and Robin had just blamed him instantly. Now she was in trouble with no hope in sight because she wasn't willing to just let him explain.

'Way to screw everything up.' she thought to herself. She said a slight prayer that Jason would somehow find it in his heart to forgive her for that. She also prayed that Abby would be safe with him and still know the rest of her family. It was really going to end like this. Carly was just going to kill her. Robin was barely even hearing Carly's nonsense anymore as she became lost in her own thoughts and regrets. The biggest regret, possibly being that she had fought against her feelings for Jason with such determination. She knew she loved him, she always had, her heart wouldn't let go even when her mind tried to force it. She had yet again pushed him away but never truly let go and she knew it had been completely selfish but she just couldn't ever fully let go. At least he knew Abby was his daughter. Robin didn't want to die with that regret. She wanted her daughter to have a father, she wanted Abby to have Jason.

"And then my husband divorces me somehow thanks to that goddamn lawyer Justus Ward." Carly ranted.

'Good for Sonny.' Robin thought when she heard that. 'And good for Justus too, at least he could do some things right when properly guided.'

"Did you think I would just let you turn my life upside down and then walk away yet again?" Carly asked in disbelief.

Robin looked up at Carly, realizing that a question had been asked but she didn't know what it was. She wasn't listening anymore, it didn't seem to really matter. "Oh just get it over with already." She finally muttered in exhaustion. It seemed like Carly was trying to talk her to death and well that was just more torture than Robin could handle. She wanted it to just happen already so she wouldn't have to put up with Carly's rambling anymore. No one would know where they were. No one could save her. It was so hopeless, that Robin just wanted it to end. Normally she would have fought tooth and nail, but she simply couldn't find the strength. Even her love for Abby wasn't enough to pull her through. Carly was going to win, she finally had Robin so broken down and tired, that she was actually going to get away with this.

Carly stormed out in search of Max. "Kill her now!" She demanded loudly.

Max shook his head. "No, I won't do that Mrs. Corinthos."

"What? What did you just say? Who did you think you are telling me no?" She screamed. "My husband." she stopped, realizing that she could no longer fall back on her usual threat to have Sonny take care of things. Sonny wouldn't be taking care of this. He didn't want her anymore and he too would have to pay for that. Everyone who betrayed her would pay. Everyone except Jason, somehow she would make Jason forgive her, he would get his daughter and she would get Michael, everything would be alright. Jason could never stay mad at her. "Fine! I'll do it myself!" She snapped and grabbed the gun from Max. "How do you load this thing?"

"Mrs. Corinthos, don't do this." Max tried to reason. "You'll lose everything and-"

"Shut up!" She screamed. "Just shut up! You don't know anything! She's ruined my life! I've already lost everything!"

In the panic room, Robin stood up and paced, her hands bound together and her legs still unsteady as she prayed in a whisper.

"Where's the room?" Jagger asked Jason after kicking the front door open.

Jason looked around and realized that Max hadn't given him that information. There was a flight of stairs nearby and then the whole main level they were on. "You check this floor, I'll go upstairs." He instructed. "If you find Carly-"

"She's dead." Jagger stated bluntly.

"Good." Jason replied. 'Don't go all PCPD on me and try to arrest her." Arresting Carly wasn't even an option because they both knew she was crazy and would just end up in a cushy hospital room maybe with padded walls until she could convince her doctors that she was no longer a threat to anyone which of course she always would be. Jagger nodded and headed towards the living room with his gun raised and ready as Jason climbed the stairs quickly.

There were no signs of life in the house. It was still and unkempt, Carly had obviously just bought up the first cheap property that had been offered. It was old, the wall paper was peeling and the paint was chipping. This was not the sort of life style Carly liked, her skin must have crawled just stepping foot in there. Jason pressed himself to a wall with his gun ready when he heard yelling. Carly's voice echoed from down the hall and Jason promptly followed it as quickly as he could. The floor creaked under his steps but he didn't care. Carly was being so loud that she probably drowned out any other potential sounds in the house. She wouldn't hear anything coming.

Jagger had heard her yelling at someone as well and aborted the search of the lower level and headed up the stairs quickly to back Jason up.

Robin watched in fear as Carly fumbled to load the gun. Max had refused to show her and she vowed that once she figured it out she would kill him as well before hitting him in the head with the butt of the gun and knocking him unconscious. The poor guard, he had meant well, he had tried to help and he was going to die for it. And he really was a faithful guard in a round about way because he didn't ask questions and he didn't fight Carly when she was clearly out of her mind, he just stood his ground and got knocked out for it. If only he was a little smarter, then maybe he and Robin could have both gotten away from Carly by then.

"What's the matter Carly do I have to show you how to do it?" Robin practically mocked her coldly. This had to be the single worst murder plot in history Robin thought suddenly. But Carly had the door blocked and moved so that Robin was cornered. With her hands bound and in her weakened state Robin knew she didn't stand a chance if she fought back. Her heart began to beat faster and her palms became slightly damp with sweat. She was scared, it showed in her eyes no matter how she tried to hide it in front of Carly.

When she heard the gun click once Carly finally loaded it Robin's heart stopped. Carly disabled the safety switch and pointed the gun directly at Robin's chest. Unable to stand a moment longer Robin's legs gave out and she slid down the wall until hitting the ground with a gasp. She pulled her legs in close, balling up her entire body in a tight bundle in the corner as Carly loomed over her menacingly.

"Not so cocky now are you?" Carly remarked.

Robin bit her lower lip. As Carly aimed the gun Robin covered her face with her hands and closed her eyes tightly. She didn't want to see it coming. She just wanted it to be over with. Carly put her finger on the trigger and took a deep breath as she slowly began to press the metal groove.

2 loud shots rang out and Robin's scream was barely audible over the deafening blast. Her whole body tensed and her mind froze. Something hit the floor but Robin was too paralyzed by fear to even consider looking up. She didn't realize she was shaking and crying, she wasn't even sure if she was hit or not. Her chest hurt and she couldn't breathe but when she suddenly felt 2 hands grab her arms, bring her hands away from her face, she realized that she was alive.

"Robin." Jason whispered her name as he touched her face. "Open your eyes." He instructed. "Robin, it's me." Robin struggled to breathe through her tears but the sound of his voice forced her eyes opened. All she saw was Jason's face and she instantly fell against him as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "It's ok, it's over now." He told her. "Shh it's ok." She cried hard against him and he kissed the top of her head trying to soothe her.

Jagger knelt down next to Carly's lifeless body and checked her neck for a pulse. "She's dead." He stated. There were 2 bullet wounds in her back, if she wasn't dead than she wasn't human. It was impossible to know which shot had been fatal but both men had fired and hit their target. Carly went down hard and would never be getting up. There was no other option. She would have killed Robin if they had hesitated even for a split second. Carly isn't going to hurt anyone ever again.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you." Jason told Robin. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for Carly in general."

"Jason where's Abby?" Robin finally managed to speak.

"She's ok." He reassured her as he untied her hands. "She's with Mac at the hospital. Guards are watching her. She's safe."

Once her hands were free. Robin wrapped her arms around Jason's neck. They could vaguely hear Jagger calling for police backup, lying through his teeth that Carly was still alive, armed and dangerous. By the time anyone arrived, he would be able to tell them he had to kill her in self defense and to keep her from killing Robin.

"Please get me out of here." She pleaded.

Jason nodded and scooped Robin up in his arms, carrying her out of the room, past Jagger and down the stairs. He didn't put her down until they reached the car. When he opened the door for her Robin grabbed his hand. He looked at her compassionately and she took his face in her hands and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and returned the kiss tenderly. It wasn't long before one of Jason's hands was lost in Robin's hair, deepening the kiss because for 4 years all he had wanted was to kiss her in such a way that she would know how much he still loved her. Robin felt safe there in his arms, she felt at home when his mouth touched hers and she didn't want him to ever let go but Abby was waiting for them so hesitantly she brought her lips away from Jason and looked up into his eyes.

Robin's eyes were wet and still apprehensive as her body continued to tremble slightly. "Jason, I." Her voice caught and she inhaled sharply.

"Shh." He stopped her by pressing one finger to her lips gently. "You didn't do anything wrong not ever. You've always done the right thing, sometimes I've just been too stupid to see it." He held her close as Jagger brought Max outside.

"Get him out of here." Jagger stated as he motioned to Max.

"What are you going to tell the cops when they get here?" Jason asked seriously.

Jagger shrugged, "The truth. Carly was dangerous, she was going to kill Robin." He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Robin's ear. "You're going to be ok now." She nodded. "I'll tell them you took Robin to the hospital which is going to be true. Just get this guy out of here before I change my mind and hand him over to take the wrap."

Jason nodded and motioned for Max to get into the backseat. "You do realize the guns aren't registered right?" Jason more or less admitted. He and Jagger could both get several charges laid against them for that alone. They had more or less killed a crazy woman using 2 illegal guns. It wouldn't look good on paper no matter how it was written down. Mac might not care but his superiors most likely would and they would no doubt have Jagger's badge for it.

"They will be by the time I do the paperwork." Jagger replied calmly. He knew how to manipulate paperwork easily enough. "No one needs to know that." He added as he tucked both of the guns into his waistband and then hid them under his shirt.

"So we'll see you at the hospital then?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, I'll be there soon." Jagger replied and respectfully extended his hand to Jason. Jason looked at him for a moment and then shook his hand. Robin looked at them both in slight awe. She never would have guessed that Jagger and Jason would ever shake hands. Jagger watched as Jason put Robin in the car and headed for the hospital to get her checked out and reunite her with Abby.

When Jason and Robin returned to the hospital, Abby didn't even care where they had been. All that mattered was that Jason found her mommy and they were both there with her again. Robin held Abby close to her even while another doctor examined her to make sure she was alright.

"Mommy, can we go home now?" Abby pleaded as Jason found the legal papers and tore them to shreds before throwing them away.

Robin held her close with tears in her eyes as she looked up at Jason who stood close by, watching over them protectively. "Yeah baby, we can go home." She told her as she reached her hand out for Jason. He took her hand and came closer, wrapping his arms around both of them as a single tear rolled down Robin's cheek. She was relieved to be back with Abby and to have Jason with them, as Mac stood nearby guarding the family watchfully.

A Few Months Later

Jason woke up with Robin securely in his arms, her head resting on his chest, still sound asleep in their bed. Her hand was on his chest and Jason gazed down at the sparkling ring he had placed there days before. She was going to be his wife and they were going to finally have the life they had both always wanted. A stack of textbooks and notebooks were piled on the floor next to the bed waiting to be cracked open for another afternoon and evening of studying.

He slipped one hand under Robin's tank top, gently touching her warm lower back as he caressed her cheek softly. Robin took a slow deep breath and slowly opened her eyes. "Hey Morning."

Jason kissed her lips and smiled, "Good morning."

"What time is it?" Robin asked sleepily.

"Early, Abby is still asleep." Jason replied because the house was far too quiet still, which could only mean one thing, Abby and her new puppy were both still sound asleep down the hall in her bedroom. Jason gently tilted Robin's chin up and began kissing her.

After 4 years apart they still had a lot of catching up to do in each others arms and any time they had alone was always put to good use. Jason turned Robin onto her back and deepened the kiss as his free hand skimmed up her bare leg until touching the hem of the shorts she was wearing. Robin draped her arms around Jason's neck, using one hand to draw him in even closer by resting it on the back of his head.

"Ick!" Abby Rose Scorpio-Morgan scoffed playfully from the doorway as she put her puppy down.

Jason took a deep breath and pulled away from his fiancée as Abby crawled onto the bed and her puppy yelped disapprovingly from the floor where he had been left behind momentarily.

"Hey sweet pea." Robin smiled as Abby crawled onto her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Morning mommy." Abby beamed, not caring in the very least if she interrupted her parents. Having them both under the same roof and together was a novel and exciting idea to her and she took every opportunity to nestle herself between them happily.

Jagger had gone back to Chicago, strangely confident that Robin and Abby would be well taken care of and protected. Seeing the lengths Jason would go to for them, made Jagger trust him. And he called regularly to check in and see how they were doing. Chicago was ultimately the place he belonged. He could focus there and when he had spare time, work on rebuilding his own life with someone. Brenda was around often because dropping in for extended visits was just her way. She rarely seemed to stay in her apartment in New York for more than a week at a time before returning to town again. Mac was nearby with his girls and Luke was just a phone call away, if his goddaughter or Robin ever needed him. Abby's new Uncle Sonny and cousin Michael were also frequent visitors and life seemed to finally be right.

Jason grabbed Abby and pinned her to the bed so he could tickle her. Her puppy barked jealously and Robin laughed. "Daddy!" She giggled and squirmed.

Jason stopped and kissed her on the nose. "I think your puppy needs to go outside Abby." He advised her.

"Oh yeah." Abby answered. She was still getting used to taking care of the little black pup and needed her parents to remind her to take him out regularly but he was all Abby's and she understood that she had to learn and take care of him accordingly. The truth was, she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger and would probably have even more furry little pets in no time at all. Jason spoiled her unapologetically because she was his little girl and she could have whatever she wanted, or at least that was the explanation Robin got.

"Ok, so take him out and turn on some cartoons. Your mom and I will be right down and I'll make you some breakfast." Jason told her. Abby crawled over him and jumped off of the bed, scooping her puppy up and heading off as Jason shook his head with a smile. He looked down at Robin who was still debating whether or not she really wanted to get up to start her Saturday morning just yet. "I'm not done with you yet." He told her as he leaned over her again and began kissing her neck.

Robin laughed a little, "Oh so you sent our daughter away so you could..." Before she could even finish Jason's mouth closed over hers. She could only moan quietly as he kissed her lovingly.

He pulled away and brushed a bit of hair away from Robin's face as he looked down at her with such adoration in his eyes, "You know you're way too good for me right?" He smirked.

She kissed him on the lips and laughed, "I'm willing to look past that if you are." She teased. Jason tickled her a bit, "Ok, I give up." She squirmed. She and Abby were both such pushovers when Jason tickled them. "You're lucky I love you." She joked.

Jason smiled, "I know."

"Daddy!" Abby called from downstairs. "Come on and make breakfast."

Jason kissed Robin on the forehead and got up from the bed. "How long do cartoons run on Saturday morning?" He asked casually as he pulled a T-shirt on, over his head.

Robin shrugged, "Until about 11."

He looked at his watch and gave it a bit of thought. "So if I make her breakfast now, she'll be watching cartoons for a good couple of hours." Robin looked at him with a raised eyebrow, Jason wasn't a fan of television in general, let alone cartoons but he always let Abby watch whatever she wanted on Saturday mornings for as long as she wanted to, because Robin told him that's what normal kids do. He grinned and she suddenly knew exactly what he was thinking. She could only laugh and shake her head as Jason headed out of their bedroom to make their daughter some breakfast. He would no doubt be back in that bed as soon as possible with Robin.

Robin sighed contently as she lay against the pillows and made herself completely comfortable. "Home sweet home." She whispered with a smile.

"Abby, come on or you'll be late." Robin called to her 6 year old daughter from the bottom of the steps in the living room. She spun around quickly and nearly tripped over Abby's beloved dog but she managed to catch her balance and shook her head, "Come on Buster, outside." She encouraged as she shooed him through the living room, into the kitchen and out the door, and into the backyard. "Abby!" She called again as she poured a glass of orange juice.

"I'm here Mommy." Abby replied as she came into the kitchen and dropped her book bag on the floor. She pulled as her pink t-shirt and tucked it into her jeans as she padded across the room without any socks or shoes on.

"Come on, eat up or we're going to be late." Robin told her gently as she put a plate of scrambled eggs down on the table. She ran a hand through her own hair and rubbed the back of her neck before putting the bread away in the cupboard.

"Mommy, when is daddy going to be home?" Abby asked, half pouting as she climbed onto her chair while tying her hair back in a ponytail.

Robin sighed, "Soon sweet pea." She didn't have a better answer for their tiny daughter. With Jason nothing was set in stone, not return dates anyway. He was taking care of business and to Abby that just meant that her daddy was gone away and had been for a few days now. All Abby knew was that she didn't like it one bit nor did Robin.

The backdoor opened and Dillon Quartermaine came in, dropping his bag next to the door as Robin handed him a cup of hot coffee, "How's my favorite mom?" He smirked before kissing her on the cheek.

"She's not you're mom." Abby replied seriously.

Robin laughed, "You're right honey. Dillon's mommy is the Wicked Witch of Port Charles and she lives across town. I'm too young to be his mom."

Dillon could only grin and shake his head. He had left the Quartermaine mansion that spring after a particularly loud and volatile fight with his mother Tracy. Without anywhere else to go, he turned to Jason, showing up at the front door of the cottage in the middle of the night needing a place to stay.

It was the middle of the night and Abby was sound asleep in her bed when Robin woke up, hearing something someone moving on the front porch. Jason heard it too and sat up. He put his hand on top of Robin's to keep her calm, knowing there were no guards on the property and they weren't expecting anyone to be showing up. Even Brenda had the decency to arrive at reasonable hours when she dropped in unannounced.

"Stay up here." He instructed as he got out of bed and pulled on a pair of blue jeans.

"Jason, no." She tried to plead with him so he wouldn't go downstairs.

But Jason ignored Robin and went out of the room and down the steps, retrieving his gun along the way. His family was potentially at risk and Jason went into automatic defense. Only a few moments passed before Robin got up and pulled on her robe to go to Abby's bedroom down the hall. The small girl groaned tiredly as her mother picked her up and carried her back to the master bedroom, quietly closing the door. Robin took Abby onto the bed and kept her close as she tried to listen for Jason

Jason moved silently through the house until whoever was outside knocked on the front door. Assassins didn't knock, they just came in by any means necessary. Jason flipped on the porch light and gripped his gun, now more annoyed then alarmed.

He opened the door and was struck speechless when he found Dillon standing there wet from the spring rain and with a backpack slung over his shoulder. "Shouldn't you be in lockdown at 66?" Jason remarked sarcastically as he looked at his younger cousin. 66 Harbor View Road was where the Quartermaine mansion was located. Jason liked to compare it to jail, he had hated living there and left soon after his accident, never returning for more than a few hours at a time since. He was used to seeing Dillon more and more since he was dating Robin's cousin Georgie but never had Dillon shown up at the cottage alone, this was strange indeed.

Dillon looked nervous and apprehensive, the truth was that Jason intimidated him. But the way Jason could just detach himself from the rest of the family seemingly so effortlessly was what gave Dillon the confidence to do the same. "Probably." He replied. "If I still lived there."

Jason looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Where do you live now?"

"Nowhere." Dillon answered honestly. "Look, I don't have anywhere to go and I don't have any money but, Jase, man, we're family and..." he rubbed the back of his neck and Jason sighed, opening the door more for the young man. "Can I crash here? Just for the night? You won't even know I'm here."

"I already know you're here." Jason stated as he motioned for Dillon to come in and locked the door again. "You're damn lucky I didn't just shoot you through the window. Don't you know better than to creep around houses in the middle of the night?" He questioned. He looked Dillon over and shook his head, "I'll get you a towel and tell Robin you're here."

"I already heard his voice." Robin stated, appearing at the top of the stairs. "Dillon what happened to you?" She asked in a motherly way that she couldn't conceal.

"Where's Abby?" Jason asked seriously.

"In our bed." Robin told him as she descended the steps and went to Dillon, taking his backpack from him and setting it down before seating him on the couch.

"I'll, umm, I'll figure out something else in the morning but, it's late and I'm beat." Dillon explained. "Thanks."

Robin went to the closet and got an extra pillow and a blanket, "Don't be. Just get some rest and we'll talk about this more in the morning."

Jason was apprehensive but Robin seemed to have Sonny's knack for never turning away strays, especially family and they agreed that he could move in above the garage in his own apartment. And it wasn't a bad setup for a young man Dillon's age, Jason didn't bother charging him rent because, well Jason didn't need the money and Dillon really didn't have it and he had all the freedom he could ever want. Robin and Jason didn't ask much of him, just that he keep it down at night and on occasion watch Abby. He got free food and a family that loved him without trying to manipulate him or thrust him into any Quartermaine battles or businesses. And the truth was that Jason liked knowing that while he was gone, Robin and Abby weren't alone. Dillon was only a few feet away and Jason trusted him.

"Are you eating breakfast or not?" Robin asked him as she held out a plate of toast.

"Nah, but if you don't eat more than a piece of toast I'm going to give Jase a full report when he gets back." He cautioned.

"Sellout." She smirked before taking a sip of her orange juice. "I can't keep more than toast down at this hour." She explained, putting a hand on her swelling stomach.

"Still having morning sickness huh?" He asked

Robin rolled her eyes, "Naturally. You should have seen how bad I was with Abby." She shook her head, "This has been a walk in the park compared to that." Dillon picked up the newspaper from the kitchen counter and flipped to the job section. "Don't tell me you got fired from that job at the docks already? You're as bad as Jason used to be."

"Oh tell me about it." He replied. "There are still a lot of guys working at the docks that remember working with him." He shook his head. "Look, just don't ask why I got fired alright?"

"Is it a PG reason Dillon or have you gotten my little cousin in trouble again?" Robin teased.

"Keeping it PG?" He smirked.

"Oh I don't want to know." She laughed. "Really I don't. Forget I brought it up." Dillon and Georgie were still dating after more than 2 years together much to Mac's dismay. He was still protective of his girls but with Robin's help, he relaxed a little and let Georgie finally grow up more than before. "Do you need a ride to school? I'm taking Abby in a few minutes."

"I'm good." He answered. "Travis is picking me up and then were going to get Georgie."

"Alright, suit yourself." Robin replied casually. "Abby are you ready?" She asked as her daughter pushed her plate away and nodded. "Go find some socks and put on your shoes."

"With that belly, I would think you're the one that has trouble with shoes and socks." Dillon teased.

"Hey, do you want to be homeless again?" She laughed. "Get a haircut. You kids and your crazy hair, geez." She picked up her purse and car keys along with some files she had brought home from the hospital the day before. "Let Buster in before you head out?"

"No problem." Dillon replied as Robin messed up his hair a little. "Have a good day Doc." He called to her as she left the kitchen to take Abby to school before having to head into work at GH herself.

Abby climbed into the backseat of the car and fastened her seatbelt as Robin closed the door and carefully got behind the wheel. She put on a pair of sunglasses to shield her eyes from the bright morning sun before backing out of the driveway.

"Mommy?" Abby fidgeted in the backseat as she rummaged through her book bag.

"Yes sweet pea?" Robin replied.

"Do you think Daddy will be home tomorrow?" She asked quite seriously. "He's been gone for..." She counted in her head quickly, "5 days now."

"I know sweetie. But you know you're daddy will be home as soon as he can." Robin explained. "He hates being away from you but he had to go."

"Again." Abby muttered.

Robin looked in the rearview mirror and sighed. She hated it as much as Abby but Jason's reasoning made sense. It was better for him to go out of town to take care of business rather than bring it to town and closer to his family. It seemed that never more than a few weeks managed to pass before Jason had to go take care of something else. Sonny, for his part, tried to limit much of Jason's involvement but there were still things that only he could be trusted to deal with. And Robin had to admit that she preferred Jason taking care of the business end of things more than when he was doing more of his enforcer work which was by and far more dangerous. Which wasn't the say that his current situation wasn't dangerous but it was a little easier to cope with knowing that Jason wasn't out doing the dirty work.

Abby on the other hand didn't know what exactly business meant and that was the way her parents intended to keep it for as long as possible. Unlike Michael, Abby's knowledge of Jason and Sonny's business wasn't nearly as intensive and Jason wanted it kept that way. He didn't lie to his daughter but there were many things that he didn't tell her.

At a stop sign, Robin reached into her purse and retrieved a hair brush. "Abby run this through your hair sweetie, it's a mess." She was so focused on watching Abby in the mirror that she didn't notice a man in a gray van snapping photographs of them through his passenger side window.

"Mommy when's the baby coming again?" Abby asked as Robin continued to drive.

"3 more months sweetie." Robin told her. "So what are you hoping for, a little brother or a little sister?"

Abby shrugged and replied in her most nonchalant way, "I'd rather have a pony." She smirked as Robin looked back at her.

Robin laughed and shook her head, "Funny, you're a clever kid you know that?" She turned the radio on and Abby sang along to it the rest of the way to school that morning.

At work, Robin's duties were kept to a minimum by the Chief of Staff all so known as her father in law, Alan Quartermaine as her pregnancy progressed which didn't really please Robin all that much but she didn't argue, she was on doctor's orders to take it easy and avoid stress as much as possible which meant that her workload was less than half of what most doctors did. She sat at the nurses station doing some paperwork as Emily came in with a bag of cookies and some herbal tea.

"Mom said this stuff would be alright for you to drink and I thought you could use a snack." Emily explained as she set the paper bag down in front of Robin.

Robin smiled, "And how is my favorite new intern doing today?"

"I'm alright. Tired, I pulled an all-nighter and I'm beat but I didn't want to call in today. It wouldn't look good considering everyone thinks that I get special treatment just because of my mom and dad." Emily explained.

Robin laughed, "Yeah, me too. And we do you know."

Emily grinned sheepishly in a way that somehow reminded Robin completely of Jason, even though technically there was no blood relation between the brother and sister. "I know but shh, let's keep that between us." She came around the counter and put her hand on Robin's stomach, "Hey there baby, let your mommy know that you want some cookies huh? That way I don't have to pig out alone here." She looked up to Robin and laughed, "I bet Jason has banded all junk food from the house hasn't he?"

"Oh he tries." Robin admitted. "He's like Sonny that way sometimes. This from the man who practically lives off of pizza and cereal."

"And chocolate cake." Emily interjected with a chuckle.

"He goes on his little health kicks for a few days and then I wear him down and he gives me whatever I want." Robin explained with a proud smirk, she and Abby both had Jason wrapped around their little fingers and the truth was that Jason loved it. "It really is perfect that way." She laughed.

"Any idea when he'll be back?" Emily asked before biting into a chocolate chip cookie.

Robin sighed and picked at a small cookie, "That's the million dollar question. He called my cell this morning after I dropped Abby off at school. He said he's hoping to get home tonight but I don't want to get my hopes up. I just want him to come home safe you know?"

Emily nodded and placed her hand on Robin's stomach. "Yeah, I know what you mean." She knew that Jason hated being away from his family now. He had missed the first years of Abby's life and promised that with this baby he would be there for every step. He accompanied Robin to appointments whenever he could and dotted attention on her constantly. He was in awe of her and as Robin's body grew so did his love for her which was amazing considering he didn't think he could love her more than he already did. Emily was one of the few people that Jason opened up too about things, like that and she knew that her brother had never been happier in his entire life. "Will you ask him to give me a call after he gets home and as had a chance to catch up with you and Abby? I haven't had a lot of time lately and neither as he but I want to take you all out for dinner this weekend, Dillon too if he doesn't have any plans." Robin nodded and closed a file and had been looking over. "Alright, I gotta run, enjoy the cookies, we'll talk more later."

He waited until Robin was alone to approach her, his Italian accent thick as he spoke. "Can you direct me to the Stone Cates Memorial Wing please?"

Robin looked at the gentleman standing before her, his dark hair slicked back and his fine suit neatly pressed. She didn't recognize him, shed never seen him at the hospital before but that wasn't saying much really, there were plenty of people that she'd never seen before that came through the hospital regularly.

"I can do you one better." She replied with a smile, "I was just heading that way myself. Do you know one of the patients there?" She asked him in a friendly was as she came around the counter and began leading him.

He nodded a little, "Yes, I know someone there." He motioned to her name tag on the white jacket she was wearing, "You're a doctor here?"

"Hmm-mmm, I do a lot of work in this wing actually." She explained as they arrived at their destination. She stopped in front of Stones quilt and smiled at the intricately sown fabric, running her fingers over it.

He read her name tag more closely even though he was well aware of her name and had been for months. Robin didn't know that and he wasn't going to give it away. "Well I thank you kindly Dr. Scorpio." Professionally that was Robin's name though all her personal identification had read Scorpio-Morgan for a year and a half now.

It was an all too bold move on his part. There was a chance she would recognize him but she hadn't. Or if she had she certainly didn't let on. She should have been trembling in front of them. Anyone else would have been if they so much as knew his name. Leonardo Sorel was the brother of Jason and Sonny's late enemy and the one to take over the territory after Joseph's death. Like his brother, Leo thrived on intimating his adversaries and there were no limits. He didn't build up his warnings, they always came at full force when the time was right. It was his first day in Port Charles but he knew a lot about Robin already. His men had been watching Jason's family for weeks which was so much easier with Jason away. He could send a message to Jason through Robin if he wanted too. But this was a game of strategy and the mind, he would be a perfect gentleman to her. Feeling more than a little self-assured he reached for her hand and kissed it with a charming smile on his face.

That was when he crossed the line and Robin became uncomfortable, her body tensed and she drew back a little. She told herself that it was just a European thing, she had been to Italy countless times and had spent much of her childhood there, people were just extremely affectionate there and she told herself that it was nothing to get worked up about. Still, she felt uneasy and tucked a bit of hair behind her ear.

"I've made you uncomfortable." He stated casually.

She shook her head and tried to cover, "Not at all. But I should be getting to my patients. If you need anything else please don't hesitate to ask one of our nurses for help."

"Be careful Robin." He called almost smugly as Robin walked away. She stopped and looked back at him curiously, how did he know her first name? Maybe she just imagined it. He motioned to a yellow sign on the floor in the corner near the elevators, "Dr. Scorpio. The floor is wet and you don't want to slip Bella." He gestured to her stomach as he spoke and Robin put her hand on it and nodded.

"I'll watch out, thank you." She turned away and disappeared into a room all the while he didn't take his eyes off of her.

Despite Jason's hopes to get home that night it was early morning before he finally arrived home. He went to the closet in the front hall and put his gun in a locked box on the very top shelf where there was no chance of Abby or even Michael finding it while playing later before he headed upstairs to see his wife.

He was exhausted, he had been stuck at the airport all night waiting for a flight home. All Jason wanted to do was crawl into bed and spend a few solid days sleeping. He checked in on Abby and found she was sound asleep. He had promised to wake her up when he got home but the sun wasn't even up yet, so he decided to let her sleep a little longer. She would have to get up for another day of school soon enough but realistically there was a pretty good chance she would be allowed to stay home to be with her daddy since he had been gone longer than anyone intended. He went down the hall to his and Robin's bedroom and found her sleeping soundly on her side, the white covers pulled up to her shoulder and her hand on the pillow.

Jason sat down on a chair in the corner of the room and removed his boots and jacket before going over to the bed and lying next to her. He slid his hand over her stomach and felt their unborn child shift slightly, Robin slept through it, all too used to the feeling now.

It didn't matter how many times Jason found her asleep like that, he still thought it was a breathtaking image. His wife, sound asleep in their bed. His wife. He could still recall every single detail of their wedding. It wasn't the type of event most people had expected, in fact it was quite the opposite really which is what they all SHOULD have expected.

Robin had only gotten halfway through planning a traditional wedding with Brenda before throwing in the towel. She didn't want some big event, she just wanted Jason and all he had ever wanted was her. "Ok, I've come to a decision." She announced one afternoon as Jason came into the kitchen.

She picked up a stack of wedding magazines and dropped them in the trash. "Brenda is going to kill you for that." He laughed. "What's your decision?"

"I don't want to plan this wedding anymore." She pouted and wrapped her arms around his neck before Jason kissed her on the mouth.

"What do you want baby?" He asked her quite seriously.

"Our family." She replied. "Just that. Jason let's just get married, the hell with the wedding. You and I, we've never needed a big production. This is supposed to be about us right? So let's do this, just us?"

Jason should have been ecstatic but he wanted to make sure it was what Robin wanted and not what she thought he wanted. Granted, standing in front of a church full of people he couldn't stand and the few people he loved wasn't ever Jason's idea of an ideal way to spend a day, for Robin there wasn't anything he wouldn't do. He wanted her to have the wedding she wanted, whatever it was, whether it involved him in a suit and her in a big white dress or them on the beach somewhere exchanging their vows as the sun set. Whatever she wanted, Jason wanted to give her. "Are you sure? I mean, what are you saying here?" He asked her softly as he stroked her cheek.

Robin kissed him, "I'm saying there's a justice of the peace that lives 20 minutes away and he could marry us tonight."

"You want to elope?" Jason laughed and kissed her again, "Brenda is going to flip out."

Robin smirked, "You let me handle my sister."

"I usually do." Jason answered truthfully. "This is really what you want? You, me and the justice of the peace?"

"And Abby of course." Robin explained.

That was all it took. They called Abby in from the backyard and that evening they were married in the living room of the justice of the peace while Abby held her parents hands beaming happily while they stood together in both in blue jeans and completely in love. No bells, no big production, just their family and it was perfect. Robin's eyes sparkled that night and Jason knew without a doubt that she was always the only woman for him. As they exchange their vows Jason watched Robin's mouth and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. She gripped his hand and Abby looked up at them both in awe. Even in blue jeans and a white t-shirt, Abby thought her mommy looked beautiful.

"Here daddy." She spoke up when the justice of the peace asked about the wedding bands, she produced them from the front pocket of her overalls and handed them to Jason proudly. She was finally getting the real family she had always wanted and to Abby it was a dream come true. And how many little kids could actually say they were at their parents wedding? Abby found it incredibly amusing and altogether novel.

And just as Jason predicted Brenda had a fit, Robin dealt with it and calmed her down. Mac wasn't shocked to hear it happened, his girls were excited, Luke bought Jason a drink and Sonny threw them a party deeming it their reception allowing Brenda to play ringleader so she wouldn't feel so bad about their not being a wedding.

Robin took a breath and stirred, slowly waking as Jason kissed her neck. She put her hand on the side of his face and let her back lean back against his as he wrapped his arms around her tenderly. "You're home."

"Hmm-mmm." He mumbled as he nuzzled her neck and took comfort in being back with her. He had missed his wife terribly while he was gone, more than he could even admit to him until that moment. He felt relieved to be home with her again and to know that she and their daughter and unborn child were all safe and under his watchful protection once again.

