A/N: Well, I'm back! I managed to get quite a bit of writing done in that time and am feeling more confident about the story in general. I am still dealing with real life stuff, and as this story is requiring increasingly more research to do properly, I may have to switch to an every-other-week posting, but I'll wait for a few weeks to decide that or take it on a chapter by chapter basis. Know that I will finish this story, I don't intend to abandon it. It just might take a bit more time to write it. Thanks for sticking around! And if you're new to this story, welcome aboard!

-Foodie

"Valentine's Day is so clichéd," Melanie complained as she and Robert sat in his tub the morning of Valentine's Day. "It's just a day invented by marketing people to make money. I just don't see why people go so crazy over it."

Robert wrapped his arm around her waist. He was happy to hear that she felt the same way he did about the holiday. "So, does that mean you don't want to do anything to celebrate the momentous occasion?"

Melanie frowned and settled into his side. "Of course not! We have to do something for our first Valentine's Day together," she cried indignantly.

"You're not making any sense!" Robert said with a laugh. "You say it's clichéd and all about money, but you still want to participate."

"I know it's dumb, but I still want to say we did something special for our first Valentine's Day." She reached up and caressed his cheek with her soapy hand. "Don't you want to do something special too?"

"I thought we could stay at home and celebrate in my bed," Robert suggested.

"We could…But we at least need to go to dinner or do something special first."

"It's a little late to make reservations anywhere, seeing as today is Valentine's Day, but I'm sure I can come up with something nice at the last minute."

Melanie turned around, sloshing water over the side of the tub. She sat on his lap and kissed him passionately. "I'm sure whatever you do will be wonderful," she said a minute later.

Robert sighed and sat back in the tub. Nothing like pressure to create a magical evening at the last minute to brighten his day. At least Melanie was easily dazzled, thankfully. It was too late to book a reservation at an expensive restaurant, but maybe it wasn't too late to book a hotel room somewhere. Maybe a hotel with a spa so she could get pampered. She'd just finished one of the toughest rotations she'd be taking, and had done very well; he'd say she'd earned it. And maybe he'd get a massage. He could use one. And maybe a manicure. He'd never admit it, but ever since his accident, he'd been unable to clip his own fingernails, having to resort to a weekly trip to the local barber for a trim of what little hair he had, and a fingernail trim. It was unorthodox, perhaps, but he didn't have the nerve to tell Melanie he couldn't do that on his own anymore and to ask for her help.

After their bath, Robert locked himself in his den for a while, searching the internet and making phone calls while Melanie studied on the couch. It took quite some time, but he finally managed to make a reservation at The Drake Hotel. There were restaurants and in-room spa services. Not only could Melanie get a body scrub or some sort of girly spa treatment, but he'd get to watch. It was a thought he relished. The hotel was also near several high-end stores he wanted to take her to. Maybe they'd be able to find some more jewelry for her. If he was lucky he'd be able to get her sized for a ring without her realizing it, perhaps if he did it under a pretense of getting her an ordinary ring. That way he'd be able to get her an engagement ring when the time was right.

"Melanie, we need to pack some things for an overnight stay," he said mysteriously after joining her in the living room.

"Where are we going?" She closed her book and looked at him, surprised.

"It's a secret, but make sure to pack the dress you wore to the ballet, and all the accessories. And change into something nice before we leave," he said, deciding that the pair of his boxers and the tank top she was wearing weren't appropriate for when they arrived at The Drake.

He went upstairs and packed his tuxedo, along with some other necessities for an enjoyable night with Melanie. He also packed his camera, hoping to capture some of the better moments he planned to experience that night.

"You won't tell me anything about where we're going?" Melanie pouted, wrapping her arms around Robert's chest and kissing his neck.

Robert grinned and placed his good hand on top of hers. "You'll find out soon enough," he replied calmly, enjoying keeping her in suspense. "I think you're going to really like it, though."

"I've packed my bag, so we can go whenever you want," Melanie said a minute later as she unwrapped her arms from him and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Robert looked down at her and smiled predatorily. "You can't sit there like that on the bed…Oh, the things you do to me," he said quietly, sitting down next to her. "It's taking all my strength not to tear your clothes off right now."

Melanie grinned and turned to look at him. "You could tear my clothes off and we could go to our mystery destination a little bit later," she replied.

"Such an enabler," Robert said as he leaned forward and began to unbutton her blouse.

