Title: Giving Thanks

Author: Jen Zoromski AKA Jennis524

Spoilers: A few from the early part of season 10 including "Freefall".

Disclaimer: I don't any of these characters, although NBC and the producers on "ER" should hand them over since they don't know what they are doing with them…lol…

Summary: "You can't have a funeral or a memorial service for a man who is alive." AU after "Freefall" -- Cordano.

Author's Note: Being a Romano as well as a Cordano fan I just couldn't let TPTB destroy it. In my world they didn't show us a body so he's not gone…lol. This story takes place a week after the events of "Freefall," but in this story "Freefall" took place the week before Thanksgiving. Please R&R and of course Enjoy!

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Giving Thanks

By Jen Zoromski

A lot can happen in a week. But in the world at Cook County General in Chicago that was an understatement.

"I was paged," Dr. Elizabeth Corday storms into the ER going straight for one of the trauma rooms.

Susan Lewis approaches her with a grim look on her face, "I'm sorry, but he coded a few minutes ago. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Great, that's just bloody wonderful," Elizabeth barks heading back towards the elevator, pinching the bridge of her nose. Her migraine had returned and Thanksgiving was getting off to a great start. Looking at her watch she still had over eight hours to go.

"Elizabeth, you okay?" Susan inquires following after her.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well with Romano's memorial service tomorrow and you being closer to him than any of the rest of us--" Susan starts.

"I'm fine," Elizabeth replies coolly as she turns and starts once again towards the elevator.

"You know they never found a body or anything that resembled one."

"A helicopter fell on him, did you really expect him to survive it? Much less have anyone find anything." Elizabeth barks, her tone harsher than she intended it to be.

Without further ado she steps into the elevator and finds a place in the back corner, closing her eyes trying to maintain her racing heart. His face flashes behind the closed lids, remembering the last time she had seen him.

Pushing the gurney with Mr. Westbrook on it through the door, Elizabeth glares at Robert. She doesn't want to deal with this arrogant man, but it is Robert's nature to suck up to the rich and politically active. He wants his job back sitting atop the throne of County General, but he needs help.

Any politically influential case that rolls through the door may be his key.

He smirks at the glare, always playing the little mind games with him.

"You're in excellent hands with Dr. Corday. I envy you," Romano grins as he watches her push him out the door.

That smirking grin was the last face she had ever seen of him. The last cocky compliment she heard and it boiled her blood.

"Dr. Corday, this your floor?" a young med student questions bringing her out of her day dream.

Looking around frazzled she realizes that they are on the surgical floor, "Yes, thank-you."

Elizabeth steps out and hurries towards her office.

"Dr. Corday," Debra the secretary at the front desk starts.

"I don't want to be bothered," she says coldly.

"Dr. Corday, there's someone on the phone for you."

"Take a message."

"I think you should really take this one."

Elizabeth bites her lip in disgust, trying to keep a volatile comment back. Ever since she had taken over the Chief of Surgery position she somehow acquired some of Robert's hostility towards staff members.

"Take a message," she reiterates forcefully.

"It's about Dr. Romano--"

"Tell them I'll give the damn eulogy at the memorial service tomorrow. I've already agreed to it."

"That memorial service isn't going to happen."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"A doctor from Northwestern is on the phone."

"I don't understand. What does that have to do with the service?"

"You'd better take this call."

Elizabeth grabs the phone, irritated at the fact that her secretary is playing games with her. "This better be good," she mutters to herself.

"Dr. Corday?" a man asks on the other end.

"Yes," she responds annoyed.

"My name is Dr. James Carson from Northwestern--"

"I've gathered that much from my secretary. What does this have to do with Robert Romano? He's dead. He was crushed by a helicopter. A freak accident."

"I hear you're having a memorial service for him tomorrow."

"Yes, the hospital is putting one on since he was the Chief of Staff for nearly four years. There isn't going to be a funeral for him--"

"Because he's not dead," Dr. Carson interjects.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You can't have a funeral or a memorial service for a man who is alive."

"I don't believe you."

"He's in the ICU here at Northwestern," Dr. Carson responds and the line goes dead.

Elizabeth looks at her secretary wide-eyed.

"Told you, you wanted to take that one."

Northwestern Hospital

November 27, 2003

9:23 a.m.

"My name is Elizabeth Corday. I'm looking for a Dr. James Carson," Elizabeth tells the receptionist at the desk in the middle of the ICU floor.

"He's with a patient right now. You can go over there and a take a seat," she gestures towards a wall with chairs.

Elizabeth walks towards the chairs, not sure what to do or say. This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Robert isn't alive. He's been gone for a week. If he were alive, why wouldn't the hospital have contacted them earlier? He is -- was -- one of the best doctors in Chicago and his temperament is known throughout many hospitals across the Midwest.

"This is absurd," she mutters to herself standing and walking towards the receptionist.

"Ms. Corday you have to wait over there."

"I know, but I'm on a time schedule. Its Thanksgiving and I should be at work since I have to run the surgical department of
County."

"You're from County General?"

"The one and only," Elizabeth says sarcastically, "According to Dr. Carson a man was brought in last week from County. Would you happen to know --"

"Room 322, but only immediate family can visit."

"What if I told you that I am his primary doctor from County?"

"I still wouldn't be able to --"

"Couldn't you just let me take a look at him?"

"Well since you are a doctor, one from County at that--"

"A place I need to be getting back to."

The nurse reluctantly looks around and then to Elizabeth, "I suppose just this one time."

"Thank-you so much," Elizabeth heads for the specified room, but turns around abruptly. "What was he brought in with?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Right, but since I am his doctor," she lies annoyed that this woman is making such a fuss over a man that no one wants to claim.

"Head trauma, blunt force wounds that have left him in a coma for the past week. He also has some surface burns, but from what the other patients looked like that were brought in, he was lucky."

"Other patients were brought here?"

"With the massive casualties County called all of the surrounding hospitals to help them. By the time our crew got there they found a few victims just twenty or so feet from the crash, partly hidden by debris. The patient in 322 was one of them."

Elizabeth nods, numbly turning around.

"We didn't know it was one of yours until Dr. Carson recognized him."

"He didn't recognize him sooner?"

"Dr. Carson was in New York at a seminar. This is his first day back."

Elizabeth leaves the nurse walking to the door of room 322 and slowly turning the knob. Once inside the darkness from the overcast day makes it difficult for Elizabeth to make out the figure of a man laying on the bed.

She stops, her breath catching in her throat.

"Oh my God," she whispers staring at the unconscious figure on the bed, "I don't believe it."

"Dr. Corday?" Dr. Carson whispers softly.

Elizabeth jumps, startled by the voice behind her.

"I don't -- oh my God -- "

"I take it you recognize him then?"

"It just can't be," she says in a daze. Elizabeth can't believe that Robert Romano, her former boss and colleague is not dead, but very much alive -- laying unconscious on a hospital bed not even twenty minutes from County General.

"He has a long road ahead of him. I don't know how you want to look at this because back in the day I remember Robert as a man to be reckoned with, but regardless of that I think that this is something to be thankful for."

Her gaze goes back to the bed with the sleeping figure of Robert Romano. A small smile graces her lips, "I agree."

Maybe it wasn't going to be such a bad day after all.

TBC

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More to come! Please R&R! Thanks.

~Jen