Chapter 11: "When I was yours and you were truly mine. All mine."
When Robin and Patrick got to the car he got an idea. "We have the whole day to ourselves…are you up for a surprise?" he asked.
"What kind of surprise?" she wondered out loud.
"The kind I don't tell you about. Hence the surprise you goof." He said with a laugh as he started the engine.
Robin rolled her eyes at his answer. "Sorry, sorry. What I meant to say was, 'yes please husband whom I love so much, please give me a surprise." She finished her sentence by batting her eyes at him.
"Taking lessons from Emma I see. That's how she always gets ice cream out of me."
"Honey please, she learned it from me. I've been getting what I want out of you way longer than she has." She laughed.
"That's true." He smirked. "Okay so this surprise won't be as grand as it could have been, but it was short notice and it's the thought that counts." He winked."Do me a favour?" he said playfully.
"Anything." She smiled.
"Actually, allow me." He said as he pulled up to a red light. He reached over and pulled the hat she was wearing over her eyes to which she shrieked and laughed.
"This seems oddly familiar." She said through her giggles.
"It should, I think I've played this card before."
"Technically this isn't a surprise anymore; I have idea where we're headed now." She teased.
"You do, huh smart butt? I was actually going to take you to the secluded area past Oakwood Gate that you used to go to just think."
"The one I never told you about." She interjected.
"The one and only." He smiled. "The one I knew thanks to magic." He said with an arched eyebrow.
"That was a great day." She said remembering how sweet he'd been after she was shot. "Do you still do that?
"Do what?" he asked while keeping his eyes on the road and trying to think of a new surprise since she'd guessed the first one easily.
"Listen to more than just what I say. Do you still listen to what I don't say?"
"Of course I do. Up until recently when you made it hard to hear." He said reaching over and taking her hand. "No more of that though. From now on all messages are loud and clear. I'll listen better, okay?"
"Any message that hasn't been clear lately was not because of your lack of listening, I promise you that." She said trying to force a smile.
"None of that matters now. We're on the right path, remember? Both metaphorically and literally, I rerouted us since you ruined my first surprise. Now we're going somewhere else. And don't even try to guess. Keep that hat on!" He gave her hand a squeeze and continued to drive.
When he got to his desired location he put the gear shift in park and looked over at Robin who still had her hat covering her eyes.
"We stopped. Can I take this off now?" she begged.
"Not yet. I need to go check something, can I trust you to wait here for a few minutes and not peek?" he asked while toying with her soft fingers.
Robin grinned, "Normally I would say no, I can't be that patient, but I trust you and I'm excited to see what you have planned for me, Dr. Drake, so yes, you can trust me."
"Okay. Coming in for a kiss." He warned before placing his lips against hers. "I'll be right back."
Robin sat in the car and awaited his return. He mind wondered between what to expect right now and in nine days. She decided to focus on right now though because it's what mattered.
Patrick came back and unlocked the car. "Guess who?"
"I'm really hoping that's my husband." She laughed.
"Well you're in luck. Right this way madam." He said extending his hand and grasping hers. "Step out. I'll lead you."
"Good thing I trust you." She whispered with meaning.
"Very good thing." He said as he led her to their destination. They walked through some doors and she could hear chattering around her so she knew they were somewhere public.
"Did you really take me out wearing a hat over my eyes? How many witnesses are there?" she said kiddingly.
"Not many, besides, they'll be gone soon." He continued to lead them. He had one arm wrapped around her with his hand resting on her hip and his other hand was holding onto hers. "We're getting on an elevator." He told her as they walked forward.
"I really have no idea where you're taking me."
"Well I would hope not. What part about surprise don't you get silly?" He said before smacking her behind teasingly which made her jump.
"You're so bad." She laughed.
"You love it." He joked back. "You're also gonna love this, we've arrived."
"So I can take this off now?" she asked excitedly.
"A few more steps…okay, here." He said slipping a small square card in her hand.
"What's this?" she questioned as she played around with it.
Patrick stood behind her and pulled the hat off her head. "Tada!"
When Robin finally got to see her surroundings she noticed the light brown and green ish grey door in front of her and then the room key in her hand. "You brought me to the Metro Court?" she asked confused.
"I did. But this isn't just any room." He explained as she opened the door. "This is the room where-"
"we had our one year anniversary." She said finishing his thought when she saw the room and recognized the layout.
"You are smart, Mrs Drake." He shut the door behind them and helped her remove her coat. Once he had ridded her of her jacket he took off his and threw them both over the back of a chair.
Robin walked around the room and took a seat on the couch near the fireplace.
"So do you want to know why I brought you here?" he asked as he approached the couch and sat down next to her.
"Because that was a great day and you were feeling sentimental about our early days of marital bliss?" She placed her hand on his cheek and stroked it softly.
"Yes and no." he said. "Yes because that was a great day and I was feeling sentimental but more than that, there was something you said to me here that night that I have never forgotten." He took a deep breath before he spoke again, "It seems very relevant to where we are right now and I think we could both use the reminder."
"Okay." Robin said slightly confused. "What did I say?"
"Well, we took out the champagne and I made a toast to my exquisite better half who taught me what's important and then I told you I adored you."
"I do remember that." She said blushing.
"Well nothing about my toast has changed. You are still my exquisite better half, I am still grateful everyday for what you've taught me, and I most certainly still adore you."
"Babe…" Robin tried to start talking but Patrick wasn't finished.
"Then you rose our glass and you toasted your husband, the man who gave you the courage to dare to be happy. Do you remember saying that?"
"I do." She said with a smile.
"Okay, so my toast has not changed at all. And I hope yours hasn't either."
"Of course it hasn't." she interrupted.
"So maybe you just forgot?"
Robin's heart sank, "What do you mean? Of course I didn't forget."
"What I mean is, maybe you just needed a reminder. I gave you the courage to dare to be happy after what you went through with Stone and Jason and your illness. But if my toast hasn't changed, and yours hasn't changed then why did you lose your courage to be happy? To face things head on, holding my hand, and not letting anything defeat you. Defeat us."
"Patrick, I-"
"-Robin I dare you to be happy; to beat this and to let me help you, because I am not going anywhere." He scooted closer to her and placed his hands on her hips, "We can do this. We're going to do this." He smiled. "That is, if you accept my dare."
"I accept." Robin said with wet eyes. "These are tears of joy by the way." She laughed. "I love you. So much…so much it hurts."
"And there's no stitches to blame this time." He joked.
"Wrong memory honey. That was at the park, remember? Your original plan."
"That doesn't make it any less relevant. I swear I love you more everyday and I feel my heart burst every time I look at you." He paused and wondered if he should continue.
"What?" Robin asked him. She could tell that he was thinking, and thinking hard.
"I just…I know you're scared and I don't want what I'm about to say to make you feel upset or pressure or anything like that. I just need to say it so you know, okay?" He said in all seriousness.
Robin was a little worried but she trusted him and his words. "Okay."
"I love that baby…our baby. I already do and I will no matter what happens. I love our family."
Robin chocked back some tears before responding. "So do I."
Hearing her finally admit what he already knew took away all the worry in Patrick's heart; at least for now. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply.