When Patrick sees Ben Mitchell (Joshua Pascoe) kissing Duncan Willis (Steven France), Ben throws a brick through Patrick's window and confronts him. Ben's father, Phil (Steve McFadden) sees Patrick defending himself against Ben, and starts feuding with Patrick; Phil's aggression towards Patrick only ceases when Ben admits to Phil that he threatened Patrick so as not to divulge that he is gay. Patrick has a brief dalliance with Rose Cotton (Polly Perkins), and later loses his home when Kim's B&B is burnt down during on Christmas Day. Patrick begins to keep stolen fireworks and alcohol in his home's basement for Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), which enhance the damage done by the fire and results in Kim being unable claim insurance. Patrick moves in with Rose and her sister Dot (June Brown), but he is devastated when his friend Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison) is murdered. The trauma of the murder deeply affects Patrick, and he decides to leave Walford temporarily to visit his son Anthony, returning a few months later. Patrick becomes friends with Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell). At a funeral of one of Patrick's old friends, they pretend to be in a relationship. Although Patrick has feelings for Cora, she insists they are just friends and their kiss was meaningless. After Patrick admits that he likes her as more than friends, they decide to start a relationship, taking it slowly. Patrick is disgusted when Ben is unmasked as Heather's killer, and it emerges that Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) helped cover it up. The whole square rejects Jay, but Patrick softens towards him when he remembers how he was victimised in the past and takes Jay to live with him as he has nowhere else to go. When Patrick becomes unwittingly involved with the return of Cora's adopted daughter, Ava Hartman (Clare Perkins), Cora ends the relationship, but they remain friends.