She signed contently, feeling more secure now that Jason was finally back, "Did you wake Abby up yet."

"No." A sleepy voice replied from the doorway. "You promised Daddy." Abby scolded him as she crawled up onto the bed and squirmed her way between her parents as Robin turned onto her other side careful of her stomach.

"I was just on my way." Jason replied, kissing Abby's forehead as she held onto him tightly. Abby yawned and buried herself in the covers with her parents on either side of her before falling back to sleep in their bed. Jason smiled at Robin and got under the covers, his arm across Abby and resting on Robin's side as his other hand stroked her hair while she drifted off again herself.

Jason slept until almost noon that day, Robin took Abby downstairs and kept the house quiet while her husband remained upstairs. Abby was pleased when Robin told her that she didn't have to go to school. It was Friday, Jason was home and Abby had missed him. One day without school wasn't the end of the world, father and daughter were probably both suffering from serious withdrawal from each other.

Jason came into the kitchen as Robin was making lunch. From behind she didn't even look pregnant, she still wore many of her normal jeans as long as they were low and didn't press on her stomach and she certainly didn't get bigger width wise. She had her hair up in a messy ponytail and didn't even hear Jason come down. She did however sense him as he got closer. She rinsed out a cup that Abby had been drinking juice out of and then set it in the dish rack before turning to face her husband.

"Did you sleep alright?" She asked him sweetly before kissing him.

"Mmm, yeah I guess I was more tired than I thought." Jason confessed. "Where's Abby?"

Robin motioned to the window over the sink and Jason looked out to find his daughter playing with her dog Buster in the backyard. When Abby looked up and saw that her father was finally awake she ran into the house and jumped into his arms excitedly.

"Hey Abby-baby." He scooped her up and kissed her. "Were you good for your mommy while I was away?"

"Yup!" She beamed proudly. Jason looked to Robin for a 2nd opinion and she nodded, signaling to her husband that Abby had indeed been very well behaved while he was gone. "And I made you a picture at school." She told him. "It's in the living room, Mommy put it up so it wouldn't get wringled."

"Wrinkled." Robin corrected gently.

"Yeah, wrinkled, that's it." Abby replied.

"You want to show me?" Jason asked as he set her down.

"Yeah! Come on, this way." She pulled her daddy through the kitchen into the living room to proudly show off her work of art.

Robin wiped her hands off on a cloth and followed them out into the living room. Jason pulled Abby onto his lap on the couch and listened to her as she told her all about her week. "Daddy, where do you go when you're gone?" She asked him suddenly.

Jason and Robin exchanged looked and for a moment neither said a word in response. They both had a strict no lying policy when it came to Abby but there were some things she didn't need to know all about. "To take care of some business for Uncle Sonny." Jason finally told Abby. "You know that."

"But where?" She questioned.

"Different places." Jason explained. "It depends on who I have to meet with. It's business Abby and I find it completely boring so unless you want to be bored into a coma you really don't want to hear it." He told her and somehow that seemed to satisfy her curiosity for the time being.

"Abby, go wash your hands and we'll have lunch." Robin told her.

"Ok mommy." She climbed off of Jason's lap and ran upstairs with Buster trailing behind her.

Robin sighed, "You do realize that answers like that won't do forever." She told Jason somberly.

"But they do for now." He replied simply. "And when Abby is older and can understand more I'll explain more but right now she's too young." He held his hand out to Robin and brought her to him, pulling her carefully into his arms on the couch, "How are you feeling? You and the baby alright?"

"Better now that you're home." She answered as Jason kissed her temple and rested his hands on her stomach. The baby kicked a little and Robin sighed contently causing Jason to kiss her again.

"I love when you make that noise." He whispered in her ear causing Robin to giggle. She knew what he was getting at. He had been away from her for almost a week and it was almost enough to make him crazy. In fact, Jason was convinced that he was crazy for even being away from her in the first place. "Were you this sexy when you were pregnant with Abby?"

Robin laughed, "No, I pretty much lived in my sweatpants and an old t-shirt and stayed in bed as much as possible the entire time after I got to Paris. I was a mess." Jason laced his left hand together with hers so their wedding bands lined up. He should have married her years ago. He never should have let her go to Paris. Robin knew that a large part of Jason still carried a lot of regret over not being there when Abby was born. He had missed the first 4 years of her life and vowed that it would be different this time. He would be with Abby always now and every step of the way with the new baby.

Robin looked up at Jason and kissed him, "Hey we're all here now. That's what really counts." Jason winked at her and Robin let herself sink back against his chest. "I still can't get Abby to tell me if she wants a little brother or a little sister." She laughed. "She just keeps telling me she would rather have a pony."

Jason grinned, "You can thank Luke for that little joke."

"I know. I got him to confess to planting that idea in her head." She looked back at Jason rather seriously all of a sudden. "Don't you dare get her a pony."

"Now would I do that?" He teased.

"Yes! You would!" Robin laughed.

"Not without discussing it with you first." He reasoned.

"Oh yeah, I know how you discuss things with me. Just like with her hamster and with Buster. You tell me you're going to do it, I say you're spoiling Abby and you do it anyway."

"It's my job." Jason replied sheepishly. "And I'll be just as bad with Abby's little brother or sister." He told her honestly. "So get used to it."

"I already am." Robin told him. "But if I don't get up off of the couch soon I'm going to be stuck here." She put her hand on the back of the couch and pushed herself up carefully with her free hand on her stomach. At just over 6 months pregnant Robin was already having a little trouble maneuvering her body as it grew to accommodate her unborn child. She was starting to get lower back pain a typical problem with pregnancy from carrying the extra weight and that couch, as comfortable as it was, wasn't easy to get up off of sometimes. "Oh, before I forget, Emily wants us all to have dinner tonight. Dillon is coming too."

"Oh man." Jason groaned and sunk into the couch cringing.

"What?" His wife laughed.

"Whenever Emily wants to have dinner and involves the whole wolf pack." Jason's latest term of endearment where the Quartermaines were on concerned, "It means she's up to something." He explained. "Do you have any idea what she plans to announce?"

"Announce? Maybe she just wants to have dinner with her loved ones." Robin reasoned. "Besides, I don't have any clue what it could be."

"Relax, I've already done the research." Dillon explained as he came into the living room overhearing their conversation. "Grandfather isn't going to be there and my mom will probably just have her standard fit about whatever and then storm out. Ned is working at L on some big project, Alan has a meeting and AJ still hasn't been heard from."

"How long has it been now?" Jason muttered under his breath.

"Well, it can't very well be a family meeting of sorts with half the family missing." Robin explained optimistically.

"It's Emily, she only requires a 50% attendance minimum for announcements." Jason stated sarcastically. He stood up and sighed tiredly, "Alright, what time is this thing?"

"6:30, Emily knows that Abby goes to bed at 9, so she won't keep us out long." Robin told him.

Dillon and Jason both rolled their eyes and shook their heads, "Sure mom." Dillon joked as Robin headed back into the kitchen.

"You talk to your real mom at all this week?" Jason questioned his younger cousin.

Dillon shook his head, "Unless by talk you mean fight, no." He rubbed the back of his neck, "How do you keep them all from getting to you? I mean, I know you care about Monica and Alan, even though you guys fight sometimes but it's like nothing any of them do, even gets to you."

Jason shrugged, "It doesn't. If it wasn't for Emily and Lila, I'd never step foot in that madhouse. I see Monica and Alan at the hospital and at Kelly's sometimes but really the rest of them don't matter much as far as I'm concerned. Dillon, man you're not me and I'm not Jason Quartermaine."

"Sometimes I think they wish at least one of us could be him." Dillon interjected.

"Maybe." Jason replied. "At least Edward would be happy if either of us were like that guy. The golden boy." He remarked. "But I don't know. Family is important Dillon but anyone who says you can't pick your family is a liar. Just because you share DNA with someone, doesn't mean you have to like them. In fact, the Quartermaine's I like the best, are the ones that aren't." Obviously by that Jason meant Emily, Monica and Lila, all 3 of which were legally Quartermaine's, Monica and Lila through marriage and Emily because she was adopted by Monica. "If Edward dropped dead tomorrow, I'd feel bad for Emily, she loves him even though he's a miserable old man. Ned, he's alright but really he's more like Edward than he will ever admit, so was AJ. They want money, they don't care how they get it or who they stab in the back. It's all about legacy with them. The family name."

Dillon sighed, "They're all crazy. You've known that for years haven't you?"

Jason shrugged again, "I think were all a little crazy. They're just downright nuts. But, I guess this is the point where Robin would say, It's because they love so much and everyone loves differently, I don't know how true that is but whatever. Come on, let's get in there before she yells for us." Abby came bouncing back down the stairs and Jason scooped her up, carrying her into the kitchen for lunch as Dillon followed.

"Abby hold your daddies hand." Robin instructed that evening when they arrived at the Port Charles Grille for dinner with Emily. The parking lot as usual was crowded and Robin didn't want Abby rushing ahead and getting hurt.

Jason put his free hand on his wife's lower back as they walked to the restaurant, "Are you feeling alright?"

She nodded and hooked her purse on her arm, It's been a long day. But at least she had the day off from work which made it easier for her to be out then. If she had to work that morning than by now she would be to exhausted to have dinner with anyone, even Emily.

She had changed out of her jeans and looked amazing as far as Jason was concerned. Robin wore a long black skirt and a pale pink top that flowed loosely over her round stomach. Abby was her usual adorable self in a little flowered dress that Georgie and Maxie had bought earlier that week when Robin let them take Abby shopping after school so she could rest at home alone. Jason for his part cleaned up quiet well, gone were his usual jeans and t-shirts, replaced by a black button down shirt and a pair of black slacks. Even Emily couldn't get her brother to wear a tie if he didn't have too.

Dillon took to Robin's other side feeling a protective duty to stick close to her. Tracy was going to be inside and lately had taken to trying to bait Robin into arguments, feeling as though Robin was somehow to blame for her son moving out of the mansion. Apparently in Tracy's mind, it Robin was now somehow solely responsible for both Jason and Dillon moving out of the mansion. No one could explain to her how unrealistic the theory was and Robin did her best to just ignore Tracy but sometimes it was easier said than done and Dillon knew that it wouldn't be good for Robin to be upset by his mother.

"Tracy, if you're going to be your usual obnoxious self why don't you just do everyone a favor and go home?" Emily questioned bluntly just as Robin, Jason, Abby and Dillon arrived.

Tracy stared at her niece disapprovingly, "You summoned us all here Missy so why don't you get to the point of this whole little gathering. Who are you getting engaged to this week?"

"Don't you talk to my daughter that way." Monica cautioned sternly as she took to Emily's side.

Tracy glared at Monica then, "You may be just fine with the little doctor corrupting your once promising son but I'm not. Dillon should be home with me, I'm his mother and he doesn't need her filling his mind with nonsense, encouraging him with that foolish film business and allowing him to be free loading. Tell me Monica what is Dillon expected to learn by having everything handed to him?"

"Hmm, well Tracy, what have you learned by being a drain on this family your entire life?" Monica questioned. "And for your information, Dillon works. Robin encourages Dillon but you refuse to show even the slightest interest in him unless it's to your own benefit and for your information, Jason leaving home had nothing to do with Robin. He's a grown man and he is and always has been perfectly capable of making his own decisions."

"Oh, yes I'm sure, I'm sure the crash test doll does just fine. I bet Robin even let's him pick out his clothes in the morning. I know what the doctors said about your precious child Jason." Tracy remarked. "But at least MY child is a part of this family." It was a complete jab at Emily for being adopted and Tracy was just heartless enough to use it.

Robin knew that Jason heard the comment and tightened her hold on him to keep him from launching into his most defensive mode. Emily was Jason's little sister and he was extremely protective of her.

It was then that Tracy finally noticed the small family had arrived. She crossed her arms and looked very unimpressed as Jason lifted his daughter up keeping her back from the loud mouth woman. Emily went to her brother and kissed him on the cheek before hugging Robin and Dillon warmly, "I'm sorry you guys." She told them, "She's in a particularly miserable mood tonight."

"What else is new?" Dillon commented. "Mother, why do you insist on embarrassing yourself with your constant bitching?"

"Well now if it isn't my son and his other family." Tracy remarked coldly. "How are you dear? Ready to come home before you get shot because of him? Jason dear." She spoke loud and slowly as she addressed Jason, still unable to understand that Jason's brain damage didn't mean he couldn't understand her. She annoyed him, he rolled his eyes and Robin gripped his hand. "How are you?"

Abby clung to her father and glared at Tracy, remembering instantly how Robin had referred to her as the Wicked Witch of Port Charles. "Why do you talk like that?" She questioned coldly. Sometimes she was so much like Jason that Robin could only shake her head. Abby didn't like Tracy from the first moment she met her, not that Robin blamed her. Most people didn't like Tracy and Jason was at the top of the list, he couldn't stand the woman for even 5 minutes.

Jason shifted Abby in his arms and smirked almost proudly, "Because Tracy is a little slow." He explained to his daughter. When it seemed as though she was about to turn her volatile temper to Robin, Jason put his daughter down and stepped forward, "Don't even think about it." He told her sternly. "You have 2 options right now Tracy, either sit down and shut up or ride your broom stick back to the mansion and pout. Either way, no one here wants to hear anything you have to say."

Tracy seethed and walked out of the restaurant much to everyones relief. Robin rummaged through her purse and produced a dollar bill, she handed it to Abby and muttered, "Bitch." as she looked over her shoulder to make sure Tracy was gone.

"Mommy." Abby scolded even as her mother paid the fine for cursing.

"Sorry sweetie, sometimes mommy can't help it. Your daddy is a bad influence on me." Robin explained before sighing. "Sorry about that Emily."

"No, it's not your fault. Come on, sit down. Dad said he'd try to stop by if his meeting ends soon enough." Emily explained.

Monica took Abby by the hand and led her to the table that had been setup for them. "That's a pretty dress sweetie."

"Thank you." Abby replied, she adored Monica, the only grandmother that she had and whom spoiled her shamelessly at every chance. Abby knew if she sat and behaved long enough she would be rewarded with some sort of treat from her grandmother.

Emily hooked her arm through Jason's and beamed proudly, "So look at you, all clean, you even shaved." She hugged him again, "Thanks for coming out Jason, I know you don't like places like this."

"Are you kidding? Seeing Tracy make a fool of herself in public, it's dinner and a show, what's not to love?" He replied jokingly which even caused Dillon to laugh.

"So I guess everyone is wondering what's up?" Emily asked as they sat down. Monica bounced Abby on her knee and smiled at her adoringly, taking great joy in spending a bit of time with her granddaughter. "Since I doubt dad is going to get here, I'll just have to tell him later but." She smiled brightly, "I sort of have a job lined up for when I'm done my internship." She announced.

Monica looked at her seriously, "I thought you wanted to work at General Hospital."

Emily shook her head, "If I do that, everyone will think it's just because of you and dad. I need to make a name for myself before I even consider working there. I'm going to volunteer to be a part of Doctors without Boarders."

"So you won't be getting paid?" Dillon asked.

"No, but I don't want to be a doctor to make money." Emily explained honestly and as a Quartermaine she really didn't need it. "I want to help people and this way I can see some amazing places and make a real difference."

"That's a little dangerous isn't it Em?" Monica questioned protectively.

"It can be but that's the point. I can go help people that otherwise wouldn't have access to medical supplies and real doctors. I'm going to Africa."

Robin smiled at her sister in law proudly and nodded her approval, "Just be careful alright?"

"Jase, what do you think?" Emily asked her older brother.

Jason looked at her and replied casually, "If it's what you want to do than go for it. Like Robin said, just be careful." He wasn't thrilled about his kid sister being so far away but Jason was never one to tell her or anyone else what to do. Emily was a grown woman now, if she wanted to go then he would wish her luck and wait patiently for her to come home again when she was ready.

"Mom?" Emily looked at her mother for approval.

"You'll write? And call when you can?" Monica asked seriously.

"All the time." She promised.

Monica frowned, she didn't want her youngest child so far away but Emily wasn't a little girl anymore. She nodded, giving Emily the go ahead, "I'll miss you while you're gone."

"When you get back you'll have to tell us all about it." Robin added.

"Ok, so that's my news. Let's eat! I'm starving." Emily laughed

Leo Sorel watched the family have dinner from a secluded corner of the restaurant wanting to see how Jason interacted with them. In his mind he had made Jason out to be some inhuman creature but seeing him there with his family broke that image. Sorel saw that even Jason Morgan had vulnerabilities, and his family was a major one. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his cell phone, I want you to continue keeping an eye on the lovely Mrs. Morgan and the child. He instructed whoever was at the other end of the line.

He smirked as he watched them. Jason Morgan really did seem to have the perfect little family there with him. A beautiful wife, an adorable daughter and another child on the way. It was a portrait that any man especially the extremely powerful and conceded mafia type would be proud of. Robin Scorpio seemed made for that type of lifestyle. She was clearly strong and very dignified. She was the type of woman a man would never feel the need to stray from. She had been around the mob for so long that it was obvious she knew how things worked and was obviously protective of her family. Even when other restaurant patrons whispered as the family came in Robin held her head high and stood by Jason like the gracious wife she was. Jason, as much as he resisted running the business was extremely capable of heading things if anything ever happened to Sonny or if he decided to take another extended hiatus from the mob lifestyle.

Knowing Jason, he would move his family into the safety of the penthouse fortress and Robin would do so without much complaint. She would uphold the tradition of mob wife while keeping her own identity intact which most women could never pull off with success. It was clear that Robin wasn't an extension of Jason, they were equals in every way possible. Sorel studied the family as closely as he could from his spot.

"Are you 2 going to find out if it's a boy or a girl?" Emily asked casually from across the table as Jason put his arm on the back of Robin's chair.

He suddenly felt like someone was watching them. It probably shouldn't have been so unusual considering Tracy's little pre-dinner outburst but it felt like something more. He looked around and didn't notice anyone specifically. "It's up to Robin." He answered after a moment. "The nursery is painted yellow so I guess were ready for a boy or a girl."

"Well a boy, you could always have plenty of fun teaching about your motorcycle." Monica replied.

"He does that with Abby already." Robin laughed as she thought about all of the afternoons she came home from Med School to find Jason and Abby in the driveway or the garage working on his bike. Jason explained the parts to Abby and she retrieved his tools for him savoring their time alone together and finding deep fascination in the big motorcycle which Jason promised to take her on when she was a bit bigger because Robin was too nervous about it to let Abby go for a ride just yet.

"What do you think Abby? Do you think a brother would be a nice change?" Monica asked her granddaughter.

Abby shrugged, "Sure."

"What about a sister?" Dillon asked her. "Someone to play dolls with when she's bigger."

"Sure." Abby repeated.

"What about a pony?" Jason laughed.

"Yeah!" Abby answered excitedly. "When I'm bigger right mommy?"

"Maybe sweet pea." Robin replied, giving Jason a glance and shaking her head.

Abby was completely nonchalant about the whole idea of having a little brother or sister. She was excited in the beginning but now, 6 months later, the novelty was wearing off and she couldn't quite wrap her mind about what it would mean to have a new baby around. Part of Robin suspected that Abby was possibly a little jealous already so she made a point to spend some extra time with her daughter reassuring her that both Jason and herself would still love her just as much and that things wouldn't be all that different. Their family would just get a little bigger.

"How about you Robin? Any preference?" Monica asked.

"Healthy. That's my only preference." Robin told her. Naturally when Robin found out she was pregnant again her first thought after the shock wore away was for Jason's health and the babies. Jason was being tested for HIV regularly and the results continued to come up negative every 2 months. Alan and Dr. Meadows monitored Robin's health closely and told her all of the statistics she already knew from her first pregnancy.

The baby was protected inside Robin even from her HIV status. The human body was a remarkable thing, especially a pregnant one. The baby would have the HIV anti-bodies from Robin but even without medical treatment the odds of Robin transmitting the virus weren't as high as once believed. There was a 20% chance of transmitting without medical treatment when Abby was born and Robin was so thankful that her daughter was born in perfect health aside from being a little premature but since then there had been a few advances in the defense against the virus.

Robin's viral load was still remarkably low and nearly undetectable which helped the original odds greatly and Dr. Meadows working with Alan and an HIV specialist administered a new treatment to Robin during her first trimester. A shot that further reduced the chances of the baby having HIV by enhancing Robin's own resistance thus making the odds less than 5%. Robin still had her moments of anxiousness about it but Jason was always there to calm her and reassure her that everything would be fine. Their baby would be healthy and nothing would harm their family.

That night Jason came into his bedroom in a pair of low slung shorts and watched as his wife ran a brush through her dark hair getting ready for bed. God she was sexy, wearing his dress shirt from earlier that evening because it smelled like him. It was big on her, even with her stomach, it still managed to hang down to her mid thigh. As he looked at her it occurred to Jason that she was wearing a shirt very similar to that the night she told him she was pregnant.

Robin waited until Jason was asleep before she had the nerve to take the pregnancy test. She was worried but didn't want to admit it. She slipped out of their bed and pulled on his shirt before going down the hall to do the test. It was late, there wasn't a sound in the entire house and she was worried that she would wake Jason up. Thank God Abby was spending the night at Uncle Mac's. If the test was negative then she wouldn't even have to mention it to anyone. If it was positive, well Robin didn't know what would happen then. She had just started working full time at General Hospital, obviously this wasn't ideal. She and Jason hadn't even discussed having another child, not to mention the obvious risks involved in doing so.

She set the test on the counter and looked at her watch. It was the longest 5 minutes of her life next to the day she found out she was pregnant with Abby. Except when she found out she was pregnant with Abby she was across the ocean in Paris, alone while Jason lived in Port Charles with Carly. Just like that first time Robin kept thinking about Jason's health. What if she had passed her HIV onto him? She would never be able to live with herself. Or what if the baby had it? This really wasn't the sort of thing she should have been doing alone. Robin realized that within seconds of taking the stupid test. She checked her watch every 30 seconds but time was moving so slowly. She was worrying herself and began to pace as she waited for the results.

Robin knew that she was just setting herself up for every worst case scenario. Jason was never worried about HIV, that was Robin's department. She knew the statistics about HIV positive pregnancies and as long as she took care of herself things should be fine for the baby. And Jason was so good with Abby, it wasn't like he would be upset in the very least about Robin being pregnant. The timing was just a little off, then again, was it ever really right? Abby wasn't planned and she was the best thing to ever happen to Robin.

When time was finally up Robin read the results and doubled checked the instructions on the box before padding down the hall to her bedroom in bare feet and only Jason's button down shirt. Even though she had read the results she couldn't fully comprehend them, her mind was too cluttered and it looked as though she would need to wake her husband if for no other reason then she needed confirmation. She knelt on the bed and put her hand on Jason's shoulder, hesitantly trying to wake him.

"Jase." She whispered softly.

"Hmm?" He rolled onto his back but still wasn't really awake. With Abby gone they had, had a late night, he was exhausted and pretty much dead to the world at that point.

Robin bit her lower lip and tried again, "Jason wake up baby please wake up."

He sighed and finally opened his eyes, "What's wrong?" He asked her as he stroked her cheek. Robin looked entirely serious and when she saw her he was then fully awake. She pulled his arm so he would sit up. "Robin, what is it?" He could see tears in her eyes and it worried him. She held the box out to him and Jason took it, not sure exactly what it was at first. "Oh." Was all he could manage to say at first. "Did you take it already?" Robin nodded and Jason looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "And?"

Robin retrieved the test which she had placed on the bedside table and handed it to Jason, letting him read the results. Jason put his free hand on Robin's leg reassuringly as he turned on a lamp next to the bed and read the box quickly then looked at the test itself. A weight was lifted off of Robin's shoulders when she saw a smile creep across Jason's lips before he looked back to her.

"You're pregnant." Robin couldn't tell if Jason was asking her or telling her. Jason didn't even know Robin suspected she was pregnant. She didn't have morning sickness yet and other than feeling a little tired she seemed completely normal. But obviously Robin would notice any changes before he would. He dropped the test and pulled Robin into his arms, kissing her lovingly. She relaxed and suddenly felt just as happy as he clearly was about it.

"So this is good?" She asked as she looked up at Jason.

He smiled and laughed a little, "Robin, this is amazing." He kissed her over and over again, "You're amazing."

She looked at him and smiled softly, "How many stories did you have to read before she finally fell asleep?"

"3." Jason answered as he went to his wife and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck as soon as he got close enough to do so. "God, I missed you so much." He told her.

"Good." Robin replied smugly. Jason cradled her face in his hands and kissed her lovingly. "I missed you too." She admitted when his lips finally came away from her own. Jason let his hands skim down Robin's body to her thighs, letting his fingertips trail across her exposed legs.

He kissed her again more deeply then before. "I hate being away from you." He whispered as he kissed along her jaw and neck.

"Are you sure, Abby is asleep?" Robin asked softly as Jason began unbuttoning the shirt she was wearing.

"Positive." He replied before kissing her with more intensity. He let one hand touch Robin's stomach as he moved her towards the bed. She was lucky with Jason, he made her feel even more beautiful while she was getting bigger while many women became self-conscious when they gained weight while pregnant. It didn't make Jason want her any less and in fact it possibly made him want her more. Making love to Robin felt different since she became pregnant and he couldn't get enough of her whenever they were alone. She was the woman he loved and she was carrying his child, there was nothing sexier than knowing that.

The photographer reported in to Sorel at his personal office and handed over a stack of photographs in a large yellow envelope. "They rarely have guards on them. The husband doesn't seem too worried about their safety." He informed his employer. He didn't really know who he was following nor did he care for their names. They were just another assignment. He was detached from it. He took his pictures, wrote his little notes and reported back whatever he found.

"Of course not. Corinthos runs this city, no one is bold enough to attack his family or Morgans." Sorel replied more to himself than his employee. "He's destroyed all of the competition up until now."

Unmoved the photographer continued his explanation, "There's no strict routine. While the husband was gone the woman took their daughter to school every morning and picked her up every afternoon. A teenage boy lives on the property in an apartment above the garage. He's out most of the time and shouldn't be a problem for you."

"Good." Sorel stated. "What else?" He flipped through the photographs and stopped at one of Robin leaving the hospital. She didn't seem to know she was being watched as she put her things into the backseat of her car while talking to someone on a cell. The next picture showed her with her hand on her stomach, seemingly ending the call. There was only one picture in the stack of the entire family together.

Jason had his arm around Robin with Abby at his other side, while Michael held onto Sonny's hand standing nearby. Jason and Sonny were speaking to each other while Robin looked up at her husband.

"Where was this taken?"

The photographer looked at the picture and replied, "A local diner called Kelly's. They had lunch there and it's the only time the husband had guards around his family specifically."

"They weren't his?" Sorel asked gesturing the Sonny.

"No, he had his own. 2 showed up at the cottage before the family went out. The next day the husband was gone, didn't get back until the other night."

"So the key was to get to Jason's family when Sonny wasn't around. Well that could be arranged." Sorel smirked and nodded his approval. "Keep an eye on them."

The weekend passed without much of anything really happening. Robin took Abby to church on Sunday and afterwards, she changed into her play clothes and helped Jason in the garage while Robin rested. Brenda called Sunday afternoon to say that she would be coming to visit in a few days, and Robin informed Jason who only shrugged and went back to working on his bike. He didn't mind Brenda most of the time, and he felt that on some level he still owed her for calming him down when he first found out about Abby being his daughter. At first he was out of his mind and it was Brenda who managed to reason with him and convince him that it was in everyones best interests especially Abby's if he calmed down and thought things through rationally. Because of that Jason managed to become a part of his daughter's life and ultimately get Robin back when he had almost lost them both forever.

Robin fell asleep on the couch and when Jason came in as the sun set, he sent Abby upstairs to wash up before he carried Robin up to bed.

"Daddy." Abby whispered from the door way as Jason set Robin down.

"Yeah Abby?" He replied as he went to her and led her away from the bedroom so they wouldn't wake Robin up.

"Mommy is ok right?" she asked quite seriously.

"Of course she is Abby. Your mom is just really tired. It takes a lot of energy having a baby inside of her." Jason explained. He looked at his young daughter and could tell something was troubling her. He took her into the bathroom and drew her a bath before taking her ponytail out and combing her hair. "What's wrong Abby?"

She wouldn't look to her father at first, seemingly debating if she wanted to tell him anything at all very much the way Robin often did when something was bothering her. "Uncle Sonny said that when his friend Stone died he slept a lot first." She finally admitted. That was just Sonny, he meant well in telling Abby about Stone but sometimes the details were a little much for her. It was one thing to talk about someone she didn't know that had the illness, it wouldn't have had such an affect on most children but Abby knew that Robin had HIV, she understood more and more what that meant because Robin didn't hide things from her child and because her understanding was increasing so were her questions. Knowing that Stone had gotten sick and slept a lot made Abby nervous when her mother seemed to sleep a lot as well. And he had what mommy has right?

Jason helped Abby take off her t-shirt and sighed, "Abby, what Stone had was a little different." He knew that trying to explain the technical differences between AIDS and HIV would be too much for Abby just yet. It was best to just keep the facts as simple as possible so as not to confuse her but sometimes it was difficult. "He was sick and your mommy isn't. When Stone became sick there wasn't medicine for him but your mom, she takes those pills everyday so she can stay healthy. She's not going to die honey." Abby didn't seem completely convinced. "Abby, I know that for a long time it was just you and your mom, and all you had was each other but you've got me too now. Your mom and I are both going to be with you for a very, very long time. But if God forbid anything ever happens to your mom, then you and me, we'll get through it together. And if anything happens to me then your mom, she'll take care of you."

"I don't want you or mommy to ever die." She told him as she climbed into the bath and instantly became submerged in a sea of white form bubbles.

Jason wet his daughters hair and wondered what brought on these questions and thoughts about death. "Abby, why are you asking all this?"

"Michael's mommy died." She stated quite suddenly which left Jason speechless for a moment.

Yes, Carly died. According to the autopsy report Jagger's bullet had been the fatal one. He had killed her in while rescuing Robin with Jason. Michael didn't know that nor did Abby. Carly had kidnapped Robin and tried to kill her and it cost her, her own life because there had been no other alternative. Jason didn't know Abby had been told about then but then again of course Michael would still speak of his mother fondly even though it had been almost 2 years since all of that had happened.

Now how was Jason supposed to explain this one to his daughter? Robin was so much better at fielding this stuff and putting Abby at ease. "Here, wash your hair." Jason instructed as he thought and handed Abby a bottle of shampoo. "Michael's mother was. She."

"Sick." Abby stated as she soaped her hair and scrubbed. That was how Sonny explained it. Carly had been sick and she had died. Of course when Sonny said it, he meant that mentally Carly was ill. Jason knew that was the way Sonny had explained it to his son.

"But not like your mom." Jason explained. "Your mom has a virus but she takes medicine and she's healthy, she's explained all of this to you Abby. Michael's mother was different. She didn't want help and..."

Abby nodded, "She died." Her tone was very matter of fact when she said it. "But mommy won't die?"

"Not for a very long time." He assured her. "Rinse off." He stated motioning to her hair. "You finish up in here while I go grab a towel ok?" Abby nodded and sunk under the water quickly. Jason went into the hall and patted Buster on the head as the large dog wagged it's tail, "Go check on Robin." He instructed the dog who immediately went down the hall into the master bedroom to inspect his sleeping owner before returning his tail wagging even more. "Good boy." Jason scratched behind the dogs ear before returning to Abby to get her out of the tub.

The entire house was silent as Robin sat up in bed. Instantly she could sense that something was wrong. She got up and found her robe, pulling it on as she headed into the hallway. For some reason Buster wasn't sleeping in the hall where he usually was. Robin peered over the railing along the top of the stairs but didn't see him sleeping on the mid point landing either. The bathroom window was open for some reason and the wind blew in sending the curtains flying. She closed the window and looked around. What wasn't right here? Her eyes wondered to Abby's bedroom door, half closed so Buster could go in and check on her periodically through the night.

She pushed the door open and her heart stopped when she didn't find Abby in her bed sleeping. Robin felt a pain in her chest as a wave of alarm took over every rational part of her brain. She ran down the stairs frantically searching for Abby but couldn't find her anywhere. Not in the living room, not in the dinning room or the kitchen. The back door was wide open and Robin's legs gave out. "Abby." She whispered weakly as she fell to her knees. "Abby!"

She saw a large dirt shoe-print near the door and a tiny handprint on the wall, it was red.

"Abby!" Robin gasped as she sat up in bed, the room completely dark. She was disoriented and her body was shaking. "Abby no."

"Robin, what is it?" Jason asked having been startled from his sleep by her suddenly.

Robin didn't answer. She was too upset to think straight let alone explain. She threw back the blanket and jumped out of bed. Jason could tell that Robin was on the verge of tears and quickly got up to go after her. Robin had to steady herself with one hand on the wall as she went to Abby's room. The bathroom window was open and Robin's heart froze. "Where was Buster? "

Jason caught a hold of her and pulled her back. "Jason, let go." Robin insisted emotionally. "Someone took her, they came in and took her." She explained frantically.

"Robin calm down. No one took Abby." He tried to tell her as she struggled to get free so she could look for Abby.

"She needs me!" Robin insisted. "He took her!"

"Who?" Jason questioned.

Robin stopped and shook her head, "I don't know." Tears rolled down her cheeks then and she looked completely lost, almost as though she didn't even know how she had gotten into the hall.

"Robin, listen to me. You had a nightmare. Abby is in bed and if you go in there like this and wake her up you'll upset her and yourself even more." Jason reasoned sternly. He pulled Robin to his arms and felt her cry against him. "It's ok baby just breathe it's ok." He soothed her calmly

The nightmare had seemed so real somehow. Robin's emotions were in high gear because this pregnancy but this was the worst it had gotten so far. She seemed convinced that Abby was in trouble even though Jason continued to reassure her that Abby was fine, she was safe in her bed. Once he managed to calm Robin a bit, he pushed Abby's bedroom door open and let Robin see for herself that their daughter was alright.

"See, she's fine." He told his wife gently as he wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks. "I will go and check every lock in the house if you want and double check the alarm but no one is going to get in here and take Abby, I promise you."

