When we don’t talk
When we don’t touch
When it doesn’t feel like we’re even in love
It matters to me
When I don’t know what to say
Don’t know what to do
Don’t know if it really even matters to you
How can I make you see
It matters to me

June 28, 2006

Scorpio-Jones House: Front Porch

Robin stepped up on the porch and sat next to Felicia who was drinking a glass of iced tea and lounging on the porch swing. “Hey.”

“Hey, sweetie.” Felicia kissed her cheek. “Mac’s at the station and your mother is there bugging him about putting her to work temporarily. You know she’s planning on staying until the baby’s born.”

“I know.” Robin tapped her fingers against her thighs and waited for Felicia to say something–because she could always depend on Felicia.

Felicia took Robin’s hand in hers and raised it up. “This is new,” she said dryly, twisting the engagement ring around. “It’s beautiful but it’s new.”

“It was Patrick’s mother’s,” Robin said quietly, still touched that he’d given her something that had belonged to Mattie Drake. He could have easily gone out and bought something else, but instead, he’d given her a piece of his mother and if nothing else, she’d cling to that.

“Well, it’s very sweet of him to give you his mother’s ring, but, darling, I think we both know what this ring is.” Felicia arched an eyebrow. “I thought you told him no.”

“I did, but…” Robin sighed and looked away. “He’s got a point, Felicia. When I think of how I grew up, with my parents divorced, how hard it was for Georgie and Maxie before Mac really stepped in. There are so many reasons why raising our child together and getting married is a good idea.”

“And there are just as many reasons for it to be a bad idea,” Felicia pointed out. “You and Patrick could crash and burn, and get divorced in a few years and then you’ll be living the reality you’re trying to avoid now.”

“I know that. But the risk is there with every marriage now,” Robin said. “I just…if Patrick even feels a quarter for me of what I feel for him, then I think…I think it’ll be okay.”

“I know that Mac is going to be relieved about this,” Felicia said slowly. “Because I know he always wanted a family for you, a husband and children and I know that Anna was pushing for this because she wants you to have what she couldn’t give you. But I want to make sure that is what you want for you. You deserve more than a quarter. You deserve it all, Robin.”

“I lost that chance when I broke up with Patrick and accused him of cheating on me when I knew it wasn’t true,” Robin shook her head. “I used his past to push him away and the only reason he’s not angry with me is because I’m pregnant. He wants what he had as a kid. Two parents, a loving family–Noah and Mattie would be together today if she hadn’t got sick. I can’t blame him for wanting to raise the baby in that kind of environment.”

“Neither can I. But he’s forgetting something in the equation. Two parents do not a happy household make,” Felicia said. “You need more than two parents and a kid. You need love, Robin, and if Patrick doesn’t love you as much you love him, then I want you to be prepared for a long and difficult life. Because it’s not going to be easy knowing that you’re only married because you happened to be his baby’s mother.”

“You know, Felicia, you always know how to make my day bright and cheery,” Robin said after a long moment. She squeezed her aunt’s hand. “I know what I’m getting into, and believe me I’m not using rose-colored glasses. But I guess becoming a parent means making decisions for your child above yourself.”

“Yeah,” Felicia sighed. She shook her head. “Well, I’ll give Luke a call and let him know the theme of the celebration has changed from a baby to an engagement–”

“No, no,” Robin shook her head. “Felicia, I don’t want to make this a big deal. It’ll probably be a small ceremony, maybe in the judge’s chambers–”

“Oh, that is just ridiculous,” Felicia sighed. “Robin, honey, this is your wedding and if you and Patrick are doing this for the benefit of your child–though I’m not sure that’s why Patrick asked you to marry him and I know that’s not why you said yes–your child will want to know why you didn’t have a big, splashy wedding with all your family and friends looking on. You should start this marriage off with a bang, not a whimper.”

Robin looked away, her corners of her mouth curved into a tiny smile. “I’ll talk to Patrick and see what he wants to do.” She kissed Felicia’s cheek. “Thank you for making me feel better about this.”

“Well, that wasn’t exactly my intention,” Felicia said, “but I’m glad I helped. Have you called Brenda?”

“Not yet,” Robin admitted. “I know that she’d want to fly in immediately and I didn’t want to do that until I knew what was going to happen. I’m going to call her this afternoon though.”

“So we can expect a Brenda invasion?” Felicia sighed. “Well, it’s been kind of quiet around here lately. I suppose we could use a Brenda visit.”

General Hospital: Lounge

Patrick poured a steaming cup of coffee and sipped it, ignoring the burning on his tongue. After driving Robin home the previous night, he’d been unable to sleep and had only nodded off towards dawn.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong here. He’d gotten his way–they were engaged, and giving her his mother’s ring had felt right but something was still off. And Patrick couldn’t begin to think of what it could be.

“I doubt that coffee has all the answers,” Noah said from behind him. “But you seemed to be staring into it as if it’s a magic eight ball.”

Patrick sighed and looked at his father. “Robin agreed to marry me last night. I gave her Mom’s engagement ring.”

Noah sobered and looked down. “Your mother would have loved Robin. And I’m sure Robin appreciated the gesture. I’m surprised she agreed though. She seemed a little distant the other day at lunch.”

