Authors Note: Hey there! Here is chapter two. I really hadn't planned this chapter at all. The first two paragraphs were all I'd considered. It just sort of took on a life of it's own. Let me know what you think. I'm especially worried about Patrick. Maxie I can write in my sleep, but this is the first time I've really dug into Patrick. Comment and tell me what you thought!

Screws just fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place. - Dazed and Confused

Chapter 2 : Girls Like You

Seconds, millions and trillions of seconds had passed as the clock on the wall ticked away. The meticulous noise was a subtle reminded to all, that the world would surely continue to turn despite whatever tragedy may or may not have taken place. Time didn't stop just because one wished it to. The day a loved one passes away could also be the day ones car receives a ticket. And the day Maxie Jones stopped breathing, just happened to be the day that Patrick Drake lost his car keys.

It had been unbearably sunny outside when the brilliant doctor initially awoke to the cool November air. He had just barley finished unpacking the night before but his heat had yet to turn on, making his apartment an ice box. The bad luck proved to follow him the next day as Patrick was running incredibly late. He'd forgotten to put new batteries in his alarm clock and his only saving grace had been the sun. The unnaturally bright, November sun.

"You've got to be kidding me." Patrick muttered in a low, irritated voice. The brunette wiz was made up of two parts conceited, one part impatient, three parts annoyed and another part annoying. This particular morning however, Patrick was one hundred percent annoyed. He had less than ten minutes to get to General Hospital and start his first shift. Less than ten minutes to maneuver his way through the quaint town. And, less than ten minutes to find his freakin' keys.

"This is not happening." He ground out, slamming his hand against the freezing door that he should have been walking out of by now. This was supposed to be his big break. The genius doctor takes a mediocre position in a small town. Miraculously fate brings him patient after patient to use his god sent hands on and save. He becomes a medical phenomenon and comes out of the whole thing looking like Mother Theresa. But no, that wasn't going to happen if he couldn't find his keys.

"Screw it." He finally stated before charging through the door he'd yet to lock. With a frustrated determination Patrick rushed out of his apartment building and headed in the direction of General Hospital. He hoped it was the correct direction anyway. While Patrick was no where near the type of man that walked to work everyday and soaked in the fresh air, he had a reputation to put forth. He was a doctor through and through. That meant that he showed up on time, he did his job and he did it well. If walking to work was the only way he could make it on time, then he would have to walk. Fast.

The small town feel of Port Charles was enough to make the Connecticut native sick. He had applied for positions in New York, hoping to explore life in the big cities. Instead he was trapped in May Berry. But despite his realistic nature, he couldn't help but be excited to work along side the likes of Monica Quartermaine. This was a good opportunity for him and his career. If that meant that he would have to put up with a bunch of small town drama then so be it.

Splash

As he began to approach a seemingly deserted peer, the sound of restless water encompassed his ears. Water lapped all the time, water made noise, he told himself easily. There was no point in even considering it further. Except for the fact that his insides were suddenly in knots. Years later he still wouldn't be able to explain it, but Patrick Drake stopped dead in his tracks. Late for work and usually only concerned with himself, yet he stopped. A fist seamed to close itself around his icy heart. Dizzy and unsteady, Patrick turned to pay closer attention to the now stilled water. Seconds ago it had been swaying and crashing. Now it was still. His breathing stilled along with it.

Hazy vision lead the young doctor to the railing used to protect pedestrians from the harsh waters. He leaned heavily on the wooden structure to catch his breath. What the hell was happening. Looking down to shield his eyes from the torturous sun, Patrick noticed something. Two pale yellow flip flops hovered in the murky water, like flags waving attention to whom ever may be below. In the two seconds it took for him to notice the sandals, Patrick had removed his own shoes and jacket, and was leaping into the unknown.

Clap, clap, clap.

