Title: In Your Arms
Author: Steph
Rating: PG
Pairing: Robin/Patrick
Category: Drama/Romance
Disclaimer: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.
Spoilers: 8/21 episode.
Summary: Picks up where Monday's (8/21) episode left off. Patrick comforts Robin as she reels from April's death and wrestles with her own uncertain future, leading him to reveal exactly how he feels about her.

Note: This popped into my head when I imagined how Monday's episode would continue from where it left off. This is what I would like to happen. You know, in my perfect GH world filled with marshmallow clouds and gumdrop flowers! Anyway, hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! -Steph

--- In Your Arms: Part 1/1 ---

"Don't you see?" Robin said, her voice quivering as tears sprang to her eyes. "Nothing about this disease makes sense. There is no way to get any meaning from this."

Patrick dropped his eyes, saying quietly. "Maybe we need to focus on why April came into our lives, rather than how she left them."

The tears began to cascade down Robin's face. "This is just a reminder of how it doesn't matter how much courage I have or how I live my life everyday. Things can happen with this disease that are out of my control and someday...someday...," Robin's voice trailed off. She shook her head. "In the end, it doesn't matter. AIDS kills people."

Patrick raised his eyes to meet hers. He moved forward, opening his arms. "Robin," he said softly.

She backed away from him, wiping at her face with the back of her hand. "I've got to get out of here," she whispered.

Patrick's arms dropped to his sides, as he watched her turn on her heel and walk away from him.

---

Robin sat on the arm of the bench, looking out at the water. It usually calmed her down, but today it seemed nothing could soothe her.

Patrick rounded the corner of the building, his eyes landing on Robin below. He knew she'd come here for some reason. He placed his hands in his pockets, licking at his lips, as he walked down the stairs.

Robin heard his footsteps and squeezed her eyes shut. "Go away, Patrick. Please."

He came to stand behind her, as he shook his head. "Sorry, I can't do that. You wouldn't let me shut you out and I'm not about to let you do it to me."

Robin smiled bitterly. "I don't need you to be here out of gratitude or feelings of obligation."

Patrick walked the few steps to the bench and sat down, raising his eyes to meet hers. "You know me better than that. I don't do things out of gratitude or feelings of obligation. I'm here because this is where I want to be." He paused and then added, "You're strong, Robin. Stronger than anyone I've ever met. But that doesn't mean you have to go through this alone. Nothing you say or do will push me away."

"There was a time when a well-placed insult or a mention of the 'c' word would be all that was needed to push you away."

"Time's have changed," he replied.

Robin lowered her eyes to her hands. She was silent for nearly two full minutes, before her voice emerged softly, "Right after Stone died, I lied in bed next to him. I put his arm around me. I guess I wanted to believe that if he still felt warm, if I could still feel his arms around me, then he couldn't really be gone. I didn't really believe April was gone until I saw that sheet covering her. And, just like that, it was as if I had been transported back ten years. I felt helpless and lost and alone."

"You're not alone," Patrick whispered.

Robin wiped at her cheeks with her fingertips, as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry. Here I am feeling sorry for myself and I haven't even thought about how you're feeling. You exposed yourself to HIV so that April could live. And for what? A few weeks?"

Patrick bit at his bottom lip, as he shook his head. "You know better than anyone that everyday she was given was a gift, Robin. It was precious to her. I don't have any regrets."

Robin swallowed hard. "Maybe not now, but six months from now if you test positive-..."

"Then I'll feel the same way," he finished. Patrick reached out and took her hands in his, as he met her eyes. "Look, the truth is, April gave me more than I could have ever given her. She made me see what was right in front of me all along."

Robin closed her eyes and slipped her hands from his. She abruptly stood up and walked to the edge of the dock, crossing her arms over her chest. Patrick hesitated a moment, before standing up and walking to her side.

Robin stared at the water, as she whispered, "I'm not holding you to what you said to me after visiting her."

Patrick turned to her, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"

She slowly lifted her eyes to meet his. "I mean, we both got attached to April, emotionally involved. We let her affect us. It made us say and do thing we wouldn't normally. You were right all of those times you told me not to get emotionally attached to patients."

Patrick shook his head. "No, I was wrong. I'm finally starting to learn that my patients can help me as much as I can help them, if not more so. April helped me realize what I have in you, Robin. She made me see that I needed to tell you how I felt."

