Three
"Oh, Robin!" Jackie Neal, Dylan's mother clasps her hands to her lips and looks on tearfully as Robin lets herself be wrapped into the paternal embrace of her husband Dr. David Neal.
Robin sighs into the embrace. She had missed Dylan's parents a great deal since she and Dylan had broken off their engagement last summer. She pulls out of David's embrace and clasps hands with Jackie.
"We saw it, it was so awful," Jackie says tearfully. "I know he's so proud of his career, but I've always been so afraid…"
"Now, now, Jackie." He put his hand on his wife's back and she unclenches her hands and lets Robin go. "It was so nice of you to come all this way, Robin."
"How is he?" Robin asks as she looks around for Patrick who still stands awkwardly back in the doorway of the waiting room.
"He's holding his own." David looks behind Robin. "Patrick Drake? My god, I certainly didn't expect to see you."
"Mr. Neal." Patrick steps forward and held his hand out. "Mrs. Neal." He nods at the women he only met a few times over the years because she didn't like to attend her son's races. They were cocky and felt the immortality of the young and many a time they had scoffed at their mothers' concerns about their safety. Patrick is hyperaware that Mrs. Neal has been proven right in this instance and he himself had come to the same conclusions when he once and for all chose to be a surgeon.
"Nonsense." David Neal, a big man, dismisses Patrick's proffered hand and pulls Patrick into an embrace. He lets Patrick go and says, "It's good to see you son. How's Noah?"
"He's great, thanks to Robin." Patrick looks at Robin fondly.
Robin was perplexed by the look, but mentally shook it off. "We all work together at General Hospital in Port Charles, New York." It was her way of explaining to her ex-fiancé's parents why she brought another man with her.
"Dylan will be so happy to you see, Patrick," Jackie says.
"Is he awake?" Patrick asks and puts his arm around Robin's shoulders. Robin stiffens, but can't move out of his grasp without being obvious.
"Not yet." Dr. Neal looks from Robin's face to Patrick's and back again in askance. Robin flushes. Partially in embarrassment and a lot in anger.
"Can we see his chart?" Patrick asks.
"It's in French. Maybe you could help translate?" David asks the woman he had really wanted as a daughter-in-law. She nods and he takes his wife with him to find the doctor and get the files.
"What was that for?" Robin rips out of his hold and glares at him.
"This is my arm, Doctor. Maybe you need a refresher biology course?" Patrick licks his lips and smiles down at her. The implication of his desire to be her refresher is an unmistakable gleam in his eyes.
Robin opens her mouth, but all that comes out is a sputter. "You're impossible!" She shakes her head and steps back. Is he seriously coming on to her, right now?
"What's the big deal? We're friends?" He shrugs and puts his hands on his hips and moves a step forward so he's leaning over her.
"They're my ex-fiancé's parents and you're acting like you're my boyfriend. It's inappropriate." Could he really be this dense?
"I think the key word in there is 'ex', Robin. What's the big deal?" His expression is hard, defensive, because he knows that he was staking a claim in front of said "ex's" parents and he knows that he has no right to do so and that shouldn't want to, but it was instinctive. Like it always is with her.
"Oh excuse me, why should you understand any etiquette related to commitment. Big scary word that it is. Why don't you go find a nurse to hit on?" She's angry now. She simply cannot imagine what the hell she keeps seeing in this immature jerk that attracts her.
"Wow." Patrick rears his head back. "I might just go do that! There's a lot better places I could be while I'm here you know." He points his thumb behind him.
"That's why you're here, topless beaches." She throws her hands up in the air. She knew she was pushing him away, but she can't stop the words from leaving her mouth. It hurts that he's not her boyfriend by his own choice, but loves to play the part for whatever sick twisted pleasure he must get out of it. That and the sex.
"Yes, that's it. I traveled thousands of miles with you so I could troll the beaches of the Riviera drooling over topless women. I'll go see about a hotel." He storms out of the room.
"So much for the truce," Robin mumbles to herself and wonders if he was just going to head back to the airport. She hates that she really wants him here.
>>>>>>>>>
Patrick stands outside the hospital and considers getting a cab, returning to the airport and going back home.
"Beautiful sunset here, no?"
Patrick turns his head to find a tall, stacked brunette in a nurse's uniform peering at him from eye level. He lets his eyes wander up and down the well-displayed body. He licks his lips and lets his dimple show. "Very beautiful, Ms…." He licks his lips.
"Thalia. My name is Thalia. You are American, no?"
"I am. I'm Dr. Patrick Drake." He holds out his hand and rubs his thumb over her hand when she acquiesces.
