Chapter Nine:
Patrick stood there with Sam while Jason hugged Robin. After a minute, Jason sat back and looked at Robin, oblivious of everything but her.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't remember or I would have come after you. I never would have let you suffer for so long."
Robin smiled and lay back, the talk with Patrick and Sam already taking so much out of her.
"It's okay. I got away on my own," she said and saw Sam and Patrick standing there. "You should go spend time with your family."
Sam walked up to the bed and stood there, putting her hand on Jason's arm.
"We need to talk," she said and watched him turn to look at her and then Patrick.
"Did you know?" Jason looked at them.
"Know what?" Patrick asked, hating how immediately supportive Jason was to Robin.
"That Robin left to save me?"
Patrick crossed his arms and nodded.
"Yes."
Jason looked between Patrick and Sam.
"Did you know he divorced her because she left to save me?" he asked Sam.
Sam looked at Patrick and it was clear she didn't know that was a reason.
"You don't know anything about my marriage," Patrick said to him. "Our divorce wasn't about you."
Jason stared at him and blinked.
"So you went after my wife?"
Robin sat up more and touched Jason's arm.
"It wasn't like that. I told him you were dead. None of this is anyone's fault but mine," she said. "Please go talk to Sam and let me rest."
Jason turned to look at Robin and his eyes filled with tears.
"You were threatened and tortured and I couldn't stop it," he said brokenly.
Robin took his hand and Sam stiffened.
"Hey, look at me. We both came home and everything is okay. You are here with your family and that's what you wanted, remember?"
"That's all you wanted, too," Jason said and glared at Patrick before he faced Robin again.
"You look bad. Are you taking the cocktail? I remember they kept it from you to keep you in line," he said as his memories kept coming back.
Patrick felt sick to his stomach.
They withheld her meds?
"I need to rest now. We can talk later. Please go," Robin said again. She couldn't discuss this with all of them. She was completely overwhelmed and her head was pounding.
Sam took Jason's hand and they walked out.
"Robin," Patrick began as he moved to the bed.
"I'm so tired," she said. "I don't have the energy to fight anymore."
He sat down next to the bed and looked at her.
"Can I sit with you?"
She closed her eyes and her tears slipped out from beneath.
"It doesn't matter."
XXXX
Anna came to the door about a half hour later and saw Patrick sitting in the room, watching Robin sleep. She caught his eye and he got up, walking to the hall with her.
"How is she doing?"
Patrick wiped his face and sighed.
"Not good. They withheld her meds and I think her viral load is high, but I haven't been able to check her results."
"Why not? You can get her file, can't you?"
He shook his head and looked at her.
"It's not my place to go over her chart. I have no right to invade her privacy."
"I'm going to talk to her," Anna said and went into the room.
"Robin, can you hear me?"
She opened her eyes and saw Anna there.
"Of course I can. I was just sleeping."
"Oh, well tell me how you are and what I can do to help you."
Robin wiped her eyes and sighed.
"I'm fine. I just need to rest. You can go."
"Robin, stop that. I am your mother and I love you. I need you to let me in. Please."
"I can't do that. I don't have the energy to fight with you; with any of you. I just don't know why you never checked on me. I thought seeing me say those things would trigger something in you. I had to be careful because Helena was sitting next to me, but I tried to show you that I felt trapped and hopeless. I tried to clue you in. I don't know how it didn't work."
"Because I was wrong. I ignored my instincts and I let everyone talk me out of going after you," she said as her tears fell.
Robin looked at her and her chin quivered.
"Who would talk you out of coming for me?"
Patrick stood in the room and Robin looked at him.
"I see. But you're my mom. I feel like you just gave up on me."
Anna blinked and her tears fell.
"Never, luv. I'm so sorry. I should have done better. I'm so sorry."
Robin nodded.
"Will you both please just leave me alone now," she said softly.
Anna smoothed Robin's hair back and leaned in to kiss her forehead.
"I will do better now, I promise."
XXXX
Patrick was on the roof a little while later and he was trying to figure out what he was going to do.
