Patrick Drake

Dr. Patrick Drake
General Hospital General Hospital: Night Shift character
File:Patrickabcpromo001.png Jason Thompson as Dr. Patrick Drake.
Portrayed by	Jason Thompson Ethan Erickson (April 23-28, 2008)
First appearance	December 7, 2005
Created by	Robert Guza Jr.
In-universe information Occupation Neurologist Former Acting Chief of Staff, General Hospital Parents Noah Drake (father) Matilda "Mattie" Drake (mother, deceased) Siblings Matthew "Matt" Hunter (paternal half-brother) Spouse Robin Scorpio Drake (married; 12/2008-) Children Emma Drake (daughter, with Robin)

Dr. Patrick Drake is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, a main protaganist in both seasons of its prime time SOAPnet spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift and one half of supercouple Patrick Drake and Robin Scorpio. Jason Thompson originated the role in 2005. On April 23-April 28, 2008, the role of Patrick Drake was played by Ethan Erickson. Patrick is a former ladies man and is now in love with the two woman in his life, his wife Robin Scorpio as of December 26, 2008 and their daughter Emma Grace Scorpio-Drake.

Character history

Dr. Patrick Drake came to Port Charles and General Hospital when Jason Morgan desperately needed surgery. Because his father Dr. Noah Drake could not perform the operation, Dr. Robin Scorpio sought Patrick out.

Patrick initially refused to do the surgery, deeming it too risky, but Carly Corinthos, Sam McCall and Robin managed to convince him to do it by insinuating that he couldn't. Though the surgery was a success, Robin and others accused him of being cold and heartless because he didn't have much of a bedside manner. Robin tried to prod him for information on his troubled relationship with his father, but Patrick wouldn't answer her questions, although he later made a cryptic remark about falling into a bottle when the doctor gets attached to a patient and they die. Patrick also obtained a reputation as a ladies man, and was often seen flirting with many of the women at the hospital. He was also (falsely) suspected by Lucky Spencer of having an affair with Lucky's wife, Elizabeth.

Despite their constant bickering, Patrick grew closer to and started falling for his colleague the HIV positive Robin, which brings up the question of whether Patrick can give up his womanizing ways.

In July 2006, through an operating room mishap, Patrick was exposed to the blood of a patient who had end stage AIDS. Multiple HIV tests eventually proved negative, but the brush with mortality was significant for the emotional development of Patrick Drake's character. In November 2006, Patrick inadvertently blurted out that he loved Robin in an argument. Robin told him off and left, but Patrick went after her. He set up candles and music in Mercer Square right outside Robin's apartment. They both declared their love for each other and their relationship continues to blossom.

Admitting their love to each other didn't stop the bickering and arguments between Patrick & Robin. In December 2006, Robin found an apartment for Patrick and convinced him to lease it so that he could finally leave the Metro Court and put down some roots. They celebrated New Year's Eve in Patrick's new, unfurnished apartment. Robin bought Patrick a couch which caused him to have a little freak out about being in a committed relationship. He soon got over it, and asked Robin to move in with him. Despite some initial misgivings about Patrick's readiness for this step, she agreed to move in. The day after Robin moved in, Patrick had another freak out when his father, Noah, expressed approval of how well Patrick & Robin's relationship has progressed. So he decided to go to Vegas with Pete, his college buddy.

Patrick's trip to Vegas caused a rift between him & Robin, so much that Robin decided to move out and checked into the Metro Court. The two of them had another argument when his six-month HIV test came back inconclusive and Patrick refused to get another test done. The Metro Court lobby was filled with people who came for a fund-raiser for pediatric cancer research when a group of armed masked men led by Mr. Craig stormed in to retrieve a suitcase placed by Lorenzo Alcazar inside the hotel vault. When the silent alarm was activated, it put the vault on a lockdown for 12 hours, and instead of a five minute robbery, it turned into a hostage situation. Craig shot Robin in the abdomen to ensure the hostages' cooperation.

Meanwhile, Patrick was operating on Lorenzo Alcazar when Jason informed him of the hostage situation and that Robin's been shot. Needing, to go help Robin, Patrick rushed and finished the surgery in half an hour instead of the 3-4 hours it should have taken. Craig refused to release Robin to get treatment but Patrick managed to talk Craig into allowing him to instruct Emily Quartermaine how to perform surgery using office supplies to stop the bleeding by phone.

Before the surgery was finished, Craig hung up the phone and Patrick was left to wonder whether or not Robin was still alive. The waiting made him realize the depth of his love for Robin, it even helped him to understand the reason his father fell apart when his mother died. In the meantime, Patrick was reprimanded by Dr. Ford for not answering a page about an emergency case that just came into GH, who guilted him into going back to the hospital because it's what Robin would want him to do. He successfully performed the emergency surgery and then took himself off call to go back to wait outside of the Metro Court.

Nikolas Cassadine carried Robin out just before the explosion in the lobby that ended the hostage situation. Robin was rushed to the hospital and had surgery to remove the bullet from her abdomen. Patrick admitted to Robin, "living with HIV would be a blessing, compared to living without you. Because I love you, beyond reason." After she regained consciousness, Patrick had blood drawn for another HIV test.