"I want my daughter." Robin stated seriously. He knew the determined look in Robin's eyes well, there was no swaying her or calming her fears any further. She needed to be with Abby and even Jason wasn't going to keep her at bay.

Jason nodded and walked Robin into the room. She sat on the edge of Abby's bed and stroked her hair as the child slept. She would spend the next couple of hours just sitting, watching protectively over Abby if Jason let her. He knew that sometimes Robin just needed to be left to calm down on her own. He went and checked the locks and the alarm system. Everything was fine and the property was quiet. Robin would realize that soon enough and wear herself out again. She was a mother, it was her duty to worry and be fiercely protective of her child.

"You must think I'm out of my mind." Robin stated when she felt Jason watching her from Abby's doorway.

He shook his head, "I think you were scared and needed to see for yourself that Abby is alright." Buster came to Jason's side looking sleepy after having followed Jason up the stairs. Even the dog seemed confused and tired but he could sense that something wasn't quite right and was obediently checking the premises and surveying that his owners his family were all secure.

She looked at him and frowned, "I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to her Jason."

Jason put his hands on Robin's shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Come on." He moved Robin out of the way carefully and picked Abby up without waking her, taking the small girl with them to her parents bedroom. Robin wouldn't get any sleep if she sat up all night watching Abby so the only alternative Jason could think of was to take Abby into their room where Robin could lay down and hopefully relax.

Abby was at school the next day and Robin was working at General Hospital when Jason went to see Sonny to discuss business and a few personal things. "You don't look like you slept all night." Sonny commented when Jason came into the penthouse.

"I didn't." He admitted. "Robin had a nightmare about someone taking Abby and she got herself all worked up. By the time she finally calmed down and got some sleep, I was too busy watching her and worrying about the baby."

"Alright, well then I won't keep you long. Maybe you can get a nap before Abby gets done school today." Sonny replied. "We do however have a problem. Someone is trying to creep in on our territory."

"Who?"

"I don't know yet." Sonny admitted. "But we'll find out and have it taken care of. Did the meetings in Seattle go alright?"

"It was fine." Jason replied. "No fighting, some trades but nothing you and I didn't discuss before I left. The families out there shouldn't be any trouble."

"Good." Sonny nodded and wrote something down. "Now back to your wife. How is she really holding up? Whenever I ask I just get the standard Sonny you worry too much, I'm fine response."

"She has an appointment with Dr. Meadows tomorrow. But she's really ok. Emotional but alright in general. Alan makes sure Robin doesn't work too hard but you know how she is. Robin can't sit still for more than 5 minutes, there's always something to do or take care of."

"And she has to be the one to take care of it." Sonny added with a sigh. "She's always been like that. But everything is alright with the baby?"

"Right on track." Jason confirmed. "We have to decide tomorrow if were going to find out if it's a boy or a girl, I told Robin it's up to her. But everyone else really wants to know."

Sonny chuckled, he wanted to know just as much as everyone else. "Well it's easier for us all to buy presents to spoil this new baby with in advance if we know whether to buy trucks or dolls." He patted Jason on the back, "Go get some sleep man."

"Do you want me to try to find out who's trying to move in on the territory?" Jason asked.

"No, you just got home the other day. I'll make sure it's taken care of, I just wanted to keep you informed." Sonny explained. "If I need you, I'll call."

The next day Robin was finishing up her shift before her appointment with Dr. Meadows. It was just a routine check up, but Robin knew that any day now Dr. Meadows would have her restricted to maternity leave as a safety precaution for both mother and child. She was finishing up with a young patient when he arrived on the floor. Just like the previous time he was in a finely tailored dark suit and for a moment he watched Robin.

The young boy Robin was tended too looked up at her as though he adored her. It wasn't the usual fearful look children usually had with doctors. He was calm and at ease with her as she put her hand on his arm gently.

"Now you have to remind your mom and dad that you need to take your antibiotics every morning before breakfast and every night before bed or it's going to take a long time for the stomach bug to go away." She explained to him rather than to his parents, so he would get to feel more grown up and less intimidated. She produced a lollipop from her pocket and gave it to him with a wink, before he headed out with his parents.

Robin looked at her watch, knowing Jason would show up anytime now. That was when she noticed the man from the other day. She took a breath, almost as though bracing herself as he approached.

"Not working too hard I hope Doctor." Sorel smiled in his most charming way.

"You're back again." She replied her tone somewhere between apprehension and surprise. She wasn't at all impressed by him, it was apparent that he was trying to win her over for some reason, but it wasn't working. There was something about him that Robin didn't trust, not since he used her first name without being told what it was.

"Aww yes, another visit to my friend this afternoon." He explained. "I'm new to town. I don't know many people, just this one." He moved his hand in the air, gesturing casually at nothing and no one in particular. Sorel had hoped to continue this little game longer, he wasn't there to see any patient, he was there to test how close he could get to Robin before she backed away defensively.

"I see." Robin stated as she went to walk past him but he continued speaking to hold her there.

"And how is the baby?" He questioned, rather pleased to see how easily he accomplished making Robin nervous in his presence.

Robin placed her hand on her stomach, "Fine thank you." He once again closed the distance between them but Robin didn't budge this time. She didn't know if he just had little respect for personal space or if maybe he was trying to intimidate her. Even though he was having the latter effect, Robin wasn't willing to let it show or at least she was going to do her best to conceal it. When a hand came around her side, Robin flinched but realized instantly that it was Jason. She placed her free hand over his and watched him stare at the strange man with deep mistrust.

Sorel's smile seemed to grow when he set eyes on Jason. "Are you ready?" Jason asked finally looking to Robin seemingly ignoring the other mans presence.

"Yeah, just let me get my purse and sign out." Robin replied. She noticed the look that Jason gave the man and it made her both cautious and curious. Something was going on, and she didn't know what it was. It was as though the 2 knew each other somehow but she knew better than to ask too many questions, unless she and Jason were alone, so she stepped away from him and went to retrieve her things as he stayed where he was, once again looking directly at the other man.

"You look nervous Mr. Morgan." Sorel commented rather smugly. He fully expected Jason to know who he was which was why he had kept a low profile to begin with. But that soon became boring, which was at least half of his reason for going near Robin in the first place. It made things interesting, and knowing that it would put Jason on edge, was an added plus. Sorel knew that it wasn't easy to get to Jason Morgan but Robin was a sure fire way to accomplish that. The man was protective of his family, and rightfully so but unlike most men, Jason was far more capable of acting on his urge to resort to violence when he felt threatened.

There were several people around, patients, visitors and staff. Jason wasn't going to do anything rash but it was obvious he had recognized Sorel instantly. As soon as he stepped off of the elevator, and saw the man near Robin, Jason's body tensed and he was at her side protectively. If there was any chance that Sorel hadn't known who Robin was up until that point, Jason wanted to make sure to send the message loud and clear. She was not to be touched or involved in anything business related. And until that moment, Jason thought he and Sonny had done well keeping the business away from Port Charles. Actually, they didn't have business with Leo Sorel, which made Jason all the more cautious. What was he doing in Port Charles? No, it didn't really matter, Jason just wanted him gone.

"If I catch you coming near my wife again." Jason cautioned as he stepped forward, "I'll put you in the ground next to your dead brother."

Jason began walking away from Sorel when he called to him again, "Tell me Mr. Morgan, who will protect your family once you're gone?"

Robin reappeared and took hold of Jason's arm. She began speaking to Sorel but Jason didn't understand whatever she was saying, but it was obvious she had heard that last comment from the stranger. Italian was just one of the languages that Robin could speak fluently without so much as a second thought, and she was putting it to good use. She had spent the first years of her life in that country, and she wanted Sorel to know that she wasn't some dumb mob wife.

"Li desidero rimanere via dalla mia famiglia." (Stay away from my family) Her tone was stern as she spoke to him. With Jason by her side, she wasn't as easily intimidated by the stranger in front of her.

Sorel smirked and almost openly laughed. If Robin thought she could surprise him like that, than she was mistaken. He knew about her past, just as much as he could find in fact. But he was impressed by the way she held herself up and showed no fear. "Non appena una faccia che bella vedo." (Not just a beautiful face I see). He seemed to look Robin over again as though he was increasingly impressed by her or maybe it was more like intrigued, the women he knew would never speak up or bark orders the way Robin seemed more than willing to do. "Conoscete chi sono?" (Do you know who I am?) Robin didn't answer his question and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow before shaking his head with a smirk, "La famiglia è importante noi entrambi." (Family is important to us both)

Even though Jason had been to Italy several times, he couldn't mentally translate whatever it was that she had said, before she gave his hand a tug, signally that she wanted to leave. Jason kissed Robin's hand as he kept his eyes on Sorel, refusing to back down from the rival mobster. Sorel had made a fatal mistake by going near Robin, and he would be dealt with for it but not with Robin standing right there and Sorel knew that, in a way Robin was his protection while standing there in the middle of GH without any visible guards lurking in the wings.

Sorel said something back to Robin which caused her eyes to narrow on him as though she was preparing to strike out. "Soggiorno giusto via." (Just stay away) She ordered coldly.

"Non sono quello che metta la vostra famiglia nel pericolo." (I am not the one that puts your family in danger) He spoke as though it was meant to sound like a reminded as he motioned to Jason. Robin gripped Jason hand tightly and practically pulled him away, not willing to listen to anymore.

"Has he come near you before?" Jason questioned almost angrily as soon as they were alone. Robin looked at him but didn't say a word as she pressed the elevator button. "Robin answer me."

She looked up at him again crossed her arms, "Who is he?" Jason clenched his jaw and looked away from her for a moment. "You obviously know who he is, and you don't like him. I get it. I'm not supposed to ask a lot of questions but this time I'm not going to play by the rules. Start talking NOW." She ordered bluntly. "He was here the other day." She finally answered his first question knowing that he wouldn't answer her unless she did so first.

"He's Joseph Sorel's brother and his successor." Jason told her. "He's not supposed to be here in Port Charles, let alone coming anywhere near you."

"Well apparently he didn't get that memo." She remarked sarcastically.

"What did he say to you?" He questioned.

"It doesn't matter. I told him to stay away." She answered, obviously more than a little angry herself over the whole thing.

Jason reached for her and pulled Robin into his arms. "Did he threaten you?" He asked her quietly. Robin shook her head no but didn't say another word. "If he comes near you again, Robin you have to tell me and Sonny. It's important."

"Ok." She agreed but Jason could tell that Robin was still angry. Since they had gotten back together, he had been careful to keep the business as far from their family as possible and now one of his enemies was coming near Robin and showing no fear in doing so.

"Come on, let's get your checked out." He stated as the elevator doors opened to the maternity warn. He kissed Robin's hand and she relaxed a little as they headed to their appointment.

Dr. Meadows started her routine exam of Robin while Jason in the hall calling Sonny to report what had happened. "Is there something on your mind Robin?" Her doctor asked calmly.

"Hmm? No, it's nothing." Robin replied as she tore her eyes from the door. Clearly she was waiting for Jason to come in and wouldn't relax until he did so. She knew he was talking to Sonny, she knew that there had to be some sort of problem that was business related and she didn't like it one bit.

"Your blood pressure is a little high." The doctor commented. "Stress?"

"Maybe a little." She admitted just before Jason finally came into the room and took to her side.

Jason kissed Robin's temple and put his hand on her lower back, before looking to Dr. Meadows, "Is everything alright with Robin and the baby?"

Dr. Meadows nodded, "You can see for yourself in a moment Jason, I'm about to start the ultrasound. Robin lay down please."

Jason took a seat next to the exam table, and held Robin's hand as the doctor set up the ultrasound. "Robin, I want you to start taking it easy. You and the baby need to rest especially since there were complications with Abby." Jason rubbed Robin's hand as Dr. Meadows spoke. Abby was born almost a month early and Robin was alone in Paris at the time. It happened in the middle of the night, she was rushed to the hospital for an emergency C-section. Luke and Laura Spencer had both intended to be there for Robin but because of the unexpected timing, they couldn't make it in time, still Robin named both of them Abby's Godparents and they dotted on the little girl constantly whenever they visited until Laura became sick.

"And there's your baby." Dr. Meadows smiled softly and motioned to the monitor displaying a blurry black and white image of their child. "Everything looks good so far but I want to see you again in a week, just to make sure your blood pressure goes down."

"How high is it?" Jason asked with concern.

Dr. Meadows shook her head, "Not very, I just want to keep an eye on her to make sure it doesn't get any higher. Robin needs to take it easy for herself and the baby, which I know can be easier said than done sometimes." She looked to Robin, "No heavy lifting, sit as much as possible and just keep taking excellent care of yourself like you have been." It was obvious that Robin wasn't really paying attention to her doctor, she was too busy staring at the image of her child on the screen. "Well would the 2 of you like to know if you're having a boy or a girl?"

Jason kissed Robin's forehead and smiled at her as she finally looked up at him. "It's your call." He told her softly. "Did you find out with Abby?"

"No, I waited." She explained honestly. But the truth was that when Robin was pregnant with Abby, she was too afraid to find out. Robin was pregnant, alone and terrified that her baby would be born HIV positive. She envisioned every worst case scenario that could happen and until the doctors placed Abby in her arms and told her that the baby seemed perfectly healthy Robin had been detached from everything in general she didn't have her mother, or Brenda, or even Sonny, she sure as hell didn't have Jason there at the time and it was all so overwhelming and frightening to be going through alone. She was afraid of knowing too much then in case she lost Abby but thank God her daughter was perfect and healthy and Robin was finally able to relax a little. Of course, she didn't really tell Jason any of that even now years later because she knew he felt more than enough guilt over not being there as it was. "Jase, I want to know." She admitted which caused Jason to smile and nodded. With Brenda coming soon, Robin would be able to have some fun shopping for more baby things and it would help to know if they were having a boy or a girl.

"You realize if it's another girl than, I've officially been put in your Uncle Mac's position." Jason teased as Dr. Meadows smiled and shook her head. She had known Mac for years and she knew that Robin's Uncle was driven crazy by his girls, but he loved all 3 of them deeply.

"Alright, ready for the news?" She asked them. Robin nodded and Jason kissed her hand again. "You're going to have a son Jason."

Robin watched the proud smile form on Jason's mouth as he nodded trying to seem completely casual about it. She knew the look in his eyes, Jason was ecstatic. He adored Abby but he would be looking forward to having a son now as well.

"I love you." Jason whispered to Robin before kissing her full on the mouth.

"Family can be a source of strength but also weakness." Sorel explained calmly as he leaned back in his large chair with a smug grin on his face. "For Jason Morgan a single threat to his family could be enough to break him. I want you to make sure he gets the message loud and clear. Either he and Corinthos back down or they'll lose everything systematically."

"How do you want it done?" A voice replied from the speakerphone on his dark wood desk.

Sorel folded his hand and brought them pointedly to his chin as he thought it through. "Morgan has given his wife a false sense of security. Remind her of that. Do not hurt her or their children. Morgan is the one I want hurt but not physically. My family was destroyed, now his will be too and it will be his own fault. If there's one thing Corinthos as taught the young man, it's that sooner or later you'll lose it all." He paused for a moment and leaned forward, "This will be the most important job you have ever done for me and far more dangerous than anything my dead brother ever had you do. You understand?

"You're making it well worth the risk." The voice replied.

"My photographer will call you to let you know when they arrive home. I want you to open fire. This is the warning, the bait. Do not harm the woman or the girl. In fact, I don't want the girl present when you strike." Sorel insisted sternly."

"Anything else?"

"Don't mess it up." He stated before disconnecting the call.

He stood and walked away from his desk to a dark, dirty window as the sun was setting. Placing his hands into his pockets he smirked. He knew that he had to move quickly now that Jason had seen him. He had to make Jason worry and fearful for Robin and Abby, and especially their unborn child. This was about more than territory but there was no getting around the fact that what Leo Sorel wanted most was to accomplish what his brother didn't. He wanted to destroy Jason and then Sonny by any means necessary.

Still, Sorel was a greedy man, destroying Jason wasn't enough. He wanted to completely ruin him in a way that Jason could never recover from. Part of him wanted to see if he could draw Robin away from his husband but in a single encounter he knew that it wouldn't be an option. Robin was too strong willed to be swayed. Together, Robin and Jason had a connection that would not be easily broken. Sorel knew he could never have everything he wanted. Not where Robin was concerned anyway. Robin was just too independent to stand next to Sorel and he saw it. Fine, he would give her a way out which she would have to take it willingly or be forced. Either way, Sorel was now determined to take Robin from Jason's life right along with their children, knowing that it was the one thing that could break his rival.

A knock on the office door tore Sorel from his thoughts. "I have the photographs you requested." His photographer stated seriously.

"Excellent." He replied. "Another one of my men will be getting in touch with you in time. I want you to assist him in any way necessary. Like you, he has a job to do and a purpose to serve." He looked to the other man. "Continue watching them."

Robin wasn't surprised to see Sonny waiting in their living room when they returned home from the hospital. He had a key and Jason had called him but there was some things that could only be discussed in person.

"Abby, let's go upstairs." Robin instructed calmly so her daughter wouldn't think there was something wrong. "You can visit with Uncle Sonny later but I want you to clean up your room first." She kissed Sonny on the cheek as she passed by him but the 2 didn't speak, nor did they have to. Robin knew that she and Abby needed to make themselves scarce and Sonny knew that he wouldn't even have to ask her to do so.

Abby looked at Robin strangely, "But it's not messy Mommy."

"Under the bed?" She questioned which ended any further debate because everyone knew that Abby had a bad habit of just shoving things under her bed instead of really cleaning up any of the mess. "Let's go, march missy."

Once Jason and Sonny were alone in the living room, Jason's body seemed too tense. "What are we going to do about this Sonny?" It was obvious just by looking at Jason that he was about the snap.

"If Sorel thinks he can move into Port Charles without a fight then he's got another thing coming to him. This is our territory and I won't allow him to push his product through." Sonny replied seriously. "And I sure as hell won't let him get away with going near Robin."

Jason clenched his jaw for a moment, "You let me handle that."

"No." Sonny told him bluntly. "We've been over this already Jason. You handle the business now and none of the messy stuff. You can't be getting blood on your hands anymore, not when you have a family that needs you."

"Are you saying that I'm just supposed to let this son of a bitch get away with approaching Robin?" Jason snapped crossly.

"No, but you let someone else handle this." Sonny told him. "Do you remember how hard it was the get rid of his brother? The Sorel's have been in this business for a very long time. This one isn't dumb, he knows what he's doing here and if you fly off the handle being he went near Robin, then he is going to move in on that weakness and exploit it."

Jason's temper quickly got the best of him and he snapped, "So help me God, Sonny if that son of a bitch comes near Robin again I'm going to-"

Sonny cut him off, "You're not going to do anything. Do you hear me man? I don't want you going after Leo Sorel. He's dangerous Jason, he'll fight dirty if he has to and you have too much to lose." He took his most stern tone with Jason as he spoke then, Sonny always was the only one that could ever get away with telling Jason what to do, or in this case, not do. Sonny wasn't shy about giving orders and he wasn't going to let Jason get out of control and lose everything because he didn't stop to think. Robin, Abby and the baby needed him there with them and Sonny knew that better than anyone.

"If you do something and end up in jail for it, where does that leave your family?" He questioned bluntly. "What is your wife supposed to tell your children when they ask where you are and why you're not with them? Do you think Abby is just going to welcome you into her life after you serve a 25 year prison sentence? You missed part of her life already for whatever reasons. Do you want to miss more of it? And what about the new baby?" Jason clenched his jaw and Sonny shook his head pointing at his partner then to stress his point. "Do NOT lose your cool Jason, not over this."

"Daddy!" Abby yelled from the top of the stays. "Come quick!" The fearful tone in her voice sent Jason running up the stairs with Sonny close behind.

"Abby what's wrong?" Jason asked as soon as he caught sight of her.

"Mommy." She grabbed hold of Jason's hand as she turned and ran to the bathroom, leading Jason and Sonny to the problem.

Robin stood, her elbows on the counter holding her head in her hands with water dripping from her face. She was pale and was breathing almost as though she had held her head underwater for a long time but that wasn't the case at all. Her head started spinning when she was washing her face and she nearly lost her balance. Abby saw and panicked, calling her father right away. Robin had her eyes closed when Jason put his hands on her sides.

"Baby what is it?" He asked her softly. "Robin." He carefully pulled her upright but Robin braced her hands on the counter. She was afraid that if she took a step, she would lose her balance and fall.

"I don't know." She shook her head. The feeling had come out of nowhere and left her feeling disoriented. Robin needed a moment to pull herself together before she would be able to make sense of it for herself let alone Jason.

"Sweetheart you need lay down." Sonny stated.

"Yeah, I think you're right." She replied weakly. Jason walked Robin to their bedroom keeping a protective grip on her every step of the way so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself or the baby. "I'm alright." She tried to tell him to no avail. "I just got a little lightheaded, really, it's alright Jase."

"Abby, will you take your Uncle Sonny downstairs and help him get a bottle of water for your mom?" Jason suggested because he wanted a moment alone with his wife. Seeing Robin like that visibly scared Jason, her health was constantly on his mind.

Sonny picked Abby up and carried her out when he saw that she wasn't about to walk out under her own will. "Come on honey, we'll be right back to see your mom." He promised her.

Jason made Robin lay down and smoothed her hair away from her face, "You're warm." He told her.

"Probably just from the water." She replied softly. "I'm ok Jason."

"Don't move alright? I'll be right back." He stated as he went to the bathroom to get a cool cloth to place on her forehead. The water in the sink was warm alright, hot in fact. Jason hadn't known Robin to let the water get so hot before. It must have stung her skin but she seemed too distracted to notice. Obviously her mind was else where while she filled the sink. He soaked a cloth with cold water and rang it out before pulling the stopper from the sink and returning to Robin. He placed the cloth on her head and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Robin took Jason's free hand and placed it on her stomach, "We're ok." She told him for what seemed like the tenth time. The baby kicked and Jason seemed to relax a little after feeling the movement.

"Has that happened before?" He asked her quite seriously.

"A few times. I told Dr. Meadows about it last week and it's normal. It sort of goes along with the whole morning sickness thing." Robin explained.

"It's not morning." He stated.

She smirked, "Yeah will if they called it 24-hour sickness, no one in their right mind would have kids." She put her hand on the side of Jason's face and made him look her in the eyes, "It's really nothing to get too alarmed over."

"It's because of your blood pressure isn't it?" Jason asked her.

"Probably." She answered. Robin wasn't about to admit even to Jason that she had been thinking about what had happened at the hospital with Sorel. That was why she hadn't noticed how hot the water had gotten. Her mind was miles away thinking about his words, his comment about not being the one to put her family in danger.

"You look really pale." He stated softly, "And Abby, she-"

"Worries too much just like you." Robin stated. "Sometimes she's so serious that I forget she's just a little girl. She gets that from you, it goes with those eyes of yours. But Jason, believe me when I tell you that I'm alright."

Jason shook his head, "I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm glad Bren will be here soon to watch out for you when I'm not here."

"I don't need a babysitter Jason." Robin told him as she sat up a bit. Abby returned in front of Sonny and climbed onto the bed next to her mother, handing Robin the bottle of water. "Hey sweet pea, come here." Robin pulled Abby close and stroked her hair as the young girl held onto her tightly, burying herself against her mother as much as she could.

"Are you feeling better now?" Sonny asked cautiously.

Robin nodded, "Yeah, I'm ok Sonny." She put her free hand on her stomach and smiled, "This little guy on the other hand, is feeling good enough to be kicking up a storm."

Sonny smirked and looked at Jason and Robin with a raised eyebrow, "Little guy?"

Abby looked up at her mother and waited for an explanation herself. 'Yes, we found out today." Jason answered before turning his attention to his daughter, "What do you think about that Abby? You're going to have a little brother in a couple of months."

Abby seemed to give it some thought before nodding, "Ok, cool."

Robin laughed, "My daughter as spent too much time around you lately Mister." She playfully swatted at Sonny.

"A boy, Michael will be excited about that." Sonny stated. "And speaking of my son, I should get home. I promised him that we could rent some videos." He leaned down and kissed Robin and Abby both on the cheek. "I'm not kissing you." He teased as he looked at Jason.

"Thank God." Jason remarked which caused both Robin and Abby to laugh.

Michael ran through the front door of the penthouse and tore up to his room to change his clothes before it was time to start the movies that he and Sonny had rented that evening as his father flipped through a stack of mail.

"Mr. Corinthos." Max spoke cautiously as he came from his post outside of the door. Sonny still kept his guard on a short leash after what had happened with Carly but to his credit, Max was probably the one that had ultimately saved Robin's life by calling Jason to let him know what Carly was doing.

"Yes Max?" Sonny replied with a raised eyebrow.

"This was just dropped off downstairs? The door man brought it up just now." He held out a large envelope which Sonny took from him.

"Thank you Max." He put it on the desk and didn't seem very interested in whatever it was. Sonny wasn't expecting any important packages so whatever it was could wait until morning. Sonny had promised his son his undivided attention for the evening and that's exactly what Michael would receive. He picked up his phone to make one business call before his son came into the room, "I want you to take a message to Leo Sorel." A move against family would surely result in Sorel's death, Sonny would not hesitate to have his rivals dealt with if they crossed that line.

The next morning, Robin was sitting alone in Kelly's going over some paperwork for one of General Hospitals up coming charity events when a shadow came over her table. She looked up and smiled, "Hey Uncle Mac."

He leaned down and kissed Robin on the cheek, "How are you feeling sweetheart?"

She nodded, "Not too bad." She put away the papers and looked at him adoringly.

"Is Jason still home?" Mac asked her.

"Yes, he's doing something or other with Dillon right now. He should be here in a few minutes." She waved her hand in the air, dismissing whatever it was that Jason was doing as nothing overly important. Mac laughed and shook his head suddenly. "What?"

"It's nothing. Really. Just-"

"Come on, form a complete sentence here." She teased.

"Sometimes I still can't believe how grown up you are. Married, kids God, when did this all happen?" He asked her with a rather proud smile on his face. "I remember not so long ago you were just my teenage niece. And now, here you are."

Robin put her hand on top of Mac's and smiled warmly, "You know, I'm here because you loved me so much. If it hadn't been for you when mom and dad died, who knows where I would have ended up. I don't say it enough but thank you for always being there for me."

"Robin, you are my family and I will always be here for you no matter what." Mac promised her. "You know that right?"

"Of course I do." She assured him.

"You and Abby, and the new baby." He smiled as he looked at her stomach. "There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you all."

"Yeah, you'll even be nice to Jason." She laughed. "Thank you."

"He's your husband and I know that he loves you." Mac told her. "He adores Abby and hell, he practically worships you. If it wasn't for the whole career criminal thing-"

Robin laughed, "Ok, let's not ruin the moment huh?"

Mac nodded, "You're right. All that matters is that you're happy."

"I am." She looked to the door as Jason came in, ringing the bells which hung just inside as the door moved.

"Sorry I'm late." He apologized as he kissed Robin. "Hey Mac."

"Jason." Mac nodded.

Jason took a seat next to his wife, "Did Dillon get the job?" She asked him.

He nodded, "Yeah, he did. He starts tomorrow after school." He took Robin's hand and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Did you tell him?"

"No." She laughed, "I was waiting for you."

"Wait, tell him what?" Mac questioned suspiciously, knowing full well that Jason was referring to him.

"We're moving to Mexico." Jason joked only to have Robin shake her head at him.

"We're not. Don't pay attention to him." She assured her uncle. "He and Abby ate a lot of cereal this morning and he's not thinking clearly at the moment with all that sugar in his system."

"You're funny Morgan." Mac stated sarcastically as one of the waitresses came over and poured both men some coffee.

"Thanks, I try." Jason remarked.

"So what is it really that you have to tell me?" Mac asked more to Robin than Jason.

Robin reached under the table and pulled up a gift box, handing it to Mac. "Open it up." Jason leaned back in his chair knowing that Robin had been shopping after dropping Abby off at school.

Mac looked at the package with a raised eyebrow before peeling away with blue and red wrapping paper and opening the square box. "A baseball glove and ball?"

"Yeah, I figure you need to start getting into shape." Robin remarked smugly.

"Excuse me?" Mac questioned as though he was mildly offended.

Jason laughed, "My coordination when it comes to baseball isn't so good and someone is going to have to teach this kid when he comes along. We figured his Great Uncle Mac would be up to the challenge."

"The baby is a boy?" Mac asked.

Robin nodded, "That's what Dr. Meadows said."

"Thank God." He laughed, "Between you, the girls and Abby, Jason and I have been outnumbered for far too long."

"Tell me about it." Jason replied.

"Yeah, I thought you would be pleased. The girls and I just never got into the whole sports thing." Robin stated with a smile. "No matter how often you had us watching the Worlds Series or going to games."

Mac's pager went off suddenly and he sighed, "I really have to get back to the station." He stood up and kissed Robin on the cheek. "Thank you for the glove sweetheart." He patted Jason on the shoulder, "You take care of her do you hear me?"

"Every time you say it." Jason stated with a smirk.

"I'll call you later Uncle Mac." Robin told him as he headed out. She put her hand on Jason's knee and sighed, "I have to get back to the hospital, Emily and I have to get some stuff together for the Hope Foundation." Jason nodded and stood up, picking up Robin's jacket to help her put it on.

Sonny looked at the photographs in disgust. He had finally opened that damn envelope and knew instantly that he shouldn't have put it off. Sorel wanted Sonny to know that he had been watching Abby and Robin very closely over the past few weeks, especially while Jason was gone.

"Son of a-" Sonny threw the pictures down and shook his head as he began to pace.

He had already sent his men looking for Sorel to deliver another message but the slime ball wasn't easy to find. He sent guards to the cottage to make sure everything was secure and to find out if they could locate the shutter bug that had been keeping such a watchful eye on Jason's wife and child. Now what else could he do? Telling Jason would send him off the handle.

He looked at the pictures again, there was a message written on one in black marker, 'I'm watching'. Sonny crumbled the black and white print of Robin and Abby and threw it.

There was no doubt that Jason needed to know someone had been watching his family. Not just someone but obviously one of Sorel's men.

He grabbed the phone and dialed Jason's cell, "We need to talk. As soon as possible. You need to come here. Alone." He knew that Jason would be there within minute from hanging up. When Jason arrived Sonny would need to do everything in his power to keep his friend under control. Jason's first instinct would be to fine Sorel and kill him but Sonny couldn't allow that. He needed to keep Jason from losing control and he couldn't do that unless they were face to face. Then and only then would Sonny dare to explain what the problem was.

Robin had her head bowed down as she filled out a prescription for one of her patients when she became lightheaded again. Just when she thought she was going to lose her balance 2 hands brace her from behind.

"Whoa." She righted herself as best she could but then was almost knocked of her feet when she realized it was Sorel who had caught her. "What are you doing here again?" She demanded.

"Visiting." He replied. And apparently helping you. "You seem unsteady."

"I don't need your help." She insisted sternly. "And you're not visiting anyone. I checked the records, you haven't seen anyone since you got here."

"I've seen you." He answered quite smugly. There was something altogether impressive about seeing Robin at work. The way she took care of patients with such kindness. The way her face could become so serious and yet remain so soft and gentle at the same time. Sorel quite liked the way she looked in her white lab coat and work attire.

Robin looked to a near by nurse, "Call security." Out of the corner of her eye Robin saw Emily drawing near. There would be noway to hide this little confrontation from Jason or Sonny now that Emily had witnessed it but then again, Robin had agreed to tell Jason if Sorel came near her so she really didn't have a choice.

"You were far more polite before you husband stepped in." Leo Sorel commented as he fixed the cuff of his tailored gray jacket. "Is he that controlling that you are required to hate whoever he does?"

"I remember your brother and I know your Jason's enemy. If you think that my hatred for you isn't fair well that's just too damn bad." Robin told him bluntly. "I know that you're dangerous and I don't want you coming anywhere near me."

"How does your young daughter like living with a career criminal?" He asked her as though Robin hadn't even said a word. "Does she feel safe with him? With the constant threat of violence just around the corner." Before he could finish Robin slapped him as hard as she could but it only made him smirk in response. Emily stood next to Robin in silent shock, grabbing hold of her sister in laws arm to pull her back as soon as she could think clearly enough to respond.

"Don't you mention my daughter ever again!" Robin demanded as she ignored Emily's silent attempts to keep her at bay. Sorel had gone too far by mentioning Abby and Robin made damn sure that Sorel knew it. Her instincts were always to first and foremost protect her child against any and every possible threat, no matter how dangerous doing so would be.

"Is there a problem here Dr. Scorpio?" A security guard asked seriously as he stepped off of the elevator.

"Escort this gentleman out of the building before he causes further trouble." She stated, her gaze fixed coldly on the mobster in front of her.

"No need." Sorel insisted in his most charming tone. "I can show myself out. Oh and Dr. Scorpio be careful with yourself and your children."

"Robin who was that?" Emily finally asked.

"Joseph Sorel's brother." Robin told her honestly.

Emily practically had to pick her jaw up from the floor to reply. "Oh my God are you ok?"

Robin nodded, "Yeah I've got to tell Jason and Sonny." Her tone clearly gave away the fact that Robin really didn't want to let her husband or Sonny know about what had happened but she would anyway because Jason insisted so strongly. And now Sorel had been bold enough to mention Abby which shock Robin more than anything else.

Jason rubbed his chin in thought as he looked over the photographs that Sonny had received. Sonny could almost see the rage rising in his friend, his brother, and it was about to reach a boiling point.

"I've got Max looking for Sorel Jason." Sonny told him cautiously

"The hell with Max! A lot of good he is!" Jason snapped. "I'm going to look for the bastard myself."

"No you're not." Sonny told him sternly. "If you look for him you'll do more than threaten him and we've discussed this. That isn't your job anymore."

"This isn't about work." Jason remarked as he angrily threw the pictures into the air.

