Chapter 14

Anna and Robert were both idly chatting and watching TV when Patrick strode in.

"How's Robin doing?" they both asked in unison, looking back and forth at each other quizzically.

Patrick smiled, knowing how much they loved their daughter, even if they weren't the best at showing it. "She's doing much better," he said gratefully. When he saw their relieved faces he continued, "Her blood pressure has stabilized, all her vital signs are normal, her lung has been reinflated, and she shows no signs of infection. She should be moved to the cardiac care unit later today, barring any complications."

"When can we see her?" asked Robert.

"Well, you can go and sit with her now, if you would like," said Patrick, "but she just fell asleep so make sure you don't wake her," he said with a stern look at Robert. Robert nodded and quickly took off for the ICU, eager to see his only child.

"I'd like to see her too," said Anna, watching Robert walk away. "Can we go together or should we go separately?" she asked wistfully, longing to be with Robert and going to see Robin.

"You probably better wait," said Patrick, remembering how they both liked to fight and not wanting to subject Robin to that right now. He sighed and rubbed his hand through his mussed up hair, "Robin and my Dad browbeat me and I'm going to go to the on call room to stretch out and get some sleep," said Patrick with a frown.

Anna smiled and nodded her head, knowing her daughter and her browbeat tactics well. "I'm sure that is what Robin would want," she said apologetically.

Patrick looked at Anna, suddenly uncomfortable without his wife around, "Ok, well, I'll see you later," he said, as he turned around and walked away.

A couple of hours later, Robin slowly woke up to see her father sitting beside her bed and flipping through a magazine. She slowly lifted her hand and touched his arm and he looked up quickly.

"You're awake," he said cheerfully.

Robin smiled at him and said softly, "I am indeed. How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Oh, a couple of hours," he said. "Patrick did warn me that you had just fallen asleep so I knew it would be awhile until I saw those big beautiful brown eyes of yours," he said, with a smile.

"Where's Patrick?" she asked, looking around.

"You know, I never asked," said Robert looking puzzled, "but he looked tired, so I'm guessing he probably went somewhere to get some sleep because I haven't seem him around here since I came in," he said, confident of his assessment of Patrick's whereabouts.

"I hope you're right," sighed Robin. "I'm worried about him. He needs some sleep – I saw those dark circles under his eyes earlier."

Robert smiled looking down at his daughter. Here she was, his beautiful, caring daughter who always looked after her loved ones before herself. She, as was typical, didn't care about herself, but wanted to make sure everyone else was taking care of themselves. Some things never changed, he thought, like Robin's loving and caring nature. "So, how are you feeling?" he asked.

Robin looked at him for a moment as she mentally assessed her situation. "You know, I'm not really feeling too bad. It hurts, of course, but the pain medicine is taking most of the edge off so it's not really too bad."

Robert nodded, grateful to know that his daughter wasn't in too much pain. "I wanted to talk to you a bit. Are you up to it?" he asked.

"Sure," said Robin, grateful for any chance to talk to her absentee father.

"I wanted to let you know how much you mean to me," said Robert, taking her hand and trying to gauge her reaction. "I missed almost all of your childhood and adulthood up to now and I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for all of that. At Robin's silent nod, he continued, taking her hand, "You are my only child and I've severely neglected you. I can't ever change that or make it up to you and for that I'm truly sorry," he said. "I adore you, I hope you know that. I always have," said Robert, searching her face for signs of recrimination, but instead only finding love shining through her eyes.

Robin gently squeezed her father's hand, "I know, Dad. I've always known that," she said quietly. "I've always adored you, too," she said, and paused. "I was really angry when you came back during the epidemic and for quite awhile afterwards, but that never stopped the love that I've always felt for you," she said quietly.

"Robin, I'm so sorry for all of those missed years," said Robert, looking more forlorn than Robin had ever seen him.

Robin reached for him, "It's ok, Dad. I understand why you were gone for so long. I don't agree with you for doing it, but I understand. I actually forgave you months ago, did you know that?" she asked, her eyes sparkling at him.

"No. Why didn't you ever tell me?" he asked, a bit speechless.

"Because I wanted to string you along for a bit more," she said, with a twinkle in her eyes. "But, I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner," she said as her face fell, thinking about how close she had come to never being able to tell him.

"That's all right, luv," said Robert quickly, seeing her face fall and tears start to form. "You told me now and that's all that matters."

"Still, I should have told you before," she said, as tears started to slowly fall. Robert leaned over and gingerly gathered her towards him for a gentle hug, trying to avoid all the tubes hooked up to her.

