Title : The Break-Up

Author : Steph
Rating : PG
Pairing : Robin/Patrick
Category : Drama/Romance/bit of Humor

Disclaimer : I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.
Spoilers : Reference made to an upcoming spoiler. (The what we've been waiting for and where it happens)
Summary : After breaking up, neither one will give up the condo they share, so Robin and Patrick decide to keep living together.

Note : Thanks for the great feedback on the Epilogue of "Home Is Where the Heart Is." I am so glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to write! Anyway, onto the next one. I'm breaking my rule of posting a story before it's done. I've only written through most of the second part, but I know all of the scenes that I'm going to write. It's just a matter of writing them. It should end up being either 4 or 5 parts. Since the story is not done though, it might take a bit longer for parts to come out.

Anyway, this story is based on the premise for the upcoming Jennifer Aniston/Vince Vaughn movie of the same name. I thought it would be an interesting scenario to play out with Robin and Patrick. This first chapter takes you through the progression of their relationship and to the moment that will change everything. This is definitely a different story for me, but I thought it would be fun to write. So, hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! Thanks! -Steph

--- The Break-Up: Part 1/4 ---

"You're sure?" Robin asked, as she leaned back against Patrick's chest and linked her fingers with his.

They were sitting in front of a fire in the cabin where they had first made love two months earlier. She sat between his legs and his arms were wrapped around her, a blanket the only thing covering their bare bodies.

He nodded, "I'm sure. I want to be with you. Only you."

She smiled and turned around to face him. "Can I ask what made you change your mind?"

"You," he said softly, meeting her eyes. "I was afraid of letting a woman get close. I didn't want to get hurt. But, despite my best efforts, you got closer than I even realized. When I'm with you, Robin, I don't want our time together to end. And when we're not together, I can't think of anything else but you. I can't wait until I see your face again. The truth is, I haven't been with another woman since before we almost made love the first time."

Robin's eyes widened. "You mean the Gwen thing? That time?"

He nodded. "I didn't sleep with Gwen."

"You made it seem like you did the next day."

"I wanted to make you jealous."

"Mission accomplished. Why didn't you sleep with her?"

He shrugged, meeting her eyes. "She walked in the door and I couldn't get you out of my head. I started talking about you and, two hours later, I was still talking. Gwen is a very good listener and a very understanding woman."

Robin shook her head in disbelief. "I never would have guessed that's what happened."

He smiled. "I've been yours for a long time already. I've been with you exclusively, Robin. You just didn't know it. Now I'm making it official."

She smiled. "And all of that flirting you've still been doing with the nurses?"

He grinned. "Well, I had to keep up my image."

She nodded and met his eyes. "This isn't going to be easy, Patrick. Being a part of a real relationship is hard. It takes work. You have to be willing to make the effort."

"I am," he said, his voice sincere.

She smiled, as he brought his lips to hers.

---

- Four Months Later -

"You can't do that!" Patrick said, as he gestured at her.

Robin stood in a bush a couple of yards away from the miniature golf course hole they were on. She had bent over to pick up her ball.

"Patrick, I can't hit it from here. It's in a bush."

He shrugged. "Miniature golf rules clearly state you have to hit from wherever it lands."

"What miniature golf rules? I was not provided with any rules."

"Those are just the rules." He flashed her a grin. "Next time, don't hit your ball into the bush."

She threw him a glare, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was distracted by you kissing me just as I was hitting the ball!"

His put his hands on his hips. "See, that's what separates the good miniature golfers from the great. The great don't let anything distract them."

She smiled. "And I'm guessing you're one of the great ones?"

He shrugged, a smirk on his face. "I don't like to brag." Robin scoffed at that and rolled her eyes. "But I'm kind of known as the Tiger Woods of miniature golf."

Robin nodded. "So nothing distracts you, huh?"

He bobbed his head. Robin smiled and proceeded to maneuver herself the best she could to hit her ball. She managed to get it back on the green and got it into the hole with three more strokes. Patrick put his ball down and got into position, his brow furrowing in concentration.

Robin watched him, admiring the way his tongue flicked at his bottom lip. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. And she couldn't imagine a time when she'd ever want to.

Her lips curved into a smile, her words emerging softly and taking her by surprise. "I love you."

Patrick's head snapped up at her, just as his club connected with the ball. His ball went flying over the fence and into the parking lot. He didn't notice.

Robin bit at her lip guiltily, as her cheeks filled with red.