"No, it's about family!" Sonny snapped. "Not just yours, but mine too! I love Robin and I adore Abby, I don't want anything to happen to either of them. We're going to keep them safe Jason but how many times do I have to tell you, you're not getting blood on your hands anymore. You're not good to anyone if you're in jail!"

Jason clenched his jaw and looked away from Sonny stubbornly considering his options. "He's been watching her Sonny...for God knows how long. He waits until I'm gone and he tries to see how close he can get to Robin and Abby without getting caught. Only now he wants us to know. He wants her to be scared, to feel threatened. He wants me to know that he can get at Robin and Abby whenever he wants."

"No, Jason you're the one he wants to get at." Sonny stated calmly. "And right now you're letting him." He pointed at Jason, stressing his point as he so often did. Even though Jason still carried his gun whenever he was dealing with anything business related, the truth was that he hadn't fired it since shooting Carly for trying to kill Robin. Sonny had been doing everything within his power since then to keep Jason out of that side of work ever since. "Leo Sorel is better at mine games than his brother was. He likes to manipulate situations until his enemy gets so paranoid and jumpy that they ruin themselves so he can just sit back and watch."

"Sooner or later Sorel is going to do something and I'm not going to have a choice. I'm going to have to fight back Sonny and before it's too late!" Jason fired back defiantly.

"You need to calm down." Sonny insisted. "You're getting too emotional. You've been around me too much." He admitted. "Jason, you're better than this. Just think. That's what you're good at. Sorel hasn't threatened Robin or Abby yet. He just wants you to think that he is, so you'll fire first and he can justify whatever he does next."

"He's not going to wait around forever Sonny." Jason replied seriously. "He wants me to strike first but if I don't then he's not going to have a problem coming after us." He began to pace. "I can't just stand around and wait."

"For now that's all you can do." Sonny answered. "They're pictures Jason. He's gone near Robin. But he still hasn't done anything. Just wait so we can figure out a way to outsmart the son of a bitch."

"The woman is home, she's alone." The photographer informed Sorel's other man. "The child isn't with her, on Tuesdays 2 teenage girls take her out." There was a long pause. "I'll call you when her husband shows up but start getting ready." He turned off his cell and brought her long camera lens back up to watch the movement within the cozy home.

Robin paced back and forth in the cottage living room biting at her nails as she waited for Jason to come home. It was getting darker outside with every passing moment and he hadn't answered his cell when she called him. She hadn't seen him since that morning when Sonny had called while they were leaving Kelly's and there was no answer at Sonny's either. It all made Robin uneasy.

Buster intently watched her every step and when she stopped in front of the large front window, he went and nudged her hand with his cold wet nose to get her attention. He could sense the uneasiness in her and it in turn made him all the more protective.

"Where are you Jason?" Robin asked softly before patted Buster on the head and continuing the pace again with the dog trailing behind her every step like a furry, 4 legged shadow.

When the telephone rang, it startled Robin out of her thoughts. "Hello?" She let out a breath that she hasn't knowingly been holding, "Hey, Em No, Jase isn't home yet. Abby is with the girls, I think they're watching videos at my Uncle Mac's place. She'll be there for a few hours yet. Yeah If you could pick her up that would be great. Thanks."

When she heard a car pull into the driveway, Robin quickly got off of the phone and went to the door. She saw Jason coming towards the house with Sonny and knew that something was wrong. Jason looked tense and in a few minutes she would have to make it worse but what was the problem now?

"Get inside." Jason insisted seriously as soon as Robin stepped out the front door.

"Excuse me?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow even as he was ushering her back into the living room. Jason ignored her and began closing all of the curtains. "What are you doing?" She asked him in confusion as Sonny locked the front door and turned off most of the lights. "Hello? Can anyone hear me? Jason?"

"Call Luke." Jason told Sonny, still not responding to Robin. He finally looked at his puzzled wife and asked, "Is Dillon in the apartment?"

"No, he's working on some project downtown with Ned." Robin told him. "Now what the hell is going on here?"

"Sorel." He answered bluntly.

"You know already?" She asked him, looking more than a little surprised. "Did Emily call you?"

"Why would Emily call me?" Jason replied. "Did he go near her?"

"Ok, stop rewind. What do you know about Sorel?" Robin demanded, waving her hands in the air as though it could somehow clear away the obvious confusion.

Sonny and Jason exchanged looked and both men folded their arms as they stared back at her. "You first sweetheart." Sonny insisted somberly.

"He showed up at the hospital again today." She answered. "You're turn."

"He's got someone watching you." Jason admitted.

"And Abby?" She questioned seriously, Jason nodded reluctantly. She shook her head in disbelief. "Why? Why is this happening? Why now?"

"Because Jason has been backing away from the business and Sorel doesn't want to let him." Sonny explained.

"And were the best way to get to Jason." Robin shook her head and backed away from Jason. "So how do we get rid of him?"

"We don't." Jason stated as he motioned to himself and his wife. "Sonny and I do. You stay as far from this as possible."

Robin looked at her husband with such seriousness in her eyes. "And what do you think you're going to do? Jason take a look around, we don't live in a house with bulletproof windows, we don't have guards, we have a 6 year old daughter and another child on the way." She motioned to her stomach dramatically. "You promised Jason, you promised me and you promised Abby." There were tears in her eyes then and Sonny didn't need to be told what the promise was.

When Robin and Jason had gotten back together and when he proposed to her, he swore that he would never let that life near their own together. He promised Abby, that no matter what he would always come home to her and to their family. He vowed that they would always be together. Now those promises were all being threatened because of a single person, Leo Sorel.

"I promised to keep our family safe and protected and I'm going to do that." Jason answered bluntly. "Look, we're going to head over to Mac's and pick up Abby and then were going to the penthouse where it's safe."

Obviously Jason had expected Robin to agree to this. It was safer for them at the penthouse, his old home across the hall from Sonny where there were guards around the clock and windows that no bullet could penetrate. Jason thought Robin would just go with whatever he said, he didn't count on any sort of refusal.

"No." She stated in a most matter of fact way. "No."

No? He repeated.

"Is there an echo in this place?" Sonny remarked only to be ignored.

"Robin what do you mean no? Sorel could have people outside this place right now!" He swung his arm gesturing to the front window without even knowing how accurate he was. As he spoke, Sorel's gunman was closing in inch by inch, step by step.

"So fix it." She demanded. "This is our home Jason and no one is taking that away." Her teeth were gritted as she spoke and dug her heels into the ground. "You both do whatever it takes to fix this because this is Abby's home, this is where she feels safe and secure and I will not take that away from her and I won't let anyone else either. I have moved her around the world and across the country. She likes it here, I like it here and no one is going to make us leave."

Jason threw his arms up in frustration. "Do you hear yourself? Do you hear how impossible you're being? This place isn't safe right now!"

"So make it safe!" Robin didn't care how impossible it seemed. She told Abby that the cottage was their home and Abby believed it. She had moved Abby from Paris to Chicago then to Port Charles and now she finally felt completely settled into the cottage. Robin liked that her daughter could play in the yard and not have guards around them. She was not willing to pack up and move into a fortress downtown, she had lived that life and she refused to force it upon her children even temporarily. "Jason, I'm begging you here." She told him then. "Don't you get it? I don't want to lose you because of whatever is going on right now. I need you! Our children need you." She pointed to her stomach then as though trying to remind him of the child inside of her.

He shook his head stubbornly. "You won't need me all that much if Sorel keeps this up and eventually kills you. I have to fight back before it gets to that-"

"No you don't!" She snapped before Sonny could even consider getting a word in. "For once can't the 2 of you put your damn pride aside and just think of your family here!"

Sonny stepped up and looked right into Robin's eyes, his own just as dark and emotional as her own. "It's not about pride. It's about protecting this family. Sorel is going to come after you to get to Jason. I'm going to try to stop it but this could easily get out of hand."

Robin put her hands on her hips and took a long breath as she considered everything that was going on. "No If you 2 go after Sorel now, then it just gives him a stronger reason to come after all of us again." She wasn't naïve. She knew how the business worked and how retaliation was almost always inevitable. All it took was one shot to give an enemy free license to retaliate with brute force. She looked at Jason and shook her head, "If you." She couldn't even finish what she wanted to say because she had to struggle the urge to burst into tears.

"If I do this what?" He demanded, his temper flaring despite everything that Sonny had told him before and everything Robin was trying to tell him now.

"You could lose EVERYTHING!" She snapped loudly. "WE could lose EVERYTHING!"

Buster began barking, but Robin and Jason were too busy staring at each other to notice him. The fur on his back stood up and he growled at the window. He barked louder and louder until finally the humans in the room paid attention.

"Get down!" Sonny yelled.

Jason took hold of Robin's arm and spun her around, causing them both to topple down onto the couch. Somehow Jason managed to cover her without putting his weight on her stomach, just as a spray of bullets came through the window like metal shards of hail. Robin screamed fearfully as Jason covered as much of her as he could. Buster barked and jumped through the shattered window, lunging at the gunman viciously as Sonny fired his own weapon, while crouching down near the stairs.

Around them glass shattered and the sound of the bullets was deafening. A glass that had been on the coffee table seemed to explode into a million tiny pieces. Framed photographs fell from the walls and it felt like the entire house shook under the spray of gunfire. Robin held tightly onto Jason, fearing he would try to go after whoever was shooting into the cottage. But then, just as suddenly as the firing had started, it stopped. Robin was crying against Jason and both were breathing hard from the fear surging through them.

Jason put his hands on either side of Robin's face and forced her to look at him. "Robin, are you alright? Listen to me, open your eyes! Are you ok? You're not hit?" She shook her head unable to form words. Jason got off of her and scanned around. "Sonny?"

"Over here man." Sonny replied, his voice sounding tired and almost weary. He was slouched down at the foot of the stairs holding his shoulder.

Robin looked at him and her heart sank, "Oh Sonny." Without thinking she got up and went to him.

"Stay down!" He snapped as he grabbed her arm and almost roughly pulled her down next to him while Jason checked outside carefully. "It's not so bad." He told her. "Just a scratch." Tires squealed loudly in the distance, the gunman escaping in a cloud of dust in whatever vehicle he had been provided with by Sorel.

She shook her head, "That's not a scratch. You were hit." Her hands shook as she pushed through to inspect the wound. She carefully crawled across the floor to her medical bag and brought it back to where he was sitting, as Jason came back inside with a limping Buster. "Here, hold this on the wound." Robin instructed as she handed Sonny and press of gauze. "Put pressure on it. Jason." She looked up at him, tears in her eyes still as sirens screamed, racing towards the house.

He fell to his knees next to Robin and pulled her into his arms, kissing the side of her face. She pulled away from him only to tend to Sonny's wound. "It's not very deep." He told her.

"Shut up Sonny. You're not the doctor here, I am." Robin told her sternly, trying her best to keep calm.

"Stay with Sonny." Jason stated as he got up and retrieved his gun from the closet.

"Where are you going?" Robin questioned as she pulled on a pair of gloves to better assess Sonny's wound. "Jason? Jase." She looked over her shoulder only to find that Jason was already gone. "I can hear the ambulance, they'll be here any second." She told Sonny in her most professional tone of voice. "Does it hurt?"

"Not as bad as some of the other times I've been shot." Sonny remarked honestly.

Robin was so focused on him at that moment as a doctor that she couldn't even think about whatever Jason was doing or going. She only vaguely registered the sound of Jason's motorcycle loudly peeling away from the house.

On his bike, Jason sped in pursuit of the shooter. He managed to catch up with the car he had seen leaving the cottage and closed in as quickly as possible. There was no reasoning with him at that point. All of Sonny's words and Robin's pleas where erased by the pure murderous rage coursing through him at that very moment.

The gunman drove to an abandoned rundown shack on the edge of town, near a set of old train tracks that Jason knew well. Jason drove past and disposed of his bike on the far side of a large rocky hill. He peeled off his jacket and dropped it on the ground before sliding down the gravel to approach the shack where the gunman was already inside. Silently, Jason moved closer to the shack, through the dirty sheers, he could see the outline of the man moving inside, pacing seemingly nervous and with good reason as he spoke on a telephone, which was inside.

Jason drew his gun and gripped it to keep his hands from shaking. The man inside that shack had fired on his family and could have killed his wife and their unborn child. He had wounded Jason's best friend, his brother and it would not go unpunished.

Sonny watched the long neon lights pass over him in quick flashes as he was wheeled through the emergency room with Robin holding his blood covered hand. "You're going to be alright Sonny." She told him.

"I'm not worried about me sweetheart. I'm worried about you." He told her somberly. He saw Bobby out of the corner of his eye approaching Robin. "Take her. Take her." He insisted as he pushed Robin's hand into Bobby's.

"Robin, you can't go with him. Let everyone else take care of Sonny now. You've done all you can at this point." Bobby told her gently as she put arm around Robin and held her back as Sonny was taken into the closest Operating Room.

"Robin!" Emily came running into the ER and went to her sister in law immediately.

Robin looked at her fearfully. "Emily where's Abby? Where is she?"

"She's with Mac and the girls." Emily explained quickly. "What happened? Where's Jason?" Robin shook her head, still staring off towards the doors that Sonny had been taken through.

"She needs to sit down." Bobby stated seriously. Emily help me with her before she goes into shock from the trauma.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Robin snapped crossly as she pulled away from both women and went towards the doors to peer through the small rectangular window.

2 hands came down on her shoulders and Robin felt the warm tears rolling down her cheeks as Alan Quartermaine spoke softly to her. "We need to check on the baby, Robin. Come on, it won't take long. We just need to be sure that you're both alright." He carefully led her away and into a nearby exam room, to monitor the babies vitals as well as her own.

For a moment, Jason just watched the gunman. His heart was pounding so hard that in his head it was almost as deafening as the screaming bullets had been. The gunman looked nervous, as though something unexpected had happened and it had. He hadn't counted on Sonny being at the cottage and firing back. That wasn't what he was told would happen. He was hired to scare Jason Morgan and now he had shot one of the most powerful men in New York state.

"No you listen to me Sorel!" He snapped. "It's my life on the line now! This wasn't what we discussed! Corinthos is going to have me killed! Yes I'm sure he was hit!" He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. "No, the woman wasn't. I'm sure-"

He dropped the phone from shock, when the door suddenly flew open revealing an armed and angry Jason Morgan. He fired the gun twice causing the gunman to stumble backwards from fear as he tried to remember what he had done with his own weapon. Jason moved closer, a detached coldness in his eyes. He grabbed hold of the gunman and threw him against the wall with all of his strength and then began beating him. Punching as hard as he could, Jason felt the gunman's ribs crack and break and blood soon ran down his own hand from hitting the man repeatedly in the face. As strong and violent as Jason was, even the gunman managed to get in a few shots during the struggle but Jason was the one in control. He was bigger and stronger and his rage was more volatile.

Robin was on a hospital bed attached to a fetal monitor when she heard the soft footsteps coming towards the room. She recognized them immediately. "Oh honey." Brenda had tears in her eyes as soon as she set eyes on her little sister.

"You're early." Robin stated weakly. "You're not supposed to be here until Thursday."

"I thought I'd surprise you guys early." Brenda explained as she entered and wrapped her arms around Robin, cradling her gently. "I heard the news at the airport."

"They wouldn't let me go with Sonny." Robin told her.

"Where's Jason?"

Robin shook her head, "I don't know." The worry was clear in her voice and Brenda felt the tension in Robin's entire body.

"Can you read that thing?" Brenda asked as she motioned to the monitor.

Robin nodded, "Everything is fine with the baby."

"And Sonny?"

"Still in surgery." She confirmed, "He was hit in the shoulder."

Jason grabbed a length of rope that had been on the table nearby, and looped it around the gunman's neck from behind, holding him down with his knee, in the man's back while pulling back on the rope, nearly cutting off his air supply completely.

"You have about 60 seconds before you blackout and I put a bullet in your head." Jason told her through gritted teeth. "Tell me who sent you after my family!"

"Go to hell!" The gunman choked out stubbornly.

Jason jerked back on the rope and the gunman gasped uselessly for air. "It was Sorel wasn't it?" He demanded. "You're going to die anyway so might as well tell me now!"

"No." He coughed and gagged, choking on his own blood then.

Jason got off of him in frustration, rubbing his jaw along the sleeve of his shirt, to wipe away the blood that was coming from his own mouth. He suddenly kicked the gunman in the ribs causing him to roll onto his back.

It was then that the bastard actually laughed. "Kill me. You want to. Do it."

Jason grabbed his gun and without further delay put a bullet between the mans eye's. And suddenly it hit him without warning, the realization that he had just killed someone. He was standing in the middle of that shack, blood covering his hands and clothing with his gun still hot from firing. He had just killed the man that had dared to come after his family on Sorel's orders. He knew Sorel had sent the man. He didn't need to be told and yet he had tried to beat the answers out of the man anyway. The truth was that in the back of his mind, Jason knew that he went there to kill the son of a bitch. Only one of them would leave the scene alive. Except now, the reality of the situation was that Jason had been sloppy, his prints, evidence, everything was all over that shack to lead back to him. This wasn't a mob style hit, it was a bloody murder. It wasn't quick and clean, it was a horrible mess of destruction.

"Shit!" He yelled loudly as he put his hand on his head. He cursed repeatedly as he gripped his gun and paced. 'How was he going to fix this? What about-' His heart stopped cold. 'Robin. Oh God-' He ran from the shack as fast as he could. He had to get to his wife and make sure she and Sonny were both really alright.

Georgie walked up the 3 steps of the front porch hesitantly. If Mac knew where she was, he would lose his mind. She could see the cottage door was open, a small bloody handprint on it's glass, Robin's no doubt as she helped Sonny up and out of the cottage. She covered her mouth with her hand in shock, as she pushed the door open and looked around.

"Be careful." Dillon cautioned from across the living room where he was bent down picking up the broken pieces of glass around him.

"Dillon, this is a crime scene. You can't be in here." She told him.

"Jason won't let the cops into his house to investigate this, Luke says we have to clear it out." Dillon explained.

"Yeah well Luke hates cops too except for Lucky." She retorted.

"Either help me or stay out of the way Georgie." He told his girlfriend sternly.

Georgie sighed and came further in, picking up a black plastic trash bag to give him a hand. "Robin and the baby are alright if you're wondering."

"Of course I was wondering." Dillon replied. "Any sign of Jase at the hospital?"

"Not that I saw yet." She answered. "God, this place is such a mess."

"They're lucky no one was killed." He stated seriously. "Sonny is tough, he'll bounce back in no time but God, that had to have been scary for Robin."

Georgie frowned as Dillon stood up and walked around the room rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "You could have been in here too."

"Don't start, please Georgie, not right now." Dillon insisted. "I get enough flack from my mom about living with Jason and Robin. Just living on their property. But they're my family and they've helped me. I owe them more than I can ever repay."

"Hey, Robin is my family too." She reminded.

"I know. So help me, help her." He practically pleaded. Georgie nodded and knelt down to pick up some of the broken picture frames without another word.

Luke Spencer came out of the kitchen with a trash bag in hand and sighed, "Look, kid." He motioned to Dillon, "Can you handle this here? Something just came up and I have to go-"

"Yeah something came up. THIS!" Dillon gestured around the room. "Luke, cleaning this up was your idea and now you're going to bail out." Luke took him by the arm and Dillon stopped protesting.

"Jason just called my cell. I've got to go get him so he can clean himself up and see Robin." He explained quietly so Georgie wouldn't hear the details. "I'll be back with him as soon as I can. You and the girlfriend finish up here and make yourself scarce. Got it?"

Dillon nodded, "Alright, well hurry."

"Any word on Corinthos?" Luke asked Georgie as he headed to the door.

"He was still in surgery last I heard." She told him honestly. "It's not a very bad wound considering the circumstances."

Brenda put her hand on Robin's stomach, "It's been a pretty crappy day for you 2 huh?"

"You could say that again." Robin remarked tiredly as she sat up. "I want to check on Sonny."

"Let me." Brenda insisted. "You shouldn't get up and walk around just yet. Alan is still thinking about keeping you in here overnight."

"Over my dead body." Robin remarked which caused Brenda to look at her quite seriously.

"I could have been Robin." She shook her head. "I'll check on Sonny, stay here." Brenda closed the door of Robin's room and went in search of Sonny. She walked down a long hall and soon enough heard his voice demanding a nurse leave him alone. "She's trying to do her job, pipe down." She commented as she stood in the doorway of Sonny's room.

Sonny smirked as the nurse gave up and left he and Brenda alone, "How did you know?"

"Know what?" She asked as she came in with her arms folded.

"That Robin would need you."

She shrugged, "She's my sister. I guess on some level I just felt it." She gestured to his heavily bandaged arm. "What, couldn't you find a private doctor to stitch you up this time?"

"Not this time." He answered quite smugly. "How is Robin?"

"She's holding up. Worried about you of course." Brenda explained.

"And the baby?"

"Just fine." She told him. "They monitored her for about an hour before they were satisfied that everything was alright but Alan doesn't want her going anywhere just yet. She doesn't know where Jason is or if she does, she doesn't want to admit it or think about it."

"That's probably for the best." Sonny stated

"Best for who Sonny?" Brenda snapped. "Not her Not if he's off doing something stupid. Did you send him somewhere?"

"No, I was too busy bleeding." He answered.

"She needs him here with her. She hasn't stopped shaking since I got here. Jason should be here damn it!"

Sonny nodded, "He will be. Jason loves her Bren."

"I know that." She told him coldly. God, everyone knew that Jason loved Robin, it wasn't a question of him loving her or not. It was a matter of why wasn't he with her at the hospital, why wasn't he the one there comforting her and where the hell was he now. Brenda knew she wouldn't get answers to any of those questions from anyone, not even Robin. She shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment, "I'll tell Robin that you're fine." She walked out then without looking back. Every step she took Sonny followed with his eyes until she disappeared from his view.

Luke found Jason easily enough. He was sitting on the rocky hill near the shack, his head in his hands, his arms resting against his legs. He didn't even look at Luke as he approached.

"Where's the body?" Luke asked quite bluntly.

Jason shook his head, "In the house."

"You're sure he's dead?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." He answered finally looking up.

Luke saw the blood on Jason's hands and on the side of his neck and shook his head, "Get in the car. I'll have one of Sonny's boys come get your bike."

"How's Robin?" Jason asked frantically as Luke pulled him to his feet.

"Probably better off than you right now." He stated seriously. "Get in the damn car before anyone else sees you."

He would take Jason home, clean him up and then take him to Robin. It was the only thing that would keep Jason from losing his mind. Obviously this was far more different than any job he had done under Sonny's orders in the past and it shook Jason deep within.

The hospital lights seemed far too bright as Jason finally arrived, ushered along quickly by Luke pushing from behind. He kept his eyes down, they were blood shot and the right side of his face was bruising already. He had cleaned himself up but he still looked like an emotional wreck.

Robin had stubbornly refused to stay put and Jason found her sitting in Sonny's hospital room while he slept, still wearing from surgery. She looked at her husband tiredly and he went to her immediately. "Are you ok?" She asked him.

Jason put one hand on her stomach and the other arm around her as he knelt down in front of Robin, clinging to her. "Shouldn't I be the one asking that?"

She took Jason's face in her hands and made him look her in the eyes, "Are you ok?" She repeated seriously. Robin didn't dare ask Jason where he was or what he had done. She didn't want to know. She just wanted him there with her right at that very moment. She wanted him to somehow make things less frightening.

"I will be." He answered. "The baby?"

"Is fine. We both are." She told him. "Sonny has been asleep for awhile but Alan said that he can probably go home in the morning." She sighed and turned her gaze back to her sleeping friend. "Brenda went to pick Abby up and take her to the penthouse."

Jason kissed the side of Robin's face, "I'm so sorry Robin."

She shook her head, "I just want this day to be over Jason. I want it done and over with, I'm so tired."

"It was Sorel wasn't it? You're going to die anyway so might as well tell me now!"

Sorel smirked and pressed the stop button on the answering machine. As soon as the gunman called, he began recording the call, knowing that Jason couldn't possible be far behind. Sure enough, he soon heard the fighting begin, the phone was dropped but still picked up enough incriminating sounds to amuse the mobster.

He played the recording over and over again taking great delight in the sound of Jason's brutal assault. Soon he would notify The PCPD that a murder had taken place. But first, he would let Jason go home to his wife and think that the coast was almost clear. He would wait until Jason started to relax before he would strike again.

Almost a week passed before anything more came of what had happened. Brenda stayed close, Robin kept Abby even closer and Jason tried to focus on anything other than what he had done. Sonny and Luke were the only ones that knew what had happened in the shack after the shooting. Jason and Robin stayed in the penthouse across the hall with Abby even though Robin didn't want to be there. Sonny ordered bulletproof glass installed in every window of the cottage but Jason still kept his family at the penthouse across from Sonny's as a safety precaution even though neither Robin nor Abby liked it very much.

Michael and Abby were running around Sonny's penthouse when it all started. The PCPD came off of the HarborView Towers elevator like a S.W.A.T team descending in unison. Robin came down the stairs as Jason let them into the penthouse, his wife watching in silent shock.

"Jason Morgan, you're under arrest for the murder of-"

Robin's eyes became wide as the handcuffs were put around Jason's wrist behind his back. It all seemed to happen so slowly, she couldn't think fast enough to stop it. "No wait-" She finally insisted. "You can't arrest my husband!" She tried to get to Jason but it was no use. The officers were reading him his rights and searching him looking for weapons. "Stop. What's going on? Wait No-"

Jason swallowed hard and shook his head, "Call Justus." He told her. "I love you." He insisted as he was pulled towards the door

"Wait." She cried as she tried to reach for him only to be held back momentarily by Lucky Spencer. "No, wait." She broke free and reached for Jason.

"Baby, I need you to call Justus." He told her seriously. "Robin, please." He managed to kiss her before he was taken out into the hall with Robin still keeping as close as possible.

Hearing the commotion, Michael opened Sonny's door with Abby next to him. Robin quickly got to the children and turned them back into the penthouse. "Daddy." Abby was horrified to see so many policemen surrounding her father. In her eyes her father was perfect and the thought of the police going near him or trying to take him anywhere terrified her. "Daddy!" Robin shielded her daughter and looked back at Jason as he mouthed, 'I love you' to both of them again before getting on the elevator without a struggle. "Mommy where are they taking daddy?" Abby demanded.

Robin ignored her daughter and began frantically searching Sonny's desk for Justus phone number. Abby pulled at her mother's arm but Robin still went about rummaging through the desk drawers. "Sonny! Sonny!"

I'll get him. Michael stated before running up the stairs to find his father for Robin

"Mommy!" Abby snapped impatiently.

"Abby please!" Robin yelled louder than she intended too which startled her young daughter. Robin had never truly yelled at Abby before and it was almost enough to move the child to a flood of tears. "Oh Abby." Robin covered her mouth as though trying to hold in her own shock as she crouched down on her knees to Abby's eye level. "Abby, baby come here." She reached for her daughter and pulled her close. "Baby I am so sorry." She kissed the top of Abby's head as she held her tightly to her body.

"Why are they taking daddy? What's going on?" Abby cried against her mothers shoulder and neck.

Sonny came down the stairs, Michael pulling his good arm frantically as he tried to explain that the police had taken his Uncle Jason somewhere. Sonny took one look at Robin and knew that his son wasn't merely exaggerating. "Oh sweetheart." Sonny went to Robin and Abby seeing the fear and helplessness in Robin's eyes which broke his own heart.

"Sonny, call Justus." Robin pleaded in a weak whisper.

In all the years that Jason had been getting himself arrested for one thing or another, the interrogation room at the Port Charles Police Department had never changed. It was the same old metal table and chair, the same old posters on the wall and the same old routine. He was brought in, fingerprinted, ask if he understood his rights for the millionth time, photographs and whatever personal belongings he had in his pockets were placed in a plastic bag and put in a locker, then he was put in the interrogation room. One detective or another always asked if he was willing to cooperate and Jason's response was always the same, he wouldn't speak to anyone other than his lawyer. He knew the rules and he knew what he had to do to protect himself. Talking to the police without a lawyer was never a smart move.

His hands were still cuffed together at the wrist and he rested his elbows on the table so he could hold his head. He couldn't stop picturing Robin and Abby, his daughter looked so confused and helpless, unlike Michael, this sort of thing was never a part of her life before and Jason had hoped that it never would be. He thought that Sonny and Luke had actually managed to cover up for him. Sonny sent men to clean up the shack and Luke supervised it.

As the days had passed, Jason actually thought that everything would be alright. Well he was wrong, he was now sitting in PCPD's favorite interrogation room charged with murdering a man whose name he hadn't even known until the handcuffs were being put on him.

The door opened and Justus Ward walked in with his briefcase in hand. "Before we even discuss strategy I need to know one thing Jason. Did you do it?" He asked quite bluntly.

Jason lowered his hands and looked at Justus, his lawyer, his fellow Quartermaine outsider. He shook his head and placed his hands flat on the table, "Would I be sitting here if I hadn't?"

Justus sighed, "I was afraid you'd say that." He took a breath and set his briefcase down before pulling out a chair opposite Jason. "According to Mac, the PCPD was sent a very incriminating recording of you attacking the now deceased. There's a fight, yelling, a gunshot and then nothing."

"You've heard it?"

Justus shook his head, "But Mac gave it a good listen. I'm working on getting it copied."

Jason cringed, "Sorel set me up."

"What do you mean?" His lawyer questioned.

"Leo Sorel. He has to be the one that sent the recording, he was on the phone with the guy before." Jason stopped. "Just before."

Justus thought for a moment before speaking. "Tell me what happened Jason. It's not like you to be so sloppy, you've never been so close to a conviction. You screwed up and I need to know how and why."

"The shooting at the house." Jason admitted tiredly. "Sorel sent that guy after my family, so I went after him. There was no doubt in my mind Justus, I knew I was going to kill him."

Justus leaned forward and looked Jason straight in the eyes, "Ok, let's not keep saying things like that in case these walls learn to talk."

"Sonny got these pictures from Sorel, he's been following Robin and Abby around, or one of his men has been. I lost my mind. Sonny told me not to overreact, to think things through but when the gunfire broke out, every ounce of self control I had just flew out the window. Robin and I had been fighting about Sorel and then the next thing I know, there are bullets flying, she's screaming and I'm trying to just cover her and the baby." Jason explained quietly as he took leaned forward. "That son of a bitch attacked my family, my wife and our unborn child, I couldn't just let it go Justus. I couldn't think straight. The only thought in my mind was tearing him apart limb from limb."

"So you went after him?"

Jason nodded. "I followed him to this shack and, I lost control. It was like something snapped in me worse than ever before. I was watching it happen. Justus, I saw myself beating the hell out of him, yelling, screaming. I watched the bullet enter his skull and I didn't even blink, I was so far removed from myself." He stopped and bowed his head down before running his hands over his hair.

Justus wrote some things down on a pad of paper as quickly as possible. "Then what happened Jason? After you shot him what did you do with the body?"

"Nothing, I called someone else." Jason wasn't going to incriminate anyone else, not even to Justus. "It got cleaned up. I went home, cleaned myself up and went to the hospital to be with Robin and Sonny."

"Did anyone else see you with the deceased?" He questioned.

"No, the shack it's in the middle of nowhere and there wasn't anyone around." Jason told him.

"The body was found. Someone obviously saw where, whoever helped you put it." Jason cringed again as Justus continued, "Damn it. You did a number on him man, I've never seen someone so messed up, Mac had a picture of the crime scene on his desk." He sighed heavily, "I'm good Jason but I don't know if I'm this good. Your fingerprints are all over that damn shack and there's blood that doesn't belong to the deceased, which I think is safe to assume is yours. People saw you with cuts and bruises, hell you still have a scratch on you cheek and it's been days since the guy was killed."

Jason rubbed the scratch on his cheek from the fight. "I need you to get me off Justus, more than I've ever needed it before."

"I'm going to try Jason but this isn't going to be easy. You've made it virtually impossible for me to win this case."

Jason looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Virtually?"

Justus stood and put his notepad away in his black leather briefcase, "I told you, I'm good and I'm going to use every trick in the book to try to get you out of this mess."

"Thanks." Jason nodded.

"I've pushed for a bail hearing this evening but it doesn't look promising. You'll probably have to stay in lock up until trial." Justus explained somberly, knowing that Jason would hate the idea of being away from Robin and Abby even for the night. "You're a flight risk Jason, hell you've been a part of some pretty major escapes in the past with Sonny and Luke. I'm sorry but my hands are tied right now until I can get this thing off the ground at trial."

"How long?" Jason questioned seriously as Justus stood up and adjusted his gray jacket then his silver tie.

"I can push for it as soon as possible. The prosecution has more than enough evidence that they're anticipating an easy win and probably won't object to a quick trial." He explained.

Jason nodded, looking down again, "As soon as possible Justus. I don't want to drag this out. If I'm going to prison than there's no use in delaying it and putting more stress and pressure on everyone."

"Have you already resigned yourself to an 8' by 10' cell?" Justus questioned. "If you have, then tell me now so I don't have to work as hard." He suddenly seemed very annoyed with his cousin. "I can't fight for your freedom alone. I need you to be strong for this and for your family."

"I'm thinking about my family." Jason reasoned. "I'm thinking about Robin and how a long trial or delay will affect her and Abby and the baby." He shook his head. "I'm going to fight Justus, I promise you that but it's not looking so good for me right now."

Justus sighed, "Alright, I'm going to let them finish booking you, they'll take you down to a cell until the bail hearing tonight."

"Can I see Robin?" Jason asked quickly.

Justus shook his head, "She's not here yet. I'll try to set something up as soon as I can, but right now you need to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. If Sorel is behind all of this, there's a good chance he's still very much involved in everything that's about to happen."

Robin was sitting on the couch with Abby, trying to calm her down gently. Abby's head rested in her mother's lap and Robin stroked her hair while speaking softly, "It's going to be alright sweet pea." She wiped her own eyes with the back of her free hand hearing the door cautiously open as Brenda came in.

"I think she's asleep." Brenda told her quietly. "Where's Michael?"

"With Leticia." Robin told her. "I didn't want Abby to be away from me. She doesn't need a nanny right now, she needs me."

