Chapter Seventeen:

Patrick was going out of his mind with worry. He wondered how a police car could take so damn long to get to the hospital. When they pulled up, he couldn't open the door and had to wait. Finally he was free to go in.

"Where is the woman brought in by ambulance? I need to see her. Her name is Robin."

The police came in behind him and they walked him towards the triage area. Another doctor came out and looked at Patrick. "Are you family?"

He nodded. "We are together."

The doctor looked at the officers who nodded it was okay to talk to him. "She is in bad shape. She is severely malnourished and she has several broken ribs which have healed over time, likely from old beatings. She also has a healed fracture to her left elbow and torn ligaments in her right shoulder, which was dislocated from being tied awkwardly behind her. We reduced and wrapped it. She has a grade two concussion from the wound on her temple and her body temperature was extremely low, likely due to her frail condition and being in the rain for so long. We are waiting on her blood test results, but initial findings show levels of medications that are unacceptable. Whatever meds she was taking were making her worse and until we know her viral load, it is unlikely we will have an accurate prognosis on her HIV. She hasn't regained consciousness yet, and I hope when she does, she can answer some questions."

Patrick glared at him, trying to keep his lunch from leaving his body. He should have made her go to the hospital. "She will wake up and when she does, what does she have to answer to? Some sick asshole did this to her."

The doctor was surprised by the passion in Patrick's voice. "I am going to check on her blood work. Why don't you sit with her for a bit."

Patrick nodded and stood up before he walked into the curtained off area where she was for now. He gasped when he saw her, so tiny in the hospital gown, her hair still damp, warming blankets covering her. Her head bandaged and her face still and peaceful. He sat down next to her and grasped her hand in his. He wiped his eyes and kissed her hand. "I'm so sorry."

She moved slightly and he leaned in closer. "Robin? Can you open your eyes?"

She looked at him and his whole world improved. "Hi," he said softly.

"Did he hurt you?" she asked him, her chin quivering.

"No. He is dead and you're free," he said, his own eyes filling with tears.

"He's dead?"

Patrick nodded. "He is."

She closed her eyes again and he was concerned. "Robin, don't sleep yet, please."

She didn't wake up again and he just sat there, praying and holding her hand.

"Patrick?" A voice called to him from the doorway.

He turned and saw Shelly there. She walked in and put her arm on his shoulder as she looked at Robin. "How is she?"

"Terrible. What the hell did I think I was doing, letting her stay with me instead of going to the hospital," he said brokenly.

"Patrick, stop this. First of all, you are a doctor, so she was in good hands, and second, she wouldn't have stayed in the hospital. Scott would have found her and she would be in much worse shape. There is no second-guessing in a situation like this. Robin just needs to make it through this, get stronger, and discover who she is without being controlled." Shelly smiled at her brother. "I think she will appreciate your help with that."

He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "Thanks."

"I'm going to take Amber home, but I'll come back later," she said.

"Okay," he stood up and hugged her before he watched her leave.

"Please wake up. Please be okay," Patrick whispered as he sat with her.

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It had been 48 hours and she hadn't regained consciousness. Patrick worried about everything; her willingness to fight being the most valid. He didn't know why she would want to come back to a world that had treated her so horribly. He was supposed to have gone back to work, but he was given a few more days off and he hadn't left her side. Her blood work had made him so angry. She was HIV positive, but the cocktail Scott gave her was not appropriate and made her much sicker than she needed to be. There were much easier meds for her system and although they would all cause issues, the mixture she was on was overly harsh. So much in her life could have been easier. He wanted a chance to show her all of that. He simply wanted to see her smile.

"Hi Uncle P," Amber said as she walked into the room. Patrick's family had been a permanent fixture in Robin's room and Amber had been particularly affected by what Robin had been through. They didn't fill her in on everything, but she was a pretty astute teenager. "I brought some lilac's for the room. Is that okay?"

Patrick smiled. "I think Robin will love them."

"Well, I need her to wake up now. I need some advice."

Smiling at his niece, Patrick raised his eyebrows. "Advice on what?"

"Well if I could ask you, I wouldn't need to ask her. Sometimes a woman needs another woman's advice." Amber crossed her arms, her eyes twinkling.

"What about your mom?"

Amber rolled her eyes. "I can't talk to mom. I need Robin."

"So do I," Patrick mumbled, not meaning to verbalize his thoughts. Amber smiled.

"She's going to be okay Uncle P," she said.

Patrick sighed. "I hope you're right."

"I'm a teenager, I'm always right," she grinned and walked over to kiss Robin on the forehead before she kissed Patrick's cheek and walked out.

