Chapter 36

Erin awoke the next morning early, but she quickly realized that Nik was no longer with her.  She got up and walked over to the table, there was a note lying there with her name on it.  She picked it up and read, everyone had gone into town and would be back in a little bit, and she was to stay near the cabin where she wouldn’t be seen if Delgoto had sent anyone out to look for her and Robin.  Erin poured herself a cup of coffee that was sitting on the counter.  She took her steaming mug and went out the front door to get some fresh air to wake her up.  She nearly dropped the mug in shock when she saw someone sitting in a chair on the front poarch but the next moment she realized that it was her father!

“Daddy!”  Erin ran over to him and gave him a huge hug.  “How did you know where I was and get here so fast?”  Erin pulled back when she realized that Charlie wasn’t returning the hug in his usual strong manner, but weak and fragial. 

She looked at him worried and opened her mouth to say something.  “You can save your questions for a few minutes, I need to talk to you.”  Charlie cut her off.  He took her hands and sat down with her on the steps in the shade from the early morning sun.  “This is going to be a little bit of a long story and I don’t think your going to like some of the parts, but I need you to just sit and listen until I’m done okay?”  Charlie spoke to her as if she were a little girl again.  Erin gave him a short nod and he began the long painful explanation.  Erin just sat there stone faced through the whole story and when Charlie had finished she just stared at him, as if she didn’t understand.  “Do you understand?”  Charlie finally asked.

“Yes, I understand,” Erin’s voice was cold.  “I understand that my whole life, the two people who I thought I could trust and who I thought loved me, have been lying to me about who I am.  My whole life has been one big lie.”  Charlie reached out to comfort her but she jumped up and out of his reach.  “Don’t touch me, don’t you ever touch me again.”  Erin turned and fled into the surrounding trees before Charlie could get to his feet to stop her.

Erin ran until her legs felt like they would fall off.  Her foot caught on a branch, and she went sprawling to the ground.  She pulled herself into a sitting position and just sat there looking at the ground, she didn’t want to move, she didn’t want to think, she didn’t want to do anything but just sit there.  A noise behind her caught her attention and she turned her head to see what it was.  To her astonishment she saw Mrs. Wallice, the woman who lived near the cottage.  “Mrs. Wallice?”  Erin didn’t believe her eyes.

“Now sweatheart, didn’t I tell you, call me Rose.”  She gave a soft chuckle.

Erin regained her voice and choked out, “What are you doing here?”

“That’s a story that will have to weight, come, your family is getting worried.”  Rose tool her hands and helped Erin up.

When she was standing Erin slid her had out of Rose’s comforting grip.  “What family?”  Erin asked stubbornly, crossing her arms across her chest in defiance.

“What else would you call the people who risked their lives and the lives of other to rescue you?  Nine people risked their lives for your one life.  That’s more then an acquaintance would do.”  Erin didn’t say anything she just kept her arms crossed.  “I don’t think you know how deep these people’s love goes for you.”  Rose sat down on a fallen tree and patted the spot next to her. “Come, sit.  I see I need to tell you a few things.”  Erin sighed and sat down.

“How many times has Jason dropped everything he was doing just to be there for you?  Ever sense you arrived in Port Charles he has treated you like an equal, and when you needed him to, he was like an older brother.  I think that qualifies him as family doesn’t it?”  Rose’s eyes looked deep into Erin’s.

Erin lowered her eyes to the ground.  “I guess you’re right, I never thought of it that way.”

“And what about Robin?  She took you in and was like a sister to you.  She sat up with you all night after the first shooting.  You were one of the first people she told when she thought her and Jason were going to have a baby.”

Erin’s eyes shot up and looked back in the direction of the cabin.  “The baby.  I forgot all about it.  She shouldn’t be here and under this kind of stress, it’s not good for her or the baby.”

Rose looked at her sadly.  “Then she didn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“It’s not my place to say.  You’ll have to ask her yourself, that is, if you go back.”

“What do you mean ‘if’?”  Erin asked, her eyebrow lifted in curiosity.

“I’m not going to drag you back kicking and screaming, I’m too old for that.  It’s up to you if you want to go back.”  Rose paused a moment to allow everything she had said to sink in.  “Besides Jason and Robin aren’t the only people you have to go back to.  You have someone else who loves you…and who you love.”

A soft smile spread across Erin’s lips.  “Nikolas.”

“And I’m sure you don’t want to take off without at least saying goodbye.”  Rose continued.

“You’re right there.  He’s done so much for me, I couldn’t just leave him.”

“Are those enough reasons or do you need two more?  Two helpless bundles of beauty?”  Rose tugged at Erin’s heartstrings.

The twins, Erin thought, if for no the reason she needed to go back for them.  She had promised Brenda to always look after them and to watch them grow up for her.  Erin stood up making her mind.  “Well?”

“Well what?”  Rose asked innocently batting her eyelids.

“Well are we going to head back to the cabin or what?”  Erin asked helping Rose up off the log.

“That’s what I thought.”  The two walked in silence when they reached the cabin they found Sonny and Charlie sitting on the steps watching her and Rose walk up to the cabin.