Chapter Eleven:

Patrick made his way to see Sam while Robin was home with Emma. He knew they deserved time together and he had a few things he needed to take care of.

He knocked on the door to Julian's house where he knew she was staying and he waited. They had seen each other at the hospital and spoken a few times, but he was so focused on Robin and finding the cure, he really never explained what happened.

It wasn't like he felt he needed to say anything more than he already had, but he really wanted to start over with Robin and he needed to be sure Sam understood what happened.

"Patrick?" Sam's face showed her surprise at seeing him and he smiled.

"I know, probably not who you were expecting. I was hoping you had a minute to talk?"

"Of course," she moved and he walked in.

"How is Robin?"

Patrick couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"She's amazing. She's getting stronger every day and Emma is thrilled to have her back."

Sam nodded.

"That's great. I'm so happy for both of you."

"Look, I needed to tell you that I was wrong," he began.

She raised her eyebrows and looked at him.

"Wrong about what?"

"Jason. I was wrong to push you to move on and I was wrong to be so uncaring about your situation. I was also wrong when I told you that Robin coming back before was the best and worst day of my life."

Sam went to sit down and Patrick sat on the chair nearby.

"So what does that mean? You don't want to be with her? Do you want to be with me?"

Patrick smiled.

"No. I love Robin and I want my wife back. What I'm trying to say is that you love Jason and you should fight for him. I listened to you talk about him over and over and as much as that hit my ego hard, I understood in a way because of how much I missed Robin. I stopped talking about her as much because I was so angry and hurt. I thought she chose Jason over me and Emma and if I had ever stopped to think about it, I would have realized she would never do that. She brought Jason home for you and Danny and as much as I may not agree with his line of work, you love him and that's what matters most. It should have been what mattered most for me and I will work every day to make it up to Robin and Emma."

"He doesn't' remember me, Patrick. I think it's fruitless to chase a memory," she said softly.

"Well, he may never get his memories back, that's true, but I don't think that's what's holding you back. It's a bit like me thinking Robin left for Jason. You are looking at the situation with Liz and it has to infuriate you. I know the history, Sam. I know that Liz has been there in your relationship kind of like Jason was in mine. The point is, look at Jason for who he is and what he wants. I don't think it's Liz. Maybe you two can find a new way to connect and it might just be stronger than before."

He stood up and Sam nodded.

"Thank you for coming by. I'm truly happy for you and Emma. I know that Robin loves you the way you deserve to be loved and I can see the happiness in your eyes that hasn't been there in too long."

Patrick smiled.

"Thank you. I want you to be happy. You deserve that."

Sam smiled and he left.

Patrick got in the car and felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders. He saw a text from Emma that Mac and Robin were taking her to the park for a bit and then they would be home. He had one more stop to make and then he would join them.

XXXX

Robin sat on the bench and watched Emma play. Mac sat with her and held her hand as Robin wiped her tears.

"You okay?" Mac asked.

"I'm amazing. I'm just a little overwhelmed by all of this. I wanted to be here and watch Emma laugh and play and I never thought it would happen. I just became so hopeless and I know so much of this is my own fault. Emma and Patrick were hurting for so long and it's because of my decisions. I'm just really sorry for all of the pain I caused."

Mac turned to face her and he wiped her cheeks.

"First rule of kidnapping. Never apologize for being kidnapped."

She laughed and he smiled.

"I was only kidnapped after I left on my own."

"Robin, that's like blaming a victim for wearing certain clothes or going out alone. Nobody ever has the right to hold you against your will no matter what. I don't care what you did or for what reason. As soon as your family was threatened and you were held there, this became a crime and you never have to be sorry for that. We should all be apologizing to you. We all let you down and I wish, more than anything, that I knew what was happening so I could have helped you."

Robin hugged him and cried into his shoulder.

"Uncle Mac, you have been my champion since I was a little girl. You have never let me down and I am so proud to be here with you. I just want to move forward and I hope I can do that. I need to figure out where to live and what to do with my life."

"You aren't going to get back together with Patrick? What about your home?"

Robin sighed.

"Patrick's life has been turned upside down because of what happened. He was going to be with Sam and that was ruined because of me. I need him to be happy and to be honest; I want to be happy, too. I never stopped loving him, but I think he may have stopped loving me. I owe it to him to let him go, as much as it hurts me. He told me he loves me now and I believe him, but I don't want to do the wrong thing. I don't trust myself to be enough."

