Chapter Nineteen:
Patrick made his way back to the hospital the next morning after going to Robin's place for the night. She wanted him to feed Ben and she insisted he stop paying for a hotel room and just stay there until he figures out what's next.
They had the best evening at the hospital. It was silly, he knew, but spending time with her just made sense. She was so positive about everything, and even her moments of self doubt were shrouded in optimism. He also saw a vulnerability to her that he hadn't before. She had a lot hidden behind her cheery exterior and he wanted to know more.
He knew there were things he needed to figure out and he had some ideas about that, too. When made his way into her room, he stared.
Robin stood there, half naked, her chest covered with a towel and her tiny panties doing little to conceal anything.
She looked at him and turned bright red.
"Seriously? Are you going to stare or are you going to help me?"
Patrick smiled.
"What happened?"
"Can you help me or are you going to gawk?"
"I think gawk," he said and he swore fire shot out of her eyes.
"I'm kidding," he smiled and grabbed a blanket before he walked to her. He put it around her shoulders and then gasped.
"Robin, did you see this bruise?" he looked at her thigh and she covered up.
"Patrick, stop looking at my crotch," she said and stood there.
"Why don't you sit down?"
She rolled her eyes and stared at him.
"If I could move, I wouldn't be standing here in my birthday suit. I need help."
"What was that?" he grinned at her.
"Never mind," she said with exasperation and went to walk when she almost fell. He caught her and picked her up in his arms.
"Okay, that's enough," he said and placed her gently on the bed. "Tell me what happened. If you are having such trouble, why did you get out of bed? What happened to your gown?"
She sighed as she smoothed her hair back.
"I wanted to get dressed so I could leave. I went into the bathroom and took a quick shower and then my knee began to throb. I felt light headed and made my way back out with my towel and they had come by to clean my room and they took my gown. I was able to reach my underwear, but then my knee locked up and I was afraid to move. My thigh is really painful, too. I was just waiting a minute for the energy to hop."
He sat down on the bed facing her and sighed. He moved the blanket and she pushed him away.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Looking at your knee. It's what I do, Robin. Why are you such a prude?"
"I am not a prude. I am naked under this and I don't want your hands where they shouldn't be."
He shook his head and smirked.
"You know, I'm naked under my clothes, too."
She opened her mouth and then closed it.
"Can't argue with the facts, can you?"
"You are wearing clothes. I'm wearing a sheet. Now leave so I can get dressed."
"No. You need to have someone look at the bruise on your thigh."
"I had what amounted to sand bags on my leg for hours yesterday. It's understandable I have bruising."
"I guess. I still think you need to relax and let me take care of you."
"You?"
"Well yeah. I was good enough for your rat, so I think I'm good enough for you, too. Besides, you seem to forget you were shot a few days ago. I want to take you home."
She hated how much she wanted that.
"You don't have to."
He smiled and got up.
"I know. I want to."
She smiled and watched him.
"Okay. Can you give me a minute to get dressed?"
"Absolutely."
XXXX
A little while later, Patrick brought Robin into her house and placed her onto the couch while he went to get her bag. They had given her some pain meds before she left and he knew she was feeling it. He walked back in and sat down, elevating her legs with a pillow.
"You okay?" he asked her as she lay back and closed her eyes.
"I'm perfect," she said and her eyes were dilated as she looked at him.
"No pain?"
"Nope. I took good meds," she grinned.
He laughed and she reached to take his hand.
"You're very handsome," she slurred. "I don't think anyone so cute has ever kissed me. I like when you kiss me."
He knew she wouldn't remember this after she woke up and he thought a minute about recording her.
"You're very cute yourself," he said. "I enjoyed kissing you as well."
"Nobody likes kissing me," she said softly.
He saw how her eyes filled as she spoke and he felt terrible.
"That's just not true. You are an amazing woman, Robin, and I think I'm lucky you tolerate me."
She yawned and he rubbed her hand.
"Thank you for being here," she said as she fell asleep.
"My pleasure," he said and sat with her.
XXXX
"I'm okay," she said as she tried to breathe. "Don't touch me, Dante, not without gloves."
Patrick saw she was hit in the thigh and the blood was really flowing. He grabbed some gloves and moved to apply pressure.
"No, you don't have to help me," she said as her tears fell. "I'm okay."
He saw the beads of sweat on her forehead and her gray appearance and he looked up at Dante.
"She is going to bleed out. Where is the gurney? She needs to be in surgery now!"
"It's okay," she said weakly. "I'm okay."