Brenda nodded and sat down on the edge of the couch next to Robin, wrapping her arms around her, "This week as just gone from bad to worse for you guys sweetie. I'm so sorry."

Robin took a breath and held it for a moment, "Will you stay with her?" She finally asked Brenda.

"Of course I will." Brenda answered, "Go see your husband. Give him a good kick in the ass from me ok?"

Brenda winked at her and Robin did her best to seem pulled together as she grabbed her jacket and headed out without saying another word. She knew that she probably should have gone straight to the PCPD when Jason was arrested but when it was happening, her only concern became Abby and protecting her, comforting her and just being with her.

Mac saw Robin as soon as she stepped foot in the station and went to her immediately. "Robin." She looked at him, her eyes betraying just how tired and scared she was despite how hard she was trying to seem strong. "I'm sorry sweetheart, I didn't want this to happen, I swear-"

She swallowed and slowly let out a long breath, "I'd like to see my husband."

"He's downstairs." Mac told her somberly. "I don't think you should go down there. I'll have him brought up for you, Justus should be back soon anyway." She nodded and watched her uncle walk away, to yet again pull some strings on her behalf. As the commissioner, Mac had a lot of pull but since this case involved his niece's husband, obviously he had to keep a distance from it to avoid any sort of conflict of interests.

Robin wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes as she tried to keep herself pulled together. She felt a warm hand press to the small of her back and spun around quickly to find Justus standing behind her. "Don't sneak up on me like that." She scolded.

"I called your name twice." He told her. Robin had simply been too distracted to hear him trying to get her attention. "How are you holding up?" He asked with deep concern in his voice.

"How do I look like I'm holding up?" She questioned seriously. "My husband was arrested today for murder."

He sighed and held his hands up as though trying to silently insist she needed to keep her voice down, but Robin only scoffed at him and shook her head as he spoke, "I'm going to do everything I can Robin.."

"Yeah, I'm sure you will." She stated as she walked away when Mac reappeared and motioned to her to come into the interrogation room to wait for Jason. She put her purse down on the table and again wrapped her arms around herself tightly as she waited to see Jason. She knew that she was holding her breath but couldn't bring herself to relax enough to let it out until she finally set eyes on him.

"Hey." He practically whispered as the guard let him into the room. He waited until the other man closed the door and left them alone before going to Robin, his hands once again cuffed in front of his body. He kissed her on the mouth and Robin rested her hands against his chest. She closed her eyes hoping to keep the tears from falling but it was no use, Jason saw them as soon as she looked at him again.

Robin shook her head and stepped away from him which hurt her to do just as much as it stung Jason to watch. "You did it didn't you?" She asked in a hushed tone. Jason didn't dare answer her though, they both knew the answer but he didn't want to say it. He never wanted to lie to Robin but he didn't want to admit what he had done either, so he just said nothing instead. She shook her head again and seemed to become angry. "You couldn't just let it go could you? You couldn't listen to me or Sonny and just think it through before acting out."

"Robin." He tried to move towards her but Robin put her hand up, stopping him in his tracks.

"No. This time you're going to listen to me and I want you to hear me Jason, REALLY hear me this time." She insisted emotionally. "I love you so much but right now I really hate you. I hate you for doing this, for putting our family in this position. If it were just you and me things would be different, I could stand by you through anything, I already have!" The tears welling up in her eyes stung as she thought about everything they had already been through in their often turbulent past, him sleeping with Carly, lying for her, always putting her before Robin, the business and all of it's risks and even Robin leaving him without telling him she was pregnant. They had survived all of that and yet she wasn't so sure they could survive whatever was going on now. "I've put up with so much because of this goddamn business and the choices you've made but I can't anymore. It's not just you and me, we have a daughter and a son on the way, I can't ask them to live with this hell, with this torment. I won't-"

Jason closed his eyes, "I know I screwed up. But I was protecting you and our kids and I won't apologize for that."

"Well who's going to protect us now?" She snapped. "What am I supposed to do Jason? Tell me! How do I explain to Abby what's going on? She doesn't get it Jason, hell I don't get it! All I know is now you're not with us. Abby and I are alone again and now there are people that want to hurt us because of you."

For a long moment Jason didn't know what to say or to do with himself, so he simply sat down and hoped that Robin would do the same. It didn't take long for him to realize she wasn't going to budge from the spot a few feet away. "What do you want me to say right now? What do you want me to do?" He finally asked her in a hushed tone. Jason felt helpless, he knew she was in pain and there was nothing he could do to make it go away, not where he was anyway.

"Do you even get what you've done?" She asked him seriously as she shook her head. "You've played right into his trap Jason. You've given him ammunition to come after us now and you're locked up here where there's nothing you CAN do." She looked down at her hand, her wedding ring and closed her eyes. Jason saw it too, the uncertainty she felt when she looked at the rings he had put on her hand not so long ago, symbolizing their love and that they were going to be together for the rest of their lives. "I'm taking Abby back to the house tonight." Robin told him quite suddenly. Jason wanted to tell her that he didn't think it would be a very good idea but he could tell that it didn't matter what he thought, not at that moment, not in his position. Robin's mind was made up and if he tried to sway her, then she would put him right back in his place.

There was a moment of them both simply staring at each other but it was interrupted by Justus entering the room, "I'm sorry to interrupt." He began apologetically. "Jason, I really need to talk to you before the hearing." He looked at Robin and sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She replied with little emotion as she wiped the lingering tears from her eyes. "We're done here anyway." She picked up her purse and left without looking back.

Jason put his head in his hands and felt completely numb as Justus hesitantly closed the door so they could speak in private. "Justus."

"Yes?"

"I want you to make sure Robin has whatever she wants. Whatever she needs. Anything she asks for, I want you to make sure she gets it without delay." Jason told him seriously.

"Well, I can handle money and the legal end of anything she needs Jason, but I doubt that'll be much. I do the best I can." Justus told him.

Jason looked up and shook his head, "She might need more legal help than you think." After the way she was looking at her wedding ring, Jason wouldn't be at all surprised if come morning Justus was told to draw up divorce papers. Robin was detached and trying to distance herself from what was going on, in the back of his mind, Jason knew that she would and if she did want to leave him because of this, he wouldn't make it anymore difficult than it had to be on her and Abby.

Justus looked at him in confusion and decided to turn their attention back to the bail hearing first and foremost, "You'll plead not guilty of course." He set his briefcase on the table and opened it up as Jason sat back and stared off thinking about his wife and children.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Sonny asked hesitantly as Max picked up the last bag and took it out of the penthouse.

"I'm taking my daughter home Sonny." Robin stated in a matter of fact tone that told Sonny the subject was not open for debate.

"Robin, sweetheart you're mad right now, I get that but you and Abby may not be safe at the cottage." He tried to reason anyway.

"We may not be safe anywhere ever again. I'd rather at least be home while fearing for my life." She retorted bluntly.

He sighed, "Justus called, the bail hearing is." He stopped as Abby and Michael ran through the living room and into the kitchen without even noticing the adults standing there. "It's in an hour." He continued once they were both out of earshot.

"I'm not going." Robin stated as she went to the closest and retrieved Abby's jacket as Brenda entered without a word. She knew that Robin had her mind made up and had decided herself that she was going with them to help in any way necessary. "Abby, come in here please." Abby came into the living room and looked at her mother, "I want you to go check upstairs for anything I might have missed and then we're going home sweet pea." She helped her daughter put on her jacket and then the young girl scampered up stairs, clearly excited about being able to return to their home at last.

"Everything is in the car Mrs. Morgan." One of the guards stated from the doorway.

"Thank you." She replied with a nod. Abby came down the stairs within seconds and took her mothers hand. She looked at Sonny and he could see how much it was hurting her to do this but Robin refused to back down. She needed time to cool off and to figure out what she wanted, she wouldn't be able to do that while sitting in a penthouse that she hated, feeling trapped and isolated while her husband was in jail.

"Is daddy home?" Abby asked quite suddenly.

"No sweet pea, he's not." Robin told her as she led her daughter out of the penthouse, right past Sonny without looking in his eyes.

When they were gone, Brenda finally spoke to Sonny, "You know how she gets Sonny. It's fight or flight with Robin and right now she's not so sure it's worth the fight. She's scared and she's alone."

"She has you." Sonny stated. "You'll watch out for her and Abby until she comes around."

Brenda frowned and wrapped her arms around herself, "I'm not so sure she will come around this time."

Sonny sighed, "She may not want to go to the bail hearing but I do. Jason needs someone in his corner right now."

"Take this to him." Brenda stated as she pulled something from her pocket. She extended her hand towards Sonny and he finally saw what it was. A photograph of Abby and Robin. "I thought he could use a reminder of life outside of jail." She smirked weakly.

They seemed so innocent and happy in the photograph. Both mother and daughter with the long dark hair down blowing in the summer breeze as they sat on a single swing, Abby on her mother's lap as Robin held onto her so she wouldn't fall. It was Brenda's favorite picture of the 2 of them, it had been taken almost a year earlier but she carried it with her everywhere. Now Jason needed it more it seemed.

Sonny nodded and tucked the picture in his jacket, "I'm sure he'll be grateful, especially if he doesn't get out tonight."

"Do you think he will?" She asked him.

"Honestly? It's not very likely. Justus will do his best and try." He answered somberly. "But he just might be better off there for the time being."

As soon as Robin unlocked the front door, Abby tore inside excitedly in search of her dog. It wasn't long before a few loud barks signaled that Buster was padding into the house along with Dillon. Buster licked Abby's face happily as she hugged him as tightly as she could while Dillon went to Robin and put his hand on her arm.

"How are you holding up?" He asked quietly.

She nodded, "I'm doing as well as can be expected. Will you do me a favor and help unload the car?"

"No." He stated. "I won't help, I'll do it and you'll sit down. You can't be lifting bags and whatever, come on, don't make me call Alan to yell at you." He threatened.

"Thanks Dillon." She replied tiredly.

Brenda came up behind her and wrapped her arms around Robin, "Maybe you should go lay down. I'll keep an eye on Abby and let you know if Sonny calls."

"Keep her in the house?" Robin insisted.

"I won't let her out of my sight." Brenda promised.

A bail hearing never seemed to last so long. The court was nearly empty due to the swarming press outside of the courthouse, hoping to catch a glimpse of the local mob family on trial. Come morning, it would all be a hot topic in the papers and at every coffee shop in Port Charles. Sonny sat behind the courtroom divider, behind Jason and Justus listening to it all very closely. On the opposite side of the room Ned Ashton, Jason's cousin sat with Monica and Emily who had all come to support Jason as best they could. Several reporters took notes as quickly as they could but for his part, Jason just sat with his mouth shut and his mind miles away. Sonny had brought him a suit which Justus brought down to the holding cell before the hearing, Jason felt uncomfortable but he put it on and tried his best to look pulled together, failing miserably at it.

"Your Honor." Justus stood and in his most professional tone addressed the judge overseeing the bail hearing. "My client has family here in Port Charles, his parents, Alan and Monica Quartermaine, as well as his wife are respected doctors in the community. His wife is expecting their 2nd child. He is innocent until proven guilty and I ask you to set a reasonable bail so he can be with his family which includes a 6 year old daughter."

"Your Honor, the State respectfully requests that bail be denied!" The prosecutor chimed in adamantly. "The defendant is accused of murder here. He is a powerful man in this city with suspected ties to organized crime."

"Objection!" Justus snapped. "My client as never been convicted of such a thing. He has a criminal record, yes but it's for things such as petty fights, speeding tickets. He has been found innocent of everything the PCPD as ever tried to blame on him. He is a business man, an importer and any rumors to the contrary have no bearing on the facts here."

"Your Honor, Mr. Morgan stands accused of a violent murder, he has a history of violent behavior and the State feels that it is in the peoples best interest that he be kept off of the streets until trial." The prosecutor pressed on. "He not only as the means to be a flight risk but as assisted in several escape attempts in the past."

"Hearsay. Your Honor." Justus insisted. "My client is willing to turn over his passport if it pleases the court." Jason slumped down in his chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose, his hands cuffed together so he had no choice but to raise both. He didn't know why Justus was trying so hard, he wouldn't be going home any time soon and they all knew it. But for the sake of a good show, Justus continued to put up one hell of a fight.

"Mr. Morgan is more than capable of leaving the country without it." The prosecutor reasoned wisely.

The elderly judge leaned forward, his long flowing black rope falling onto his podium, "So tell me Mr. Ward, what do you 2 think would be a reasonable bail for a man accused of murder?" He questioned. "Do you expect me in good conscience to simply allow your client to walk out of this court and potentially onto a private jet?"

"In this country, Your Honor, we are all innocent until proven guilty and so far the prosecution as not presented ample proof to support their claim that my client is in any way a danger to the community." Justus answered. "Yes, he as been accused of murder but this is not a trial, this is a hearing to determine if he will be able to tuck his daughter in tonight or not. I think it's reasonable that bail be set at 50,000."

"That's insignificant to a man of Mr. Morgans wealth." The prosecutor interrupted

"Mr. Ward, this hearing is a waste of not only my time but your clients as well. Under no circumstances can I in good conscience grant bail in a case of this magnitude." The judge stated. "Thus is it my decision that Mr. Morgan be held in State Custody without bail until trial." He slammed his gavel down with authority. "This hearing is over gentlemen.'

"Try not to look so shocked." Jason commented from his seat as he looked up at his attorney with a strangely calm expression. He stood as Monica and Emily rushed over to him, his sister in tears as she threw her arms around him tightly, "Em, you have to let go Em come on, let go." He told her as guards tried to pull her back. "It's ok Em, Emily listen to me, it's ok. They'll take me back to my cell, it's fine."

"It's not fine Jason!" She cried. "You didn't do anything-"

He looked at her sadly and shook his head, "Go home with Monica. I'll be fine here. Check in on Robin and Abby for me."

Sonny took a breath as he stood, "Sorry man, I thought the judge might be more reasonable."

Jason shrugged as the guards released his handcuffs just long enough to bring them around behind him. "Not for a murder case. We all knew it would happen like this Sonny."

"Can he take this?" Sonny asked the guards as he pulled the photograph from his jacket. One guard nodded and allowed Sonny to tuck the picture into Jason's pocket. "Bren thought you would want it to remind you of home."

"Thank her for me." Jason requested as he was led away. Through the entire hearing, he has hoped that Robin would show up but obviously she wasn't coming. Maybe it was for the best, at least he knew she was safe and at home with Abby for the time being.

Robin watched as tiny stars lit up the night sky as she prepared to spend the night alone while her husband was across town in a holding cell. Sonny had called to tell Brenda what had happened at the bail hearing. To no ones surprise, Jason wasn't allowed to go home and to make matters worse, for security purposes, Jason would be moved in the morning to await trial at a nearby prison where there was no chance of Sonny and/or Luke trying to break him out. For the night he would remain in Port Charles in his 8' by 10' cell which he was all too used to being in from past experiences.

She wiped away stray tears with the back of her hand as she held a pillow against her body while sitting on the bed. The situation just seemed so hopeless. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Jason had indeed killed the gunman. If she couldn't be convinced of his innocence, how could Justus convince a jury?

And Abby didn't even have a clue what was going on. She just assumed that he father had to go somewhere for work yet again and Robin couldn't bring herself to tell her daughter the truth. She didn't know if she could go back to raising Abby alone, not with another child on the way. She had done it alone for 4 years, just her and Abby but Jason had ruined the simplicity of that by inserting himself in their lives as soon as he found out about Abby and Robin blindly allowed it to happen. At the moment she wondered if she had made the biggest mistake of her life because no matter how much she loved Jason, she knew that it was Abby's heart that would be the most damaged to lose him now.

Across town Jason entered his corner cell, measuring 8' by 10' if he was lucky. He was freed of his handcuffs and the door slammed shut with a loud bang. Jason removed his jacket and put it on the top bunk after removing the photograph Sonny had slipped into his pocket. He stared at it for a long moment before his eyes began to burn and he had to shut them tight.

Jason knew that he had screwed up beyond repair this time. His actions could cost him his family but he had been put in a lose-lose situation. If he didn't fight back, Sorel would press on trying to break him. If he fought back, then it meant potentially losing Robin and their children. Yet somehow that managed to seem like the lesser of 2 evils. At least fighting back would have served as some sort of warning to Sorel to stay away, or that's what Jason had to hope for.

Robin looked in on Abby, sleeping peacefully in her bed, blissfully unaware of the problems that lie ahead for their family. Buster lay next to Abby's bed guarding her watchfully. Robin knew Brenda was in the guest room but she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, not even her best friend. She just wanted to be left alone because she figured that she might as well get used to it.

She went back to her bedroom and closed the door before laying down and crying into her pillow.

Jason stared up at the under side of the top bunk lost in his thoughts. He wondered what Robin was doing, if she was considering just taking Abby and leaving as she had before Carly ruined that plan. It seemed like the best possible out come would be that he would have to serve 25 years in prison. Ironic or maybe it was cruel that it seemed like the best thing to hope for. His son would be 25 years old, Abby could be a mother herself by then. Jason would have missed their entire lives and maybe when he got out they would have no use for him. He wouldn't blame either of them if that happened but at least they would know their father was alive. Then again, they would also know that their father was convicted of murder. Maybe he should hope for a nice quick lethal injection instead.

The longer Jason lie there in thought, the angrier he became at himself. Would Robin still be healthy and alive in 25 years? God, had he really just thrown away whatever time they could have had together because he was too angry to think straight? Jason covered his face with his hands and tried to keep himself from having a complete break down.

Morning came, but Robin had been awake all night worrying about Jason. She loved him so much but the pressure was just too intense. She was terrified. She had lost him before and it had been the most painful experience in her life, now she was potentially facing it again and it Abby on top of it all.

When there was a knock at the front door, she reluctantly went to answer it. Brenda had taken Abby to school, Sonny would have guards watching the building for anything remotely suspicious and they would remain invisible, so Abby and the other kids wouldn't notice.

"I went to the hospital looking for you." Mac told her as she opened the door.

"Alan put me on leave." She explained tiredly. "Dr. Meadows would have if he hadn't. Come on in."

Mac stuffed his hands in his pockets and entered the cottage. Dillon and Georgie had cleaned the place up so well it didn't even look like gunfire had erupted there a week prior. "How are you holding up Robin?" He asked her quite seriously.

"How well am I expected to be holding up?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know what the expectations are. Quite frankly I don't care. I just want the truth." Mac told her.

Robin sighed and sat on the couch, "I haven't slept. I'm miserable and terrified. And Jason is sitting in a jail cell. I'd say it couldn't get much worse." She rubbed her eyes but Mac couldn't tell if it was because she was tired or because she wanted to hide any sign of tears. Perhaps it was both but he didn't think it would be wise to question it. Robin had been through so much during the night. She was questioning her entire life, her marriage and the father of her children in a way she never thought she ever would.

"Justus tried for bail, He tried damn hard." Mac told her. "I managed to get in to the hearing even though I can't get anywhere near the case."

She shook her head as Mac sat down next to her, placing his hand on her knee in an attempt to be reassuring. "They won't give the local mob boss bail in a murder case." She cringed and placed her hand on her stomach when the baby kicked particularly hard.

Mac managed to smile a little, "I bet your mom looked just like you when she was expecting you."

Robin pressed her lips together and looked down for a moment, "I wish she were here to tell me what to do right now."

"She wouldn't tell you want to do." Mac replied. "She'd tell you that it's something you need to figure out for yourself and for your kids."

"I don't know if my marriage can survive this Uncle Mac." She admitted quietly.

He was taken back by her words. Never had Robin been one to give up or admit defeat, that was the Scorpio in her. She never gave up on Jason in the past and Mac couldn't believe his ears. "I don't think you really mean that Robin." He told her. "You're a fighter. You'll fight for this marriage every step of the way. I know you love Jason and that he loves you."

She wiped a tear away then, "Sometimes love isn't enough."

"And sometimes it's the only thing that matters at all." He told her wisely.

"Then maybe it's just not worth it." She bit back coldly, her pain making it difficult to remain calm. "Maybe I should just let it go. We tried What else can I do now?" She shook her head. "I never wanted to be the wife of a mobster. I just wanted to be Jason's wife. I wanted us to have our kids and be happy. And we were you know? Until now. Now it's all gone straight to hell."

"Do you think your parents ever gave up on each other?" Mac asked her seriously. "They broke up and got back together more times than I can ever remember but one thing I always knew when you were born that was it. No matter how they tried to resist it and more on they were connected. You and Jason have a daughter together and another child on the way you're stuck with each other for the rest of your lives."

"Yeah, we're stuck together alright, we just can't be together if he goes to prison." She stated. "Mac, I love him but right now I want to strangle him."

"Just like your parents." He smirked. "You and Jason are a lot like Anna and Robert. My brother couldn't stay out of trouble." Mac shook his head as he spoke and took Robin's hands. "But your mother loved him anyway, just like you love Jason no matter what he does."

She pulled away and stood up. "And now they're both dead!" She was openly crying then and Mac could only watch her in awe as she went on a verbal tirade. "They loved each other and they died together. They left me here alone and even though I had you Uncle Mac, I was still alone. I don't want that for my kids."

He frowned, "Robin, sweetheart, there are no guarantees in life. You can only be here for Abby and the baby now and who knows what tomorrow my bring?" He sighed, "I wish I could tell you something that would make it all better Robin but I can't. I think your parents would have rather died knowing that they loved each other completely and gave you the best life they could while they were here, than knowing they could have tried harder."

Robin sniffed back her tears, "Do you hear yourself? You're actually trying to pull for my marriage to Jason here." She managed to smirk a little then. "Careful Uncle Mac next thing you know you might actually like my husband a little." She took a breath. "I know you're trying to help Uncle Mac but I just don't know." She closed her eyes and felt completely weak in that very moment. Mac stood up and wrapped his arms around Robin, for a long moment he just stood there holding her and letting Robin cry in his arms. Mac would have given anything to take the pain away for her then, but he just didn't know how to because the truth was, there simply wasn't anyway he could.

Even as Justus led him through the gray, sterile building, Sonny could feel the tension in the back of his neck and the early traces of a cold sweat coming on. He didn't like being there, the prison where he once spent a length of time for one crime or another. He was claustrophobic and being even on the open side of the jail made him uneasy. He didn't know how Jason could be keeping a cool head after being locked up there for 4 days already.

Both Sonny and Justus showed their identification, signed some release forms and emptied their pockets for a large balding prison guard before being allowed past the second, or maybe the 3rd check point before they were able to see Jason.

And he didn't look at all impressed as a guard led him to a long wall of stools, plate glass and telephones which they would need to use, even though they would only be 2' apart. His hands were cuffed again and Jason was getting quite used to the cold metal around his wrists, every time they took him out of his cell. He eyed the other inmates as he was led past them in a white tank top and gray prison issued bottoms. The gray top was attached to the outfit but Jason left it hanging down. It was far too hot in the cells to wear it. He sat down where the guard stood him and waited for either Sonny or Justus to do the same.

He motioned to the phone as Sonny sat down and slowly picked it up without taking his eyes off of Jason. "You really need to stop working out while you in here man. Christ."

Jason shrugged, "There isn't much else to do for the 2 hours a day I'm not locked up."

"I know it's rough man." Sonny replied sincerely. "I'm sorry you're in there. You shouldn't be. They're acting like you've already been convicted."

"Pretty much." Jason retorted. In 4 days it was already obvious that he was working through his anger by working out when he was let out of his cell. He took a breath and shook his head, "It's all a matter of time."

"Hey, no, don't talk like that man. Justus is going to figure out how to win this case." Sonny insisted.

"Sonny, they can say it's a security precaution all they want but you and I both know that they just want me to get used to this place." Jason answered. He leaned forward and looked at Sonny seriously, instantly Sonny knew what his friend was going to ask about, or more accurately who. "How are they?"

Sonny nodded, "Abby is just her usual self. Running around, playing. She doesn't know anything, Robin hasn't told her where you are. Even though Abby saw Jason with the police, her Aunt Brenda managed to convince her with it was nothing to be concerned with, they were just going to ask her daddy some questions and whatnot, as far as his absence was concerned, Abby just thought that Jason had to go away for work again in a hurry. Robin well, she's hurting Jason. She's scared and you're here. She's doing all she can to get through everyday but she's shutting down." Jason cringed and shook his head, for a moment he didn't seem to react. "She loves you Jason you need to know that."

"I do." He finally replied. "I just hate that she's going through this pain because of me." He looked to his attorney, "Let me talk to Justus man."

"Alright." Sonny stood and let Justus take the phone.

"Be honest Justus. Am I ever getting out of this hellhole?" Jason asked him bluntly. "I think I've read every book they have on the grounds. Leave me here much longer and I'm going to be the size of a brick house. You've got to do something about this." Not only was he in lock up but he was in solitary confinement because of his ample supply of enemies in close proximity to his own cell, which was all the more reason to pack on some extra muscle while he was there. There was great potential for Jason's life to be at risk while he was there and everyone knew it.

"I'm working on it Jason. They shouldn't have sent you here in the first place. There's no reason why you couldn't stay at the PCPD jail." Justus stated which actually caused Jason to smirk.

"You're kidding me right? No reason?" He gestured to Sonny, "There's the reason right there. We've done break outs of PCPD before and everyone knows it."

"Well no one as ever proved it Jason." His attorney reasoned. "People THINK that they know a lot but if they can't prove it than it doesn't mean a damn thing."

"Have you seen my wife?" Jason asked him quite seriously.

"I have." Justus replied, "For a few moments at Kelly's with Brenda. She's holding strong Jason, Robin is remarkable like that."

He shook his head, "What she's remarkable at is making everyone think that she's stronger than she really is. Don't get me wrong, she's stronger than I could ever be but-"

"Jason, she's stronger than most of us ever could be." Justus reasoned. "Do you want me to ask her to come?" So far Robin was staying away by her own choice. She needed to keep her distance for awhile for her own sake more than anything else. It wasn't that she wanted to be away from her husband but Robin wasn't so sure she could handle seeing him like that, it was hard enough seeing him behind bars in Port Charles. Still, Justus had a feeling that if Jason made the request, she would come to see him.

Jason shook his head, "No, I don't want her looking at me through this wired glass." He tapped the divider with 2 knuckles, much to the annoyance to the nearby guards. "I never want to see her in a place like this, even just visiting. When do we go to trial?" He asked, shifting gears slightly.

"As soon as you want. I can get us into court by the end of the week. The prosecution is just waiting on us at this point." Justus explained.

"Alright, do it." Jason stated. "There's no point in dragging this out any longer than we need to. If you think you're ready then let's get started."

"Times up!" A guard yelled with authority.

Jason took a long breath and nodded to Sonny as he hung up the phone and stood. 'Hang in there.' Sonny mouthed and Jason nodded as a guard grabbed his arm and led him out of the long room.

"Mommy look!" Abby laughed as she swung high on a park swing set.

Robin smiled and nodded, "Be careful sweet pea."

She was sick of being in the house all the time, it was getting too crowded with people constantly coming by the check on her whether it was her family or Jason's. She just wanted to be left alone for awhile to think on her own and spend time with Abby.

It was Sunday afternoon, Robin had taken Abby to church and then to the park where they had been sitting for well over an hour. Usually it was time spent with Jason, whether he attended church with them or not, afterwards, his time was devoted strictly to his family, Sonny wouldn't call for business, the guards and other men kept their distance and were forced to handle their own problems. Now Robin and Abby were alone and Robin didn't know when if ever Jason would be with them again. Would he ever take his daughter to the park again?

"You look so sad." A deep voice commented from behind Robin.

She was startled but didn't so much as flinch somehow as Leo Sorel came into view. She didn't take her eyes off of Abby for an instant even as Sorel took a seat on the bench next to her.

"How is the baby?" He asked her as though they were old friends only to be greeted by icy silence.

"I want you to know, that the only reason Sonny hasn't killed you is because I asked him not to." She stated very seriously, still not looking away from her child.

"And why is that?" He questioned smugly

She finally looked at him, "Because you set my husband up already and I won't let anything else happen that could be used against him."

"You know that he killed that man." Sorel stated as Robin picked up her purse and stood. She froze at the sound of his voice then. "He did it and he doesn't regret it. Do you want to spend the rest of your life laying down next to a cold blooded murderer?"

Robin glared at him, "If you dare to come this close to my daughter again I will kill you myself you sorry son of a bitch."

Sorel smirked and nodded, "And I'm sure you think that you could."

She walked away then, taking Abby by the hand and leading her from the park without so much as a glance back in the mobster's direction. Sorel grinned as he reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve his cell. He dialed a number and within 2 rings, there was a somber reply.

"Yes. I'd like to report my suspicions of child abuse." He stated. "I'm very concerned about a friend and her child's safety. Her husband is extremely violent, he's currently in jail."

"I know you're worried about them Emily." Brenda spoke into the telephone, cradling it with her shoulder as she straightened up the living room. "Robin is just, I think she's afraid to go see Jase, I know, I'll tell her you called. I can't promise she'll call back She's really just on autopilot lately. Yeah, complete survival mode. Alright, give everyone at the house my love". A knock at the door had her straining in an effort to see through the etched glass in the window to see who was dropping by unannounced as she took hold of the phone. "We'll talk later ok? Bye."

Brenda let Justus into the cottage silently and allowed him to step into the living room. Robin wasn't home yet but Brenda knew that Justus had been to see Jason. "How is he?" She finally asked quietly.

Justus frowned, "Other than he's convinced any day now I'll be serving him divorce papers, he's holding up remarkably well."

Brenda's forehead creased and she shook her head. What was she supposed to say to that? She didn't know what Robin was thinking lately, though she was pretty sure that her sister was leaning towards ending her marriage so soon.

"She's not home is she?" He asked her.

"Not yet." Brenda answered. "She needed some time alone with Abby and her thoughts."

"I need to talk to her as soon as possible Brenda." Justus insisted. "Jason's trial is going to start in a few days and I need to plan my strategy. It would be a lot easier if I knew where Robin stood with this."

"What do you mean where she stands?" Brenda questioned, putting her hands on her hips as she looked at the attorney with a raised eyebrow.

Justus sighed, "There's going to be a jury Brenda, selection begins tomorrow. I need Jason to come off in the best possible way and that would be a lot easier to accomplish if I can show everyone that he's a family man. Now I can't exactly do that if his wife isn't behind him. If Robin won't come to the trial, that makes things a lot harder for me and for Jason."

"Of course she'll be there." She insisted. "Her husband is about to stand trial for murder, there isn't anything that could keep her away, no matter how pissed off she is with him right now."

"Are you sure about that? The last time she saw Jason, she gave him one hell of a piece of her mind." He stated seriously.

"Abby go upstairs and change." Robin told her daughter from the doorway as they came in. Abby nodded and headed up to her room to put on a pair of jeans and a sweater while her mother spoke with the other adults in the house. Robin put her purse and keys down without saying a word or looking at Justus for a long moment. Finally she crossed her arms and looked him over, "What do you want me to do Justus? Show up in court, look like a dotting happy, obedient wife so you can get Jason off from murder charges? Maybe I should bake the jurors some chocolate chip cookies." She remarked sarcastically.

"Robin." Brenda tried to step closer to Robin to calm her down but Robin held up her hand, stopping her from coming any closer.

"No, I'm really curious." Robin stated. "What exactly am I supposed to do while my husband stands trial?" Justus didn't know what to say so he remained silent which possibly annoyed Robin most of all. "I thought you wanted to talk to me? Apparently you don't have much to say so why don't you leave now?"

Justus sighed, he knew that Robin was still very upset and he didn't blame her for a second. "You really need to consider coming to the trial Robin. Jason needs you more than ever right now." She closed her eyes and he could tell that she was trying to keep herself together. "Robin, it's bad, we all know that." He told her softly. "Probably worst of all for you. But Jason doesn't stand a chance at trial if the prosecutor manages to make him come off as an emotionless murder without a heart or a conscience." He put his hand on her shoulder, "You need to think about this, really think about it. No matter how you feel about Jason right now because of what he did. I know you don't want him to spend the rest of his life in prison."

"You can leave now." She told him.

"Mrs. Morgan?" A voice asked from the open front door.

Robin turned to find a small middle aged woman standing there with a briefcase in one hand and a police officer standing behind her. "Yes?"

"My name is Rosemary Ross, I'm from Protective Services." She stepped into the cottage without waiting for an invitation. Robin looked at Justus with fear in her eyes then and he quickly took to her side as the woman came closer. "A concerned citizen as voiced suspicions that your daughter." She stopped to look at a paper in her hand, "Abby Rose Scorpio-Morgan is in danger in your household."

"Excuse me?" Robin snapped in deep offense. "Does your little friend there have a warrant?"

"Mrs. Morgan."

"I take that as a no, so why don't you both get the hell out of my house." She ordered.

"Mrs. Morgan, I'm here to inform you of the situation you're in at this time." Mrs. Ross pressed on sternly, her square toed brown leather shoes clicking with each step she took further into the house. "Your husband is a violent criminal and this investigation will proceed with or without your consent or assistance. Now I would hope that with him presently out of the picture, you would be able to think about your daughters best interests and her safety. If Mr. Morgan as ever been violent towards you."

"Get out!" Robin yelled. "How dare you! Get out now!"

Brenda was suddenly holding Robin back from lunging at the other woman as Justus stepped in front of her. "This is blatant harassment." He snapped at the woman. "I am Mrs. Morgans attorney and I can promise you, the city, your supervisors and the press with all be hearing about this if you don't exit this house immediately."

Mrs. Ross stood her ground, "Very well, we'll leave as soon as Abby has a bag."

Over my dead body! Robin snapped fiercely.

"Mrs. Morgan, we take such things very seriously and if your children are in danger, they will both be removed from this house pending an appropriate investigation." Mrs. Ross informed her gesturing to Robin's abdomen.

When the officer attempted to move towards the stairs, Brenda cut off his path. "Do you know who Mrs. Morgans uncle is? The COMMISSIONER! Mac Scorpio! You're boss! She's Robin Scorpio-Morgan and I can assure you that her uncle will have your badge if you don't get the hell out of here!" She told him through gritted teeth as she pressed on hand to the wall and the other to the banister so he could pass by.