Patrick turned his attention back to Robin and smoothed her long hair with his hand. The bump on her temple was healing, but the bruising was still bad. Her right shoulder was still immobilized, so he held her left hand in his again and sighed. "I don't think this arrangement is working out for me anymore. I feel like you should start talking to me, because I don't like hearing my own voice. It's kind of annoying. I would much rather hear yours."

"What should we talk about?"

He stared at her and his eyes opened wide as she finally opened her eyes and looked at him. "Hey. Welcome back."

She smiled, "I guess I needed my beauty sleep."

He shook his head and his eyes filled with tears. "No you didn't. You are amazing."

She reached her hand to grasp his. "You stayed here with me?"

"I didn't have anywhere else to be," he grinned as his own tears fell.

"Why?"

"Because I like you and I was worried about you. I didn't want you to wake up alone."

Robin listened to him, and her heart loved his words, but her mind told her this wasn't right. What could she possibly offer him? What could he possibly see in her?

"Stop doing that," he said softly.

She was surprised. "What was I doing?"

"Thinking about why you don't deserve this. Overanalyzing everything."

She blinked and her tears spilled over her cheeks. "But I don't think I do deserve this. I don't think you realize how messed up I am. I don't think you see me."

He smiled and brushed the tears off her cheeks. "I see what you don't. I see what you can't and I will help you to see it, too."

"What do I have to do in return?"

His heart broke at her words. "Just be happy."

"I don't understand."

He nodded. "I know, and that too will change," he saw her eyes fill as she processed his words. "Do you trust me?"

This beautiful man who somehow walked into her life at the darkest of times. He was asking her the one thing she swore she would never do. "The only person I have ever been able to trust is myself. I don't think I know how to trust someone else. I'm sorry."

He moved closer to her and held her hand t his cheek. "How do you feel when I'm not here?"

"Sad and lonely."

He smiled. "And how do you feel when I'm here?"

Her chin quivered. "Lucky, thankful, safe."

He smoothed her hair down and wiped her eyes. "I trust you, too," he smiled and kissed her hand.

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Patrick had gone home to get cleaned up and prepare for Robin. She had been in the hospital for a week, and was doing amazingly well. She had put on three pounds and there was a light in her eyes that had been missing for years. She had agreed to come home with him for a few days under the agreement that she would find her own place. They hadn't talked about what had happened to Scott or what she had been through, and although she had spoken to a therapist, it was going to be a long process. He didn't care. He would do whatever it took to help her.

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Robin stepped out of the shower in the hospital bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her bruised temple was almost healed and her shoulder was feeling much better. She brushed her long chestnut hair and went to pull it up into a ponytail, but her shoulder was restricting her movement. She pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of yoga pants that hung low on her hips. Scott had never let her wear clothes like this. She fought the urge to look behind her and make sure he wasn't there. She wondered if it was a feeling that would ever go away. She jumped when she heard a voice calling her.

"Robin? Are you in there?"

She walked out and smiled. "Hi Amber. I was just trying to brush my hair, but my arm wasn't cooperating," she grinned as she walked out and sat down on the bed.

"Want me to do it?"

Robin felt uncomfortable. No one had ever brushed her hair. "No, it's okay. It will dry."

"I won't hurt you," Amber smiled. "Mom said to treat you carefully, but I think she's wrong. I know she's a social worker and stuff, but she doesn't know you like I do."

Robin chuckled in spite of her fear. "How do you know me?"

Amber looked at her like she didn't understand the question. "You saved my life. You stood up to those men and went with them in my place. That changes a girl. I owe you everything, and I will make sure I repay it."

Robin felt tears prick her eyes, but not for the reason Amber thought. "No."

The young teen looked at her with surprise.

"You don't owe me anything. I will never make you repay me for anything. You don't owe me anything. You don't owe me anything," Robin repeated the phrase and Amber was afraid for her.

"Robin, It's okay, I didn't mean anything by it. I just meant that I think you are special," Amber said, but Robin was zoned out in her own world.

Shelly walked in and saw Amber trying to talk to Robin, who was obviously having an episode of some sort. "Hey baby, why don't you go and grab us something to drink. I'll stay here with Robin."

"I think I broke her, mom. Did I hurt her?" Amber cried.

"No baby, go on and get something to drink. Robin will be fine," Shelly kissed her daughters forehead and watched her walk out. She turned to Robin, who was sitting on the bed, her knees to her chest.

"Robin? It's Shelly. Can you talk to me?"

"She doesn't owe me anything," Robin said. "Please tell her that."

