Baby, you can hold on to the ending
Hell, go on pretending as long as you can stand it
Maybe you got something to believe in
A superficial feeling
But deal me out, I’m going home

July 17, 2006

General Hospital: Cafeteria

Brenda sat a stack of CDs in on the small table and sat across from Patrick. “Okay, these are all the songs that I need your opinion on for your reception.” She slid a folder over to him with the now familiar red and blue pens clipped to the front. “Here’s the list. Draw a red line through those you’re vetoing and use the blue one to add any–”

“Brenda, I didn’t ask you here to talk about song choice.” Patrick slid the folder back to her.

Brenda gasped. “You lied to me!”

“Yes,” Patrick said without shame. “Look, we need to have a talk about…” he waved his hands toward the CDs and folder. “The wedding.”

Brenda narrowed her eyes. “If you think you’re backing out–”

“No–” Patrick glared at her. “If you would let anyone ever get a word in edgewise, you wouldn’t jump to nearly half the ridiculous conclusions you come up with.”

She sniffed and sat back. “Fine. I’m listening.”

“This wedding stuff…look, I appreciate what you’re doing but I didn’t agree to this big wedding because I wanted it, I agreed to it because Robin wants it.” He handed her a stack of folders. “So here is the catering menu, the decorations menu, the wedding vows folder and the honeymoon folder, okay?”

Brenda took them and leveled an irritated glare at her friend’s fiancé. “If you think you’re not taking Robin on a honeymoon–”

“I am,” Patrick interrupted. “But it’s going to be one that we pick out, not you. But anything else for the wedding that doesn’t involve tux fittings and showing up to the ceremony, you and Robin can handle it because frankly, I don’t have an opinion.”

“You don’t care about your own wedding?” Brenda demanded.

“No,” Patrick replied bluntly. “I care about Robin and what will make her happy so from now on, whatever she wants, she can have. But I don’t care about flowers and caterers and for God’s sakes, I don’t care about song choices, okay?”

“Fine,” Brenda huffed. “It’ll save time if I don’t have to run this stuff by you anyway.” She bit her lip. “I know I can be pushy and overbearing but Robin is the best person I know and she deserves to be happy. I just want to make that happen for her.”

“I know and I’m sure the wedding will be fine but you don’t need my input and you know it. I think you’ve just been torturing me to see how much I can stand,” Patrick said with a note of teasing in his tone.

Brenda considered that. “Probably.” She hesitated. “Okay, I’ll lay off with the choices but there is one thing I do think you should do. There’s a part of the reception that’s usually for the father daughter dance. I mean, there’s usually a mother son one too or so I’m told but I guess…” she shifted uncomfortably. “I mean, that’s not an option here.”

Patrick coughed. “Right. So…Robin can’t decide who to ask.”

Brenda nodded. “Exactly. She still hasn’t decided who to ask her to walk down the aisle and this isn’t helping and she thinks if she chooses one for the walk and the other for the dance; it won’t be fair to either of them. It’s really upsetting her and I can’t think of what to say because both my parents sucked. Maybe you can help her.”

“I’ll give it a shot,” Patrick agreed.

Robin’s Apartment: Living Room

Robin was listening to the first mix CD and absently drawing lines through Brenda’s list. Honestly, she wasn’t sure if Brenda picked some of these to be funny or if she were being absolutely serious.

She was choosing to go with the former.

“That is some cheesy music,” Patrick remarked as he pushed her front door open. Robin arched an eyebrow at him and gestured towards the door. He grinned. “It was open.”

“Hmm…” Robin turned her attention back to the song list. “Has Brenda given you the list yet?”

“I gave it back. Look, Robin, I’m…not into this stuff.” Patrick lowered himself onto the couch next to her. “I hope you’re not mad but I gave back the catering and flower folders too.”

Robin laughed and used her remote to switch off her CD player. “Brenda totally beat me. I bet her twenty bucks you’d last another week.”

“Ah, so this was a setup. I knew it.” Patrick reached for the song list folder. “You know, I didn’t even look at some of this. Should I be scared?”

“With Brenda involved, probably.” Robin bit her lip. “So if you gave her the folder back, I guess you didn’t see her list of suggested songs for our first dance.”

“Don’t need ’em,” Patrick remarked. “I was thinking I’m Too Sexy.”

Robin snorted. “Yeah, that’ll happen.” She took the list back from him. “Seriously…do you care?”

“Nope.” Patrick scratched his temple. “Listen, the dance stuff is partly why I’m over here. Brenda mentioned you don’t know who to ask for the father daughter dance.”

“I should pick my uncle Mac,” Robin said after a long moment. She bit her lip. “And I was thinking that I could ask my dad to walk me down the aisle but then I thought what if my uncle gets upset? I mean he’d never say it, but I think he’d be disappointed and my dad would think it meant I hadn’t forgiven him yet and I mostly have.” She exhaled slowly and shook her head.

She stood and crossed the room to stand in front of her windows. “It’s silly when you think about it. All the effort and the worry I’m worrying about and it’s not even real.”

Patrick tensed and stood. “What do you mean?”

Robin didn’t look back at him or she would have seen the way his fists clenched at his side, at the look of irritation on his face. “I mean…” she sighed impatiently. “Every time someone in my family wants to know some detail about the wedding or the reception, I feel like a fraud.”

“A fraud,” Patrick echoed.

“Well, yeah. I mean, there a lot of people in our lives that didn’t get the memo that this isn’t real. That we’re not getting married because we’re in love but because we’re having a baby.”

“Taking vows in a church feels pretty real to me,” Patrick said and Robin turned to him, finally catching on that he wasn’t entirely pleased with the direction of the conversation.

“Patrick–”

“Having a family feels pretty real to me,” Patrick continued. “And I’m sorry, but I didn’t realize you hated this so much–”

“I don’t hate this,” Robin interjected, surprised.

“The hell you don’t. You think I don’t see the brave little smile you have every time someone talks to you about the wedding, like you’re making some huge sacrifice for the baby?” Patrick demanded. “I don’t need that, Robin. I don’t deserve that–”

“You’re not making any sense–Patrick, your entire proposal was about the baby. Of course we’re getting married because I’m pregnant–” Robin shook her head. “I don’t understand where this is coming from.”

“Excuse me for assuming you had any feelings whatsoever for me. That must have been my mistake,” Patrick retorted. “You know what? Don’t even bother taking one for the team. There’s no need to make a huge sacrifice just for the sake of the baby–”

“Patrick–”

“I’ll have my lawyer call you about custody.” Patrick stalked towards the door and yanked it open.

Robin rushed after him but he had already taken the emergency stairs and was gone. She stood in the doorway, the diamond ring glinting on her finger.

July 18, 2006

General Hospital: Lounge

Patrick muttered an oath under his breath as he grabbed his coffee mug too quickly and the liquid sloshed over his fingers. “Damn it!”

“Bad night?” Noah asked, flipping through his surgery schedule for that day. “Get used to them. Once the baby is born, you and Robin won’t sleep through the night for about two years.”

“There is no me and Robin and there isn’t going to be,” Patrick muttered. He set his mug down and reached for his first patient’s chart.

Noah glanced at him oddly. “I just got poked and prodded at a tux fitting yesterday. There’s going to be a you and Robin if I have to beat you with a stick.”

“I called off the wedding last night,” Patrick said, bracing himself. He hadn’t said it out loud yet but now that he heard himself saying the words, he flinched. Remembering that he was not going to get married out obligation, he shook his head. “It’s better this way.”

“Right,” Noah said, clearly not buying what Patrick was trying to sell. “So what happened? Because you know, Robin’s going through some hormonal changes and she’s bound to get emotional and you don’t exactly have a good track record where emotional problems are concerned.”

“Gee, thanks for your concern,” Patrick said darkly. “Fine, if you want to hear the whole story. I went to Robin’s last night because Brenda–it doesn’t matter why I went. I was there and she started talking about how she felt guilty because everyone’s making this out to be a big deal and it’s not even real. So you know what? I’m tired of seeing her smile like she’s about to sacrificed in a den of lions and she’s playing brave little girl anyway, okay?”

Noah nodded. “Okay.” He didn’t say anything else and made some notations on a chart.

Patrick slammed his chart shut. “It made me feel like a fool,” he burst out. “I gave her Mom’s ring and I’m doing this stupid big wedding because it’s what she wanted and I was going to open the house on Vineyard for the weekend after the wedding but she’s spent all this time worrying about how everyone in her family is taking this too seriously!”

“Uh huh. So you ask her to marry you because she’s pregnant and then you get mad because she acts like that’s the reason you asked her.” Noah sipped his coffee.

“That’s not–that’s–you’re completely missing the point,” Patrick muttered.

“No, you’ve been missing the point since day one.” Noah set his cup down, pushed the charts aside and leaned towards his son. “You and Robin decided that marriage was the best idea for the baby because it was convenient. The truth of the matter is you were going crazy without her and she missed you and this baby–while a wonderful surprise–gave you the reason you needed to be back in her life. But you didn’t think she’d go for that so you sold her the spiel on getting married for the sake of the baby. She loves you, Patrick, though only God and Robin know why at this point, so she said yes. But she thinks you asked because she’s pregnant so the last thing she’s going to do is tell you that she loves you.”

“Oh, so this is my fault now,” Patrick said disgusted by the fact his father was completely right and unwilling to admit that. “Look, maybe this marriage thing started out as a convenience but Robin knows it’s different now. Or it should be different.”

“How?” Noah challenged. “Have you told her? Or have you done everything to demonstrate it except tell her? Because yeah, giving her your mother’s ring and going along with a huge wedding tells the male population of this world that you’re going down for the third time but females are not the same way. They need words, Patrick. And you’re not ready to give her those words.”

Patrick glared at him. “You’re supposed to be on my side here.”

“I am on your side. I want you happy and I know that Robin is the person who makes you happy. When you let her. So if you had a working brain cell, you’d go see her before your first patient, tell her you’re an idiot and fix this before she thinks you’re serious about calling off the wedding.”

Before Patrick could answer, he was paged over the loudspeaker. “I have to go, but…this isn’t finished, okay?”