In March of 2007, Patrick's 6 month HIV test came back negative and both Robin and Patrick celebrated as she recuperates at Mac's home.

After she recovers, Robin refused to move back in with Patrick because she didn't want to ruin their relationship. She was soon caught in the middle of Mr. Craig's plot to blackmail Nikolas by injecting him with a poison that has an antidote that must be administered every 24 hours. Craig threatened to kill Patrick, if Robin didn't break up with Patrick and move in with Nikolas and convince others that she's in love with the prince. Patrick was blindsided by Robin's action, not realizing that she was trying to keep him safe, and became very angry. It took him a while but once he figured out the truth, he worked with Robin to come up with a permanent antidote for Nikolas.

Their relationship continued to have its ups and downs.

Child with Robin

Robin left Patrick on September 13, 2007 because she wanted to take the "next step" in their relationship and he did not. Robin wanted to be a mother, Patrick didn't want children. He wanted to concentrate on being the best in his field and was convinced that he'd be a terrible father.

After their split, Robin decided to have artificial insemination. Patrick was preoccupied with Robin's decision to have a child. He found out about Robin's "baby daddy list" put together by Robin and Dr. Kelly Lee. He purposefully sabotaged her chances of becoming a mother by getting to the men on the list first. Although he says his actions are because he cares for her and knows she's trying to fill a void that he left, his actions clearly say that he is jealous and doesn't want Robin to move on.

After her cousin Georgie's funeral, Robin went to Patrick for comfort. They made love but the condom broke without Robin's knowledge. Patrick realized this and took an HIV test that came back negative.

Robin learned that she was pregnant when she was tested by Kelly to prepare for artificial insemination. Because they both wanted different things in life, Robin was hesitant to tell Patrick that he is the father of her baby. Just before she was about to confess and urge Patrick to get tested for HIV, Robin found out that he's been tested because of the broken condom, and it came out negative. Robin decided to keep her baby's paternity a secret and told Patrick that she had AI done.

After overhearing Robin talk to her uncle Mac about how the father was not so anonymous after all, Patrick tried to get Robin to admit the truth about the baby. Finally, he confronted her and she confessed that she is pregnant with his child. Because of the frightened look on his face, she assumed that meant he wanted nothing to do with her or the baby. Robin realized after talking to Michael Corinthos that she was wrong in trying to keep Patrick out of their child's life based on things he said before she became pregnant, and apologized to Patrick. The two of them reunited and reconciled and Robin told Patrick that he can be as involved in the child's life as he wants, and that she won't push him. Patrick was slowly growing into his role as expectant father, but still has the fear that he will somehow fail Robin or their child because Noah was a lousy role model of what a father should be.

Patrick and Robin have each begin posting video blogs, possibly on a video sharing site similar to YouTube, each expressing their opinions on the pregnancy and each other.

The baby kicked for the first time on May 27, 2008. Patrick was talking to the baby when Robin felt it kick.

Robin was determined to stay independent and raise the baby as a single mother and started pushing Patrick away. To get Robin to allow him to have place in his child's life, Patrick hired lawyer Diane Miller to sue Robin for visitation rights of their unborn baby. Robin asked Alexis Davis to defend her against Patrick. Robin's mother, Anna, planned to testify on Patrick's behalf in court, while an angry Noah planned to speak on Robin's behalf. Both Anna and Noah backed out at the last minute realizing that they couldn't do that to their own children. Patrick and Robin's relationship remained cordial despite the battle going on to how involved Patrick was allowed to be. After hearing Patrick's honest statement about how much she and the baby mean to him, Robin put a stop at the proceedings and they reconciled once and for all.

Patrick panicked when he and Robin found out that the baby is a girl. Based on personal experience, he knows how bad men could be, and he didn't want his little girl to have to deal with jerks like that.

Wedding

Patrick proposed to Robin in August in front of the hub at the hospital and friends and family gathered around. Robin later turned him down. Though he persisted in trying to get her to agree, she said no every time. It wasn't until Patrick backed off (upon realizing what the stress was doing to a pregnant Robin) that Robin clued in to what she really wanted after all. She soon followed with a proposal which he in turn turned down. Patrick and Robin finally got engaged on October 9, 2008 after Uncle Mac intervened and forced them to work out their issues in a locked Intervention Room at the PCPD. Their wedding was set for October 29th, 2008 with Maxie as Robin's Maid of Honor and Coleman, the bartender at Jake's, as Patrick's Best Man.

Patrick, thinking he had all the time in the world, decided to go into the hospital to do a couple of last minute rounds. He cuts it close, but signs out on time. But in true soap fashion, just as he's about to leave Anthony Zacchara is brought in with a stroke and needs emergency surgery. Matt, Patrick's newly found half brother who was also a neurosurgeon, offers to take it but Patrick was afraid that the Zacchara's would go after him if something goes wrong. Meanwhile, back at the church, everyone waits for Patrick's arrival.

