Author's Note: Thanks for the feedback-I am extremely obssessed with this story right now and can't seem to stop writing. Hopefully I'm not updating too fast, thusmaking a lot of errors and leaving plot holes...anyways, here's chapter 4!
Robin flew out that same night, leaving New York at 6:30 pm, and arriving in Paris, France about 9 hours later. She told no one but her uncle Mac that she was leaving, and she left a vague message on her answering machine saying she'd be out of town for several weeks.
In the back of her mind, Robin wanted Patrick to find and follow her to Paris, and to declare his dedication to her and apologize for being a jerk-but Robin knew that wouldn't happen.
Robin disembarked in France and immediately felt comfortable and at home. She forgot how much she missed living in Paris. It was so refreshing, and even better there was no drama like what she was dealing with in Port Charles.
She made her way via taxi to her hotel where she slept for a few hours, then got ready to go meet Doctor's Freinot and Ponteau at a local restaurant for an early dinner. She walked from her hotel to the restaurant four blocks away. The ambience of the surrounding city was distinctly Parisian and Robin couldn't remember why she hadn't returned to Paris after the virus epidemic was cleared up. Then it came to her. Patrick and her father; men were the reason. Robin groused at the thought that she let the vicinity of men determine the course of her life.
"No more," Robin whispered as she crossed the last intersection and waved in greeting to her two colleagues who were waiting for her.
It was a productive dinner meeting, and the trio of doctors set up meetings for the rest of the week, with each of them working on a different aspect of the write-up. Robin was tasked with compiling the data and interpreting the results of the study, which she threw herself into, taking breaks only for meals and to visit her favorite spots around the city, museums and such. Her absolute favorite place to visit and think was the Louvre, regardless of its reputation as a tourist trap. Robin loved it there and she spent hours wandering the halls of the lesser known artists, finding inspiration in the more casual and abstract pieces of art.
Robin also spent many hours at the park across the street from her hotel. As it was summer there were many families and kids out daily enjoying picnics and the warm weather. Robin loved watching the people and she reveled in the joy they exhibited.
Being so busy, Robin's first week in Paris passed quickly and she had little time to think about Patrick or her father. Robin did briefly wonder if either of them missed her at all and she was tempted to call Patrick and ask him to come to Paris, feeling that she could romance him into making a firm commitment to be with her and only her. But that idea was rebuffed almost as soon as she considered it. She wouldn't give in so easily and so she forced all thoughts of Patrick from her mind.
As Robin's second week in Paris began, she and her colleagues found themselves far ahead of schedule for submission of the article for peer review and if approved, to submission to the medical journals. Robin felt certain they would be able to complete the article that week and the prospect of being published thrilled her.
On Wednesday of her second week, Robin's tenth day in Paris, she got an unexpected phone call from her mother who was back in Paris. When Anna found out Robin was in Paris as well, the two made plans to meet and have dinner. Anna had three days off before she had to leave on another assignment and Robin planned to take advantage of her mother being accessible.
Dinner was at Robin's favorite restaurant and one that she and her mother had been to many times when Robin still lived in Paris. It was a wonderful reunion and Robin was ecstatic to see her mother again so soon after their brief reunion on the Maarkham Islands.
"How's your father?" Anna asked after their waiter had taken their dinner order. They had exhausted all topics work related and Robin was a little relieved, but also curious, that her mother hadn't asked about Patrick yet.
Robin laughed at her mother's question.
"Funny you should ask. Actually he's back in Port Charles-,"
"I know," Anna interrupted and Robin conceded. Of course she knew, Robin thought.
"Well, he confronted me the day I left for here about tracking down Holly again. He says he got a lead on her location and he wants to go after her to take back the jewels. He wanted me to ask you to help him, since he's lost his resources and contacts since he left whatever agency he was with last."
Anna had her hand over her mouth, hiding a slight smile. Robin, not sure what was funny, stared at her mother, confused.
Anna shook her head and starting laughing.
"I've got them," Anna finally managed to say and Robin wasn't sure what her mother meant.
"The jewels. I've got them. I took them from Holly after I left you at the airport," Anna's laughter slowly faded and Robin was speechless.
"Mom!" she finally managed.
"Well, I got an excellent price for them, but I did keep this one piece for myself," Anna said as she stretched her arm across the table. Robin admired the sapphire bracelet that graced her mother's wrist.
"It's beautiful; but I can't believe you took the jewels from Holly. Wait until Dad finds out!" Robin laughed.
"Yes, well…your father didn't always pick the brightest of the bunch to marry, me being the exception of course. But enough about Holly and your father and all that, I want to know about you! And Patrick," Anna winked and leaned in, looking like a teenager waiting for the juicy scoop from her friend about a first kiss.
Robin felt her face blush and Anna raised her eyebrows knowingly.
