Chapter 14

Robin was nearly falling asleep at work. Thank God she was doing research today and not seeing patients.

If only the results she were analyzing weren't so boring. If only she had gotten 20 consecutive minutes of sleep last night she might not have been so cranky when Patrick came in the room, all smiles, and winked at her.

"So this is where you are hiding, Doctor Scorpio."

"Not hiding. Working."

"You, me , dinner tonight at the Metro Court and then dessert in a suite upstairs." he leaned down and lifted her chin to kiss her.

The kiss started soft and then became more insistent, full of heat and stored up desired.

Robin sighed when he pulled away. She had missed that.

But she said, "I can't. I haven't lined up any sitters yet. I was thinking Georgie would be perfect but she hasn't returned any of my calls."

"So ask Kelly or Lainey."

"They aren't really... maternal."

"And Georgie is?"

"She's very responsible and sweet. You know that. And she is family. Besides I am too tired to go anywhere."

"Come on, Rob, we haven't seen each other all week. I need...time with you." He gave her a flirty look.

But it only pissed her off. He was relaxed and wanting to have sex. She was on edge and he should be too, she felt. Weren't they in this together?

"Look at me, Patrick? Don't I look exhausted? Because I am. I don't even think I combed my hair today. I'm barely able to do this mommy thing. My roommates are too busy with work to be home very often and my parents are off on another adventure."

"So do you think taking the baby was a mistake?"

"Of course not! How could you ask that?" Robin was madly in love with that little girl already. " I just need help. I need you."

He took a step back. "Uh, okay. What can I do? Run an errand or something? Track down Georgie? "

"Come over tonight and help me with my daughter."

Patrick gave her the same look he had the first time she said the word commitment.

But he said, slowly and in an unsure voice, "I can do that."

From a distance Bobbie watched Robin and Patrick. So young. Their whole lives were in front of them still. Having kids. New little lives to make the future worth living. That part of her life was over now.

Her heart clutched.

Noah stepped off the elevator, saw the sad look on her face, and walked over.

"Want to get some coffee?" he asked "I'm here for you, Bobbie, you know that, right?"

"I know. But I'm fine." She gave him a weak smile.

His eyes reflected her sadness.

She said, "I just need to get home. I'm off. And, frankly, I'm exhausted."

"Call me if you want to talk." he offered

She nodded but thought, I don't want to talk. I want a drink.

Maxie poured herself a double shot of vodka, straight up, from the small fridge that was in her room at Kelly's.

She stared at the liquid. There was a time she could have walked away from this. She had been doing well resisting temptation in New York for a while there. But that time was past now.

Still the first drink was always the hardest and the one that tasted the best. She would play this game with herself about if she would drink it or not.

Since Maxie returned to Port Charles she always took the drink but it was important to her to pretend she controlled the alcohol and it didn't control here.

There was a knock on the door. She downed the drink and shoved the bottle back in the fridge.

She grabbed a breath mint and called "Coming."

It had to be Max. She still hadn't told her family she was in town and Max and Mike Corbin were the only ones who knew she was staying above Kelly's. Max had paid for her room since her money had run out months ago.

She opened the door and saw a five foot tall black haired woman her age glaring at her. This woman could be a movie star, by looks alone, if not for the fact she was a homeless recovering addict.

"About time I caught up to you. Nice, Maxie, ditching me like that. I had to hitch hike here and search every hotel in town for your butt."

" Lea," Maxie said, dryly "Get in here before someone hears you."

Lea stomped inside. She looked all around the room. "What did you do. Maxie? Why are you back here?"

Maxie glared at her."What are you doing, huh? Stalking me?"

"Funny. I had to go see Kyle in rehab to even find out what town you two lived in before New York."

"You saw Kyle?" Maxie asked, concerned "How is he doing?"

Lea turned away. She looked around the room some more.

Maxie screeched, "How is he, Lea!?!"

"He looked good when I visited him but..." Lea bit her lip "I don't if he thought he was better or if it was seeing me but he checked himself out and..."

"Did you sleep with him?"

Lea shrugged. "We partied... things got out of control fast... I went along for the ride. You know how good Kyle is at talking people into stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

Lea looked down. "He could never do just a little meth, you know that. It lead to three bad days and then one night we fell asleep in that abandoned building we all used to crash in and..."

Maxie felt her body go weak. But her mind didn't want to believe it.

Lea continued, "I woke up the next day and Kyle didn't. He's gone."

"Back to rehab? The hospital pumped his stomach again and he's okay, right?" Her voice was desperate.

Did she love him? No.

But he was part of her plan. Her one day hope that she would pull it all together and so would he and they could look back and say "We were crazy then but we were young. That wasn't who we were. We're good people." And they could both be better than they had been.

They would do good works, charity, help other people every chance they got and it would make up for some of their crimes.

Lea looked up and blurted the words out."He's dead, Maxie."

Maxie pushed past Lea and grabbed the bottle out of the mini fridge.

With shaky hands she let the cold liquid wash down her throat.

"Back to drinking? God, Maxie.! Are you drugging too? Screwing around?"

"Shut the hell up."

In a soft voice Lea said "You were doing so good... why,? It didn't have to be this way."

"You don't know." Maxie said raggedly, refusing to met the other woman's eyes. She took another gulp of vodka.

"Then tell me. We were friends. I said I would help you. I got clean for a while, remember? Because you helped me. And I would do whatever I can to ..."

"You can't do anything!"

Lea sighed. "Maybe I should call your parents. Didn't you say your Dad is a cop? It shouldn't be that hard to figure out which one."

Maxie grabbed her arm and hissed, "Don't you dare."

Lea pulled her arm away. "Then put down the bottle and go to a meeting."

That night, laying in bed with Patrick, with her head resting on his bare chest Robin smiled and said, "I needed that."

"I aim to please." Patrick said

"See I told you I need you around." Robin said. "You helped me take care of Angel baby tonight and then to relax. Without you I'd still be a wreck. Now if only I could pick a name for my daughter."

"I have one in mind." Patrick said

"You do? You've been thinking about it?" her voice was awed. She sat up and looked at him.

Patrick gave her a smile.

"Well, tell me, Drake! What are we naming her?"

"Isabella."