Chapter Seventeen:

"I don't want to hurt you," Patrick said as he lay on the bed and looked at Robin. He leaned on one elbow and traced a line over her chin.

"You won't hurt me," she pulled him to her, hungrily kissing him, her need for connection, for solace, for safety was overpowering.

He backed away and caught his breath. He felt like he could devour her and still want more.

"You said you didn't want to make love until you were sure everything was okay."

"There are other ways to have some fun," she smiled and ran her hand down his taut chest to his navel.

"You know you're killing me, don't you?" he groaned as he fell on his back and stared up at the ceiling.

Grinning, she sat up and faced him.

"Would it be better if I kept my distance?"

"No, but it's very hard to keep my hands to myself."

She moved to reach for him when her shoulder popped and she cried out as she lay back.

"Fuck," he said and reached to help her. "This has to stop." He was sick at the pain and torment she must feel and he needed it to stop now.

"It's okay, it isn't out, I just tweaked it," she said, panting from the pain.

"It's not okay, Robin, none of this is okay," he yelled and got out of the bed. He picked up the clock next to the bed and threw it against the wall.

Surprised by his outburst, a realization hit her and she walked to him.

"This isn't your fault," she said softly.

His eyes betrayed him.

"Yes it is. He is my father, Robin. He ordered this and he caused this. He was a brilliant orthopedic surgeon and he knew what he was doing, and he went through with it. He didn't care who was hurt. He didn't care about you," his voice caught in his throat. "The pain you're in every minute of every day, and the disease he gave you, it's too much."

She watched as he walked of the house and slammed the door.

She didn't know how to help him. She didn't blame him at all, but she also knew how hurt he was over what his father did. It was one thing to hurt her, but Patrick knew his father had ordered him dead. How do you deal with that?

She walked to pick up the clock he threw and saw something that stopped her heart. She picked it up and ran out to him.

Patrick paced out in the cool breeze. He was livid, no beyond that. He couldn't understand how someone could do this. His father. How had he misjudged everything? Did he ever truly know his dad? He saw Robin run out to him and he turned to apologize for walking out when he saw her face.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

She held her finger to her lips to silence him and showed him the alarm.

His eyes went wide when he noticed the same thing she had. There was a tiny tracking bug inside the bottom. They were being recorded, watched, and probably followed.

He took it and put it on the ground before he smashed it with his heel.

"Did you know about this?" she asked him.

"What? Of course not," he ran his hand through his hair. "You believe me, don't you?"

She nodded. "I do, I just wondered if this was standard for a safe house."

"No, it isn't. We need to leave. We need to go now," he walked back into the house.

Robin followed and her anxiety was high.

"What do we do? Where do we go?" She watched as he put a bunch of things in a bag and walked to a loose floorboard she hadn't noticed. He pulled out a box and she looked at him.

"Money and ID. We always keep it here in case of emergency."

She nodded and he saw her fear.

"Robin, it's going to be okay. We are going to find a safe place and figure this out," he walked to her and cupped her face in his hands. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She nodded.

"I know. I just need this to be over. I want to stop running."

"I know," he said. "I want that, too."

She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Let's get going."

XXXXX

Patrick drove them in a car that was in back of the house and Robin shifted in the passenger seat, extremely uncomfortable. She was experiencing shooting pains in her shoulder and down her back.

"What do you think?" Patrick asked her.

Realizing she hadn't heard a thing he said, she rubbed her forehead and nodded.

"Whatever you think."

Patrick shook his head at her response and saw she was in distress.

"Robin, tell me what hurts," he said as he stepped on the gas.

"My shoulder, but it's a bit different than before," she said and found it difficult to take deep breaths.

He took her hand in his and drove faster.

"I think I know what's going on. Hang on and stay with me, okay?"

She tried to answer him, but she was so tired. She closed her eyes for a minute to rest.

XXXXX

"Robin? Hey, can you look at me?" an unfamiliar voice called to her.

Her eyes opened and she realized she was in a bed. Panic raced through her as she tried to get up but there were arms holding her down.

"Oh no, not again, please," she screamed for help.

"It's okay," the same voice said. "You're in a hospital and you're safe."

"I'll kill you if you lay a hand on me," she said as she tried to clear her thoughts.

"Patrick will be back in a minute," the woman said. Robin saw she was a nurse.

"What happened to me?" Robin realized she was in a hospital gown and her shoulder was bandaged.

Patrick walked in and smiled when he saw she was awake.

"Hey, how are you?" he walked up and the nurse excused herself.

"What happened? Where are we?"

"We're in a hospital and we're safe." He took her hand in hers and brought it to his lips. "You had an infection and the crap they did to your shoulder caused necrosis of the joint. I think when you tweaked it the last time; you caused the infected area to move. It needed to be removed." He looked at her and let her process what he was saying.

"Did you operate on me?"

"I did. I removed the damaged materials they used and reconstructed your shoulder. It should be fine after time and therapy."

"You did that?" she asked again.