Mac knew what Patrick was planning and he smiled at Robin.

"Maybe it's time for the man in your life to be the one who steps up. I think you might be surprised by just how much he loves you. I have never been Patrick's biggest supporter, you know that, but I know you and over the last few years, I have come to now him in a different light. You are it for him and he is it for you. Let this happen as it should."

Robin smiled and nodded.

"Do you mind if I walk to the bridge for a bit?"

Mac knew she wanted some time to think and Emma was playing with a friend.

"Go. I'll keep one eye on you and one on your little girl."

Robin hugged him and walked the short way to the bridge.

She stood looking out and was lost in her memories when a voice startled her.

"Robin?"

She turned and wiped her eyes as Patrick stood there.

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking," she said. "How long were you standing there?"

"Just a few minutes. I came to see how you and Emma were doing and Mac told me you went to the bridge. Do you want time alone?"

Patrick was nervous. She seemed sad and he wondered if her feelings for him weren't the same anymore.

"I've spent so much time alone," she said softly. "I was just thinking about life and why things happen the way they do. I guess I blame myself for so much of Emma's sadness and yours, too. I wish I could change things, but I can't. Emma can never get the years of loss and abandonment back and I hate that I caused it. I know what that's like. I know what it's like to think your parents chose work over you. I never wanted that for her."

Patrick put his hands on her arms and looked at her.

"You didn't do this. You didn't abandon us and we all know that now. Please let the blame stay where it should. You are not to blame and if I need to tell you that every day, I will."

She nodded and looked at Emma who was so happy.

"Despite everything, you have given her the best life. I couldn't be more proud to have you as Emma's father. I think that's probably the most amazing blessing in my life, aside from Emma herself."

Patrick shook his head.

"We made Emma together and she is amazing because of both of us. She is just like you, Robin. Sometimes when she argues with me, I swear I'm looking in a mirror," he smiled and she laughed.

"Well she is headstrong. I'm pretty sure she gets that from both of us."

He nodded.

"She's brave and tenacious. She knows her heart and goes after what she knows to be right. She loves fiercely and she is everything that's good in this world."

Robin leaned on the railing and sighed.

"You went to see Sam today, didn't you?"

Surprise covered his face and she shrugged.

"I figured you probably had some things to work out."

"Robin, I told you I wanted to be with you. I love you and I want to move forward with you."

She looked at her hands and sighed.

"I guess I'm just struggling with things. I don't want to be a pity choice. I don't want you to uproot your life because you feel like you should. I'll be okay on my own."

"Will you listen to me for a minute?" he asked and handed her a dozen red roses.

"They are beautiful," she said, her tears coming.

"I love you - not maybe, not possibly, not someday. Right now, tonight. The fact is I've loved you for a long time. I don't even know when it started. Maybe it was during the epidemic when I realized that I could lose you or when you saw me through my father's transplant. The days are a blur after I got stuck with the needle, but I remember your voice. You were calm. You held my hand the whole time. And I realized that I need you, I trust you, I admire you."

He wiped her tears as he continued.

"And you can be wrong a lot of the times, and you can drive me crazy a lot of the times, but I love you, completely. I just - I thought you should know."

"You remember that?" she asked softly.

"Of course I do. You were the first woman I ever said those words to and you are the woman I am completely in love with. I did go to see Sam, but it wasn't because I'm conflicted. I wanted her to know that she should be happy because I have never been happier. I wanted her to know that you and I are together and I needed her to know that when your heart belongs to someone else, you need to go after it."

Robin took his hands in hers and nodded.

"I've been hiding out for a long time, and the only thing that I have to show for that is loneliness and what I'm afraid to admit to in the first place. It's a sad, wasteful way to live, so here it goes. I think that you are amazing and brilliant and you're also really funny and charming. And you're my best friend. I love you."

Patrick leaned in and kissed her.

"I need to ask you something."

She smiled at him.

"Okay."

"Can I take you somewhere tonight? Mac will watch Emma, but there is something I need to do and someplace I'd like to take you."

"Patrick, you don't need to do anything."

"Will you just say yes and stop telling me what I shouldn't do?" he grinned.

She blushed and nodded.

"Okay. I'm game."

He beamed and put his arm around her.

"Let's go sit with Emma for a bit before we leave."

She leaned against him and they went back to Mac and Emma.