He stormed out of the lounge and took the elevator to the nurse’s station. When the doors slid open, he stepped out and stopped still at the sight of Robin staring back at him. Her eyes were red and there were circles under them–she hadn’t looked that way the night before. He was such a bastard.

Robin licked her lips and stepped towards him. “Ah…I had Liz page you. I wanted…” she looked away. “You were right last night. And this is all–it was all a huge mistake.”

Patrick couldn’t speak, couldn’t formulate a coherent thought. So she continued. “It would have been a disaster and–you were right so I thought…” she held up her hand and started to tug the engagement ring off her finger.

She held it in her hand and stared at it for another moment before holding it out to him. “You should…you should have this back.”

0

So, since you want to be with me
You’ll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
You to stick around
I’ll see you everyday
But you have to follow through
You have to follow through

July 7, 2006

General Hospital: Nurse’s Station

Brenda handed Patrick a folder with two pens clipped to the front–one red and one blue. “Okay, this is the guest list. I need you to draw a line through anyone you don’t want there with the red pen and then add any names you want to invite with the blue pen and then make sure to initial the bottom of every page so I know you didn’t skip any and then sign and date the last page so I know you approve.”

Patrick stared at her for a long moment before speaking. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“Absolutely,” Brenda said without hesitation. “The guest list is the second most crucial thing about planning a wedding. You said you’d do whatever you were told.”

“Well, yeah but I’m not signing a contract here, Brenda, it’s a guest list.”

“Don’t argue, just do it,” Brenda rolled her eyes. “Believe you me, it’ll make every thing easier if you just smile and nod.” She checked her to do list and marked off the item about giving Patrick instructions about approving the guest list. “Oh, okay, it’s a good thing you brought up contracts because I need to know if you want to do a prenup.”

“A prenup?” Patrick repeated. “No! I don’t need a prenuptial agreement–Brenda, this is insane.”

“Well, they’re pretty standard,” Brenda shrugged. “And if we wanted to get it drawn up and signed before August 1, then we’d need to start it now. But you don’t want one and Robin looked at me like I was crazy so that takes care of that.” She drew a line through that item. “Liz wanted to know if you could take Cameron to the fitting with you and Noah next week because she and Lucky both have to work.”

“Yeah sure.” Patrick checked his watch. “Is that all? Robin and I have an appointment with her new doctor.”

“Hey, I am doing you two a favor here, buddy. Just be glad it’s not Lucy Coe planning this. You think I’m a pain?” Brenda snorted and put her planner back in her bag. “I need that guest list back by the end of the week.”

General Hospital: Conference Room

“I see Brenda gave you the guest list,” Robin remarked as Patrick entered the room. She bit her lip. “She’s very…thorough.”

“Thorough is one way to put it,” Patrick replied. He tossed the folder and his other files on the table before studying Robin. He hadn’t seen her in a few days–she and Brenda had been rushing around with wedding plans and when she hadn’t been doing that, she’d been with her parents. “How are you feeling?”

“A little better. My appetite is coming back,” Robin shifted, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. “I heard Dr. MacMillan is retiring. Are you going to put your name in for his job?”

“I haven’t decided. It would be a long shot with the problems I had with the medical board this year but to be the head of the neurosurgery department before I’m even thirty…” Patrick shrugged.

“Well, yeah but look at everything else you’ve accomplished since you started here,” Robin protested. It was unlike Patrick to be anything less than confident regarding his surgical skills. “You performed Jason’s surgery with not only a penlight but a raving psycho in the background holding someone hostage and everyone knows about all the great work you did during the epidemic–”

“That’s all true,” Patrick admitted. He decided now would not be the time to tell her just how close he’d come to losing his license in April. She would not take kindly to knowing that that he’d lied through his teeth to shield her from repercussions. “But it’s unlikely they’re going to choose someone my age.”

Robin huffed. “Well, if they base it on age rather than skills and leadership, then they deserve what they get.”

“I guess you’ve finally raised your opinion of me,” Patrick smirked.

“I never doubted your surgical abilities,” Robin mumbled. She looked as though she might go on but a strange expression filled her eyes and she pressed her hand to her abdomen. “Oh…”

Panicked, Patrick stepped towards. “What’s wrong?” he demanded. “Are you in pain?”

“No,” Robin shook her head. She looked at him and for the first time in weeks, there was something else in her eyes. Something soft and gentle–something that tugged at him in the pit of his stomach. “There was…this fluttering and I felt the baby.”

Patrick reached out hesitantly but eventually let his hand drop to his side. “That’s…” There were no words and for someone who never ran out of words, this was an uncomfortable and surprising turn of events. He cleared his throat. “Robin–”

But she stunned him into complete silence when she grabbed his hand and placed it over her stomach, looking at him in excitement. “Can you feel her?”

He wanted to–the desire was both sudden and strong but no matter how much Patrick concentrated, there was nothing but the feeling of Robin’s soft skin–which didn’t really help. “I wish I did,” he said regretfully.

“Oh…” Robin pursed her lips in disappointment. “Well, it’s probably too early for anyone else to feel her.”

“Her?” Patrick felt the corners of his lips turn up. “How do you know it’s a girl?”

“I just have a feeling,” Robin said stubbornly. She bit her lip and looked up at him, realizing just how close they were. His hand moved from her stomach to curve around her waist. “Patrick…” she breathed.

“For once,” Patrick murmured, his warm breath tickling her lips, “just go with it.” Before Robin could protest, he closed his lips over hers swallowing her words.

This was a bad idea, Robin managed to think before all thought was rendered impossible. It had been so long since he’d kissed her, so long since she’d felt this weightless and dizzy feeling. She sighed and curled into his embrace, content to let him take the lead.

There was a strange sound–a coughing. Patrick blinked and raised his head from Robin’s and when he met the amused eyes of the man standing across the table, he remembered where he was. In a conference room at the hospital waiting for Robin’s doctor.

Robin flushed with embarrassment and quickly tried to untangle her self from Patrick’s arms. He didn’t let her get that far and kept his arm around her waist. “I guess you must be Dr. Webber,” Robin mumbled.

“Steven,” Steven Webber corrected. He extended a hand across the table and Patrick shook it. “We’re going to be working together for the next seven months or so, no need for formalities.”

He gestured for them to take seat and after everyone was comfortable, Steven opened Robin’s file. “I’ve read over your medical history, Robin–can I call you Robin?” When she nodded, he continued. “I’m going to need to run a few tests for my own benefit but your last blood work was excellent–your viral load is lower than ever which is excellent news for your baby. The risk is below two percent and a viral load like yours just reduces the risk even further. We’re going to have to start you on a different drug regimen as soon as possible.”

“Is it if safe for the baby?” Robin asked. “I mean, I know a lot of women take them during pregnancy but does anyone know…?”

“It’s a good question and unfortunately, we don’t have all the answers. I can tell you that there doesn’t seem to be any effects on the children who have been born using this regimen and I believe the oldest child that I’m aware of is about fifteen but I would have to double check.”

Steven flipped through his folder and removed a batch of prescriptions. “I went ahead and wrote these out for you. We’ll have to change the dosage as the pregnancy advances because the doses are based on weight and you’ll be gaining some.”

“Just what every woman wants to hear,” Robin said with a small smile as she put the prescriptions in her purse.

Steven grinned. “We’ll also want you on the standard prenatal vitamins as well as upping your folic acid intake. I want to schedule an ultrasound for sometime next week if that’s agreeable.”

“I have to check our surgery schedule but we work on the same surgical team so it shouldn’t a problem,” Robin looked to Patrick who had been somewhat quiet so far. “Patrick…do you have anything you want to ask?”

“The drugs that Robin’s going to take…” Patrick hesitated. “Are they going to interfere with her progress? I mean, she’s doing so well, I don’t want her to get sick.” He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and saw her looking at him with some surprise.

“It’s in our best interest to keep Robin healthy of course but it’s a fair question. We have had some women’s viral load get higher because one of the drugs doesn’t work the way it should but they usually return to their normal levels after delivery. We’ll be monitoring Robin very closely and I’d like to get blood taken often.”

“Morning sickness, weight gain and needles,” Robin sighed. “Every woman’s dream.”

General Hospital: Locker Room

“How am I supposed to know if I don’t want these people at the wedding?” Patrick grumbled. “I don’t even know half of them.” He sat on a bench and tossed the folder aside.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and reached for it. “Here, let me help. Okay, inviting Jax is tricky because he’s a guy and he won’t be able to comprehend why Carly is a bad idea. So you’re going to want to make sure he gets an invitation that doesn’t let him bring a guest.”

“There are different types of invitations?” Patrick repeated.

She took the blue pen from him and wrote Invite Type B in neat letters next to Jax’s name. “Okay, the Quartermaines are all good–they’ve known Robin forever.” She flipped the page. “Did you want to invite the board member that was nasty to Robin?”

“No,” Patrick said darkly. “Which one is he?”

“Yeah, like I’m going to fall for that. I’ll let Brenda know which one he is.” Elizabeth flipped to the last page. “Well, it looks like anyone Robin ever met is on this list but I didn’t see any red flags unless there are some nurses that should probably stay home.”

“Believe it or not, the only person I’ve been with since I moved to Port Charles is Robin. I dated other women but I didn’t…that was the only thing I did.”

“You’re so cute when you’re being modest.” Elizabeth pinched his cheek and handed him the list. “All you have to do is add anyone you want to invite, sign and initial it.”

“Thanks. Does everyone one do this for their weddings?” Patrick asked. “Or is Brenda special?”

“Brenda’s special,” Elizabeth replied. “Thanks for asking Cam to be the ring bearer,” she continued. “I’ve been teaching him to walk really straight and he’s going to look absolutely adorable in his tux.”

“He’s the only kid under age five that I even know,” Patrick shrugged. “It’s about the only thing I got to suggest for this. I think Brenda even decided my dad would be the best man.”

Elizabeth bit her lip. “Does that bother you? That Brenda and Robin are doing everything?”

