Chapter Three: Shadows and Regrets

Robin

A few weeks later, Robin sat in her living room as she struggled to forget about Patrick, knowing that she'd rather do anything else. She loved him, there wasn't a doubt in her mind about that. And in the past year, their love had deepened to proportions she had never thought was possible. For a man that she had once thought of as fatuous and obnoxious, in many ways he had become her miracle.

With everything that happened in her life from the time that she was a child until the moment they first met, it was hard to believe that she could ever be happy or that love even existed in such a harsh world. What she had with Stone and Jason was real, yet both relationships faded, leaving her alone once again. Who was to say that every person she cared about in her life wouldn't leave? That every dream would not wither away?

Despite these pessimistic feelings inside of her, she carried herself with poise each day, maintaining the perfect facade of happiness. She was Robin Scorpio and the world had to believe that she was strong and independent. Even though on the inside, she had truly given up.

She couldn't say that Patrick was the only one that showed her that love was real, that it existed and could last for even her. She knew that her friends and family had played a role in that. Yet she had to admit that Patrick had a huge role in helping her believe that even after everything she had been through, her life wasn't over. His love had brought her up from a dark place in her life that even he could never know about. Maybe it wasn't perfect, but to her, it felt like it was.

And now it was over.

She couldn't just get over that.

She sits on the couch, waiting, hoping for change a change in the situation. She closed her eyes for a moment and opened it a few seconds later.

Nothing.

Just like she expected. She was a logical woman and she knew that if she wanted to end this she had to face it head on. She's be damned if he let him ruin her life. She needed to talk to Leo.

Patrick

He focused on the adrenaline, the satisfaction that each punch brought him. Over and over until the hands that he once felt was so precious were battered and bruised.

He wished that the punching bag would make the difference that he thought it would. That it would help him release the pain and anguish that had begun to tear him in two. The pain of losing her.

It wouldn't, he knew that. And to be honest, he never expected it to.

To have something so important, so vital to your life, ripped away in a moment of anger and emotion was tough. It wasn't something that he could simply forget about, even though he fiercely wished he could.

He wished he never cared about her. That her personality, her intelligence, her beauty, even the way she could look in his eyes and tell him he loved her, wasn't enough to make him miss her. It killed him to remember the way she would hold him, as if he was her world. It hurt to know that it would never happened again.

It was over. How was he supposed to feel about that?

He still held on to the hope that somehow they could forget everything that happened and just be together. He had so many dreams in his life and everyone one of them included her.

He wanted the commitment that he had avoided so avidly in the past. He wanted that white picket fence and children in the near future. He needed to spend as many years as they had left, together. But dwelling on how drastically his life had turned upside down, didn't make him any closer to grabbing that dream that slipped a little farther with each moment.

The man that had once been so successful in all his endeavors, couldn't make a dent in this situation. Even if he begged her to stay, it wouldn't make a difference. She had fallen in love with another man.

He must have been such a fool, he realized, to not notice what had gone on for so long. And however much he tried, it seems he just wasn't enough for her.

Maybe he should have realized it before but he couldn't help but think that he was some how getting through to her. He had known for so long that Robin Scorpio was a mysterious woman and though she thought that he didn't realize it, he knew she kept many secrets locked up inside. Something was causing her pain with each day and he was so close to breaking that wall that she kept up, each day, unfailingly. Now he'd probably never know. He just hoped that she would somehow find that emotional release. She may have hurt him, but he still loved her and she needed her to be happy. That prospect was the only thing he had left.

"Patrick, what are you doing?" Until now he had blocked out every sound at the gym but the concern in this person's tone had gotten through to him.

"What does it look like I'm doing Nik? I'm just exercising, there's no underlying meaning to that," Patrick says, slightly annoyed.

"Okay, there's no need for you to be so hostile. A few of the other guys and I want to know if you wanted to go to Jake's tonight."

"Sure, whatever. I won't stay for long though." Patrick resumes to punching the large punching bag, glove less.

"I think it'd be a good idea for us to step outside." Patrick acquiesces and walks outside with Nikolas, sitting on the bench of a nearby park.

"What's been going on with you lately?" Nikolas asks, worried about his friend.

"It's over." Those two words were the best way for him to articulate his emotions without getting overly emotional. As he speaks, he stares up at the stars trying to remain stoic by focusing on something else. Yet even the bright and shining stars reminded him of her.

"Patrick, stop speaking in codes and just tell me what happened."

