What Is Love - Barlow/Williams

Part 41: Playing All My Cards

Chapter Summary: So Robbie told Gary they should take a break, but all it led to was a massive misunderstanding of questionable intentions and agonising hurt – will the lads sort it out? Concerned for their mates' happiness, the other band members decide it's time to intervene. See end of chapter for A/N.

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Robbie was in a frenzy...he couldn't make sense of his own actions, let alone at the cost of them. But he couldn't go back in and take it all back. He had to be strong....except he knew he really, really wasn't even close to being strong.

He hadn't moved from the hospital. Time had passed, he knew that but he'd remained. He had eventually made it outside the actual building but that's as far as he could go, and he only did it in order to avoid people's looks. He had simply sat down on a bench outside in the hospital gardens, and stayed there. Trapped in his own mind, his head furiously tried to work out what the fuck he had done.

That's where Mark found him. "Aw, so it's true! A homeless man that looks a bit like Robbie Williams has taken up residence here!" He said brightly, as he approached the bench and sat down next to his friend.

Robbie gave no reply, he didn't even raise his head to acknowledge the smaller man. Something Mark noticed. A concerned frown appeared on his face as he asked, "Rob – Why aren't you in there with Gaz?"

"I....I...can't say...." Robbie quietly moped, "Something's happened, I need to give him space."

"Well, something good, or bad?" Mark asked evenly, his face unreadable.

"eh...I guess you could say I kinda cooled things off with him".

"I know, you moron! Gaz called me", Mark told him sternly.

Robbie immediately turned to meet Mark's angry eyes with his puffy ones, "what did he say? Is he ok?!" he desperately asked.

"Of course he's not ok".

"You should go up and speak to him then. He's pretty upset with me" Robbie pitifully moped.

"Well, it'd be with a pretty good reason – don't you think?" Mark commented dryly, "But as it is, I'm not here to talk to him. Gaz actually called me to ask if I could speak to you. He said you were sitting outside the hospital in need of someone to talk some bloody sense into you! And those were his exact words."

That had Robbie's attention. His head shot up and he quickly glanced around him, as if suddenly realising where he was. He turned back to Mark with wide eyes, "How did he know I was outside?"

Mark raised his brows, knowingly. "A Nurse told him she saw you out here, and that was an hour a go" Mark informed, "Why not just go in there and talk to him?" he implored.

"Because he'll expect me to take it back", Robbie told him.

"You won't?" Mark asked.

"I want to, and if I go in there, I'll be weak enough to do it - but I can't. It has to be this way!" He gallantly declared.

"Do you even know what you're playing at?!" Mark asked incredulously, "He's supposed to be released tomorrow – what a fine welcome home this is!"

"I didn't intend to do this", Robbie told him, "...I just did it instinctively, out of love. I had to. For him."

"Oh, Rob." Mark sighed with sadness.

"I know you don't get it, but -"

"No, you're bloody right there!" Mark barked back at him.