Chapter 19

I am breathless from the mercy of a smile
I am standing on the brink of the most perfect love

Cuddled on his bed, his girlfriend's body tangled around his, Patrick sighed happily. It had been hours since his seizure and so far there was no sign of it returning. His headache was gone, his energy was rising and he was spending the day in bed with Robin; suddenly everything seemed better.

"What's rolling around in that big brain of yours?" Robin asked as she threaded her fingers through his. Their relationship, for the most part, had always been about activity - fighting, making up, making out, working, talking - there had been few moments of silence between them and even fewer moments of stillness.

He pressed his lips to her head before answering. "You. And the realization that you're a snoopypants and I am going to have to do a much better job at hiding gifts for you than I did of hiding the real estate listings."

Jumping out of bed, Robin ran to the desk. "Gifts? There are gifts?"

Patrick rolled his eyes and laughed, delighting in her impish grin. "Not yet - but if you play your cards right I could think of a gift to give you."

Her eyebrow arched up and her tongue swept against her lips. "Oh? Is it already wrapped?"

"I've said it before and I'll say it again - Robin Scorpio, bad girl in disguise."

Crawling back on the bed towards him, she waggled her eyebrows. "I like to keep you guessing."

"Oh you do" he said playfully as she lay on top of him. Feeling her gaze into his eyes his entire body warmed and he curled his arms around her. "Scorpio, do you have any idea how amazing you are?"

"Why? Because I'm an international woman of mystery?"

Shaking his head simply, he mouthed the word 'no'. "I've...it's been a long time since anyone has offered to take care of me and you've done it twice in a few months. I - I kind of like it," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

She brushed her lips against his as her heart hammered inside her chest. The rare moments when Patrick let down his guard so completely were like magic to her. And each time after, his guard would return but always a little weaker than it had been before.

"This is what a relationship is Patrick. It's having fun,it's loving each other, it's taking care of each other, it's honesty-"

The hair on the back of his neck bristled as the word left her mouth. Yet again he was on the verge of telling her but could not bring himself to do it. He had a million reasons in his back pocket as to why -he needed more information, he needed answers, he needed time - but the cold hard truth was, he was terrified of telling her. He wasn't afraid of her not supporting her, just the opposite really, he was absolutely afraid that she would support him and take care of him regardless of the cost to herself. And he had decided somewhere around the time that he realized he loved her, that he could never let her sacrifice herself for him. She still bore the scars of the those choices from past relationships and he did not want to add to it.

He cut her off with a kiss, lazily sweeping his tongue inside her mouth. Robin sighed against him as her fingers curled through his hair.

"I don't think I've said it lately, but I love you" he said as he came up for air.

"I love you too - more every day" she replied softly as she traced her fingertips along his cheek. Chewing on her bottom lip, she looked at him from under her eyelashes. "So, um, it's entirely possible I forgot to ask you something?"

He scrunched his face curiously. "What?"

"Well I guess I kind of took it for granted but realized that I should probably ask you - just in case you have other plans...or plans to go with someone else," she added sheepishly.

"Go where with who?"

"Will you - will you be my date to the Nurses' Ball?"

He responded with a small smile. "You have to ask? Scorpio, I plan on being right by your side. And as for asking someone else -" he shrugged, "you're the only date I want."

Robin's cheeks flushed suddenly, embarrassed at letting her worries show so easily. "I don't mean to be insecure..."

"You aren't," he reassured her. "You're my girl Robin and if you have doubts, tell me and I'll show you in as many ways as possible." Though he smiled gamely, his eyes fluttered closed and he let out a long breath as fatigue suddenly washed over him again.

"You're tired baby" she observed.

"I am" he admitted. "I think - I think I might sleep again. You don't have to stay" he added quickly.

"But if I want to?"

Patrick settled further back against the pillow and tightened his hold around her as he noisly kissed her cheek. "Then that would make me very, very happy."

Not realizing she had drifted off to sleep with her boyfriend, she sat up with a start as she heard the pounding on the door.

"Come on Pantsy - open up! I'm getting old standing out here."

