Christmas Day...
Patrick got up early and padded to the living room. Robin and Emma, who'd slept in between them last night, were still asleep in his and Robin's bedroom. Once there, he sank to the couch and put his head in his hands. His wife was home. He should be ecstatic. Instead, all he could think about was the pain in Sabrina's voice when she told him to go to Robin and Emma. He knew the moment she'd left the room and it had taken everything in him not to rip himself from Robin's arms and run after her. The only thing that had stopped him was Emma, who was happier than he'd seen her since the day Robin left. He couldn't - and wouldn't - ruin the moment for her.
After rubbing his face with his hands, Patrick lifted his head and spied the bag of presents Sabrina had gotten Emma. Sighing, he got up and retrieved the bag. Walking to the tree, he kneeled and began unloading the presents one by one and putting them under the tree, smiling at the 'Love Sabrina' that appeared on each of the tags.
When he grabbed the last present from the bag, Patrick paused because it was smaller and wrapped differently the than all the others had been. When he looked at the present, wrapped in red paper with a gold bow, he flashed back to last Christmas Eve at the gift he'd left behind in Sabrina's apartment. Had she meant to give this to him or had it gotten mixed in accidentally?
Patrick held the box for a few moments and and stared at the 'To Patrick, Love Sabrina' on the tag. After debating back and forth on whether he should open it, he ripped into the paper with the enthusiasm of his 8 year-old daughter.
Several hours later...
Holding a small bag with Emma's presents for Sabrina, Patrick stood at her door. Today was one day where Patrick was especially grateful for Emma's unique temperament. As happy as she was to have her mom home, she'd gotten upset when he told her that they wouldn't be going to Sabrina's for dinner. When he informed her they weren't going because they were going with mommy to Grandma Anna's instead, Emma began pouting and freaking out over how Sabrina was going to get the presents she'd made for her. When his offer to drop them at the hospital wasn't good enough (as Sabrina needed to have them today!) Patrick offered to stop on the way to Anna's. Although Robin wasn't thrilled with the detour, she agreed in order to keep Emma happy.
Patrick was about to knock when he remembered the snowman bag in his coat pocket. He reached in and pulled out the bag, dropped it in with Emma's presents and then knocked.
He heard laughter, shuffling and then saw the door open to a dressed-down, but beautiful Sabrina.
"Patrick? What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Hi... Can I come in?"
Sabrina looked nervously toward the swinging door that led to her kitchen. "Um... Yeah, I guess," and waved him in.
He noticed the TV was on and playing A Christmas Story, which he knew was Sabrina's favorite Christmas movie. When he didn't speak right away, Sabrina cleared her throat and said, "I, ah, didn't expect to see you today since Robin came home."
He held up the bag. "Emma and Robin are in the car. We're going to Anna's for a last-minute dinner, but Emma loved your presents so much that she insisted you to have these today - on Christmas."
Sabrina reached out and grabbed the bag, brushing Patrick's hand in the process. She flinched and then pulled her hand back suddenly as if in pain. "Oh. Well, please tell Emma thanks for me."
"Sure," Patrick said, smiling. He glanced over his shoulder at the door. "I guess I should be going..."
Sabrina swallowed and straightened her spine. "Your family is waiting for you."
Patrick opened his mouth, but before he could get any words out, Sabrina's kitchen door swung open and Will Foster emerged, smiling brightly. "And... The dishes are done, as promised..."
When Will saw Patrick, he stopped. "Drake."
"Foster. What are you doing here?"
Will crossed his arms defensively and said, "Sharing Christmas dinner with a friend. What are you doing here?Shouldn't you be celebrating your wife's timely Christmas return?"
At that, Sabrina spoke up. "Robin and Emma are waiting. You should probably get back to them."
Patrick took her hint when she walked past him to open her door. Grudgingly, he took the hint and turned around to walk back outside her apartment, but paused just after crossing the threshold. "Merry Christmas, Sabrina."
Sabrina replied with a "Merry Christmas, Patrick," right before closing the door in his face.