“Oh, God, no.” Patrick stood and closed his locker. “I didn’t even want a big wedding. I was all set to suggest something small but Robin looked so excited and I think she wants one.”

“So you agreed to this entire thing because you want to make Robin happy.” Elizabeth sniffled. “That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.” She paused. “From you.”

“Yeah, yeah, well it’s not like most men are usually thrilled about big weddings, right? But Robin has a lot of family and friends and they all want to make sure she’s okay and that she’s happy and if helps with the death threats, I’m all for it.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I think it’s very nice that you agreed to it, even if its only for Robin.” Elizabeth stood. “I was going to have a small wedding myself because Lucky and I couldn’t afford much more but Emily knew that I really had my heart set on something more so she and Nikolas threw a lavish wedding with all our family and friends. It was a wonderful experience and there’s really no better way to start a good marriage.”

0

Can you hear it in my voice
Was it something I let slip
Does the whole world know
Isn’t it obvious

July 1, 2006

Kelly’s: Courtyard

Robin shifted and sipped on her iced tea waiting for Patrick to meet her for lunch–it would be the first face to face meeting since getting engaged. She wanted to make sure that he was okay with the wedding plans she and Brenda were making–for all she knew, he’d prefer a small ceremony and if that’s what he wanted, Robin didn’t think it’d be right to force something much larger down his throat.

She nervously lined her silverware up next to her empty plate, making sure the fork and knife were perfectly straight and parallel to one another. When she heard someone sit across from her, she looked up and frowned. “Carly.”

Carly sighed. “Look, I’m not here to fight, I’m not here to argue, I’m here to apologize so just let me get this out so that I can pretend it never happened.”

Stunned, Robin sat back. “Apologize?”

“I made some comments when I found out you were pregnant that I shouldn’t have,” Carly sighed. “Something about irresponsibility and being selfish.”

Robin snorted. “Real rich coming from you.”

Carly glared at her. “Just be quiet so I can say this and go, okay? I ranted and raved in front of Jax and he flew off the handle and informed me that women with your condition have an excellent chance of delivering safely and that I was a bigot for even saying differently. In short, we had an argument and the only way for me to make it up to him is to apologize. So, I’m sorry.”

Robin pursed her lips. “Are you actually sorry or are you just saying to make Jax happy?”

“You’re a pain,” Carly complained. “I’m actually sorry. I made a comment based on ignorance and I’m trying not to be that person anymore. In fact, I’m glad that you have a good chance. I love my boys and being a mother has changed me for the better, I like to think. And if you want to have a family, then I hope it works out for you.”

Robin bit her lip. “Thank you.”

“Oh, and I have also been instructed to make amends for bitching about your engagement to Patrick,” Carly muttered. “I based that on the fact that you may have put him at risk and…I’m sorry for that, too. I just…I like Patrick. I’m sorry we can’t be friends but I can understand why he’d want to put you first. You’re the mother of his child and his fiancée.” She hesitated. “It’s good that he’s making you a priority–that he’s making you a top priority because I’ve been in relationships where that doesn’t happen and it doesn’t end well. And I can understand why you wouldn’t want me to be friends with Patrick after what happened with Jason.”

Robin stared at her for a long moment before pinching herself. “I just wanted to make sure I was actually awake. Are…is this really happening?”

Carly rolled her eyes. “Yes. I told you, Jax won’t talk to me unless I make this right and as much as I hate to say it, he’s got a point. What happened between us was years ago and it mostly turned out for the best. Except for some choices later made by myself but I can’t really blame that on you. I mean, I can and I have but I just don’t like taking responsibility for myself.” She shifted. “Look, I know that you have a lot of friends and family in town that have probably threatened the pants off Patrick but I doubt anyone’s done the same for him. Don’t hurt him, Robin.”

“Why…why would you think that I would?” Robin asked hesitantly.

“Because you’re getting married for the same reasons that Sonny and I were going to six years ago,” Carly said after a moment. “Or for the same reasons that we said we were getting married. We were both crazy about each other but we both had too much pride to admit it. We’d both been burned and we drove each other insane while we fought how we actually felt. So we said it was for the baby and that was the end of it. I know that I hurt Sonny a lot during that period and he hurt me, too. I just…I wouldn’t want history to repeat itself because I lost my baby. And I wouldn’t want that to happen to Patrick. So…just be careful with him.”

“Carly, I don’t–” Robin licked her lips. “I don’t think you understand what’s going on here.”

“No, I do,” Carly tapped her fingers against the empty water glass. “I know you’re telling yourself that Patrick is marrying you because of the baby and I’m sure that’s what he’s said, and that you’ve told him that’s your reason for saying yes but Robin, a man like Patrick doesn’t do things out of obligation.”

“Carly–”

“And you’re blind if you don’t see that.” She hesitated another moment. “Just…don’t hurt him. He deserves to have someone in his corner saying that.” Carly stood. “I’ve said my piece, I’ll go now.”

“Carly…” Robin sighed. “You’re right. What’s in the past should stay there. And that includes the whole debacle with Jason. If Patrick wants to be friends with you, I won’t protest. Just…” she smiled faintly. “Try really hard not to sleep with him.”

“Oh, it’ll be tough,” Carly joked. “But I think Jax might have a few things to say about that. Thanks, Robin. I’ll make my next apology to him then.”

“What apology would that be?” Patrick asked as he joined them. He scanned Robin’s face but she just looked more bewildered than upset so maybe Carly hadn’t said much yet. “I thought we talked about this Carly–”

“Carly was just apologizing to me,” Robin said quickly. “And she wished us luck.”

Patrick frowned and looked at Carly skeptically. “Why?”

“Because Jax is the eternal white knight,” Carly grumbled. “And he has impossibly high standards. Plus,” she sighed somewhat dramatically. “He has a point in this. What you do, what Robin does, it’s not my business and I’m just being a pain in the ass when I do what I think is helping so I’ve apologized to Robin about some comments I made and we had a nice little discussion about how our past should stay in the past.”

“We talked for five minutes and no bloodshed, I promise,” Robin swore.

“And I should apologize to you for that scene in the hospital,” Carly told him. “It’s none of my business what you do and why you do it. Brenda just…taps a special nerve and I go crazy. I’m working on that. If you and Robin are getting married, then that’s great. It’s good for a kid to have a stable family. God knows how I might have turned out different.” She hesitantly patted Patrick’s arm before leaving the courtyard.

“Is she for real?” Patrick asked, taking the seat that Carly had just vacated.

“I’m not sure. But I think maybe the violent and nasty chapter of my relationship with Carly has ended. Which is good, because she cares about Jax and Jax means a lot to me.” Robin hesitated. “If you want to be friends with Carly, that’s fine. She’s promised not to try and seduce you which takes care of my number one problem with her.”

“I’m glad you threw the word try in there,” Patrick remarked. “Because she wouldn’t succeeed.”

Robin smiled shyly. “Yeah, well, I’m starting to let myself trust you. And I want you to know that it wasn’t really what you’ve did in the first few months we knew each other, it was mostly my issues.”

“Yeah, I’m aware of that.” Their conversation was halted as Robin’s cousin Georgie came to take their orders. When she’d disappeared back inside, Patrick cleared his throat. “So…how are you feeling?”

“Better…since Brenda came to town. She’s staying with me right now and practically bullies me into sleeping and eating. I wasn’t doing a lot either before.” Robin bit her lip. “She’s part of the reason I called. Ah, she’s got this whole kick about a huge ceremony and I just…I wanted to see what you wanted to do.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he’d rather go small and get it over with soon but Patrick stopped and watched her expression as she waited for his answer. Her fingers were tapping nervously against the edge of her empty plate and he could hear her foot tapping against the rung of her chair. And the hopeful expression that lingered just underneath the surface sealed the deal. “A big wedding is fine, Robin.”

Robin blinked in surprise. “I wouldn’t have pictured you–”

“Hey, wedding are for women anyway,” Patrick shrugged. “You just tell me what to wear, where to stand and when to do it, that’s fine. Men just go for the food.”

Robin laughed and sat back. “Are you sure, though? I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to…”

“Hey, this is your town, Robin. And judging from the amount of death threats I’ve received since we first started seeing each other, there are going to be people lined up and down the block to see you get married.”

“Yeah, that’s what Brenda said. And it’s true, there are so many people that I want to come just so that they can stop worrying…” Robin broke off and looked away. “And I’m sorry about my parents, and my family and anyone else who’s said anything to you. They still think I’m a little girl.”

“No…” Patrick cleared his throat. “It’s good to have people that love you so much and as for that thing with your dad last night, I’m sure the bruises will heal eventually.” He laughed as Robin gasped. “I’m just kidding. He stopped by my apartment, shook my hand assured me that if you cried even time that wasn’t due to hormones, and he’d kick my ass. He doesn’t want to make you a widow after all.”

“Oh my God, this is mortifying,” Robin groaned. “Well, if it helps, Carly just warned me not to hurt you so at least you’ve got one person in your corner.”

“Well, that’s nice of her. Unnecessary but nice.” Patrick looked up as Georgie brought their orders.

“So, do I get to be a bridesmaid?” Georgie asked, placing Robin’s chili in front of her. “Maxie said you probably weren’t going to have any but I wanted to check.”

“Well, if I remember Brenda’s diagram correctly, she’s the maid of honor,” Robin frowned in thought. “You, Maxie and Liz are the first choices for bridesmaids.”

“Aww…what about a flower girl and ring bearer?” Georgie asked. “You have to have them.”

“I’m not sure,” Robin said hesitantly. She looked to Patrick. “Maybe…?”

“Cameron’s probably old enough,” Patrick pointed out. “Whether he can make it down the aisle with some rings, that’s something we’d have to find out. And doesn’t Alexis Davis have a daughter?”

“How do you know Alexis?” Georgie asked curiously.

“She and Ric were my lawyers during the transplant thing,” Patrick explained.

“Oh.” That satisfied Georgie but Robin frowned. Before she could say anything, Georgie continued. “I’m sure Alexis would love to let Kristina be in the ceremony. After everything you did for her and Molly in the train crash…”

“Oh, it was nothing,” Robin brushed if off.