"You know its all so ironic. People would tell me that she was too good for me. That I would break her heart. But in the end she turned the tables Nikolas. She stopped loving me the moment she cheated."

Patrick

Robin grabbed her coat from the rack in her apartment and opened the door, ready to face Leo, only to see Maxie and Georgie.

"Hey Robin," Georgie said, giving her older cousin a big hug.

"Hey Georgie, Maxie," Robin said as she tried to figure out a way to avoid speaking to them. Robin knew that she was an only child, but she loved these two and felt as if they were sisters. She knew that she could always confide in them, but she cared to much to get them wrapped up in her issues. They didn't deserve that burden. And even if she wanted to confide in them, now was not the time. "I'd love to stay and talk, but-"

"But nothing Robin. We need to talk," Maxie says as she grabs Robin's arm leading her to the couch.

"Talk about what? Everythings great, fantastic actually. I think I might get that promotion at work and-"

"Are you forgetting that we're your sisters, Robin? You don't need to tell us all that

b.s. to convince us that your happy. We know you. Somethings been up, hasn't it? We see you at work just as cheerful as ever, but I don't buy it. What's going on?" Maxie says her bluntness fading off into sincere concern..

"You know you can trust us Robin."

"I do, you know I love you two. Its just that Patrick and I are over, and its been hard. I wish it didn't end have to end this way, but its for the best."

"For the best...right," Maxie says skeptically, "So when are you going to tell us the truth Robin? I heard you cheated on Patrick with some guy, but I don't believe it. We were picking out wedding dresses just last week. I don't believe that you stopped loving him that quickly for some guy we haven't even met. Who the hell is Leo anyway?"

"He's someone that I met when I was in Paris. He came to Port Charles a few months ago and we've grown closer ever since. He really is such a great guy. I . . . love him."

"If you love him, why do you still do you still have your engagement ring on? And why does it look as if you were crying before we cane?" Georgie asks as she begins to break down the walls that Robin has kept up for so long.

Robin puts her head in her hands for a moment. "God, am I that obvious?"

"Yeah." Georgie and Maxie say simultaneously after glancing at each other, garnering a small laugh from Robin.

"I'm just not ready to talk, about it, okay." Robin says, pretending that Patrick was her only problem, still holding on to her lies.

"We figured as much, so we called a few people that might help you get over Patrick and Leo." Maxie says re-assuredly.

"Who?"

"Well-" Georgie begins before she's cut off by banging at the door.

"Robin, we know your in there. Open up." A voice that sounded a lot like Kelly demands, laughing all the while.

Georgie opens the door and Kelly, Lainey, Emily and Elizabeth walk in.

"We think you have this covered so we're going to go," Georgie tells Elizabeth. The two give Robin a hug goodbye and leave.

Elizabeth makes herself comfortable by hopping into Robin's lap. "Get dressed Rob, we're going out."

"I'm really tired Elizabeth. I think I might go to sleep. Maybe next time." Robin says making an attempt to get out of their outing.

"Its Friday, do you really we're going to let you sit here and mope?" Lainey asks.

"Not a chance." Kelly intercedes before she walks in to Robin's room to find her an outfit.

"Its been a tough week and its time for a Girls Night Out. You know, lick it, slam it and suck it." Emily reminds her making the four other women laugh.

On a more serious note, Elizabeth tells Robin about her concern. "You know we've been worried about you, and we really want you to have a night to just for get about your problems.

"So are you in?" Kelly asks.

Robin thinks for a moment, reluctantly. "I'm in."

A/N: So what do you think? I definitely wanted to show that Robin has family and friends that are close to her and care for her at this point. But that makes you wonder, where will they be when Robin's suicidal? How will she become so alone?

In the next chapter, Patrick and Robin will have a confrontation and Leo duPres (a character from AMC) will come into the picture. Just a reminder, Robin didn't actually sleep with Leo, so who or what is making her lie?

Thanks to all the amazing reviewers

Daughterofcookie: Not exactly, but thats a really good guess. Thanks

Ray: Thanks Ray. That's definitely a good thing, lol. I'll definitely try to write more often.

JasonCourtneyFan17: Thanks for the suggestion. I like the idea of Robin being close to her Maxie and Georgie and I'll definitely use Kelly, Lainey, Liz, and Emily as her closest friends.

Kara: Thanks. I was going to use Pete but I think Nikolas was a better idea.