Luckily, Nova's diagnosis wasn't as bad as everyone feared. She ended up being right and the doctor said that she had just pulled a few ligaments and to stay off of it for a minimum of seven days. Nova had seriously counted her blessings and thanked her doctor up and down for giving her good and thorough exam, who in return gave her a good scolding about no doing anything crazy like jumping out of planes when she had a weak appendage.
He wrapped her knee and wrote her a light script for some pain pills and sent her on her way, stressing again that she take it easy for at least a week. When the nurse wheeled her back into the waiting room so she could go home, Joe was practically falling asleep in his hand and Q was fixated on the TV that was playing in the waiting room. The shutting of the door got both of their attentions as they snapped their heads in her direction.
Nova had a slight smile on her face as Joe and Q got up. "There she is! How did it go?" Joe asked walking towards her. "Well, it's not broken but the doc still wants me to stay off of it for a week" Nova said gloomy while rolling her eyes.
"Well that's great news, you gotta admit it could have been worse" Q said with relief as he looked down at Nova.
"Yeah I guess...Looks like I'll have an interesting week ahead of me."
"Well maybe we can talk to Dave and George and see if you can work from home editing content or something...I'm sure they could find something for you to do" Q said trying to cheer her up.
"Yeah, there's always some behind the scenes work that needs to be done...We will put in a good word for ya" Joe confirmed, giving her a wink.
"Aww thanks guys! I don't know what I would do with out you" Nova said with a warm smile.
"Well, now that I know you are going to live to see another day, it's time I head home. I wanna try to make it before Bess falls asleep, I haven't seen her all day" Joe said as he stretched and yawned.
"Yeah oh course, go! Go home to your woman" Nova said as she made a gesture like she was shooing him away.
After Joe bent down to place a kiss on Nova's cheek and shook Q's hand, he wished Nova a speedy recovery and the both of them a good night. He then got in his car and drove off, leaving Q and Nova by themselves.
"Gosh he's such a nice person, he didn't have to stay and wait this whole time, I feel bad that I kept him away from going home to his family" Nova said as Q wheeled her to the passengers side of his car.
"Yeah that's Joe, and don't feel bad, that's how he is. He really loves everyone on set, not just us. He's always been the favorite out of all of us and he really tries to get to know everyone" Q praised as he opened the door. He put a hand under Nova's arm mostly to offer her support if she needed it but she was pretty good about getting into the car herself.
"You good?" He asked once more before shutting the door. Nova nodded and then he got in the car and began the drive to Nova's place.
They were pretty quiet on the ride home, mostly exhausted from the days affairs. Nova pressed her head against the cool glass of the window while Q paid attention to the road. They were both deep in their thoughts, Q thinking about everything Joe said and Nova thinking about everything with Robin.
She still didn't have any messages from her and she was beginning to worry when and if she would ever come home. The two of them had so much to talk about, Nova wouldn't even know where to begin when the moment came.
When they circled the complex where Nova was staying, Q found his way into the parking garage via Nova's directions and was able to park right next to the elevator. He made his way around to help Nova out of the car who was able to stand up once she was on her feet.
"Are you good?" Q asked, keeping on eye on how she was swaying. "Yeah I think so, those pills are really working, it doesn't hurt as bad as it did before" Nova said. They had stopped at a White Castle on the way home so Nova could get a drink to take with her pills, plus Q was starving.
"Well just be careful and take it slow" Q instructed. "I'm right here if you need me."
Nova nodded and put her arm up around Q's shoulder and together they hobbled her up to the apartment. Once they got there, Nova fumbled around with her keys to them them in.
It was oddly quiet and the air had a slight staleness in it from it being empty for the whole day.
"Go ahead and make yourself at home, I'm going to get changed...I just want to get out of these clothes" Nova said as she threw her keys on the kitchen table.
Q had to stop himself from saying something perverted.
"Alright, well I'll be out here if ya need me" He said, making his way to the kitchen to put down their food bags and get it ready for them. He watched Nova limp her way into what he assumed was her room and then he proceeded to look around.
"Wow, Robin's got a nice place here" He said, admiring the lay out and the way she had it decorated. It kind of looked like one of those warm and cozy garden apartments that he saw in fancy realtor magazines, decorated in deep red's and cream colors.
He remembered what Nova's old apartment looked like, and it was the complete opposite of this place.
He always thought it was cool how she used all kinds of bright colors and psychedelic decor. Even though hers was way smaller, he used to love spending time there. It was like a bedroom that called to his inner teenager and not at all typical like most houses and apartments were. It really reflected her personality and this place did not seem like it fit her tastes.