"Mr. Morgan as not been convicted of anything." Justus reminded. "This is completely unfounded and I strongly suggest that both of you leave before you further upset Mrs. Morgan and endanger her unborn child." Robin stood next to him, her eyes welling up with tears that she refused to let fall. "Her daughter will be staying with her until you can prove these allegations."

"Conviction or not, it does not look very good for Mrs. Morgan to knowingly endanger her children by being married to someone in Mr. Morgan's position." The woman commented sternly.

"And what position would that be? A coffee importer?" Justus questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Just days ago this house was under gunfire." She stated bluntly.

Justus shook his head, "I strongly suggest you leave now before I had more things to my list of complaints against you and your agency."

The woman and officer left immediately then and Brenda rushed back to Robin's side. Robin went pale and Brenda helped her sit quickly. "Justus." Robin could barely even whisper his name as she sat there in shock.

"No one is going to take your children from you Robin." He assured her. "I won't allow it. Jason is not abusive and he's not a danger to his daughter or the baby."

She covered her mouth with her hand and Brenda wrapped her arms around her sister tightly, "Justus don't tell Jason or Sonny about this. Not until we know what's going on. Just focus on getting Jason out right now and I'll call Alexis Davis to help with this new problem." Brenda explained. Robin was trembling then and Brenda tried everything she could to console her but it was useless, Robin could not lose her children, she wouldn't allow it to happen no matter what.

Without warning Robin got up and ran upstairs to check on Abby. "Who would even call C.P.S to report Jason as a threat to his family?" Justus asked Brenda. "He'd never do that."

"I know that and you know that but we know Jason." She reasoned. "Other people, they just seem him as some violent thug." She shook her head and went towards the stairs with her hands in the back pockets of her blue jeans, "This isn't good."

"Brenda, Jason is Abby's father he should-"

She cut him off quickly, pointing at him suddenly, "It's privileged Justus! You can't tell Jason what just happened here because you put yourself in the position as Robin's attorney. I don't care if you're on retainer by Jason and Sonny, you stepped up and now you need to keep quiet about this. Robin can't deal with this pressure. It's not good for her health or the baby's. I'll call Alexis and she'll handle this, Focus on Jason right now. You and he both need to handle getting him out, while Robin and I take care of this with Alexis." She insisted before heading up stairs to check on Robin.

Luke paced with his cigar in one hand and a glass of dark liquor in the other as Sonny watched him. "I knew your boys should have torched the muck." Luke muttered.

"They were supposed to have cleaned it up." Sonny answered. "I thought that they had." He shook his head, Jason is the one that usually handles that sort of thing. He makes sure it's all done right.

"Forget what I said, I should have torched the place myself." Luke stated bluntly. "I was there, I should have just handled it and saved Robin and Jason both a lot of trouble." He rubbed the back of his neck and frowned before taking a long drag of his cigar, slowing letting out the smoke before speaking again. "Do you know what the worst part is?"

"Let me guess, it's somehow about you?" Sonny remarked sarcastically.

"Yes." Luke admitted reluctantly. "But about Robin too. I mean, I told Jason if he hurt Robin or Abby that I'd kill him." Sonny smirked, Luke was one of the few people that could probably take down Jason if he wanted to. He knew Jason's weaknesses and his strengths better than almost anyone else. "And I can't even be mad at the man for it. I would have done the same thing."

"Me too." Sonny stated as he poured himself a drink at Luke's bar. If Jason hadn't gone after him, "I would have sent my boys to take care of him."

"No, I would have done it myself. The hell with the middle men." He stopped and looked at Sonny with a raised eyebrow, "Hey Corinthos, should you be drinking with those painkillers for that bum arm of yours?"

"Probably not." Sonny answered with a shrug. His wounded arm was still in a sling and he knew that mixing pills and liquor was dumb but Sonny was never one to do the most intelligent things especially when he was under a great deal of stress.

"If someone had fired at my wife and our kids, I'd tear the son of a bitch a part and keep his head as a trophy."

"Now let's be glad Jason didn't do that." Sonny interrupted.

"You would have done it too." Luke reasoned sternly. I'd kill for my kids in a heartbeat and that includes Robin. I made a promise to her old man when he died, that I'd look out for her like one of my own. And Abby is my Goddaughter, which means those girls may as well be my blood. No one hurts them and lives to tell about it."

"Luke you're drunk." Sonny stated.

"It keeps me from ever getting hungover." He remarked. "Now Bubba, now that's a man who would do anything for that little girl and her momma. Mac, he would have killed the bastard too. And hey, if he had, than it would have been a lot easier to pin on some other muck." He shook his head, "I've yet to figure out a way to benefit from Mac Scorpio being the Commissioner."

"Oh please." Sonny took a long swig of his drink. "If you weren't Robert's best friend, Mac would have locked you up for good by now. He's got a soft spot for the people that Robin loves and that have helped take care of her. He may not like you very much but his brother loved you and the girls still do. You can't get arrested in this town, no matter what YOU do. You want to see Mac hate someone, let's invite him over and he can take a good long look at me."

Luke refilled his glass and looked at Sonny, "What were we discussing again?"

Sonny gave it some thought, "We were trying to come up with a way to get Jason out of prison."

"We could plan a hostile takeover of the joint but too complicated." Luke shook his head and tried to think of something else. "How about we blow one of the walls up? Nah too messy Come on Spencer think! Think!" He began to pace again, gesturing wildly as he spoke more to himself than to Sonny. "You got nicer legs than me Corinthos old buddy, we could dress you up like a woman and you could distract the guards."

"Now I know you're drunk." Sonny stated. "You're cut offed." He put the liquor bottle under the counter and shook his head.

"Well you come up with something better." Luke retorted. "Come on, you're the Almighty Sonny Corinthos, you own half the bloody state of New York." He was being overdramatic for effect as only Luke Spencer could be. His imagination was that of a child and he liked to gesture wildly to emphasis his points.

"Not quite." His friend remarked. Sonny could only shake his head and smirk when Luke got himself wound up so much.

"We used to be better at this stuff. What happened?" Luke asked him seriously as he flopped down on the nearest barstool.

"You got old." Sonny answered bluntly

Luke looked offended. "And what about you Corinthos?"

"I just got better, I'm a little out of practice is all." Sonny reasoned as he rubbed his jaw

"You got lazy. You relied on Jason for too long now that you can't figure a way out of this mess without him telling you how." Luke slurred. "I'll tell you one thing. Sitting here getting drunk doesn't help Robin or that angel of hers."

"Or the baby." Sonny reminded

"We have to come up with something man. Before they stick a long shiny needle in Jason's bulky arm." Luke shuddered at his own dramatics and knocked his glass off of the bar. "It's a good thing I'm the owner." He commented. "I'm a bastard, I torture drunks that break my glasses when they're not me."

Sonny stood up and grabbed his jacket, "Go sleep it off Luke, you're better sober, we need you at the top of your game here."

"This coming from the walking wounded." He smirked.

"Shut up and sleep it off." Sonny insisted before heading out of the empty club with his guards following obediently.

"Get up Morgan." A guard ordered as he rattled the keys in the lock of Jason's cell.

Jason closed a book he had been reading and dropped it on the floor carelessly, "Now what?" He questioned coldly.

"Visitor. Some brunette, good looking one at that." He stated as he motioned for Jason to hold up his hands to be cuffed. Jason swallowed hard unsure of whether he was hoping it was Robin or not. His pulled at the cuffs out of habit and discomfort, "You'll get 15 minutes and that's just because she wouldn't shut up or leave until she saw you."

He held onto Jason's arm every step of the way as he walked him to the visitation area for the 2nd time that day. As soon as the guard said that the brunette wouldn't shut up he knew without a doubt that it had to be Brenda, Robin would have brought someone else to voice her demands and Jason doubted that she would have brought Brenda for that.

Brenda was sitting already holding the photo in her hand as Jason finally appeared and sat in front of her. "Hey Jase." She sighed heavily as he looked at her blankly. "Try not to look so excited huh?"

"Sorry." He replied tiredly. "What's up?"

"I wanted to see for myself how you're holding up." She replied as Jason gave dirty looks to the other prisoners that were gawking at Brenda. The woman was like Robin's sister and Jason felt an uncontrollable urge to be very protective of her even in his present situation. "Ignore them." She told him seriously.

"Yeah, thanks for the picture you sent with Sonny." Jason stated.

"Just keep telling yourself that life is waiting for you out here." She answered.

He shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not." He shook his head, "What do you really want Bren?"

"I was talking to Justus earlier. He came by the cottage to see Robin." She finally explained. "Do you really sit in your cell thinking that Robin is just counting down the minutes until filing for divorce? Are you out of your mind Jason? She loves you."

"I know she loves me." Jason told her. "And I love Robin and Abby more than I thought possible. They're my life Brenda but I screwed up and I'm here now, I don't expect Robin to-"

"To what?" She questioned. "Do you know what she does every night Jason? Whether you're together or not, she as always loved you and every night she prays that you'll be safe." She shook her head. "Even in Paris and Chicago, I remember hearing her ask God to keep you safe because you were Abby's father and even though Robin was still hurt and angry with you, she knew her daughter deserved a father. Every night since you've been here, Robin has prayed that God will somehow bring you home to them."

"What do you want me to say Bren?" He questioned. "I know this is hurting Robin and it's hurting Abby too or at least it will. I know that there's a good chance I won't be there when my son is born." He groaned in frustration. "It's all killing me here. I don't need to be told that I screwed up because I know I did. But I did it for them Brenda. To protect them."

"Keep your voice down." She insisted. "Jason. You've done a lot of dumb things in the past but I know you love Robin and you love your family. But God sometimes you just do such dumb things." She took a breath and leaned forward, "My biggest fear for Robin is that you'll get out and your life will get better again and then one day. She'll get that phone call, the voice at the end of the line will tell her that you've finally done it. You'll have done something to get yourself killed and it's going to break her heart worse than anything else you've ever done." Jason stared down as she continued. Brenda knew that her words were hitting a cord in him and that was the point, these were thing's he needed to hear. "Robin as sacrificed so much for you, she's sacrificed herself but she won't sacrifice her children or their safety. When you get out of here, Jason things are going to have to change. You're going to have to change or one day you and Robin will finally lose each other forever."

He was silent for a long time before finally speaking to Brenda again, "Why are you telling me this? You think that I don't know it already?"

"I think you need to understand that if it seems like Robin is pulling away it's for a good reason." Brenda replied. "You and Robin, you both run on pure instinct so much of the time. Your instincts landed you here and now hers are screaming for her to protect herself and Abby and the baby at all costs because she has to do it all alone. I have to go. Goodbye Jason."

When Brenda left Jason, she went to buy a few things that Robin and Abby needed at the cottage before returning to the very still house. "Where are they?" She asked Dillon who was sitting on the couch keeping a close eye on things in the home.

He turned off the television and gestured to the stairs. "Sleeping. Robin is exhausted and Abby is usually in bed by 8."

"Will you put this stuff away in the kitchen for me? I just want to run up and check on them. Brenda explained.

"Sure thing. Dillon got off of the couch and took the shopping bags from her arms.

Brenda climbed the stairs and found Abby's bedroom was empty and Buster was nowhere in sight. She continued down the hall to Robin's bedroom and found her in bed, Abby curled up snugly next to her and Buster sound asleep at the foot of the bed. She quietly entered the room and closed the curtains and turned off the telephone so Robin would hopefully sleep in come morning.

Justus was waiting, his briefcase open on the table as Jason was brought into a small private room inside the prison early the next morning. "Did you sleep alright?"

Jason openly scoffed, "This place is like the Hilton."

Justus laughed and shook his head, "Well your sense of humor is in tact."

"Ask my wife, I don't have a sense of humor." Jason stated as he sat down once his hands were freed from the cuffs. "So what's going on Justus?"

"Strategy." He answered. "We need to workout a believable defense for you."

"We? Isn't that the sort of thing I pay you for?" Jason remarked sarcastically.

There was a strange silence that fell over his attorney then, as Justus mentally debated if he should mention Child Protective Services threats against Robin the previous day. No, he decided that Jason needed to focus on one problem at a time. If Brenda was sure Alexis could take care of it, then he would have to trust her to do it. He would turn his attention to that himself if need be but the present situation meaning Jason being behind bars needed to be his main priority.

"What is it man?" Jason finally questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing." Justus replied. "So, how about we plead you not guilty due to special circumstances?"

"Meaning?"

"The bastard tried to hurt your family, you snapped and were defending them." Justus explained. "You're far too sane for me to play the temporary insanity card."

"I bet Tony Jones would have a field day if you tried that one." Jason stated. He began eyeing the briefcase as though he expected Justus to be one the verge of bad news. Justus noticed and closed the case shaking his head. Jason's paranoia about Robin leaving was reaching a new high.

"Or maybe you are insane." His attorney remarked. "She's not filing for divorce Jason. Stop before you make yourself crazy."

"Will it work?" Jason asked suddenly. "Will they believe that I did it to protect my family?"

"You did." Justus stated. "What we need to do is make the jury see that you're devoted to your family. Someone attacked them and you leaped to defend them no matter what the cost."

"I'm not sure that will get me around the law." Jason told him somberly.

"Well we don't have to worry about the law right now, we have to worry about the 12 men and women that I have to convince not to stick you back in this hell hole of a prison for the rest of your life." He explained quite seriously. "You'd be surprised how fast the law goes out the window when they go into deliberation. It because about you and what you did. Was it ultimately worth your life? I can tell you right now, the men on the jury they would have all wanted to do the same thing. The difference is that you did it and they probably would have been too afraid too. We need to go in there and make them see that it's not a far step from you to them."

Jason put his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together and bringing them to his forehead as he looked down, "Whatever you think will work to get me out of here Justus. Do it. Whatever it takes, I'll go along with whatever you say."

"Good. Because I want to put Robin on the stand." He stated suddenly.

Jason looked at him with wide eyes. "Except that."

"Jason, listen to me, Robin cannot be forced to testify against you." Justus reasoned. "She doesn't have to answer anything she doesn't feel compelled to because whatever you've ever told her is privileged information. What is discussed between a man and his wife is sacred. The prosecution can't force her to reveal anything. We're the only ones that can put her on the stand and we both know she won't incriminate you. She can only serve to make you look good. The jury needs to see her and hear her tell them about the shooting, they need to see that child growing inside of her."

"Then show them pictures!" Jason ordered. "You're not putting Robin on the stand. No way, no how Justus. She's under enough stress as it is and I won't put her through that."

"Jason."

"No!" He snapped, "Justus...no." He shook his head and looked away tiredly.

Justus watched Jason for a long moment without saying another word or moving at all. He wanted to know what his client, his cousin, his friend, was thinking. Obvious Jason was trying to protect Robin from anymore danger and pain but there was more. Robin was going to be torn up either way. Maybe Jason was worried that Robin wouldn't play into Justus plan so well. She was honest to a fault sometimes and the Tony Jones trial was the perfect example of that. Even though Robin agreed what Tony did to her and to baby Michael was wrong, she would not condemn him for it and went so far as to defend his actions. However, her beliefs of right and wrong were always very clear. She knew what Jason did for a living, she hated it, she knew what he was capable of but this was different. This time it touched her family and maybe Jason was worried that his wife would have reservations about defending a murderer, even her own husband.

"Well discuss this again when we have more time. I have to be in court this afternoon to finish jury selection. You'll be in court within the week." Justus explained as he stood and gathered up his jacket and a briefcase.

Robin was sitting at the kitchen table absentmindedly toying with the string of a teabag, while letting the hot cup warm her other hand. She was miles away, deep in thought as Luke came into the kitchen carrying Abby on his hip.

"I think it looks plenty strong enough." He commented as Abby wiggled out of his arms and slid down from him.

"Hmm? Oh." Robin shook her head as she removed the bag from her cup.

"Hey Angel, will you go out and wake Dillon up for me? I need to have a talk with that boy but he's still asleep in his place." Luke explained.

"Ok." Abby answered. "Mommy?" She looked to her mother knowing that Robin had been especially watchful lately, though Abby wasn't completely sure why.

She nodded, "It's ok sweet pea." She could see the door to Dillon's apartment from where she was sitting. "Do you want some coffee or something Luke?"

"Once a waitress, always a waitress." He commented casually as he waved his hand signaling that he wasn't interested in coffee or anything else other than Robin. "No, I'm fine Robin, thanks. You on the other hand-"

She sighed, "Come on, humor me here and tell me I look great."

"You look tired." He answered honestly.

"Which is really a nice way of saying that I look terrible." She remarked as she got up from the table.

"Well I think you know that or you wouldn't have brought it up." Luke replied.

She shrugged, "I've barely slept. I keep thinking about what it would be like around here if Jason doesn't...if he doesn't get out. And then I think about what life would be like if he did. And I don't know what scares me more." She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. As much as Robin hated to admit it even if only to herself, it was Sorel's ominous voice that she seemed to be hearing in her head a lot lately, telling her that Jason was the only one putting her family in danger, that he was a murderer. She pushed the thoughts away. "If I wasn't pregnant I'd be drunk my now." She remarked sarcastically.

"Well then I think it's a good thing the boy knocked you up again. I'm the drinker here not you." Luke told her. "Sonny and I were sitting around drinking the other night trying to come up with a way to get that boy out of the big house, all I came up with was a hangover." He watched Robin move about the kitchen sensing her discomfort. "You're pretty broken up huh?"

"I guess." She replied. "Or torn up. Shredded up. I don't know. I'm trying to be strong for Abby."

"You're a lot like Laura that way." He commented. "She could be so strong for our kids. It always amazed me. While I went to pieces over things, she stayed strong and held our family together through everything until...Well until she couldn't do it anymore." He explained sadly as he thought about his wife, the mother of his children who was now barely recognizable. It had been years now since Laura had a complete mental breakdown and she had yet to recover from it. Occasionally it seemed like she would pull through but she always seemed to slip back into her own little world further and further every time.

"Do you miss her?" Robin asked

Luke sighed, "No, she's still very much in my heart. I try not to think about it much anymore but she's in there." He tapped his chest. "To tell you the truth, as much as I try not to think about it, not a day goes by that I don't think about her at least a dozen time. That woman was my world and our kids were hers. Maybe one day it will be that way again. I can't give up hope, Laura wouldn't if it were the other way around."

"I remember how much she loved you Luke. You 2 were so great together." Robin told him.

He nodded, "Yeah, we had some pretty good times. A lot of bad ones too. But when you love someone that much, the good always outweighs the bad."

"Always?"

He nodded, "Ultimately." There was a pause as he looked at Robin, she really did remind him of Laura but her mother as well. Robin had plenty of examples of strong women. Women that taught her as best they could that the most important thing in life was family. Women that showed her how important it was to be strong and brave. Women that loved completely and limitlessly with everything they had inside of them. "You know Robin, I screwed up a lot. With Laura and our kids. I let them down a lot but it always seemed to be because I loved them so much. I wanted to make our lives better, sometimes I made it worse but my intentions were always honest."

"I know that Luke." She replied softly.

"Jason's were too." He stated. "And to tell you the truth, I would have done it too if I were him. Mac would have. We're different than you ladies. We're not as strong willed or rational. Someone tries to hurt our families and we can't think straight. The only logical way to react, or so it seems at the time is to fight back and destroy. Right or wrong, it's how we're made. If someone fired a gun a Lulu, I'd hang him. If someone hurt Maxie or Georgie or you." He made sure to catch Robin's eyes with his own then, "Mac would slaughter the bastard. Sonny would execute anyone who tried to get too close to Michael. Maybe it's the one thing men and women have in common when you strip it all down."

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "How do you mean?"

"A strictly animal maybe even primal instinct to protect our offspring." Luke replied. "If someone tried to hurt Abby, what would you do?"

"Fight or flight." She commented quietly. "You know what I would do. You got me the passports to take her away remember?"

"I do." He answered. "But I think you would fight harder than anyone else if you had to. And I think you would be a force to be reckoned with." He gestured to her stomach, "Look at you right now, your hand on that baby, protecting it even while it's inside of you." She looked down and realized he was right, she had taken to keeping her hand on her stomach almost at all times. "I know what you're thinking."

"I doubt that." She stated.

"Oh really? So you're not thinking that you need to do whatever it takes to protect your kids?" He questioned. "Even from Jason if need be. Because you sure as hell don't want Abby to lose him but you don't want him to come back short term either right?" Robin looked away and he nodded, "That's what I thought. So what I'm wondering is. What time should I pick you up to go to the trial?"

"I'm not going." She told him bluntly. "I can't sit through that, it's too hard."

Luke leaned back in his chair and studied her closely. "He's your husband Robin, you need to go whether you agree with what he did or not. He needs you."

"I know that." Robin replied.

"Do you? Or are you so focused on protecting yourself, Abby and the baby that you can't see that Jason is in real trouble here?" Luke pressed. "Have you written him off already?"

She shook her head, "Of course not. But how can I go and sit there knowing that he's going to be convicted?"

"You don't know that." He stated.

"He did it Luke. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that." Robin replied emotionally. "I don't want to pretend that it's all going to be ok. Even if Jason comes home, it might not be ok."

'Yeah, I guess you're right." Luke answered empathetically. "I mean, the boy he screwed up. He blew it. You begged him not to do anything dumb. Sonny tried to reason with him and he did it anyway. You might as well get used to being a single parent again. You know, maybe he was never worth it anyway. The only good thing Jason ever accomplished, you have, so it doesn't matter." He commented, referring to Abby and the baby. "So maybe you should just cut your losses and move on. The sooner the better right?"

"Stop it Luke." She told him sternly obviously taking to Jason's defense.

"Well, he's a lousy father anyway, so I guess you and the kids will be better off." Luke continued.

"That's not true. Jason is an amazing father. He loves Abby more than anything." Robin defended.

"Well then, for Abby's sake I guess it's good you married him then." He replied with a shrugged, "I mean that was a huge sacrifice on your part. Marrying the man who knocked you up just so your kid would get a daddy for awhile. It was honorable, I give you that, I mean, personally I couldn't marry someone I didn't love but-"

"I do love Jason!"

Luke nodded, "See that? You can be mad at him as hell and still defend him to the mat because you love him and deep down you know what he did he did because of his love for you and his kids."

Robin looked away, she knew that Luke had baited her then and she fell into it hook, line and sinker. She crossed her arms and stared off towards the window as Abby came across the yard with Dillon, holding his hand tightly. "You don't fight fair Spencer."

"Fighting fair is for wimps." Luke replied.

"That's not a very noble statement." She commented.

"Nobility is for, is for fairytales honey." He fired back.

"I can't go to the trial Luke." It wasn't about Robin's pride or her anger it was now about raw fear. She was terrified that if Abby was out of her sight protective services would swoop in and take her away.

"We'll see about that." He stated as he stood up slowly.

"You wanted to see me Luke?" Dillon questioned as he and Abby came into the kitchen.

"Yes my young protégé, we have much to discuss, come with me." Luke grinned as he put his arm around Dillon's shoulder and led him out.

Robin looked down at her daughter with a raised eyebrow, "Why do I get the impression that Luke is up to something?"

"Isn't he always?" Abby replied which made her mother laugh for the first time in days.

"So what's up?" Dillon asked as he walked Luke to his car.

"I need to know you'll do something for Robin without being asked." He replied.

"Of course." Dillon answered.

"She's going to the trial when it starts."

"Not from what I hear." The teenager interrupted.

"She's going." Luke emphasized. "She just doesn't know it yet. There's noway she won't go in the end. I need to know that you'll watch Abby for her. Robin doesn't trust a lot of people with her daughter but Abby is good with you, she's safe and Robin knows that."

"Yeah, yeah, if Robin wants to go to the trial, of course I'll keep an eye on Abby. I love that kid." Dillon told him

Luke nodded as he lit his cigar, "I don't know many people that don't love my Goddaughter. Make sure Robin is eating and everything, alright?"

"I will."

"You're a good man Quartermaine. I think that's why Robin likes you, you remind her of Jason in a lot of ways, sort of the way Jason reminded Laura of me." Luke remarked as he got into his car and headed off.

Another day passed and Robin was waiting to see Alexis Davis at her office but Alexis was running late after a morning of court appearances. As soon as she came into her office, she saw Robin and motioned for her to step into a more private part of the building.

Robin's hair was tied back and she was dressed casually in jeans and a pale blue top. The fact that she was continuously checking her watch wasn't lost on Alexis. Jason's trial would be starting that afternoon but Robin was holding firm about not going. She was worried that protective services would use it against her somehow and she couldn't risk it.

"I've been trying to get a hold of you since yesterday." Alexis told her.

"I know, I'm sorry." Robin replied. "I haven't been answering the phone. Between Emily and half of Port Charles calling me every 5 minutes, I'm a little sick of talking. And I think the tape in the answering machine is full." She sat down and looked at Alexis expectantly. "What have you found out about Protective Services?"

Alexis took a slow breath, "It's a set up Robin. They're trying to shake you up. Rosemary Ross has always been a little questionable. She went to your house to scare you. There's no investigation pending right now, there isn't any paperwork at the offices with your name on it."

"Then what's going on?" She questioned in disbelief. "Because that woman came into my home and had a lot to say about my daughter and my fitness as a parent."

"I have no doubt that she was sent there to say those things. Especially about Jason. I mean I'm sure there are people that wonder if Abby is safe with him but all it would take is 5 minutes to see how protective he is of her and how much he loves her." Alexis explained.

Robin shook her head, "That son of a bitch."

"What is it?" Alexis questioned.

"He's trying to destroy Jason and he's trying to use me to do it." Robin stated more to herself than her attorney.

"Who?"

"Leo Sorel." Robin stood up and grabbed her purse. "That bastard had almost done it, he had almost pulled it off." He was trying to tear her family apart and she had almost let him do it. I have to get to the trial." She stopped and looked at her attire. "I have to change and get to the trial. Alexis you'll keep an eye on this whole mess?"

"Of course. I won't let anyone take your children Robin." She vowed.

"Thank you. I have to run."

"Be careful." She cautioned.

Brenda looked at the clock on the wall and sighed as Sonny motioned for his driver and 2 guards to get ready. "I guess she's really not going to make it." She stated sounding disappointed.

Sonny frowned, "We'll just have to give Robin an update later. We can't wait any longer Bren or Jason will be standing trial in his prison uniform."

Brenda nodded and picked up the suit that she had pulled from Jason's closet. "Alright, let's go. Dillon and Georgie are keeping Abby in the apartment above the garage. There's no cable up there, so there isn't any chance of Abby seeing the news if Jason is covered."

"He will be. And he would hate for Abby to see it, so it's good she's up with Dillon." Sonny replied as he put his hand on the small of Brenda's back and led her out to his car.

"He's going to be hurt that Robin isn't there." She stated.

"Yeah, but maybe it's for the best. I don't know right now." He answered.

"Brenda and Sonny should be here with a change of clothes any minute now." Justus told Jason calmly as they stood in a small room in the courthouse.

Jason looked up for a moment and shook his head before going back to pacing along the window, "Yeah, sure."

"I think you should let me put Robin on the stand as soon as possible Jason." He tried to reason yet again.

"Justus, Robin isn't even going to come to the trial. She's told Sonny that a dozen times over the past few days." Jason replied.

"He thinks she'll come around." Justus stated. "Let me call her to the witness stand, she'll have to come Jase."

"No." Jason told him sternly. "I'm not going to drag her through this."

A knock at the door ended any further discussion and moments later Emily Quartermaine was allowed to enter the room, "Hey Jase, are you alright?" She asked as she hugged him. She pulled back and looked into his eyes, "Dumb question sorry."

He shook his head, "Don't be. Who came with you?"

"Ned, mom and dad." She told him and Jason almost cringed. It wasn't going to be one of his finest moments but at least Edward wasn't scheduled to make an appearance yet. The old man still thrived on giving Jason a hard time, especially about Robin and Abby, trying to tell Robin that she'd be better off on her own with their kids. Robin had already informed Edward under no circumstance would her children be the Quartermaine heirs, which annoyed him tremendously.

"Shouldn't you be in class or something today?" He asked her.

"Not when you need me here." Emily told him sternly. "You're my brother Jase, there's noway I could be sitting in class while you're in court."

"Jase." Brenda's voice interrupted softly, "I have your suit." She nervously tucked her hair behind her ears knowing that Jason was hoping to see Robin with her, even if only for a few moments.

"Thanks Bren." He replied.

"Well, we should let you change, so you look good in court." Emily stated as she straightened her jacket. "Just try to be strong Jase." He nodded and watched them leave.

"You have 5 minutes to change." Justus told him. "It won't look good at all if we were late."

Dillon piggybacked Abby through the kitchen with Georgie in search of a snack, when they heard noise coming from upstairs. "Abby, slide down kiddo." He instructed. "Georgie, you 2 stay here."

"Dillon." She began cautiously. "Wait umm here!" She grabbed a wooden spoon and gave it to him.

Dillon headed up to investigate the noises and was surprised to find Robin in the master bedroom throwing clothing around. "I hope you don't think that would protect my daughter very well." She remarked when she saw the wooden spoon in his hand as though it was a baseball bat.

Dillon threw it over his shoulder and looked at Robin as though she lost her mind, "What are you doing Robin?"

"Trying to find some clothes that will fit this beach ball stomach of mine." She answered. "Dillon, I know I asked you to watch Abby for an hour already but."

He held up his hand, "Go to the trial. Go and be there for Jason."

"Thanks." She replied quickly as she crawled around on her knees looking through a stack of shoeboxes. "When did I get so much junk?" She threw a pair of shoes aside and continued her search.

"I'll umm send Georgie up to give you a hand." He stated as he backed out of the messy room.

Everything that everyone had been telling Robin the past few weeks played over and over again in her head. Mac was right, she couldn't just give up so easily. And Luke really did make a good point by causing her to jump to Jason's defense. Not to mention the was so snapped at Sorel in the park. It all served to remind Robin that she had to fight for her marriage and stand by Jason, he needed her and she couldn't let him down. She was furious with herself for nearly falling into Sorel's plan to ruin her family. She wasn't going to let him come between her and her husband, she and Jason had been through bigger, badder villains than Leo Sorel, hell they survived Carly for crying out loud.

"Scorpio are you ready yet?" Luke's voice called from down stairs. Sometimes Robin was so predictable and Luke knew she would come around eventually.

As Jason was led into the courtroom with Justus he saw that the place was packed. Sonny and Brenda sat in the front row behind the defense table, his family behind them and a sea of reporters and various other strangers.

"He's looking for Robin." Emily whispered to Monica.

"I know he is." She replied with more than a little disappointment in her voice.

2 guards were about to close the courtroom doors as Jason and Justus sat down when Luke's voice yelled for them to wait, "Hold on, hold on!" Justus shook his head thinking that Luke was just causing an unnecessary scene but Jason looked over his shoulder anyway.

Within seconds, Robin appeared in the doorway in a red skirt and black suit jacket, her hair swept up and her body obviously tense as all eyes fell on her and a hushed wave of whispering rolled over the other people gathered in the courtroom. She took a deep breath and walked down the aisle straight to the front row, her eyes never leaving Jason as he slowly stood up and turned to face her.

"I didn't think you were coming." He whispered.

"I couldn't find my shoes." She answered as casually as possible as she put her hand on the side of Jason's face. "Sorry I'm late."

"Better late than never." Sonny spoke up gently. She nodded and sat down between him and Brenda. "I'm glad you changed your mind sweetheart."

"He's my husband." She replied softly as she straightened her jacket over her stomach and crossed her legs.

"Robin." Brenda gave her hand a squeeze and pointed over her shoulder. "Company."

Robin looked and saw the woman from protective services come in. She shook her head, "Ignore her." She put her hand on her stomach and shifted slightly uncomfortably.

"Is there something going on I should know about?" Sonny asked.

Robin sat up straight, "No. Everything is fine. It will be." She corrected as she reached forward and put her hand on Jason's shoulder. He looked back at her as she mouthed, 'I love you.' Jason nodded and let his hand rest on top of hers until the judge entered the court and it was time for everyone to stand.

The lawyers went over their opening arguments with great drama as everyone listened to their words very closely, everyone that is, except for Robin who was more intent on watching her husband and trying to read the facial expressions of the jurors. 4 women and 8 men ranging from their mid-20's to their early 60's. Justus had done well, there couldn't possibly be a person in the jury box that didn't have children in their lives to some capacity, a son, a daughter, maybe a niece or a nephew, a godchild perhaps. One woman sat, seemingly toying with a silver cross around her neck. An older man drummed his fingers on his seat looking bored. Another woman caught Robin's eyes and held her gaze for a long moment before tearing herself away to focus on the prosecutor.

It was already dark outside when the judge called for a recess and ordered that the opening formalities continue in half an hour. He clearly wanted to wrap that part of the trial up before calling it a night. Justus and Robin exchanged looks and the attorney nodded before going to the guards and discussing something with them as well as the prosecutor as Jason was taken back to the private room.

He was sitting with his head in his hands staring tiredly at the blank table when he heard the door open and close, "Justus."

"Sorry, it's me." Robin replied.

Jason looked up in disbelief and then stood, "No, don't be sorry I'm really glad to see you."

"Good." She stepped forward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Justus said I could have you to myself for 10 minutes." She could tell Jason was nervous and she really couldn't recall many occasions when he had seemed so awkward in front of her. Still, she knew why that was, because she had been so furious with him the last time they were alone. "I'm sorry." She told him quite seriously. "For getting so mad before and for not coming to see you."

He shook his head, "It's better that you didn't. I don't want you in that place, even on the other side of the glass."

Robin tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Do you have to stand all the way over there? There's no glass or bars between us right now." Jason didn't need further encouragement, he went to her instantly and pulled her into his arms. Robin held onto him as though she would never let go and just buried herself against him as best she could with her growing stomach which Jason noticed had grown since he had last been able to hold her. "I miss you so much." She told him quietly.

"I know, I hate being away from you and Abby." Jason replied in a hushed tone as he kissed the top of her head. He let one hand feel her stomach, "I hate knowing that you're alone."

