Chapter 48

Lulu shook his hand, her green eyes blazing. "Lulu Spencer, Ethan's girlfriend and the girl in the house with HIV."

Douglas froze in place as a small panic rose in his chest. "Pardon?"

She dropped his hand. "I assume you were talking about the Nathalie Walker case - I'm your trump card."

Ethan stood up from the couch as a knot formed in his stomach. This was not how he envisioned the evening going and he could tell by the steely glint in Lulu's eyes that this wasn't going to end well – likely for him. "Dad...this is Lulu..."

"Yes Ethan, that much I got" he said not taking his eyes from the young woman standing defiantly before him. "What is she doing here?"

Ethan shifted nervously from one foot to the other wondering if there was a button he could press to make it all stop. Lulu was the first girl he had dated since his mother was murdered and she was important to him but his father had stayed by his side as he recovered from both his physical and psychological wounds. He stood, almost literally in between the two people he loved most in the world and he was going to have to choose. "She's my girlfriend - the girl I told you about..."

"WHAT?" he bellowed. "You are SLEEPING with a girl who is HIV+?"

Lulu stepped closer to him. "Well there are 40 million of us in the world - odds are he would encounter one of us eventually." Her tone was flip and her eyes full of Spencer fire.

Douglas glared at the young girl with the angry face. "Ethan - this is completely unacceptable - her...condition aside, she is directly linked to one of my cases."

"Dad!" Ethan felt his temper rise "I don't have anything to do with your work.."

Lulu cut him off. "Not to mention I'm only linked to your case IF you choose to do so - you don't actually have to go there."

He smirked and looked back to his son. "She's certainly fiery."

"Shut up Dad" he said half pleadingly, half angrily.

"I am not discussing this case with either of you but if your friend persists in appealing then all bets are off. You should suggest she stay out of public places if she's going to seduce men."

Lulu's cheeks flared red. "How dare you" she said slowly. "How fucking dare you - she is a good mother and good friend and all you are doing is trying to break up her family because her parents are hateful people with tiny black hearts. You want to throw my HIV in the mix - go ahead - I fucking dare you. I hope she wipes the floor with you."

"Lulu..." Ethan tried to step towards her.

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down Ethan Young"

"Uh-oh - full name again" he joked weakly.

"Ethan, show your friend to the door - you and I need to talk."

"Dad, I'm not having you dictate...."

"I'm not asking you - show her out and get your ass back here."

Crossing the room, Lulu snatched her coat from the chair Danielle had laid it on. Furiously shoving her arms through it, she zipped it up. "I don't need him to show me to the door - I have HIV, not a lobotomy." Heading to the door, she paused with her hand on the doorknob. "Just a question - did your soul-ectomy hurt?"

"Lulu..." Ethan said desperately.

Not looking back she pulled open the door and stormed out, leaving it swinging on its hinges.

Robin paid the taxi driver as he pulled to a stop in front of the hotel. She smiled at how familiar the Euros felt in her hand – it had been less than two years since she moved from Paris back home but it so many ways it felt like a lifetime. Coming home had been an experience of mixed emotions. She had returned to save her former love and had no plans to stay but her drug therapy failed and in the process of moving heaven and earth to save Jason, she also saved herself.

As she entered the elevator she shook her head at the twists and turns the last 18 months had brought. Her father rose from the dead, she fell in love with a man who loved her completely, she got married and had a baby. If anyone had suggested that even one of those things, let alone all three, would happen to her she would have scoffed loudly. For the first time in her life she wanted for nothing – she felt whole.

Sliding her key card in the door, she quietly pushed the door open and froze. The entire suite glowed in soft candle light and her husband was perched on the arm of the sofa dressed in a black turtleneck sweater and black wool dress pants. Holding two champagne flutes in his hand, he flashed her that smile he reserved just for her. "Welcome home" he said in his low, smooth baritone.

"Wow" she grinned, letting the door close behind her. "What is all this?" Dropping her purse she walked towards him slowly, taking one of the flutes from his hand and pressing her lips against his. "Hi" she whispered.

"Hi" he said against her mouth as he snaked his arm around her waist.

"Seriously – what's the occasion?"

"You are." He looked at her with his rich, brown eyes in a way that went straight to her soul.

"Me?" she giggled nervously.

He nodded. "I walked the streets of Rome until I got lost today and all I could think of was what you said to me this morning."

"What was that?"

"That I make you forget you have HIV."

Reaching up she stroked his cheek with the back of her fingers. "You do" she said hoarsely. "You have no idea…"

Taking hold of her fingers, he brought them to his mouth and left a soft kiss on each finger. "Well it got me to thinking about what you have done for me and while the list is endless there are a few things I'd like to tell you about." Standing up, he moved the couch and pulled her in to his lap. She draped her arm over his shoulder and twirled the hair at the back of his neck through her fingers. He gently stroked her leg while looking at her with unabashed adoration. "I spent years running from love but because of you I know now I can't live without it – or more specifically, I can't live without your love and I don't want to try. You also gave me back my father…"

"You did that" she objected quietly.

