Flames are not appreciated, reviews will earn you cookies :) As of now this is just a one shot, but may continue later on due to response.
Elliot Reid didn't seem to notice the chill that had fallen around Sacred Heart's rooftop after the sun had fallen. She had gotten off shift hours ago but had been unable to go home. At home she would been subjected to her mother complaining about how unfair life was since her father had cut her off as well after finding Brenda in the closet with yet another gardener. And that would lead to Brenda cutting into Elliot about not dating or having a tomboy haircut or shopping at Target rather than Barnies.
The pacing that had been accompanied by violent hand gestures and stomping had slowed to walking the perimeter over and over and over again, replaying every scenario of her life up to this moment.
Suddenly Elliot found herself falling back onto the rough gravel of the rooftop after bouncing off a solid figure that hadn't been there five minutes before.
"Oh my God dude!" Elliot shrieked, feeling blood begin to cover her palms with several little wounds. "Can't you watch where the frak you are going?" Her head snapped up at the voice that responded: "Well Blonde I suppose I should just let this be another doctor hot spot then huh? Not like you all have the entire hospital to play around in. Nope." The Janitor loomed over her and his rugged face was stern and cold as he looked down at her.
Elliot laughed and then started to cry, the sobs rocking her body as her legs relaxed and splayed before her, leaving the Janitor between her knees and raised her hands to her eyes. If she had been watching, Elliot would have been surprised by the change that had taken over his face. His lips parted slightly, his eyes momentarily turned to the heavens asking whatever deity was out there to help him with this woman and before he knew what he was doing, the Janitor was sitting beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"It's okay Blonde," he said softly. "We all have rough days, why do you think I'm up here?" Elliot's face turned to him and he gave her a soft smile before taking out a handkerchief out of his back-pocket and gently wiping the blood away from her fingers. "Zippy down there put rocks in my shoes again and somehow managed to knock all the paint over from the pediatrics wing all over while he was playing hide-and-seek with Dr. Twinkletoes." The Janitor gave a sad chuckle, "We all have rough days Blonde. There isn't anything wrong with that. But a women like you shouldn't be crying alone up here," with this he wiped the mascara out of Elliot's eyes.
"Why can't I catch a break Janitor? I mean-" Elliot's voice lost whatever energy it had retained before and her arms became lax to the point where he had to use some lift to keep cleaning her fingers. "I am a good doctor, not Doctor Cox level, but I thought I was getting there but I have hit all these speed-bumps and I am never catching up to where I need to be and I am flat broke and my apartment smells like Fruit Loops and Icy Hot from my stupid college kid neighbors and I can't find a nice guy to save my life because everyone thinks I am SO hot but when I open my mouth- POOF! They are gone."
Elliot thought she had somehow managed to put her foot in her mouth again since it was forever before the Janitor responded. His hands were gently rubbing circles around the skin he had cleaned, only a few red marks remained of the shallow cuts, tracing every invisible mark on her fingers and palms. "Dr. Reid... Elliot," he said gently, far more gentle than she had thought possible. She noted here that his hands were impossibly warm, embers against her icy skin. "You are brilliant. I see you running around here all day saving lives and being a bright burst of sunshine whenever you race through the halls. Yes you make mistakes," Elliot's gaze whipped back to his face when he said this, his blue eyes were studying his boots that were folded beneath his knees.
"But the world isn't perfect. You can't save everyone." With this his eyes turned to hers, meeting her stare with a protective look of his own. "But never doubt you change lives. Never doubt you make people happy every. Single. Day."
Taking a chance, Elliot reached her left hand and cupped his cheek, turning his gaze back to her. Pulling him to her quickly, she kissed him firmly. It was long and chaste but with hidden depths of passion. The Janitor pulled her up till they were standing and without breaking the kiss he wrapped the jacket Elliot hadn't noticed before around her shoulders. "You're cold," he said softly, a warm smile breaking up the stony features of his face. "Can I take you home? I don't think you should be driving while you are so upset."
Snuggling up into his jacket, Elliot nodded. "On one condition though," she said as they walked back to the stairwell door. "Tell me your name."
He smiled and held the door open for her and as they walked into the warmth of the hospital hand-in-hand, he replied- "Glenn." He smiled at her as he rubbed his free hand on the back of his neck like a nervous schoolboy. "My name is Glenn."
Elliot's thousand watt smile lit up the room and as they walked to his van, Glenn smiled and tugged her closer to him. And as he held open the passenger door for her, he noticed her hair smelled like sunshine.