“Nothing?” Georgie repeated. “Performing a C-section and saving two lives in a collapsed tunnel is not nothing, Robin.”

“A C-section?” Patrick repeated.

“I have to go,” Georgie said. “Enjoy your meal.” She disappeared back inside.

“You performed a C-section in the Glencoe tunnel,” Patrick stated, somewhat stunned. “What…”

“Alexis was pregnant with her daughter Molly and went into labor after the crash.” Robin shrugged. “It was touch and go and we couldn’t turn the baby, so Jason gave me his knife and we used a bottle of whiskey to help Alexis cope with the pain. She nearly died, but it all worked out. Patrick, about the transplant–”

“I can’t believe you never told me that,” Patrick interrupted. “How could I not know that?”

“It’s not a big deal,” Robin said.

“Robin, if it were me, you had better believe for like the next five years, I would have been introducing myself as Patrick ‘I performed a C-section with a knife, some string and no casualties’ Drake.”

Robin laughed. “Oh come on, Patrick. You don’t introduce yourself as Patrick ‘I performed complicated neurosurgery with a pen light and the patient survived’ Drake.”

“You were just never on the receiving end of that particular come on,” Patrick teased.

“Oh, I’m so disappointed,” Robin said dryly. She hesitated. “Patrick, why did you need a lawyer during the transplant mess?”

Patrick froze and stared at her. “What?”

“You told Georgie that Ric and Alexis were your lawyers during the transplant stuff. We didn’t need lawyers–Noah dropped the lawsuit and that was the end of it,” Robin said slowly. “So when did you retain them and why?”

“Oh.” Patrick coughed. “It was before my dad dropped the lawsuit. I just…I wanted legal advice about you know, the situation. I mean, Sneed came after you and the only reason they didn’t come after me was because I was recovering. After I got out of the hospital, that would have changed and I just…I thought we should have lawyers.”

“Uh huh,” Robin said, clearly unconvinced. “So you technically didn’t retain them.”

“No, but that’s how I know them.” Patrick pointed his fork at her chili. “You should eat.”

“Why didn’t you mention it to me?” Robin pressed. “What if I had another lawyer?”

“Because I didn’t get a chance to. Dad dropped the case and there didn’t seem to be a point.”

“Okay,” Robin allowed, deciding to let it go. It didn’t really seem important anyway. “But Kristina is a good idea for a flower girl.” She bit her lip. “Are you sure you don’t mind letting Brenda run wild? Because she can get kind of uncontrollable.”

“Robin,” Patrick began. “If having a big wedding with all your family and friends will make you happy, that’s what I want.” He reached across the table and took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb across her engagement ring. “However, you will be making it up to me on our wedding night,” he continued, lowering his voice an octave.

Robin flushed, jerked her hand out of his grasp and jammed a spoonful of chili in her mouth.

0

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew
What will it take till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you

June 29, 2006

Robin’s Apartment: Living Room

Robin rolled her eyes. “Oh, God, this is so textbook. Dad, sit down.”

“Don’t tell me to sit down.” Robert started to pace. “I know all about your Dr. Drake. He’s a womanizer, Robin. I had a background check done on him–”

Robin shot to her feet. “You what?”

“I had a background check done,” Robert repeated calmly. “I couldn’t be here to protect you from Jason Morgan, I’ll be damned if I can’t protect you from some womanizing piece of–”

“Five minutes ago, you seemed okay with the idea of me marrying him,” Robin huffed.

“That’s because I thought you might come to your senses but if you’re pregnant, well obviously that’s not an option.”

“Oh…” Robin took a step towards him. “You don’t know anything about Patrick. He is not a womanizer! Well…” she hesitated. “Not anymore and you know what? So he dated a lot of women, what does that matter? We didn’t know each other. I know that he hasn’t seen anyone since we became serious and that’s all I need to know. You don’t get to dictate my life. I’m marrying Patrick and we’re having our baby and that’s final.”

“Well…” Robert clenched his jaw. “If you’re marrying him for the baby, Robin, that’s a mistake.”

“Even if that were my only reason–which it’s not–” Robin seethed, “I’m sorry if I’d rather my child have parents from the time she’s born instead of finding out when she’s seven years old or hey, God forbid, having her father fake his death and find out that she didn’t matter enough–”

“You were all that mattered!” Robert exploded. “I would have done anything to keep you safe, to keep you alive! Why can’t you understand that you are the only person in my life that I would do that for? Do you think I wanted to be an assassin, Robin? Do you think I wanted to abandon my life in Port Charles? I did it for you, you infuriating brat and I’d do it again if I had to!”

Robin pressed her lips together and shot him a mutinous glare. “We’ve been over this, Dad. There’s nothing you can say that will change the fact that you could have come to me after it was safe and you chose not to. There’s nothing you can say that will change the fact if not for the virus, you never would have told me you were alive. If I hadn’t come to that records room, you might have disappeared from Port Charles and I still wouldn’t have known!”

There was a knock and then the door opened. Brenda stepped in. “So I guess my arrival was somewhat anticlimactic,” she remarked, sizing up Robin’s father for the first time.

“Brenda…” Robin stepped past her father and enveloped her best friend in a tight embrace. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Ditto, honey.” Brenda eyed Robert suspiciously. “So, this is the father I never had the chance to meet, eh?”

“We’re in the middle of something,” Robert said rudely.

“No, we’re not,” Robin stated. “Dad, you should go to Uncle Mac’s. Mom’s there and I think she’s been waiting for you.”

Robert cleared his throat. “Ah, Robin, that’s not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be funny. Mom’s been in town for few days and I know she’d love to see you.” Robin folded her arms across her chest and smirked, enjoying her father’s clear discomfort. “So you should go there.”

“We’re not finished here,” Robert replied. “Your little friend can wait–”

“Robin, I can come back later–” Brenda began.

“No, you flew all the way from Rome to be with me and you’re certainly not going to tell me I can’t marry Patrick, so I choose you.” Robin glared at her father.

Brenda bit her lip, remembering the way Patrick had all but kicked Carly Corinthos out of the hospital. “No, I’m definitely not going to tell you not to marry Patrick. In fact, you and I are going to plan the best wedding Port Charles has ever seen,” she boasted.

“I’ll go,” Robert said after a long pause. “Because I have to get this confrontation with Anna out of the way eventually and I’d prefer to get it over with before your wedding.” He coughed and stepped towards Robin to kiss her on the cheek. “For what it’s worth, if he’s going to make you happy then…then I’m glad for you.”

He disappeared out the door and Robin reluctantly shut the door. “I just want one day to go by without some sort of heavy emotional conversation. Just one day.”

Brenda flopped on the couch and decided a change of subject was in order. “So I’m not going to hide it from you. I snooped at the hospital to get an eye for Dr. Sexy and Robin, honey, you did not tell me that man oozes sex appeal like some men ooze body odor.”

Robin laughed and slid on the sofa next to her best friend. “Well, if you’re not expecting it, it makes more of an impact. So, you were snooping, huh?”

“Well, you’ve been so close-mouthed about Dr. Sexy in general, I was just going to scope him out but he caught me–I was trying to be all subtle, but clearly he’s too smart for that.”

Robin eyed Brenda’s black clothes and arched an eyebrow. “Brenda, subtlety is definitely not a concept you understand.”

Brenda snorted. “Anyway, he caught me and we had a few words. Then Carly showed up and was her usual trailer trash self by trying to attack me right in the hospital. Patrick all but kicked her out and, whew, girl–he’s very protective of you.”

Robin bit her lip and looked away, smiling shyly. “I guess so. He’s definitely protective of the baby.”

“Well, anyway, I approve so if this really what you want, then I am going to go out of my way to give you the wedding of your dreams.”

Robin hesitated. “I think we’re going to keep it kind of small. I mean, Patrick doesn’t really know a lot of people in town and I really–I don’t want to make a fuss–”

“A fuss?” Brenda repeated. “Honey, you’re equivalent to Port Charles royalty. There’s like…one person in the whole town that doesn’t like you. Everyone loves you, everyone will want to celebrate your happiness. You owe it to the rest of us.”

Robin laughed. “Oh, okay, I owe to Port Charles to have a huge, elaborate wedding. You’re insane, Brenda.”

“Look, okay–I want you to listen to me for a moment. You’re in love with a gorgeous sexy guy, he’s proposed on bended knee, giving you an absolutely fabulous engagement ring. Now, you have all that. You’re looking forward to an absolutely wonderful future together. Why in the world would you want to keep that low key and understated?”

“Brenda…okay, I do love him and part of me…part of me wants a huge ceremony so I can invite all of my friends and family so they know I’ll be okay. Because I know a lot of people are going to hear that Patrick and I are going to get married and they’re going to have same reaction my father has–that Patrick is a player and I’m only going to get my heart broken.”

“Then do it,” Brenda urged. “If not for yourself, do it for the people who love you. And do it so you can invite all those horrid people at the hospital that spread all those vicious lies about how Patrick got tired of you. So you can shove it in their faces.”

Robin sighed and looked up at the ceiling for a long moment before looking back at Brenda. “So you’re telling me I should have a huge and expensive wedding so I can invite anyone at the hospital Patrick may or may not have flirted with so I can rub their faces in it.”

“Absolutely. And hey, it’s not every day a girl lands a hottie like Dr. Sexy, okay? You need to celebrate!”

“We’re getting married because I’m pregnant,” Robin said. “I don’t know that–”

“Please,” Brenda snorted. “That’s not why you said yes and I’m not at all convinced that’s why he asked you.”

“You’ve met him for all of five seconds!” Robin protested. “And why does everyone keep saying that to me?”

“Because, honey, we’re not trying so hard to avoid getting hurt again. You’ve built these walls and no one blames you, Robin. But they’re there and they’re keeping you from seeing what’s on the other side. Me, Felicia, the rest of us–we don’t have that handicap.” Brenda took Robin’s hand in hers. “Anyone who’s seen his face when he talks about you…you can’t miss it, Robin. He cares about you and maybe its love, I don’t know for sure. But it’s there. And maybe right now, you both want to treat this marriage like it is just for the baby. That’s your prerogative. But maybe…just maybe one day you’re both going to wake up and see what’s right in front of your faces and I can’t think of any better way to start a marriage than celebrating it with the people who love and adore you both.”