Impatiently waiting, Robin's family and friends started believing that Patrick got a case of cold feet and left his fiancee at the altar. Robin is the only one who had no fears and no doubts and was certain beyond a shadow of a doubt her love would make it. Patrick came running in after his successful surgery and apologized for his lateness, but Robin was cool as a cucumber; she knew he would be there. Mac walked her down the aisle, as her father Robert was getting cancer treatment in Switzerland.

Just before they exchanged their vows, Robin's water breaks and she goes into labor. After having a complicated delivery, Robin delivers their daughter, Emma Grace Scorpio Drake on November 3, 2008. While there was an HIV scare involving a nick on baby Emma's ear, her tests came back negative. After they received the good news, Robin fell into a coma and was diagnosed with Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Patrick was forced to contemplate raising Emma alone. He confided in Matt about his fear of losing Robin and that he didn't know how to live and be a good father without her. Matt told him everything would be fine, because Robin is strong enough to pull through and even if she were to die, Patrick would make a great father despite his role model. Robin regains consciousness a couple of days later to see Patrick holding Emma on the foot of the hospital bed. They go home with the baby and Robin becomes depressed believing Emma only cries with her. On Thanksgiving, Robin and Patrick set another wedding date for just after Christmas, not wanting their wedding to interfere with their daughter's first Christmas.

A few days before Christmas, Robin's father, Robert, returned with news of remission from colon cancer to meet Emma and attend Robin & Patrick's wedding. For this wedding, Maxie had Patrick banned from the hospital that day to make sure he wouldn't get caught up in another emergency surgery like last time. Before the ceremony, Robert and Patrick had an unusual father-in-law and son-in-law talk, where Robert asked Patrick what he'd like to hear if he was talking to a man marrying Emma.

Robert walked his daughter down the aisle and Robin asked Anna to be her Maid of Honor while Patrick asked Matt to be his Best Man. Despite Maxie's fears and predictions of dooms, the intimate wedding went off without a hitch. No shootings, no delays, no drama. Just love and romance and happiness.

Patrick and Noah

Patrick idolized Noah and wanted to be just like his dad when he was young. Noah became an alcoholic after his wife Mattie died on his table during emergency surgery. Patrick didn't blame Noah for not being able to save his mom. But Patrick did blame him for dishonoring Mattie's memory by wrecking his life. He told Noah to get sober or to go away and not come back.

Noah went into rehab and became sober, but then discovered that his liver was failing and he'd need a transplant. Despite Patrick's pleas, Noah refused to put himself on the transplant list, believing it's what he deserved. Patrick then offered part of his liver to Noah who turned him down because he didn't want to risk Patrick's life.

Robin helped Patrick forge the paperwork to allow him to give part of his liver to Noah without Noah's consent. Noah was furious when he regained consciousness and discovered what happened and threatened to sue the hospital. He later dropped the suit once he realized the impact the suit would have on Robin who had been suspended for her part in Patrick's action. But he stayed angry with Patrick and was determined to prove that he's still a much better man and surgeon than Patrick was.

In the summer of 2007, Patrick had a patient, rock star Eli Love, who looks exactly Noah. Eli refused surgery because he was supposed to headline the Life Beat concert to raise money for AIDS research. Patrick convinced Noah, with Anna's help, to stand in for Eli while the real Eli Love was recuperating. Posing as a rock star, and carried away by the rock 'n roll lifestyle, Noah started drinking again.

Noah decided to go back into rehab and afterward join Doctors Without Borders to get his priorities straight.

Patrick and Noah's relationship had good moments but continues to be strained, especially since the truth about Matt came out.

Brother

Dr. Matt Hunter joined General Hospital under a fellowship paid for by Nikolas Cassadine in June 2008. Based on his behavior, Patrick thought Matt was an incompetent jerk.

Along with Nikolas and Nadine Crowell, Matt was injured when Jerry Jacks burned Emily Quartermaine Memorial Clinic. Patrick started empathizing with Matt and his situation especially since Matt has no next of kin.

On September 17, 2008, Patrick accidentally overheard Noah arguing with Matt and discovered that Matt is Noah's son. He confronted Noah who admitted to being unfaithful during his marriage. It turned out that Matt knew all along about Noah and Patrick. Noah admitted that he made a deal with Matt's mother to financially support Matt until his 18th birthday but no personal contact. After finding this out, Patrick decided to cut Noah out of his life.

His relationship with Matt has gotten better since he could empathize with Matt about Noah's abandonment. Patrick's determined to stick by his brother, so much so that he asked Matt to be the Best Man at his second wedding.

General Hospital: Night Shift

In "Crash," the July 22, 2008 second season premiere episode of Night Shift, a freak car accident kills General Hospital's chief of staff, Russell Ford. Patrick is appointed as his acting replacement.

Patrick hated all the administration work that prevented him from seeing patients and being a doctor. He lost his position Chief of Staff after a White Supremacist group set off bombs at the hospital as retaliation for Patrick throwing out their leader for being disruptive and refusing to be treated by non-white hospital personnel. Though disappointed of this failure, he's happy to go back to just being the top notch neurosurgeon in General Hospital.

See also

• Patrick Drake and Robin Scorpio