Title : Home Is Where the Heart Is
Author : Steph
Rating : PG
Pairing : Robin/Patrick
Category : Romance/Drama/bit of Humor
Disclaimer : I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.
Spoilers : Nothing really.
Summary : Robin and Patrick travel to his hometown for his grandmother's funeral.

Note : Thank you for the feedback on the last part. I'm so glad you enjoyed the ending! Okay, here's the Epilogue. Thanks for the cash (I'll put it to good use), the jewelry (it's beautiful!) and the candy (so yummy!) Thanks for all of the support and kind words during this story. I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy the Epilogue and please let me know what you thought! Thanks! -Steph

--- Home Is Where the Heart Is: Epilogue ---

- One Year Later -

"Patrick?" Robin called out, as she entered the apartment they shared. She was struggling with three grocery bags. "Patrick? Could you please come down and give me a hand?"

"I'm kind of busy," he called from the office down the hall.

Robin rolled her eyes and muttered, "My prince."

She managed to get the bags into the kitchen, plopping them down on the kitchen counter with a loud sigh.

"Hey, could you come here for a second?" he called again.

Robin groaned and shouted back, "I've got groceries, Patrick. They need to be unpacked. There are frozen things that need to go into the freezer before they melt. I guess you could say I've got grown-up things to do."

"It will only take a minute," he said.

She sighed and walked down the hall. She stood in the doorway, shaking her head when she caught sight of him. He was lying on the floor playing with his racecar set.

She gestured to it. "See this? Not a grown-up thing to do."

He met her eyes, flashing her a smile. "You didn't seem to mind the first time we played. Or the last hundred times we've played. Maybe you're just bitter because you've never won."

Her eyes narrowed at him. "That's a lie and you know it. I'm so much better than you, it's not even funny."

"Prove it," he said challengingly.

She bit at her bottom lip. "But the groceries-..."

"Chicken."

She smiled. "Yes, I bought chicken."

He grinned. "Funny. You know what I meant. Don't make me do the chicken sounds. It's not real attractive."

She sighed and sat down next to him.

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Hello, by the way."

He smiled at her. "Hello, to you, too. I missed you."

She laughed. "Yeah, right. I worked all day and then went grocery shopping. You had the day off and spent it playing with toys. I bet I didn't even cross your mind."

He offered her a charming grin and brought his hand up, his thumb caressing her cheek. "You're always on my mind. Don't you know that by now?"

He began to bring his lips to hers, but she brought her hand to his chest and halted his movement.

"I know what you're trying to do."

"What?"

"Get me all distracted so I'm not on top of my game."

He offered her a lopsided grin. "Is it working?"

"Nope, I'm not that easily distracted."

He moved his thumb to her bottom lip, tracing its outline. He could hear her breath catch in her chest.

He whispered, "I beg to differ."

She raised her brow. "You want to play or not?"

"Do you mean racecars?"

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her remote. "Come on, time to get your ass kicked."

They pressed their buttons and their cars began to speed around the track. Patrick won the first game. Then the second. Robin began to pout. When he won the third, she threw her remote down.

"Mature," he commented with a smile.

"You're cheating," she declared.

"No one likes a sore loser," he countered.

She gestured to her car. "You did something to my car. It's going slower than usual."

"Paranoid, are we?"

"I know you. You'll do anything to get what you want."

"Well, that's true," he said softly, his eyes scanning her face.

She eyed him suspiciously. "What did you do to my car?"

"Nothing. See for yourself," he said, waving his hand at the car.

Robin picked up her car and held it up to her face, inspecting it closely. Her eyes widened at what she found. Sitting inside the car, was a beautiful pear-shaped diamond ring.

Her mouth dropped open and she turned to Patrick. She couldn't seem to find any words.

He licked at his lips. "Okay, so I did mess with your car. I'm hoping you'll forgive me."

She swallowed hard, tears springing to her eyes. "I think I could manage that."

Patrick pulled the ring out of the car and met her eyes. "This was my mother's engagement ring. My father gave it to my grandmother to give to me when I found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. She passed it on to my aunts right before she died. They gave it to me when we went up for the funeral."

