Chapter Thirty-Six:

Patrick: I am not leaving you. I'm not going anywhere.

Robin: I'm not gonna ever leave you, okay? I'm in your heart, just like you're in mine. I'll never leave you. You got to go. [Coughs]

Patrick: Robin. I love you.

Announcement: Security doors lock in 20 seconds.

Robin: [Crying] I love you so much. I love you always, okay? I love you.

Patrick: Wait. Hold on, okay? I'm gonna go get help.

Robin: Go. Go!

Announcement: Nine -eight -

Patrick: Help!

[Explosion]

Patrick: Robin!

[Alarm blaring]

Dispatcher: 911. What's your emergency?

Patrick: This is Dr. Patrick drake from General Hospital. There's been an explosion, and my wife is trapped inside.

Dispatch shows an alarm on the 10th floor.

Patrick: Yes. 10th floor laboratory. The doors are locked. You have to hurry.

Please. Hurry. My wife is trapped inside.

Patrick: Robin! Oh, God.

Step away.

Patrick: My wife - my wife is stuck in the lab.

Step back.

Patrick: You got to get her out. The doors are locked. The doors are locked! You got to get me -

Dr. Drake, please.

Patrick: Open the damn doors! She's stuck in the lab!

Hold him!

Patrick: Open the door!

Please, Dr. Drake.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Sprinklers have deployed.

Patrick: Open the door! What are you doing?! She's stuck in the lab!

Don't let him inside.

Patrick: Open the door! I can take you to my wife. She's in the lab. I got to get in there.

Dr. Drake, I'm not letting you in.

Patrick: No, I have to get in there! I'm a doctor!

Visibility is poor. We don't know what we're up against.

Patrick: No, I got to get in there.

Let's go.

Patrick: Hurry up! Get in there! Robin!

Sorry, sir.

I got it.

You got to stay back.

Patrick: No, I got to get in there. I'm - I'm a doctor.

Dr. Drake, please.

Patrick: Robin! Please.

Patrick: Get off of me!

Sir, you have to stay back.

Patrick: Get off! Robin! Robin!

Patrick: Robin! I got to get in there. Okay. Okay. I got to get in there. Okay. I got it! Relax.

They'll tell you.

Patrick: Robin.

No, no, no, no, no, no. Dr. Drake.

Patrick: I got to get in there. Robin!

Dr. Drake, the fire was too hot for anyone to survive.

Patrick: Robin.

Dr. Drake. She's gone.

Patrick: What are you talking about, she's gone? Robin!

She's gone, Dr. Drake.

Patrick: Get off me.

Here. (Hands him her rings)

Patrick: [Sobs]

"No! Please, God, NO!" Patrick yelled.

Robin sat up on the couch and saw Patrick was having a nightmare. He was calling for her and his voice held such despair that she felt it in her chest. She went to his bed and sat on the side.

"Patrick? Wake up," she said as she touched his arm.

"Robin? Oh, please, no," he said again and she felt her eyes fill with tears.

"I'm here, Patrick. Wake up," she said and shook his shoulder, stroking his cheek.

"No!" he sat up and she fell off the side of the bed.

"Oh," she plopped down and he put his head in his hands, still out of it.

"Patrick? Can you look at me?" she asked as she turned the light on next to the bed. She sat back on the side of the bed and reached to touch his knee but he got up and ran into the bathroom. She heard him get sick and her heart broke at the torment he had from the nightmare.

He had watched her die and she was in the lab because of Jason. She knew how that must have killed him. She could feel it when she listened to him. She could feel it with every fiber of her being and it made something in her snap.

Her husband needed her. He had loved her or he wouldn't have been so broken. She doubted so much, but she shouldn't doubt what she knew in her heart to be right.

Patrick had loved her. He probably still did.

He made a bad choice but she made a ton of them. He let her down, but she let him down.

She heard the water running and she went to the door and knocked.

"Patrick? Can I come in?"

"No. Please leave me alone."

She hesitated and then opened the door. He was sitting on the floor with his back against the tub. The bathroom was big because the hotel was fancy and Robin was happy there was room to walk in.

"I said I wanted to be alone."

She walked in and sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry," she said and took his hand in hers. "I'm sorry I've been so difficult. I haven't allowed myself to really think about what you've been through and that's wrong," she turned to look at him and his face showed his exhaustion.

"Patrick, I love you. I have loved you for years and no matter how hard I try to stop, I can't. I've tried to move on and let you go. I've told myself that it's what needs to happen because you don't want me anymore and I'm so scared of being pathetic and needy. I don't beg and I can't handle it if you are here because you're lonely. I don't want you to hurt anymore and I don't want to be so sad anymore. I just need you to know that I hear you and I love you. Please don't hold this in anymore. I'm okay and you didn't deserve to watch that explosion. You don't deserve to feel guilty and you need to let it go."

She got up and walked out into the room and wiped her eyes. She sat down on the side of the bed and put her face in her hands.

"I am lonely," he said as he walked out and sat down next to her. "I've been lonely since the day of the explosion. I've masked it well and tried everything in my arsenal to move forward, but I've been lonely since the moment I watched you say goodbye to me."

She turned to face him and reached to his face, cupping his cheek in her hand.

"I've been lonely, too. I've missed you and I've missed how safe you make me feel."

He couldn't bear being so close to her and not touching her. He was overwhelmed by everything; her eyes and her skin and her scent were all intoxicating to him.

"I should get another room," he said brokenly.

Her eyes were wide and she felt them fill with tears.

"Why?"

He felt his chin quiver and shrugged.

"Because I want to hold you and kiss you and I don't want you to run away. I don't know what else to do to help you."

She let her anger fade and she reached to his chest, placing her hand on his shirt.

"I miss you," she said softly.

He didn't think anymore. He simply leaned in and brushed his lips onto hers, tentative at first, only because he worried she would run.

Robin moved her hand up to his shoulder and pulled him to her, their passion finally erupting and their mouths reacquainting themselves with each other, the need to be close immense and Patrick ran his hands through her hair as she moaned into his mouth.

Kissing Robin was unlike anything he could ever express. Nothing ever felt so amazing to him and nobody could transform him by just a kiss. It was like their whole life was replayed during the kiss and he let his tears of release fall as she broke he connection.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," he said and wiped his eyes.

"I think we should just go to bed. It's late and things might be confusing in the middle of the night," she said, not knowing what he wanted.

He shook his head and looked into her eyes.

"Will you stay in the bed with me? Will you let me help you?"