A/N: It's my story and I'll do what I like! Hee. Thanks for all the feedback, honestly, in terms of Patrick I'm just writing what I see, I'm not making a lot up about him. I adore him, he's a wonderful, imperfect man.

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If You're Not the One – 16
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And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today
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She defended him. She turned her fiery, stand for what she believes in values on and did it for me, he thought to himself, still stupefied and incredibly touched by what she had done in front of everyone. He could hear her words echoing in his head as he followed her around the Nurse's Station.

As soon as the surgery began, it was clear that he wasn't going to make it, but Patrick tried anyway. There was no negligence, let alone murder.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her, even after Lucky let him go and the crowd dispersed. On autopilot again he followed her around the Nurse's Station. "Since when do you give me the benefit of the doubt?" Had he, he wondered, been wrong about what she thought about him? About what he had assumed she had been thinking – that he had lost Jesse on the table on purpose? No, he told himself firmly, he wasn't going to fault himself for being wrong here when she was so damned guarded.

"Well, a month ago I would've believed that you'd tank a surgery to give your father a transplant, but I know better now." She was totally exaggerating. She never would have thought that, if anything she would have thought his ego as a surgeon would never let him lose a patient, not even to play god for his father. Heck, back then he might not have even tried to fight for his father like he is now. She said what she did because she was trying to be careful, to not be too vulnerable to him and still stand for him.

"Don't tell me I'm inching my way up in your estimation?" Even as he asked the question Patrick wondered how the hell he had gotten to where he was asking a question like that. Was he or was he not the most arrogant bastard on the planet? Did he not always assume that everyone, especially Robin Scorpio, worshipped the ground he walked on, even if she wouldn't admit it? The feeling of admitted insecurity was not sitting well with Patrick, he was completely outside his comfort zone, but he had just lost his first patient and where he might have reacted with anger and bravado even as recently as a day ago, he found himself desperately craving some kind of validation from this small woman in front of him. He wanted that passion turned on for him again. God, he just wanted her.

"Well, recently, I jumped to some wrong conclusions about -- um -- a bet -- not my finest moment. But I'm learning not to rush to judgment about you." Her delivery was casual, almost humorous, but inside she felt anything but casual. Her feelings for this man were so close to the surface, so close to spilling out and leaving her defenseless.

It was right there on the tip of his tongue, a quip and snappy come on. A tease to break the tension that was bubbling inside him while he stood in front of this seemingly imperturbable woman, but he just didn't have the heart. Jesse Beaudry was dead and it happened in his hands. His mouth snapped shut and he looked down at his hands. Hands that had never before failed him and even though he knew the surgery was a waste of time the moment he opened, he had tried anyway, thought somehow that he could pull it off.

Patrick's reaction startled Robin, but before she could say anything Lucky Spencer walked over and she was immediately on the defensive. Unconsciously, she stepped between Lucky and Patrick and looked up at her old friend. Patrick was pulled from his reverie and observed her actions and then looked up at Lucky, but Lucky wasn't looking at him. Patrick moved forward in case he needed to jump to Robin's defense this time.

"I'm not here to hassle, Patrick." He looked at the doctor then, not ready to apologize, but there was conciliation was in his eyes. "I just got a call, there's been a shooting." He looked down at Robin as he spoke.

"Uncle Mac?" Robin gasped and covered her mouth. Patrick put a hand on her shoulder and looked at Lucky.

"No, no, he's fine. There was a shooting at the Metropolitan Hotel." Lucky ran his fingers through his hair wondering why the hell he should be doing anything but partying about the news he was about to relay, but for some unfathomable reason Robin Scorpio actually seemed to like the people he'd dedicated his life to taking down; those who had cost his partner his life. At that thought, his features hardened. "Sonny Corinthos was shot and killed on the scene. He was with Emily Quartermaine, she's fine, freaked out but unharmed. Jason killed the shooter. It was probably retaliation for the attempt on Diego Alcazar that killed my partner." Lucky's voice was a cold hiss.

Robin's brain processed the information at lightening speed and she pushed her emotional reaction aside. "Sonny's dead?" she confirmed, wondering in the back of her mind how she would feel about that when she had time to consider it. "And Jason?"