"Ahhhh, I've hit a nerve," Anna grinned like a schoolgirl. "Tell mom all about it!"
That was all Robin needed and she exploded, the passion Patrick ignited in her spewing forth as she tried calling him all the names she could imagine.
"He infuriates me! He's shallow, arrogant, a playboy, and I like him. I can't help it, I'm attracted to him," Robin dropped her head to her hands and sighed, her outburst exhausting her.
"We…well, we've been together," Robin said.
"You've…both of you? Is that safe?" Anna blurted. "I mean, safe for him?"
Robin raised her head, a little surprised at her mother's concern for Patrick's health.
"It's possible to be intimate in cases like mine where the viral load is undetectable. There's still a risk, and Patrick is aware of it, and that's what makes me so mad. He knows he's been exposed, yet he's still hitting on other women and probably out with one of them right now!"
Anna stared at Robin with wide, concerned eyes.
"I'm sorry darling. If Patrick can't commit to be with just you, I say toss him. He's not worth your energy. He doesn't know what he's missing!"
"Thanks mom, I just wish it were that simple," Robin smiled, keeping to herself that fact that she thought it too late-she was already in love with him.
Returning to the hotel after dinner Robin was shocked to find a missed call on her cell phone from Patrick, but no message. Robin felt a slight twinge of nerves and she wondered if she should call him back. Her mother's advice echoed in her head, and she decided against it. If he wanted to talk to her, he'd have to call again.
Robin spent the majority of the days Anna was in town with her. They went to the Louvre together and walked up and down the Seine multiple times, talking about men and their behaviors.
Patrick hadn't called back.
Robin told her mother about his one phone call and Anna had unknowingly fueled Robin's secret desire that Patrick could fall for her. Her mother had said that if he really didn't care he wouldn't have called at all. Robin dared to dream that was the case.
Anna left on Friday, and Robin was once again alone. She'd met with Georges and Cera about the journal article earlier in the day. They had completed it and each of them would be taking a turn with a final edit before it was submitted-and Georges had the article in his possession. This meant Robin had no work to finish, and nothing to distract her from the fact that it was a Friday night in Paris and she was sitting alone in her hotel.
Robin walked to the balcony adjacent to her room and watched the night lights of Paris light up one by one and suddenly a wave of boldness swept over her. Going back in, Robin quickly changed into the trendiest clothes she had brought and made her way down and out into the Paris night intent on one destination.
When Robin had lived in Paris before, she had accepted an invitation to go out from one young man, against her better judgment. During dinner the waiter spilled red wine on her white top; as they were walking down the river Robin lost a shoe (she still couldn't figure out how that happened); and when they hailed a taxi to the club it ran over her date's foot. When they finally reached the nightclub neither one of them was in any mood to prolong the agony. They went their separate ways, Robin taking a taxi home and eating an entire container of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia.
This Friday night, Robin was intent on having some fun, even if it was alone. Taking a taxi back to the same club Robin slid her way to the front of the crowd waiting to get in and as soon as the bouncer saw her she was waved through.
The club was dark, lit by blue lights with tiny white accents. There were a few strobe lights that were pulsing to the music which was some techno beat that Robin had never heard before. It was incredibly loud and the bar area was packed three deep with people waiting to get drinks.
Robin skipped past the bar and wandered to the side of the crowds where she watched the couples grind and bump on the dance floor. There were all kinds of people there, some pierced and wearing black leather, others blond and preppy looking. Robin thought it somewhat surreal.
Wandering the perimeter of the dance floor, Robin refused three offers to dance before accepting one from a guy who looked as normal as was possible for the people gathered. Robin's assumption was wrong, as he was anything but normal. As soon as they stepped onto the dance floor his hands were all over her, groping and squeezing. Robin tried to get some distance but when he wouldn't stop touching her she kneed him in the groin then left him rolling on the floor, people dancing around oblivious of him.
Robin, deciding her plan for a night out alone wasn't such a good idea, started heading for the door when another man stopped her. He was tall, with dark hair and for a moment Robin thought it was Patrick. Upon closer examination she saw it wasn't but that didn't stop her heart from leaping in her chest and her stomach from turning over.
"Leaving already?" he leaned over and yelled into her ear, the music pounding so loud Robin still barely heard him.
"Not my crowd," Robin responded to his lowered ear.
He straightened up and laughed and Robin relaxed slightly. He offered his hand and after consideration, Robin decided to take a chance and accepted. They moved back towards the dance floor where the man with the wandering hands was not to be found. The music changed from a heavy beat to a slower one, and Robin's new dance partner pulled her close to him for a moment, speaking once again in her ear.
"Name's Jason," he said.
"Robin," she responded, smiling.