Robin hesitated. “You make a good point. There’s no reason to treat this situation like I’m ashamed of it and I think that’s what a tiny ceremony in a judge’s chambers would look like.” She bit her lip to hide her smile. “Okay, let’s do it.”

“Excellent!” Brenda squealed. “I will get Elton on the phone and we will get started on this.” She leaned forward and hugged Robin. “I am so happy for you, little sister. You’re getting the family you dreamed of. It may not be conventional but it’s going to work. I just have this feeling.”

Scorpio-Jones House: Porch

Anna, who had seen the car pull up and watched her former husband walk up to the porch steps was at the door waiting when Robert knocked.

She opened it and plowed her fist into his jaw.

“God damn it!” Robert swore. He cradled his jaw in his hand and glared at Anna. “Just once, I’d like to meet someone who’s glad I’m alive.”

Anna returned his glare with one of her own. “Of course I’m glad you’re alive, you wanker! I can be glad and still want to crack your head open!”

“I see Robert is back,” Mac said dryly from behind Anna. “Hello, there.”

“See, that’s the kind of reaction I’d like to see more often,” Robert muttered.

“I already got my punch in,” Mac took Anna by the elbow and led her into the foyer. “Come on in. Have you been to see Robin yet?”

“Yes,” Robert did a wide step to keep himself out Anna’s range of reach. “I can’t say I’m thrilled by the turn of events but Robin’s a grown woman. There’s little I can do to talk her out of this ridiculous engagement.”

“Ridiculous?” Anna demanded. “Robin’s engaged to man who loves her–”

“Oh really?” Robert interrupted. “And how do you know that? Your excellent intuition?”

“I’ve actually met the boy,” Anna countered hotly.

“I’ll be the living room with Felicia and Maxie,” Mac said, slipping out of the foyer unnoticed by the warring duo.

“So have I!” Robert shot back. “And he’s an arrogant jackass!”

“Takes one to know one!”

“Oh, yeah–that’s really mature,” Robert replied. “Are we really going to do this, Anna? Are we going to spend the rest of Robin’s pregnancy sniping at each other?”

Anna closed her mouth and stepped back. “You’re staying?”

“I’ve missed fifteen years of Robin’s life. It doesn’t matter the reason,” Robert said. “I’m not about to miss this. She’d never forgive me and she hasn’t even forgiven me for the last thing.”

“And you’re not going to argue with her decision?” Anna said skeptically.

“I’m going to tell her clearly that I think she’s making a mistake, I’m going to threaten that boy with all sorts of bodily harm if she cries one tear over him but no, I’m not actually going to argue with her decision,” Robert stated.

“I think Patrick has had enough threats,” Felicia said from the other room. “I think Mac, Anna, most of the hospital staff, strangers on the street and possibly his own father have threatened him with death if Robin gets hurt. I really think we’ve covered that possibility.”

0

I’m alright, I’m alright
It only hurts when I breathe
And I can’t ask for things to be still again
No I can’t ask if I could walk through the world in your eyes
Longing for home again
Home, is a feeling I buried in you

June 29, 2006

General Hospital: Nurse Station

“Psst!”

Elizabeth glanced up at the hissing sound and frowned at the short woman who stood before her. She was dressed completely in black, with a black hat covering her dark hair and a pair of dark sunglasses over her eyes. “Ah, can I help you?”

The woman lowered her glasses so that Elizabeth could see that it was Brenda Barrett who stood before her and then Elizabeth couldn’t contain a snort of laughter. “What are you dressed like that for?”

“I don’t want anyone to see me before I see Robin,” Brenda said in hushed tone, but it was clear she was enjoying going incognito. “And I want to get a look at her new fiancé before I drop by Robin’s so I was hoping you could point him out to me.”

“Ah, well…” Elizabeth tapped her pen against her notebook and struggled to keep a straight face. “I’ll page him and you can meet him–”

“No, no,” Brenda waved her hands. “Robin’ll kill me if she’s thinks I’m snooping. But she’s barely described him to me and I’m dying to see what he looks like. So just…page him. I’ll go stand–” Brenda turned to gesture towards the waiting area but her smacked into Patrick’s chest. “Er, sorry.”

“Patrick,” Elizabeth said brightly. “This is serendipity.”

Brenda frowned, jerked a thumb in Patrick’s direction and mouthed “That’s him?”

“Ah, I was wondering if you’d seen my father–” Patrick broke off and looked at Brenda who was studying him without any hints of subtlety. “Do we know each other?”

“Nope,” Brenda denied immediately. “Never met you before in my life. Don’t have single soul in common. It was nice to see you, Liz–”

“No, something about you is familiar.” Patrick bit his lip and took her sunglasses off. Brenda squeaked and made a mad grab for them. “You’re Robin’s best friend.”

“It’s your own fault,” Elizabeth clucked her tongue, took a chart and waved in their direction before she started down the hall.

“Traitor!” Brenda yelled after her. She grabbed her sunglasses from Patrick, jammed them back on her face and grabbed his elbow to yank him towards the waiting room. “Okay, yeah, I’m Brenda but I’m trying to fly under the radar so she doesn’t find out I’m snooping and since I’m not technically supposed to be in town yet, I can get away with this.”

“Right,” Patrick drawled, having heard a few stories of Brenda’s unique personality traits. “And what exactly are you looking to know?”

“Well, my darling friend has been suspiciously tight lipped about you since day one and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to see you up and close and personal,” Brenda admitted. “But you can’t tell Robin, because she’ll flay me.”

“I won’t tell her but I’m not going to lie to her either,” Patrick told her. “I don’t see what the big deal is–”

“You’re a peach,” Brenda patted his arm and smiled brightly. “And your answer was perfect. Robin’s obviously in good hands so I’ll just head over to see her–”

“Whoa, just a second. What has Robin told you about me?” Patrick asked with his usual engaging grin.

“Oh, that is lethal,” Brenda said soberly. “No wonder Robin’s knocked up.” He couldn’t help but laugh at that and she was instantly approving of the object of Robin’s affections. “She’s said almost nothing,” she muttered, frustrated. “She told me when she met you that you were insufferable and the bane of her existence and then later, you wouldn’t leave her alone, and then she thought she might like you but then you were a jackass, so no. And then there was the whole thing with the medical board–I’d love to know how you got her out of trouble because she might be buying it but I wasn’t born yesterday. And then she told me when you guys broke up and then she called me last night to tell me she was pregnant and engaged. So as you can see, Robin told me absolutely nothing juicy and interesting which is why I hopped a plane at ten o’clock Eastern time last night to be here this afternoon,” Brenda finished.

Patrick blinked. “Do you always talk that fast?”

“Absolutely,” Brenda responded. “Now, Dr. Drake, if that’s all of the interrogation, I’d like to go see my sister now. We have a wedding to plan.” She patted his arm again and turned but ran smack into Carly. “Good grief,” she muttered.

Carly frowned. “I know that voice. Oh, for the love of–” She yanked the sunglasses from Brenda’s face. “What did I do to deserve this?” she demanded.

“You destroyed Tony’s life, you destroyed Robin’s life, you drove AJ to his death,” Brenda ticked off on her fingers, “let’s see, you turned Jason into a lapdog, you single handedly brought down the general average IQ in the area–”

“What are you doing with her?” Carly demanded of Patrick. “She’s just as irritating as the little saint.”

Brenda narrowed her eyes and whirled on Patrick. “And just how are you involved with Carly?” she demanded flatly. “Because if you put Robin through what Jason did, I swear with all that is holy, I will make you pay–”

“Patrick and I are old friends,” Carly said smugly.

“Old friends?” Brenda repeated. She glared at Patrick. “You slept with her?”

“What? No!” Patrick denied. “Carly, go away,” he ordered.

“No, I came to see you and I’m not leaving until you hear me out.” She flicked an irritated glance at Brenda. “My mother told me that you and Robin are getting married.”

“Are you still trying to wreck Robin’s life?” Brenda said, in disbelief. “My God, Carly, do you really have nothing else to do?”

“Why don’t you go away?” Carly said shrilly. “Life was great without you and Princess Purity and now you’re both back, it’s like a plague.”

“Carly, I don’t see how my engagement to Robin is any of your business so why don’t you just…go away,” Patrick repeated.

“No, I couldn’t stop Jason from making a mistake and telling the little twit the truth but I can stop you from making the worst mistake–”

“Well, it’s clear that meeting you ranks up there,” Brenda interrupted. “Why can’t you just leave Robin alone? You got Jason, you got your precious son and God knows, you’ve got Sonny and I hear Jax on a leash. Do you really need another dick in your harem?”

“You bitch!” Carly lunged for Brenda, who smartly stepped aside and Carly stumbled and hit the couch.

“Okay, okay–” Patrick took Carly by the elbow and all but shoved her a few feet from Brenda. “This is a hospital, not a bar. Calm the hell down.” He looked at Carly. “Obviously, I haven’t made myself clear. Robin and I are getting married. It is not a mistake, it’s what I want and my child–and Robin–are my top priorities. I swear to God, if I find out you’ve taken one step near her, you will need the protection of your ex-husband, do you understand me?” He released Carly’s elbow and she stared at him, rubbing the sore joint.

“How does she do it?” Carly murmured. “She had Jason completely snowed for a while, too. And now you’re infatuated with her. Well, you’ll pay for it and then you’ll be sorry you didn’t listen to me.” She stalked away and Patrick exhaled slowly before turning his attention back to Brenda.

“I made the mistake of befriending Carly when I first moved here. I didn’t know her history with Robin so I used Carly to get a reaction out of Robin. It was a mistaken and I’ve apologized to Robin about it,” Patrick explained. “I’ve never slept with her, I don’t plan on making that mistake and I would appreciate if you wouldn’t tell Robin what just happened here.”

