Chapter 86

I have climbed highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you

Robin's eyes fluttered open and as she blinked the sleep away she cast a quick glance around the room. Stretching quietly, she readjusted her blanket around her legs and reached for Patrick's hand again.

"You haven't been asleep for very long" Noah told her quietly, "maybe you should try for a little longer?" he suggested as he closed over the book he was holding.

Robin shook her head. "I've slept as much as I'm going to." She peered at him. "Have you even slept at all?"

He smiled wryly. "I'm a tough old guy."

"Uh-huh" She smiled warmly. "I didn't know you wore glasses – they look good on you."

He blushed slightly at the compliment. "Only for reading."

"Is it a good book?" she asked, nodding to the black leather bound book in his hands.

Noah exhaled quietly as his gaze dropped to his lap for a moment. "It's…I…I've been keeping a journal" he replied shyly.

"Does it help?"

"Some days."

"How are you doing Noah? You've spent a lot of time worrying about Patrick and even me but are you okay?"

Pulling his glasses from his face, he pinched the bridge of his nose. How he was doing was all relative. It very much depended on the day, the hour and the minute. He had been waiting to be overwhelmed with an urge to drink. As he had hastily boarded a plane from Port Charles to New York, he had called his sponsor and promised to check in with him as the urge hit. But it never did. He couldn't explain it but unlike so many other times in his life, his tongue was not sliding along the back of his teeth trying to ferret out even a hint of alcohol. His mind was not occupied, every waking minute, with reminders of how good and smooth a few fingers of bourbon would taste. He didn't want a drink.

He wanted his wife.

In the decade since her death he had gone in search of a numbness that was not possible to find. As he sobered up he was left to deal with the feelings he had tried to outrun and thought he had until now. But every step of his son's journey through this illness had only intensified the feelings of loss he had.

"I'm doing okay all things considered," he finally replied. "And you? Everything is as it should be?" he asked pointedly.

Robin smiled. "Yes. I had an appointment the day before I came up here and have been given a clean bill of health."

"I'm glad" he told her sincerely. "You're very important Robin and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Thank you."

It had been a strange journey that brought her to the Drake men and she marvelled at how the universe had a way of pushing people down pathways whose destination was unclear but once arrived at made perfect sense. She had come home to save her old love and in trying to do so found a new one – a complete one. And with him came another man whose dignity and struggle to do the right thing regardless the cost had, at times, served as a guide for her.

It had only been a year but she had difficulty imagining her life without them in it. And while Patrick and Noah had both told her what a miracle she had been for them, they had been the same to her. In them she found two people who accepted her as she was. They did not beat her over her head with a litany of her mistakes or failings; they did not hold her responsible for their choices. They took her as they found her and that was an enormous gift to someone who had not always experienced that.

Patrick's fingers twitched inside her hand and she looked quickly to his face but saw no change. She could not think of another occasion in her life when she had been as impatient as she was now for him to wake up. She wanted to see his eyes – they were a rich brown with tiny flecks of gold and though she thought it too cheesy to say out loud to anyone else, she was sure they sparkled. She wanted him to wake up so that he could see he wasn't alone – that his deepest fear had been averted. He was not left to his own devices to sort it out but rather he was surrounded by those who loved him. During one of their many late night conversations, where darkened rooms allowed for an honesty that daylight did not, he had confided in her that one of the reasons he was afraid of love was because he did not believe he could trust it or count on it. If he opened his eyes he would see, just as she promised, that he could believe in it.

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on surrounding him with good energy, with loving thoughts. And tried to reassure herself that she could handle anything that may come their way when he finally did wake up.

"Robin"

The urgency to Noah's voice caused her eyes to fly open. He nodded to Patrick and slowly turning her head, she saw his eyes flutter and struggle to open. Her breath quickened and her heart hammered against her ribs as his arms and legs all started to twitch slowly.

She closed both her hands over his and rubbed it soothingly as she looked on anxiously.

Noah pushed off his blanket and went to the head of the bed. He tenderly stroked his son's face hoping that the soothing touches from both him and Robin would help reduce his anxiety as he came out of the anaesthetic. Regardless of what he did or did not remember as the fog lifted, the presence of the ventilator would be jarring and he didn't want him to panic.

"You're okay Patty" he said quietly. "You're okay."

Getting out of her chair, Robin stood on the other side of his bed and bringing his hand to her mouth, softly kissed it. His brown eyes suddenly sprang open and he blinked several times trying to adjust to the low lighting in the room. He struggled slightly against the tube in his throat and Robin swept her hand across his chest to reassure him.

"It's the vent Patrick – just relax, okay?"

His eyes locked on Robin's and widened in shock. She smiled comfortingly at him, doing her best to quell his rising fears. Feeling a touch on his shoulder, he slowly moved his eyes to the other side of the bed to where Noah was standing.

"I'm going to call Eric and I'll be right back, okay Sport?"

"Noah," Robin called to him as he headed for the door. "Don't you want to check him out yourself?"