“I talked her into it. My charm doesn’t always work with her but it has its moments.” Patrick took his coffee to a nearby table stacked with patient files and sat down. “I told her that I wanted to give our child the best of what I had and the only way I knew how was to get married and be a family. She agreed, I did a real proposal and she said yes. So everything should be okay now.” He flipped a file open and started to scan it, but didn’t really register any of the words.

“So, you’re getting married for the sake of the child.” Noah snorted and sat in an adjacent chair. “If you believe that, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.”

Patrick didn’t bother to look at his father. “Why else would Robin agree to marry me?”

“If I have to tell you, then you should be hit over the head with a very large two by four,” Noah said wryly. “I’m not going to tell you what should have been abundantly clear after she risked her entire medical career for you.”

“She risked it for you,” Patrick muttered. “And I don’t think you want to be bringing that up.”

“I’m your father; I’ll bring up whatever I please. Robin and I get along–you know the two of us are past that. Now, Robin respects me and I don’t think she wants me to die but if you honestly think she put her entire future and career on the line out of respect for me, then you’re more clueless than I thought but since I bet Robin doesn’t know exactly what you said to the medical board to get her reinstated at the hospital, she probably sees the whole situation the same way.” Noah sipped his own coffee–not that nasty hospital coffee of course but Kelly’s brand. “It’d be funny if I didn’t want to smack the two of you so much.”

“Robin doesn’t know what I told the medical board and I’d like to keep it that way. The only reason I kept my license was because Lainey Winters backed me up. So, just don’t talk about it anymore and Robin doesn’t have to know, okay?”

“Fine by me.” Noah sat back. “The thing that’s bothering you, by the way, Patrick–you know why you asked her to marry you. You just don’t know her reasons for saying yes.”

Patrick bristled. “Nothing’s bothering me–and her reasons are the same as mine.” He shoved the file aside.

“Oh, I know that,” Noah said. “But I don’t think we’re talking about the same reasons.”

Patrick glared at his father. “Look, you’ve obviously got something to say, so just come out and say it.”

Noah set his mug down and leaned forward. “Fine. You don’t want to be married because she’s pregnant. And I’m sure Robin isn’t thrilled that you asked her to marry you because she’s pregnant. It probably makes her feel like it didn’t matter who the woman was, you would have asked whoever was pregnant to marry you. So since neither one of you probably spoke up and said what was in your hearts, you used the baby as an excuse. You’re both idiots.”

Noah stood and left the break room. Patrick exhaled slowly. His father was right of course. Not about everything but it did bother him that he wasn’t entirely sure why Robin had changed her mind. Was it his words about wanting to be a family or was it something else entirely?

Robin’s Apartment: Living Room

“Oh my God! How could you not call me!”

Robin sighed and curled up on the couch. “Brenda–”

“No, I mean seriously. This is like huge and you waited a week to tell me!” Brenda grumbled. “We’re not talking for like two minutes.”

Robin rolled her eyes and waited.

Two minutes later on the dot, Brenda cleared her throat. “Okay, we’re good again. So you’re pregnant. I imagine it’s sexy Dr. Drake that’s fathered the baby.” There was a long pause. “Right?”

“Of course,” Robin replied. “And um, there’s more. But it’s a recent development–last night.”

“What, twins?” Brenda demanded. “Is it twins?”

Robin giggled, she couldn’t help it. “No, but we got engaged last night.”

There was a gasp and a thud from Brenda’s side of the line. “Ahem, sorry. I fell off the chair. You’re engaged? Robin!”

“It’s not–” Robin started to tell her that it wasn’t a romantic story, that they had in fact broken up six weeks ago and it was only for the baby but she found she couldn’t repeat that. “He took me to Vista Point last night and even got down on knee. It was very sweet.”

“I knew he was crazy about you,” Brenda said. “After you told me about the transplant and the way you guys were getting along, I mean, it was so clear and of course, you’re totally gaga for him so maybe you’re doing things on a fast track but it’s so romantic that he proposed. No one does that anymore, you know?” She sighed. “And I knew you two would get back together.”

Robin bit her lip. “So, will you come to the wedding?” she asked softly. “I want you there.”

“Girl, I am already online booking a ticket to Port Charles,” Brenda told her. “I’ll be flying there as soon as possible and staying until the baby’s born.” 

“Brenda, you don’t–”

“Did you really think I’d pass up the chance to be there when my niece or nephew is born? Robin, I’m totally going to be here for you during this.” Brenda hesitated. “Honey, you two–you did get back together, right? I mean, I’m just thinking that you never actually said it and I just assumed it but–“

“No,” Robin admitted softly. “We didn’t get back together. We’re getting married because of the baby but–it’s not exactly the romantic story you thought it was.”

There was a long moment of silence. “Okay, well, it would have been too easy if it had worked that well so quickly. And hey, the stuff that comes easy isn’t always worth it in the end, right? It’s the stuff you have to work for that matters the most.”

Robin sighed and laughed a little. “Yeah, so I’ve heard.”

“Okay, well Dr. Sexy gets points in my book for at least attempting a romantic proposal. I never would have thought he’d be the type to do the one knee bit. You must have nearly had a heart attack.” 

“It was nice,” Robin admitted. “I could pretend for a few seconds that it was real and he was very sweet. I’m making the right decision, Brenda. I just…it would have been nice if I knew he loved me, too.”

“Oh, sweetie…” Brenda sighed. “I’ll be in Port Charles tomorrow night. I can see you need me stat.”

“I’m looking forward to it, Brenda. And thanks. I can’t wait to see you.”

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