“I think that this little side trip turned out better than I expected,” Brenda said after a moment. “A man that doesn’t bow to Carly. Huh.” She retrieved her sunglasses from the floor and placed them back on her face. “I’m going to Robin’s. I was worried about her, you know. That she was getting herself married to someone who’s only doing this because it’s what’s right, what’s expected but now…I see that’s not the case at all.” She waved at him and disappeared into an elevator that Noah was just exiting.

Noah frowned at the woman before doors slid closed. “She’s familiar.”

“Brenda Barrett, Robin’s best friend and ex-supermodel,” Patrick said. He shook his head. “Robin sure knows the strangest people.”

“You’ve been living in Port Charles for seven months and you’re just figuring that out?” Noah said dryly.

Robin’s Apartment: Living Room

“Yes, Uncle Mac, I’ll be there for dinner tonight,” Robin twisted the phone cord around her finger. “Yeah–I have some news for you. I think you’ll like it–”

Her doorbell rang and Robin’s face lit up. “Yeah, I have to go, Uncle Mac, Brenda’s here!”

She hang up and darted for the door, pulling it open. Her face fell when she saw the person standing there. “Dad?”

Robert Scorpio cleared his throat. “I, ah, know I’m bit earlier than expected but I wrapped the case sooner than we thought. So…” he spread his arms. “Here I am.”

Robin coughed. She not at all prepared for this–she’d thought she had at least another week to decide on the right wording and by then, she and Patrick would have decided on details for the ceremony–theoretically.

“Come in,” Robin said after a moment. “I’m just–I didn’t expect you this soon.”

“Well, Mac said you had urgent news that you needed to tell me as soon as I was able to get to Port Charles. I’m sorry, it took so long but I was on an island where there’s no electricity so I didn’t even get the message for a day or two and then–”

“It’s okay–I’m glad you came.” Robin admitted. And the fact that he’d clearly come this quickly meant a lot to her. He looked exhausted, like he’d gone from one plane to the next and for the first time, she felt a stirring of hope that she still meant something to him. “I wanted–” She bit her lip and gestured towards the couch. “Let’s sit down.”

“I’ve been going out of mind, trying to think of what you might have to tell me,” Robert said. “You’re not sick, are you?”

“No,” Robin assured him. “I’m okay, Dad.” She sat next to him and held her hand out to him, wiggling her fingers so he’d be sure to catch the flash of light on the diamonds. “I’m engaged.”

“En–” Robert broke off. “How–it’s only been four months! How did you manage that? Who is it?”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s Patrick Drake–the doctor from the hospital?”

“The arrogant bastard who tried to have me sent from your hospital room?” Robert demanded. He sobered, remembering the panic in Patrick Drake’s eyes as Robin’s time had waned and the antidote had yet to be found. “Okay, the who isn’t really as surprising as the what.”

Robin frowned. “Why?” she demanded.

“Because you spent a great deal of your time unconscious when I was, erm, getting to know Dr. Drake,” Robert said, remembering all the colorful threats he’d launched at Patrick when the doctor had kicked him out of Robin’s room for making her stressed and how well Patrick had taken them, “And I can see how it might have…developed something–don’t make me explain this,” Robert appealed.

Robin smiled and looked away. “Well, you took that well so maybe you’ll even be happy when I tell you the second part.”

Robert frowned. “I doubt it. I’m not at all adjusted to the fact that you’re old enough to be married.”

“Okay–” Might as well just say it, Robin decided. “I’m pregnant, Dad. Patrick and I are going to have a baby.”

Robert lunged to his feet. “I’ll kill him.”

0

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.”

0

So I would choose to be with you
That’s if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break

June 27, 2006

Kelly’s: Courtyard

“So when are you going to ask her again?” Elizabeth reached across the table and stole one of Patrick’s fries. He smacked her hand.

“No stealing food,” he told her. “You should have ordered fries.”

“I wanted chili,” Elizabeth said as though it clearly explained why she had finished her chili and then proceeded to mooch at least half of Patrick’s French fries. “You’re avoiding the question.”

“And you’re nagging again. How does Lucky put up with that?” Patrick grumbled. He took a long gulp of his soda. “And how did you end up inviting yourself out on my lunch break?”

“First of all, I do not nag. I gently prod,” Elizabeth remarked, offended. “And Lucky’s blinded by love, you jackass. And I did not invite myself, you asked me for advice about Robin and I told you I was too hungry to talk and you said you’d buy me lunch.” She sat back in her chair. “Jackass.”

“Yes, I’m going to ask her again,” Patrick answered. “And before you ask, yes, I’m taking your advice.” He shifted. “I’ll make it a better proposal this time.”

“One knee would probably do the trick,” Elizabeth mused as she slid another one of Patrick’s fries away from him. “I bet Robin would never be able to resist the great Patrick Drake on one knee.”

“I am not getting down on one knee, not even for Robin,” Patrick said, indignantly. “For one thing, it’s humiliating and for another, it insinuates that this is a romantic thing and we both know that Robin doesn’t feel that way.”

“We don’t know anything,” Elizabeth replied. She indicated to the waitress Penny that they would need another plate of fries. “You’re a man, so naturally, you don’t pick up on women’s signals–”

“Hey, I am the master of picking up signals,” Patrick cut in.

Elizabeth snorted. “Please. You know when a woman wants to go to bed and possibly when she wants you to pick her up. When I say signals, I mean subtle ones, you moron. Now, as I was saying, everyone in the hospital knows that you and Robin are crazy for each other. Her family knows it, your father knows it, I know it, and it’s no big secret except to the two of you.”

“Well, its clear the rest of you are all insane,” Patrick replied shortly. “Because Robin doesn’t think I’m much better than something she scraped off the ground.”

“To be fair, you haven’t exactly acted like you aren’t,” Elizabeth pointed out. “The whole debacle with Carly–”

“Do we really have to bring that up?” Patrick sighed.

“Absolutely, because I think it’s funny and because you look like the idiot in that situation and I don’t think that happens to you nearly enough. My advice to you–”

“Oh, you have advice? I’m shocked.”

“I will throw this fry at you,” Elizabeth threatened.

“Good, it’ll be back with all its buddies.”

“My advice,” Elizabeth stressed through clench teeth, “is to be honest with her and don’t hold anything back. Robin will appreciate that.”

Patrick shrugged but he knew that she was right. Honesty had always been a plus with Robin and he supposed it would at least be a good place to start. He looked over at Elizabeth who was thanking Penny for the plate of fries she set in front of the nurse. “You know who you remind me of?”

“Who’s that?” Elizabeth asked, reaching for the ketchup.

“The little sister I always knew I never wanted,” Patrick admitted. “You’re a pain in the ass but I do appreciate how much you’ve done for me and for Robin. You’re probably the reason we still talk to each other at all.”

Elizabeth sighed and set the ketchup down. “Well, you’re the other older brother I always knew I never wanted,” she said with a smile. “Where are you taking Robin tonight?”

“About that…”

Vista Point

Robin wrapped her fingers around the rail that surrounded the observation deck and looked out over the blinking lights of the city below. “Why did you bring me here?”

Patrick stood a few feet behind her, his hands on in the pockets of his jeans. “Liz recommended it. I thought we should have this discussion in a place that has no real memories for either one of us and that’s hard because you grew up here but Liz said it was built after you moved away.”

Robin exhaled slowly. “And what discussion is this that we’re having?” She turned to face him. “If this is another rehash of–”

Patrick held up a hand. “Can you just hear me out before you refuse again? And I promise this will be the last you hear about it if you do refuse.” She hesitated and he took a step towards her. “Please.”

“Okay,” Robin reluctantly agreed.

Patrick moved past her and gripped the rail, not meeting her eyes. “I’m not going to insult your intelligence by pretending that I wanted to have a family. You know better and I know better. I didn’t want it but I’m beginning to realize now why that is.”

“And why is that?” Robin asked, prepared to hear speech about commitments and how they really weren’t his thing.

“Because I saw what having a family, having people that you love so much…what that can do to you,” Patrick said and she frowned in confusion. “My mother loved my father more than herself and I know that he felt the same way about her. That kind of love…when it’s taken from you the way my mother was taken…it destroyed my father and it destroyed my family. I never wanted to have that happen to me so I decided I wasn’t interested. Marriage, kids, the little picket fence in the suburbs, not in the cards.”

“Patrick–” Robin began.

“You promised to hear me out,” he reminded her and she closed her mouth. “Now that you’re pregnant and being a father isn’t some distant non-possibility but a very real reality, I’m actually…” he met her eyes. “I’m looking forward to it, if you can believe that. Because no matter how badly my father took my mother’s death, I know that she loved him and I know that she loved me. And anything that creates that kind of love can’t be bad.”

Robin bit her lip and looked down, hoping that he was finished. She could feel herself beginning to weak, begin to reconsider that maybe…

“I told you that so that when I ask you to marry me, you’ll know I’m not doing it out of obligation or because it’s the way my parents raised me. I’m doing it because I already love this baby,” Patrick said in a quiet voice. He was now unable to meet her eyes and was back to looking out over the city. “And I want the best for my child–our child. And the best I can give him is a family. A home where his parents live together and raise him together, where he’s not shuffled back and forth between homes and his parents fight all the time. I want to give our child the best of what I grew up with.”

He cleared his throat. “I know all the reasons why we shouldn’t get married, Robin and I’m not saying we should forget them or pretend they never existed but the problems between us shouldn’t stop us from giving our best to our baby. The rest of it, we can work on it. I can try not to be such a jackass and maybe you could try trusting me a little but–”

“I grew up with two parents who weren’t together for the majority of my life,” Robin cut in softly. “And for the first seven years, I didn’t even know they were my parents. They did the best they could and I was happy most of the time but a part of me did wish that we could be a family. They were taken from me not long after they did get remarried but that short time was so wonderful and I wish things had been different.” She exhaled slowly. “I always promised myself that I wouldn’t be like that–that I wouldn’t have children until I was married to the person I would spend the rest of my life with.”

Sensing the tide had turned in his favor, Patrick took a small velvet box from his back pocket and cleared his throat again–trying to speak over the lump that had formed. “This was my, ah, mother’s. She left it to me in her will.” He closed the distance between them. “And until I met you, I never thought I’d have any use for it.”