Patrick's mouth hung open at her. "Did you just...You said you love me?" She nodded. He swallowed hard. "Because you've never said that before. That was the first time."

She nodded again. "I know."

He bobbed his head. "Were you just saying that to distract me?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No, I said it because I meant it. The distraction was just an added benefit."

He walked towards her, stopping right in front of her. He looked down at her, his gaze intense. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"You don't have to say it just because I did."

He shook his head, as he brought his hand up to cup her cheek. He whispered, "I'm not. I'm saying it because I mean it." He paused and then added huskily, "I love you, Robin."

He then brought his lips to hers. His tongue was just about to dive in, when they heard a throat clear behind them. They pulled apart and found an annoyed family of four glaring at them. They were apparently taking too long on the windmill hole.

Robin blushed and lowered her head. "Sorry, we were just moving on."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the next hole, as Patrick threw the family a charming grin over his shoulder. Their teenage daughter smiled at him, looking as if she wished Patrick would stay behind.

Robin set her ball up on the next hole, as Patrick went to the parking lot to find his ball. He returned a few minutes later, holding his ball.

She smiled at him. "See, that's what separates the good from the great. The great don't let things distract them."

"Funny," he said as he put his ball down and hit it.

"So, whose place do you want to stay at tonight?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied, his attention focused on getting his ball in the hole on the second stroke.

"Well, we stayed at yours last night."

They hadn't spent a night apart in the last four months. They would just bounce back and forth between his room at the MetroCourt and her apartment.

He threw his arms up as he made the shot. He then gestured for her to take her turn. He stood back, arms crossed over his chest as he watched her.

He'd realized something months ago. He loved watching her. It didn't matter what she was doing. Completing paperwork at the hospital, brushing her teeth, or sleeping. That was his favorite. He loved watching her sleep. He'd gotten so used to having her beside him, something he never expected, given his history. He loved waking up to her face and falling asleep beside her. He couldn't imagine it ever being any other way.

"Let's live together," he said suddenly, his eyes focused on her figure.

Robin was in mid-swing. Her club froze in the air, as she turned to look at him, her mouth dropping open. He walked over to her and smiled, taking the club from her hands, letting it fall to the ground, and replacing it with his hands. He looked into her eyes, waiting for a response.

She swallowed hard. "Were you just trying to distract me again?"

He grinned, "No, that was just an added benefit."

She arched her brow. "You really want to do this?"

He nodded. "We're practically living together already anyway. We haven't spent a night apart in four months."

Her eyes narrowed. "So is this just because it makes sense or is it something you really want?"

Patrick lowered his lips to hers, wrapping his arms around her so that he nearly lifted her off the ground.

He pulled back, leaving her breathless. "What do you think?"

She smiled. "I think you have this idea in your head that you're going to get even more sex if we're living together."

He grinned, flashing his dimple. "Now that would certainly be an added benefit."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Well, if that's an added benefit, then what would be your main reason for wanting to live together?"

He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek, his eyes capturing hers. "Because then I'd know for sure that I'd be waking up to you every morning and falling asleep beside you every night."

Robin blinked back tears. He smiled. "Have I convinced you yet?"

She nodded, bringing her lips back to his. However, they were again interrupted by a throat clearing before the kiss could go much farther. Patrick pulled back and looked at the family.

"I think you guys are going a little too fast on those holes. Savor the experience. Spend some quality family time together."

Robin laughed, but was soon silenced by Patrick's mouth covering hers again. She was taken by surprise and more than a little embarrassed that they were doing this in front of a family of four, as well as stopping them from moving onto their next hole. But by the time Patrick's fingers threaded through her hair, any thoughts that didn't involve the gorgeous man kissing her, fell away.

---

- One Month Later -

"It's perfect," Robin said, as she stood in front of the picture window looking out at the view.

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "So you think this is the one then?"

She nodded. "It's the one."

They had looked at countless condos. This was the first one that interested either one of them. They knew it was perfect the moment they saw it. It had two floors with two bedrooms, a balcony, one and a half baths, and a fireplace. It was also a great deal.

She turned around in his arms and met his eyes. "You're sure about this, right? Because it's completely possible that you were kidding when you said let's live together and when I took you seriously, you just went along with it. If so, it's time to come clean."

He smiled and shook his head. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Her expression didn't soften. "I'm serious, Patrick. Living together is a big step. It's going to change our relationship. It has to."

"Do I get to wake up to your face every morning?" he asked. A smile pulled at her lips, but she didn't say anything. "And do I get to fall asleep beside you every night?"