She shook her head, "Just hold me ok? Just for a few minutes?" She kissed his mouth and closed her eyes.

"She changed her mind, I don't know how you did it but you got her here." Sonny stated as he shook his head.

"The how doesn't matter does it?" Luke replied.

"No, not really. Not to Jason anyway." Sonny answered.

Brenda eyed the woman from protective services for a long moment. She left Sonny's side and approached her in the corner of the courthouse hallway. "Why don't you hop on your broomstick and take off?"

"You're the kind of person that Mrs. Morgan entrusts with her daughter?" Mrs. Ross questioned coldly. "That poor girl."

"You stay away from Robin's children." Brenda told her sternly. "You have no case, there aren't any signs of abuse on Abby and there never has been. Her parents love her and take care of her. If you try to hurt this family."

"Careful, threats will not be taken lately ma'am." She advised.

"It's not a threat, it's a promise. Abby is my niece and I will do whatever it takes to protect her." Brenda told her before walked back to Sonny with her arms crossed.

"Who is that?" He asked her.

Brenda shook her head, "No one."

"You're lying." He stated sternly. "You're nose is flaring, it's your tell." He took Brenda by the arm and took a few steps away from the crowd. "You need to tell me what's going on before you turn it into a mess."

"Ask Robin." She replied.

Sonny shook his head, "I'm asking you."

Brenda frowned, "This stays between us Sonny."

"Well now that depends on what it is." He replied.

"No, it's not negotiable. You can't say anything to Jason or anyone else." She told him.

"Start talking already Brenda." He instructed without committing to anything.

She leaned in and whispered the situation. Instantly Sonny's eyes narrowed on the older woman who was still lurking nearby. Both had one thought on their mind then, that damn woman from protective services had to be stopped before she took Abby and sent Robin into early labor.

"So are we seeing a trend here?" Jason asked as he looked at Robin's stomach. "I missed when Abby was born because I screwed up. Now I'm probably going to miss when this little guy is born because I screwed up yet again."

She shook her head, "You could be out by the time our son is born Jason." He looked at her with a questionable raised eyebrow. Who was she trying to convince, him or herself? "We have to at least try a little optimism right now. And since you have so much free time right now you better be thinking of some baby names Mister." The way she gave him a half smile made Jason just want to pull her into his arms and hold onto her forever. She was trying to keep him focused and he realized that. The most important thing was their kids and nothing else came close to comparing, they both just needed to remind themselves of that at every turn.

"Ok, I'll try." He replied with a bit of a nod. "You know I think this is the longest I've been away from Abby since you brought her to Port Charles." He commented.

"She misses you a lot." Robin told him softly.

"How much did she see when I was arrested?" He asked her seriously.

Robin shrugged, "She thinks that you're working. That you just went to answer a few questions. I didn't even have to tell her that. She's sort of just come up with a reasoning all her own."

"What are you going to tell our kids Robin?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "Not when it comes to this. But our kids are going to know what an amazing man their father is Jason. You're going to show them that yourself." She sighed, "I should let Justus have you now."

"Wait a minute." He stood from the spot where he was leaning against the table and cupped Robin's face in his hands, kissing her tenderly. "I love you." He told her. "Robin you don't have to sit through this mess."

She nodded, "Yes I do. You're my husband and my place is wherever you are." She kissed him on the mouth and wrapped her arms around him.

The night Sorel sat back, his feet up as he lounged watching the late edition of the news. Sonny and Luke anchored Robin as they left the courthouse, the 2 men keeping reporters at bay in an effort to keep Robin safe. Men and women fired their questions at her but Robin handled it all remarkably well, keeping her head up and her expression unchanged. She looked like the perfect mob wife in Sorel's eyes, she kept quite and held herself up, allowing others to cater to the hungry sharks that swarmed around her, hoping for a bite. Robin extended one arm to push back a microphone as Sonny barked orders at his guards, the news cameras catching every angle possible.

Sorel turned off the television once Robin was no longer on the screen and the next story began. He didn't expect her to attend the trial, not the first day anyway. If anything Sorel thought that she would sneak in through a side entrance once the media attention simmered down mildly. But he was pleased to see her nonetheless, he could just imagine the pain it caused Jason to be so near to his wife and yet so far at the same time. And that really was the point, to destroy Jason bit by bit until there was nothing left.

Alexis frowned as she rubbed the bridge of her nose, "It could be very damning if you refuse to let C.P.S. anywhere near Abby."

"Why should I?" Robin questioned as she poured her attorney a cup of coffee in her kitchen while Abby was still sound asleep in her bed, upstairs.

"Because it looks like you're hiding something." Alexis explained. "Mrs. Ross has filed a motion to have Abby interviewed and examined by a pediatrician."

Robin bit her lower lip for a moment and then shook her head, "There's nothing wrong with my daughter, she doesn't need to be examined for anything and I'm not going to let some strangers interrogate her."

"You would be present during the interview. Abby is a minor and they can't touch her without a parent or guardian present unless you hold this off so long that a judge steps in." Alexis was a mother, she and Ned Ashton had a beautiful young daughter around Abby's age and she understood all too well Robin's resistance to let anyone near her child.

"What would you do?" Robin asked her point blank.

Alexis didn't need to consider her options, "I'd let them speak to her and allow a nurse, Bobby Spencer maybe to give Abby a basic check up. You have nothing to hide Robin, kids get bumps and bruises but there isn't a mark on Abby to suggest she's an abused child."

Robin shook her head again, "I don't know Alexis. What if whoever does the questioning or the exam or even the judge, what if they're on Sorel's payroll?"

"We still don't know for sure that it was Sorel. I'd still like to see if I can find out who did lodge the complaint, I know you think it was this Leo Sorel person but let's face it Robin there are other possibilities." Alexis reasoned.

"Such as?"

"Tracy Quartermaine perhaps." She answered. "That woman isn't your biggest fan these days and she's just mean enough to pull something like this."

Robin shook her head, "It was Sorel, Alexis, it had to be. He could bribe everyone involved with this."

"You make sure you're present for every step of it and YOU pick the doctor, not them." Alexis insisted. "If we seem willing to cooperate than it will look better for you and for Abby."

"Can I think about this?" She asked seriously

Alexis shook her head, "I'm afraid there isn't time Robin. Either we cooperate now or it looks like you're waiting for bruises to disappear."

"Ok, fine." She agreed reluctantly.

"They may want to look at you for bruises as well." Alexis explained. "If they think Jason is a threat to Abby than it's likely they will think he's hurt you as well. Cooperate Robin, I'll be with you every step of the way I promise, call Abby's regular doctor and ask for her medical records so we can prove that there's nothing irregular or suspicious in them. I need to call C.P.S. and set this up so we can get it over with as soon as possible."

"How soon?"

"This afternoon, as soon as Abby is done school." She answered, "The last thing you need is for the press to get wind of this and for Jason to find out about it. Unless you've finally let him in on what's going on at the home front?"

She shook her head, "No, he doesn't know anything about this."

"Mommy." Abby yawned and rubbed her eyes tiredly as she came into the kitchen, barefoot and decked out in her pajamas still.

"Morning sweet pea." Robin ran her hand over Abby's forehead and brushed her hair back, "Did you sleep alright baby?"

"I'll call you later to set up the appointment." Alexis told Robin.

"Ok." Robin replied as she helped Abby climb onto a kitchen stool for some breakfast. Alexis watched them for a moment without being noticed as Robin kissed her daughter's forehead and spoke softly to her. "We have to go to the doctors today after school ok?"

"I don't want to." Abby replied as only a child could get away with. "I'm not sick Mommy."

"I know honey, I don't want to go either but it's just a check up." Robin explained as casually as possible. "And then you can come home and watch a movie with Dillon and maybe Georgie and Maxie will come over." Alexis nodded to herself and finally left.

"When is Daddy coming home?" She asked innocently as her mother poured her a glass of juice.

"I don't know. Soon I hope." Robin answered quietly. "What do you want for breakfast, pancakes?"

"Yeah!" She cheered excitedly

"Ok, pancakes it is." She ran her hand over Abby's hair again, "Go wake up your Auntie Brenda ok? Go on."

She was in the middle of making the pancake mix when Brenda finally appeared in the kitchen, "Your daughter as far too much energy first thing in the morning." Robin stopped when she was doing and put the mixing bowl down as Brenda looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Robin, honey are you ok?"

Robin put her hand on the side of her head and pressed her lips together, "Yeah, I'm just a little lightheaded suddenly."

"Ok, you need to sit down." Brenda told her seriously as she went to Robin's side.

"No, just wait a minute ok? I just Just let it pass." Robin insisted. She looked at Brenda then and frowned, "I told Alexis I'd let them see Abby."

"Oh honey." Brenda wrapped her arms around Robin and let her sister rest her head against her shoulder. "This is so not good for you."

Sonny rubbed his chin as Justus paced in front of him, "Sonny, please, he'll listen to you."

"Not when it comes to Robin." Sonny answered bluntly.

"Yes he will." Justus insisted. "If you go to him and believe what you're saying."

"So let me get this straight, you want me to believe that going to Jason and telling him that putting his very pregnant wife on the witness stand is a good idea?" He questioned sarcastically. "I don't believe it for a second. And I can't make Jason believe it when I know damn well it's a bad idea."

"It could be his only hope." Justus replied somberly. "The jury needs to hear how important Jason's family is to him."

"Then tell them." Sonny answered as though it could somehow be that simple.

"Sonny, telling them and having them see it, HEAR it, it's completely different." Justus explained quickly. "I know you and Jason are trying to think of Robin's best interests right now. I get that, believe me I do. But Robin getting her husband home is what's really in her best interests. Yes, putting her on the stand could sting a little but ultimately it's for her family and if you talk to Jason, he'll see that."

Sonny thoughts about it for a moment and Justus could see that he was getting to his boss little by little, "Have you even run this idea by Robin yet?"

"She overheard Brenda and I, the other day. But no, I haven't come out and asked her to take the stand because Jason won't allow it." He answered honestly. "But if Jason asks her to, she would do it, I know she would Sonny."

"Well that's not going to happen." Sonny told him bluntly. "Jason won't do it no matter what I say. If you want to truth, Justus you have better odds with Robin herself."

"Now I know you aren't suggesting that I actually try to talk Robin into taking the stand." He replied. "Jason will have my head for that."

"No, I'm not." Sonny stated as he shook his head. "I'll talk to her myself. If she says no than that's final Justus, you drop it and find another way. I won't risk causing her anymore stress or pain. It's not good for her or the baby. Jason is so protective of Robin that sometimes it makes him blind. I'm not much better." He admitted. "But I'll talk to Robin and see where she stands. If she wants to do it than I won't try to talk her out of it. I'm not going to talk her into it either Justus."

"Fair enough."

Abby held Robin's hand tightly as they came out of the doctor's office. Alexis stood and looked at her client expectantly, "How did it go?"

"You tell me." Robin replied. She wanted to pick Abby up and keep her close but in her physical state, it wasn't an option.

"Mommy, I don't like that Mrs. Ross lady." Abby told her.

"Me either Abby." Robin told her daughter. "Hopefully we'll never have to see her again." Her cell rang causing her to have to release Abby's hand to retrieve it from her purse. "Hey Sonny...No, Abby and I are just out."

"Can I talk to Uncle Sonny?" Abby questioned impatiently.

"Later sweet pea." Robin answered. "An hour? Yeah, Yeah it's no problem. I'll meet you at Kelly's."

"Mommy." Abby gave her hand a tug, "Please Mommy?"

"Ok, here she is." Robin gave in and handed her daughter the phone with Sonny's urging.

"Uncle Sonny! When are you going to come over to play?" She questioned him. "Do you know when Daddy can come home?" Robin could just imagine the awkward silence on the line as Sonny tried to think of something to say in response to her not so simple question. "Ok." Abby sounded disappointed by whatever answer Sonny gave. "I love you too, I will. Bye." She looked at her mother, "Can I go with you to Kelly's?"

"Not this time honey." Robin told her. She looked to Alexis, "I have to get Abby home and then see Sonny before." She shifted uncomfortably, "Before the other things I have to do today. Can we talk about this all later?"

Alexis nodded, "Call me when you have a chance and we'll discuss everything."

"Alexis." Abby looked up at the attorney that she knew only as Kristina's mother. "Can Kristina come play soon?"

"Sure Abby, you're mommy and I will talk and figure when we both have time." Alexis told her.

Jason could tell that Justus was nervous about something, "What are you up to?" He questioned his lawyer with a raised eyebrow as they waited for another day in court to begin. Justus went back and forth along one side of the table, his eyes down and his mind off in another world as Jason kept his eyes on him.

"I'm not up to anything." Justus defended after a moment. That was a lie but unlike Jason, Justus had no problem doing it if the ends justified the means. He was presently trying to wrap his mind around a way to use Robin to the most potential on the stand whether Jason approved of it or not. "Other than trying to get you out of jail. Unless you've decided that you like the accommodations?"

"Hardly." Jason retorted. "Justus, I swear if you don't stop pacing, I'm going to rip your tie off and strap you to a chair. Knock it off man."

"I don't think you should be threatening your attorney." Justus advised.

"Attorney, cousin, friend, the lines seem to get blurred quite easily with us don't they Justus?" Jason remarked. "It's all about convenience, right now I can go with the family and honestly say that I'd tie up just about any Quartermaine to get my way."

Justus smirked and shook his head, "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's not polite to be so honest? I'll have to have a word with your wife about that. I'm sure she can put you in back in line." He put his hands in his pockets, "You were surprised to see her yesterday weren't you?"

"Yeah." Jason admitted, "It's not easy for her to sit there and keep quiet while the prosecutor tears my character apart. I heard Sonny and Brenda whispering to her a few times yesterday, telling her that it didn't matter what the prosecutor said, because you'd fix it."

"Everyone certainly thinks I'm capable." Justus commented.

"I would have found someone else if I didn't think you were." Jason told him in a quite matter of fact way.

Sonny stood up when Robin came into Kelly's obviously dressed for another court appearance. Part of him was glad that she was attending the trial while the other part worried for her health and sanity. It wasn't easy to watch the person you love get torn up by someone they didn't even know. Nor was it particularly easy to keep your mouth shut while it happened. Emotionally it was taxing, mentally it was mind numbing.

"You're not wearing your sling." She commented sounding like the professional that she was.

"Come on doc." He smirked, flashing his signature dimples as only he could. "It's been long enough, I can almost move the old wing like normal."

She rolled her eyes, "You wanted to discuss something?"

He gestured for her to sit, "You know, Justus is fighting an up hill battle for your husband right?" She nodded. "And I know you're under more than enough pressure as it is but Justus could use your help Robin."

"He still wants to put me on the stand." It wasn't a question but rather a statement, Robin wasn't naïve, she knew where this was headed.

"I told him I would look into it." He admitted. "Jason is dead set against the idea."

"Of course he is." She replied.

Sonny studied her for a moment, "I'm not getting a strong vibe either way sweetheart You want to let me know what you're thinking right now?" It was one of the rare times when he was unable to read Robin. She wasn't surprised by what he was saying, Sonny could tell that much. Maybe she was just too emotionally drained to be anything really. She wasn't mad, she didn't seem annoyed or upset, only tired and possible thoughtful.

"Do you know what I did today Sonny?" She asked him seriously. "I took my 6 year old daughter to be interviewed by Protective Services in an effort to make them see that she belongs with me and with Jason. I'm terrified right now, and Switzerland is looking really good to me. Except for one thing."

He sighed, "Jason is here."

"Exactly." She replied. "Jason and everyone else that we care about, including you."

"How did it go?" He asked.

"Well it went." She remarked sarcastically. "I can't risk getting up on the witness stand and coming off poorly. I can't risk saying something that C.P.S could use to take Abby and the baby."

Sonny folded his hands on the table and looked directly into Robin's dark brown eyes, "Do you think Justus would ask anything that could put you in that sort of trouble?"

"Not intentionally. But the social worker, I think she's connected to Sorel and she's looking for anything that could be used against us." Robin explained knowing that Brenda had let Sonny in on the situation.

"You're sure that she's connected?"

She nodded, "Who else would pull something like this? He wants Jason to lose everything including his daughter." Sonny took a deep breath and Robin put her hand on top of his, "Don't do anything Sonny. Swear to me that you won't. We can't afford for there to be any violence during the trial."

He slowly let the breath out, "You know, sometimes I forget that you've been in this business in one way or another probably as long as I have." He shook his head as he thought about Robin's late stepfather Duke, the former leader of Port Charles organized crime territory. She knew how things worked, how to behave during times of trouble trial she understood the rules and whether she liked them or not, she knew how to play the game to win. "You let me worry about Leo Sorel do you hear me?" He replied. "I will take care of him when the time is right."

She shook her head, "We're not going to discuss this now. There's too much at stake already Sonny. Promise me that you will do whatever it takes to keep the peace until after this is all taken care of?"

He nodded, "I won't let anything happen to jeopardize the situation."

"Tell Justus I'll do it." She told him suddenly.

"Just like that? What happened to worrying about C.P.S?" Sonny questioned.

Robin shook her head, "Just make sure that Justus asks the right questions. Maybe I can use this to my own benefit and send that damn social worker packing." Obviously the wheels in Robin's head were turning which intrigued Sonny to say the very least.

"Jason isn't going to like it." Sonny told her.

"No, I don't suppose he would." She replied as they stood. "So don't tell him."

"A lie by omission?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Special circumstances." She justified.

Sonny put his hand on the small of Robin's back as they headed out of the diner, "Are you physically up to this sweetheart?"

"When it comes to protecting my children my strength will surprise you. It surprises me everyday."

Robin's willingness to take the stand was like a weight off of Justus shoulders but the trial continued for almost a week without any sign of what was to come. He didn't dare to tell Jason that his wife would be taking the stand and he knew that Jason was going to hit the roof when he did find out. However, it would just have to be worth the sacrifice. One day as the jury was filing out Robin noticed that one of the female members was in the early stages of pregnancy, her stomach just beginning to show, she kept her hand on her abdomen nearly always which signaled that she wasn't just carrying a little extra weight but rather a growing person inside of her. More often than not the woman's eyes were on Robin rather than the lawyers or pieces of evidence which Robin also noticed quite early on.

The fates conspired in Robin's favor the day she was set to take the stand without Jason's knowledge or consent. She noticed Mrs. Ross sitting in the back of the court room, now obviously more to gather information for Sorel than for Protective Services since Alexis had more than dealt with the majority of that problem and the case was already well on it's way to being closed. Robin clenched her jaw and her posture shifted as she turned back around to listen to Justus speak at length about the importance of family which seemed to be his main focus more often than not and protection.

"Mr. Ward, are you prepared to call your next witness?" The judge asked, his black robe flowing forward as he placed his elbows on the intricately carved podium where he was seated.

"Yes. Your Honor." Justus answered. "I'd like to call to the stand, Robin Scorpio-Morgan." He made sure to keep his eyes away from Jason as he said it but he could practically hear Jason turn around in his seat to look at his wife with wide eyes.

"Robin don't do it." He whispered to her seriously. "Just say no."

"No." She told him softly as she stood and walked to the swinging entry way and took the stand. That wasn't exactly the no he had in mind.

Jason slumped down in his chair and covered his mouth with one hand as he clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing on Justus as he shook his head a little. Justus finally looked at his client and knew that he would get an earful for this later. Everyone in the court room seemed to erupt into hushed whispers of disbelief as Robin stood on the stand and was sworn in.

"Order!" The judge shouted. "Councilor, your witness."

"Yes, Your Honor." He stepped forward and nodded to Robin respectfully. "Mrs. Morgan, would you state your full name and profession just for the record please?"

"Robin Soltini Scorpio-Morgan." She replied, "I'm a doctor at General Hospital."

"You only recently became a doctor is that correct?" Justus asked.

"Objection, Your Honor what does this have to do with the trial?" The prosecutor argued.

"Character Your Honor." Justus reasoned.

"I'll allow it but make it quick Mr. Ward." The judge replied.

"Yes, just last year actually." Robin answered.

"But you've been in medical school on and off for quite some time is that correct?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"Why is that?" He asked her

Robin took a breath, "Umm, I took 4 years off when my daughter was born."

"Mr. Morgans daughter?"

She nodded, "Yes."

Justus put his hands in his pockets and paced in front of her for a moment feeling Jason's eyes barreling into him like fire. "How old is your daughter now Mrs. Morgan?"

"She's 6." Robin replied. "She'll be 7 soon."

"And you're expecting your 2nd child together very soon?"

"Yes." She answered, having to swallow a lump in her throat then. "A little boy."

"Have you picked out any names yet?"

"Objection Your Honor." The prosecutor spoke up again. "If Mr. Ward wishes to make conversation with Mrs. Morgan he can do so on his own time not the courts."

"Move it along Mr. Ward." The judge instructed.

"Mrs. Morgan, how long have you known your husband?"

Robin looked at Jason and caught his eyes causing him to finally stop his glare at Justus. "All his life pretty much."

"But isn't he a few years older than you?"

She shrugged, "It depends on how you look at it. Physically yes Jason is older than me. As other witnesses have already testified, several years ago Jason was involved in a car accident and it changed him dramatically."

"It made him a new person didn't it?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"But you haven't been together the entire time since that accident have you?"

"No. We dated years ago and when we broke up I moved to Paris originally for school." Robin explained. "We've been married for about 2 years now."

Justus nodded a little then, "How would you describe Mr. Morgans parenting skills?"

"He's an amazing father and he loves our daughter very much." Robin answered.

"Has he been an active part of your daughters entire life?"

"No." She admitted, "But, he has been since he found out about her."

"Can you expand on that?" Justus requested.

"Jason fell in love with Abby the moment he set eyes on her like any father. Except She was 4 years old already." She looked down and Jason shook his head and rubbed his chin.

"But from the moment she came into his life, Mr. Morgan as been a model parent is that correct?"

"He's been remarkable. He spends every free minute with her and he reads to her at night, makes her breakfast so I can sleep in She loves him, he's her hero." Robin explained. "There isn't anything he wouldn't do for his little girl." Jason sat up a little and put his arms on the table in front of him as he listened to Robin. "For 4 years it was just Abby and myself. And then I brought her to Port Charles and she met her father, Jason as been a major part of her life ever since. He teaches her so much and she's just like in a lot of ways, she's inquisitive and very serious about certain things."

"Such as?"

"Her family. Her dog." Robin smiled a little then.

"Was your daughter ever nervous about having a father suddenly?"

She shook her head, "No, Abby was connected to Jason from the very beginning and he to her. The way he dots on her, she feels like the center of his universe and she is."

"Mr. Morgan is very protective of his family is that correct?"

"Of course he is". Robin answered. "Like any good father and husband would be."

"And he works hard to provide a safe home for you both doesn't he?"

"Yes." Despite how calm Robin seemed the truth was that inside her heart was pounding. She knew that she had to choose her words carefully up on the stand, she had to keep herself as collected as possible or risk coming off as a hysterical, subservient house wife.

"Mrs. Morgan, the day of the murder which your husband stands accused of committing what happened?" Justus asked very seriously. Robin hesitated for a moment trying to figure out where Justus was trying to go with his questioning suddenly. "Mrs. Morgan do you understand the question?"

"Yes."

"Mrs. Morgan please answer the question." The judge instructed.

"Were you and your husband together?"

"Yes, we were home." Robin replied.

"And your husbands business partner Michael Corinthos Jr. was also present?" Justus made sure to use Sonny's real name.

She nodded, "Yes." Sonny shifted nervously in his seat and leaned forward slightly, trying to see Jason's facial expression.

"Can you describe for the court what happened that afternoon?" Justus asked as he stood directly in front of Robin, blocking her view of Jason for a long moment. He stepped away and poured a glass of water which he took to Robin. "Mrs. Morgan do you feel up to continuing or do you need moment to collect your thoughts?"

"Your Honor the defense is obviously leading the witness."

"She's my witness." Justus defended. "And a pregnant witness at that, now I'm sorry if you have no respect or understanding but I will not push this woman into premature labor. If you don't have the patience to allow Mrs. Morgan to collect her thoughts I think that says a great deal about your own character prosecutor." It was apparent that Justus was trying to make the jury see the prosecutor as some sort of cruel monster all in an effort to make Jason look like a saint.

"Objection Your Honor, my character is not on trial here."

"Mr. Ward you're treading on thin ice." The judge stated somberly. "Refrain from personal attacks on the prosecution please." He looked down on Robin, "then Mrs. Morgan, take your time. Continue when you're ready if you're up to it."

Robin crossed her legs and shook her head a little, "We were home, in the living room the 3 of us."

"Where was Abby?"

"With my Uncle Mac Scorpio." She replied.

"The Police Commissioner?"

"Yes." She answered.

"So you were home, in the living room with Mr. Morgan and Mr. Corinthos." Justus recapped, "What happened that day?"

Robin closed her eyes and thought back to that whole mess. "Our dog started barking. But Jason and I ignored him." She didn't mention that they ignored Buster because they were too busy arguing at the time. "Suddenly there was a loud bang and the window broke, it shattered and the next thing I knew Jason was covering me with his body and bullets were coming into the house from outside so quickly and it was so loud." She wiped a tear from her cheek and her lower lip trembled slightly. "I closed my eyes so tight and just held on to him until it stopped. It all happened so fast and all I could think about was protecting my baby and hoping that Jason wasn't hit by the spray."

"And he wasn't, nor were you correct?"

Robin nodded, "Jason and I were both unharmed physically."

"Mr. Corinthos was hit by one of the bullets wasn't he?"

"Yes. I could already hear sirens coming towards the house so I knew someone had called 9-1-1 so I treated the wound as best I could with minimal supplies." She explained.

"Please describe the relationship between Mr. Corinthos and your husband as well as yourself."

"He's family. He and Jason they're like brothers." Robin explained. "And I've known him longer than Jason..."

"You introduced them?"

"Sort of." Robin admitted. "I knew Mr. Corinthos and I guess that's how they became friends."

"Would you say that Mr. Corinthos is a part of your family?"

"Yes." She answered.

"So when Mr. Corinthos was hurt, it was as though whoever fired the gun into your home injured a member of your family?"

"Yes."

"Thank you Mrs. Morgan." Justus stated. "No further questions Your Honor."

"Thank you Mr. Ward. At this time I'd like to call a recess. Mrs. Morgan please remain in the building for cross examination. Court will proceed in thirty minutes." The judge explained before slamming his gavel down.

"Your Honor, the defense has one request before we adjourn for recess." Justus spoke up causing the judge to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "My client as been unable to see his daughter since being remanded to state custody. If there are no objections from the prosecution, we request that he be able to visit with her and his wife in private here in the courthouse for just a few moments. His hands free of restraints."

The judge looked at the prosecutor, "Are there any objections?"

"It's irregular Your Honor. But, as long as there are guards outside, the people have no objection to Mr. Morgan being allowed to see his daughter. "It was obvious that the prosecutor was worried that he had hurt his own credibility with the jurors with his last outburst and he was hoping to redeem himself by allowing Jason to see Abby.

Jason looked at Justus in disbelief, he hadn't mentioned this little visit to him nor had Robin but it was apparent that his lawyer and his wife were very much on the same page as Robin exited the witness stand.

"Very well." The judge answered. "Mr. Morgan will be granted some time with his family, no restraints and in private. Mr. Morgan, I caution you to be on your best behavior so as not to make me regret this generosity."

"Yes Your Honor." Jason answered as he stood. "What are doing?" He questioned in a hushed tone as Robin came closer. "You're out of your mind."

"Why? Because I told the court what an amazing father you are?" She defended. "Do you want to stand here arguing with me or do you want to see your daughter?"

"We're going to talk about this later Robin." He stated as a guard took him by the arm to take him to the room where he would wait to see his daughter.

She rolled her eyes and remarked, "Joy."

Sonny handed Robin her jacket, "I don't think he's a very happy camper right now."

Robin shrugged, "Too bad. Jason knows I always do whatever I want anyway, so he'll get over it as soon as he sets eyes on Abby."

"Which was sort of the plan." Justus spoke up having come up with the idea along with Robin as a way to defuse Jason's pending anger over her taking the stand. "Are you alright?" He asked her seriously.

She nodded, "I'm fine Justus."

"You did good up there Robin. Remember the prosecutor can't force you to answer anything that could be used to incriminate Jason. You can't be held in contempt for anything up there." He reminded.

"Yeah, Justus, no disrespected but I'd really prefer getting my daughter and taking her to see Jason rather than stand here and have to explain all this to me for the 10th time." Robin told him

Dillon and Georgie anchored Abby as they led her into the courthouse through a side door as Mac instructed them prior. They managed to go unnoticed by lingering reporters and slipped into a private hallway where Robin and Justus waited to take Abby to see Jason. Robin knelt down in front of her daughter and took both of her small hands in her own.

"Sweet pea, I need you to listen to me ok?" She asked Abby as she looked into her daughters blue eyes. "You're going to get to see your daddy for a few minutes but it's important that you be a big, brave girl for him."

"Is he home now?"

"No honey, it's just a quick visit, Daddy can't come home with us right now but he really wants to see you."

Abby was disappointed but tried to hide it as best she could, "Can I see him now?" Justus motioned for Dillon and Georgie to step away with him then.

"Yeah, come on baby." Robin held onto Abby's hand and took her to where Jason was. As soon as Abby set eyes on her father and ran into his arms. Jason picked her up and held her close, kissing the side of her face over and over again as Robin closed the door and kept back a little to give her husband and daughter a moment together.

"I've missed you so much Abby." Jason told her. Abby's arms were wrapped so tightly around his neck that Robin wondered how her husband could even breathe. Jason whispered something to Abby and she loosened her hold on him only enough for him to shift her onto one hip. "Have you been good for your mom?" Abby nodded, "And your teacher?" Again she nodded and the let her head rest on Jason's shoulder.

"When can you come home with us?" Abby asked him.

"I don't know baby." Jason told her as he carefully sat down. "If I had my way I'd be home with you every day you know that."

Justus leaned against the railing in the courtroom as Brenda came in quietly, "How does it look Justus? Did she help the case?"

He nodded, "She certainly didn't hurt it at all. Jason isn't happy about her going up there."

"That's why she said not to tell him. It's over now and there's no reason for him to sulk about it." She reasoned.

Justus shook his head, "It's not over yet, the prosecutor is going to ask her questions next."

"But she doesn't have to answer them." Brenda stated.

"No, but if he can get to her and make her snap than it won't look very good and in all honesty, if he goes after her too hard I'm going to need every guard in this building to hold Jason back."

Brenda sighed, "Robin knows how to handle herself and trust me, she can keep Jason in line from the stand, one look from her and hell simmer down. She's got him wrapped around her little finger."

"He's not going to be very happy with me."

"He'll get over it. Especially if you get him out of jail as soon as possible." Brenda insisted.

When the hearing resumed Jason looked considerably more at ease after getting to see his daughter. Robin took to the stand again even though Jason did voice his opinion to her that it was a bad idea. He knew there was no reasoning with his wife, she was just as stubborn as he was.

"Mrs. Morgan you're still under oath." The judge reminded.

"Mrs. Morgan." The prosecutor said it as though it was a question. "Is that the only name you go by?"

"No." She answered honestly. "Most people just call me Robin."

"Of course however, I meant in terms of your last name." He explained. "Isn't it true that professionally you still go by your maiden name?"

"Yes."

"Because?"

"It's not that unusual for women to carry their maiden names professionally councilor. Most people in Port Charles recognize me as a Scorpio. Even if I had changed my name professionally most of my patients would still refer to me as Dr. Scorpio so it just didn't seem worth the trouble." She reasoned.

Jason leaned forward as he and Justus paid close attention to the prosecutors line of questioning. "Or was it a calculated way of protecting yourself from your husbands world?"

"And what world would that be?" She retorted.

"Well isn't it true that your husband leads a very dangerous professional life himself?"

"If you're referring to importing coffee that's hardly what I would consider dangerous unless you're implying the health risks associated with consuming too much caffeine." Robin's eyes narrowed on the slender prosecutor, looking directing through his silver rimmed eye glasses.

"Mrs. Morgan, why did your husband miss the first 4 years of his daughters life?" So much for redeeming himself with the jurors.

"I moved to Paris, Jason and I have split up. I didn't know I was pregnant when I left." She answered much to Jason's discomfort.

"But you called him when you found out correct? The way any woman should. To let the father of her child know."

"No, I didn't." She admitted calmly though inside her temper was beginning to heat up.

"You didn't tell Mr. Morgan that he was going to be a father? Why is that?"

"He had his life here in Port Charles, I was making mine in Paris. I didn't want to further complicate things. We didn't end on a positive note when I left. "

"When you left him or when you left Port Charles?"

"Both." She told him.

"So you kept Mr. Morgan from his daughter because you didn't think he deserved to know about her? Or maybe you didn't think his life style was safe for a child? Help us all to understand why you would hide your own daughter away from her father for so long."

"I didn't hide my daughter." Robin insisted. "We, Jason and I we were too different then. We wanted different things and I wasn't going to stay and he couldn't leave. At the time I felt as though Abby and I were better off in Paris."

"Why would your daughter ever be better off without her father?"

"Objection Your Honor. The decisions Mrs. Morgan made nearly 7 years ago has no bearing on this case. She and Mr. Morgan are raising their daughter together now and they are both devoted parents." Justus reasoned with great passion in his voice

"Sustained, move along councilor." The judge instructed.

The prosecutor nodded and put his hands in his pockets, "Do you ever worry for Abby's safety when she's with her father?"

"No." Robin replied, "Jason would never let anything happen to his daughter."

"You don't worry about his temper when he's with her?"

"No."

"Even though Mr. Morgan as a history of violent outburst?"

Robin folded her arms, "I don't know what you're talking about. Jason is not violent."

"He's been arrested so many times that the PCPD practically as designated an entire filing cabinet to his rap sheet Mrs. Morgan, I highly doubt you are unaware of his prior arrests for let's see." He walked to his table and opened a file, "Bar fights, leaving the scene of a crime, attacking his older brother Alan Quartermaine Jr. on more than on occasion."

