September 1, 2006

General Hospital: Waiting Area

Robin Scorpio–Robin Scorpio-Cassadine she corrected mentally–had never planned on being a mother. That particular dream had died a tragic death when she was just eighteen and she’d never had the courage to resurrect it, no matter how many advances had been made in the field of HIV positive mothers and pregnancies. To pursue that dream would mean finding someone who not only accepted her disease but would willingly take the risk their children would be infected.

So she had put that dream on a shelf–along with most of the dreams of her youth–but she’d never quite been able to forget it.

And that had been one of the factors in her decision to accept Nikolas’s surprising proposal of marriage in July.

He wanted his child to have everything that Nikolas hadn’t. Two parents. Two decent parents, Nikolas had corrected, remembering that the man who had raised him and the one that had been responsible for his genetic makeup had both been disasters at the job in the end.

Robin, Nikolas had told her, was the only person that he could trust. The only person who would always have Misha’s best interests in heart. Robin, who never had an agenda other than doing the right thing and being a good person.

Robin had turned him down at first, a fact that no one knew and one that she’d keep to herself. Because if the world at large knew that she’d been asked before that day at the Metro Court, then they would get the idea that perhaps she had said yes to spite Patrick Drake or even to spite Carly.

Which wasn’t the case at all. Or at least Robin told herself that every morning, when she woke up to her new life as Dr. Robin Scorpio-Cassadine, wife to a prince and by all rights and purposes, a princess. She told herself that she’d married Nikolas because she genuinely cared for him, that she wanted the life he had built in his mind for them. She’d married Nikolas because she wanted a life, a family.

But there were nights when she couldn’t lie to herself and the truth of the matter was she was tired of waiting. Tired of being alone and tired of setting herself up the fall. She’d let herself believe there was something in her relationship with Patrick Drake, something that went beyond the sex and beyond the physical attraction.

And sometimes she admitted to herself that there could have been. That Patrick–despite his words–to the contrary had never actually dated or slept with anyone else during the five weeks their affair had lasted. That if Robin had kept John’s paternity to herself, she and Patrick might have been able to build something. But Carly had decided to take revenge, and the only way Carly knew how to make someone pay was to take something the other person valued.

And in a way, Carly had saved her. Because Robin might have gone months pretending that what she and Patrick had was real. That they might have stayed together because they hadn’t cared enough about anyone else to go elsewhere. And Robin admitted to herself on those nights that it would have broken her heart eventually.

But despite her reasons for the marriage, despite her murky motives, Robin was content. Happiness was elusive and would likely remain that way but she was satisfied. She had a good man who did care for her, which wasn’t so bad and she had a beautiful stepson that no one could take from her.

She reached into the stroller and adjusted Misha’s pacifier and smoothed the blanket across his napping body. It was ironic that with the first paternity she’d revealed, she’d lost contact with the child in question forever and with the second, she’d gained him.

Twice she’d played the role of the mother to a child not her own but this was the first time she’d let herself relax in the role.

It was the first time since their return from Greece that Robin had taken Misha out without Tasha, the nanny or without Nikolas. She wanted Port Charles to understand that this was not the Robin Scorpio that had fled town just two months ago, and it wasn’t the same Robin that had returned to Port Charles nearly a year ago.

“So you went through with it.”

The smooth, husky voice had once sent chills down her spine and made her skin tingle. After the first time they’d slept together, whenever he spoke–no matter the location, bedroom, operating room, restaurant–she’d picture the sound of his voice murmuring her ear all the wicked things he’d want to do.

If she had chills and tingles now, she told herself they were chills of disgust and well…the tingle she’d just outright ignore.

Robin glanced up from her stepson and didn’t look directly at Patrick Drake, instead she chose to focus on his forehead. “I’m sorry, you’re going to have to be more specific.”

Patrick chuckled and looked away. “All right, we’ll play it that way, Robin. Should I say congratulations?” he asked, somewhat sardonically.

So he was reverting to jackass. That would make this entire situation a lot easier, Robin decided. She met his eyes and was a little surprised to see just how cold they were. “It would be the polite thing to do, but I don’t suppose you’ve often wasted your time with politeness and courtesy.”

He shrugged half a shoulder. “When will you be back at work?” he asked. “Or are you retiring to be the happy little housewife?”

“I’ll be back in a week.” Her lips curved into a mocking smile. “You can’t do without me for six weeks? My, my. That is definitely something I’m going to take note of.”

“I didn’t even remember you five seconds after you left,” Patrick said, a cruel smirk spreading across his face. “The hotel room that is.”

The hotel room in which she’d walked in and found him undressing Caroline Benson Quartermaine Corinthos Alcazar, Robin remembered with a sliver of disgust. “I never thought you had.”

She spied Kelly Lee over Patrick’s shoulder and stood, arranging the diaper bag and purse over her shoulder. “It’s been…fun catching up, Dr. Drake but Misha has a doctor’s appointment–”

“Misha?” a new voice interrupted, shrilly. Carly Corinthos stepped away from the elevator and stared at the sight of Robin with a baby stroller. Her eyes narrowed and her lip curled back in a snarl. “You changed his name?”