"Stop saying that," he looked at her as he pressed on her leg. She cried out and he felt his heart break.
"I'm sorry, but I think they nicked the femoral artery. You need to be in the OR right now."
"Please make sure they are careful," she said. "Tell them my viral load is unstable."
He nodded and looked up as Dante came in with the doctors.
"You're going to be okay now," Patrick said and turned to see she had passed out.
"We got her," Dante said and they took her to the OR. Patrick stood there and then rushed after them.
"Dante, she said to make sure they know about her numbers," he said and Dante nodded.
"I've got it covered," he said. "You don't have to stay."
Patrick watched as Dante rushed into the back and he stood there.
Why does everyone keep telling him to leave?
XXXX
Robin sat up and saw Patrick was dreaming, or having a nightmare. He was asleep on the couch and moving like something was bothering him. He had his legs next to her and his head was opposite hers.
"Patrick?" she said as she rubbed her face. Her mouth felt like it was full of cotton and her head felt like she had a hangover. She remembered leaving the hospital, but nothing after.
"Robin?" he whimpered in his sleep and she felt her heart race. He was dreaming about her. He was upset.
"Patrick!" she said firmly and squeezed his foot.
"No!" he kicked her as he sat up and she fell off the couch.
"Ow, shit!" she said as she fell on her back, the wind knocked out of her.
Patrick sat up and realized what he did.
"Oh, God, I'm so sorry!" he got down on the floor next to her and touched her cheek. "Are you okay?"
"I just need to breathe," she said as her face turned red. "Think I got the wind knocked out."
He put his head in his hands and felt his eyes prick with tears.
"Hey, I'm okay," she said softly, seeing how upset he was.
"You're okay? You were shot and have an injured knee and a blood clot and I just kicked you. How is any of that okay?"
She moved to sit up and scooted closer to him.
"Give me your hand," she said.
He did and she saw his tears.
She put his hand on her cheek and looked at him.
"What do you feel?"
He didn't know what to say.
"How about now?" she moved his hand to her shoulder.
He just looked at her and she smiled.
"I'm strong, Patrick. What you feel is strength and toughness. I won't break and I won't be swayed by what you feel or think. I will heal and it's because of you that I can't wait."
He was overwhelmed by his feelings and he stood up before he lifted her gently back onto the couch.
"Patrick, look at me. Stop turning away and giving into your fear. Tell me what you're thinking."
He rubbed his face and sat down next to her.
"I'm scared."
"Of what?"
He shrugged and looked at his hands.
"Needing you? Getting too attached? Being left behind?"
"Do you think I'm going to die?"
He shook his head and his chin quivered.
"No. I just like you."
She was perplexed.
"I like you, too."
"That scares me."
"Me too."
He seemed surprised at that.
"You don't seem to be scared of anything," he turned and faced her.
"It's a façade. I just figure it serves no purpose to share certain feelings with everyone. I can be scared on my own time. I like to show people a different side."
"But doesn't that get tiring? Being someone you're not?"
"I don't think I'm someone I'm not, really. I just keep certain parts of me private. I don't know, I don't even think I realized it so much until I met you."
"I bring out the bad parts?" he smiled.
"No, you bring me out."
He moved closer to her and she reached to his cheek, stroking his stubble covered face.
"I like that," he said.
"Me too. I like you, very much," she said and pulled him to her for a kiss.
Patrick hesitated at first, because his feelings were overwhelming to him. He felt so open and exposed to her from just talking, and it was as if she had already seen something so personal from him that he wanted to look away.
His hand moved up under her hair and cradled her head as his mouth danced over hers, softly and gently before aggressively pushing harder. His whole body responded when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him onto her, opening her mouth and welcoming his tongue into the warm confines of her cheeks.
"Robin, wait," he sat back and looked into her eyes.
"What's wrong? I though you wanted this."
He nodded and ran his thumb over her swollen lips.
"I do. I just worry that I will hurt you. You should be resting."
"I have an idea," she said sweetly. "Will you take me to the bedroom and just hold me?"
He didn't know if he could do that and not devour her.
She took his hesitation as a sign he wasn't interested.
"You know what? It's fine. I'm basically throwing myself at you and that's just not who I am, in any form. I can take a hint and I'm okay if you leave," she said and swallowed her tears.
"I want more," he said quietly.
"What?"
"I don't want to just hold you. I want to touch you and kiss you and feel your body next to mine. I want more."
She blushed and then smiled.
"Is that right? Well then I might have an idea. Can you help me up and let me show you what I have in mind?"
He stood up and reached for her.
"I am at your mercy."