A/N: Wow. I am amazed and flattered by the reaction to the last chapter! I'm happy that you all were surprised and that you liked my 'little' twist. I promise, I have more plans for what is to happen next so… you just have to keep reading I guess… sigh. I know, I know… what a terrible thing. Lol But no, seriously thank you all so much. I was already excited about this change in the story and then to have such amazing feedback, I got even more excited and I decided I just HAD to get this chapter out as fast as possible. So thank you all again…

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Help Me Fall

Chapter Twelve: Asking for Need

Twenty-three minutes and fifty- nine seconds. Twenty-four minutes.

Sitting in the waiting room, his stomach doing flips and his heart beating at ten times it regular pace, Patrick waited.

She was shot.

Losing a lot of blood.

Going in and out of conciseness.

His world was slipping father and father out of reach.

She lay in front of him; fighting for every breath… she gripped his arm with her tiny hand, desperate to stay conscience. Her eyes sought his, connecting only briefly before he tore away not baring to see her so helpless and vulnerable and him so numb he couldn't help her. Her body was shaking from the cold and from the shock but he couldn't keep her calm; he couldn't keep her warm. He was empty, the thought of losing her terrified him and he couldn't move. She needed him. He needed her. But they were stuck… non moving, waiting, hoping the paramedics would arrive soon… before she couldn't fight any longer.

"Dr. Drake?" His head shot up at the sound of his name being called, not caring how he looked. His teary and red rimmed eyes not important at this moment. All that mattered was that Robin be okay, that she wake up. Maybe he would wake up and this would only be one terrible dream… "How is she?"

"She is awake and asking for you…" The nurse said gently. The man standing before her was so torn, so lost, so helpless, so lonely. He came off as being tough and inferior; he had nothing to worry about… he was Dr. Patrick Drake. But in a matter of seconds his world had come shattering down in his hands…literally.

"Is- is she okay?" He wanted to be in the room with her. He wanted to be the one to save her life, to know that it would be saved. To know that every last thing that could have been sufficed had been and in the end, she would wake up, giving him a simple smile and things would be like nothing had ever happened. Like she had never been shot, like she was still Robin… together and in one piece; fighting and being her over annoying and stubborn self.

"She is asking for you." The nurse repeated once more. She didn't answer his question. She didn't make eye contact. Something was wrong… But she was asking for him.

He walked slowly down the hall, his mind only on his destination. He didn't pay attention to the doctors, nurses, or orderlies he passed. All that mattered was Robin.

He stopped outside of the door, resting his forehead on the cold metal. Was he ready for this? Was he ready to see what lay on the other side of this shield? He had seen her at the worst moment, with so much terror and pain written across her face… that sight would haunt him for some time now as it is. Could he open this door, walk in, and see her lying there, staring at him with that same pain and terror? He sighed deeply, pushing the door slightly. She needed him and he had to be strong for her. It didn't matter how terrified he was or how he felt at the moment. All that was important was that tiny woman… fighting, giving her all.

She lay completely still, her eyes open, staring at the door. She was waiting for him… asking for him. Her eyes lit up some what when his form entered her room and walked to the side of her bed. He gently took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips and gently kissing each finger. No words were spoken. There was no need… their eyes said everything worth saying. He pulled the chair nearby next to her bed, taking a seat but never losing contact with her hand.

It fell before he had a chance to stop it, to prevent it from happening. He didn't even realize until she raised her hand and rubbed the streak of wetness away. He held her hand to his skin with his, closing his eyes and savoring the moment. "I thought I had lost you…" He said barely above a whisper.

Okay, so he knew that it was 'only a gun shot wound.' He knew people lived from them every day but in those seconds with her on the docks… she was fighting and he couldn't do anything to help her. She was so scared and it was his job to tell her everything was going to be okay, that she was going to be fine and it was just a 'scratch' but he hadn't been able to… There was something seriously wrong now, he could tell… it was written all over her face and he could see it deep in her eyes, but he didn't want to know. Not yet. He just wanted to hold on to this moment when she was alright and they were together again with nothing that could possibly harm either one of them.

