September 15, 2006

General Hospital: Hallway

Patrick Drake had had this conversation before. Stay away from my wife, my girlfriend, my sister, my friend, my daughter–and on one particularly memorable occasion, my mother. Before moving to Port Charles, he’d had this conversation once a week, on average. Some weeks were, ah, busier than others. Not that Patrick had ever actually slept with a woman in a committed relationship. Not intentionally. It was hardly his fault if the woman in question didn’t bother to mention her husband or boyfriend until after the sex.

But for some reason, he hadn’t foreseen this particular round. He and Robin hadn’t been together since early July and other than a few tense consults and that disastrous reunion two weeks ago, he’d thought he was behaving himself rather nicely. So when Patrick rounded a corner and saw Nikolas Cassadine standing outside his office door, he didn’t think the warning was coming. He’d thought it was hospital related and had let the prince inside without any hesitation.

But no sooner had Patrick closed the door behind them than Nikolas had delivered his message. “Stay away from my wife.”

His hand still on the doorknob, Patrick turned to Nikolas, confused. “I’m sorry?”

“My wife,” Nikolas repeated. “Robin. Your ex-whatever. Stay away from her.”

It would be at this moment in a previous life that Patrick would grin, lick his lips and tell the husband in question that he didn’t need to go to the woman–she always came to him. But he bit down on that response and counted to ten silently. “I haven’t been anywhere near Robin except for professional reasons. We work together, Cassadine, and I’m not about to use another doctor when I have the best at my disposal.” Patrick crossed the room and dropped the files on his desk with flop.

“I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at her–” Nikolas began.

“Looking isn’t against the law,” Patrick bit out, annoyed that despite his attempt to put Robin Scorpio firmly in the past, no one in his life was allowing him to do so. “She’s a beautiful woman–which you’re aware of. And I think you’re insulting Robin by insinuating that you don’t trust her–”

“I don’t think Robin’s going to be unfaithful to me,” Nikolas said with such certainty that Patrick almost envied him. He hadn’t felt certain about anything in months. “But you disturb her peace of mind. If it’s as professional as you say, then–” he broke off and shook his head. Patrick tensed–there was more that Nikolas had been about to say–had been something to reveal. “Just leave her the hell alone.”

The prince stalked out of the office and Patrick stared after him, wondering how he’d hurt Robin this time.

General Hospital: Nurse’s Station

Elizabeth absently touched the silver chain she wore around her neck as she made some notations in a patient’s chart. She was glad that her friendship with Jason hadn’t been a momentary distraction from their lives last spring. She’d worried that as Jason got over Sam and settled into his new life, he’d have no use for her but that wasn’t the case and she was pleased to see that their friendship had survived their disastrous past intact.

“A penny for your thoughts.”

Elizabeth glanced up and smiled faintly at her brother-in-law. “Hey, Nikolas. Here on hospital business?”

“You might say that,” Nikolas remarked vaguely. “So, Lucky will be home at the beginning of next month. Are you sure you won’t reconsider counseling?”

Elizabeth’s smile faded. “Nikolas…” she reached underneath the counter and withdrew a large sealed manila envelope.  “I’m dropping these off with Justus after work today. They’re signed. As soon as he files them at the courthouse, the divorce will be final.”

Nikolas stepped back, a little surprised. “Already? But you just filed—”

“Lucky called from rehab,” Elizabeth began, “and told me he was sorry for what happened to Cam, that he’d do anything to make things right. I told him that I wanted him out of my life and out of my son’s life. The only thing he could do to make this right was to sign the papers. I don’t want alimony, I just wanted the apartment. He agreed.”

Nikolas exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry to hear that, Elizabeth. I wish–I wish things could have been different.” He cleared his throat. “Will you come to dinner tonight? Robin’s invited her parents and Alexis, Ric and the girls are coming. I thought we’d make it a family affair.”

“I–ah–” Elizabeth coughed and licked her lips nervously. “I have plans. I’m going out for dinner.”

“Oh, with the girls?” Nikolas asked. “Because you can just invite Lainey and Kelly if you want–”

“No.” Elizabeth hesitated another moment. “I’m having dinner with Patrick.” She watched that news sink in with her soon-to-be former brother-in-law and quickly added, “As friends, of course.”

“Liz,” Nikolas sighed, “I just don’t understand how you can be in the same room with him after the way that he treated Robin–”

“Nikolas…” Elizabeth sighed. “You’ve got a very white washed view of events as usual. He didn’t come out of that without scars of his own, okay? And anyway, we’ve already done twelve rounds on my friendship with Jason over the last seven years, do we really have to go through this again?”

“I had a good point about Jason,” Nikolas grumbled. “Fine. Have dinner with the peasant, but we will be expecting you next Friday. We’re going to try and make this a regular thing–”

Elizabeth bit her lip. “With Lucky coming home, I think we should play all gatherings by ear, okay? Just until we see how things end up.”