"You would have died if the infection got into your blood," he said.

"But where are we? How did they let you operate?"

He looked up and motioned for the nurse to come in.

"This is Bobbi Spencer. She is an amazing nurse, and an ex agent. She is my contact and she is like a second mother to me. She got us in under assumed names and she assisted in your procedure."

Robin was floored.

"I'm sorry I was so rude," she said as she looked at Bobbi. "I didn't know where I was."

Bobbi walked over and smiled at her.

"I know that, sweetie. From what I saw in that OR, you have been through a terrible ordeal. It was my honor to help you."

Robin felt her tears fall as she looked at them.

"Thank you."

Bobby walked out and Patrick looked at her.

"I also had your blood sent down to the hematologist and she will be up to talk to you with the results. I want you to feel in control of everything about your health." He stood up and ran his hand through his hair. "I hope all of this is okay."

"Patrick, come here," she said and reached for him.

He sat down and wiped his eyes.

"What you did for me," she took his hand in hers. "I can't explain what this means. You are amazing."

He leaned in and kissed her softly.

"I just want you to feel better," he spoke softly as his voice caught in his throat.

She closed her eyes, exhausted.

"Because of you, I already do." She murmured as she fell asleep.

He held her hand and sat with her, praying this worked.

Chapter Eighteen:

"Robin, you have to stay here," Patrick watched as she tried to get dressed. "It's been one day. You can't go anywhere."

"It's not safe to stay here," she said as she struggled to put some scrub pants on.

"Why are you suddenly so sure it isn't? What happened?"

She looked at him and sighed.

"The safe house was bugged. It's a safe house, Patrick. They are never bugged. The car you took was probably bugged. I don't know where to go that will be safe, but I know it isn't here."

"You think I know more than I'm saying, don't you?" he walked to the bed to face her.

"I don't think you're lying to me. I just don't think you know everything about these people." She took his hand with her good hand. "I haven't been in control of anything for the past year. It's time I remembered that I am trained and I can take care of myself. I need to get back to who I am."

"What does that mean for me? For us?" he watched her and his heart ached.

"What do you want me to do? Should I just blindly follow you and ignore every one of my instincts?" she felt her eyes fill, but she needed to gain control of the situation.

"No, of course not," he walked to her and cupped her face in his hands. "I just don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you, either, but I need to figure things out. Can't you trust me to do that?

He nodded. "Okay."

"I need to go home and see my Uncle and let my shoulder heal. I just need to breathe."

"You're right. I'm sorry for being so pushy. Will you call me when you get settled?"

She blinked. "No."

"Oh, well then I guess that's it," he felt like throwing up.

She stood up and walked to him.

"I want you to come home with me."

He wasn't sure he heard her right.

"You do? I thought you needed a break."

"I do, from this shit, not from you. Besides, I might need some special care from my doctor."

He grinned and stroked her cheek.

"Is that right?"

"Oh yes. Are you up for a detour to my neck of the woods?"

His mouth was on hers and she wrapped her good arm around him.

"I'm up for anything as long as we're together."

"Good answer," she kissed him again. "Now go and see about getting me released."

He grinned. "Yes ma'am."

Robin laughed and watched him walk out. She felt so much better and there was actually a bit of excitement in her. She knew Mac would adore Patrick and she was ready to start living her life again. Maybe they both could start practicing again? There were so many options out there and she was thrilled to finally have that, options.

"Excuse me, Dr. Scorpio?" a nurse asked as she walked into the room.

Robin smiled warmly.

"Yes?"

"Before you're released, we wanted to have you talk to the hematologist about your blood work. Would you mind coming with me to his office?"

She forgot about the blood work. What if it said something bad? What if her HIV was out of control?

"Sure. Do you know where Patrick is?"

"He is waiting there for you," she smiled.

Robin nodded. "Okay, let's go."

She followed the nurse out of the room.

XXXXX

Patrick walked into the room to get Robin and saw she wasn't there. He figured she was in the bathroom but it was soon obvious that she wasn't. He walked out to the nurse.

"Excuse me, but did you see where the patient in room 2b went?"

The nurse smiled.

"I received an order for her to go down to hematology so I had Nurse Brody take her."

"What? There was no order for her to go anywhere! I have her results. I'm her only doctor," Patrick felt a sickening ache in the pit of his stomach. "Where is Nurse Brody?"

The young nurse could see Patrick was angry and she called on her phone to find the nurse.

"She isn't picking up her page," she said.

"Where is hematology?" Patrick yelled at her. "Where?"

She told him and he flew down the hall to the room she said. He was beginning to panic and the nurse was following him, calling out for him to wait. He ran down the last hall and saw a group of people gathered around someone on the floor.

"Robin?" he choked out as he raced to them.

"Oh my gosh, it's Nurse Brody!" the other nurse said.

"She's been strangled," someone said.

Patrick's worst fears were confirmed. This had his father written all over it.

What was he going to do?

"Robin?" he called out to no one.