Chapter 78

Show me the meaning of mercy

Robin smiled as her uncle placed a glass of red wine in front of her before taking his seat. Reaching for the glass, she took a small sip and beamed. "You bought me the good stuff?" she asked teasingly.

Mac, nursing his beer, shrugged. "It's the least I could do for you after agreeing to be my date to this shin dig."

Robin gave him a doubtful look. "You know, I'm still not convinced that you needed me to escort you because you hate going alone as much as you wanted me out and about to make sure I'm okay."

"Meh. A little from column a and a little from column b" he replied. "Is that so wrong?"

"Not at all," she answered softly.

Cradling her wine glass in her hand, she looked around the dining room of the Metrocourt Hotel and marvelled at all the people milling about. It was the annual fundraising dinner for the paediatrics ward of General Hospital and the mayor, a key note speaker, was unable to attend at the last moment. He had asked Mac to fill in for him and Mac, claiming nervousness, had asked his niece to accompany him.

"And are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm much better" she admitted.

Darren had been the only person she had told about missing her medication and he had been a great support to her as she adjusted to the increased dosage. Almost through the worst of it and her viral load starting to settle, she had finally told her uncle about the small spike in her viral load.

Though she had not intended to tell him at all, it was Mac who had gently pushed her into revealing the truth. He had long suspected something, beyond the impact of Patrick's leaving, was off with her and kindly prodded her until she told him about the change in viral load and the adjustment of her medication.

She realized she had been fooling herself to think she could keep it from him and in the end knew she didn't want to. Robin had been afraid that he would remind her that he had warned of the effect this could take on her, that he would quietly tell her he told her so but he had done neither. He had hugged her tightly, told her how sorry he was and then asked what he could do to help. He had done exactly what he had always done – he had been himself. Mac had been with her from the very beginning and would be by her side no matter what.

"Really?" he inquired carefully.

She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Really. I just have another couple of days to get through and one more viral load check. Then I'm going to get him" she said confidently.

A feeling of pride rushed through him as he gazed lovingly at the confident young woman beside him. She had been knocked down more than a few times in her life but had always been clear on what was important, on what mattered to her. And once she made up her mind to do something there was just no changing it.

Leaning in, he kissed her cheek. "If I haven't told you lately, I love you and I'm proud of you."

Robin's cheeks flushed crimson under the compliment. "I love you too Uncle Mac."

Their table was a hive of activity as many of the well heeled members of Port Charles society stopped by to speak to Mac, some times offering their opinions on how a case should be handled. He slapped on a smile and took it all in good stead.

In need of fresh air, Robin pushed back her chair and plucked her purse from the table. Heading towards one of the balconies, she paused as she passed the bar. She could recognize the posture and stance anywhere, it was definitely a genetic trait passed down from father to son. She considered walking by but there was something about the slope of his shoulders, even from behind, that told her something was not right.

Threading her way through the crowd of people until she was beside him, she touched his arm. "Noah?"

His arms were braced on the bar as he stared into a glass set before him. Hearing Robin call to him, he looked up from the glass.

"It's club soda" he told her.

Robin gave him a small smile. "You saw Patrick again, didn't you?"

Inhaling sharply, he nodded his head as he looked back down at the bubbly liquid before him. His visit with his son had left him feeling raw and exposed and he had been unprepared for the feelings of anger that had started to course through him. The hospital administration had insisted that all senior staff attend the event and while normally he had little problem with glad handing and speaking with some of the hospital's biggest donors, he found himself gritting his teeth and swallowing down his fury as he listened to one inane conversation after another. He wanted to scream at the people that his son was sick, that his son could very well die and he had better things to do than listen to them complain about their achy knees and bum shoulders.

He felt as though he has spent so much of his energy trying to give Patrick the optimism and hope that he needed that he had little left for himself. And he was angry – pissed off – that his son was sick. He had already paid his dues for his arrogance and the golden life he had lived and was now angrily overwhelmed by the unfairness of it happening again.

"Yeah" he replied shortly.

"I was going to get some air, why don't you come with me?"

Noah sighed heavily and gave a slight nod. Robin hooked her arm through his and led him through the crowd out to the balcony.

Shrugging off his suit jacket, he slid it over her shoulders. "You're going to freeze" he explained.

She pulled the jacket tightly around her. "How is he?" she asked, bracing herself for the answer.

Noah just shook his head. "Not good" he whispered. "He's going downhill quickly"

He considered telling her about the feeding tube but he could not bring himself to do so. It had been difficult to see, he was not sure he could speak it out loud.

Robin's eyes welled with tears as her heart processed the information more quickly than her head did. "Is he…does he…"

Noah smiled kindly. "He still loves you Robin."

There was a small feeling of relief that washed over her as she heard his words. She had not doubted it in her heart but there was reassurance to be found in hearing someone else confirm it.

"I'm going to be by his side. I don't want you to think I've abandoned him" she told him earnestly. "I just…I just need to take care of something first before I do."

Noah's face softened as he looked at the young woman before him. Not for the first time did he give thanks that his son had found such an amazing person. "You've been sick, haven't you?" he asked quietly.

Robin smiled regretfully. "Yes," she admitted. "Nothing too serious and it's almost under control but I can't go to him until I'm stable."

Reaching for her, he pulled her into a tight embrace. "Oh Robin, I am so sorry."

"I'm okay Noah" she said as she pulled out of the hug. "I'm okay and Patrick is going to be okay too."

He blew out his cheeks and leaned back against the railing. "I'm furious" he admitted. "I'm so fucking mad"

"Me too" Robin told him. "This is not fair and I have moments where I feel like I want to kick something."

Noah smirked. "I'd like to blow something up."

"You men are always so much more violent" she teased lightly.

"Thank you for not giving up on him" he told her seriously. "Not everyone would fight for him."

"Then they've never been in love – not like this anyways." she answered.

"How is it that you so confident?"

"Because I've been to hell and I know the way out."

"I don't know what kind of doctor you are" Patrick teased, "letting your patient drink beer."

Eric rolled his eyes as he flopped onto the couch. "First of all, you said you wanted one and I'm your friend, not your nanny," he teased back. "Second of all, I figure you're good for about 10 sips."

Patrick smiled weakly as he brought the beer bottle to his lips. His appetite had disappeared weeks ago and the liquid diet he was on sustained him but that was about it. Out of nowhere he had had a sudden craving for a beer and when he told Eric about it, his friend had simply shrugged and returned from the kitchen with two bottles, handing one to him.

"You never said what the Ethics Committee decided"

"Just the usual bureaucratic bull crap," he replied.

"Uh-huh" Patrick looked at his friend expectantly. "Wanna try that one again?"

Eric pulled distractedly at the label on the bottle. "They said I could perform the surgery provided I let go of all my other cases until you are removed from my service."

His eyes widened in surprise. "They took away all your cases?"

He shook his head. "It was a non-binding resolution but the head of the department agreed with it so here we are."

"Smitty – I….I mean…."

"Don't worry about it, okay?" He looked at his friend and smiled wryly. "I'm always bitching about having too much work so you solved my problem."

"I had no idea that-"

Eric raised his hand. "Don't get all soft on me now Pantsy." He took a long drink from his beer before setting it down on the coffee table. "I've booked your surgery."

Patrick let out a long, slow breath. He was still nervous about the surgery and what may happen but there was some relief in having a date. At least now he knew there would be an end point to all of this – to the pain, the misery and the fear.

"When?" he asked.

"Next Thursday – 10 days from now."