She couldn't help the smile that had overtaken her lips, but still managed to reply, "Yes, but-..."

"Then that's all that matters. Everything else we'll make work. We'll figure it out."

She slowly nodded. "Okay."

---

- One Month Later -

Patrick lit the last candle just as Robin walked in the door. A smile brightened her countenance as she noticed the beautifully set table and the beautiful man standing beside it, flashing a dimpled grin at her. He always managed to look at her like she was the only woman on earth.

"You cooked?" she said, as she dropped her purse on the couch and walked towards him.

He smiled. "I cooked."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her hands on the sides of his face to pull his lips down to meet hers. "I knew there was a reason I love you."

"Just one?"

"Okay, maybe two."

"Careful, you're going to hurt my ego."

"It could stand a hit or two," she replied playfully. "So, what did you cook?"

He moved into the kitchen and emerged a moment later with a covered platter. He placed it down on the table and gestured for her to sit. She did and he followed suit. He then lifted up the cover.

Robin laughed, her eyes twinkling at what she found. "Corndogs?"

"Yup."

"Did you actually make these?"

"I hand-dipped them myself."

"I'm impressed."

Robin reached out to take a corndog and he did the same. They ate in a comfortable silence for a long time, until she broke it.

"This is nice," she said.

"Thank you."

She shook her head, her voice emerging softly, "No, I meant having someone to come home to."

He smiled, meeting her eyes. "Yeah, it is."

---

- Six Months Later -

Robin's head lay on top of Patrick's bare chest, her silky hair spread out across his skin like a halo. She ran her fingers up and down his arm absentmindedly. The fingertips of his right hand trailed down the soft skin of her back.

"Did you ever imagine it could be this good?" she asked softly.

"The sex? Of course."

She gently swatted his arm. "No, I mean living together."

He smiled. "No, this is better than I could have ever imagined."

Her eyes sparkled from the comment. "Well, it's certainly not perfect. There are some things you do that drive me crazy."

"I assume you mean in a bad way, as opposed to how I was driving you crazy twenty minutes ago."

"Yes, in a bad way," she said with a grin.

"Care to share?"

"Well, you're a slob, for one. You don't know how to clean up after yourself. I had no idea. Your room at the MetroCourt was always so neat."

"It had maid service, Robin."

"Of course. That explains it."

"Well, you're no picnic either," he said good-naturedly.

"What's wrong with living with me?"

"You're a neat freak. Everything has to be just so. You like to control things."

She smiled, not bothering to defend herself and choosing to add another annoyance of his. "I can't stand how you have to sleep with the television on. It takes me forever to fall asleep."

She then paused for a long moment and found his hand, linking her fingers with his. She tilted her head up to look at him. "But none of that matters at the end of the day because I get to be here with you, like this. And there's no place on earth I'd rather be."

He grinned, stroking her hair. "Good, because I have no intention of letting you go."

Robin smiled, as she moved herself into a sitting position. She then climbed on top of him, straddling his hips with her legs. She bent down and brought her lips to his, as he entwined his fingers into her hair.

---

- Four Months Later -

Robin looked up from her reading as Patrick came in the door. "Hi. You're home late. I thought you said your shift ended at eight. It's after eleven."

He shrugged, as he walked to the couch and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I had a lot of paperwork to catch up on."

"You could have done that here."

"It was easier to just do it there," he replied, as he walked into the kitchen.

She followed him into the kitchen, looking on as he peered into the refrigerator.

"You've been working late a lot lately."

"You know how crazy it's been at the hospital," he said, as he pulled a beer out and opened it up. He took a long drink.

"Yeah, I know, it just feels like we never see each other anymore, outside of work that is."

He moved back to the refrigerator and pulled out a loaf of bread and some sliced turkey.

"Hopefully, things will slow down soon."

She nodded. "Hopefully." She then added softly, "I just...I miss you, that's all."

He opened his mouth to say something, then snapped it shut. Robin eyed him for a long moment, before turning on her heel and leaving.

---

- Three Months Later -

"They seemed really happy," Robin said, as she turned to Patrick. His eyes were focused on the road. "Your cousin, Lisa, looked beautiful. I loved her dress."

"Yeah," he replied flatly.

Her brow furrowed at him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just tired."

"Are you sure that's all? You haven't seemed like yourself all night."

"I've just been really busy at work. I'm just stressed and tired."

"You barely said a word all night. You didn't want to dance. And this is the first time you've spoken to me during our ride home."

He rubbed at his face. "I'm exhausted, Robin, that's all. You know what it's been like at the hospital."