"I have the pleasure of going to arrest him." Lucky didn't censor his words or the gleeful look on his face. There was no way the mini-mobster was going to get away with it this time. His mind already rattling off charges – murder, concealed weapons violations, voyeurism? Nikolas could deal with Emily he decided and he made a mental note to take his brother along even though it was against protocol.

Robin blew out a breath and blinked. Brenda. She needed to call Brenda. "Right." She said absently. "Thanks for letting me know." She had forgotten Patrick's presence until he moved next to her.

"You all right?" he asked when Lucky stalked off.

She looked up at him, amazed that he could be asking about how she was doing given all he was dealing with. She had been so wrong about this man. It, he, tugged at her heart. She wrapped her hand around one of the hands she knew he had been looking at like they were alien life forms. She couldn't help the wry smile that curved her lips. "I'm fine, but I need to go call someone. How about I meet you at your father's room?"

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Robin walked into an empty office and sat down hard. When she was walking away she had heard Dr. Keifer tell Patrick that his father had been approved for Jesse's liver and after sharing a brief look of gratitude with Robin Patrick had rushed off to be with his father before they took him for surgery. She had been tempted to follow, but she knew he needed some time alone so she decided to call Brenda as she had planned although it was unlikely the news of Sonny's death would reach her all the way in Rome any time soon.

Sonny was dead. Robin searched herself for a moment looking for how she really felt about it. There was sadness, shock, worry for how it would impact his children and, god, who knew how crazy Carly would get now, but there wasn't the tearing pain she was used to when someone she cared about died. She realized now that she had grieved over Sonny a long time ago. He would always hold a place in her heart because of what he meant to Stone and who he was for her after Stone died, but he hadn't been a part of her life in a long time. Nor, she could admit now, had he been a particularly good man, not like her Uncle Mac and, god help her, even her father. They gave something back to the world, didn't just take from it. Squelching those useless thoughts she worried about how Brenda would react. It seemed like Brenda had gotten over Sonny a long time ago, but when someone died all bets were off for the grief it caused.

She dialed her calling card number and then Brenda's mobile and waited for her to pick up, calculating in her head the time difference in Rome. When Brenda picked up on the third ring she was surprised.

"Brenda Barrett!" Was the perky greeting.

"Bren, it's me Robin." Whatever reason for the call, it felt really great to hear her best friend's far away voice. "I have some news. Are you sitting down?"

"You're getting married to that hunk Patrick Drake!" Brenda guessed and laughed.

"How do you know he's a hunk?" The mention of Patrick and marriage momentarily distracted her. "Never mind. That's not it. Brenda, Sonny was killed today." She said the last words carefully, softly. There was only silence on the other end of the phone. It worried Robin. "Brenda, are you all right?"

"I wasn't sitting down, I am now. Wow."

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Brenda said the words as if she was testing them out and was surprised to find them true. "I'm shocked, but not really. I guess I expected it years ago and it never happened and now it's a shock. But don't worry, I am not still in love with him. I can hardly believe I ever was sometimes." Her tone of voice left no room for doubt.

"Are you going to come back for the funeral?" Robin asked.

"I don't know. Carly would definitely freak out. Not sure if that would be entertaining or too pathetic to deal with. I could come to town and make sure that you hook up with that Drake guy you're secretly in love with. How is he doing?"

"He just lost his first patient and his father is about to have a liver transplant tonight, from that very patient. Not well." Robin rubbed her forehead. "The patient was Maxie's boyfriend Jesse and surgery couldn't have saved him, but Patrick tried anyway and now it doesn't look good for him. And Maxie is so heartbroken, Bren. I wish there was something I could do for her, but I know there isn't."

"I'm sure you'll be strong for both of them. Maybe I should come out there and be strong for you?" Brenda said.

Robin smiled. "If you come, Bren, and I want you to, but there's something you should know. Jax is involved with Carly."

"What!" Brenda screeched over the phone. "That stupid idiot! I'll be there! I'll call you with my flight details. You stay strong for Patrick and Maxie – and you tell him you love him. I bet you anything he's worth it. Ciao!"

Robin stared bemusedly at the phone. It would be good to see Brenda, even under these circumstances.