"What?" Patrick snapped after being disturbed from his thoughts. The events of the morning seamed like a lifetime ago. In actuality it had only been a mere hour since he had rescued the pedalesque' blonde from her waterlogged journey to the afterlife. One hour. Maybe that was why he could still feel the featherlike pressure of her lips beneath his own as he performed CPR.

"I thought maybe you'd like to change into some dry scrubs. You're no good to us if you catch phenomena." Elizabeth Webber joked lightly as she handed him some teal colored scrubs.

"Thanks." He replied shortly. This was not how he'd expected his first day to go.

"Maxie's doing much better by the way. Thanks to you. Way to make a first impression Dr. Drake. You're a hero." She said before walking away unaware of how her words affected him.

"I don't want to be a hero." He muttered in response before heading to the locker room to change. Patrick just wanted to be a doctor. Plain and simple. He didn't want people counting on him to be chivalrous and brave. He was confident and smart. He was a good doctor and that was all he wanted to be.

"Doctor Drake." A voice immediately called out to him as he entered the locker room. The voice belonged to none other than Robin Scorpio. The stubborn cousin of Maxie Jones.

"Doctor Drake." Robin repeated when he didn't respond. Finally he offered her a look to confirm that he did in fact hear her.

"Listen I just wanted to speak with you about what happened earlier in the trauma room." She began.

"You mean your unprofessional behavior?" He questioned casually as the girl in front of him gaped at his audacity. He was aware of the fact that Dr. Scorpio had come into the conversation thinking they would resolve their issues and then maybe share a milk shake or something. But, the fact of the matter was, Patrick was not looking to make friends at General Hospital. He was looking for respect, a career boost, and maybe a couple exciting nights in the sack with the hot nurses.

"Just don't let it happen again okay? I have a job to do and I won't have you getting in the way of that." He stated while in the process of dropping his wet pants to the floor. Shocked by his sudden lack of clothing, Robin gasped and threw a hand over her eyes.

"Oh my god. You are incredible." She bit out in anger.

"Usually all my clothes are off before a girl says that but, I can't say I'm surprised you feel that way." He teased while removing his shirt.

"Oh good, so not only are you a know it all but you're also a perverted pig." She said while clamping her hand even more tightly over her eyes.

"I'm a good looking man Dr..." He trailed off, pretending to forget her name just to irritate her.

"You know what, I just wanted to come in here and tell you that I was wrong for what happen today with Maxie. I was emotionally attached to the case and shouldn't have pushed the issue. I thought maybe, just maybe you would show a little understanding and we could start fresh. But silly me, I didn't realize that I was dealing with the next great jack ass of the free world. So excuse me for making a mistake and being human. I appreciate the fact that you saved my cousin but, quite frankly I don't like you!" She finished the rant as her chest heaved with exhaustion. It felt good to let him know what she thought of him.

"Patrick?" She questioned after a moment of awkward silence. Only the sound of her voice echoing through the cool locker room was heard.

"Hello?" She questioned in confusion. Hesitantly Robin peeked through her hand to see if the surgeon had dressed himself yet. But the only thing Robin saw was an empty room.

"Arggggggg!" She yelled kicking a locker in a fit of rage. He had walked out in the middle of her rant. The nerve of that little idiot. Robin could tell that this was only the beginning of her frustration with Patrick Drake. Who the hell did he think he was?

Knock, knock.

"Dr. Patrick Drake." The brunette announced, making his presence known in the soundless, colorless, windowless room. Hazel eyes met blue crystals and suddenly the room seamed more vibrant, the hum of noise outside became more clear and the air more fresh. Suddenly Maxie's Jones' hospital room was a little less depressing.

"I'm sorry, what?" The blonde replied, her attitude not hidden beneath the scratchy quality of her voice. It had taken much too long for Patrick's liking to get Maxie breathing again. But, once they had shocked her a second time the young fashion queen had regained her life. After measures being taken to warm her body and close monitoring, she was on the road to a full recovery.

"The name you want to fill out on the thank you card. You know, for saving your life." He smiled in what he'd always thought to be a charming manor. Maxie's face remained unimpressed.