"Shhh, luv, it will be fine. That's all behind us now. I love you so much," he said gruffly, holding her to him.

Robin pulled back and Robert gently laid her back down the few inches he had pulled her up. He carefully reached up and straightened the oxygen tubing that had gotten dislodged around her ears. "Thanks, Dad," she said softly, gently reaching up and rubbing his face as her own tears fell. "I'm sorry about the waterworks. I know how they bother you," she said with a short laugh, but gasped as a sharp pain from her collapsed lung went through her.

Robert looked at her sharply, "Are you all right? Do you need me to call anyone?" he asked frantically, searching her eyes.

"No, I'm fine," Robin said as she raised her hand in a dismissive wave. "It just hurts sometimes and then I just push this little button here," she said, indicating her morphine drip and giving it a good push. "The only problem is that it makes me woozy and I can't keep my eyes open for very long after I do," she said with an apologetic smile.

Robert smiled back at her, "Well, don't worry about that," he said. "I'll just wait here until you go back to sleep and then I'll let your mother come in here and take over. How would that work?" he asked.

Robin nodded, already starting to feel the affects of the morphine to her system. "Sounds good," she said drowsily, as she drifted off to sleep into a peaceful dream of her and her father when she was a little girl.

When Robin next woke up, she found Anna sitting by her bed. She smiled tenderly at her when she noticed that she had fallen into a fitful doze. She could tell by her slightly disheveled appearance that she had not yet gone home, the same as Patrick. She smiled thinking that even when her mother was bone tired that she still looked as regal and beautiful as she always did. Her mother never changed and for that she was extremely grateful. She carefully moved her hand to caress Anna's cheek, hoping not to wake her, but Anna's eyes popped open at the slight movement.

"Hi," said Robin with a slow smile.

"Darling," said Anna with a tender smile, reserved only for her daughter, "you're awake. I'm so glad to see those brown eyes of yours. I was here once before last night, but I didn't get a chance to see them," she said regretfully. "How are you feeling, luv?" she asked.

Robin pouted a bit, "Everyone is always asking me how I feel. I hurt, but I'll be ok, Mom. How are you?" she asked, trying to change the subject, not wanting to talk about herself.

"Luv, you were the one that was shot. We just want to make sure you will be all right," Anna proceeded gently. "Besides everyone who loves you will be just fine as long as they know you are all right," she said with a sigh.

"Mom, I'm sorry," said Robin, taking Anna's hand in her own. "I'm just a bit upset about this whole thing," said Robin, indicating her surroundings. "I guess I'm a bit testy. I didn't mean to take it out on you," she said quietly.

"Luv," said Anna gently, "look at me." She reached forward and gently moved Robin's head to look at her. "You be as angry as you need to be with me. We will get through it. This whole situation has been such a shock and it will take quite awhile to process," said Anna, as she watched Robin carefully for her reaction. She knew from her many spy adventures that it was quite typical of gunshot victims to be angry at their situation. When Robin still wasn't making eye contact with her mother, Anna said quietly, "Luv, I want to be your soft place to fall if you will let me."

Robin felt like a dam had burst inside of her and all her emotions rose to the surface. She looked at her mother sadly and the tears started falling. "Mom, why did this happen to me? Especially on my wedding day? This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life," said Robin quickly, as her heart monitor picked up a few beats. Robin paused, taking a breath, starting to feel the pain of her injuries, "Who would do this to me?" she asked, her voice rising. "I'm so angry about this whole situation," she said realizing for the first time how angry she really was. "Every time I wake up, I have to see people worrying about me and it's making me crazy because this whole situation shouldn't have happened to begin with," said Robin, her breathing becoming more erratic as her voice rose. She realized too late that it was way too soon to let her emotions come to the surface as she found it increasingly hard to breathe.

Anna looked at her daughter in shock, not realizing the intensity of the emotions Robin had pent up inside her. She looked on in disbelief when the bedside monitors went off and she realized that Robin was gasping and clutching her chest, looking at her mother in shock, unable to catch her breath.

The ICU nurses rushed over and pushed Anna aside as they started adjusting the machines and checking out Robin, whose blood pressure had risen dramatically. Anna stepped back in shock and watched as Robin's eyes rolled back and she lost consciousness.

A nurse took Anna's hand and said, "You need to leave the ICU right now," she said quickly, needing to get back to her patient.

Anna nodded, at a loss for words, "Ok," she said. The last thing she heard as the doors closed behind her was a page, "Dr. Noah Drake to the ICU stat, Dr. Noah Drake to the ICU stat, please." She closed her eyes in panicked desperation and sank to the floor just beyond the swinging doors.