CHAPTER 5

Electric Lizard Green Hair Dye.

Robin read the label on the bottle that Maxie had given her.

She shouldn't do this.

It was wrong.

Oh so wrong.

Robin told her conscience to shut up and decided to listen to the devil on her other shoulder.

She began pouring the dye into the shampoo bottle that she had found in Patrick's locker. She knew he took a shower after his shift whenever he had a date so he wouldn't have to go home first. And she also knew that he had a date tonight, according to hospital gossip she had heard around the nurses' station when she had started her shift a little while ago. Maxie, who was volunteering today, had slipped Robin the hair dye bottle when no one was looking. Why she had it in the first place, Robin wasn't so sure she wanted to know. But it had seemed like a good idea at the time.

Shaking the bottle to mix up the contents, Robin wasn't so convinced it was a good idea anymore. She could get into a lot of trouble. If she got caught, that is. And she would, being the horrible liar that she is. Especially if Patrick guilt trips her into confessing, like her uncle Mac had done after she and Stone had stolen his car to go to a concert years ago.

Robin laughed at the memory. This was a different situation though. There's no way Patrick could ever make her feel sorry for him. Not after the way he had been treating her, and certainly not after what she had seen last night.

Ugh. Last night.

If Robin wasn't sure she should be doing this, she was sure as hell now. This was revenge for him being such a jackass, and using Carly against her. But she wasn't going to get mad, she was going to get even. You don't mess with a Scorpio and not get stung.

Placing the bottle back into his locker, she quietly closed it and slipped the lock back into place. Most people would never have been able to pick the lock, but she wasn't most people. Growing up with two spies for parents defiantly has its advantages.

Confidently strutting out of the locker room, she made her way down the hall and rounded the corner.

Her insecurity returned though when she saw who was standing at the nurses' desk.

Patrick Drake. Carly Corinthos. And Dominic Griffin.

Damn it. What were they talking about? If Robin had one guess, it would be her. She hoped they weren't insulting her to Dominic. Or worse, blabbing to him that she was HIV+. She hadn't had the chance to tell him yet. Well, that was a lie. Truth was, she didn't want him to think differently of her. She knew he was attracted to her, and it felt nice to be desired. Usually when men found out she was HIV, they no longer wanted anything to do with her. It happened every time.

Except with Jason. But she wasn't going to get into that.

And Patrick. But that was a different story. He was only interested because he couldn't have her. She was the ultimate challenge. As much as she liked Patrick, she didn't want him to want her because of some game.

She hoped that Dominic wouldn't believe a word Dr. Slime and Slutty McWhore were saying.

Just then, Sonny came out of the elevator, probably there to see Emily. Carly then bounded off in his direction.

Some things never change. Robin thought amusedly.

Robin saw Dominic glance over in her direction as Patrick was talking to him. She decided to join the conversation, if only to stop whatever it was he was up to.

"Hi honey!" Patrick greeted her with a huge grin, putting his arm around her shoulders.

What the hell!

Robin flashed Patrick a death glare, but before she could say anything, he crashed his lips down upon her. For a moment Robin didn't bother to resist, but then she remembered where his lips had been last night.

Stamping the heel of her stiletto onto his foot, he bit down hard on her bottom lip before pulling away and cursing under his breath. She smiled triumphantly, fully enjoying watching him in pain.

"I never pictured you as a sadist, Dr. Scorpio. I'll have to remember that for next time." Patrick winked before limping away.

"What was that all about?" Dominic asked after Patrick was out of sight.

"I could ask you the same thing. What were you two talking about?" Robin asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "Normally I wouldn't care, but I just have this feeling it was about me."

"You're right. It was about you." Dominic admitted. "You didn't tell me you were involved with Dr. Drake."

"What are you talking about?" Robin crossed her arms defensively.

"Well, Dr. Drake was oh-so-kindly informing me that you and him were dating. And that I better back off, or else."

Robin's blood boiled. Wherever the arrogant jerk of a doctor was, she hoped he was running.

"Or else what?" She managed to ask through gritted teeth.

"Something about him destroying my medical career. Oh, and telling every woman who works in this hospital that I'm gay."

"How mature." Robin rolled her eyes. "It's not like anyone would believe him though."

"I don't know. I don't want to take the chance." Dominic joked. "No other women would go out with me. Unless they wanted to take me to the mall to get my opinion on shoes. And then they would try to set me up with their friend 'Carlo', or 'Andrew'."

Robin laughed. "But think of all the cruises you could go on!"

"True." Dominic smiled. "But you know, I don't really want to see other people. But since you're unavailable..."

"I'm available." Robin blurted. "Patrick lied to you."

"And why would he do that?" The poor guy looked confused before realization seemed to dawn on his face. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but if he's into you, and you're into him..."

"I'm not." Robin quickly interjected.

Dominic shot her a 'yeah right' look. "So when you were staring at him last night during our date at the MetroCourt, it was because you weren't into him?"

Robin ran her fingers through her hair, defeated.

"So, maybe I am into him. Sort of. Kind of. Maybe." She confessed reluctantly.

