As Elizabeth leaned on the railing and watched Robert walk away from her she tried her best to hold her emotions in check. She could never remember a time when he looked so small, so defeated. When he reached the corner he turned around for a second to glance back at her. He gave a half hearted wave before he disappeared. When he was out of sight Elizabeth turned to lean over the railing and allow the tears to start falling. She gave herself a few minutes before pulling herself together and heading back to the hospital to check the OR schedule. She could have done it in the morning but she knew she wouldn't sleep if she went home.
Although Dr. Gunn was away on vacation things were going to move quickly. Elizabeth made arrangements with Dr. Klein to perform the procedure. He wanted to admit Robert to the hospital the following night to get him started on some IV antibiotics and do the amputation the morning after that. Elizabeth was debating how Robert would feel about that when her cellphone rang. It was Kris, letting her know that Robert had just turned up on her doorstep. Elizabeth told Kris to tell Robert she would be there shortly and that she could head home.
As she tucked the list of things Robert needed to do the following morning in her coat pocket Elizabeth turned out the light in her office and headed for the elevator.
When she got home she found Robert on the back deck sitting on the end of the lounge chair in his pajamas and slippers. He had an afghan tossed over his shoulders and a cup of tea on the table next to him. It was clear he was spending the night, something he hadn't done in over a week. Leaving the door open so she would be able to hear Ella if she woke Elizabeth joined him. "Robert," she said softly as she was unsure if he'd heard her come out. He looked over his shoulder at her but didn't say anything. Elizabeth joined him on the lounge chair. She leaned forward and rubbed his back for a minute. Robert leaned into her touch and eventually scooted back as Elizabeth stretched out her legs. She pulled him back against her chest, threw the blanket over the two of them and wrapped her arms around him. She thought it was strange the way they could go from snarking at each other, to being the best of friends, to almost being more than that in the blink of an eye. "I made some phone calls. Gunn is on vacation. How do you feel about Klein?"
"He's good; I've seen some of his work. When can he do it?"
"Day after tomorrow," she said, not sure what his reaction to that would be.
She felt Robert take a deep breath and exhale slowly as a million thoughts ran through his head. "Fine, better to get it over with."
"OK, I have a list of things he needs you to do before then. You'll have to be admitted tomorrow night so he can get some antibiotics started."
Robert just nodded as he pulled his right hand out from under the afghan and picked up his tea. "Is it ok to give up?" he asked quietly.
"You're not giving up."
"An hour ago you thought I was," he said.
"I didn't think that. Your decision took me by surprise, that's all. I wasn't expecting it to happen this fast."
"You haven't seen my arm," he said miserably.
"No, I haven't."
"I'd like to keep it that way," he whispered.
"OK," replied Elizabeth. She realized that it was important to him to, for lack of a better word, shelter her, from his latest accident. Letting her treat the first infection in his arm had been a big step for him. One he wouldn't have taken if she hadn't come into the room when he was trying to do it himself. He respected her medical opinion, even if he rarely admitted it, but he needed her more as a friend at that moment.
Robert quietly met with Donald and Kerry early the next morning to let them know he would be needing to take a medical leave. Dr. Klein met with him over breakfast in the cafeteria to go over the procedure. The Prosthetics department didn't have a lot of time to see Robert on such short notice but they gave him some literature and would be by to see him the day after the surgery. After having some blood work and a chest x-ray done he made some calls to his insurance company, spent some time with Gretel and took Dorothy out to an early dinner. A little before 7 that night he quietly checked himself into the hospital. Elizabeth had offered to come with him but he declined the offer. He just wanted to settle in, start the course of antibiotics and take a sleeping pill.
Which is exactly what he did.
Elizabeth got to the hospital very early the next morning. She went up to check on Robert; half hoping he would still be asleep. She didn't know what to say or how to act. The line between doctor and friend was a hard one to toe. As was her luck lately Robert was awake when she got there. And none too happy either. He was grumbling about the inept nurses on the floor. "Good morning to you too, Robert," said Elizabeth with a grin from the doorway.
"Lizzie. You're here early," he said, not sure if he was happy to see her or not.
"I'm covering the ER and I wanted to check on a few patients first."
"And I was at the top of your list?" he asked bitterly.
"Yes. What happened to the IV?" she asked as she motioned to his right hand which should have had an IV port in it.
"It infiltrated and the idiot nurse couldn't find another vein. They can restart it in the OR," he grumbled.
"The surgery still scheduled for 9?"
Robert nodded. He wanted her to be there but was too stubborn to ask.
"Do you need anything before I get to work?" asked Elizabeth, clearly beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable.
"No," he replied quietly.
