A/N: I just realized that this is the first Scrubsfic that I've written in the third person all by myself and that I've actually gotten into the habit of writing Patrick and Robin in the first person. Like you care. Just remember folks that this is a soap opera…

This is a short one. More later.

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If You're Not the One – 2
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If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call
If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all
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It was a rough night and she felt bad for how she had behaved. That's why, she reasoned, her throat was coated with tears long after Patrick had left her sitting alone in the cafeteria. And she had meant it when she said she wanted to be Patrick's friend, especially with Noah's health declining, but she didn't think that Patrick was going to be very receptive. She wasn't looking forward to tomorrow.

"Robin, are you all right?"

Robin blinked back some lingering tears before she looked up at Nikolas. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Robin asked wryly.

"I'm not the one who looks like they're going to cry over their…is that salad?" Nikolas sat down in the seat that Patrick had vacated. "What did that Drake guy do to you?"

"Patrick?" Robin asked, surprised that Nikolas would even mention him.

"I saw him storming out of here when I walked in. Then I saw you sitting looking so sad in the corner. So tell me how the bastard hurt you and I'll hire goons to beat him up."

"Nikolas!" Robin laughed in surprise. "Patrick didn't do anything to me. We've gone out a couple of times, but I realized tonight that it's just not going to work out and told him so."

"And you're sad because…?" Nikolas prompted.

"It was nice to have someone interested and now there isn't anyone." She had just worked that one out on the fly and she thought it sounded good. Logical. So what if it didn't exactly resonate with truth in her gut? It didn't change how things had to be. "What are you doing here so late?" Robin asked, determinedly changed the subject.

"I came by to try and see if I could get in to see John." Nikolas sighed. "They're still keeping me out, thanks to your Dr. Drake and your friend Jax."

"I'm so sorry. I know how difficult this must be for you." Robin was proud she didn't visibly flinch when Nikolas called him "your Dr. Drake." And she wasn't going to discuss Jax and what, or who, he was doing these days. Grief did strange things to people. And so did Carly.

"You do, don't you?" Nikolas squeezed her hands. "I never thought I could love a baby that's not even mine so much."

Robin was surprised by a fresh flood of tears to her eyes. She laughed and shook her head as a couple got loose down her cheeks. "I don't know what's wrong with me tonight," she said at Nikolas' look of concern.

Nikolas knew very well the tears were for Michael and that she was more upset about Dr. Drake than she was willing to admit. He doubted anyone ever saw her looking so sad, she was good at faking it. He wanted to do something to make her feel better and it felt good to focus on someone other than himself for a change. He'd always had a soft spot for Robin and he wondered, idly, in the back of his mind, how different things would have been for both of them had she not gone back to Jason and given him a bona fide shot all those years ago. "You know what we need?" He leaned forward, excited by the idea that just came to him.

"What?" Robin took her hands back and wiped her cheeks.

"A waltz."

"Here?" Robin let out a surprised bark of laughter.

"Well, we could, but I was thinking tomorrow night at the Haunted Star. What say you and me, fancy dress and some gambling and dancing?"

Robin considered the invitation. A night out with a friend was just what she needed, she decided. "I'd love to. It'll be fun."

"Then it's a date. Are you still working? Then I'll walk you home," he declared when she shook her head.

"You don't have to do that. I only live a few blocks away."

"This might not be Paris, but it's still not a good idea for a beautiful, young woman like yourself to walk home alone. I insist."

Robin smiled at Nikolas fondly. Just when she was starting to wonder why she was back in Port Charles, an old friend always came along and reminded her.

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On their way out Nikolas walked Robin to the Doctor's Lounge where she retrieved her coat. Neither was aware of Patrick watching Nikolas help her on with her coat outside the Lounge or his frown when he saw Nikolas putting his hand on Robin's lower back as he guided her into the elevator.

Neither knew that the image haunted Patrick for the rest of the evening or that he had never experienced anything like that before and didn't really understand it or like it.

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Once the apartment door was closed behind Nikolas she locked it and looked over at the garbage can, a pained expression on her face.

As she and Nikolas had stood near the door and he had extracted another promise that she would accompany him tomorrow night she had been thankful that he had not asked about the flowers that he had obviously seen in the garbage and whose delicate scent was filling the apartment.

With a regretful pang she bent down and rescued the flowers. Still crouching, she closed her eyes and breathed them in. The flowers fit her and her new apartment perfectly and she couldn't help but wonder if he had lingered over the choice or if they were just something he grabbed in haste. She hoped it was the latter. The image of him making the effort made her feel even worse for how she acted tonight. It had been like a train wreck, which she should know since she'd recently been in one. She could see the crash coming, feel her body propelled by the inertia, but she couldn't stop the mean things coming out of her mouth. She had a very strong feeling then and now that the things she said hurt him deeply and while he seemed to have forgiven and forgotten already, she still felt horrible for hurting him.

"That's why this is for the best," she reminded herself and then reminded herself again for all the reasons why wanting anything more than friendship with the man was a bad idea.

With a pain in her chest she stood up and took the flowers into the kitchen to find the glass vase she had just put away the day before.

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If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed?
If I don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?
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