Robin had broken his heart. It might have been under false circumstances, but the result was the same. She left and didn't come home. He gave her ample opportunity to tell him she was in trouble. When he saw her at the clinic, he begged her to tell him if she was being held against her will and she denied it. Not just once, but over and over.
He also knew that he didn't pick up on the clues. He had been so stunned to see her and then so angry at her lack of empathy that he snapped. She had been so close and she never came home.
He also realized that should have been a red flag to him that all was not what it seemed. He knew there was more to it. He knew it and he ignored it.
Why? Why was he so quick to believe the worst?
That bothered him so much. He listened to Brenda spout off on how Jason and Sonny are family and they would never leave anyone behind. He heard over and over how Robin could always go to Jason and he would help her, no matter what. He knew that and he hated it.
His jealousy over Robin's relationship with Jason ran deep. Part of it was the issue Patrick had with who Jason was and that was a killer. Robin could spin it any way she wanted, but the truth was that he killed people when Sonny ordered it.
Robin was so against any kind of violence that it never made sense in Patrick's mind that she would turn a blind eye to it. He hated that he didn't get it. He hated how devoted she was to him and vice versa.
He knew they had all bonded over Stone and Robin's subsequent diagnosis. He knew, from watching his mother die just how much it changes a person. He knew how deeply bonds could be formed and he respected that.
Or maybe he didn't.
Patrick leaned against the ledge and let the wind hit his face.
He wanted to be the one who saved her. He should have been the one who saved her. He was angry her parents had left him out of the loop when they found her and had kept her at Windemere for so long. He was angry that he didn't recognize her during the Halloween party. He was angry she didn't tell him it was her.
He was most angry at the fact she tried to reach out to him and he ignored the messages. He knew, in his heart, that she was out there. He felt it and it killed him to know he let her down.
He thought that was a big reason why he didn't talk about her ordeal. He spent time making her wait because he couldn't face the truth. He couldn't handle hearing it all and knowing that while she was being tortured, he was moving on with Sabrina. He couldn't handle the thought of failure and in his mind, he failed miserably at a most important job; being a husband.
The truth was that he never stopped loving her. His anger was so strong because he felt so hurt. He wanted her to pick him. He wanted her to say no to Jason and choose him.
He also knew that was an arrogant and selfish reaction.
He didn't care.
He also knew, in a way, not going after her when she skyped was his way of telling her he was through. He needed her to hurt. He needed her to want him. He didn't know she was being hurt again.
Why the fuck did she go with Victor in the first place?
"Patrick?"
He turned around and saw Jason standing there.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Patrick sighed.
"Where is Sam?"
Jason raised his eyebrows.
"Not your concern."
"Right, nice to see some things haven't changed," Patrick rolled his eyes and went to walk away.
"I could say the same thing."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Jason crossed his arms and looked at Patrick and for once, the neurosurgeon saw Jason. There was no mistaking it.
"You're acting like a baby. You don't deserve her."
"Who? Sam or Robin?" Patrick asked.
Jason shook his head.
"You're a prick. I just wanted to tell you that Robin is in danger because Helena is out. I'll be guarding her room so you don't need to come around."
Patrick chuckled.
"That's not really your call, now, is it? Besides, don't you want to be with your wife?"
Jason shrugged.
"You know how it is, spouse comes back from the dead and you need to decide what you want."
"Sam doesn't need to decide," Patrick said. "We aren't in love. She never stopped loving you."
"I know. I wasn't talking about Sam."
Patrick sighed.
"I'm done with this conversation. I need to go."
Jason stopped him and Patrick got in his face.
"You need to back the hell off of me."
"Stay away from Robin if you're just going to hurt her more. If you have moved on, then stay there. She loves you more than anything and I have never seen anyone as broken as she was when you divorced her. She didn't want it and she would have given anything to take it all back. She is one of the best people I know, and she saved my worthless ass and lost everything. I'm asking you to please respect her and try to understand why she did what she did. If you can't, then leave her alone."
Patrick stood there while Jason walked away.