A/N: Nikolas is back, he is kind of cute when he's not messing about with flaky women (Courtney, Natalia's Emily...). Yeah, this is still totally soapy. The characters have taken the lead, not sure what they want to do next. I think I'm done with Dr. Lee after this one snicker.

>>>>>>>>>
If You're Not the One - 11
>>>>>>>>>
'Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away
And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today
'Cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right
And though I can't be with you tonight
And know my heart is by your side
>>>>>>>>>

Patrick stood in near the waiting lounge after the elevator doors closed, his body shaking in reaction to the emotions bubbling up inside him. He had the strongest urge to just leave the hospital and put an end to this night, but Robin still had his car keys and he was damned if he was going to walk all the way home because even though he was wearing his Chucks, his feet were still hurting. It was as good excuse as any.

He walked over to a nearby nurse and asked her if she knew where Dr. Scorpio and her friend were going. The nurse willingly told him she overheard them talking about coffee, excited to impart the information and become an involved party in the scene unfolding before everyone over this long night.

It was common knowledge in the hospital that Drs. Scorpio and Drake had something going on, but after tonight there would be no doubt that Dr. Drake was far gone on the pretty Dr. Scorpio. This story, of him screaming out her name as she walked off looking cozy with the handsome, rich owner of the Hospital, combined with the goings on at The Haunted Star opening – real and exaggerated – would be the talk of the Hospital for weeks to come, talk that would bite Patrick Drake in the ass many times over the coming weeks.

Stories such as Dr. Lee's recounting of her aborted date with Dr. Drake in which she said she ended because being such a romantic she saw how interested in Dr. Scorpio he was. Later, this story would be questioned when it was discovered that the habit of drowning her rejection in a haze of alcohol was one that would eventually lead her to a treatment center with Dr. Noah Drake as her AA sponsor, until he had to hand her over to someone else because her unwelcome sexual advances were hindering her recovery.

Or the lyrical recounting of the endless, passionate kiss on the boat deck that was seen by more than just the Drs. Quatermaine (or so they would like you to believe, because of course the Chief of Staff didn't gossip), a story which eventually became an outright sexual encounter, though most people just liked to imagine the two good looking doctors like that and didn't really believe it.

Then there was the sight of Robin leaving wearing Dr. Drake's suit coat that was corroborated by simply everyone, except for Carly and Jax who were too busy getting it on and Jason who was way too obsessed with sussing out his sister's illicit affair with his master/life partner.

With a nasty sense of déjà vu, Patrick walked into the Cafeteria to find Nikolas all alone with a single cup of coffee.

"She went back to look for you," Nikolas informed Patrick before he could even ask. "Wait!" Nikolas called out to Patrick when the latter turned to leave and stood up. "Don't hurt her man."

"Mind your business." Patrick turned back around, fighting the urge to punch the guy again.

"I watched her risk her life and her heart before with that sleaze Jason Morgan. She didn't listen to me then, so I'm telling you now. If you can't take care of her the way she deserves then I will."

"Just last week I was throwing your drunk ass out of the NICU and now you're lecturing me? I know Robin has a wide compassionate streak so don't make it mean more than that."

"I could say the same to you, Drake," Nikolas hissed, his Cassadine temper in full flare.

"She didn't want you then, what makes you think she'll want you now?" Patrick leaned in and got in Nikolas' face.

"I didn't fight for her then." Nikolas' deliberate words rang with a conviction that unsettled Patrick as much as the words themselves.

"I don't have time for a pissing contest with you. Just stay the hell out of my way." Patrick stalked away. When the hell did he start fighting over a woman, he cursed at himself.

"Better make the time, Drake." Nikolas warned softly, a full measure of Cassadine arrogance and threat in his voice.

>>>>>>>>>>>

Patrick found Robin hovering outside Noah's hospital room. "Can we get out of here?" Patrick asked wearily.

"How did it go with Noah?" Robin asked.

"As I expected. Still stubborn and still selfish. Just sober now."

"Noah is acting like a 5-year-old. He's making this about everything but the transplant -- old family baggage, the guilt over your mother's death -- and you are playing right into his hands."

"I know where you're going. Once again, you're trying to make it my fault that my father's a stubborn fool." He threw up his hands in exasperation.

"This is way past anyone's fault. Noah's condition is critical, and it is going to get worse. Someone needs to get through to him, and that someone needs to be you. So stop sulking like a disappointed son and start acting like a doctor."

