A/N: Wow, this story is really getting away from me! I can't believe we've already reached chapter seventeen! I don't really have any certain place that I am planning on taking this story. I have some plans and ideas for the next few chapters but after that, it's whatever my little mind can come up with! Lol But I hope you guys are still enjoying this story and I'm sorry for the shortness of the last chapter… Hopefully I can make up for it with this chapter. But thank you all again for your reviews and your comments. I appreciate every single one of them.

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Help Me Fall

Chapter Seventeen: Patience is a Virtue

Liz wheeled her into his room, placed her wheelchair next to his bed, and left to give them some privacy. She gripped his hand, bringing it to her lips and gently kissing each finger. He was still so warm to touch but yet so lifeless; almost empty. She wanted him to wake up and give her hell for being scared even for a second. She wanted to see his familiar smirk. She wanted to feel his eyes on her when he thought he was being discreet.

What did she say to him? Could he even hear her? So many times she told families to talk to their loved one, they could be heard. But now she wasn't so sure. It's funny how things change when your loved one is involved. When it's your heart on the verge of breaking.

"Patrick…" Her throat clamped shut, and her stomach tightened. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He was supposed to make it through the surgery with out the slightest glitch. He was young and healthy… none of this should have happened. "Patrick, I know somewhere in there you can hear me and you have to listen to what I'm saying. You have to wake up. You have to because you don't give up that easily. You have to pull through and remind your dad everyday for the rest of forever that you saved his life. You have to wake up and make fun of me for caring too much for you and being worried…" She wiped at the tears that were falling. "And I am worried. I'm scared, Patrick."

She sat silently for a moment, looking anywhere around the room except at the man that lie in front of her. Finally bringing her back to his face, she continued speaking. "It's funny; a few months ago I would have laughed in your face if you told me I would be at your bedside today begging you to fight for your life. But then again, you would never have believed you would be here now… you are too cocky for your own good." She smiled, finally getting some kind of flow to what she was saying. "You always have to be right. You can't ever accept defeat. So don't accept defeat now, Patrick. You fight, okay? You fight with every fiber of your being and I promise I will be here when you wake up." She wanted to touch his cheek, his forehead… anything. She wanted to move his hair off his forehead and place a kiss right there. But she couldn't. She couldn't move from the chair… "I promise." She repeated once more, hoping beyond hope he heard every word of what she had said.

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"Where is she?" The familiar female voice came from behind him, shocking him like no other. "Where is my daughter?"

"Anna?" Mac asked, still surprised. "Robert?" He stepped back seeing the male figure for the first time.

"No…Sonny and Cher!" Ana said sarcastically even though now wasn't the time for jokes. "Now where is my daughter?"

"She-uh- she's in Dr. Drake's room…" He glanced between the two standing in front of her. Of course he had known that Anna was alive but he still hadn't seen her in years but Robert… he was dead. Or supposed to be anyway.

"Dr. Drake?"

"It's just a-a long story…"

"That's fine. Just lead me to my daughter's room please, brother." Robert spoke for the first time.

"She really just wants to be alone with Patrick right now…" Felicia interjected when she saw the shocked and angry look cross Mac's face when glaring at his brother. "It's been a long couple of days and today has been especially hard on her." She continued explaining.

"Will you please me take me to my little girl Felicia?" Anna was growing impatient. Felicia nodded and guided her down the nearby hallway. When they stopped outside of Patrick's hospital room Anna asked, "Exactly what all has happened? Why is Dr. Drake in the hospital?"

Felicia gave a heavy sigh. "It's kind of a really long story so I'll just tell you that Robin is scared for him." Felicia gripped Anna's arm. "They have grown closer in these past couple of weeks. He was there when she was shot and she was there for him when he went through some things with his father… I'm not sure really where they stand… one thing is certain, she isn't just fighting for herself anymore. She is holding on to every part of him that she can…"

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She sat back in her bed, staring at the two people standing in front of her. Her parents; together. Her father was alive. After all of these years of believing the man was dead, he stood in front of her. She had been surprised when her mother walked in Patrick's room but she was even more surprised when she returned to her room and found her father patiently waiting.

What did she say to the two of them? They both wanted answers but so did she. They wanted to know everything that happened, why she was still in the hospital. And she wanted to know where her father had been for fifteen years, why he was only returning now, and how long her mother had known he was alive. So many unanswered questions… But she didn't want the answers now. Now she had to worry about Patrick. She had to focus on him. After she was shot and admitted to the hospital, he was by her side every chance that he got; supporting her and keeping her hoped up. It was her turn to be there for him now and get him through.

"I would love to answer all of your questions and even get a few answers to my own but," She took a breath, "right now I have to focus on Patrick. I can't worry about other things right now."

Anna nodded in understanding. "What exactly happened to Dr. Drake?" She decided to ask the simple and easy questions, keeping things light. She would question her daughter about the seriousness of their relationship later.

For whatever reason, Robin was hesitant to answer. But it was her mother, the person who had been there for her whole life, the person that she could call anytime and vent about absolutely anything. "He was helping his father."

"Noah Drake?" Robert spoke up.

Robin nodded. "It's a long, hard story but Noah needed a liver transplant and he was getting worse, quickly. He was dying and Patrick wasn't willing to let that happen so he agreed to be a living donor." The tears came to her eyes unexpectedly and they were flowing down her cheeks before she had any control. "He has to be okay, Mom. He just has to be."

Anna was at her side in a second, holding her tiny, shaking body in her arms. "Shh… I'm sure Dr. Drake is going to be fine. From what I have heard he is as stubborn as they come and he won't go down without a fight." She was trying to tell her daughter that a man she had never even had a conversation with, was going to live. She had no proof but it was obvious that Robin was holding out hope; she needed him.

"He promised me he was going to be okay; he was going to pull through this. I just don't understand…" Robin sobbed. "He is young and healthy… why is any of it happening to him?"

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He sat in the doorway staring at his son's form lying on the bed just a few feet ahead of him. He hadn't wanted this. This was exactly the reason he didn't want Patrick to be a living donor for him… he knew the dangers and he hadn't wanted to risk his life. But he had finally slipped into the coma and it wasn't his decision anymore. Then it was up to his doctor to make the best decision for his health and that decision was surgery. Now Patrick was lying lifeless on a hospital bed and no one knew how things were going to end up. No one was sure he was going to wake up.

"Looks like we had the same idea…" Robin smiled at him when her mother brought her own wheelchair to a stop next to his. "How is he?"

He shook his head, "There hasn't been any change. He still hasn't woken up."

Anna stood in the background, watching the interaction between the man she assumed was Dr. Drake's father and her daughter; sensing the bond that had formed between the two.

"This shouldn't have happened… not to him."

Noah gripped her hand, "He is going to pull through this." He was adamant. "You know Patrick, probably even better than I do, and you know that he won't give up without a fight. He has too much waiting for him here…" He squeezed her hand and she got his message loud and clear.

Patrick was going to be okay. He was going to pull through. And he was going to do it for her. She just had to be patient and wait…