Chapter 10

Rocky rocky rocks

Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.

...

As soon as she saw his car come into the drive way Robin ran outside to greet Connor. She was becoming worried, it wasn't that late but he usually texted or called if he wasn't going to make dinner. This time he didn't text or reply to her texts. She figured he must be in surgery or something. Now seeing that Will Halstead was the one driving him in his car set off alarms.

He got out of the car, Will got out too, handing him his keys.

"See you tomorrow Connor." Will said. "Hey Robin." Will greeted her as she stood on the door step.

"Hey Will. Is everything ok?" She asked.

"He's fine. Just had a along day." Will said and made his escape.

Connor came up the step and gave her a hug and a quick kiss. "Robin, there's something I need to tell you."

Robin searched his eyes, breath smelled of whiskey, eyes somber. She braced herself for whatever was coming and took him inside the house.

…..

They went to their room, he sat her down on the bed as he sat there too, taking her hand.

Ok, this was serious, she knew but could not guess what it could be. Connor had been acting a little strange from the trip. She had notice this very disturbed look on his face when she went to pick him up, but brushed it side.

"Robin…I…"

"Connor, talk to me. Whatever it is, I can handle it." She said, not too sure she could. She had many theories she didn't want to get into. She would just rather hear it from him. She waited patiently while he arranged his thoughts.

"I…the day after the surgery, when we were supposed to come back. That morning, I…uh…I woke up with Ava in my bed." There. He had said it. He held her hand to his mouth and waited.

She was frozen, mouth agape. 'Uh…Connor…"

"I don't remember what happened. I came straight from the bar, locked my door and video chatted with you until I fell asleep. And then I woke up the next morning with Ava in my bed." Connor tried to explain but the more he talked the more he sounded delirious even to himself.

Her heart was about to drop, but she held on. This was Connor, the man she trusted because he loved her, she knew that. She would not let him break her heart just yet. She didn't know what she would do if that heart dropped, it would break into tiny little pieces. So she held on, her hand in his as she searched his face.

"What are you saying to me, Connor? Did you or did you not sleep with her?"

Connor held on to her hand, "I don't know. What I told you is what I know but she said…she is saying…"

"She is saying…what?"

"That we slept together. That I somehow woke up and opened the door for her. Although I swear to you, I don't remember that." Connor pleaded.

Robin took a breath, calmed herself enough to calculate this. "So, are you saying you were drugged?"

"I had a tox screen done that morning and they came up with nothing. I didn't even drink enough alcohol to show up in that tox screen. I just can't explain how she could have gotten into my room. How I didn't notice until the next morning."

"Ok, I…I need a minute." Robin said, leaving the bed, leaving him.

"Robin…" he called after her.

"I just…need a minute." She went out of their room.

This was what he had feared. He didn't know what she was thinking. What she would figure out in that minute of hers. He waited for her but a minute turned into an hour. He went in search of her an found her in the flower garden, at night the garden was lighted, she was sitting amongst the flowers, her knees touching her chin. He didn't know if she was crying until he got closer to her. She looked up at him as he approached and she wasn't crying, just had a deep contemplative look on her face.

"Uh…just had to find out if you were ok. A minute turned into an hour there. I just got worried about you." He hesitated before he sat down next to her, not sure if she even wanted him close.

She looked up at him. "Did she threaten to tell me or something. Blackmailed you with something…"

"No. In fact she said she wasn't going to say anything."

Robin snorted. "And when did you have that conversation?"

"This morning. I'm sorry Robin but I couldn't tell you last night. I didn't even have a clue what to tell you. I still don't know what happened. I went to her this morning to have her explain to me what she is saying happened and to be honest with you…I can't remember anything of what she is saying."

"Then you could have just…not told me. Could have continued to pretend everything was peachy and went on with our lives. Why did you tell me?"

Connor sighed heavily, "Because I…I just don't like lying to you. It doesn't feel right."

She turned to look at him, really look at him. Then she took his hand in hers. That was a good sign, Connor held his breath.

"You knew me when I was weak." Robin said, looking into his eyes. "When I was the very worst of myself, you loved me." A tear dropped from her eyes, a tear she hadn't meant to fall. He had hurt her, and he felt like he could just knock himself out.

"You, you're the person who knows me vulnerable, I let you see me." She continued. "And because you let me see you too, I gave you my trust, my heart. So, I'm going to trust you, because I know you, Connor Rhodes. I believe you."

He scooted over and took her in his arms. "I love you so much." He whispered to her. He had bet on her and won. They held each other like that until they were starting go get cramps and chilled with the cool air outside.

"We better go inside when we can still walk." Robin joked, getting up and taking his hand to pull him off the ground.

"I could stay here forever and just hold you." Connor said.

"I have other ideas." She said leaning into him and giving him a kiss.

And this was everything. Her love was all he'll ever need. This love they shared made life so sweet and bright, he loved his life with her in it. And with her on his side, Ava can bring it. She wouldn't stand a chance.

….

Will and Ethan were waiting for him at his office door when he arrived.

"Fellas. You want a consult or something?" He joked, he knew exactly why they were cornering him at his office door.

"Something like that." Ethan said, following him into his office when he opened the door to go in.

"Ok, don't take your time on tis one Connor. What happened last night?" Will asked curiously.

Ethan propped himself on his desk, Will sat in the chair and both waited for him to talk.

Connor smiled, "Aren't you just brimming with curiosity today?" He teased.

"Oh, he' smiling." Ethan said.

"Better than the zombie look he had yesterday."

"More like 'lost my puppy' look he was going around wearing. He doesn't have that today."

"Oh, you think you guys are funny." Connor said with a grin.

"And he's got a grin."

"He obviously didn't tell her or he wouldn't be grinning like this. You decided to let it be bygones?" Will asked.

"I did tell her."

"And?" They both said in curiosity.

"My wife loves and trusts me." Connor bragged.

"She just…forgave you."

"There was nothing to forgive. She believes me. She's taking my side." Connor said.

"Your luck never runs out, does it?" Will said in mock dismay.

Ethan laughed. "Well, at least that went well. What about Ave now? What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. Robin and I have decided to just ignore her. If she comes up with some sort of blackmaily photos or anything, Robin is braced for that."

"Cool. Win for the good guys!" Choi said, fist bumping with Connor and Will. "Now, don't let her know you've told Robin. We want to see what surprises she springs from up her sleeve only to tell her, its moot."

"That's the plan."

Will was contemplative after that. Looking at Natalie cross the hall now, he wondered. Could he have done it differently? All the lies he had been forced to tell her. Had he trusted the FBI more than the woman he loved? And that whole business is what resulted in this long estrangement between them. They were trying to make it with other people, but maybe he should do what Connor did. Stop being so afraid of getting hurt and just show her his heart. He had done it before, he wondered why it was so difficult now. Because it had been too long, and they had grew too far apart, because he had let it fester. He prayed there was still a way to get back to her.

…..