This is a story that takes place a year and a half after Robin "died". It is pretty true to the show up to that point, but Sabrina and Britt haven't been with Patrick at all.

Chapter One:

Patrick Drake stepped into the shower to get ready for his date. He felt sick at the thought, but he knew it was necessary to get everyone to leave him alone.

It had been a year and a half and it felt like five minutes. Patrick missed Robin with a profound sadness that simply wouldn't end. He did what was expected. He moved forward with his life. He was the best father for Emma he could be and his daughter was the best and most important thing in his life. She was also a perfect reminder of the strength of his wife.

She was her mother's daughter.

People had tried to get him to move on, date, start over. He was tired of telling everyone he was getting there. He was tired of smiling and acting like his world hadn't fallen apart. He was tired of people assuming he could ever give his heart away again.

He couldn't. He didn't own his heart.

Robin did.

He had thrown all of his energy into helping free his brother. He needed to fix the mess Lisa made and since he lost the best thing that ever happened to him, he could help Matt regain his freedom. Hell, with all of the criminals that walk the streets in Port Charles, he figured someone who killed a lunatic who threatened people he loved should enable Matt to be free. It was self defense. It was to stop a threat.

Patrick had gotten him the best lawyer and they were all hopeful Matt would be given probation shortly. They were waiting for the court date. It was the only thing Patrick was focusing on. That and his daughter.

He scrubbed his body and thought about how many times he had stood in that very place with Robin. Her hands on his body, his skin against hers. Nobody ever understood him like she did. Nobody ever touched him like she could. He missed that so much.

Her touch.

Sometimes, he felt her presence. It might be in the OR when he had a particularly challenging procedure. He could hear her talk about his brilliance but push him to strive for more. She was his biggest champion, but she didn't stroke his ego. She knew what she was talking about and she always challenged him to push the limits. She didn't cater to his strengths, she helped him surpass them.

Losing her had simply ended a part of him that he knew he would never find again. He had no desire to go on this date and to be honest, the woman he was meeting was less than desirable. He agreed to go with her because it wasn't threatening. He knew, there would be no connecting. He knew there would be no feelings. To be honest, he couldn't stand her.

He knew it was a means to an end. Go out once, stop the questions, and move on with the life he wanted, sans love.

He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He looked at his wedding ring and sighed. The sooner he went, the sooner he knew it would be over.

The Metro Court restaurant was buzzing when Patrick walked in. He smiled at the people he saw, knowing the stares he usually got. He also knew that he didn't care. He would never see the one person he wanted looking at him that way. He would never look into those almond shaped brown eyes again. The other eyes meant nothing. Unless they belonged to their beautiful little girl.

"Dr. Drake?" a voice called out.

Patrick looked into the face of Emma's teacher, Natalie, and smiled.

"Patrick, please," he said.

"Oh, right. This is my husband, Richard," she said and Patrick smiled and shook the man's hand. They were an attractive couple and that just made Patrick incredibly sad.

"Are you here to have dinner?" Natalie asked.

"I am. I'm meeting a colleague," he said. He couldn't bring himself to say date.

"Well enjoy," she said and smiled. "And don't forget to sign up for the bake sale."

Patrick laughed.

"I'll be sure to buy something to sell. I don't think you want me to make anything. Robin would have been much better at that," he said and stopped himself. He never talked like that, like she was still there.

"Is she your wife?" Richard asked.

"Yes, she was, but she passed away. It's just me and Emma now," he said softly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Richard said.

"It's okay," Patrick said, wanting the conversation to end.

"Patrick?" a voice he hated already called to him.

He turned to see the nurse he was meeting standing there.

"Sabrina. I was just talking to Emma's teacher," he said, embarrassed but he didn't know why.

"Oh, how sweet," Sabrina said and wrapped her arm through Patrick's. "Emma is a doll. She adores school."

Patrick was mortified. How dare she speak about his daughter. Robin's daughter.

"Excuse us," he said abruptly. "We have reservations to keep."

Natalie and Richard smiled.

"Of course. Enjoy your evening," they said and walked away.

Patrick pulled his arm away and walked into the restaurant. He didn't like being here. It was full of so many memories of his relationship with Robin as well as her brush with death. He hated thinking of it.

This was where they had their wedding reception.

This was where she threw pillows at him after he finally broke down her walls.

This was where they had shared their first dinner, the one he had to win a bet in order to have.

This was where he learned she was HIV positive.

"Isn't this place so cute," Sabrina said after they sat down.

Cute? What was she, twelve?

"It's elegant," he said and looked at the menu.