(SCENE)

Robert could have chosen a hotel that was more modern in style, but he knew Melanie would love the old, historical feel of The Drake. And the look on her face as they walked through the doors into the lobby didn't disappoint. Her jaw dropped open as she looked up to the high ceiling and saw the gigantic chandeliers. "Oh, Robert," she breathed, "this is the most amazing place I've ever been to. This is what I imagine the inside of the White House must look like."

Robert looked around, taking in the lush blue carpeting and dark brown paneling of the ceiling, and could see what she was talking about. He wasn't one to take much notice to fancy surroundings, but one couldn't help but be very impressed with the hotel.

Melanie clutched her overnight bag to her chest and walked around the grand foyer, taking in all the amazing sights. She loved anything that was historic, as Robert well knew, and was touched that he had chosen a place that he'd known she would love. She stood in silence for a minute before he gently took her arm and led her over to the front desk.

"Oh yes, Dr. Romano, your suite is ready now," the clerk said after Robert introduced himself. He held out two key cards to them. "You'll find it on the third floor, lakeside, at the end of the hall."

"Thank you," Robert said, taking the cards and handing one to Melanie. "We'll go up now to see that the room is to our liking."

"A suite?" Melanie whispered as they walked towards the elevator.

"My dear, I intend to treat you to the most memorable Valentine's Day of your life. I don't do things by halves, you know that," Robert replied conspiratorially.

They walked slowly down the hall, looking at the carpet and decorations as they went. It was almost too much for Melanie to take in. "Oh, this is the most amazing place I've ever been to. Robert, you are truly a wonder," she whispered, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it.

When they reached the end of the hall, they found their room as directed. Melanie slid the key card into the slot and opened the door a second later. They stepped into the room and she once again felt her jaw drop in wonder of it all.

The suite was grand, with a large window that took up most of the far wall that looked out on Lake Michigan. There was a king-size bed in a separate room for them and the bathroom had a Jacuzzi. Melanie felt compelled to call this fact out to him while he explored the main room.

"And look at the soaps and shampoos too!" she cried excitedly. "Oh we have to take a bath later on…It'll be nice to have enough room for the both of us."

Robert laughed from the other room. "Melanie come look at this view!" he called out to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist when she joined him and kissed her cheek. "Have you ever seen such a sight?" The blue lake seemed to stretch on forever, far beyond the horizon. He liked living in a city with such a large body of water in it. To him it seemed as big as the ocean. "Lake Michigan might not be as big as the ocean like you're used to, but I think it's quite large enough, wouldn't you agree?"

"It's definitely impressive," Melanie agreed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Oh Robert, I can't even think of words to express how I feel right now. It's all too grand and amazing. I feel so middle class in comparison, but I really like looking at everything."

Robert turned and looked at her. "You're nothing close to middle class, my dear. You might not have a bank account full of money, but you have riches much more important than the monetary sort." He leaned over and kissed her.

Melanie sighed after he pulled away from her. "Oh Robert, I love your kisses," she said quietly with a gentle smile. "I love making love, of course, but there's something so special and wonderful about kissing you. I hope we don't forget about that in the frenzy of our busy lives."

"Well then, allow me to indulge in a little more," he said, leading her to the sofa by the window and gently pushing her onto the seat. They leaned in and engaged in a long, languid kiss.

"You're right," Robert said, after they'd pulled away from one another and were gazing into each other's eyes. "I've forgotten how much I love your kisses too. Perhaps we should make eggplant parmesan soon and relive our first kiss…" He winked when Melanie blushed.

Melanie stood up and looked out the window. "Are we going to stay in the room for the rest of the afternoon?" she asked curiously.

"No, we are not," Robert replied, standing up and walking towards the door. "I've found a few places for us to indulge in some shopping, if you wanted to," he said, turning to watch as she hurried after him.

"Let me guess, it'll be a surprise where we go," she said as they left their room.

"But of course." Robert took her hand in his as they walked down the hall towards the elevator.

(SCENE)

Robert's idea of taking Melanie shopping involved going to the most high-end shops and lavishing her with anything her eyes lit up upon looking at. "Robert, I don't need a Prada handbag," she said in shocked tones as he walked it up to the cash register.

"Nobody needs a Prada handbag, but you should have one anyway," he replied while pulling out his credit card and handing it to the sales clerk.

There was also a trip to a jewelry shop in which many rings were tried on. Robert was able to find out her ring size rather easily without her even realizing his true motive for doing so. Melanie left that shop one silver pinkie ring richer.

As they walked past more storefronts, one of them stood out to Melanie. "What do you think about this place?" she asked quietly, pointing to it.

