A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. All the feedback you've given me has been so wonderful and amazing. Seriously. I really should save it all. Hmmm, I think I will. Anyway, hope this is an enjoyable read. It's Patrick's turn.

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Meddling – Patrick 6
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I don't want to let go. Right now everything is all right. My father is still alive and just heading in for what will hopefully be a life saving surgery. Robin is in my arms and holding on to me just as tightly as I'm holding on to her. She's solid and warm against my body and I feel grounded by her touch and by the scent of her that I breathe in with every breath. I don't want this moment to end. Once it does time will move on, I'll lose all control and whatever happens next will happen.

"The last time I was all alone," I whisper against the top of her hair where I'm resting my cheek as I struggle to block out the memory of my father coming into the waiting room to tell me that we had lost my mother.

"You're not alone now."

I lift my head and open my eyes. She tilts her head back and looks at me solemnly as I stroke back the hair that's flying around her head loose from her pony tail. There are dark smudges under her eyes and there's that look in her eyes that I saw before and still cannot decipher. I want to ask what my father has said to her to cause that look, but some part of me thinks that if she reveals it now my father won't pull through. "You should get some sleep," I say instead.

"We should get some sleep. Do you want to stay here or go back to my place?"

"Your place?" I can't resist the loaded question and I'm rewarded by a groan and an eye roll. I love getting a reaction out of her, especially since I can tell that she's not really annoyed because she hasn't peeled herself off my body yet.

"Because it's in walking distance and a lot more comfortable, Patrick."

Is it wrong that her school-marmish tone turns me on?

"And where will I be sleeping, Doctor Scorpio?" Well, well, well, this is getting more interesting as Robin does indeed put some distance between us and blushes. She so wants me in her bed, I know it and I tell her so.

"You're unbelievable!" I can tell her heart's not in the accusation, so while I could crow a bit more, I'm not that stupid as to ruin the chances of being in the only place I want to be right now. "I promise to be a good boy. Well, as good as you want me to be." Okay, just a bit stupid.

With one last eye roll she turns around. "I'll go let the nurse's desk know where we'll be." I watch her rush off and shake my head. Things are definitely different than the last time I waited for a parent to get out of surgery. Hopefully, the result will be different too.

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"You never did tell me where I'm sleeping. Please don't tell me it's that tiny little couch with all the girly pillows," I say as we walk into Robin's apartment. I know there's no bed in the second bedroom as it's set up as her office. The only bed is the big, brand new one in the master bedroom. I wonder if it's to my desired firmness? She wouldn't let me test it out the one and only time she even let me peek in there.

As she closes the door behind me I look around the cozy place she has made for herself. I walk over and pick up a half-burned red pillar candle and sniff it. Mmmm, cinnamon. I put it back down and idly glance at all the do-dads she has carefully placed around the living room. It's so different from my modern living, which is filled with a killer stereo system, a huge DLP television and a zillion other electronics and gadgets, yet I feel surprisingly relaxed here in Robin's space. The question is whether I'm going to get comfortable beyond the living room.

I slip my hands into the front pockets of my jeans and watch her still standing awkwardly by her front door.

"Um, well, I guess." She stops and blows out a breath.

She's so darn cute. Who knew that waiting for my father to get out of a life-or-death twelve hour surgery could be so interesting? Since it's because of Robin I'm managing to hang on to the last thread of my sanity here I decide to let her off the hook.

"I can sleep on the couch." Although, as I look at it, I don't think I'll fit on it.

She's looking at the couch too and sighs. "What you said before, about being a good boy. Do you think you could actually do that?" She looks like she wishes the ground would open up and swallow her up.

It's on the tip of my tongue to ask her if she really wants me too, but I bite my tongue instead. I rock back on my heels and sweep my eyes over her petite form. My palms itch to unwrap her from those layers of sweats to reveal the curves I know are under there, but apparently that is not an option, and I am exhausted after three surgeries and all the other stuff. "Sure." I shrug.

She cocks her head and studies for a moment and apparently she's decided to trust me because she nods and walks towards the bedroom. I stand watching her, my heart racing at the idea that I am going to get into bed with this woman. Be able to hold her in my arms for the next...I frown and take my hand out of my pocket and check my watch. Damn! Robin and I are both supposed to be on duty in about six hours.

"Patrick?"

I look up and she's stopped and is now facing me with a questioning look.

"We're supposed to be on duty in six hours."

"I spoke to Alan while you were talking to your father. He's taking care of rearranging the schedule. He said you didn't have any critical surgeries scheduled anyway."

The fact that she went about taking care of things without consulting me actually kind of irks me. "What about the lab?" The question came out more clipped than I had intended.

"I'll have to check in, but my assistants can handle things where we are now." She frowns. "Are you mad?"

I run my hand through my hair and walk over to her. "I probably shouldn't be." I sigh and look down at her trying to get my anger in check.

"I only meant to help." She looks at me with like I'm kind of nuts, which I guess in a way I am.

"I'm a big boy, Robin. I can take care of my job you know." I know I should be touched that she wants to help and take care of me this way, but I don't. Yet, I feel like a complete ass when tears fill her eyes. Of course, she immediately turns away so that I can't see them and says a stoic "sorry." Which only pisses me off more.

"Don't do that, Robin. Just don't do that!" I barely restrain myself from stamping on the ground like I would have if I were, oh, say, seven years old.

"Do what?" She turns around to face me again, her face as guarded as I've ever seen it.

"Pretend. Hide your feelings! You're pissed, tell me. You're hurt, tell me I'm an ass. Don't pull away from me. Just don't do that!" I put my hands on my hips and lean over her. Before I can get anymore worked up she utters a four letter word that knocks all my anger off its feet and elicits a surprised bark of laughter from me.

"You're a pain in the ass, Drake. A cranky, over emotional, pain in the ass who's worried about his father and freaking out because you've never gotten into a bed with a woman and not had sex in your entire over-sexed life. And the fact that you're taking your feelings out on me actually does hurt my feelings, but also makes me feel close to you because I know you're letting your guard down with me. Which makes me put my guard back up so that I don't insult you or make it mean more than it should because your…" she trails off and lets out an exasperated growl. "Is that what you want me to say?"

"Pretty much. How about we hit the sheets and see if you can keep your hands off me?" I give her my best leer to let her know how much I appreciate her letting me back in.