“Nikolas changed his name, which as his father, is completely within his right,” Robin said patiently. She would not let Carly get to her. She would not let Carly ruin her new life. This was one of the many things she chanted to herself when she woke in the morning. “Misha Nikolaevich Cassadine. If you’ll excuse me, Carly–”

“Oh, there’s no excuse for you,” Carly hissed. “You’ve redefined the role of scorned woman, do you know that?”

“How did I know you’d go for the easy comeback?” Robin asked, tilting her head to the side. “There’s no excuse for you? Please, Carly. Are we still in high school?”

Taken aback at that, Carly had to fumble for words and that gave Robin the opportunity to walk away and disappear down the hall. “I can’t believe she just walked away from me!” the blonde remarked, planting her hands on her hips. “The little twerp.”

“If only she’d learned to do that three months ago,” Patrick muttered, abandoning the acidic woman and going back to the nurse’s station where Elizabeth had been watching the entire encounter. “What? You have something you want to hit me with?”

“Nope,” Elizabeth remarked. She started entering some patient information onto the screen. “I think you’re self destructing just fine on your own.”

Patrick scowled. “You’re usually good for advice I don’t want to hear–”

“There’s no advice to fix this situation, Patrick.” Elizabeth reached for a chart and accidentally whacked him with it. “But there was a month ago when I told you to go to Greece, stop the wedding, and not be an idiot.”

“I didn’t think she’d go through with it.” Patrick stared down the hallway and his scowl deepened. “I mean, didn’t everyone else see that she’s only married to him because I–” he broke off and shook his head. “You’re right, there’s no advice that will fix this. She’s married and Robin’s–she actually believes in the marital vows of fidelity and honor and cherish, I bet, so I guess that’s over.”

“Hmmm…well, I’m sorry I can’t offer any assurances,” Elizabeth said sourly, “since she’s married to my best friend. But you’re right, Robin may be the last woman in this town that actually believes in the idea of marriage.” She smirked. “Course, this is only her first trip down the aisle. Her third divorce might cure her of that notion.”

Patrick slid a confused glance her way. “Three divorces?”

“To be fair, the first two were to the same man,” Elizabeth turned and smiled brightly at him. A smile that didn’t match the shadows in her eyes. “That’s right, the first time around wasn’t enough–what with all the murder attempts and the kidnapping of a pregnant woman. Nope, I had to punish myself more and grind my self-worth into the ground by marrying him a second time and really have the idea that I never matter enough to come first pounded into my head. So you know, Patrick, the way marriage goes in Port Charles, give them about six months. I’m sure by then, they’ll have self destructed.” Elizabeth grabbed some charts. “Everyone else does.”

Patrick watched the nurse storm away and shook his head. He couldn’t deny her right to anger–after her soon to be ex-husband had passed out on the sofa, high on painkillers, Elizabeth’s two-year-old son had fallen and hit his head on the end table. If Elizabeth hadn’t returned home when she had, if Robin’s drug therapy hadn’t stabilized Cameron, if Patrick’s hands had failed, Elizabeth would be mourning more than a third divorce.

The cop was in rehab and would be there another month but Elizabeth hadn’t waited that long. She’d filed for divorce as soon as Patrick had given Cameron the green light. The kid would be fine and would probably never remember the episode but Patrick had a feeling Elizabeth would remember it for the rest of her life. He would certainly never forget having that kid on his operating table. He had been relieved not to have to tell Elizabeth her son hadn’t made it. He would never want to be in any way responsible for hurting her like that.

Part of him hoped her words would ring true, that Robin would realize she’d made a mistake in marrying Nikolas Cassadine and would divorce him. But he’d seen her face when she’d fussed over the baby. This was the life she wanted. To be a mother and a wife.

And he’d never been sure if it was a life he was capable of giving anyone.

Kelly’s: Courtyard

Nikolas stood up and kissed Robin on the cheek as she pushed the stroller up to the table. She lifted Misha and handed him to his father. “Dr. Lee said everything is fine and he’s progressing normally.”

Nikolas cradled Misha one handed and used the other to pull the chair out for Robin. “How did it go at the hospital?”

“Carly was there,” Robin sighed. “But to my credit, I finally just walked away from her. She’s not happy about the name change.”

Nikolas laughed and sat. “Well, I’m sure I’ll be devastated over that for about five seconds.” He hesitated and looked down at Misha when he asked his next question. “Did you…run into anyone else?”

“Did I run into Patrick?” Robin asked wryly. “Yes, Nikolas. I ran into Patrick. We exchanged a few rounds of insults and then Carly showed up.” She shifted uncomfortably. “Nikolas–”

“I just want to make sure he’s not giving you a hard time,” he said. “He strikes me as someone that doesn’t take being thwarted all that well.”

“It was fine, back to our old banter,” Robin murmured. She plucked a menu from the holder in the middle of the table and studied it, despite the fact that she knew it by heart. “It’s going to be weird for a while because of the way things ended but he’ll be on to the next conquest and I’ll be a distant memory.”

“Well, his loss is my gain,” Nikolas said with a charming smile. He set Misha back in the stroller and looked at him a long while. He cleared his throat and turned his attention back to his wife to find her smiling at him fondly. “We should celebrate.”