"Yes, I do. But you don't see me shutting you out completely," she snapped.

He glanced at her. "That's not what I'm doing."

"We are never going to make it if you don't talk to me, Patrick," she said.

"There's nothing to say."

"That's not true. I need you to talk to me."

He ran a hand through his hair agitatedly. "Look, I'm exhausted and if you don't stop pushing, I may say something I'll regret later."

She shook her head, unable to just let it go at that. "Something hasn't been right with you, with us, for a while now."

He licked at his lips but didn't reply. She blinked back sudden tears, her voice emerging softly. "Is there someone else? Is that what this is about?"

His head snapped in her direction, hurt immediately appearing in his eyes and evident in his voice, "How could you even ask me that?"

"What do you expect me to think? You've been coming home late, you've been distant, you won't talk to me."

"I have been completely faithful to you, Robin. I haven't even thought about another woman since that first time we almost made love. I haven't wanted to. I know I'm new at this relationship stuff and, given my history, I could understand how you could have doubted me when we first got together, but now? After all this time, after everything we've been through?"

She wiped at a tear streaming down her face. "Then what, Patrick? What is it? I feel like I'm losing you and I don't know what to do."

"You're not losing me," he said softly, but offered nothing else, as he refocused his gaze on the road.

Robin moved her eyes to her hands.

---

- Two Months Later -

Robin walked in the door, her eyes widening at Patrick, who was sitting on the couch watching television in his sweats.

"Why aren't you dressed? I told you I was going to come home to change quickly and then we had to go. Lisa is expecting us in half an hour."

"I'm not going," he said, as he flipped through the channels, eyes focused on the screen.

She came to stand in front of the television and turned it off. He sighed and moved his eyes to her face.

"What do you mean you're not going? She's your cousin, Patrick. It's a house warming party for her."

"I just don't feel like it. I'm really ti-..."

"Tired, I know. Funny, before we got together you never seemed to be tired. You seemed to have an endless amount of energy after work. And in the beginning of our relationship and when we first started living together, those words never came out of your mouth. Now that's all you say."

He groaned and rubbed at his eyes. "What do you want from me?"

"How about the truth, Patrick? Let's start with that."

"Fine," he said, meeting her gaze. "I really don't feel like being around Lisa and her new husband."

"Peter? What's wrong with Peter?" she asked, brow creasing in confusion.

"Nothing, it's them together. All lovey-dovey. They're turning into one of those couples."

"What couples? What are you talking about?"

"You know, those married couples who try to force every couple they know into marriage."

Robin's eyes widened. "So that's what this is about? You think they're going to start pressuring you into marrying me?"

He lowered his eyes. "Well, we're at that point in our relationship, aren't we?"

Robin nodded, a bitter smile appearing on her lips. "That explains so much. How you started avoiding me at work and at home. How you just stopped talking to me. How you've barely touched me in the last few months. You've been pulling away because you believe I'm starting to think marriage."

Patrick swallowed hard and met her eyes. "Well, aren't you?" Robin moved her gaze to the ground and shifted her feet. He nodded. "See? I was right."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to."

Robin moved to the couch and sat down next to him. She looked directly into his eyes. "So maybe I am. You don't think I deserve that? Yes, I want to marry you, Patrick. I can't imagine being with anyone else. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I'm sorry if that scares you, but it's the truth."

He licked at his lips. "Robin, you know I want to be with you. But why do things have to change? We have a good thing going, at least we did before I started screwing it up. But we can get it back. I just don't see why we need a piece of paper to tell us we should be together."

"It's more than a piece of paper to me. It's a real commitment. It says that we want to spend the rest of our lives together and we're willing to declare that in front of our friends and our family."

He shook his head. "Marriage can ruin even the best relationships, Robin. I've seen it happen a thousand times. A couple is happy together for years, in some cases. Maybe they're even living together and doing just fine. Then they decide to get married and things change. Everything falls apart."

"It doesn't have to be that way."

"Why do you want to risk it?"

"I want to be married, Patrick. I want to have a family. I can't have children with someone I can't be sure is committed to me, especially with the special considerations I'd have to think about since I'm HIV positive."

Patrick shook his head slowly. "Robin, I don't want to have kids."

Robin's eyes widened. "What?"

"I told you that. With everything that happened with my father, it's just not something I want."

"But you patched things up with Noah."

"It's still not something I want. I don't think I'd be any good at being a father."

"You're scared and you're underestimating yourself. You'd be a wonderful father."