He shook his head. "If you hadn't dumped that jug of water on his head, if you hadn't brought him back to GH and if you hadn't stayed with me every step of the way through his liver transplant I would not have him in my life right now. And while I know that you are here for Brenda, I also know part of you is here for my dad – the love and kindness you show him means more to me than almost anything else." Robin blinked several times, unable to speak. With a watery smile she leaned in and captured her husband's lips in a soft, tender kiss. "I somehow think there was a part of me that knew right away" he said as he pulled away from her lips.

"Knew what?"

"Knew that you would change my life."

"Oh Patrick." Robin set the champagne flute down on the end table and taking his face in her hands, brought her mouth down over his. Her tongue darted out, licking his bottom lip. He absently searched for the table to put his glass down as well. Having freed his hands, he slipped them under her dark blue sweater and ran them over her sides. Not breaking their kiss, Robin stood up and shifting positions, straddled him. Sliding his hands around to her back, he undid the clasp on her bra and pulled the straps from her shoulders. He took hold of the hem of her sweater and pulled it from her body, tossing it to the side. He buried his face between in valley between her breasts, leaving soft, wet kisses. She moaned in response, arching slightly towards him.

Sitting back he stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I have never known anyone as beautiful as you" he whispered.

"Nor I, you" she replied.

Patrick peeled his turtleneck from his body, revealing the long, lean torso that Robin could not get enough of. She ran her hands along the expanse of his chest while delicately assaulting his neck with kisses. He pushed his hips up towards her, evidence of his arousal being firmly felt. Grazing his nipples with her thumbs, she dipped her head and worked her tongue in the hollow of his neck. Sucking gently on the soft flesh she felt him shudder underneath her. She stood up and undoing her grey pants, let them fall to her ankles. Stepping out of them, she hooked her thumb through her panties but Patrick stopped her. "Let me" he asked as his eyes became hazy with lust.

Running a hand down the length of her body, he pulled her closer to him. He traced the outline of her breasts with his tongue and smiled as Robin through her head back with a long sigh. Sliding his hand over her panties he cupped her and bit his bottom lip at the evidence of her arousal. "You are so wet" he said in admiration. She parted her legs and ran her hands through his hair as he caressed her body with his lips. He slowly pulled her panties from her body and pressed his lips against her damp curls.

"Oh god" she said trembling.

Having helped her step out of her underwear, he stood up and quickly removed his pants and boxers. He massaged her breast while pulling a condom from his wallet. Taking the small packet from him, Robin sank to her knees and peppered his dick with kisses. She could see his muscles rippling in response to her touch. Swirling her tongue around the tip of his sensitive head she bit her lip to keep from smiling as his knees buckled slightly. "Robin" he said hoarsely. Seeing her look at him while stroking his length nearly made him come on the spot. She smiled seductively as she rolled the condom over his throbbing erection. Extending his hand, he pulled her to her feet and crashed his mouth on to hers. Their once tender kisses were now wet and hot. Their need for each other pushed everything else from their minds.

Breathless, Patrick broke their kiss and stretched out on to the couch. He held out his hand to her and she laid against him, her back to him. He lifted her leg slightly, opening her up to him as he slipped between her engorged folds.

"Fuck" she hissed as she felt him fill her. She moved her hips against his to accommodate him.

"Okay baby?" he asked as he lavished kisses on her neck and shoulders.

"Mmm" she murmured in response.

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her tightly to him and let his hand trail down between her legs. As he began to thrust inside her, he tugged gently on her clit, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. He repeated the same motion on her nipple with his other hand. Robin's head lolled back against his shoulder as her body was on fire from all the stimulation. He nibbled on her soft, fleshy earlobe and nipped at her neck. His pace picked up and she responded by moving her hips in time with his. Feeling her clenching around him, Patrick blew out a long steady breath, trying to hold off. He wanted them to come together and knew Robin was close. Her legs began to shake and twitch as he continued to work her sensitive nub. Their bodies were slick with sweat as they stayed pressed together, rocking back and forth in time with each other. Robin went very still for several seconds before slamming against him as she came hard.

Despite nearly having the wind knocked out of him, Patrick continued his unrelenting attention on her body until he followed her over the edge, his climax beginning at his toes and moving all the way through his body.

"Robin!" he cried as his body trembled before finally slowing down.

Breathless and panting for air, they stayed tangled in each other. Patrick nuzzled the back of her neck and stroked her skin. She entwined her fingers with his as they trailed over her torso. He was strangely silent and despite their very recent activity, she could feel the tension in his body. Robin turned her head slightly. "Are you okay?"

He nodded while leaving little kisses. "Never better" he said quietly.

Robin looked at him over her shoulder. "I don't quite believe you."

He buried his head in the crook of her neck. "It feels…there's change in the air – and not the good kind."

Reaching her hand behind her, she threaded her fingers through his hair. "That's not the first time you've said that."

"I just…there's a knot in my stomach."

"We have each other Patrick so no matter what the knot or the change is, we'll face it together."