Chapter Thirty-Seven:
"Stay back!" The police yelled and held Patrick.
"Robin! Matt!" He screamed at the covered area. There was no movement. There was nothing to indicate who, if anyone was injured behind the sheet.
"We need to help them! Why are you just standing here?" Patrick screamed at them. He was going out of his mind and every horrible scenario flashed in front of him.
"We need help," Robin's voice finally came through. "Please."
Patrick pushed through the cops and ran to the sheet, pulling it back and seeing her holding pressure on Matt's shoulder. The other man was sitting on the bed, his head in his hands.
"He has a GSW to the shoulder," Robin said.
"I'm fine," Matt said. "It's just a scratch."
"It's not just a scratch," Robin said. "He shot you at point blank range."
The officers cuffed the man and Matt was helped up and to a waiting gurney.
"Will you call Maxie? I don't want her to worry," Matt said.
"I'll call her," Robin said softly. "Don't worry."
They wheeled Matt to triage and Patrick didn't say anything. He just walked to Robin and pulled her into his arms.
"I'm okay," she said softly as he held her. "I wasn't hurt."
He wouldn't let go and she felt her tears come.
"I'm okay," she repeated softly.
He finally pulled back and held her face in his hands.
"I thought you were gone. I thought I lost you and my brother."
She nodded and took a towel to wipe her hands.
"I know. I'm okay. I need to call Maxie."
He knew she was in shock and he sighed.
"Let's go to a room and check you out."
"No, I'm fine. Will you go check on Matt while I call Maxie?"
"Robin," he began.
"I'm okay, seriously. I'd feel better if you made sure Matt was okay."
"Okay, but I'll be right back."
She smiled and nodded, taking her phone to call.
Patrick went to the triage to see his brother and made sure Epiphany stayed with Robin. He walked in and saw Matt sitting up in bed, his face pale and his arm covered in blood.
"I'm fine," he was arguing with the attending and Patrick looked at the chart.
"You need surgery to remove the bullet," Patrick said.
"Did you call my wife? I don't want her to worry. I need to talk to her," he said.
"Robin is calling her right now. Let us take care of you."
"She's going to be worried. I need to talk to her," Matt said and then passed out.
"He needs blood," Patrick called out and the surgeon came in.
"I've got him," he said and Patrick nodded. He watched as they stabilized him and then took him to the OR.
Robin walked into the room and Patrick smiled at her.
"He's going to surgery," he said. "He should be fine."
"Okay, good. Maxie is on her way. I didn't tell her everything because I didn't want her to get into an accident."
"Okay, we'll wait for her and talk to her together," he said. "Come sit with me."
"I'm fine," she said with little expression on her face. "I need to talk to the police and give my statement."
He sighed as she walked out.
She wasn't fine.
XXXXX
About an hour later, Robin and Patrick sat with Maxie while they waited for the surgery to be over. Robin had calmed down considerably and Patrick was breathing easier.
"Why is it taking so long? Are you sure it isn't his heart? What if it's worse than you thought and now they are just trying to figure out how to tell me?" Maxie cried.
Robin took her hand and smiled.
"He's going to be fine."
"I'll go check and see if they are almost done," Patrick said and Robin smiled gratefully.
"You both almost died," Maxie said. "I can't believe this. What kind of moron shoots in the ER?"
Robin sighed.
"His little girl was severely injured and he wasn't thinking clearly. I'm not defending him, but he wasn't in his right mind."
"I can't live without you both," she said. "You're my family and Matt is my whole world."
Robin hugged her and looked up as Patrick walked out.
"They are moving him into recovery. He should be just fine."
Maxie got up and hugged him.
"Thank you so much. Can I see him?"
"Where is he?" Noah asked as he raced in.
"He's being moved into recovery. He's going to be fine," Patrick smiled at his dad and looked at them. "I'll take you both."
Robin sat down and exhaled after Patrick took them to see Matt. The whole day was a blur and she didn't even realize the extent of what happened.
She almost died.
Matt almost died.
How many brushes with death was she going to have? Why did this keep happening? First it was Manny and now some random guy in the ER. She just didn't get it.
"Robin?" Patrick's voice broke through her thoughts.
"Hey," she smiled and wiped her eyes. "You can sit with him if you want; I'm okay."
"I'd rather sit with you," he smiled. "I'd rather take you home."
She looked at her stained hands and clothes and nodded.
"I'd like that, too."
XXXX
Patrick ordered a pizza while Robin took a shower after they got to her place. He was thinking a lot about things and he knew she was, too.
He almost lost her.
He grabbed some wine and poured two glasses when she walked in. She wore a t-shirt and a pair of yoga pants and her hair was hanging damp around her shoulders.
"How are you doing?"
She smiled and took the glass he handed her.
"Much better."
"Good," he smiled as she sat on the couch. "I called the hospital and talked to Matt. He's doing great and wants to be released. I told him it would have to be tomorrow at the earliest."
Robin smiled.
"That's awesome. It could have been so much worse."
"Yeah," Patrick sighed and took a drink.
"What is it?"
He was quiet for a minute and then looked at her.
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
Her face showed her confusion.
"I don't know, I guess here? Why?"
"No, I mean what do you see your life looking like?"
"Patrick, what are you asking? I don't follow."
He stood up and paced.
"Do you see me in your life? I mean, when I look at my future, all I see is you. Today, everything I cared about was almost taken in an instant and it's not like I hadn't thought about it before, but now I wonder what the hell I'm waiting for."
She stood up and walked to him.
"Patrick, what are you saying?"
He looked into her eyes.
"Do you see me in your future?"
She reached up and stroked his cheek.
"No."
His face fell and he nodded.
"Oh, okay."
She smiled and shook her head.
"I don't see you in my future, I see you as my future. You're all I see. You're all I want and you're all I need. I love you, so much."
He leaned in and kissed her softly at first and then with more passion.
"I love you, too."
She watched as he got down on one knee and pulled out a ring from his pocket before he took her hand.
"Robin Scorpio, will you marry me?"
Her tears fell as she nodded.
"Yes."
He took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger.
"Yes," he said as she jumped into his arms.
"Yes," she repeated and they held each other.
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The End.
Thank you for reading!