"You've had it all this time?"

He smiled. "In my sock drawer."

She smiled. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. Her smile slowly faded, as her chest tightened. "The day I met you was the best day of my life because it brought me to this moment right now. This moment where I'm looking at my best friend, the only woman I could ever imagine spending my life with. I know I don't deserve you. I've always known that. But I must have done something right because you love me. Robin, I love you more than you'll ever know. Will you marry me?"

A tear slipped down her cheek and Patrick caught it with his thumb.

She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, before a slow smile spread across her lips. "I thought you'd never ask."

He smiled widely and then slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit.

Robin stared at the ring for a long moment, then looked up at him. "It's beautiful."

"You're beautiful," he whispered, before bringing his lips to hers.

After a few moments, they pulled back, but their eyes remained closed, foreheads touching.

"I love you," she whispered. She paused and then added, "But you owe me a rematch, you cheater."

He simply shook his head and laughed.

---

- One and a Half Years Later -

Riley stood up and raised his champagne glass, as he looked at Robin and Patrick.

"When Patrick was six years old he told our entire family that he wanted to marry Wonder Woman. I remember thinking, 'What an idiot. He's going to spend his entire life looking for a woman that can compare to Wonder Woman. He'll never find her.' But leave it to Patrick to prove me wrong. I didn't think there was a woman in this world who could get Patrick to change his ways, help him get past what was holding him back. Then he found Robin. And I've never been so glad to be wrong before." Riley smiled good-naturedly at Patrick and shook his head. "You don't deserve her, man."

Patrick looked at Robin and grinned. He cupped his hands over his mouth and replied, "Tell me something I don't know."

Riley's smile widened. "Okay, in ninth grade I made out with Tiffany Rider even though I knew you liked her."

Patrick and Robin laughed, as did their guests.

Riley swallowed. "I saw Patrick the day after he asked Robin to marry him. She, in an obvious moment of temporary insanity, had agreed and he literally could not stop smiling. I've known him his entire life, save those three horrible weeks before I was born, and I had never seen him like that before. He told me he was the happiest he had ever been in his entire life. And he was. I could tell just by looking at him." Riley focused on Robin. "You did that for him, Robin. You changed him. I think I speak on behalf of our entire family when I say thank you. He is so much easier to put up with now!"

Robin laughed and turned to Patrick. She brought her hand up and caressed his cheek, before bringing her lips to his. There was a chorus of 'aws' from the guests.

Robin pulled back and smiled at him. "Apparently, you're one lucky guy."

He smiled. "Apparently." He paused and then added, "Kinda sucks that my family likes you better than me now though."

She laughed. Riley cleared his throat loudly. Robin and Patrick tore their eyes away from each other and returned them to him.

He smiled. "Uh, I wasn't quite done. I just wanted to say, in all seriousness, I wish you two all of the happiness in the world. It's obvious to everyone who knows you that you were meant to find each other. And I am so glad you did. Congratulations!"

Their guests clapped. Robin and Patrick turned to each other, their lips meeting in a soft kiss. They separated and had become lost in each other's eyes again when they felt a presence behind them. They turned in their chairs, finding Noah standing behind them.

"I just wanted to offer the happy couple my personal congratulations."

Robin stood up and gave Noah a hug. "Thank you, Noah."

Patrick extended his hand to his father, but Noah smiled and grabbed it, pulling his son out of his seat and into his arms for a hug.

He then whispered into his son's ear. "There are two women looking down at you right now who couldn't be any happier for you or more proud of you." He pulled back and met his son's eyes, which were now glassy with tears held back. "I join them."

Patrick smiled. "Thank you, Dad."

Noah took a deep breath and wiped at his right eye, the sudden appearance of a tear unnerving him. He looked at Robin. "If he gives you any trouble, you be sure and let me know."

Robin laughed. "I'll put you on speed dial."

Noah offered them one last look and a smile, before turning on his heel.

Robin looked at the tears in Patrick's eyes.

She took his hand in hers and squeezed it, "Are you okay?"

He nodded, bringing his other hand to her cheek. "I've never been happier."

