Chapter 44
Patrick stood outside on the back porch and watched Emma, Mal and Stephanie playing in the yard. Both children had immediately accepted the little girl as their sister and, within hours of the group's arrival, were happily playing and annoying each other like they had been together all their lives.
Mac walked up behind Patrick and handed him a cup of coffee. "It's like they were always together, isn't it? Kids are great that way."
Patrick sighed. "They are but that," he pointed at the children, "that is pure Robin."
He turned around and faced Mac. "I have never known anyone who can adjust to major changes in their life the way she does. When she realizes that something has changed, she takes a few minutes to digest it and then accepts it and makes the best of the situation. She also loves without hesitation. If Mal or Emma were anything like me, they would have fought having someone to share the spotlight with. Instead, they just made it bigger so there was room for their sister."
Mac smiled at him. "I see so much of Robin in all three of them. Stephanie is amazing. She reminds me a lot of Emma at that age – so curious and open to everything."
"I know." Patrick sounded almost wistful.
"Hey, Patrick, what is it?" Mac could sense that something was on weighing on Patrick's mind.
"I failed her Mac. Once again, I couldn't protect her."
"Patrick, look at me. None of us protected her the other day. You think I'm not beating myself up for going up after Nikolas instead of staying in that garage with Robin? You think it doesn't kill Anna that she couldn't stop Nikolas? Or Jason or Robert? We are all feeling the same way – you are not alone."
Patrick took a moment to think about what Mac was saying. Mac and him shared a bond that he didn't have with Robert, Anna or even his own father. Mac was the constant is his and Robin's life, the one person who had been there for them from the beginning and had never left their sides. While Robert and Anna went on their missions and his father went to Doctors Without Borders, Mac was in Port Charles with these two crazy-in-love doctors.
There was one specific event that had cemented the two men's relationship permanently – the night Robin was shot at the Metro Court. The two men had spent most of the night together praying for Robin, that the surgery Patrick had talked Emily Quartermaine through would be enough to keep her alive until they could get her out of that building. Ironically enough it had been Nikolas who carried Robin out of the building before it exploded.
After that night, Mac was one of Patrick's biggest supporters. That support only faltered once and with good reason – years ago, in a moment of drunken weakness and self pity, Patrick cheated on Robin with Lisa Niles. It was only one night but that one night led to a year of hell, including several attempts by Lisa to kill Robin. During that time, Mac was ready to file divorce papers for Robin himself. Robin forgave Patrick long before Mac did. Eventually Mac realized that he had to forgive Patrick, especially since he knew that Patrick would never forgive himself.
But that was a long time ago. The man standing before Mac today was a far cry the man who cheated on Robin or from the cocky surgeon he first encountered during the epidemic. This man would gladly give up his life for Robin or any of the children, Stephanie included. It wasn't surprising - after all, Patrick had been ready to be Mal's dad before he even knew Mal was his, this wasn't any different.
The truth was that Patrick had done everything he could to protect Robin, it just hadn't been enough and that was killing him.
Patrick nodded his head at Mac. Words weren't necessary, Mac knew how he felt.
Jason joined the two men. "Mac, Patrick, we have an update. We found the helicopter pilot."
Patrick was ecstatic. "Where did he take them?"
Jason hated that he was letting Patrick down again. "They weren't on it."
Mac was stunned. "But we saw them take off…"
Jason interrupted. "No, we saw a helicopter take off – we didn't see them on it, we just assumed they were on it but they weren't. They pilot said that he was waiting for his passengers when he was told to leave and return to the airport."
Patrick leaned against the house and slowly slid down the wall. She was still there and they had left her behind. "So we are no closer to finding her."
"No Patrick, don't you see – they had to have left in a car so we are going to get footage from every traffic camera within a 10 block radius from the hotel during that time period. He messed up, we have a lead."
Patrick looked at the kids. Emma smiled and waved at her dad and then began chasing Stephanie and Mal around the yard. It looked like they were playing tag. He waved back. "Then I guess we need to head back to Port Charles."
He stood back up and started walking into the yard. "I'm going to go say goodbye to the kids and then grab my things. Leave in 30 minutes?"
Mac and Jason both nodded in agreement and then headed back into the house as Patrick went to say goodbye to his kids.
