Chapter 46

But still the warmth flows through me
And I sense that you know me well

Pulling open the door, a smile of relief crossed Patrick's face. "Thank god you're finally here" he said urgently.

Scrunching up his face, Eric looked at him curiously. "The party was supposed to start at eight. It's only 8:30 - when did you get to be such an old woman?"

"Dude" he pulled him over the threshold, "I am in an apartment filled with women"

Glancing over to the living room, he smirked to see the couches and chairs occupied by Robin's friends.

He turned back to Patrick. "An apartment filled with women used to be a dream come true for you."

"Not like this" he replied quickly. "They're giggling. And then looking at me. And then giggling again. It's making me nervous."

Clapping him on the back, Eric chuckled and shook his head. "Poor Pantsy, already domestimicated and afraid of the womenfolk."

His brown eyes widened in shock and then narrowed in mock anger. "You don't think I have reason to be afraid?"

"Please. Let me show you how it's done."

With his trademark swagger, Eric wandered over to where the girls were and smiled at Robin. "Hey Robin, how's it going?"

Jumping from her seat, she gave him a quick hug. "So glad you could make it Eric. Did you bring a Christmas ornament for our tree?"

"I did" he nodded. "One that Patrick will likely kill me for but you did ask for something from the past."

Covering her mouth with her hand, she stifled a giggle. "Indeed I did. Do you know my friends? This is Lainey, Kelly, Elizabeth and Emily."

He gave them a small wave. "So are you really talking about Patrick or are you simply trying to unnerve my boy?"

"A bit of both" Lainey responded. "He needs taking down a peg or two," she grinned.

Kelly looked him up and down and flashed him a feline smile. "Of course, if you prefer, we could always talk about you."

Eric swallowed thickly and shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable under Kelly's appraising eyes. "Erm, no….no need to change the subject. In fact, why don't I leave you all to the girl talk and go keep Patrick company?"

The girls laughed loudly as he jammed his hands in his pockets and slowly backed away. Returning to the kitchen, he came face to face with Patrick's smug look of triumph.

"Not as tough as you thought you were, are ya?" he challenged.

Shamefully, he shook his head. "They….it's a group thing – women in a group, they move like a pack. And that dark haired girl…Kelly? She looks hungry."

It was Patrick's turn to smirk as he offered his friend a beer. "Well you'd be just the type of meal she's looking for."

Taking the proffered bottle, Eric took a swig before answering. "Well I'm not on the menu."

Tilting his head to the side, Patrick studied his friend carefully. "And when are you going to be on the menu? Smitty, it's been six years since Karen left and I think you have been on exactly two dates in all that time."

"I think you were doing enough dating for the both of us during that time, thankyouverymuch" he replied with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm now a one woman man. It would be worth the risk you know – to be open to falling in love again."

Leaning back against the counter, Eric looked at his friend in amusement. "Oh my lord – it's a Christmas miracle. The reformed playboy is not only in love but is spreading its gospel to one and all. Hallelujah! We have made a believer of him"

"Mock all you want" he sniffed, "but if I had any idea that it could be like this…." His voice trailed off as Robin came into the kitchen.

She looked from one to the other as she slipped her hand inside Patrick's. "Are you guys…are you hiding from us?"

"Hiding? Why would we hide?" Patrick asked jokingly.

"I mean other than the fact that large groups of giggling women are dangerous" Eric muttered under his breath.

"Pardon?" Robin asked, turning to him.

"Nothing" he covered with a smile. "Nothing at all."

"Hmm." Taking a drink from Patrick's beer, she handed the bottle back to him. "Maxie, Georgie and my Uncle Mac have arrived. There's just a few people left to show up and then we can start decorating the tree."

"Sounds good to me" Bending down, he bussed her lips.

The swinging sounds of Ella Fitzgerald singing Christmas songs floated through the air as the apartment filled quickly with friends and family.

Seeing Maxie struggling with a box, Robin rushed over to help her. "Are these all for the tree?"

"No" she replied, not quite meeting her cousin's eyes. "Georgie and I thought we also decorate some other parts of the apartment too."

Robin gave her a curious look. "Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not" Maxie beamed. "But I think you'll like it when we're done."