"Sort of? Kind of? Maybe?" He repeated, smiling.

Robin was about to elaborate more on her feelings for the insufferable doctor when the object of the conversation dared to reappear.

"Speak of the devil." Robin muttered, wondering if he had a death wish.

"You were talking about me?" Patrick smirked while leaning over Robin, knowing full well his dimples were showing.

"What were you saying?" He continued as she gave him the silent treatment. "How irresistible I am? How much you love my dazzling smile, and my chocolate-brown eyes? How much you want to kiss me, running you fingers through my silky locks?"

"No, but now that you mention it, you could use a haircut." Robin dead panned. "1978 called. They want their tousled hair returned to Farrah Fawcett."

Dominic stifled a laugh, and in return, Patrick fixed him with an icy glare. "What are you laughing at, Dr. Boy Band?"

Dominic ignored him, instead choosing to chastely peck Robin on the lips. The kiss was a little too long to be friendly, in Patrick's opinion.

"I'll see you later?" He asked her, walking away backwards.

"I can't wait." Robin flirted, more for Patrick's benefit than Dominic's.

Robin watched Dominic walk away, with Patrick watching Robin watch Dominic.

"So how was your date last night?" Patrick asked as Robin began walking behind the nurses' station. "Did you go home with Dr. Bye Bye Bye?"

"No." She answered without bothering to look at him. "Not everyone has your lack of morals and self-control."

He put a hand to his heart. "Your wound me, Dr. Scorpio."

"And you annoy me." Robin snapped as she looked at him square in the eyes. "By the way, who the hell do you think you are!"

Patrick looked taken back by her sudden display of anger. "Well, my name's Patrick Drake, I'm 6'2, 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. I was born on..."

"Shut up." Robin slammed the stack of patient charts down on the desk, causing Patrick to jump. "I'm talking about you telling Dominic that you and I are involved."

"Oh, that."

Robin waited for him to elaborate, or attempt to offer an explanation.

Nothing.

She waved her hands in front of her, motioning for him to continue. He just shrugged.

"I'm just looking out for you. I don't think he's the right man to satisfy all your needs."

"Oh, why, thank you Dr. Phil." Robin replied sarcastically. "Ever think of quitting neurosurgery to pursue a career as a therapist? I could just picture it now: 'What's that, ma'am? Your husband's having an affair? How about you sleep with me to get back at him?'"

Patrick laughed in spite of himself. "Do you really think I'm that despicable? That I'll sleep with anything in a skirt?"

"Well, I don't know about that. I haven't seen you come on to any transsexuals we've treated in the ER."

"Robin." Patrick's voice suddenly took on a serious tone. "I haven't slept with anyone since I've been interested in you."

"You expect me to believe that?" Robin yelled louder than she had intended. "What about Carly?"

"What about Carly?"

"I saw you, okay?" She whispered, her voice beginning to betray her. "I saw you with her last night."

"We were just having dinner at the MetroCourt. Need I remind you that you were there with someone else as well?" He countered, leaning over the desk as she scribbled some notes onto a random chart.

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about you and Carly. Together." Robin didn't dare look at him, for fear he would see the traces of tears threatening to fall. "At your apartment."

There was silence. A drawn-out, tension-filled silence that seemed to last for hours. She felt his gaze bore into her, but she wouldn't look up. She couldn't.

"You went to see me." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Correct."

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does. More than you know."

"Look." She sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes. "I can't do this. Not again. I've been down this road before, with Jason. And I refuse to be second-best. I'm better than that."

"I'm glad you finally realize it."

Robin finally glanced up, wanting to see if there was any hint of mocking in his statement. What she found there instead took her breath away. Did he actually care about her?

He held her gaze, wanting her to see he was being sincere. When she didn't say anything, he decided to break the spell.

"I didn't sleep with Carly." He whispered honestly.

"Okay." She whispered back, truly believing him. Despite what she had seen last night, something was telling her he wasn't lying.

"And I want to take you out on a date tonight." Patrick smiled, reaching out to tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "Since we never got to go out on that date we agreed on at the bar."

"Okay." She repeated, smiling back.

"Okay." His face broke out into a wide grin. "I'm just going to go take a shower, and then we'll go."

Robin watched him happily as he walked away, disappearing around the corner towards the locker room.

Oh no.

What did he say?

A shower?

Robin's smile dropped as waves of panic and guilt washed over her. She had forgotten all about the green hair dye.

Was it too late to stop him?

Robin decided that yes, it was. What done was done. And now she would have to live with the consequences. But that didn't mean that she'd have to live with them while at the hospital.

No, she'll just have to live with the consequences someplace safe. Like, across town.

Grabbing her purse from behind the nurses' desk, Robin hastily rushed towards the elevator and frantically stabbed at the button, relieved that it opened quickly. She'd have to come back for the rest of her belongings later. When Patrick's hair color returned to something resembling normal.

Just as the doors were closing, a loud voice boomed throughout the tenth floor, causing everyone to stop and stare towards the direction of the locker room.

"ROBIN SCORPIO!"

TO BE CONTINUED...