"I have something that I have to tell you…"

"Shh…" He instructed her. "Don't waste your energy. We will talk later." The tears were in her eyes before he even finished the sentence. "Listen to me… you are going to be fine and I am going to take care of you. I promise." He tried to comfort her.

"Patrick… I have to tell you something."

"Robin!" The door opened revealing a very worried looking group of people. First her uncle Mac and followed by Felicia and then Maxie, and finally Georgie. "What the hell happened? Are you okay? Why wasn't I called before now?" He glared at Patrick.

"Mac… please?" She managed to say, never taking her eyes off of Patrick. "I need a moment alone with Patrick." She needed to tell someone. She needed to tell him. She needed him to tell her that everything was going to be okay, that this was something permanent. She needed his support to get her threw, to help her tell her friends and family the next life altering damage brought upon her life.

"Actually…" He stood, "I'm going to go and give you some time…" He turned to leave but Robin grabbed their still clasped hands with her other free hand. She didn't want him to leave, she needed him to stay.

"Please?" She pleaded but he refused to meet her eyes, and only pulled his hand free and walked out the door.

She sunk as far as she could in her bed, wrapping the blankets even tighter around her tiny body and turning her head away from the curious faces in the room. She wasn't going to tell them until she told him. She couldn't… she needed him there with her. She needed his strength. So she would just wait for him. He would be back…he had to be.

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He pushed the door open, practically running to the doctor's lounge. He was breathing heavily and he was sweating, his mind running. He punched the wall behind him before he could stop himself or his adrenaline. He wanted to yell and scream… He wanted to hunt down whoever it was who put her in so much pain…

"All better now?" The husky voice asked from the corner of the room. "I take it, this has to do with Robin?"

He turned to his father, hatred and anger seething from his eyes… but also pain and freight. He wanted to be angry with his father for knowing him so well and seeing through his tough exterior. Despite the distance between them, Noah could read him like an open book… that's what came with being his duplicate.

"She is going to be fine…"

"I don't want to hear that she is going to be fine! I don't want to hear that everything is going to work out! This shouldn't have happened and especially not to her! She doesn't deserve any of this and I was there… I should have done something, anything to stop this from happening. I should have protected her." He sunk down in the nearby chair.

"What could you have done, Patrick? This was some sort of accident…"

"Accident?" Patrick scoffed, "In Port Charles? This was no accident…" He spat.

He knew his son was right. He knew that Sonny and Jason were involved somehow… they had already been snooping around outside asking for information. This wasn't an accident or at the very least, it was a purposeful shot that hit the wrong person. "You couldn't have done anything to stop this from happening… But you can be there for her now. She needs you, Patrick. You were who she asked for when she was stable and fully awake… you, not anyone else. She needs you right now more than you realize." He looked away knowing he had said too much. "Just go to her. Don't let your guilt get the best of you…"

Patrick laughed slightly at the irony of his father's words. 'Don't let your guilt get the best of you…' Isn't that the understatement of the year? This was coming from the man who secluded himself in a bottle of liquor since his wife died and now he was slowly dying… but he was giving his son advice. Yeah.

He excited slowly from the room and began his return walk toward her room, trying to think of any reason or excuse to explain why he left her when she needed him. When she pleaded with him to stay… She depended on him and yes, he depended on her. And now, something was wrong, something huge and she wanted to tell him. She needed him there with her and he had run, leaving her just like she had always feared he would.

He stopped outside her room and peered in. She was now facing away from the open door, her body racking with tears. He wanted to walk in and climb in the uncomfortable bed with her and hold her, protect her. He wanted to be honest with her and tell her how he truly felt about her and their relationship. He wanted her to know how tonight had affected him…

"Patrick?" She hadn't turned toward the door put she knew he was there. She turned her head to face the door and gave a slight smile, practically begging him to come to her with her eyes. "We need to talk."

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A/N: Okay, so this chapter is kind of short…BUT I want to keep the next big reveal a secret. Plus, I kind of have some stuff that I have to look up… MUHAHAHAHA!