“I don’t want you to disappear from my life,” Nikolas said sternly. “You were always more than my brother’s wife to me, I want you to know that.”

Elizabeth sighed and smiled fondly at him. “I do know that, Nikolas. It’s just that things are going to be awkward for a while and if Lucky’s going to really make some changes, he’s going to need the support of his family. I wish–I wish I could be there for him and I will do what I can but I have to look out for myself, I have to protect my son.”

“I understand that more than you know,” Nikolas replied. He reached out and squeezed her hand. “If you need anything, let me know–and if I can offer just one piece of advice?”

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow and waited.

“Be careful around Patrick Drake.”

As soon as the doors slid closed on Nikolas’s elevator, the second set of elevators to the left opened and a slightly uncomfortable pair stepped out, obviously fresh from another completely professional consult.

Robin stepped up the nurse’s station and set her charts down. “We’re doing a semi family dinner out on the island tonight. Will you come?” she asked Elizabeth. “I could use a friendly face.”

Elizabeth laughed. “The mansion freaking you out or did Helena pay another spooky and vague visit?”

Robin grimaced. “I don’t want to talk about Helena or the décor of my new home. No, it’s just Alexis is bringing the girls and Ric will be there and I thought you could be a great buffer–”

“Nikolas was just here to ask me the same question but I had to decline.” Elizabeth flicked her eyes in Patrick’s direction but he kept silent for once. Bastard.

Robin frowned. “Nikolas has meetings all day downtown–I told him that I’d ask you.” She reached for a patient file and shook her head. “Why in the world would he go out of his way?”

“I think he had other business here,” Patrick muttered under his breath, not intending for either woman to hear him but Robin had excellent practice with his grumblings and narrowed her eyes at this remark.

“What does that mean?” she demanded.

“I’m going to go–” Elizabeth coughed. “Anywhere else.” She made her escape but Patrick, for once, refused to rise to the bait. He picked up his schedule, grabbed his messages and started for his office but Robin, having a very bad feeling about this indeed, followed him.

“Did Nikolas come to speak to you?” she demanded, catching up with him just as he reached his office door.

Patrick stopped, thought about whipping out some insult or glib remark but saw the worry and anxiety in her eyes instead. He’d been the cause of that look far too often to brush it off now and he was actually curious as to why Nikolas Cassadine felt the need to warn him away from Robin.

“Yes,” he admitted after a long moment. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, Robin reluctantly on his heels. “He thought he needed to make it clear to me that you were his wife and I should stay away from you.”

Robin blanched and swallowed hard. “I can’t–there’s just no reason for him to think–I don’t know why he thinks that you needed to hear that. We work–we work together and just because–” she waved her hand in the air, frazzled.

Patrick narrowed his eyes. “There was something about disturbing your peace of mind though I’ve gone out of my way and bit my tongue more than once to avoid doing just that so I think I deserve to know how I’ve pissed you off again.”

“But–you haven’t.” Robin shook her head. “I’m sorry, I can’t–” she exhaled slowly and looked away. “It’s been a very difficult two weeks–two months really,” she admitted quietly. “I haven’t–it’s a very strange thing to go from being just a doctor to being the wife of someone like Nikolas. I guess you know he’s a Russian prince–”

“Yes,” Patrick interrupted shortly. “Believe me, we all know that Nikolas Cassadine is a prince.”

“Well, it’s just–it’s a very long and complicated lineage and heritage. I guess when you factor in the family, the idea of adjusting to marriage at all and having a child–I suppose I haven’t been handling it well. Nikolas was probably looking for someone to blame,” Robin said faintly. “I’m sorry–I’ll talk to him–”

“So Nikolas wants to blame a third party for making you unhappy,” Patrick shrugged. “It’s not the first time I’ve been in that position–”

“I’m not unhappy,” Robin said firmly. “It’s a difficult adjustment but I am very–” she hesitated. “I made the right decision. And I’m sorry that Nikolas is putting too much emphasis on what happened between you and me. There’s no reason for him to keep dragging this out-”

“I didn’t hear you say you were happy,” Patrick said with an almost amused smile. “You made the right decision but are you happy?”

“I’m happier now than I was with you,” Robin retorted. “It’s a step up from being miserable and feeling–” she broke off abruptly. “Look, I’m sorry about Nikolas. I’ll handle it–”

“You’re just going to walk away then?” he interrupted. “That doesn’t surprise, you were always damn good at it–”

“What reason did I have to stay?” Robin demanded. “You didn’t want anything permanent from me, you made that real clear. You didn’t want my feelings, you didn’t want anything from me except sex–”

“You were the one that said it first,” Patrick muttered, preferring to rest the blame on someone else. “After the cabin, you were the one who set the rules, you can’t be irritated because I chose to follow them–”

“I was irritated because you chose to sleep with Carly,” Robin spat out. “I was irritated because you knew–” she stopped and closed her eyes. “I’m not going to do this anymore, Patrick. It was probably for the best that you slept with her when you did because otherwise, we might wasted more time than we did.”