"Then why the tears? I can see them in your eyes."

He shrugged. "I was just thinking I wish they were here to share this with us. I wish they had gotten a chance to meet you."

Robin smiled warmly at him and gestured with her free hand at his family that filled the room. "They're here, Patrick. They're here in spirit. They're here in the hearts of everyone who loved them and loves you."

He nodded and brought his lips to hers again.

---

- Two Years Later -

Robin sighed and rolled her eyes. "Could you please settle on one show? You've gone through all of the channels thirty times."

Patrick was sitting on their couch and Robin's head was in his lap, her body sprawled out before her. Patrick's left hand controlled the remote, while his right arm was draped across her body, his hand settled protectively over her bulging belly.

"There's nothing on."

"We have 200 channels."

"And there's nothing decent on any of them."

"Give me the remote," she said, raising her hand up and reaching behind her.

"No."

"Patrick, give me the remote."

"No."

She gritted her teeth. "My hormones are raging like crazy, Patrick, and I cannot be held responsible for my actions. Now you have two choices. You can either give me the remote or you can risk incurring the wrath of a very, very pregnant woman."

He winced. "You're not going to knee me in the groin again like you did when you found out I ate the last Jell-O Pudding Snack, are you?"

She smiled. "Oh, it'll be so much worse than that."

His eyes widened. He moved to hand her the remote control, when he felt a kick against his hand. His mouth dropped open.

"I felt the baby kick!"

Robin smiled and placed her hand over his. "Finally. You always seem to miss it."

Patrick grinned, "Well, it seems like the baby has your natural kicking talent."

"Good. If it's a girl, then she'll be able to kick her thoughtless husband when he finishes her favorite craving while pregnant with his child." She paused and then added, "Now give me the remote."

He handed her the remote control. "Have you ever noticed that I won a lot more arguments before we got together?"

"You never won any arguments before we got together."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. Come on, I was always putting you in your place."

She laughed. "You're just as delusional now as you were then."

He smiled and used his left hand, now free from the remote, to stroke her hair. "Remember how you used to tell me you wouldn't sleep with me if I were the last man on earth?"

She grinned, as she settled on an episode of 'Friends'. "How could I forget?"

"And do you remember how I used to tell you that someday you would eventually sleep with me, no matter what you said?"

"Of course."

He smirked. "Well, I was right. I guess that's one argument I won."

She smiled and looked up at him. "So, let's see. That's 1 for you and 4,567 for me."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but I probably won the most important argument. It's the quality of the argument, not the quantity."

She laughed, as he brought his lips down to hers.

When he pulled back, she looked into his eyes.

"What do you think the baby will be like when it grows up?" she asked softly.

He shrugged. "I don't know."

She smiled. "Well, I'm sure he or she will have my brains, my looks, my patience, my caring and compassionate attitude."

Patrick smirked. "Hey, I've got brains and looks to offer, too." He conveniently left out the other parts she had mentioned.

Robin smiled and brought her thumb up to caress his dimple. "Well, you've certainly got something to offer in the looks department."

Patrick shook his head at her. His expression then grew serious. "Honestly, I just want our kid to have the happy childhood I did."

Robin nodded, a gentle smile appearing on her lips. "I think we can do something about that."

"So do I," he said, as he stroked her belly and gave her another kiss on the lips.

---

- Three Years Later -

"No, no. Aunt Lydia, I'm cutting you out of the picture. You need to move in more," Rachel said, as they all gathered in front of the Christmas tree at Robin and Patrick's house.

Aunt Lydia sighed. "Rachel, dear, if I move in anymore I'm going to crush your poor twin brother."

Riley squirmed and threw Rachel a glare. "Listen to the lady, Rachel. I can't breathe."

Aunt Geraldine, who was on the other side of him, smacked him upside the head. "Don't be rude."

Rachel groaned. She looked at Robin and Patrick who knelt in the front, their three year old son, Noah Robert Drake, between them, waiting patiently.

"Why is it that the youngest family member among us is also the most cooperative?"

Robin smiled and ran her hands through her son's dark locks.

