Chapter Ten:
Everything was dark and scary. His hands were around her throat and she couldn't breathe. She had to get away from him. She had to escape.
"Robin? Hey, wake up," a gentle voice spoke through the nightmare and had an instant calming effect on her. She struggled to find the voice. She needed it to keep talking.
It was gone and the hand was back.
"No," she cried out. "Please don't touch me."
"Robin? You're safe," the voice cried more insistently. "Open your eyes."
Finally, the light came in and the soft brown eyes were staring at her, protecting her and welcoming her back.
Patrick smiled at her and she could see the worry lines on his forehead.
"Patrick?" she squeaked.
"That's right," he said and held her hand. "Just look at me and try to take deep breaths."
"He was going to kill me. I couldn't breathe," she said as her tears spilled out of the corner of her eyes.
His heart broke as she struggled to breathe from the memories suffocating her.
"He's gone and you're okay now. You are safe and nothing can hurt you."
She went to move and her hand flew to her head.
"Don't move yet," he said. "You have a concussion and the pressure is going to be intense from the work on your throat. Just lie still, okay?"
She did as he asked and he held her gaze while she stabilized.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"For what?"
"Staying with me. You didn't have to. I'll be okay if you want to leave."
He sighed.
"I should leave," he ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know why I'm still here."
"I didn't mean it like that. I'm glad you're here, I just don't want to keep you from anything."
He shrugged.
"It's weird, but when I looked at my calendar, the only thing it said was to do what I wanted, and I want to be here."
She smiled a little and he thought it was the most beautiful thing.
"He's not going to come back for me?"
He shook his head.
"No, He's dead."
She closed her eyes and he held her hand.
XXXX
"You look like shit," Matt smiled at his brother when Patrick walked into the room to visit with him.
"Don't swear in front of your daughter," Maxie nudged him and smiled as Patrick walked in. "How is my cousin?"
Patrick rubbed his face and sat down, sighing.
"She is okay. They took her for another scan to be sure things look good after her seizure. She woke up for a bit, so that's good."
"She's going to be okay, though, right?" Maxie said.
"She should be fine. She's just freaked out, understandably so. I hate that he put his hands on her," he said a little more to himself than to them.
Matt and Maxie smiled at each other.
"Maybe you can help her deal with that?" Matt said.
"Huh? Oh, well maybe," he said and looked at Maxie. "So can I finally hold my niece?"
She grinned and handed the baby over to Patrick.
"Well, since you haven't been properly introduced yet, this is Mackenzie Georgie Hunter."
Patrick looked at the little girl and his heart swelled.
"Hi little Mackenzie," he said to the beautiful little girl. "That's a big name for you."
"Well, those two names are the most important people in my life, with the exception of Robin, and Matt agreed to use them for our daughter.
"I think Mac and Georgie are beautiful people who are both equally important to both of us," Matt said.
Patrick nodded and took comfort in the beautiful little girl he held in his arms. He hoped Robin could hold her soon, too.
XXXX
Things were scary again. There was no calming voice. There was no soothing touch. There was only loud noise and yelling.
"Stop! Please!" she cried out but no sound came. Her heart raced and she couldn't catch her breath.
"You're all done," a voice finally said as the ground seemed to move from beneath her.
Robin looked up and saw a bunch of strange people moving her around and then the bed was whisked down the hall, into a room and locked.
"Can I get you anything? The doctor will be in soon to go over the scan results," the nurse said.
Robin shook her head no and was left alone.
She didn't feel safe. She capped her IV and grabbed a blanket to wrap around her body and she carefully got up, holding onto the side of the bed as she walked to the door and slipped out.
XXXX
Patrick made his way back to her room with a renewed sense of hope. He had an idea on how to help her and he had new pictures of the baby to surprise her with.
He walked into her room and saw the bed empty, so he went to the nurses' station to see if she was still in radiology.
"They dropped her back in her room a half hour ago. Maybe she's in the bathroom," the nurse said and went back to her phone call.
Patrick went back to the room and looked in the bathroom. His panic took over as he realized she was gone.
He went to tell the nurse but saw her on a personal call and he just took off on his own, trying to find her.
He searched for a while and was at a loss before he headed up to the roof to think. He shivered as the air turned a bit colder and he looked out across the landscape.
"Where did you go? Why would you run?" he asked the air.
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed as he turned to walk back downstairs. His phone rang and he looked at the number, not recognizing it.
"Hello?"
"Patrick?" Robin's whisper came through.
"Robin? Where are you?" he asked as his heart raced.
"Can you help me?"
"Of course. Can you tell me where you are?"
"Parking lot. Pay phone by ER."
"I'm on my way," he said as the phone cut out.
Patrick raced down the stairs and to the emergency entrance. He went outside and looked around for the phone. There was a lot of commotion as a few ambulances were arriving and he moved around the chaos until he saw her.
She was huddled on a bench, wrapped in a sheet.
"Shit," he said as he raced to her. "Robin?"
She looked up at him and her face was pale.
"You came?"
He smiled as he sat down.
"Of course I came. Can we go inside and back to your room?"
"No," she said. "Can you take me home or call me a cab?"
"Robin, you need to be in the hospital. You almost died," he took her hand and didn't like how cold it was.
"I can't stay here," she said as her voice became scratchier. "I'm going home."
"You can't be alone," he said, frustrated at her need to leave. "Why can't you stay here?"
She stood up and went to leave when he grabbed her arm.
"Robin, stop it. You almost died and had surgery to repair a hole in your throat. You had a seizure and a concussion and if you think I'm going to let something happen to you now, you don't know me at all."
His words stopped her and she shook her head.
"I'm not someone you need to protect. I simply need to get out of here. I can take care of myself. I just thought you could help."
"I'll take you home, but I'm not leaving you alone."
"You're inviting yourself to stay with me?" she asked with a hint of a smile.
"Maybe I am. Is that a problem?" he grinned.
"I guess we'll see," she said and held onto his arm when the room began to spin.
"Hey, it's okay," he said as she held onto him.
"I just need to get out of here," she said through her tears.
"Let's go," he said as he helped her to the car.