Deep down Patrick knew she was right, he was acting like a son, the grieving and young son Noah had left behind ten years ago, and not the man or the doctor he had become. But Noah was sleeping now and he was too damn tired to jump through anymore of Robin Scorpio's hoops. He rubbed his forehead. Couldn't she just let him escape from all this for a short time?

"Can we just go home? You can start in on me tomorrow and then I'll start on him." They looked at each other silently for a moment and then fell into step as they headed for the Hospital garage.

"Do you want me to drive, you look exhausted," Robin asked as she took Patrick's keys out of her purse.

He shook his head and opened the passenger door to his black Mercedes-Benz SLK350 and held it open for her. With a mental shrug Robin got in the car. They were silent during the short ride to Robin's apartment. When they got there, Patrick surprised her by parking and walking her to her door.

"Not going to break in?" Patrick asked as she slid her key into the lock. Somewhere during the short drive in the quiet with Robin he decompressed. Consequently, he was very able and willing to try and get another kiss out of Robin or at least enjoy trying.

She looked up at him trying to read what this new might be. When she had first met him she had thought he was a cocky, shallow jerk that nothing got to. Now, she didn't know if she had just been taken in by an image or if bringing him back together with his father had caused him to become this moody, highly emotional man before her. The guy who let loose a shout that sent shivers down her spine whenever it echoed through her head. A shout that both of them were happy to ignore for the time being.

"Are you going to open the door?"

Flustered, Robin turned back and did just that, leading Patrick into her apartment. What he was doing there she wasn't sure.

"Do you want a drink?" She asked as he prowled around her living room, stopping at the flowers and sliding her a heated glance, and then continuing on to circle back around the couch.

"Sure. Water." He sat down and made himself comfortable.

Robin looked at him, perplexed, but then went to the kitchen to get him a drink.

"Did you have dinner?" She called out from the kitchen.

"Not hungry."

She came back with two waters and after a moment of contemplation sat down on the couch a half cushion away from him. For a few very awkward minutes they sat silently, sipping their waters. Robin was the first to break.

"Patrick, what are you doing here?"

"I'm drinking the water you so very kindly served me." Patrick tilted his head and looked at her, blinking sexily, a kittenish look on his face.

Robin rolled her eyes and put her water down on the coffee table and started staring at him.

Patrick chuckled at her reactions, loving it that she didn't fall easily for all his usual come ons. He scooted over on the couch until his body was flush with hers. "Come on, Scorpio, you know you want me to kiss you again." His voice was husky.

This was actually true, especially since he pitched his voice like that, she just didn't think it was a good idea. She shifted over a space until the end of the couch stopped her. "Last night we agreed…" She pointed at him until he grabbed her hand and interrupted.

"Tonight we agreed that what we agreed last night was a heat of the moment thing," he said, quickly grasping on to the reality that he wasn't going to get the kiss unless he made some sort of, well, commitment.

"We didn't agree to anything, we just…kissed." Robin shrugged and picked at some lint on her black slacks.

"I said that I wouldn't associate with Carly anymore, I said that I wasn't opposed to maybe giving this a shot. I apologized!"

"Not opposed to it or want to?" Robin crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow giving him her "I'm no fool" expression.

Looking at Robin sitting right next to him, looking up at him her chin tilted up in challenge, eyes daring him to say something cocky and glib, her hair mussed from a night out on the town that was vastly different than one he would have planned for them and he grinned. "You're beautiful when you glare at me." He chuckled at her exasperated noise. "No really. I should be a basket case right now, actually." He tilted his head and thought for a moment. "I think I am a basket case, but I'm sitting here with you right now and actually smiling." He turned to face her, put his elbow on the back of the couch and his knee on the couch between them.

"Patrick." Robin put her hand on his knee, touched by his words and unable to not touch him.

He wrapped his hand around the one she rested on his knee. "I don't know what the hell I'm doing here or anywhere right now. I just know that I'm can't walk away from you. I…have feelings for you." He let out a breath, the admission taking a lot out of him. His eyes, serious now, searched her face. "This thing with my father." He stopped, pursed his lips and forced himself to go on. To go on and say the words that pushed all of Robin's buttons. "I need your help. I need…you."

Tears wet Robin's eyes as she let him tug her forward until their lips met, then closer still as he pulled her flush against him.