It made him see just how different her and Robin really were.
Q made his way back to the living room, head still turning as he continued to check the place out. The moment he sat down on the couch he was alerted when he heard what sounded like the front door being unlocked from the other side....
Meanwhile Nova was in her bedroom, fumbling to get her sweat pants on in a timely manner so she did not keep Q waiting. She had a queasy feeling in her stomach as she replayed the whole day in her head, and her head was spinning on how it was ending. She had no time to sit and nit pick what everything could be about so she had to just go with the flow and let her gut take over.
It was obvious to herself with the way she was acting that she still had feeling for him. There was no denying it. The question was, what was she to do with her new found discovery? Or perhaps it wasn't so new found and she had known all along? Time was a factor and she decided that she would need plenty more of it to fully decide what to do with this realization, so playing it cool for tonight would be the best option.
Though the though of his chilvirous acts from earlier sparked something in her as if she had been hit by Cupid himself.
The way he carried her...
How he cared...
How he was so attentive to whatever she needed...
She was trying not to read too far into it but after all those signs it was hard.
And now he was here in her domain...Waiting for her to come out to what? Watch a movie? talk?
She was doomed!
Before Nova could wallow another thought about the matter, she heard Q call her name from outside her door. There was a certain edge in his voice that made Nova feel like she had to get out there to see what was up.
She pulled on a jacket and slowly made her way to the living room, only to be hit by a freight train when she finally made it down the hallway.
There stood Robin, a very uncomfortable Brian Quinn, and Robin's father lurking in the door way. Robin was clenching her bag with a look that Nova couldn't tell was shock or anger, tightly woven on her face. She glanced at Nova and her hard stare softened a bit before looking back and forth between her and Q. The air was definitely thick with tension.
"Robin...Your back...Oh my God" Nova said, breaking the silence. For what ever reason, she didn't want Robin to sense that there might have been anything going on between her and Q so she defaulted to turning the attention to her. Robin remained stiff as a board as Nova approached her.
Robin's dad stepped behind her and put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "I'll be waiting out in the hall, take your time" He said very formally before stepping out.
Robin Nodded her head, not taking her eyes off Nova and Q. Nova had to remind herself that she did nothing wrong. Not yet anyways..
After another awkward silence passed, Robin looked down at Nova's leg.
"You hurt yourself?" She asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"Ohh yeah...It's nothing...Doc said I'll be good in a few days...How are you?" Nova said, switching topics.
Robin uncomfortably looked back and forth again between her and Q and with a tight lip she said "Can we please speak in private?"
Nova blinked from the sudden request and as warmly as she could she said "Yeah sure, of course."
Robin nodded and made her way to her bedroom as Nova turned to follow. Before she left, Nova looked over her shoulder at Q and dramatically mouthed "I'm so sorry", as Q waved her off letting her know it was okay.
When they arrived to Robin's room, she shut the door and hesitated, her back still to Nova.
Robin slowly turned around and said "Look...I know that we have a lot to talk about but I don't have much time."
"Robin, what the hell is going on?" Nova asked, demanding an explanation that she felt entitled too.
Robin took a deep breath and began to tell Nova everything she was afraid to all this time.
"I'm sick Nova...I'm sick...I just...I have been under so much pressure and have been working so hard with Tru and still trying to keep my PR business...It was all just getting so hard. I have been busting my ass day and night to try to keep everything running, I've been working at Tru during the day and at night I was still doing promo events and I just couldn't stop. If I did, I knew something would suffer and I worked so hard to let that happen so I started taking a little bit of Adderall from a close client and it really helped my game. Those little magical pills kept me going and made everything so easy so I began to wonder what other magic was out there."
Robin paused to give Nova a second to let all that sink in.
"I'm an addict Nova...Over the past three months I've done just about everything you can think of...Yup...I've snorted cocaine, popped whatever pill anyone has put in front of me...Done Extacy so my clients would think I'm the fun party girl type that knows how to throw a good party or a VIP night...It just made everything so easy...Until it didn't...I lost my job at the network...And I snapped...It all just snapped"
Nova was speechless. Frozen on the spot. She felt like a horrible friend that she didn't see any signs of anything that was going on with Robin and then when she began to think about it, certain little things made sense...
The way she was never home anymore or the way she would stumble in the house at all hours of the night, giddy as can be. Part of her attitude towards Nova and the crazy sides that she had been showing.
"My parents are taking me to rehab tonight. I know that you and I still have tons to talk about but I just want to let you know I am very sorry about everything I have put you through. I came by to pack my things and to tell you that my Dad is going to maintain the lease and the utilities so I still have a place to come back to when I'm ready...You are more than welcome to stay and I hope that you are still here when I get back." Robin said stiffly.