Patrick looked at his cousin. "Maybe because this is still new to him. He hasn't spent Christmas after Christmas trying to take a family picture for an hour. Give him a few years. He'll be disillusioned like the rest of us."

Rachel sighed in frustration. It had been like this ever since she could remember. It would take forever for them all to gather around the tree, fit in the picture, and stop talking and moving. Still, every year, the picture came out terrible. Heads were cut off, arms were missing, mouths were open, heads turned, eyes closed. But Grandma Lee had insisted that they take the picture every year, no matter how long it took or how terribly it turned out. They couldn't bear not to continue the tradition.

Rachel held up her hand. "Come on, let's finish so we can open presents."

"Presents!" Little Noah said, as he clapped his hands together.

Riley raised his hand, his face growing red. "Uh, I've got to go to the bathroom."

Rachel moaned. "What are you? Six? Hold it!"

"I've been holding it for an hour already!" he replied to his sister.

She gritted her teeth. "Well, you're going to hold it for another minute."

She adjusted the camera on the tripod one last time and pressed the timer button. She then moved quickly and squeezed into the picture on the right side.

Patrick smiled. "Say, 'Annual Family Torture'."

They all erupted into a fit of laughter, just as the camera went off.

Aunt Lydia and Aunt Geraldine each hit him upside the head, saying in unison, "You ruined the picture!"

Robin laughed and brought her hand up to rub at his head, as he grimaced.

Rachel threw her hands up in the air. "No one move! We need to take it again!"

But it was too late. They had already begun to disperse.

"Fine," she muttered. "Another horrible family picture."

Robin and Patrick came to stand beside her. Robin smiled. "It's nice that you've continued the tradition, Rachel."

Patrick grinned. "Come on, Rach, it wouldn't be a family picture if we couldn't look at it later and laugh. That's what makes it great."

Her expression softened. "I guess." She moved her eyes to the tree and to little Noah, who was picking up each present and shaking it. She looked at Patrick. "Remind you of anyone?"

Patrick smiled and looked at Robin. "He's got just the right mix of both of us. He's going to drive some poor woman crazy someday."

Just then, the front door swung open, sending in a chilly breeze. Everyone turned to the door and smiled at who they saw. Noah stood in the doorway, all bundled up and holding a huge present.

Little Noah spotted his grandfather and ran to the door, immediately attaching himself to his leg. "Grandpa!"

Robin and Patrick walked over to Noah and smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Noah," Robin said.

"Merry Christmas," he said. Then he looked at his son. "You want to stop staring at me and give me a hand with this?"

Patrick grinned, "Sorry, I didn't want to insult you and make you feel like the feeble, old man I know you to be."

"Feeble, old man, huh? You mean the same feeble old man who made you like a little boy playing 'Operation' in the OR the other day," he replied playfully. "That feeble, old man?"

Robin rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay. That's enough, you two. Patrick, help your father."

Patrick took the gift from him and they all went back into the family room. The family greeted Noah warmly, coming up and offering him hugs. Now that Patrick had a family of his own, Noah had slowly reentered the family circle. In many ways, it felt like he had never left. And it made him feel closer to Mattie.

Noah pried his grandson off his leg and picked him up. "So, that big present is for you, little guy. You want to open it?"

Little Noah nodded his head vigorously. His grandfather put him down and he ran over to the gift, ripping into it in record time. His eyes widened and he jumped up and down at the gift.

Patrick smiled warmly, as he turned to his father. "A racecar set."

Noah nodded. "You always said it was the best present you ever received. I know how special it is to you. I thought my grandson would like one of his own. God knows, you won't pass yours down to him!"

Robin slipped her hand into Patrick's, as they watched their son stare wide eyed at the box, surrounded by his family.

She smiled up at him. "This is pretty great, isn't it?"

He nodded, as he put his arms around her shoulders. "Yeah, it is."

---

- Two Years Later-

Patrick walked into the kitchen and sniffed. "It smells like you're cooking."

Robin smiled from her spot at the stove. "You, my dear husband, are very perceptive."

His eyes narrowed. "What's the occasion? Did I forget an occasion that I'm going to be paying for dearly?"

