"Bygones"
Author: Noisemaker
Summary: Elizabeth's reaction to her conversation with Romano.
Rating: PG
I had never thought Robert to be as caring as he was. True, he did start the conversation with his usual Romanisms but he changed his tone rather quickly. I think that maybe it was becuase he had never seen me cry before. No one has, not even Mark. Yes, Mark has seen a few tears, but he's never seen me cry. I spent too much time building up those barriers for them to come crashing down for a man. As stupid as it sounds, it's what I believe. I've been the strong one my entire life. I've always been the one that people come to because I don't break down in a fit of tears. Look where that's gotten me.
Romano spoke more truth today than I realized. I am his wife... I married him "in sickness and in health... for good and bad" right? But I don't think I can do this again. I stayed strong through the first time Mark had his tumor, and it almost killed me. I was there the entire time, and didn't once think about myself. I stayed beside him in that hospital, through every problem and slight recovery. I didn't sleep for a week out of fear that he would slip away when I wasn't looking. I did this once already, why do I have to do this again?
He didn't tell me. My husband hid his illness from me, again. Maybe it doesn't help that I hadn't talked to him for three weeks, and was living in a hotel. But that doesn't change the fact that he's dying and didn't say a word to me about it. Robert says that he was trying to protect me, I don't believe that.
He was trying to protect himself. He didn't want me to come back just because he was sick. He wanted me to come back because I wanted to be back with him. He doesn't want any pity, and I don't blame him. Everyone's shown him enough pity to last a lifetime. But here I am, moving back in to my... our house because my husband is dying.
There, happy? I said it. My husband is dying. And there isn't a damned thing I can do about it. After fifteen years in medicine, there isn't anything that I or anyone else can do to save him. After all the time we've spent saving other people's lives, what's the whole point of being a doctor if you can't save the people you love.
Author: Noisemaker
Summary: Elizabeth's reaction to her conversation with Romano.
Rating: PG
I had never thought Robert to be as caring as he was. True, he did start the conversation with his usual Romanisms but he changed his tone rather quickly. I think that maybe it was becuase he had never seen me cry before. No one has, not even Mark. Yes, Mark has seen a few tears, but he's never seen me cry. I spent too much time building up those barriers for them to come crashing down for a man. As stupid as it sounds, it's what I believe. I've been the strong one my entire life. I've always been the one that people come to because I don't break down in a fit of tears. Look where that's gotten me.
Romano spoke more truth today than I realized. I am his wife... I married him "in sickness and in health... for good and bad" right? But I don't think I can do this again. I stayed strong through the first time Mark had his tumor, and it almost killed me. I was there the entire time, and didn't once think about myself. I stayed beside him in that hospital, through every problem and slight recovery. I didn't sleep for a week out of fear that he would slip away when I wasn't looking. I did this once already, why do I have to do this again?
He didn't tell me. My husband hid his illness from me, again. Maybe it doesn't help that I hadn't talked to him for three weeks, and was living in a hotel. But that doesn't change the fact that he's dying and didn't say a word to me about it. Robert says that he was trying to protect me, I don't believe that.
He was trying to protect himself. He didn't want me to come back just because he was sick. He wanted me to come back because I wanted to be back with him. He doesn't want any pity, and I don't blame him. Everyone's shown him enough pity to last a lifetime. But here I am, moving back in to my... our house because my husband is dying.
There, happy? I said it. My husband is dying. And there isn't a damned thing I can do about it. After fifteen years in medicine, there isn't anything that I or anyone else can do to save him. After all the time we've spent saving other people's lives, what's the whole point of being a doctor if you can't save the people you love.