Chapter 25

"Close the laptop Robin." Patrick waltzed into the room. "We had a deal."

"But…"

"Your fever is up – stop working." He sat down on the bed and gently closed the computer.

She flopped back on the bed. "Only two tenths of a degree."

"You found the antibodies in Dillon's blood and he is currently going through the process to extract them." It had been two days since the virus had first struck and Dillon had begun spontaneously recovering. Robin had discovered an antibody in his blood that they could use to create a serum. It would take weeks of treatments but they should be able to cure everyone using the antibody serum Robin and Patrick had created. "Kavi is ready to go as soon as the process is complete."

"The test patients?" Robin knew that there were several patients worse off than her.

"Holding on." Patrick and Robin had come up with a number of criteria to determine who received the serum first. The hope was that they would be able to cure at least a quarter of the patients with this first dose. It would take a few days to determine if it worked and, if it did, Dillon would be ready for a second extraction. If all went well everyone would be cured within the next two weeks.

"And you are agreed on maximum incubation period?" Robin had noted that there had been no new patients in the last 24 hours. Based on what they were seeing, this virus has an extremely short incubation period.

"Ah, you noticed." Patrick had lost the hazmat suit an hour ago. "No one at the hospital has come down with the virus and we have had no new patients so the MRA representative agreed with you that the maximum incubation period for the virus is 36 hours."

She nodded her head. "Thank God – maybe we can get out of this without any casualties." She studied him closely. "You look like you are about to collapse."

"I'm tired but…"

"Patrick – you can't help anyone if you are sick." Robin was concerned that he would run himself down.

"I know and Alan is insisting I take advantage of this down time while he oversees Dillon's extraction to lay down and take a nap but I can't get comfortable in the on-call room." He winked at her. "The best nap I have had was with you and Rylee the other night."

"Really?" Robin smiled at him. "Do you think it would help to try it again? I mean, I have plenty of room here and I am a little tired myself." Robin was tired of hiding from her feelings for Patrick.

She didn't need to ask twice. Before she could even move, Patrick was laying down with her. He wrapped his arms around her and laid with her side by side, his chest against her back and his cheek against her cheek. "This is the best idea you have ever had."

Robin gently stroked his arms. "Patrick…"

"Rest now Robin." He kissed her cheek. "We'll figure everything else out later."

Robin relaxed into his embrace as they fell asleep together.


"I have finished the antibody serum and given it to Dr. Quartermaine." Kavi was quickly getting annoyed at the blond doctor from Mercy who stood at his desk.

"I thought I made it clear that I was administering the serum." Gwen had volunteered for this crisis because she saw it as an opportunity to advance her career but so far she had taken a back seat to this damn Dr. Soltini. "I wanted to…"

He rolled his eyes. "Dr. Quartermaine is my boss and I answer to him. I need to be ready for the next set of labs so if you don't mind…"

"Fine, just tell me where Dr. Drake is so I can discuss this with him." Patrick had been avoiding her since their first encounter two days ago but she was certain that, now that a cure had been discovered, she could get him to spend a little time with her.

"Dr. Drake was taking a break." Kavi turned back to his computer, already done with the conversation.

"But he wasn't in the on-call…" Her voice trailed off as she realized exactly where he was. "Nevermind – I'll find him myself."

Gwen stormed out of the lab and headed down the corridor to Robin's room. She was about to walk in when she looked through the window and saw that Patrick was lying in Robin's bed with her sleeping.

She studied the scene closely. His arms were wrapped tightly around the little brown haired doctor, almost as if he could protect her from the virus with his touch. He had a look of pure contentment on his face and Gwen finally realized what his tirade when she first arrived was about – he was in love with the woman.

Gwen turned to leave and was shocked to find a man standing behind her. "Excuse me…"

"They look cute together, don't they?" He smiled at her.

"Yeah, whatever." She tried to move past the man but he stopped her.

"I take it you are not a fan of Dr. Soltini's?"

"I don't know the woman."

"But you were hoping to cure her and use the notoriety from saving an HIV positive patient from an unknown virus to advance your career." He looked up and down the hall. "Is there somewhere we can speak privately?"

Gwen nodded and led him to a supply closet. "What is this about? Dr. Soltini isn't even one of the worst cases."

He produced a syringe from his pocket. "But what if her virus were to mutate? After all, she is HIV positive – who knows what effect that might have on this strain of influenza?"

Gwen considered what he was saying. "I don't want to hurt her."

"Of course not." Given the look on Gwen's face while she stared in Robin's room he wasn't sure he believed her. "All you are doing is creating an opportunity to help her – showing Dr. Drake that you can be just as altruistic as Robin is."

"What's in it for you?" Gwen couldn't believe she was even considering this but she was a brilliant doctor and she had no doubts she could find the cure for whatever was in that syringe.

"My boss is looking at the various ways that this virus can affect people with different immune systems – a strong, healthy HIV positive woman is the best test case." He placed the syringe in her hand. "She also has contacts as some of the most prestigious hospitals in the world. You do this for her and you can write your own contract to work at any of them."

Greed and arrogance overran every other emotion and Gwen shoved the syringe in her pocket. "Thank you very much mister…"

He smirked at her one last time before he left the closet. "Craig, James Craig."