The look on Robin's face was pure terror at the thought of Amber feeling indebted to her. Shelly reached to touch her hand and Robin jerked away. "Please go. I should be alone. It's time for me to be alone. Please go."

Shelly sighed and looked up as Patrick walked in, looking happy and refreshed. He froze when he saw Robin sitting there.

"What happened?"

Shelly stood up and walked to him. "She needs a lot of help, Patrick. I don't know if you are equipped to handle this."

He looked at his sister. "What happened to set her off?"

"She didn't want Amber to think she owes her anything. She kept repeating that."

Patrick nodded. "Scott held that over her head. He constantly told her she owed him. I can understand that."

Shelly sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"I'll take care of her. You should take Amber home."

Shelly nodded. "Okay. Love you."

He hugged her, "Love you too." He watched her leave and he turned to look at Robin who was still frozen on the bed.

"Hey, how are you doing?" He asked gently as he sat down next to her.

"I would never make Amber do anything for me."

He smiled. "I know that and so does she. Not every debt is treated like you think. Sometimes when you care about someone, you want to make them happy. It isn't about a debt to be paid, but more about a feeling of friendship."

She looked at him. "Did I scare her?"

"Amber's pretty resilient. I think you just became cooler in her eyes." He smiled. "Do you want to get out of here?"

She looked at him and nodded. "Are you sure you want to take me? I can go to a hotel. There is no threat anymore."

He took her hand softly in his and she didn't pull it away. "I promised the doctor that I would take care of you for at least a couple days. I intend to do just that."

She exhaled. "Okay."

"Okay," he smiled and helped her up.

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"Are you okay?" Patrick asked after he had gotten her settled on his couch. She hadn't said anything since they left the hospital and he was worried about all she held inside. He had brought her copies of her chart so she could see all of her numbers and have control over her treatment. He also had gone to the hotel where they had kept her bags and picked them up. He had placed most of it in the guest room, but he brought out the small bag she asked for.

Robin slowly pulled out her money and jewelry. She smiled when she found what she was looking for. "I think these are yours."

Patrick took the box with the earrings he had gotten for Amber from her dad. "How did you get these?"

She smiled. "The police found them with our things and they must have thought they were mine. When I looked through everything, I realized they weren't mine. While I was at the hotel, I had them cleaned. They looked like Red Diamonds, a beautiful rare stone, but I realized they were just stained from the scuffle. Red diamonds are extremely rare and expensive."

"Are you a diamond expert?" He asked, intrigued by her knowledge.

"Not really, but one of the things I was allowed to do while I had quiet time was read. I read a lot about jewels."

He tried not to let the term 'quiet time' get to him. He promised he would let her talk about what happened without judging. She realized he was quiet.

"Sorry, did that bother you?"

He smiled. "No, not at all."

She put the bag away and lay back on the couch. He put the blanket on her and she reached to hold his hand.

"What is it?"

"I just wanted to thank you."

He smiled. "My pleasure."

She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Patrick went into his room to clean up and let her sleep. He had an idea about how to spend the evening. He looked at the clock and realized it had been an hour. He had gotten sidetracked and walked back into the family room, but saw she was gone.

"Robin?" He called and ran to the bathroom, but she wasn't there. He tore through the house until he went into the guest bedroom and saw her sitting in the closet. She was asleep on the floor in the tiny area.

"Robin?" He reached in and touched her leg.

"I'm sorry, is it time to make dinner?" she jumped up.

"No, it's Patrick, you're safe," he said softly.

She looked at him and he could see her shame cross her face. "Oh, right."

"Why are you in the closet?"

"I'm not used to being in wide open spaces. I felt uncomfortable. This is what I'm used to," she said sadly.

He helped her out and she moved to sit by him. "What do you say we try to do something different every time you find yourself falling back into an old pattern."

She smiled. "Okay, I can do that."

"Good."

They sat in silence. "So what should we do?" She asked.

"I don't know, but getting up off the floor is probably a good idea."

She smiled and went to stand up but tripped over his foot and fell against him, pushing him to the floor and landing on top of him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she looked into his eyes and sat back.

He rubbed his forehead where she had elbowed him. "No problem."

"Oh God, did I hurt you?" She moved closer and touched his face, inspecting his skin for damage. She ran her hand over his face and met his gaze.

"I'm fine," he said, scarcely breathing.

She leaned into him and he reached up to touch her cheek. "Don't be afraid."

"I don't want to be, but I am," she said softly.

"I won't hurt you."

She felt her tears come at his words. "I know that."

He went to pull her closer when she jumped up and bolted into the bathroom, closing the door between them.

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