"Gee, thanks for not letting me drown and giving me CPR." She said in a flat, ungrateful tone. Taken back by her response, Patrick began to dispel his own defensive weapons.

"It's not like it's my job to rescue spoiled girls who can't keep themselves from falling in the water and drowning." He fired back."Who said I fell?" She spit out, mostly for shock value.

"What, you were just out for a morning dip in November?" He sarcastically replied, not quite latching onto the bait she was throwing. He wouldn't go there. He would not be some girls shrink. That was what psychologists were for.

"Look Dr..." She trailed off, reminding him of his own actions earlier. In response he gave her a dirty look and refused to give her what she was asking. With the raise of an eyebrow Maxie challenged him. He starred right back, not budging for a second.

"Okay, Dr. Moody. Anyway it's like... your job to save people. So, thanks for trying to be all noble or whatever but, next time make sure you're saving someone who actually wants to be saved." She finally finished leaving him at a loss for words.

"Are you admitting that you were trying to-" Before he could get the words out she stopped him.

"Kill myself? Of course not. I'd get sent to Shady Brooke for the rest of my life and I am certainly not trying to become Laura Spencer. Besides if I was going to kill myself I'd slit my wrists or something, not drown myself. Drowned bodies look like... ew." She shuddered at the thought.

"So you... didn't fall in. You didn't go swimming and you didn't... try and kill yourself?" He repeated her admissions trying to make sense of it all.

"Look it's none of your business how or why I was in the water. Don't you have a lung to repair or something?" She questioned making the 'shooing' motion with her petite hand. It was bad enough that she had let the 'suicide' card come into play. Now, she had to deal with all of his questions and platitude.

"What is your problem? I went out of my way to save your life and this is how you thank me?" He fumed, raising his voice. Patrick knew this was wrong. He knew that he was letting his emotions seep into the picture. It was his own rule that he never let anger, sadness, or even attraction get in the way of his job. But this girl...

"Well I'd pat you on the back Doc but, I think you've congratulated yourself enough for the both of us." She smiled a fake, condescending smile. God, it drove him crazy!

"Has anyone ever told you that you are an ungrateful little brat?"

"Yes."

"Of course they have. And of course you don't care. Girls like you..."

"Girls like me what?"

"You're going to have a rude awakening in life." He finally stated, chalking her behavior up to being a spoiled little girl who was never told no.

"Aw really? You think that like, karma will catch up to me or something?" She questioned innocently.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do." He bellowed, the volume of his voice was now nearing inappropriate.

"Like maybe my mom and dad will take off on me? Or maybe my boyfriend will get shot and die right in front of me? Oops... too late." She sang darkly, with a taunting smile. The eery admission was raw and bitter. Her eyes screamed at Patrick to say something else, give her another reason to lash out.

"Life sucks. That's no reason to try and kill yourself." He swallowed, lowing his voice.

"I didn't-" She began to protest.

"Maybe not but, you sure as hell didn't try and save yourself either." And there they were. The most honest words that had been spoken that day. Pure, undiluted reality.

"Give the boy a prize." She said twirling a piece of tangled hair between her fingers. He couldn't deal with this. He couldn't deal with her. Her and her stupid sarcasm, her suicidal tendencies, and her stupid hair. Her stupid mouth...

"You known what? I don't need this. Another doctor will be assigned to you immediately." He said before turning to exit the room. This was not how he had planned for his first day to go.

"Dr. Drake?" She called out before he reached the door. Patrick snapped his eyes shut twice before turning to face her.

"Thank you." Bitterness laced each letter of each word. "Thank you oh, so very much." Eyes spilled over with confusion and regret. "For saving my life." Patrick stared at her for a long time. He didn't know how to react to the emotion in her voice. A voice that promised more. More of what he was unclear.

"Now leave." She whispered before turning her head to the side and letting her eyes drift shut. He did as she asked with only one thought running through his mind. Maxie Jones' was not the only one who had drown that November morning.