"Jason and AJ have never gotten along." She answered. "And as far as those so-called bar fights, they all occurred years ago. It's hardly irregular for young men to get into fights. That doesn't mean he's a violent criminal or a bad father."

"Your Honor." Justus spoke up. "Mr. Morgans previous police records are hardly relevant to these proceedings and Mrs. Morgan should not have to justify any of this for anyone."

"Councilor, if you have no relevant questioning for Mrs. Morgan I suggest we move on."

"Mrs. Morgan, the man your husband stands accused of murdering allegedly fired a weapon into your home. Do you condone his actions?" He questioned harshly. Robin's eyes drifted to Justus then. Jason's attorney was on the edge of his seat, the way Robin answered that question could very well destroy Jason's case. "Your husband killed a man Mrs. Morgan can you tell me that's not violent? Can you envision living the rest of your life with a possible murderer? Imagine your daughter, a teenager, a boy breaks her heart, what will your husband do? Break his legs?"

"Objection Your Honor!" Justus stood and slammed his hands down on the table.

"That's enough!" Luke yelled from the seating area, on his feet and gesturing to the prosecutor. "Leave her alone!"

"Order!" The judge yelled over and over again.

"He is a cold blooded killer! He beat a man and than shot him in the head!"

"Objection!" Justus hand was suddenly on Jason's shoulder keeping his client from leaping to his wife's defense as Sonny quietly urged Jason to remain seated.

The judge slammed his gavel down, "Order! Councilor contain yourself!"

"Answer the question Mrs. Morgan!"

"Robin don't answer that!" Justus ordered. "Your Honor!"

"Are you children going to be safe in a home with a murdered? What kind of life will they have?" His tone became louder and louder with every question until eventually it seemed as though he and Justus were trying to out yell each other while the judge tried in vain to calm the proceedings as Robin glared at the prosecutor. "What does Mr. Morgan do when you anger him? Threaten to kill you? Does he hit you?"

"No!" She yelled back suddenly. "He's never hit me and he has NEVER hit our daughter. He would never do that." She was speaking through gritted teeth then, a protective wife and mother prepared to strike out at any second.

Everything well strangely silent then. Robin's eyes were wet with tears as she tried with all of her strength to keep herself pulled together. All eyes were on Robin in complete disbelief.

She took a deep breath and held her head high, "Do not expect me to do your work councilor. You want to use me to make your case because you haven't proven anything. You have your experts march in and out of this courtroom and all they can do is babble away with the technicalities. But it's not black and white and you're scared that you're going to lose. So you think that if you can break me and turn me against my husband than you'll be on to something well let me save you a lot of trouble and tell you that it's not going to work."

"Councilor, such dramatics will not me tolerated in my courtroom and you are dangerously close to being held in contempt. Another such outburst and you will be removed from these proceedings in handcuffs." The judge told the prosecutor coldly.

"No further questions Your Honor." Jason glared at the smug looking prosecutor as he went back to his seat.

"You are excused Mrs. Morgan."

Brenda came into Robin's bedroom with a bowl of cold water and a blue face cloth. Robin had the bedroom window open, the night breeze cooling the entire room as she lay on her side, her forehead damp with sweat and her tired eyes staring towards the darkened sky.

"Here." Brenda rang the cloth and carefully placed it on Robin's forehead. "It's the stress isn't it? You're 8 months pregnant you should be taking it easy honey. And I know that's easier said than done. I'm so sorry you're going through so much right now."

"Is Abby asleep?" Robin asked quietly.

"She wore herself out hours ago." Brenda confirmed. She's safely tucked into her bed in her Care Bear pajamas and all the doors are lucked up tight. She stroked Robin's hair, "How did Jason's visit go?"

"It kept me out of the trouble." Robin answered. "But he's not happy about me taking the stand."

"Obviously. Especially after that cross examination. That creep of a prosecutor is lucky someone didn't jump up and strangle him. A loud crash of thunder erupted then and a sudden dow pour came flooding from the sky seemingly out of nowhere."

"He misses Abby so much. She misses him." Robin frowned and shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "Jason got to sit with her for a little while and he talked to her and kissed her Bren, I just want my family back, all of us under one roof, safe and together."

"I know honey, I know." Her sister answered softly. She frowned and felt Robin's forehead, she was still burning up. "Maybe I should take you to the hospital."

Robin shook her head, "I'm ok."

"No you're not."

"I am." Robin insisted. "I just need to get some sleep. I'm so tired of this mess."

"Robin please. Let me take you to the hospital. Something could be wrong with you or the baby." She tried to reason but Robin only closed her eyes and was asleep in minutes. Brenda picked up the phone and called Alan Quartermaine who informed her that if come morning, Robin still wasn't feeling well she should go to the hospital. He didn't want his daughter in law out in the sudden storm and there was a chance that her fever was only a result of pregnancy and stress, if that were the case than Robin was right and it wasn't anything to be alarmed about. In the mean time, he instructed Brenda to just allow Robin to rest and keep an eye on her.

As Jason lay in his prison cell, he felt an odd sense of doom come over him. Lightening lit up the sky as the rain came down in violent sheets and he sat up, his bare feet coming in contact with the cold concrete floor as he gripped the thin mattress of his bunk.

He ran one hand through his hair and looked towards the square window of his cell. Slowly he stood and pulled on his shirt as he went to the window, dropping a book of baby names on the bed in the process. Something was wrong, he could feel in deep within his bones. Jason closed his eyes and prayed, his lips moving without sound as he pleaded with God to keep his family safe.

His eyes fell on the photograph of his wife and daughter than and for a moment Jason could do nothing more than hold his breath as he stared at the image.

"Robin wake up sweetheart." Sonny urged as he perched on the edge of her bed and gently shook her shoulder. To Brenda's relief, Robin's temperature had gone away but she still looked worn out. "Maybe you should stay in bed today."

"No, I'm fine." Robin sat up and pushed her hair back. She looked at her watch, "I've got to meet with Alexis in an hour."

"No, I called her." Brenda spoke up. She said that it can wait and that you should rest. She crossed her arms, "The only place you're going right now is to the hospital so Alan and Dr. Meadows can check you out. Get dressed."

Robin shook her head, clearly annoyed by Brenda giving her orders. She went to stand up but felt faint suddenly. If Sonny hadn't been there to catch her, Robin would have fallen over onto the ground. "Brenda get the keys." He ordered seriously as he tried to keep Robin conscious. "It's ok sweetheart, hold on, I'm going to get you to the hospital, just hold on." Robin's eyes rolled back as he held onto her, thank God she still wasn't very heavy even at 8 months pregnant.

The next thing Robin knew she was waking up in a hospital room and at first she wasn't even sure what was going on or what had happened. "Don't try to sit up." Alan instructed. "You fainted at home this morning dear. You and the baby are both very tired and have had a rough morning."

"Is the baby alright?" She asked weakly.

"He'll be just fine as long as you stay put." He told her. "Robin, you and my grandson need to rest. Please listen to me, if you keep up the pace you've been running at it's going to prove harmful not only for the baby but for yourself as well. This trial is taking it's toll on you and it's not healthy."

Robin covered her face with her hands and tried to collect her thoughts, which wasn't easy considering her head was spinning uncontrollably. "How long do I have to stay here?"

"Until your blood pressure comes down. Dr. Meadows will be in shortly to see you." He answered.

"Alan, wait, please." She looked at him panicked as he went to the door. He stopped and looked at her, waiting for her to say whatever she needed too. "Where is Abby?"

"Brenda took her to the house, she's with Monica and Lila. Mac's girls had school and Brenda thought that you would want to keep Abby where she's safe, with family instead of at school today."

Robin nodded and allowed her father in law to leave the room. "Hey." Emily's voice whispered from the doorway before she came in. "You gave us all quite a scare this morning."

"Sonny, where is Robin?" Jason asked urgently as soon as the judge called the first recess. For the first time since the beginning of the trial Robin was absent and it was the first thing Jason noticed when he entered the courtroom and he wasn't the only one to see it. Sonny rubbed the back of his neck and avoided his friends gaze for as long as possible. "Where is she? I know somethings wrong. Tell me now Sonny Sonny please?"

"Emily and Brenda are with her right now Jason." He answered not really wanting to tell Jason the specifics of that morning.

"It's bad...You can't even look me in the eye." Jason remarked seriously. He remembered the feeling he had the night before and it was all he could do to keep himself under control at that moment.

"Jason, stay calm." Justus urged. He already knew but had hoped that they could get through the proceedings that day without having to address the subject until later.

"You're already on my bad side right now." Jason reminded his attorney, "You really need to stay out of this." He turned his attention back to his best friend, "Sonny, what happened? Is Robin is she alright? Is it Abby?"

"Abby is fine. She's with your mother." Sonny tried his best to sound reassuring. "Robin is, she's ok. She's at the hospital, she's worn out Jason, emotionally and physically."

"The hospital?"

"Brenda is with her. Emily was on her way when I left." Sonny explained. "She and the baby are safe."

"Did she go into labor?" He asked with worry in his voice.

Sonny shook his head and put his hand on Jason's shoulder, looking him directly in the eyes then, "She wasn't feeling well last night and this morning she fainted from exhaustion. Alan saw her as soon as she arrived at General Hospital and he assured myself and Brenda that she would be fine as long as she stayed in bed and rested."

Jason rubbed his jaw, "And you think she's going to stay put just because Alan says so?"

"For her child, she will." He answered. "I wouldn't have left her if I didn't think she was in the very best hands." Jason began to pace nervously as he mumbled more to himself than to the other 2 men in the room.

He looked at Justus suddenly, "I want you to put me on the stand."

"Are you out of your mind?" Justus questioned. "The prosecutor will tear you to shreds Jason."

"Justus, it's the only chance I have to get out of here." Jason reasoned. "I have to tell the jury myself what happened or I'm as good as dead. We can't drag this out any more, my wife and children need me. This is the only thing we haven't tried yet."

"Jason, you need to know something before you get on the stand before you try to justify to a jury why you killed a man." Sonny stated somberly. "This trial isn't the only thing causing Robin stress right now. There's another problem another major threat." Jason swallowed hard and looked at his friend with wide eyes, "what else could there be? What could be worse than what Jason already knew?"

Justus and Sonny exchanged glances, Robin had kept this from Jason far longer than she should have and they had helped. Now he needed to know before he took the stand and unknowingly jeopardized everything Robin and Alexis had done to keep the C.P.S. at bay. If Jason went on the stand and admitted he killed the shooter than it could send everything crashing down and cost him his daughter and unborn son. Now it was time to weigh the options and consider the alternatives.

"Protective Services has stepped in and threatened to take Abby and the baby if they can prove your home is unsafe and that you're a threat." Justus finally told Jason. "Robin has don't everything to keep them away and Alexis has filed every possible motion in your favor but it's still touch and go right now. Robin wanted you to focus on getting free and swore everyone to secrecy."

Jason's legs went weak and he sat down before he could fall over. He put his head in his hands and for a long moment didn't say a word as Sonny and Justus watched him. Finally he looked to his attorney, "How many times do I have to tell you? Your orders come from me Justus."

"Jason."

Sonny shook his head, stopping Justus from trying to reason with Jason. It would be useless, Jason wouldn't hear a word Justus had to say at that point, his head was spinning and he needed to just be allowed to feel anger and fear. Jason held his head again and stared at the table in shocked silence.

"No one really thinks that you're a threat to your family Jase." Sonny told him. "It's Sorel, he's trying to break your family up so he can break you. Don't let him. You need to prove that you're stronger." Jason shook his head. "We can beat him Jason, we're smarter than him and we're more powerful. You need to work this one thing at a time. You can't get to him from here so we need to get you out. Your family needs you and it's important that you keep a level head this time. If you fly off the handle again it's over. You lose everything and everyone. You'll be sticking the needle in your own arm if you don't play this right."

Jason leaned back and held the back of his head as he let out a frustrated groan, "Robin shouldn't be going through this. It's all my fault."

"No it's not. It's Sorel's." Sonny insisted. "And I will take care of that bastard when the time is right. Do you hear me? I will handle this, NOT you. You just keep thinking about your wife and kids. Damn it Jason, listen to me this time. You stay focused and everything will be alright."

"Not if they take my kids." He retorted. "It will destroy Robin if they take Abby or the baby." He shook his head. "Robin is the only person that has always been there for Abby, they can't take her away from her mother."

"They won't. Alexis won't let that happen." Justus spoke up hesitantly.

Jason looked at Justus then, "Put me on the stand." When it seemed as though Justus was going to object Jason held up his hand and pointed at him sternly, "That's an order Justus."

Robin was alone when he showed up and entered her room unnoticed. Her heart began pounding in her chest when she set eyes on him. Sorel smirked, sensing her alarm as he approached. "You're not well." He commented.

"Get out." She ordered through gritted teeth.

"Now, don't be so rash Bella." He instructed. "I've come to make you an offer."

Robin glared at him, "I'm not interested."

"In protecting your children?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, which caused Robin to weaken mildly. "Aww, see now I have your interests." He remarked. "I knew that would do the trick." Robin shifted and sat up as much as she could without taking her eyes off of the dangerous man in front of her. "I can make your problems with protective services go away."

"Or I could just let my lawyer do that." She retorted crossly.

"Not necessarily." He answered. "I'm a very powerful man and I have my connections. Mrs. Ross for example. She's a good woman Robin, she has children of her own to worry about."

She rolled her eyes, "You'll have to forgive me if I don't give a damn."

Sorel laughed and shook his head, "I've hit a nerve I see." Robin contemplated calling security but it seemed useless, he would be gone before anyone would get to her room and she was hooked up to so many things thanks to Alan and Dr. Meadows that she couldn't get out of bed if she had too without assistance. "It really is quite simple you know. You could have your children and be safe on one condition." Robin looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Walk away while you still can. I don't want to destroy you Bella, but your husband on the other hand, I do. And I will, it's only a matter of time. You and your children, I could spare you all if you say you'll leave."

Robin shook her head in disbelief, "You want me to leave my husband in order to keep my children? Unbelievable, you really are twisted, do you know that?"

"It shouldn't be a complicated decision Bella. What is more important, your marriage or your children?" He asked her.

"My family which includes my husband." She answered without having to think about it. "So that's your offer? If I leave my husband, you'll call off protective services and let me walk away?" She shook her head again. "Ok you know what? If you think my husband is a threat when you piss him off, you haven't seen anything yet. You've attacked my family, put my children in danger."

"I have done no such thing."

"What do you call sending a hit man to open fire on my home?" She snapped. "You should be very afraid Sorel because I am far more dangerous when my family is at stake. You're the one that should leave, disappear while you still can."

"Suit yourself Bella." Sorel stated before heading out of the room, leaving Robin alone once again.

"Robin oh my God, you're as white as a sheet." Emily gasped as she caught sight of her sister in law.

"Emily, I have to get out of here." Robin told her seriously. "I need your help."

"No, Robin you need to stay-" She tried to reason, only to be cut off.

"Emily! If I stay than my baby could be in even more trouble." She insisted. "Look, I can read fetal monitors and heart monitors and everything else I'm hooked up to here. I'm fine now. I have to go...Please help me...Emily please."

"Ok." The younger woman agreed hesitantly. "Just tell me what you want me to do."

"I need to call Luke." She replied seriously as she sat up and began removing the wires that were attached to her.

"Mr. Morgan do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" The bailiff asked as he stood in front of Jason in the crowded courtroom.

"Yes." He answered.

"Be seated Mr. Morgan." The judge instructed before turning his gaze to Justus, "Your witness councilor."

Justus took a deep breath and came forward, still uncertain of whether putting Jason on the stand was a wise move or a very dangerous one. Jason already informed him of the questions he wanted asked and that made Justus job all the more difficult. "Mr. Morgan why did you want to take the stand today?"

"Because this has to end." Jason replied. "You can call half of the state of New York up here to testify one way or another but no one really knows what happened that day. Why it happened...Just me. And everyone needs to know the truth."

"And what is the truth Mr. Morgan?" Justus asked him.

"I killed that man." He admitted which caused Justus and everyone on Jason's side to cringe. "I killed him to protect my family."

"A family that you love more than anything in the world correct?"

"Yes. My wife and our daughter, our unborn son, they're my life and that man could have killed them." Jason explained.

"Do you regret what you did Mr. Morgan?"

"No." He replied, "Because even if I have to spend the rest of my life in jail, I know that man will never be able to hurt my wife or children."

"Mr. Morgan, what was going through your mind when it happened? When you fired your gun and killed that man?"

Jason didn't speak right away, he waited and chose his words carefully, "I was thinking that even if I lost everything it would be alright as long as my family was safe."

"You got to see Abby yesterday, how did that go?" Justus asked him.

"It was hard seeing her and knowing that it could be the last time." Jason answered. "Knowing that I may never get to hold my son or play with either of my kids. Sleep next to my wife...It was hard to know that it's all possible."

"If you could tell the jury just one thing right now what would it be?"

"Put yourself in my place." Jason stated as he looked to the jury. "Imagine my daughter, playing in the living room, her baby brother nearby, you're in the kitchen maybe with me and my wife and you can hear Abby laughing. She looks just like her mother and when she laughs you can't help but smile. She's perfect and completely innocent. Imagine that all of a sudden you hear these loud bangs. They're deafening, there so loud. And you can't even hear Abby scream over them. They come so fast and over and over again. Now see her, bleeding, dying because someone was paid to pull a trigger. She's 6 years old and should have her whole life ahead of her, she should be safe in her home." He paused and had to struggle to pull himself together. All eyes were on him, listening to the things he was saying, describing the thoughts that were going through his own mind when the gunfire started that day. "Now imagine she's your daughter." He stated, his voice shaking slightly as he spoke. "What would you do to keep that from happening to your child?"

The pregnant juror had tears rolling down her cheeks, others had them in their eyes but held together better than her. One man kept his eyes closed to hold in his emotions. "No further questions your honor." Justus stated somberly.

"Any questions from the prosecution?" The judge asked.

"None your honor." The prosecutor answered. Jason had openly admitted to killing the gunman, there was nothing left to ask. "The State rests."

Luke drove his blue Cadillac with a strange caution as he looked over at Robin next to him in the passenger seat. "I don't think this is a good idea honey." He told her seriously. "Let Corinthos handle this. The jury is deliberating, you should be with Jason right now if you don't want to be at the hospital."

"I have to do this Luke. I have to get rid of Sorel." She replied distantly.

"You look so much like your daddy right now." He commented absentmindedly as he directed his eyes back to the road ahead of him. Robin's steadfast determination was every bit of her father coming through, she was a Scorpio and she wasn't going to back down. Sorel had pushed her too far now and she wasn't about to let him get away with it. "He and I got in a lot of trouble in our day." Luke added with a hint of a smirk playing across his lips.

"Then think of this as a trip for old times sake." Robin answered as she looked at him. "Luke, I can't do this without you. Hell, I can't find Sorel without you."

He cringed, "I know which is why I shouldn't even be considering helping you right now. I still haven't agreed to go along with this plan of yours."

Robin put her hand on his arm, "You wouldn't be here now if you weren't going to help me."

Luke reached into the glovebox and pulled out a handgun, "You're not doing this unarmed honey. You remember how to work this thing?" He asked as he handed the weapon to her.

Robin held her breath for an instant as she looked at the silver handgun. She hated guns but she knew how to use them and she knew that Luke was right. It would be out of the question to go into Sorel's building without some sort of protection.

"5 minutes honey, that's all I'm giving us and I don't care if I have to drag you out of there myself. This is such a bad idea." He insisted then mumbled to himself, 'Pregnant woman are trouble.'

Jason had his head in his hands as he sat while Justus and Sonny both paced nervously. "How long do you think they will deliberate?" He finally asked after what felt like an eternity.

The judge had given the jury their instructions and sent them to decide Jason's future. If he was found guilty, he would spend the next 5 to 25 years in prison, the judge had already ruled out the death penalty. If he and Justus had managed to sway the jury then he could be home in no time at all.

"I don't know." Justus answered honestly. "You blew them away Jason, I just hope it was enough to get you out of here."

He looked at Sonny, "How is she?"

"Brenda hasn't called me back yet." Sonny replied. "I'm sure Robin and the baby are just fine and anxiously waiting for the ruling."

In his mind, Jason thought back to what he knew about Abby's birth. Brenda had told him some of the details and he could only imagine how scared Robin must have been going through all of it alone. She was only 8 months pregnant when Abby was born, the same stage she was presently at. It happened in the middle of the night, she had no one there to hold her hand or reassure her, she had no support and little of anything else. It was just her against the world, a world which she alone was bringing life into. She had gotten up in the middle of the night to get a drink when a sharp pain tore through her entire body, she called 9-1-1 and was rushed to the hospital for an emergency c-section. Jason was terrified that she was going through all of that again.

Since the arrest, Jason was so worried that the surrounding stress would send Robin into premature labor and testifying couldn't have helped with her already high blood pressure. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her or their son because of him. His children needed their mother and they needed her. If nothing else, he needed to know they would be ok even without him.

Jason went back to staring down at the table without another word. Sonny and Justus looked to each other and both went back to pacing until a knock came from the door. Ned stepped in, his hands in his pockets, "The jury came back but the judge sent them in to consider everything again. He said that he doesn't think they've taken long enough to go over the evidence."

"Long enough?" Jason remarked, "It feels like forever already."

"It's only been 2 hours." Justus replied. "You don't want them to make any rash decisions Jason. Coming back too soon doesn't usually turn out well for the defendant. Be patient."

Luke and Robin snuck into Sorel's office and began looking for his paperwork as quickly as they could. "What are we looking for Darlin?" Luke questioned frantically.

"Anything incriminating." Robin answered as she rummaged through a filing cabinet. "I need to figure out how to get rid of this guy Luke. Come on, you're supposed to be good at this secret mission stuff." She found Sorel's laptop computer and flipped it out to power it up.

"I still can't figure out why you can't wait to pull this off. Robin, you're not in any condition for this." He reasoned.

She looked at him then, her eyes pleading with him to try to understand. Pregnant or not, it was a chance Robin had to take. She had to get rid of Sorel before he could do anything else to the people she loved most. "Because I can't kill him." She finally answered. "I don't have it in me the way Jason does or Sonny or you, hell even Mac. I can't do it so I have to get rid of him another way." She went back to struggling with the laptop, typing in random words trying to unlock a password that Sorel had put in place to prevent just such snooping.

Luke sighed, Robin was right, everyone she just named would try to kill Sorel, the first chance they had, even Mac the model cop. They all loved Robin and Abby and the baby Robin was carrying enough to risk their own lives and freedom to protect them. Robin wasn't trying to get rid of Sorel because of some sort of danger complex inherited from her parents and friends, she was doing it to protect her family, her husband, her children and everyone she loved. Luke could understand that without a doubt. Robin was doing this now even though she was 8 months pregnant because she didn't know of any other way to stop Sorel, she couldn't let the insanity continue.

"It's going to be ok Darlin." He told her as he checked his watch.

Robin cracked the password somehow and nodded, "Luke hand me those computer disks." She instructed. Within seconds Robin had downloaded Sorel's hard drive onto 3 computer disks and tucked them into her purse.

They froze when footsteps passed by the door. "Times running out." Luke stated. "Ok, were getting the hell out of here now. Lets go, no arguments. This is too risky Robin, even for a Scorpio." He took her by the arm and they made a quick exit. "I hope you got something useful."

"Me too." She replied nervously as she slid into the car. She pulled an envelope from the visor and put the disks inside of it. The label was already written out, addressed to Commissioner Scorpio, in bold red letters, CONFIDENTIAL. She and Luke looked at each other and she let out a breath, "I hope this works. Luke you have to make sure this gets to Mac's desk. He can't know that I got it and if I go to the station he'll know that something is up."

He nodded, "You should be at the courthouse anyway. The jury is out on your husband as we speak." She looked at him in disbelief, her mouth partly open and her eyes wide. "Why hadn't he said something sooner? What was Luke thinking just mentioning that detail now?" Her heart tightened in her chest and Luke knew he had to step on the gas before she screamed at him to do so.

Brenda set a cup of coffee down in front of Sonny much to his surprise, breaking him from his long train of thought. "What are you doing here? Where's Robin?"

"I don't know where she is." Brenda admitted quietly. "She and Luke went somewhere, so I thought that I better be here for her and well, for Jason too." She sat down on the long wooden hall bench and put her hand on Sonny's knee. "It's going to be ok Sonny. Robin and Jason have survived worse."

He scoffed, "Yeah, they survived Carly. It took awhile but they survived her."

"Yeah." Brenda grinned a little and shook her head. She picked her battles and digs, she let it slide and didn't fire back any remarked about Sonny marrying the witch. But there was an ample supply of cheap shots backlogged in her memory. Sonny had enough on his mind and didn't need her annoying him.

Justus came into the hall and held his breath as he looked to Jason's friends and family. "The jury will be in the courtroom in a few minutes. The judge is going to read the verdict." He looked to Brenda, "Is she going to make it?"

"Yes." Robin's voice answered as she came around the corner. "Luke had his instructions." he had to get the disks to Mac and hopefully Mac could find something to pin on Sorel and the sooner the better. "I'm here Justus, I'm here

He nodded, "Jason has been worried about you all day."

"Can I see him?" She asked the attorney with pleading eyes.

"He's already inside. Everyone should be getting seated, the judge will be ready any minute now." He took Robin by the arm and led her into the courtroom gently.

Jason was pacing and rubbing the back of his neck as he stared down at the floor. Justus cleared his throat to get Jason's attention, causing him to finally look up. "Robin."

"Hi." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in the most comforting way.

"Is everything ok? I heard you were in the hospital." He whispered as he held her close.

"Everything will be alright when you're home with us." She answered before kissing the side of his face.

He pulled back, taking Robin's face gently in his hands as he looked down into her dark eyes, "I took the stand."

She nodded, "Luke told me."

"I just told them the truth." He told her softly.

"Good." She whispered and then kissed him again.

"I know about protective services." He admitted.

Robin looked down for a moment and then frowned apologetically, "I should have told you..." but Jason shook his head, understanding why she chose to keep the information from him, not that he was pleased about it, but Jason understood. She ran her fingertips along the left side of Jason's jaw, "You better have come up with some baby names by now Jase. This little guy isn't going to wait around much longer." He put his hand on her stomach and felt his son moving inside of his wife.

The courtroom filled quickly with Jason's family and members of the press. He tensed noticeably when he caught sight of Sorel slipping into the courtroom with a smug grin on his face. Robin looked over her shoulder and shook her head as Sonny and Brenda stepped close behind her protectively.

"Focus." Justus instructed somberly. "One problem at a time. Just focus."

The judge came in from his chambers and the ground hushed, awaiting instructions. Jason turned, standing next to Justus behind the defense table as the rest of the crowd was seated behind them. Jason put his hands behind his back and Robin reached over the divider and took hold of them reassuringly.

The jury filed in one by one and Justus noted their facial expressions somber and tired, weary from hours of long discussion and debate. Some kept their eyes directed down, a few looked right to Jason without even blinking, which made his attorney mildly uncomfortable and nervous.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury have you reached your decision?" The judge asked seriously.

The foreman stood, a piece of yellow paper folded in his hands in front of him. "We have Your Honor."

The bailiff took the paper from him and handed it to the judge. He unfolded it painstakingly slow and read the verdict then passed it back to the bailiff and onto the foreman once again.

"Your Honor, on behalf of my fellow jurors, I would like to address the court and Mr. Morgan at this time." The foreman spoke up hesitantly.

The judge nodded, "You may. But understand any statements made now have no legal bearing on this hearing."

He looked directly at Jason then, his shoulders back and his eyes showing how nervous he was about speaking in front of such a crowd. He wiped his sweat damp forehead with a cloth and shoved it in his pocket quickly. "Mr. Morgan many of us here on the jury have kids, we've either raised them already or are doing so now. We know how the love a parent as for their child can make them do anything to protect them. You and your wife obviously love your daughter very much, as well as each other." He paused and looked at his fellow jurors for a moment, some of them nodding their approval to him. Everyone was so focused that they didn't notice Mac Scorpio step into the courtroom with several officers by his side. "The law in cases of this nature appears black and white at first glance but the law isn't always completely effective in real life. When the facts come out things become gray in various shades and it becomes increasingly difficult to tell the difference between what is right and wrong. We, the jury have done our best to accomplish this and come to a decision that we collectively fell is right and just."

Jason nodded but could do little else other than stand there and wait to hear what exactly their decision was. The judge seemed to tense and then relax after a moment.

"Jason Morgan, you stand accused of Murder in the First Degree of which you plead innocent. These men and woman have given their time, their energy and I believe their emotions to hearing your case and the facts surrounding it. They have deliberated for several hours now and come to a decision which will impact not only your future but that of your entire family including your children." He looked to the foreman than and nodded, "Mr. Foreman would you please read the verdict."

"Yes Your Honor." He answered before taking a breath and unfolding the paper as Jason squeeze Robin's hands, both of them holding their breath the entire time. "We the jury in the afore mentioned case find the defendant, Jason Morgan..." Sonny put his hand on Robin's shoulder and she closed her eyes as she continued to hold onto Jason, fearful that she could literally lose him in the next 5 seconds. "Innocent of Murder in the First Degree." Robin was the first to let out the breath she had been holding.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'd like to thank you each for your time." The judge told them over the voices of the crowded courtroom. "Mr. Morgan, you are free to go."

He turned around and Robin threw her arms around him, tears streaming down her face as relief gripped them both. Justus padded Jason on the back, "Congratulations Jase." All Jason could do was nod as he buried her face against Robin's neck.

Ned put his arm around Monica and gave her a hug as Brenda clung to Sonny so excitedly that she made his arm sore but he didn't care. Members of the press were frantically taking notes and trying to ask anyone who was willing what their thoughts were on the jury's decision. Jason kissed Robin and wiped her tears away with his thumbs.

Mac motioned for the courtroom doors to close, keeping everyone inside, "I hate to interrupt this celebration." He spoke up causing a dull hush to fall over the entire courtroom. Jason held Robin close as they both looked at the commissioner. Robin gripped Jason's shirt in her fists tightly as she pressed her lips together nervously. Mac looked to Sorel and reached into his jacket pocket, "Leonardo Sorel, you are under arrest for conspiracy to traffic narcotics, for corruption and cohesion of government employees, bribery as well as conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree." His officers surrounded Sorel and began checking him for weapons and placing handcuffs on his wrists. "You are also charged with 3 cases of murder."

"You have nothing on me." He remarked.

"I beg to differ." Mac answered referring to the disks which Luke had given him. They were full of Sorel's personal records, verifying his numerous crimes and dealings which made Mac's job extremely easy for once. "Enjoy these last moments Sorel, you'll never know the word free again, you bastard. You have the right to an attorney..." He proceeded to read Sorel his rights as Robin buried her face against Jason's chest.

"That was quick." She mumbled to herself.

"What's that sweetheart?" Sonny asked just as Luke appeared.

Robin shook her head and looked to Luke gratefully, "Nothing."

Jason looked at Robin with a raised eyebrow, "You pulled something didn't you?" She only smirked and remained silently unwilling to admit anything, her husband was free and the man that had caused the whole mess would be going to jail. Nothing else mattered at that moment. Jason kissed the top of Robin's head, "Let's go home baby." He whispered softly.

2 Weeks Later

The sun was just barely coming up when Robin woke, placing her hand on her tense stomach as she sat up, "Jase." She cringed as she tried to wake him. "Jason, wake up."

He turned onto his side in her direction, "Hmm?"

"We need to go to the hospital." She told him, which caused Jason to bolt awake instantly.

He looked worried, "It's still 2 weeks early."

She would have laughed if she wasn't so uncomfortable at that moment, "Honey, try telling the baby that." She put her hand on Jason's leg in an effort to calm him. "Get dressed and wake Brenda up." She carefully got up with Jason at her side within seconds to support her as best he could.

What had started just as the sun came up lasted until it disappeared from the sky again. Their son was born shortly after 7 that evening and Jason was there for every step of the delivery, holding his wife's hand and kissing her forehead. Robin was remarkably calm through the entire procedure, as she told Jason, she'd been through it all before. Their family crowded the waiting room in anticipation of the latest addition to their world. He arrived in perfect health and was greeted by the voices that for months he had only heard from inside of his mother.

Robin slept as Jason rocked his son in a chair next to her hospital bed, staring down at the tiny baby in his eyes with complete awe. "Hey buddy, I'm your dad." He whispered as the baby moved a little in his sleep. "I know you saw a lot of people in the last few hours but I'm the one that's going to be around the most, along with your mom over their and your big sister."

"Now there's a good looking family." Sonny commented quietly from the doorway.

Jason looked up and smiled, "Hey, we were wondering if you were ever going to show up."

Sonny shrugged casually, "I thought I'd let everyone else crowd around you all, then stop by once things slowed down. You've had a long day."

"Yeah." Jason nodded, "Robin just fell asleep." and he gestured to the bed where Abby was curled up next to her mother, "There was no talking her into going home with Brenda or Mac."

Sonny smiled, "She's not letting her parents or her new little brother out of her sight any time soon." He came into the room and peered down at the baby in Jason's arms.

"You want to hold him Sonny?" He asked with a raised eyebrow as he stood up and placed the baby into Sonny's arms without waiting for a response.

"So what did you name him?" Sonny asked.

"Riley Alexander Morgan." Jason replied quietly.

Sonny nodded, "That's a good name man." He rocked Riley when he began to fuss a little calming him within seconds. "Jase, know that when I say this it's because I love you and because you're like a brother to me man." He looked to his friend quite seriously then. "You're fired." Jason smirked and shook his head as Sonny padded him on the shoulder with his free hand. He looked down at Jason's son again, "Do you hear that buddy, you're not even a day old and your old man here is unemployed." He laughed a little, "Don't worry, he's got more than enough money to take care of you and your sister." He passed the baby back to Jason and smiled, "Tell Robin I'll see her tomorrow." He took another look at Robin and Abby, "You're a lucky man Jason."

"I know." Jason answered. "Thanks Sonny." He went back to the rocking chair and made himself comfortable as Sonny left the room.

the end