"If you could not tell I am a nurse. The casino pays better, but I am on the waiting list." She pulls a pack of cigarettes out of her tight uniform pocket and pulls out a silver lighter and hands it to Patrick.
His smile tight now, he lights her cigarette for her and hands her back her lighter. His interest in her has not lasted past the initial physical appreciation.
"Are you here to work?" She asks after taking a few drags.
"Visiting a patient. Dylan Neal." He looks over to see her reaction.
"Ah, the sexy car driver, yes. He is in a bad way, but I've seen worse. He has very good doctors."
"Tell me about his doctors." Patrick turns towards her, puts his hands on his hips and slips into professional mode.
After pumping the busty Thalia for information on who he needed to speak to in order to get operating privileges, in between trying to avoid her exhales of toxic smoke, he decides to cut Robin some slack. After all, he reasons, he was an even bigger asshole to her while his father was dying so while this wasn't her father, it is her ex-fiancé and she probably feels bad that he dumped her and all that.
Or guilt if she dumped him.
Patrick frowns and rubs the back of his neck as he walks back into the hospital. He's still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that Robin was mourning the end of her relationship with Dylan and not necessarily mooning over Jason Morgan and living a cloistered life because of her HIV status as he had assumed. The sudden uncertainty is uncomfortable.
>>>>>>>>
Robin and David Neal look at the MRI's of Dylan's neck. Dr. Neal is a family practitioner and this is not something he is accustomed to dealing with and he is grateful that Robin is here to explain things to him. "What do you think, Robin?"
"A good surgeon can handle this." She just doesn't know if Dr. Lonchret is a good one, though he seems competent. Still, no one in her estimation is good as Patrick Drake. She plans on asking him if he'll operate.
"So your drug protocols won't help?" He is disappointed as he would have preferred his son be treated in a less invasive way than another surgery.
"My protocols are more for the brain and we will use them for the brain injury; but they won't help this kind of damage. After the surgery, there are other things we can do to speed up and improve his chances for a full recovery."
"I'm glad you're here, Robin." David takes Robin's hands.
"Me too. I've missed you, David. I'm so sorry that things just didn't work out with me and Dylan. You were so welcoming…"
"No need to apologize. My wife and I have been married for almost forty years. It's a sacred union and as they say shouldn't be entered into lightly. You two made the right decision if you weren't sure."
"Thank you," Robin whispers, her eyes filled with tears.
"Do you want to see Dylan?"
"Will they let me in?"
"I'll insist."
"I bet you will." Robin remembered his determination very well.
>>>>>>
"Where's Robin?" Patrick walks up to David Neal standing in the hallway outside the ICU unit.
"She's gone in to see Dylan. They won't let her stay long and then you can take her back to the hotel to rest. I can see she's tired. Don't let her run herself down."
"You know?" Patrick asks quietly and glances at the closed doors.
"That she's HIV positive. Of course, she was going to marry my son and she's scrupulously honest. It was quite a shock when she told us."
"Why?" Patrick asks. Robin's HIV has always been such a non-event to him and even his father. His stomach sinks as he admits that he's harassed her endlessly about hiding behind it, but he is now faced with the reality that she faces prejudice and worse from others and is starting to feel bad for his tunnel vision. Still, he wouldn't change any of it because he can see that his pushing has had an affect on her. She has become more open to life, happier, lighter.
"To look at her you'd never know. She doesn't fit the stereotype. Young, female, straight, beautiful, so healthy looking. I'm a doctor, Patrick, I have patients who are HIV positive and I know the stereotype for what it is, but still, I was surprised. She's so full of life, lives with such courage and conviction. My son chose well. I wish it had worked out. Maybe it still can?" David looks at Patrick questioningly.
"What happened?" Patrick asks before he can stop himself.
"My son has never shared the details. I know he was devastated, although he pretended for us that it was a mutual decision. Well, maybe that doesn't make a difference to how much it hurts. How long have you and Robin been involved?"
"Oh, um, Robin and I aren't…we're just colleagues and, I guess, friends." Patrick slips his hands into the pocket of his dark brown slacks.
"And you flew halfway around the world with her?" David Neal claps his strong hand on Patrick's shoulders. His hazel eyes, so like his son, twinkle. "Boy, I've known you since before you knew what to do with a woman. Don't try to fool me."
"I'm not, really. There's nothing between Robin and I. We just…support each other…through…tough…things." Patrick winces. "Jet lag."
"I'll drop the subject. Robin said that the prognosis is good if Dylan has a good surgeon. Does he have a good surgeon, Patrick?"
"He does now. I'm operating."