Chapter 3

"Hi, Robin smiled as she walked into Brad's room the next morning, "how was your night?"

"Well considering I spent it in the hospital after the news I got yesterday, it was pretty good" It had just brighten significantly when she walked in. but he didn't think she would appreciate him saying that.

"What's on the scheduled for today Doc"

As she outlined his treatment, she noticed how close they were standing. Taking a small step backwards she glanced up to find him watching her. "What?" she tucked her hair behind her ear a little self-consciously and took another step back "do I have something on my face?"

"No, I'm just paying close attention" he sat on the bed "don't want to miss anything"

"Ok, well the good news is that you don't have to stay in the hospital after this week, but you will need to be close just in case anything happens. You will have to come in once a week for a consult with me so I can monitor your progression."

"I've already started looking for somewhere to stay for a few months. I can work anywhere and I'm close enough to the city if I need to go into my office." "Besides, I've got a great team who can hold their own for a few months."

Great, Robin thought as she continued her rounds with her other patients, this is just freaking great. When she had come back home from Rochester, she had forgotten about Brad and the feelings she had had. She had recognized that her emotions then had been affected by her feelings of inadequacies with her family. Yes, she had been attracted to Brad then, but it wasn't real. She wasn't herself. So what was her excuse now, she marveled. When she had first seen him at GH, she hadn't had time to process her reaction to him, but this morning, when she walked into the room, she had noticed how absolutely gorgeous he was. When they were discussing his treatment, she had felt a pull to him that she hadn't had since first meeting Patrick. Shit Patrick! She still hadn't told him about Brad. Ahhh, why now, why was her life so complicated. She wondered if her attraction to Brad was a result of her separation from Patrick. Stopping in the hall outside of her next patient's room, Robin laid her head against the wall. She was going to have ignore whatever it was she was feeling for Brad and suck it up.

"What's going on Robin?" Elizabeth leaned back against the wall next to her. She had been getting some supplies when she saw Robin in the hall.

"I need a vacation from my life, well except Emma."

"You've been a little distracted the last couple of days"

"You think" Robin raised her eyebrows in sarcasm

"It's not just the craziness with Lisa, it's something else" she paused before adding "I'm here if you want to talk Robin. I know we've been a little distant lately, but I can listen if you need me"

"Thanks Liz" Robin said with a small smile "I didn't want to put you in the middle of Patrick and me. I know you're both of our friends and I don't want you to feel like you have to choose between us."

"You're not mad at me?"

"Of course not, why would I be mad at you. I'm just dealing with this the best way I can. Just do me a favor and keep me from running that bitch down for real or injecting her with some untraceable poison"

"You've really thought about it huh?" Liz laughed

"Oh yeah, after she boiled Emma's bear, I was ready to drop kick her ass, she's lucky I only punched her"

"God, I wish I had been here to see that, but Epiphany and Maya described it in detail.

"I can imagine"

"Well if you need me to help you hide the body..."

Laughing, Robin pushed off the wall "I missed your sense of humor Liz, I'm glad you're back"

Walking away, Liz realized that Robin had not told her what was really bothering her.