Chapter 23

Robin stood on the bluff overlooking the water and just stared, hoping to get some perspective. It had been 3 days since she had accepted Marcus's proposal and she still had a hard time believing it had happened. She played with the diamond ring on her left hand for a moment before turning her attention back to the water.

Not that she wasn't happy, she was, but it didn't feel the same as when she had agreed to marry Patrick. When she had said yes to Patrick, all worry and fear had left her and she couldn't wait to be his wife but a part of her was still scared that marrying Marcus was a mistake. Nikolas had disappeared immediately after the announcement leaving her alone with Marcus at Wyndamere.

And Marcus was just always there, pushing her on the wedding plans and keeping her at the house under lock and key. At times she almost felt like she couldn't breathe – his love was so suffocating. She loved him but she needed a little time by herself so she took off for a walk, not even paying attention to where she was going.

She looked around her and shook her head, finally realizing where she had ended up. This bluff was where she and Patrick had reunited after Jerry Jacks had forced her to move into Wyndamere and pretend to be in love with Nikolas. She smiled at the memory, remembering how wonderful it had been when she had been able to finally tell him the truth about what had been going on.

Flashback

Patrick had just discovered the whole truth and stared at Jerry, known at that time as James Craig, with undisguised hate. His face was bloody from his fight with Jerry but he was alive and that was all Robin cared about. Jerry was leaving to give Nikolas the counteragent but stopped to say one last thing to the young doctor. "Welcome to the party Dr. Drake. I hope you can stay awhile. The only way you can go out is not really pretty."

The two men left and Patrick grabbed Robin and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight for moment before stepping away. "We have to call the police."

"No! No." Robin thought Patrick understood what was going on.

Patrick didn't comprehend how dangerous the situation was. "Robin, why are still protecting him?"

"Because everything he just said is true and I have seen Nikolas when the poison takes effect. If Craig is arrested, he leaves town, takes the counteragent with him and Nikolas dies." Robin was upset that Patrick had been pulled into this mess.

"Okay, we're, we're doctors. We can, we can save Nikolas." Patrick was desperately trying to find a way out of this for the both of them.

Robin tried to get him to understand. "I have tried already!"

He suddenly got it. "The tox reports."

Robin calmed down. "Yes – I took a blood sample from Nikolas. I thought I could engineer the counteragent or at least isolate the poison but I have just hit a wall."

Patrick shook his head. "Why didn't you, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because he said he was going to kill you and I believed him. So I did what he said – I pushed you away and told you that I didn't want to be with you anymore." Robin hoped he understood how hard this had all been for her. "I broke my heart because I broke yours."

"I am so mad at you right now." Patrick reached for her again and pulled her close.

"I don't blame you." She reached up and kissed him. "I don't know how you can forgive me for the things that I said."

Patrick pulled away from her and held her hands in his, relishing the feeling once again. "Well I didn't believe most of the things you said. I just couldn't figure out why you bailed on me," he paused, "on us but you had no choice. You seemed so detached the last couple of weeks, like you honestly didn't care…"

Robin interrupted him. "It was just a lie. Every time I saw you I wanted to tell you the truth."

"Well I wish you would have. I mean I could have came here, I could have, I could have got you out of here." Patrick hated that he had ignored his feelings about the situation so many times.

"No, listen, I love you but you are unpredictable and I couldn't risk Craig killing you just because I couldn't keep a secret." Robin prayed she was getting through to him. "Now it's your turn, okay. You cannot, cannot go crazy on this guy. We have got to keep it cool and work our way through this."

Patrick wrapped his arms back around her and held her close. He could do anything now that he had her back.

End Flashback

Patrick hadn't given up on her or them at that time, never truly believed that she would leave him. He had been the man who had agreed that walking out was acceptable, giving up was not.

But those days were long gone. Robin didn't know what had changed but Patrick not only gave up on them, he completely ignored everything he knew about her and divorced her without a second thought. She knew Patrick was truly sorry for not helping her, not seeing the signs, but it was too late. Robin was marrying Marcus and she would be happy – she knew it.

Robin began walking through the woods back to the house when she heard a noise behind her. "Hello?"

She began walking towards the noise when she was grabbed from behind and a cloth was shoved over her face. She struggled for a minute before the chloroform took effect and darkness engulfed her.