“Oh, so now it was all a waste?” Patrick demanded, stung. “That’s real nice–”

“No,” Robin said, her composure restored. “Being with you was not a mistake. If nothing else, it showed me what I really want. Commitment, family…guarantees.” Her voice faltered a little. “Marriage, children–none of which you were prepared to discuss. So, yes, being with you was enjoyable and I learned a valuable life lesson.” Her hand was on the door now and she pulled it open. “I don’t deserve to settle for less than what I want and I have what I want now, Patrick. I only hope that you can figure out what the hell you want.”

She didn’t slam the door behind her but he almost wished she had. He hadn’t meant to dredge up all that–had only intended to get a few answers for Nikolas’s behavior but he’d gotten that and more.

When Elizabeth had informed him that Robin taken a leave of absence to fly to Greece and marry Nikolas Cassadine, she’d accompanied that news with a firm order to go after Robin, tell her that he loved her and to stop the wedding. He’d thought about it–had almost booked a ticket more than once, but in the end, decided that Robin was better off this way.

Nikolas would treat her well–had always seemed to hold in high regard and that was important to Patrick–that Robin was respected and valued. Nikolas had a son and he had a large extended family and that was important to Patrick, too. Because he knew Robin wanted those things.

So he’d stayed in Port Charles and Robin had married Nikolas. While part of Patrick had thought it had been a mistake, a much larger piece of him had been somewhat relieved. Robin would have what she wanted and she would be happy. That was all he really wanted, after all. He would never have been able give her all the things she deserved.

But seeing her face, knowing that that she wasn’t happy–he wondered for the first time if maybe they would have all been better off if he’d flown to Greece and he’d hashed everything out with Robin. At least, then he wouldn’t wonder if maybe he could have made her happy.

But there was no point in thinking about any of that now. He tossed his files on his desk and reached for his coat. It was time to clock out and head back to his new apartment where he was intent on feeding his favorite nurse and her toddler. At least one person had stood by him after his relationship with Robin had imploded and Patrick intended on making sure that Elizabeth knew exactly how much he valued her.

He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

General Hospital: Locker Room

“So I never got an answer about dinner tonight,” Robin said, opening her locker. Elizabeth glanced at her apprehensively and Robin laughed, misinterpreting the reason for the look. “Don’t worry, he’s still alive.” Her mouth set in an angry frown, “Nikolas won’t be when I’m done with him.”

“I’m not going to dinner tonight,” Elizabeth said. “For one thing, I want to be careful about going to the family stuff for a while. It’s going to be awkward when Lucky comes home and I just–I want to make the transition as easy as possible. And another, I have plans.”

“Oh?” Robin tugged her tank top on and reached for her sheer blouse to button over it. “Kelly and Lainey?”

“No,” Elizabeth sighed. “Patrick moved into his new apartment last weekend and he invited Cameron and me for the first cooked dinner.”

Robin’s hands stilled for a brief second but then her fingers resumed their buttoning. “Well, that’s good. I’m glad he’s finally out of the Metro Court.” She looked at Elizabeth oddly. “Is it…a date?”

Elizabeth shook her head and laughed, a little defensively. “With my two-year-old running around? Doubtful. No, I’m really–I’m one of the few people that’s still talking to Patrick after the Carly debacle and he’s been really good to me since Lucky–” she licked her lips. “I’m not ready to jump into anything, Robin–”

“Hey–” Robin held up a hand. “Even if you were, I wouldn’t begrudge you, okay? After the summer you’ve had, you deserve to have fun and to concentrate on yourself. And Patrick…” she hesitated. “He can be a really good friend when he wants to be so I’m glad he’s making the effort with you.”

“I’m just–I’m worried about Lucky coming home,” Elizabeth admitted, twisting her fingers in the soft fabric of her white pullover shirt. “Because he was so angry about our friendship before and I’m worried that if he finds out about the dinners and the time Cam’s spent with him during the recovery, it’s all going to start all over again.” She looked back at Robin. “Part of me is hoping for a miracle. That he’ll come back from rehab as the sweet boy I fell in love with once upon a time.”

“Would you stay with him if he did?” Robin asked.

“No.” Elizabeth sighed. “No, that chapter in my life is over with but part of me is always going to be that girl who loves that boy and it’s just—it’s just so painful to finally let go of that dream.” She smiled faintly and met Robin’s eyes–eyes that understood just how hard it could be. “It sucks growing up.”

← Chapter Two | Chapter Four →