"Oh god" she groaned.

"Georgie!" Maxie called to her sister. "Let's go – this stuff isn't going to hang itself"

Left shaking her head as she watched her two cousins amble off down the hallway, Robin reached for her beer.

"They were so happy that you invited them," Mac told her as he came up behind her.

Turning, Robin smiled lovingly at her uncle. "I'm happy they're here. Last Christmas was great – being home again but this year…"

"Is even better?" he finished for her.

"Something like that" she agreed. "Uncle Mac, I really feel like I kind of have it all. I am once again living in the same city as my family, my career is really gaining some traction and I'm in love with an amazing guy."

Folding her in his arms, he hugged her tightly. "Sweetheart, I am so happy for you. This is all I've ever wanted for you."

Pulling back, she looked into his kind face. "Have I ever thanked you?"

"Thanked me?"

"Thanked you for raising me, for loving me, for accepting me, mistakes and all?"

The Police Commissioner's eyes misted over. "Oh Robin. I don't need thanks – you and I, we learned a lot together along the way and I could not be more proud of the woman you are if you were my own daughter."

Too overcome to speak, she simply squeezed his hand.

"And I want you to know, that I follow instructions" Mac offered.

"Oh?" Robin laughed. "Since when?"

"Since my niece told me I had to bring a Christmas decoration for her tree." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small gold box. "For you"

Taking the box, she carefully removed the gold ribbon and pried the lid from it. A small gasp escaped her throat as she pulled out the pewter decoration. "Uncle Mac!"

A small picture frame on a red ribbon, Robin held it up and looked at it from both sides. On one side was a picture of her as a young girl with her parents, Robert and Anna and on the other side was a picture of her at her high school graduation with Mac beaming proudly with his arm around her.

"Do you like it?" he asked quietly.

Like it? I LOVE it!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you for this." Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek before dashing to the tree to put the decoration in a place of honour.

Leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room, Patrick could not keep the smile from his face as he saw how happy his girlfriend was. Not for the first time, he was amazed at how wrong his original assumptions about her had been.

Having exchanged his empty bottle for a new one, Eric turned to leave the kitchen and nearly sent the person behind him flying to the ground. Quickly reaching out, he took hold of her waist and steadied her.

"I am so sorry" he said, his cheeks flushing red.

"It's fine" Alexis smiled, her hand over his on her waist. "Um…it's Eric, right?"

Slowly letting go of her, he smiled. "Hi Alexis, it's nice to see you again."

Unconsciously, her hand moved to her head, checking to see if her wig was straight. "And you as well."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm good" she told him cheerfully.

"Really?"

Her mouth twitched upwards in a smile. "No. I'm reduced to eating popcorn and animal crackers but god help me, I'm going to have a beer tonight if it kills me."

"It's unlikely to do that." Reaching behind him, he retrieved another beer from the fridge and before handing it to her, twisted off the cap.

Accepting it with a shy smile, she clinked bottles with him. "So did you bring the requisite Christmas decoration?"

"I did. I haven't hung it on the tree yet though"

"Oh?"

"Patrick will kill me when he sees it and I'll need to make a quick exit. So I think I'll put it up there before I dash. How about you?"

"I did. Somehow I don't think mine will require me to beat a hasty retreat. Kristina and Molly made one of pipe cleaners and sparkles for Robin – they're quite fond of her."

"You have two daughters?"

"I do and one of them, Molly, wouldn't be here if it weren't for Robin." Seeing Eric's quizzical look, she shook her head. "It's a very long story but the short version is, I needed an emergency c-section and the only thing available was a knife. Robin got me drunk and then delivered Molly. She is my daughter's guardian angel."

Eric looked past Alexis to his friend's girlfriend – she was dancing in the middle of the living room with Lainey and Emily while Kristina tried to keep up with them – and he shook his head in amazement. Patrick had certainly picked an extraordinary woman.

"How fortunate for both you and Molly that she was there."

"I'll say. Are you…um…are you in town for the holidays?"

A loud crash drowned out his answer as they both looked over to the living room and saw Kristina stand amidst the debris of broken lamp.

"Oh dear" Alexis sighed "that's my cue."

Eric smiled and gave her a small wave as she scurried to her daughter's side.