Robin looked up at him, startled by the choice of wording but she was quite simply at a loss for words when Patrick did the unthinkable–and bent down on one knee to open the box, revealing a delicate band of gold encrusted with diamonds and a sapphire.

“I should take a picture of this,” Robin said thickly, her eyes lush with tears. “No one will ever believe it happened.”

“They will when I tell them you kept talking through the big moment,” Patrick said with a smirk. “Now let me finish this so I can stop feeling like an ass.” He took a deep breath. “Robin Scorpio, will you marry me and ruin the dreams of women across the country?”

“I–” Robin thought of all the objections she had and all the reasons why she should say no but she remembered her promise to her self once upon time and looked down at Patrick’s expectant face. All the reasons in the world to say no didn’t have a chance against the one reason she should say yes.

She loved Patrick Drake.

“Yes,” Robin agreed, softly. “I will marry you.” Some of the tension bled from his shoulders and he took the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. He kept her hand in his as he stood.

“I knew it’d be a perfect fit,” he said. “My mother wasn’t much bigger than you either.” He paused for a moment. “I’m going to screw up a lot, Robin. It’s not realistic to think that I’m never going to make a mistake or hurt you, but I’ll never do it on purpose.”

“Well, I’m probably going to screw up a lot, too,” Robin admitted. “Nobody’s perfect.”

“Well, no,” Patrick grinned, “but I come close.”

+1

Can you help me I’m bent
I’m so scared that I’ll never
Get put back together
You’re breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent

June 26, 2006

General Hospital: Nurse’s Station

Robin stepped up to the nurse’s station and leveled an irritated stare at her best friend. “This whole thing about you being mine and Patrick’s friend was destined to backfire on me.”

Elizabeth flushed guiltily. “He played the Cam card, Robin. You know I don’t think straight when people do that. It’s dirty pool.”

“Uh huh,” Robin murmured. “And the board member?”

“Hey, Patrick deserves to know stuff like that.” Elizabeth shrugged. “Look, I’m sorry, Robin and I hope you’re not really mad at me but if Patrick is going to be a part of this baby’s life, he deserves to know what people are saying.”

“Fine,” Robin sighed. “I’m not even that mad. I’m starting to feel like maybe Patrick wants this baby.”

“I knew he had it in him. He’s going to be like Jason in that way–never gave one thought about being a father and he’ll turn out to be better than you ever would have expected,” Elizabeth said.

“Yeah, Jason was really good with Michael. It’s a shame he never had children of his own,” Robin sighed. “But I think you’re right. So, since we’re on the subject of good parenting, I need Steven’s contact info.”

“Sure thing.” Elizabeth dug in her pocket for the slip of paper she’d written her brother’s information down. “I sure hope you agree to be his patient. It’d be nice to see Steven again and he’s really excited about the line of work he’s in.”

“Well, I did some research and even though he’s new to the field, he’s had a lot of success. You really can’t go wrong with that.” Robin put the contact information in her pocket. “I’ll be back at work next week. I just needed these few days.”

“Oh, completely understandable. How are you feeling otherwise?” Elizabeth asked. “I know for the first few weeks when I was pregnant with Cam, I felt like a Mack truck hit me.”

Robin sighed. “Well, I’ve been so caught up in other aspects of this that I haven’t really been able to separate the physical stuff from the emotional stuff though I bet that’s why I feel like crying so much.”

“You should try to get some sleep,” Elizabeth advised. “The more you fight it, the more embarrassing it’s going to be when you just conk out. You could be sitting at dinner and pass out — or worse, in a public place.”

“I’ll call you later,” Robin said with a smile. “Thanks for the number.”

Scorpio-Jones House: Living Room

Anna pulled open the door and smiled broadly. “Dr. Drake, it’s so nice of you to come so quickly.”

“Ah, well, you said it was important.” Patrick stepped into the Scorpio house and looked around. “Where’s Robin? Is something wrong?”

“Nothing at all.” Anna gestured for Patrick to take a seat on the sofa. “I thought we should have a chance to speak.”

Patrick glanced at Robin’s mother a bit nervously. “What about?”

“My favorite topic of course,” Anna waited for Patrick to seat himself before sitting in the adjacent arm chair. She crossed her legs at the ankle and smiled at him. “All things that will happen to you if you hurt my daughter.”

He coughed. “I’m sorry?”

“Robin is my daughter and I spent the most important part of her life with amnesia. I never had the chance to get to know either of the men who came before you. I’m sure I wouldn’t have had a problem with Stone. All indications are that he loved her and they were happy together. However, if I had had some face time with Jason Morgan, I assure you things would have turned out differently.” Anna leaned towards him. “Now, you’re very cute and I think that you’re well aware of that. And the problem I’m having is that I’ve heard some very disheartening things about you.”

“From Robin, no doubt,” Patrick muttered.

Anna pretended not to hear him. “Now, there’s nothing wrong with dating a few girls until you find the right one. The only thing I want to be assured of is that you don’t plan on letting anyone come between you and my grandchild. I know that you and Robin aren’t together–”

“Ms. Devane,” Patrick held up a hand. “I don’t plan on there being anyone to come between us. I’m going to ask Robin to marry me.”

Anna sat back and arched an eyebrow. “I thought you already had. And that she turned you down.”

“I didn’t ask, I kind of…” Patrick shrugged. “I was raised in a two-parent home. That’s the only family I know. I want to give our child the best of what I had, Ms. Devane and I know that part of Robin understands that.”

“All right,” Anna said slowly. “That’s very admirable. But a marriage of convenience is not at all what I had in mind for Robin. She’s had a lot of loss and tragedy in her short life and I would really like to prevent that so if you’re doing this because you think it’s the right thing to do–”

“It is the right thing to do,” Patrick cut in. “But it’s not about obligation. And it’s not about responsibility although those are part of it. It’s about our baby and giving him or her the best chance at life that we can and I think that’s a two-parent home and not being shuffled back and forth.”

“You can say it,” Anna remarked. “You want the opposite of what Robin had growing up. Two parents from the start to the finish. And believe me, that’s what I want for Robin. But I also want her happy. And I’m not sure if you can achieve both.”

“I care about Robin,” Patrick assured her. “I can’t–I can’t speak for her and believe me, I wouldn’t attempt to. But I care about her and I’m not going to let anyone, including myself, hurt her.”

“And if you do, just remember that she has two parents who love her.” Anna smiled. “And know many ways to make things look like an accident.”

The front door opened and Mac entered. He narrowed his eyes as he took in the scene between his sister-in-law and his niece’s…whatever. “Robin is not going to approve of this, Anna.”

Anna waved him away. “Robin’s not an idiot. If she thought I wasn’t going to make sure Dr. Drake’s intentions were good, then she’s obviously not thinking clearly.” She smirked at Mac. “Besides, I believe you had your turn with young Dr. Drake.”

Mac shifted before looking at Patrick. “She’s not as scary as she likes to think.”

“And Mac’s not as good at bluffing as he likes to think,” Anna replied. “Have you heard from Robert? Do you know when he’s supposed to arrive?”

“Ah, the first week of July.” Mac scratched his neck. “When are you heading back to Paris? Soon, right?”

“Oh, not until I see my darling husband.” Anna looked at Patrick. “Because we are unfortunately still married. Although I think he might be technically married to Holly. So it’s actually possible my marriage to David wasn’t invalid.”

“A mistake but maybe not invalid,” Mac muttered.

Patrick’s pager beeped and he tried not to let his relief show. Robin’s relatives clearly cared for her and he was more than assured that if something were to make Robin very unhappy, he would probably not live to make right.

“I, ah, I have to go to the hospital.” Patrick stood and looked between the two of them before hurrying out.

“Oh, he’s lovely, isn’t he?” Anna said with a sigh. “He’s going to break her heart.”

“If she doesn’t break his first,” Mac replied. “They’re enough to drive a man to drink. You weren’t here for the first few rounds between the two of them. I’m amazed they’re still alive. The only people I’ve seen with a relationship like this are you and Robert.”

“Oh, that bodes well,” Anna rolled her eyes.

General Hospital: Alan’s Office

“Patrick, thanks for coming so quickly.” Alan stood and shook his hand. “I know you must be anxious for these results.”

Patrick took a seat in front of Alan’s desk and shook his head. “No, but I know Robin is. She’s…she was upset by the possibility.”

“Of course.” Alan sat down and reached for the folder that held the results of Patrick’s HIV test. “I was the one that had to tell her that she had tested positive. It was one of the most difficult moments of my entire career. I’m just glad I don’t have to do that again.”

“So you mean…”

“You tested negative,” Alan confirmed. “You’ll have to be tested again in six months and to be on the safe side, six months after that. But the test was negative.”

Patrick exhaled slowly. “Good. That’s–that’s one less thing for Robin to worry about. With the baby and everything. Thank you, Dr. Quartermaine, for handling this personally.”

“I would do nothing less for Robin Scorpio. You may not realize this, Dr. Drake, but the entire town has watched Robin grow up. She’s very dear to nearly everyone who knows her. I would be extremely careful with her.”

“Yeah…I just had this conversation with Robin’s mother and uncle,” Patrick nodded. “I get the picture–I hurt her and no one ever finds my body.”

“Well, I would have just pulled some strings to get you fired but that works.” Alan waited a moment and then grinned when Patrick’s faced paled. “You’re going to have to work on that sense of humor, Patrick. You’re going to need it–especially if you have a daughter.”

It was good Robin had so many people who cared about her, Patrick decided as he shook Alan’s hand and left the office. Support from friends and family would be very handy. But he wouldn’t mind if people would lay off the death threats.

Robin was loitering in the hall outside Alan’s office. “Ah, Alan called and said–the results were in.” She hesitated. “Do you mind?”

“No…I was just coming to find you. It was negative, Robin,” Patrick told her. “I’ll have to get tested twice more but the chances were already low.”

