1987

After moving to Australia to start a new life with Holly in December of 1985, Port Charles is shocked when Robert Scorpio returns to town alone in 1987. With a heavy heart, Robert informs his friends that the love of his life, Holly, died in a plane crash. Making his pain even more unbearable is the fact that Holly’s body was never recovered from the crash site.

            Trying to re-build a life without Holly, Robert teams with his ex-wife Anna as a private investigator. During their tenure, he receives an envelope in the mail from a cousin of Holly’s in Australia. Inside he finds a photograph of Holly and a letter she had written to him before boarding the plane several months prior. The letter is a bittersweet read for Robert as memories of the argument that precipitated Holly’s departure come to the surface. Yet the memories of earlier times in their marriage and Holly’s heartfelt words assure Robert of her love for him then and always and bring her presence ever closer. Robert can longer run from mourning Holly and he grieves the loss of his beloved wife in the company of friends.

            The first Christmas without Holly is especially difficult for Robert. There are reminders of her at every turn -- a group from the police force gifts him with a Christmas arrangement containing holly, a woman he has been seeing for a brief time gives him a tie bar with a sprig of holly attached to it, and his daughter Robin gives him a stuffed wallaby which conjures memories of the first Christmas he and Holly shared.

            Robert is overwhelmed with his feelings for Holly as the holiday season continues. Realizing it is too soon for him to be involved with another woman; Robert breaks off things with Autumn, the woman he was seeing. Needing the comfort of friends, Robert rings in the New Year with Felicia.