Robin arched an eyebrow, set the menu on the table and leaned forward, folding her elbows. “Celebrate what? And how?”

“Well, the Cassadine family has grown just in the last few months,” Nikolas remarked. “First Sam, then Misha and now you. And it’s the first time in generations that additions to the Cassadines are welcomed rather than dreaded. We should celebrate that.”

“Hmm…well, if you want to throw a grand ball, I am totally in support of that,” Robin nodded. She reached across the table and twined their fingers together. “I want everyone to know that I am completely happy with my decision.”

Nikolas’s eyes drifted over her shoulder and he released her hands, sitting up. “Hello.”

Robin turned to find Sam standing there with an extremely uncomfortable Emily Quartermaine. Robin sighed–yet another person that was uncomfortable about the recent marriage. Robin and Nikolas had gone to Greece shortly after she accepted his proposal and it just hadn’t occurred to Robin that Emily would have an issue with the marriage since she had moved on with Sonny.

But Sonny’s life had exploded and Emily had been a casualty. She’d been hurt and in need of friends and the news about the engagement had come as a slap in the face to her. Alexis told Robin that Emily had felt betrayed and had taken the news very badly.

“Hi, Em,” Robin said cautiously, discretely folding her hands in her lap so as not to draw attention to the Cassadine family engagement ring. Nikolas had remarked that he’d bought Emily’s rings but had elected to use the family jewels for Robin in an effort to continue his family in a way that they could be proud of. Robin understood the sentiment but worried that Emily would feel worse about it.

“Robin, Nikolas,” Emily nodded stiffly. Her eyes softened as she took in the sight of the baby. “Misha, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Nikolas turned his proud eyes to his son. “Misha Nikolaevich Cassadine.”

“Wow.” Emily blinked. “When we discussed names, you never wanted to go the Russian route.” She flicked her eyes to Robin as if this were her fault. “I thought you didn’t want anything to do with the Cassadine lineage.”

“I can’t run from it forever,” Nikolas said soberly. “I can choose to hide my family or I can choose to make it into a family that I can be proud of. With my son, with Sam, with Robin and Alexis, I think that’s a possibility now.” He looked to Sam, who looked both surprised and pleased to be included in that statement. “A lot of things have changed since we were together, Emily.”

“Well.” Emily pursed her lips. “That puts me in my place.” She looked to Sam. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to skip lunch.” She turned and left the courtyard.

Sam exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry, I thought she had accepted things.” Her dark eyes stared out after Emily, concerned. “She’s taking everything really hard. Sonny’s breakdown, their breakup, your marriage.”

“We can make it a point not to throw it in her face,” Robin said softly. “It’s best if I just keep my distance from her for a while.” She smiled at Sam. “Join us for lunch.”

Port Charles Park

After lunch, Nikolas had a meeting and took Sam to take a tour of Cassadine Industries. Robin, still enjoying her vacation from work and adjusting to her new life, took Misha for a walk in the park. When she went back to work, Misha would spend more time with his nanny and Robin wouldn’t have as much time to devote to him. Her career was still important to her, though it had fallen from first priority.

She slowed the stroller to a stop when she saw Jasper Jacks seated on a park bench. She and Jax had never been able to put their friendship back on an even keel. Jax had firmly put himself in Carly’s camp and Robin had, of course, put herself against the poisonous viper. Nikolas hadn’t relented on letting Jax into Misha’s life but part of Robin still ached that the truth had cost Jax so much.

When Carly had devoted her life to making Robin pay, she’d destroyed her own relationship with Jax. Once he’d discovered exactly what Carly had done to achieve her revenge, Jax had tossed her to the curb but Robin was already on her way to Greece to be married and the two hadn’t seen each other since.

Jax glanced up at the sound of the strollers and Robin’s heels. He smiled faintly. “A little bird tells me that Nikolas changed his name.”

“He did,” Robin confirmed softly. “To Misha. It’s Russian for Michael.”

Jax stood and his eyes drank in the sight of his former son. “Courtney–she would have approved of that. There are, of course, too many Michaels running around Port Charles and it’s a good way to honor Mike as well as his father.” Jax’s voice faltered and he looked down. “I’m glad…he looks good. He looks happy.”

“He’s a very happy little boy,” Robin promised him. “I wish…I wish I could let you hold him but–” she swallowed. “Nikolas has forbidden it and I don’t–I don’t see him relenting any time soon.”

“No,” Jax swallowed hard. “I understand.” His eyes met hers. “I’m sorry for what Carly did.”

Robin shrugged lightly. “What did she do really? She just hastened the inevitable. I was fooling myself with Patrick, believing he’d want the same things I did. If he could be with her…” she shook her head. “You’re not responsible for Carly’s actions.”

“I know.” Jax hesitated. “Are you happy, Robin?”

Robin glanced down at Misha and felt her lips curve into a sad smile. She wished with all her heart that she could give him the answer he wanted. But she wanted nothing but honesty between them. “No,” she admitted softly. “But this is the closest I’ve felt to happiness in a long time. And that’s enough.”

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