"I can't see it. Look at what happened between me and my father. I would hate to go through something like that with a kid of my own. It would tear me apart. I told you all of this before we even got together."

"I know, but that was a long time ago. I thought you would change your mind in time. I guess I thought you had changed your mind. Why didn't you mention this every time I talked about wanting to be a mother?"

"I never said anything at all," he replied.

"I guess that should have been my clue," she said softly.

Robin sighed and sank down into the couch. She slowly turned to look at him and whispered, "Where do we go from here then?"

He brought his hand up and caressed her cheek, "I want to be with you. That hasn't changed."

She squeezed her eyes closed, tears stinging her eyes. "But I want more."

Patrick lowered his eyes. "I can't give you more. Not right now."

She slowly opened her eyes and met his gaze. She swallowed hard, her throat so tight she could barely choke out the words. "Then I guess it's over."

Patrick felt his breath catch in his chest. "Robin, no. It doesn't have to be over."

Her bottom lip quivered as she spoke. "I can't go on like this. We want different things. Things are only going to get worse between us now that it's out in the open. We could pretend that nothing's changed, but we'd end up resenting each other and one of us wouldn't be getting what we want."

He took a deep breath and took her hands in his. "But this way neither one of us gets what we want. All I want is to be with you and, when it comes right down to it, that's all you want to."

"No, that's not true, Patrick. I want more than that. I can't pretend that I don't. It's not fair to me and, in the long run, it wouldn't be fair to you. And we wouldn't make it."

Patrick blinked back tears, as he held onto her hands for dear life. "It can't be over," he managed to say weakly.

She brought her hand up and cupped his cheek. She then brought her lips to his in a soft kiss. Robin pulled back and leaned her forehead against his, their eyes remaining closed.

"I will always love you," she whispered.

She then moved to get up, but he wouldn't let go of her hand. He looked up at her with pleading eyes. "Please, don't do this."

Robin roughly wiped at the tears now streaming down her face with the back of her hand. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be, Patrick. Than it already is."

He slowly released his hold on her hand and she slipped it free from him. She offered him one last look, before walking up the stairs. Patrick bowed his head and threaded his fingers through his hair, as a tear slipped down his cheek.

---

- One Week Later -

Robin looked at Patrick over her newspaper. "We have to talk about this at some point. It's been a week. I can't go on like this. One of us needs to move out."

He licked at his lips. "It's not going to be me."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm not the one who wanted to break up."

Robin shook her head. "That's not fair and you know it. You think I wanted this?"

"I think you're the one who made it happen, so you should be the one to leave."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere. I have just as much right to this condo as you do, maybe more. Everything in this place is pretty much mine. You came from a furnished apartment in Manhattan to the MetroCourt to here. You came with pretty much just your clothes. This place should be mine."

"Well, that's a solid argument, except it doesn't take into consideration that my name's on the lease, just like yours."

"Patrick, I'll never find something this nice at such a great price. I'm not going to just give it up."

He tilted his head. "Then I guess we have a problem."

"I guess we do."

He looked at her for a long moment, his heart breaking at the distance between them now. All he wanted to do was reach out and touch her.

She folded her newspaper and stood up. "I'll see you at work."

He grabbed her hand, stopping her movement. She looked down at him.

"Look, it's obvious that neither one of us is going to be the bigger person here and give up this place. I propose a compromise."

She arched an eyebrow. "A compromise?"

"We both keep living here."

"You're kidding, right?"

"I don't see any other choice. We both want the place. Either one of us leaves, we take it to court, or we stay where we are."

"How could that possibly work, Patrick? It's insane."

"We can work out our schedules at the hospital so that they don't coincide. Our schedules are hectic. We're not home much as it is. And when we are, we'll probably be sleeping. We won't even notice the other one still lives here."

Robin shook her head. "I just don't see how it could work."

"Do you have a better idea?"

Robin sighed. "No. Unfortunately, we're both stubborn as hell and unwilling to make the sacrifice. So I guess this will have to do for now. That is, until one of us decides to be the bigger person or just can't take it anymore, whichever comes first."

Patrick nodded, his eyes scanning her face. He wondered how this would ever work. How could they possibly continue living with each other without actually being together. Every part of him still wanted her and he knew she felt the same about him. They hadn't fallen out of love, far from it. They'd just come to an impasse.

Robin met his eyes. "I'll get to work on my schedule at the hospital." She then turned on her heel and left.

Patrick watched her until she disappeared from view.

------

Part 2 coming soon...

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought! -Steph