Robin took a quick look at her boyfriend, still sleeping soundly, and quickly disentangled herself from him and padded toward the door, pulling the bedroom door shut behind her as she did. Opening the door, she blinked several times as the bright light from the hallway hit her eyes. Exhaling slowly, she took a moment to stare at the man before her. At nearly six foot five, he was an imposing figure with short curly hair and piercing blue eyes.

"You must be Robin" he stated in a softer tone than the one he had been using.

"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously, not moving from her place by the door.

"Eric - Eric Smitherman. I'm Patrick's friend from New York."

Realization dawned and she smiled as she extended her hand. "Nice to meet you - Robin Scorpio."

His large, meaty hand engufled hers. "You as well. So, is our boy home or what?"

Robin stepped back, letting Eric cross the threshold. Though not as lean as Patrick, he was certainly a man that women looked twice at. She smirked as she thought of the stir Patrick and Eric must have caused at medical school. There was little doubt in her mind that she would have had trouble concentrating on anatomy courses if they had been in her class.

"Actually, Patrick's sleeping. He's got a bit of a flu bug and hasn't been feeling well."

"Oh" he replied, scrunching up his face. "It's just - I had a message from Patrick asking me to swing by Port Charles when I got a chance. I guess my timing kind of sucks."

"Not really," Robin smiled. "He's got to wake up at some point. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you - he talks about you enough" she teased gently.

"Back at ya" he replied with a grin as he took the measure of the petite brunette in front of him. "It's always Robin this and Robin that. You have no idea the relief on my end when he finally started to date you."

Robin's eyes danced happily while her cheeks flushed as she contemplated the image of Patrick on the phone talking about her. Her. It felt ridiculously girlish to be so excited over such a small, normal detail but she could not help herself.

"He's a pretty great guy" she said softly.

"The best" he clarified.

They stared at each other in awkward silence, neither knowing exactly what to say to the other, both feeling the absence of Patrick. Eric settled into the chair nearest the fireplace and looked around the hotel suite. Little appeared to have changed about his friend; he still seemed to prefer a suitcase to a house. He looked at the woman who had completely bewitched his friend and could not stop himself from smiling. Even in the short minutes he had spent with her, he could see why his friend had fallen for her. There was a strength and energy to her that existed just below the surface and though she looked sweet and kind, he knew from Patrick's stories that she stood her ground and could give as good as she got. Patrick said she brooked no excuses from him and Eric believed that his friend may have found just the woman he needed.

"So," Robin said, clearing her throat, "I, uh, I told Patrick I would get him some hot and sour soup and I was going to head out to get it - would...you're welcome to stay if you'd like.." she offered nervously.

She would have preferred warning to meeting Patrick's friend - his best friend - the one whose opinion would matter so much to him. It's not that she believed Patrick would stop loving her if Eric didn't like her but she would have at least liked a fighting chance to make a good impression. She shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, giving a wry smile.

"I'd like that" he said softly. "I even promise not to put his hand in a pail of water to see if he wets the bed."

Robin's hand flew to her mouth and she laughed out loud. "You're terrible!" she remarked with a grin.

"Yes ma'am" he agreed. "Go get his soup and I'll be here when you get back."

"Okay" she nodded, reaching for her keys on the coffee table. Heading towards the door, she turned back as Eric called her name.

"It's nice to finally meet you" he said kindly.

"You too."

Patrick groaned as he woke. The pounding in his head had returned and his mouth had gone dry. Prying his eyes open, he searched the bedroom for Robin and was shocked to find his best friend sitting in the chair near his bed side.

"Pantsy" Eric greeted him.

"He-hey" he said trying to get his bearings. Pulling himself to a sitting position on the bed, he gripped his head. "Where's Robin?"

"She's gone to get you soup" he said carefully.

"You met her? She's great isn't she?" he asked proudly.

"She is" he agreed. "But before you start to wax poetically about your girlfriend, can we talk about you?"

"I've just got the flu - I'm okay. What - what brings you by anyways?"

Eric's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Because I had a message from you two days ago telling me you needed my help and asking if I could come by."

"Oh yeah" he said with a tinge of uncertainty. "How was Rome?"

"I'll answer your questions provided you answer mine first."

There was no mistaking the tone in his friend's voice. "What question?"

"How long have you been having seizures and what are you doing about it?"