Part 7

"But I'll step back and put an end to this if that's what you need." Patrick stroked her hair off her face and licked his lips as he waited for her answer.

"I'm not trying to manipulate you, Patrick. I just need an emotional connection with the person I share my body with." The words were so hard for her to get out. So hard to say knowing that somehow she'd had to muster up the strength to walk away and not look back. "I can't seem to be able to find a middle ground."

"I care for you, Robin," Patrick whispered huskily, his hand still on her cheek. When she said nothing he continued, "How do you feel about me?"

Robin took a deep breath. "I guess the same. I care about you, too."

"Then why fight it and walk away? We could have a really great time together."

Robin thought about his question. Could she really be more vulnerable or hurt than she was already feeling at the idea of walking away from this? This was lust and caring, mixed with professional admiration and respect. How could she pass that up, even for the short time she would have it?

"You're right. Sorry I overreacted, again." Robin dipped her head and smiled shyly at him.

"Will you stay or should I take you home?"

>>>>>>>>

"This is an interesting role reversal."

Robin walked in from her run to find Patrick Drake standing at her apartment door with two cups of coffee and a bag of goodies in his hands.

"I could swear you're not supposed to be here for another hour, at least." She pulled her keys out of her hip pack and pushed her ear buds in.

"I thought I'd surprise you with breakfast." He waited as she unlocked her door. "That's all right, isn't it?"

"It's more than all right. It's a relief. I haven't been food shopping in weeks." Robin opened the door and closed it as he walked right into the apartment and began setting up their breakfast at the dining room table.

"Do you want to shower before you eat?" He looked at her still standing awkwardly across the room by the door.

"Is the coffee hot?" she asked. When he nodded she unzipped her sweatshirt and tossed the sweaty mess onto the floor and joined him at the table. She inhaled the scent. "Kelly's." Then took a sip. As she did, her eyes opened wide and she looked at him in wide-eyed pleasure. "Soy milk. How did you know?"

Patrick shrugged, but was obviously pleased at the acknowledgement.

"This is so great, Patrick." She stopped and squinted her eyes at him. "Are you buttering me up for something?"

"Not really." Patrick scratched his left eyebrow with his right hand and shrugged.

"What's 'not really'?" she broke a piece off the lemon poppy seed muffin he pushed towards her.

"I'm fueling you up for some grueling real estate shopping is all."

"Coffee definitely works for that. I'm an addict." Robin nodded. "There's this patisserie near the hospital with the most amazing café au lait. I would go there twice a day for a fix. It was quite an addiction. It was the best coffee I'd ever had in my life. Kelly's coffee is a close second."

"Do you think you'll go back?" Patrick's voice was light as he toyed with his bagel-egg sandwich.

"To Paris?" Robin shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe London or Rome. Or Barcelona. I adore Barcelona. But I don't have any plans to leave Port Charles right now. I've always wanted to work at General Hospital, without the pixie boots."

"Oh." Patrick toyed with a slice of bacon and avoided meeting her gaze.

"Do you think you'll go back to New York? I mean I know you're considering buying a place here, but…" she trailed off.

"I like Port Charles. As crazy as it is. And I kind of always wanted to work at General Hospital too. My father talked about it when I was a kid."

After a long, uncomfortable pause, Robin stood up with her coffee in hand. "I'll go shower and then we can get started on picking you a home."

>>>>>>

"Is this your fiancé? You didn't tell me. It's so lovely to meet you and it's good that he brought you along since it'll be your home too!" Patrick's realtor, contrary to Robin's expectation of a twenty-something willowy blonde, was middle-aged, thick in the waist and had puffy, teased hair. And as Robin was to discover, spoke in run-on sentences filled with assumptions based on how she wanted things to be. She was like an older, fashion-challenged Brenda.

"I'm not…" Robin began to protest.

"You're right, Robin's opinion is very key in what we choose today." Patrick put his arm around Robin and rocked her against his side, not bothering to bite back his smirk.

Robin turned and gave Patrick a puzzled look.

"Wonderful." Marion clapped her hands, causing her folder of listings to flap. "We'll take my car."

"We'll follow you in my car, in case either of us get called to the hospital for an emergency," Patrick interjected.

"Oh, are you a nurse?"

"I'm a doctor," Robin said through clenched lips.

"That must be where you fell in love, just like in Grey's Anatomy. I love that show."

"Er, not exactly." Robin frowned and let Patrick pull her towards his Mercedes.

"Why are you letting her think I'm your fiancé and we're going to be living together?" Robin asked when he got behind the wheel.

Patrick looked at her with a deadly serious expression. "Because she scares me, Robin."

Robin opened her mouth to say something, but ended up laughing instead as he started the car. "Are you serious?" she gasped.

"Did you want to get into a conversation with her about who you are and why you're here?"

"You could have said I was your sister. Or friend." She waved her hand to indicate she didn't care which one.

"That would have been rather awkward when I kiss you," he said dryly as he started the car.

"You're planning to kiss me while you're shopping to real estate?" Her heart started pounding. She had been explaining all this to herself as a friendly outing, but it was quickly starting to become more like a "date" or something even more intimate.

"It'll help me get a real feel for the place, especially the bedrooms." He smirked and pulled out into the road.

Robin rolled her eyes and folded her hands in her lap. The "no dating" rule was one she was still committed to, but as she looked over at her companion and then out at the sunny day, she couldn't bring herself to care.