"So what do you think about the new doctor they hired in obstetrics? He seems really nice."

Patrick shrugged.

"I don't know. I tend to stick to my own specialty. I don't really have time to socialize."

Sabrina frowned and reached to his hand.

"Maybe that needs to change?"

He glared at her and pulled his hand away.

"I didn't get to be the best neurosurgeon by socializing. Sometimes it's important to keep to yourself."

She sighed.

"Felix said it was time for you to get out there and I agree. You know, you have a lot of life left in you, Patrick. Emma deserves a happy father."

"I don't think you really have anything to say about my daughter. I think this was a mistake," he went to get up.

"No, Patrick, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to step out of line."

"Look, Sabrina, I appreciate the company, but I think it might be best if we remain coworkers and nothing else."

She pouted and crossed her arms.

She was such a child, he thought.

"Why can't you just see where it goes? What's wrong with moving on?"

"Nothing," he said. "I'm just not ready."

"Maybe taking your ring off would be a start?" She looked at how he played with the band around his finger.

"It's not simply a ring. If you had any experience in what it means to truly be connected with someone, you would know that wearing the ring isn't what holds you together. Whether or not I wear my ring doesn't make Robin any more or less in my heart. She put that ring on my finger as a promise and I intend to honor that."

"She didn't," Sabrina said.

He smiled and took out his wallet.

"You're right. How selfish of her to be blown to bits while trying to save a patient."

He stood up and tossed some money on the table.

"Enjoy dinner. I don't want to talk to you again."

He turned and walked out.

Sabrina smirked and took out her phone. She made a call and spoke softly.

"He left. He's still hung up on her. This will be easier than I thought."

Patrick drove to the plot of land he bought for them. He came there often, using it to think and remember. Emma loved climbing on the trees and sometimes, when he heard Emma giggle, he felt Robin there with them. He thought about the dreams he had. He looked at his watch and knew he couldn't go home just yet.

He parked and got out, walking to the grass and sitting under the large tree that offered shade. He put his elbows on his knees and let his tears fall.

It didn't matter what anyone said.

He just didn't believe he would never see her again.

"Where am I?" Dr. Matt Hunter yelled as he was roughly pulled into a room and shoved into a chair. He was blindfolded and he had no idea what happened. Last he remembered, he was in jail, awaiting his probation hearing. He needed to get back home. He needed to help his brother and his niece. He needed to find Maxie. He needed his life back.

Patrick had been amazing, visiting him almost every week. Emma loved talking to him and they both had a fascination with turtles. She adored her Uncle Matt and this hearing was almost a sure bet to get him released. Patrick offered his house to Matt and he knew his brother wanted the company. They both needed each other. They needed family.

Matt hated that he wasn't able to help his brother through the loss of Robin. After everything that happened with Lisa, he knew just how crushing it was for Patrick to face his life without her. He may not have grown up with him, but Matt felt like he and Patrick shared the same ideas about family.

"All in due time," a voice said and finally, the blindfold was removed.

Matt blinked and looked around. There was a woman with a gun standing in the corner of the room.

"Where am I? Where is my lawyer?"

"You have been reassigned. We need your expertise for something else," a woman said to him.

"Who the hell are you? Where am I?"

"You will cooperate with us. You will do as we say."

Matt smirked.

"Or what?"

The woman nodded and he realized there were cameras everywhere.

"Or your sister in law will remain dead forever."

Matt looked up as they wheeled in a bed. He stood up as he saw it was Robin. She was comatose and looked to be in bad shape.

"Oh my God! Robin?" he went to her and reached to touch her when he was pushed back.

"What the hell is this? Who are you? What did you do?"

"All in good time. We made a mistake with Dr. Scorpio Drake and now she is close to death. We need you to fix her. We need you to cooperate."

Matt couldn't take his eyes off of her. She wasn't dead? He had to contact Patrick.

"If you want her to get better, you need to get her husband here."

The woman laughed.

"That's not going to happen. Dr. Drake is needed at home."

Matt wasn't going to argue. He looked at Robin and decided he would find a way to help her. He would contact Patrick and they would figure this out.

He didn't know the people in charge.

He didn't know who they worked for.

He didn't care.

"Let me see her medical chart," he said.

The woman smiled and nodded. She motioned for them to move Robin out and Matt went to stop them.

"Dr. Hunter, you need to follow the rules," she said as one of the men punched him. "You will do as we say. Here is the chart and we'll leave you alone. Let us know when you have a plan."

Matt held in his breath as the pain hit him. He sat down and closed his eyes as they walked out.

He needed a plan.