How To Save A Life [A Robert Downey Jr. Fan-Fic]

Chapter 20: Gravity

Robert slowly opened his eyes but quickly narrowed them again because of the bright light of the neon lamps. He moaned quietly and turned around, now looking at me with his tired caramel eyes.

"Robbie?", I asked carefully and moved to the edge of my seat, "Do you see me?"

But he simply stared at the empty chair I was sitting on.

"It's okay", I sobbed and faked a smile although he couldn't see me anyway, reaching out for his hand, "You don't see me but I'm always here for you."

He tried to raise his hands until he realized he was fixated.

"Hey!", he shouted as loud as possible, trying to break free, "Hey, you can't do this to me!"

Immediately, the door opened and Liz, followed by Tom, entered the room.

"Doc", he said in surprise and quickly looked from her to Tom, back to her.

"Robert", she mumbled and wanted to sit down at the chair I was sitting but quickly decided to take another as soon as she recognized I was already there.

For a second, he looked at her in confusion.

"Can I go back home?", he asked then and looked at her as she moved to the edge of her seat, folding her hands in her lap.

"What happened out there?", she asked instead, not answering his question.

Tom slowly walked over to my chair and I recognized Liz wanted to stop him but hesitated as she realized how strange it'd appear for Robert and Tom. I quickly got up and sat down on the corner of the bed, softly stroking the back of Robert's hand.

He shrugged.

"Two guys tried to rob me", he explained as if nothing has happened, "They hit my head and ran away. Nothing special..."

She nodded slightly and looked at Tom with this sorrowful expression in her eyes.

"And what did you do? Did you defend yourself?", she carried on.

He hesitated for a second.

"No", he answered then, "He had a gun. What could I have done?"

"What did you do?", she repeated her question empathetically.

"I don't know", he replied and nervously looked around, "I- I... I can't remember!"

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"What did you do, Robert?", she asked once again in a serious and demanding tone.

"Liz", Tom demurred quietly.

"What did you do when the guy placed the barrel of his gun right in front of you? What did you do?!"

"I told him to shoot me!", Robert yelled back at her, his eyes filling with tears, "I told them to shoot me, begging for salvation!"

He closed his eyes, not allowing any tears to fall.

"Liz, that's enough", I whispered quietly and held Robert in a tight embrace, gently caressing his hair as I kissed his cheek, his whole body was shivering.

Robert sat sat the counter of the almost empty bar, staring down at the glass placed in front of him as I watched him, his back turned on me.

Tom said right next to him, quietly talking to Robert, none of them recognizing me.

"She hates me", Robert mumbled, "And I can't even blame her for that. I lied to her. For weeks. She asked me everyday and I lied to her. I've always known what she thought about my drinking problems... She told me from the very beginning that if I ever started again she'd leave me. But I can't live without her, Tom."

Tom looked at him with his sad blue eyes.

"She hates me but I'm still in love with her", Robert added quietly and sobbed, reaching out for his glass.

Immediately, I headed towards him and grabbed his hand, our fingers intertwined.

His caramel eyes, filled with tears, looked at me in surprise.

"Kate", he whispered scarcely audible.

"I don't hate you, Robbie", I countered seriously and held his hand, gently kissing his knuckles, "I never could. And I'm surely not going to leave you!"

I slowly pushed away his glass, trying to decrease his desire to get drunk.

"Robert?", Liz' voice suddenly echoed in my head.

I opened my eyes and recognized his whole body tensed up.

"Breathe, Robbie", I whispered and ran my fingers through his hair, "Just breathe."

"Breathe and hold, Robert", Liz repeated, quickly looking at me, "Breathe and hold. Remember your silver lining."

After a while, his breath regularized again and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Are you okay?", Tom asked anxiously.

He nodded slightly and wiped away the tears in his eyes, ashamed of crying in front of them.

"Could you please leave me alone again?", he demanded quietly, "Please!"

"Of course", Tom agreed and politely touched Liz' shoulder leading her out of the room.

Nervously, I walked around. Thirty minutes left until Robert and I were going to attend the first premiere together. And the question of the paparazzi outside our hotel still echoed in my head.

"Are you officially dating? Mr. Downey hasn't confirmed anything until today..."

I swallowed hard and ran my fingers through my hair.

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.

"Yes, please?"

The door opened and Robert entered the room, a roguish smile on his lips as he regarded me closely.

"Wow", he marveled and reached out for my hands, gently twisting me around.

I chuckled and blushed.

"You look absolutely stunning tonight", he added smirkingly and softly kissed my forehead, caressing my hair.

I shyly stared down at the ground before he carefully lifted my chin, making me look right into his beautiful caramel eyes.

"What's wrong with you, darling?", he asked quietly, "Are you nervous?"

I nodded slightly and swallowed hard.

"May I ask you something?"

"Of course", he replied and tucked a strand behind my ear.

"There was a paparazzi outside and he asked me a question we might be asked a few times tonight...", I explained and nervously looked around, "And honestly, I didn't know what to tell him because we've never actually talked about it."

"What's on your beautiful mind, Kate?"

I took a deep breath.

"Are we officially dating? You know, like boyfriend and girlfriend? Because you've never confirmed anything..."

Immediately, he placed his finger on my lips to make me stop before he leaned in for a kiss.

"I never thought I had confirm anything because it was obvious", he countered and held me in a tight embrace, "You came with me, gave up your life and your home to be with me. And I... I've fallen for you since the second we bumped into another."

I giggled and leaned my head against his chest.

"But if you want to hear it officially...", he continued and kneed down in front of me, "Kate Deveraux, will you be my girlfriend?"

I nodded quickly and smiled from one ear to another.

"Of course", I answered before he kissed me again.