Elizabeth turned to leave and had her hand on the doorknob when she inhaled deeply, willed back her tears and walked over to the bed. Much to both their surprise she leaned over, cupped Robert's cheek and kissed him softly. She left before either one could say a word.
TBC
Although Dr. Gunn was away on vacation things were going to move quickly. Elizabeth made arrangements with Dr. Klein to perform the procedure. He wanted to admit Robert to the hospital the following night to get him started on some IV antibiotics and do the amputation the morning after that. Elizabeth was debating how Robert would feel about that when her cellphone rang. It was Kris, letting her know that Robert had just turned up on her doorstep. Elizabeth told Kris to tell Robert she would be there shortly and that she could head home.
As she tucked the list of things Robert needed to do the following morning in her coat pocket Elizabeth turned out the light in her office and headed for the elevator.
When she got home she found Robert on the back deck sitting on the end of the lounge chair in his pajamas and slippers. He had an afghan tossed over his shoulders and a cup of tea on the table next to him. It was clear he was spending the night, something he hadn't done in over a week. Leaving the door open so she would be able to hear Ella if she woke Elizabeth joined him. "Robert," she said softly as she was unsure if he'd heard her come out. He looked over his shoulder at her but didn't say anything. Elizabeth joined him on the lounge chair. She leaned forward and rubbed his back for a minute. Robert leaned into her touch and eventually scooted back as Elizabeth stretched out her legs. She pulled him back against her chest, threw the blanket over the two of them and wrapped her arms around him. She thought it was strange the way they could go from snarking at each other, to being the best of friends, to almost being more than that in the blink of an eye. "I made some phone calls. Gunn is on vacation. How do you feel about Klein?"
"He's good; I've seen some of his work. When can he do it?"
"Day after tomorrow," she said, not sure what his reaction to that would be.
She felt Robert take a deep breath and exhale slowly as a million thoughts ran through his head. "Fine, better to get it over with."
"OK, I have a list of things he needs you to do before then. You'll have to be admitted tomorrow night so he can get some antibiotics started."
Robert just nodded as he pulled his right hand out from under the afghan and picked up his tea. "Is it ok to give up?" he asked quietly.
"You're not giving up."
"An hour ago you thought I was," he said.
"I didn't think that. Your decision took me by surprise, that's all. I wasn't expecting it to happen this fast."
"You haven't seen my arm," he said miserably.
"No, I haven't."
"I'd like to keep it that way," he whispered.
"OK," replied Elizabeth. She realized that it was important to him to, for lack of a better word, shelter her, from his latest accident. Letting her treat the first infection in his arm had been a big step for him. One he wouldn't have taken if she hadn't come into the room when he was trying to do it himself. He respected her medical opinion, even if he rarely admitted it, but he needed her more as a friend at that moment.
Robert quietly met with Donald and Kerry early the next morning to let them know he would be needing to take a medical leave. Dr. Klein met with him over breakfast in the cafeteria to go over the procedure. The Prosthetics department didn't have a lot of time to see Robert on such short notice but they gave him some literature and would be by to see him the day after the surgery. After having some blood work and a chest x-ray done he made some calls to his insurance company, spent some time with Gretel and took Dorothy out to an early dinner. A little before 7 that night he quietly checked himself into the hospital. Elizabeth had offered to come with him but he declined the offer. He just wanted to settle in, start the course of antibiotics and take a sleeping pill.
Which is exactly what he did.
Elizabeth got to the hospital very early the next morning. She went up to check on Robert; half hoping he would still be asleep. She didn't know what to say or how to act. The line between doctor and friend was a hard one to toe. As was her luck lately Robert was awake when she got there. And none too happy either. He was grumbling about the inept nurses on the floor. "Good morning to you too, Robert," said Elizabeth with a grin from the doorway.
"Lizzie. You're here early," he said, not sure if he was happy to see her or not.
"I'm covering the ER and I wanted to check on a few patients first."
"And I was at the top of your list?" he asked bitterly.
"Yes. What happened to the IV?" she asked as she motioned to his right hand which should have had an IV port in it.
"It infiltrated and the idiot nurse couldn't find another vein. They can restart it in the OR," he grumbled.
"The surgery still scheduled for 9?"
Robert nodded. He wanted her to be there but was too stubborn to ask.
"Do you need anything before I get to work?" asked Elizabeth, clearly beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable.
"No," he replied quietly.
Elizabeth turned to leave and had her hand on the doorknob when she inhaled deeply, willed back her tears and walked over to the bed. Much to both their surprise she leaned over, cupped Robert's cheek and kissed him softly. She left before either one could say a word.
TBC