With a small regretful smile he shook his head. "No. I'll let his doctor do that. And," he added, "I think you should do the same."

Taking his meaning, she nodded and turned her attention back to her boyfriend. She tenderly stroked his cheek with her fingertips, smiling as she touched the stubble. "You need a shave," she told him softly. "I can probably help you out with that."

His eyes, droopy and tired, remained fixed on hers as his tongue swiped uselessly at his cracked, dry lips. Turning around, she moved to get her purse and was shocked at the strength in his hand as he tugged her back to him.

"I'm not leaving," she reassured him. "I'm just going to get some lip balm to put on your lips, okay?"

She waited as he blinked several times and then slowly let go of her hand. Quickly pulling her purse from the floor, she fished through it until she found what she was looking for. Popping off the cap, she dragged her finger along the balm and carefully rubbed it against his lips.

"Don't you worry," she told him as she continued to apply the balm. "We'll have your lips being soft and kissable in no time." She smiled with a mixture of relief and hope as he touched her leg. "I love you," she reminded him. "Very, very much."

His eyes grew heavy and unable to fight it any longer, he drifted back to sleep. Robin, still holding his hand, sank back into her chair and sighed. It was a good sign. Or so she hoped. But there would be no way of knowing all the impact for a while yet.

Unaware she had drifted off, she was surprised when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up she saw Eric smiling down at her.

"Hey" she greeted him sleepily.

"Hey yourself."

"He seemed to know me" she offered, cutting right to the chase.

"Well we're about to find out. You and Noah may prefer to wait outside while I check him out."

"Not a chance," she replied quickly.

"I'm with Robin on this one," Noah added, back on the other side of the bed.

Eric smirked. "I didn't think so but wanted to put it out there. So here's the deal, I'm going to ask him a bunch of questions and you are not to encourage him or help him in any way. I don't want him covering or masking in an effort to please either of you."

The corners of Robin's mouth twitched upwards in a smile. "You really are quite bossy," she teased lightly.

"You have no idea," he replied with a wink.

Walking to the head of the bed, he rubbed his closed fist over Patrick's chest to rouse him. "Patrick. Patrick wake up please."

His long lashes flickered briefly before his eyes pried open. He stared at Eric for several seconds before blinking.

"Nice to see you buddy" he told him, hoping his voice sounded less shaky than it felt. "We did the surgery and removed the tumour." He slid his fingers inside Patrick's hand. "I want you to squeeze my fingers as hard as you can, okay?"

Eric was relieved at the relative strength he felt in both hands. "Remember the rules for blinking communications? One blink for yes, two blinks for no." Patrick blinked once. "Good. I'm going to ask you a couple of questions and I want you to answer them – don't worry if it's right or wrong. Your name is Patrick Drake?"

One blink.

"The woman sitting beside you is Miranda Thomsen?"

Two blinks.

"She is Robin Scorpio?"

One blink.

"The man standing beside you is my father?"

Two blinks.

"Your father?"

One blink.

"Are you in Port Charles?"

There was a long pause and everyone held their breath as Patrick contemplated his answer. Finally, after what felt like an interminable wait, he blinked twice.

"Good work Pantsy. Listen, you are going to be in and out of it for the next several hours. I'm going to keep you on the vent for 12 more hours and then we'll remove it." He smiled sympathetically as his friend's eyes widened and he tried to give a small shake of his head.

"I know it sucks" he agreed, "but we need to be sure, okay?"

Patrick blinked once.

"Once we get the vent out, we're going to get you on your feet and take a short walk in the hallway to test the rest of your large motor skills. I will see you later this morning."

As he turned to move away, Patrick's hand flew around his wrist. Turning back to the bed, he grinned as his friend gave him an imploring look. "Welcome back."
Patrick blinked once as he let go of his friend's wrist. Gingerly turning his head ever so slightly in Robin's direction, he patted the space on the bed beside him.

Robin inhaled sharply and looked up hopefully at Eric.

He gave a small nod. "Be careful but sure –why not?"

Untucking her legs she rose to her feet and threw her arms around Eric, hugging him closely. "Thank you" she whispered. "For all of it."

He kissed the top of her head. "I'll see you later." He gave a quick wave to his friend, relieved at the results so far and headed out to the hallway.

Noah squeezed his son's hand and gently tapped his face. "You did so well Patrick. I'm just going to talk to Eric and I'll be back, okay?"

He blinked and squeezed his father's hand.

As the door closed behind Noah, Robin carefully pulled back the covers to Patrick's bed and tentatively climbed in beside him. She placed her hand on his chest as she stared into his tired eyes.

"I'm so glad you're okay" she told him in a serrated breath. "I'm so glad."

She was ready to melt against him safe in the knowledge that he was going to be okay. He stared at her while, with some difficulty, he moved his fingers lightly against her back. At first she was unsure his intent but then smiled as she felt his message.

With a shaky finger he drew an I, then a heart and then a u.

Her eyes filled with tears as she pressed her hand to his cheek. "I love you too" she whispered.