Robert looked at the store. Agent Provocateur, an upscale lingerie shop that he'd heard of before, but never been in. It had a rather infamous reputation. "Are you sure? It's a pretty risqué place of business, from what I've heard about it," he said carefully. He hoped she said "yes" and would try on many pieces of lingerie for him to look upon. He had yet to purchase any for her, feeling that Melanie needed to be the one to pick out such articles of clothing. He knew what he found attractive, but it needed to be her decision.

Melanie bit her lip and glanced inside the store. "Yes, I'd like to go in," she said, taking a deep breath. "It might be fun to try on sexy clothes." She led Robert into the store where he took a backseat to her for once. She gathered several items to try on and pointed out some of the naughty toys.

Robert grinned and tried to hold back his enthusiasm. "I believe I like this side to you, my dear," he said quietly, trying to avoid looking at any of the saleswomen or other shoppers. He was the only man in the store and was drawing angry looks from some of them just by his presence. "I'll just stand outside the door while you try your clothes on," he said as she walked towards the fitting room.

"Do you want to help me choose? Or do you want me to surprise you later?" she asked carefully before going into the room.

Robert thought about it for a minute. He would have loved to have her put on a show for him and be able to pick out the pieces for her, but he knew he wouldn't be able to maintain his composure if she did. "Better to surprise me later on," he said before clearing his throat and smiling awkwardly. "But you pick out as much as you want."

When Melanie went into the fitting room, he wandered the store, trying his best not to make eye contact with anybody. He could hear some of the others in the store whispering and could make out bits of conversation. "Sugar daddy" was the phrase that stood out to him the most. He supposed to an outsider it might look like that, for Melanie was very beautiful and much younger than he, but he knew it wasn't the case. Melanie was no gold-digger, and his love for her was true.

It took nearly a half hour for Melanie to try on all the clothes, and while she felt embarrassed at the idea of anybody else knowing what she was doing, she loved the idea of dressing up for Robert. She was usually a very conservative dresser and protective of herself, but he made her feel so loved and safe in his presence that she felt brave enough to step out of her shell. Several of the outfits were quite provocative but were comfortable enough for her to wear. In the end, she chose three full outfits and several individual pieces.

"Well I trust you found some good stuff," Robert said as he handed her his credit card.

"I think you'll be happy," she said quietly, taking one more look around the store to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

"Did you want to get any toys or anything else?" he whispered quickly. When she turned scarlet and began to wring her hands, he waved the thought off. "It's ok, it's ok, don't pay any attention to me. You go make your purchases and I'll come sign for it after everything's been wrapped up."

A short time later they were finished and back on the street, looking for their next shopping destination. It was a cold day out, and growing dark. They shopped a while longer before heading back to the hotel with several bags among them. "This has been such fun, Robert!" Melanie cried as they approached the hotel.

Once back in their room, they dropped off the bags and freshened up for dinner. "We don't need to dress up for dinner," Robert said. "We're going to eat at the Cape Cod tonight, it's their best restaurant here. But I thought when we're done, we can come back here and get dressed up and dance the night away. Just us, right here. What do you think?"

"I like that idea," Melanie agreed. "And then we can cozy in the Jacuzzi, right?"

"Yes, definitely, but first, let's get to dinner, I'm starving."

It was a busy night at the Cape Cod, but there was only a short wait before they were seated. After ordering, they lost themselves in a conversation about work, rotations, and the day. They talked through their meal. Robert had ordered the steak and lobster and was brave enough to ask Melanie for help cutting his steak, while she enjoyed the curried monkfish. A dessert of chocolate cheesecake rounded out the meal. He would deny it later if asked, but they were so wrapped up with the romance of it all that they actually fed each other with their forks.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Robert," Melanie said after finishing her last bite of cheesecake.

"I love you," Robert replied boldly.

Melanie's heart fluttered as she looked into his eyes. "I love you too."

Robert placed his hand on hers and leaned in to kiss her. "Let's get back to our room," he said a minute later. "I feel like dancing."

After paying the dinner bill, Robert took Melanie's arm and walked with her back to their room. They each changed into their dressy clothes, and he turned on music in the main room. "May I have this dance?" he asked as Melanie looked out the window at the lake.

"I'd be delighted," she replied. Robert held out his hand to her and pulled her to his side. They took turns with slow dances and faster ones like waltzes.

An hour into the dancing, they stopped and sat down to rest their legs. Melanie turned and looked out the window again. It was dark outside, but there were plenty of city lights shining out on the water. It looked magical to her. "So, how would you rate this Valentine's Day so far?" Robert asked curiously as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the best ever and one being the worst ever…I'd say this one is a nine," Melanie replied, contemplating the day.