"Glad to meet you, Robin. You from the States?" Jason asked his head next to hers and his breath in her ear warm and somewhat arousing.
"New York State, but I lived here in Paris for several years," Robin responded.
"I'm from Florida myself. My parents gave me a trip to Europe for my college graduation, so here I am," Jason pulled back and started dancing faster with Robin, releasing her from his grip and spinning her around. They were not dancing any step that matched the music and Robin couldn't help but laugh; and she couldn't deny she was beginning to have fun.
Jason returned the smile and they danced the next four songs before Robin indicated she was thirsty.
Hand in hand, Jason led Robin to the bar, where the crowd had thinned a bit. As they ordered their drinks, Jason pulled Robin towards the outdoor patio where there were several groups of people talking and hanging out.
Finding a quiet corner they sat.
"So what are you doing here in Paris, Robin?" Jason asked, sipping his drink and staring at Robin with intensity.
"I'm a doctor. I'm here doing some work with a few colleagues. Nothing too exciting," Robin responded, trying to ease her nerves. She looked around at the skyline beyond them, with the Eiffel Tower lit up in the distance.
"So you just graduated college? For what?" Robin asked.
"I had a double major in Russian and History," Jason responded.
Robin raised her eyebrows, "Are you planning on teaching or something?"
Jason simply shrugged as if it was nothing he was concerned about and when he didn't elaborate Robin dropped the subject. Better not to get too much information, she thought as they sat in silence sipping their drinks.
Robin, who had placed her purse on the small table next to her, jumped when it started vibrating and moving. Smiling apologetically, Robin reached in and grabbed her cell phone, almost choking when she saw that Patrick Drake was calling her again. Offering another smile, Robin stood and Jason followed suit.
"Please excuse me, I have to take this call," Robin walked away and Jason sat back with his drink.
Robin wandered to the quietest corner she could find on the balcony and answered.
"Is this how you behave in all your adult relationships? Run away when the going gets a little rough?"
Robin was speechless. She had hardly said hello and Patrick was at her.
"Excuse me! I'm not the one sleeping around," Robin retorted, immediately feeling like a stupid child for saying it.
There was silence on the other end and Robin bit her lip, wishing she could swallow her pride and apologize.
"Not that it's any of your business," Patrick finally said, his voice softer and kinder than before, "but I haven't gone out with anyone since we slept together."
Robin didn't know how to respond.
"I won't deny I've flirted, and I've asked a few women out, but all have turned me down, even Sheila Ward," Patrick said and Robin could help but laugh.
"It's been over a week, why call now?" Robin asked, some of her anger dissipating.
There was silence and Robin wondered how he could have so little to say when it was so important, and so much to say when it didn't matter.
"Hello?"
"I'm here," Patrick responded, "I was thinking about you and, well, I miss you actually. Are you at a dance or something? It's quite loud."
"Yes, I'm at a nightclub where this really nice man is buying me drinks and dancing with me," Robin smiled as a new plan formed to make Patrick jealous for her.
"Just be careful," was all Patrick said and Robin really wished she could see his face.
"Patrick, this is hard for me. I know I said I didn't need a commitment, but I might have been fooling myself," Robin said into the phone suddenly changing the subject as the club behind her melted away and Jason, the cute college grad sitting not to far away, became a distant memory.
"When are you coming back?" Patrick asked, avoiding Robin's statement and she sighed. It was like one step forward, five steps back.
"Maybe in another week or two. I need to wait for the peer review to go through before I leave," Robin said, her interest in staying at the club gone and her desire for a pint of Ben and Jerry's increasing with each word Patrick spoke.
"Sounds good. I'll see you when you return. We should talk," Patrick said and Robin felt her stomach drop.
"Yeah, okay," she responded, barely above a whisper and then he was gone.
Robin closed her phone and started to make her way into the club towards the exit when Jason came up and grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"I need to go," Robin said as he looked at her questioningly. She felt tears pricking her eyes and he must have seen them too as he released her.
Robin wound her way through the crowd and into the Paris night.
The weekend passed slowly, and by Monday Robin was glad to be able to work again. Cera dropped off the research article for Robin's edit and she spent the day working on the article, keeping her mind off Patrick and his foreboding words.
Tuesday, Robin's 16th day in Paris, she and her colleagues submitted their research for peer review. Afterwards Robin, bored with the hotel and the television, took another stroll along the Seine, this time with her camera as she tried to capture some of the candid moments she met along the way.
As the afternoon faded away, Robin headed back towards the hotel. Her digital camera was full of some interesting shots and she wondered what she should do with them. As she waited to cross the street to her hotel, Robin watched a taxi pull up under the canopy and a tall man got out. Robin noticed curiously that he looked a lot like Jason, the guy she'd met at the club, but when he turned to pay the cabbie Robin lost her breath.
It was Patrick...