Robin nodded. “Stone tested negative once,” she said quietly. “And then three years later, he tested positive. I guess…it’s just a matter of luck.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “Patrick–”

“Tomorrow night,” he interrupted. “I think we should talk about–about everything tomorrow night. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

“Okay,” Robin nodded. “I’m glad–I’m glad the tests came out negative. I mean, I’m still worried about the next two tests–but you’re right. The chances were low to begin with so this is good news.”

“Definitely.” Patrick stepped towards her. “So, tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” Robin agreed and was startled when he kissed her cheek before leaving to start his shift.

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I couldn’t tell you why she felt that way,
She felt it everyday.
And I couldn’t help her,
I just watched her make the same mistakes again.

June 25, 2006

General Hospital: Cafeteria

Elizabeth set her tray down across from Patrick. “You know, the entire hospital has me either beating that crap out of Kelly Lee or you making her cry.” Patrick remained silent but Elizabeth soldiered on. She’d seen his face during a surgery that morning and he was in a mood that she had decided to prod him out of. She wasn’t sure why, but she liked this arrogant idiot sitting across from her and had made it her mission to make sure he didn’t screw up too much with Robin. “It amazes how the whole situation even got out since there were only the three of us in there. I don’t really mind people thinking I’m mean enough to take her on–it gives me a certain reputation, don’t you think?”

Patrick was still silent for another long moment before looking up. “The stuff people were saying about Robin and me when we were together, did you hear it too?”

Elizabeth sighed in relief. Finally! He would talk! “Yeah. Some people weren’t particularly subtle about it. I mean, a board member even told Robin directly that she could ruin your career. I heard that and I reported it to Alan, but there was nothing he could do–”

“Someone said that junk to Robin personally?” Patrick interrupted. “A board member?”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “Robin didn’t want me to tell you and there wasn’t really much you could do except get arrested for assault, anyway.” She frowned. “Why?”

“Robin told me that was the real reason she broke things off. Not that she actually thought I cheated on her with that nurse–”

“Nurse?” Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. “What nurse?”

Patrick paused. “Robin didn’t tell you? She tells you everything.”

“I know,” Elizabeth said, a little disgruntled. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me about the nurse. The only thing she ever said to me about the whole thing is that you were both better off.” She shrugged. “I don’t like to push so I dropped it.”

Patrick shot her a disbelieving look. “You’re the queen of pushing and nagging.”

“You, yes. You irritate me and if I don’t jump in, God knows what you’ll screw up on your own,” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to bug Robin when she’s clearly upset.”

“I’m touched that you care so much,” Patrick said dryly.

“I know you meant that sarcastically but I will choose to believe otherwise,” Elizabeth sniffed.

“I told her last night that I couldn’t forgive her for thinking I cheated on her with some random nurse and for making that decision about my career for me but I didn’t know that someone–a board member had told that she was ruining my career.” Patrick exhaled slowly and leaned forward. “From now, I need you to tell me if you hear anyone saying anything to Robin or about Robin and me or the baby, okay?”

Elizabeth hesitated. “Patrick, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I mean, Robin has enough problems just knowing there’s that kind of gossip running around and now with the baby, it’s gotten more vicious and don’t you think you’re both better served if you’re not getting hauled off to jail twice a day?”

Patrick stilled. “What about the baby?” he demanded. When Elizabeth looked away, he slapped his hand on the table. “Liz, come on. If this was Cameron, you’d want to know too.”

“Well, all right. It goes back to when you guys broke up,” Elizabeth sighed. “Robin didn’t tell anyone other than Emily and I that it was her idea and she didn’t tell anyone why so the general consensus was that you got tired of her and broke up with her. And now that Robin’s pregnant, they think she’s either faking to get you back or did it on purpose to trap you and those who think the latter think she’s doing a cruel thing by intentionally infecting you and maybe the baby.”

Patrick said nothing but a muscle in his jaw ticked and Elizabeth was suddenly glad to be on the other side of the table. “Patrick, I’m sorry–”

“You should have told me what they were saying,” he said finally. “Because it’s only going to get worse when they find out we’re getting married.”

Elizabeth blinked. “Wait, what? The last time I checked, Robin said no. She never said a thing about changing her mind.” She frowned. “Clearly we have a pattern here. I’m going to have to speak to her about this.”

“She did say no, but I haven’t given up. I know all the reasons we shouldn’t but there are a lot of reasons we should, too.” He moved to stand but Elizabeth put a hand out to stop him.

“For what it’s worth, those people who know you and know Robin, they’re not saying anything. It’s the idiots who’ve never met either one of you and just consider it another topic for the hospital grapevine. People who love and respect you know that this baby was unexpected, that you didn’t get tired of Robin and more importantly, they know that you’re both crazy about each other and are just too stubborn–”

“I care about Robin,” Patrick interrupted. “But if she cared about me at all, she would have trusted me to make my own decisions about my career. I appreciate your advice, Liz.”

He walked away and Elizabeth wondered how someone that brilliant in the operating room could be such an idiot when it came to anything else.

Kelly’s: Courtyard

“If it isn’t my favorite doctor.”

Robin paused at the door to Kelly’s and smiled when she saw Noah sitting towards the back of the outside eating area. “You better not let Patrick hear you say that.”

Noah waved her over. “Come sit down. We haven’t had a chance to talk since Patrick told me.”

Robin sobered and reluctantly joined Patrick’s father for lunch. “Are you mad?” she asked softly.

Noah set his iced tea down and frowned at her. “Mad about what? That my son is having a baby with a woman I love and admire? Someone I consider part of my family?”

“No, that he might get sick,” Robin traced the table top. “You can’t tell me that hasn’t crossed your mind.”

“Patrick mentioned it when he told me. That you had basically blurted out the news, told him to get tested and that told him you didn’t need anything.” Noah set his napkin aside and leaned forward. “Robin, if it weren’t for you, my son and I would never have worked things out. I would have died of cirrhosis in some bar somewhere and Patrick might never have known. I will always be grateful to you for that.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Robin shook her head. “I just brought you guys back into the same hospital. Patrick pushed you into rehab and you made the decision to get sober.”

“And you pushed him into giving a damn, Robin. I’m not stupid. And if it eases your mind, Patrick has been tested and he should be hearing back about the results any time now. But it doesn’t matter to him and it doesn’t matter to me.”

“If he tests positive, you’ll both change your mind,” Robin murmured.

“Let’s not talk about that,” Noah shook his head. “Let’s talk about my grandchild. When are you due?”

“January,” Robin said. “But Alan mentioned that the baby might come early and if we do a C-section, we’d probably schedule it for before Christmas.” She smiled and rested her hand on her abdomen. “I haven’t seen another doctor yet, but Elizabeth Spencer is recommending her brother Steven. He’s supposed to specialize in HIV pregnancies.”

“Steven Webber,” Noah nodded. “His name came up when I was doing some research on this after Patrick told me. He’s new to the field.”

“But he’s not to Port Charles and I trust Liz’s opinion.”

“Oh, so do I. You know, I heard about Dr. Lee,” Noah said. “And I told Alan that he ought to fire her outright but Alan mentioned I might be biased.”

“She’s entitled to her opinion,” Robin shrugged.

“As person, but not as a doctor.” Noah shook his head. “There’s no excuse for that kind of behavior and she’s lucky I wasn’t the one in the locker room or I might not have been as restrained as Patrick.”

Robin laughed. “Yeah, I think you and my mother might have that in common. When I told her, she wanted to go down and punch her but I told her that Patrick had taken care of it. It endeared him to her, by the way.”

“Well at least one member of your family likes me,” Patrick said from behind her. Robin turned and bit her lip when she saw him standing just beyond the table. “Hey…I was supposed to meet my dad.”

“I–” Robin began.

“I’m sorry, Patrick, I saw her and I wanted to ask her about the baby,” Noah said without a trace of apology. “A holiday baby–that’s something special. A good way to start the new year.”

There were an awkward pause and finally Robin started to stand. “I’ll just let you have your lunch–”

“No, stay. I already ate anyway.” Patrick took the chair between them. “There’s something I wanted to tell you.”

“Maybe I should–” Noah started.

“No, I have to tell you something, too.” Patrick looked back at Robin. “You should have told me it was a board member who said something to your face. I wouldn’t…I would have understood more last night.”

Robin bit her lip and Noah straightened. “What’s this?” he demanded.

“It’s nothing,” Robin started.

“Someone on the board–Elizabeth refuses to tell me who–told Robin that she was ruining my career by being in a relationship with me,” Patrick informed his father.

“Elizabeth shouldn’t have said anything at all,” Robin huffed.

“You should have and the next time, some narrow-minded idiot says anything about you, the baby or you and me, I want you to tell me,” Patrick instructed.

“Right,” Robin rolled her eyes.

“He’s right, Robin, you should let him take care of it,” Noah told her. “You don’t need the extra stress.”

“Do I look like some princess in an ivory tower that needs to be protected from the real world?” Robin asked, offended.

Patrick and Noah traded glances before speaking in unison. “Yes.”

“Men,” Robin said, disgusted.

“And I want you to tell me if you hear anything either,” Patrick told his father. “I want to end this before the baby is born.”

“Should I tell you before or after I kick their ass?” Noah asked.

“Noah, don’t be ridiculous. Patrick, you’re being overbearing–”

“It’s up to you,” Patrick answered his father before looking back at Robin. “I’m protecting my family, Robin. And we both know if the situation was reversed, you’d do the same.”

Robin sighed. “Yeah, I guess, but it’s not reversed and it’s like you don’t think I’m strong enough to take care of myself.”

“I think you’re plenty strong,” Patrick replied. “But there’s nothing wrong with asking for help.” He leaned closer to her and Noah didn’t even pretend that he wasn’t eavesdropping. “You and I still have a lot to discuss. Especially–”

“I thought we agreed that wasn’t a viable solution,” Robin hissed.

“You agreed, I tabled it. We’re going to talk about it Robin, but I think we both need a few days to let things settle.” Patrick sat back and waved at the waitress to come take Robin’s order.

Since the moment Patrick had mentioned marriage, she’d been adamant in her refusal but his attitude and his actions over the last few days was beginning to erode her carefully built wall of immunity.

She just hoped he didn’t find a way to destroy it entirely.

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