Robin chewed on her bottom lip. "Don't you understand, Patrick? I'm only going to hurt you. You're afraid of loving and losing, and someday that could be me lying in that hospital bed with a sheet covering my body."

"Don't say that," he replied quietly, dropping his eyes to the ground.

Robin shook her head sharply. "Denying it doesn't make it any less true, Patrick. That could be my fate, whether you want to accept it or not." She paused and then took a deep breath, "You're better off walking away now."

"I could never walk away from you, Robin."

"Well, if that time ever comes, I don't want you to stay out of pity or obligation," she said, her eyes rooted to the ground.

Patrick took a few steps toward her. He brought his hand to her chin and lifted her head so their gazes met. "I'll always be by your side because that's where I belong," he said softly.

A caustic smile appeared on her lips. "Careful, Dr. Drake. That's sounded a lot like strings."

Patrick offered her a crooked smile. "I know exactly what it sounded like."

Robin took a step back and his hand dropped to his side. "You have a chance, Patrick. You have a chance to find love and happiness. You don't want to waste your time on me and whatever my future holds."

"Time with you would never be a waste," he said, his voice husky with emotion. "But you're going to live a long, healthy, happy life, Robin."

"You don't know that!" she said sharply. "And I am not going to hold you to some late night declaration you made after visiting a patient who got to you. You said you could love me someday. Trust me, you'd be better off if that day never comes."

Patrick licked at his lips, as he slowly inhaled and then exhaled. "What if it already has?"

Robin's head snapped in his direction. "What?" she asked weakly.

Patrick felt his throat go dry and his palms become sweaty. "It's too late, Robin. You can try to push me away. You can say I'd be better off without you, but it won't change the fact that I already love you."

Robin's mouth dropped open. It took her a few moments to find any words. "I don't understand. Just last night, you said-..."

"I know what I said," he cut her off. "I needed you to know how much you mean to me. I wanted you to know that you shouldn't give up on me. The possibility of loving you in time was all I was ready to admit to."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Well, what changed in a day?"

Patrick looked her in the eye. "Everything." He shook his head, pursing his lips. "April's death isn't meaningless, Robin. I'm not naive or in denial. I know that the day could come when this disease gets the best of you and there will be nothing you or I can do about it. I also believe that day is way down the road and you have a long life ahead of you. But that doesn't mean I'm willing to waste even one more day denying how I really feel about you or letting fear rule my life. I've wasted enough time as it is. April's death is a reminder of how precious everyday is. It's a reminder that we need to say how we feel today because we're not promised tomorrow."

Robin stared at him intently, before a smile curled her lips. "Just when I think you can't surprise me anymore, you do."

Patrick took a step forward, as he brought his hand up to cup her face and grinned, "You ain't seen nothing yet."

He then brought his lips to hers in a soft kiss. He pulled back and kissed her forehead, as she snaked her arms around his waist. She placed her head on his chest and he leaned his chin on top of her head, as he wrapped his arms around her.

After a few moments, he whispered, "Not to pressure you or anything, but what I said before wasn't exactly easy and it would kind of help to hear you say something along the same-..."

Robin pulled back and tilted her head up to look at him, a smile upon her lips. "I love you, too," she said softly.

Patrick couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips, as he looked into her twinkling eyes. For the first time since she heard the voice on the other end of the phone, her eyes were filled with hope, rather than sadness.

---

Patrick followed Robin into her apartment. He then took her hand in his and guided her to the bedroom. He didn't say a word. He just led her to the bed. He lay down on it first, then held his hand out to her. She slipped it into his and then slid in beside him. She placed her head in the space underneath his chin, where she seemed to fit perfectly. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close as possible to him, as he kissed the top of her head.

They stayed like that in silence for nearly two hours, until Patrick's voice broke through. He said it so softly that at first Robin thought her ears were playing tricks on her.

"This is the happiest I've ever been."

Robin lifted her head, placing her chin on his chest, as she stared up at him. Her brow creased. "I don't understand. You're facing the possibility of having contracted HIV, Patrick. How is that possible?"

He brought his thumb up and traced her lower lip, saying quietly, "You make it possible."

Robin smiled and brought her lips to his for a kiss. Then she settled back into her spot and they remained wrapped up in each other for the remainder of the night.

Neither slept a wink and no more words passed between them. They simply enjoyed the comfort that lying in each other's arms brought them.

-------------------------------------------------THE END------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought. -Steph