Nova's head was spinning from everything Robin just laid on her. "How long will you be gone?" Nova asked, still speechless.
"How ever long it takes" Robin said before she dug out a suit case from her closet and solemnly began to pack her things. Nova sat on edge of the bed, watching her.
Nova's phone buzzed and she looked down to see a text from Q.
Q: Hey it looks like you got your hands full. I'll catch up with you tomorrow. Let me know how it goes.
Nova felt bad that she had almost forgotten about him but quickly realized that it was probably for the best that he leave so her and Robin could have a moment. Plus she was sure that it was awkward him sitting there with Robin's dad waiting outside while her and Robin discussed their personal issues.
Nova continued to watch Robin as she digested everything that was happening. She decided that it was now or never and that Robin wasn't the only one who had issues to work out.
"I know that you lied to me about Q that night at the hospital" Nova blurted out, not giving herself the chance to debate herself on it.
Robin stopped and looked at Nova. Now it seemed like she was the speechless one.
Her lack of response just confirmed it even more.
"You told me that Q left me at the hospital and then he told me that he received a nasty text from me saying that I wanted him to leave me alone...Know anything about that?" Nova tested, eyeing Robin.
Nova could see the scrambled look on Robin's face. The truth was finally coming out and it was time for Robin to own up at ALL of her sins.
"I...I was mad that he did that to you, that he pushed you so far that you put him before your own safety...I was scared and I panicked...I felt like I had to get you away from him" Robin said emotionally.
"You were scared? I'm sorry but that is ridiculous! You lied and you did a horrible sneaky thing that tore a big hole in mine and Q's relationship. You broke us up! I know we were having issues but if it hadn't been for you we could have worked through them! You made it all for nothing!" Nova said getting heated.
"Nova, I am so sorry that I hurt you, I truly am. I wasn't right in the head back then and I was jealous that I was losing you to him. There was no excuse for my behavior and I do hope that in time you will come to forgive me. I understand if you don't but just know that I will be working on myself and I am going to strive to not only be a better person but a better friend."
"If you knew that what you did was wrong...Why did all this time pass before you said anything and why did the truth only have to come out when I confronted you about it?" Nova snapped back.
Robin looked at Nova soulfully but did not have an answer. She repeated her apology and bowed her head in shame before zipping up the last of her stuff. Nova sat on her bed, continuing to eye her for any kind of response but Robin had none. Nova had caught her in her own web of lies and Robin had no answers.
"I promise that I will do my best to make it all up to you...Some day...I will find a way to make it all right and be the friend that you need, the kind of person you will want to have in your corner. Until then I do hope you stay, don't worry about a thing, my dad said that he will take care of it all. He knows that I'm offering you to stay. I hope you give me the chance to show you that I can change. Again I am so sorry I hurt you, and if you never forgive me, I understand."
Nova looked at Robin, honestly not knowing what to say. She was happy that Robin acknowledged that she did have a right to be upset and that she didn't try to cover her ass with more bull shit talk (after all, how could she?)but that didn't change the fact that Robin had lied to her and kept those secrets buried for all this time. She loved Robin but she didn't know if their friendship would ever be the same after this.
Before Nova could think of valid response, Robin walked over and placed a tender kiss on Nova's forehead. "Just think about it okay?" She said as she placed firm hand on Nova's shoulder, and then she walked over to grab her stuff.
She left Nova sitting on the bed, still trying to process what she was saying.
"I love you" Robin finally said, before walking out of the room and out of Nova's life for the time being.
"Take care of yourself Robin" Nova said as Robin closed the door. She let Robin leave without her presence and she decided to stay right there on robin's bed even after Robin was long gone.
"What the fuck" Nova breathed out as she laid back, thinking about everything that had just transpired between the two of them. Trying to sort out her feelings on how she felt about both of Robin's confessions, she felt like she was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
It was like Robin took away all ammunition she had to be angry but confessing about her drug problem and her whole apology. Even though Nova was still angry, she wasn't sure if that was the best emotion to use to work through how she should conduct herself. It was going to take a long time before She trusted Robin again, and until then she could only trust that she would try to work on herself like she said and be a better person.
Nova did wish her the best and that she find the strength within herself to work through her inner demons and find mental stability, she knew that much for sure, but it wasn't in her nature to wish bad on anyone, but she didn't think that staying like Robin had offered was the best thing to do.
Whatever she decided to do, she knew that she would have time to figure it out...