"Why does there have to be an occasion?"

"Because you only cook when there's an occasion." He added under his breath, "Thank God."

Robin turned to him, her smile playful. "I heard that." She then shrugged. "No occasion. I had the day off and I felt like cooking. See, some of us do productive things when we have time off."

She turned back toward the stove. He snuck up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist. Even after all this time, he still sent chills up and down her body. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him.

He whispered into her ear. "Come on now. What about when we both have time off? I'm very productive then."

She chuckled, his breath tickling her skin. "I can't argue with that."

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, as she straightened a bit and tried to refocus her attention on the task at hand. He moved his mouth from her ear.

"Patrick!" Robin giggled, as her husband began to trail heated kisses down the back of her neck.

"Come on," he muttered against her skin. "Forget dinner. Let's skip ahead to dessert."

"Patrick," she said again in a moan, her eyes fluttering closed, as he moved back to her ear and nibbled.

He turned her around in his arms and found her lips, his tongue diving in. Robin wrapped her arms around his neck. Patrick placed his hands on her waist and lifted her up onto the counter. He moved between her legs, as she wrapped them around his hips. He moved his lips down her throat, to just above her cleavage. She ran her hands over his back, her nails gripping his shirt. She threw her head back.

Patrick slowly pulled back. He moved his thumb and forefinger up to her chin so she would look at him. Her liquid gaze met his eyes, which were dark with desire.

"Dance with me," he said.

She laughed softly. "That wasn't the request I was expecting."

He smiled gently. "Don't worry, it won't be the last tonight." His smile faded slowly. He spoke again, his voice husky. "Dance with me, Robin."

She smiled. "There's no music."

"We don't need any," he replied, his eyes capturing hers.

Robin didn't respond, she simply slid off of the counter and melted into Patrick. She placed her head against his chest and snaked her arms around his neck. His arms wrapped securely around her waist, as they swayed back and forth. He placed his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes.

Just then, their five year old son, Noah, appeared in the doorway. He watched his parents dance in each others arms.

Patrick's eyes slowly opened, landing on his son.

He whispered to Robin, "Noah's staring at us."

Robin's eyes popped open, but neither made a move to separate. "I checked on him a few minutes ago. He was sound asleep."

"Well, he's not anymore."

Robin's eyes widened and she looked up at Patrick, as they continued to sway. "Oh, God. How long do you think he's been standing there?"

Patrick offered her a dimpled smile. "I don't know. He doesn't seem traumatized in any way though."

Robin shook her head. "He probably saw us, Patrick. We scarred him for life."

Patrick laughed. "Come on, what kind of self-respecting family doesn't require you to get a little therapy as an adult?"

Robin groaned. "We probably just ruined kitchens for him, Patrick. I can see it now. He'll tell his therapist, 'And I haven't been able to even look at a kitchen since.'"

Patrick smiled. "This is my kid we're talking about. If he saw anything, then it probably just gave him a few ideas. You know, to store away for future reference."

Her lips turned downward and she swatted his arm. "Don't be disgusting." Robin then shook her head and buried her face in his chest. "Is he still staring?"

"Yup."

"He's probably catatonic. We made our five year old son catatonic."

Patrick chuckled. "No, I'm telling you, he seems fine. He's just smiling at us."

Robin glanced over her shoulder at their son, her brow furrowing. "He is just smiling."

Noah stood staring at his parents, as he smiled to himself. For he knew, even at five, that he would carry that picture of love and happiness in his mind forever. And he knew that, someday, he would aspire to have the same thing.

-------------------------------------THE END----------------------------------------------------
 Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed the Epilogue and please let me know what you thought!
-Steph

Edited to add: Someone recently left me a reviewthat indicatedthat Robin couldn't have had a pregnancy with her HIV status and said that the epilogue would have worked if they had adopted. This person left an anonymous review, so I was unable to explain. I figured I would explain here in case anyone else questions this. It is possible for an HIV person to have a pregnancy. There are drugs and precautions that can be taken that minimize the risk of transmission to something like 2 percent. In fact, there is much talk that an HIV pregnancy storyline may someday happen for Robin on the show.