Chapter Two:
"How long have we been here?" Patrick asked, breaking the silence of the elevator car.
"An hour since we last dropped," she said and shivered. The air stopped blowing, but there was still a chill that lay in the air. It was pitch black and more than a little creepy.
"Do you have any water?"
Robin shook her head and then realized he couldn't see her.
"No, but I have some gum if you want," she said.
"No thank you."
They were silent for a while again and Robin sighed.
"So what were you doing in the building?"
He was worried. He needed to get out of here. He needed to take his meds and he hated being late.
"I was heading to an appointment."
She moved a little and her dressed ripped some more.
"Excuse you," he said.
"My dress ripped," she said.
"Right," he said and smiled.
"Don't be gross. I didn't pass gas, my dress ripped."
"Okay, if you say so," he moved a little and checked his phone again.
"It isn't suddenly going to work," she said.
"Does it bother you that I check?"
"No."
"Then why do you have to comment on it every time?"
"Because it's insane. Doing the same thing over and over and getting the same result is the definition of insanity."
"Don't you think that's a bit of a leap? Now I'm insane?"
"I didn't say you were insane, I said checking your phone was insane. That's what's wrong with men, they never listen."
He snorted.
"And you're so perfect."
"I didn't say that, either."
"Whatever. We need to get out of here."
She sighed and jumped when he pounded on the door again.
"They aren't going to answer."
He turned toward her voice.
"So what do you suggest? We just sit here until we die? We don't do anything to improve the situation? We just accept our fate?"
She chuckled.
"This coming from the man who said death would be an improvement on his day?"
He was silent. She had a point.
"I just need to get out."
"Are you claustrophobic?"
"No."
"So it's just me?" she joked. "I'll try not to be insulted."
He didn't answer; he just sat against the wall, trying to figure out how much his schedule was going to be off.
Robin sighed and rubbed her arms. This was worse than speed dating. This was the speed date that never ended.
It was silent for another ten minutes and Patrick spoke.
"I'm sorry to be a jerk. I have to take some meds and I like to stay on schedule. I'm missing my dose and it upsets me."
Robin nodded.
"I totally understand that. I'm a doctor."
"Me too."
"Really?"
He chuckled.
"You sound surprised."
"Maybe a little. Your bedside matter might leave something to be desired."
He shrugged.
"I'm in research, so my bedside matter is of no importance."
"Apparently," she said.
They both jumped when the elevator began to move and it was evident something was wrong. It tipped to the side and Patrick fell onto her, knocking her head with his knee and he was worried he may have broken something. Shit, was that her head? He knew immediately he hurt her.
"Robin? Robin?" he asked as he tried to feel for her head.
There was no answer and he moved enough to feel her arm. He picked it up and realized she was unconscious.
"Shit," he said as he tried to feel more for an injury but his hand touched her skin as he realized he was touching where her dress was ripped.
He went to move her closer to him when the elevator moved again and finally seemed to lower to a floor. He fell back as it stopped and the doors opened. Light flooded the car and he blinked as a tiny blonde shrieked.
"Robin? What happened? What did you do to her?"
Patrick looked around and realized her dress was almost off and her body was contorted on the ground. She was unresponsive and he looked more than a little guilty of something.
"I didn't do anything. I fell onto her and I think my knee knocked her out," he said as he walked out.
The blonde was crying and she covered Robin with her coat as the medics assessed her.
"I didn't do anything," he repeated. "Her dress ripped when the elevator fell.
The police led him away and questioned him some more while Robin was taken off on a stretcher with the blonde following. He was really worried about her and hoped he could see her again.
"Excuse me, officer, but I need some water and I need to use the bathroom," he said as he stood in the corner of the hall.
"I don't think I care what you need at the moment."
Patrick stopped and looked at him.
"I've been trapped in an elevator for two hours. Why are you treating me like I'm a criminal? I'm a respected doctor and I need to use the bathroom."
"Do you have any idea what it looked like when the doors opened? How convenient for you to do all the talking when the woman was unconscious and almost naked."
Patrick sighed.
"I know what it looked like, but it was all a mistake. As soon as she wakes up, she'll tell you."
"If she wakes up," the officer said.
There was a commotion and the officer looked as Robin came in helped by the blonde.
"Thank God. Will you please tell them I didn't try and attack you?" he said as he took in her appearance. She had a bag of ice on her head and there was a nice bruise on her forehead. She had a blanket wrapped around her and she was leaning heavily on the other girl.
"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Robin said snidely and looked at the officers. "He didn't do anything to me. I ripped my dress and when the elevator fell, I was knocked out. Please let him leave."
The officers spoke for a few minutes and took down Patrick's information before they let him leave. He walked to the men's room without saying another word.
"He's cute, but an ass," Maxie said.
Robin sighed.
"He needed to take care of something. He didn't hurt me."
"Well you scared me half to death," Maxie said.
"I'm sorry. I told you I didn't want to go speed dating with you," Robin smiled and walked to the bench against the wall. "Why don't you head home? I'm just going to sit and make a call before I leave."
"I think you should go to the hospital," Maxie said.
"I'm fine. The medics looked at me and I know how to take care of myself. I'll be fine."
"If you're sure," Maxie grinned.
Robin eyed her and laughed.
"You're going on a date, aren't you?"
"Well I didn't want to waste the night," Maxie smiled and Robin laughed as she watched her cousin leave.
Robin sighed and took her phone out of her purse. She just wanted to go home and crawl into bed, but she needed to check her messages first. She took her phone out of her purse and dropped it on the floor just as someone walked near her, making contact with the phone and cracking it into a million pieces.
"No," she cried and looked up, her anger growing.
"Seriously? Haven't you done enough?" she said to Patrick who stood there, on her phone.
"Like I did it on purpose," he said.
"You're such an asshole. What happened to being polite? How about I'm sorry?"
Patrick was quiet and Robin sighed.
"Could you at least move off of the pieces?"
"Robin? Did the medics check you out thoroughly?"
"What? Yes, I guess. I'm fine," she said, but truthfully, she felt strangely odd.
"Will you let me take you to the hospital?"
"Why?" she stood up and immediately felt the pressure in her head.
"Oh, damn," she said and sat back down.
"Hey, look at me," he knelt down and looked at her. "You are bleeding from your nose and your ear. I want you to have a CT scan right now. I'll call an ambulance."
"No, I'll go myself," she said weakly. "I don't want an ambulance."
"I don't care what you want. If anything happens to you, I'll probably be charged with murder," he smiled at her. "Come on, I'll help you."
She knew she needed his help.
"Okay, thank you," she said softly. "How is your knee?"
He helped her up and held his arm around her.
"It's a little sore. Has your head been working out?"
She chuckled and leaned against him as they made their way out.