Distracted by the broken lamp, Patrick didn't hear the door open and did a double take as he came face to face with his father.

"Dad" he said in surprise.

"I'm still invited, aren't I?" he joked weakly.

"Of course you are. I just…I didn't…I wasn't sure you would come."

"I can't stay for long," he said, "I have a surgery later, O'Hair called in sick" he amended, seeing the look of disappointment on his son's face.

"Oh, okay. Well I'm glad you could make it even for a little bit."

Unable to keep his fatherly concern at bay, he dove right in. "How are you feeling?"

Patrick shrugged. Until his father had asked, he had more or less pushed it all from his mind, at least for one night.

"I'm okay" he told him. "No radiation this week which is a welcome break – I might actually have some taste buds still around for Christmas dinner."

"Seizures? Tremors?"

Looking at Noah's hazel, worry-filled eyes, Patrick was beginning to understand just how scared his father was – how much his illness was impacting him. Not knowing whether it was all the Christmas music or just the genuine desire to have his father really be his father again, he found himself wanting to make it better for him. Gently, Patrick touched his father's shoulder.

"Dad, it's almost Christmas – how about I get you a gingerale and you join the party? Discussions about my health will keep."

Noah smiled apologetically. "I didn't mean to come on so strong."

"You didn't. Come on – let's get you a drink" Patrick said, jerking his head in the direction of the kitchen.

"Patty, wait," he called to him.

He slowly turned back to him. "What's up?" he asked nervously. Good intentions aside, their ground of their relationship was so covered in landmines it was hard to tell what would set them off.

"I….uh…I brought you an ornament."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You did?"

Reaching into his coat pocket, he handed over a small brown box.

Accepting it, Patrick pulled off the top and stood completely still as he looked inside. It was a small Santa Claus with a picture of Patrick, Noah and Mattie on the steps of their old house inserted in the centre. All three were wearing red Santa hats.

He swallowed several times trying to find his voice. "I..I haven't seen this in years – where did you get it?"

"From our place in the Hamptons"

Patrick looked up in surprise. "Do you…I didn't know you still went there."

"Every once in a while" Noah told him quietly. "When I want to….when I'm missing your mom."

"I haven't been there in a long time" he said as much to himself as he did to his father.

"Christmas 1996" Noah told him, "Mattie's last Christmas"

"Yeah" he agreed hoarsely. Unsure of what else to say he simply hugged his father. "Thank you for this" he whispered.

"I love you Patrick"

From across the room, Robin paused mid-conversation with Liz and took in the father/son scene before her. Her heart filled as she watched Patrick embrace his father – an act that did not come easily to either man but that both so desperately needed.

"ROBIN!" Patrick bellowed. "You better get in here quick!"

"I'm just locking up the door" she called back.

The party had been a roaring success and shortly after 3 a.m., they managed to usher the last guest out. With a promise to each other they would clean up in the morning, they were ready for bed.

Walking tiredly to the bedroom, Robin stopped as she saw Patrick staring up at the ceiling.

"It's covered. The whole thing is freaking covered. Who the heck did this?"

With a small groan, she shook her head. "I think I know."

"Who?" he asked, not taking his eyes from the bedroom ceiling that was blanketed in mistletoe.

"I suspect my cousins had something to do with this" she said with a laugh.

"I think I'm liking them more and more," he admitted jokingly.

Walking to the nightstand, Robin picked up the note that had been folded and left propped against the lamp.

"If you can't be nice, you may as well be naughty" she read out loud.

Patrick waggled his eyebrows.

"How?" Robin asked, "How is this possible? I changed their diapers. When did they stop watching teletubbies and start being worried about naughty and nice?"

Giving a small shrug he walked to her and scooped her up in his arms. He stifled her yelp with a hot, wanton kiss.

Finally breaking for air, Robin looked at him in surprise. "What was that for?"

He looked up at the ceiling and back to her. "Just doing what tradition requires," he said before laying her on the bed and fusing his mouth over hers.

"You hate tradition" she muttered against his lips.

Breaking the kiss, Patrick grinned. "I'm turning over a new leaf. And remind me to buy Maxie and Georgie and extra expensive gift!"