Robert sat up and withdrew his arm. "Only a nine?" he asked, clearly offended.

Melanie smiled and kissed his cheek. "Well the day isn't over yet," she said sensibly, "And we haven't been in the Jacuzzi yet or tested out the bed…Those two events will definitely raise the number to probably a twelve at least."

"Well, maybe we should get to that then," he said quietly. "Do I get to undress you before our bath?"

"I was hoping you would…"

"Can I undress you right now?" Melanie stood up and turned around so that he could unzip her dress. It took quite a while, for he was slow, and she had many articles of clothing and pieces of jewelry to remove. At long last, she was fully unclothed. He ran his fingertips up and down her skin and smiled when goose bumps broke out on her arms. "You are so beautiful, did you know that?"

Melanie blushed and reached out to undo his bowtie. "It's my turn now," she whispered, throwing the bowtie on the ground and starting to undo his shirt buttons. "I think you're beautiful too," she said once he was unclothed. After gazing at him for a minute, she turned and walked into the bathroom to turn on the Jacuzzi.

Robert shook his head in wonderment and followed after her. He still wasn't used to the idea of Melanie being physically attracted to him. He looked down at himself and wondered what she could possibly see in him. He didn't know why she liked him, but he sure was glad she did.

"Robert are you coming?" Melanie called out from the bathroom. He grinned at the possible response he could make, but chose not to.

"I'll be there in a minute," he called back. He thought about getting his camera out, but decided against it seeing as they'd be in the water. He'd use it later after they went into the bedroom.

(SCENE)

Robert opened his eyes and looked around the bedroom. Light shone through the windows and the bed sheets had fallen on the floor, leaving only the lightest sheet around them. Melanie clung to him to stay warm. He reached down carefully, grabbed the comforter, and wrapped it around them. Melanie sighed in her sleep and snuggled even closer to him.

As he lay in the bed, enjoying the wonderful feeling of the woman he loved holding onto him, he thought about the night before. He and Melanie must have spent an hour in the Jacuzzi, just sitting in silence, enjoying the feel of the steaming hot, bubbling water around their bodies. There was a view of the lake in the bathroom too that they had found mesmerizing. He definitely needed to get a Jacuzzi in his next house.

When the bath was over, Melanie had put on a fashion show in front of the main-room window. She tried on all the lingerie for him and even treated him to her version of a lap dance. He didn't think she had any real idea of what a lap dance entailed, at least he hoped she didn't, but he'd rather enjoyed it. Not that he had any real experience either, though he did recall one memorable moment on his twenty first birthday…Actually is was the only moment he could recall of that occasion…Melanie's had been much more pleasurable. He'd managed to utilize his camera finally, and couldn't wait to upload them to his computer and decide which picture to use as his background. It would be tough to choose the best one.

After the fashion show, they had retired to the bedroom. The bed was soft and inviting, just like Melanie. As much as he had wanted to indulge in the carnal pleasures of the flesh with her, taking her to new heights and exploring all the possibilities they could share, they had ended up making love quite tenderly, long into the night. They'd have time the rest of their lives for the naughty stuff, but for now, he loved making love to her. He loved looking into her eyes and feeling their souls entwine. He loved the sounds she made and the way she moved in response to his moves.

"Definitely a twelve," Melanie had whispered in his ear when she unwrapped herself from him later that night. "Or maybe a thirteen or fourteen."

Robert had thought about proposing to her, but the idea made him so anxious he hadn't been able to work up the nerve. By the time he finally thought he could do it, Melanie had fallen asleep. And when she woke up that morning, his nerve was gone.

"What do you say to breakfast in bed today?" he asked as Melanie rubbed her eyes and sat up. "I can order room service, or we could go down to one of the restaurants. Whichever you want."

"Mmm, room service," she said sleepily. "Can you see if they have Eggs Benedict? But without the Canadian bacon." She stood up and left to go to the bathroom, and Robert enjoyed the view as she walked away. He called down and ordered breakfast, then put on a robe so he wouldn't be naked when the person arrived with their food.

A while later, Melanie and Robert sat in bed with plates of food balanced on their laps. "I've never had champagne at breakfast before," she said happily, taking a sip from the glass he held to her lips.

They talked about the previous day and the day to come and Robert realized something just as he finished his bacon and eggs. "I didn't get you your massage yet," he said with a frown. "We still have time before checkout at noon. Would you like one?"

"I've never had a massage before. It might be nice," Melanie replied quietly.

"I'll call downstairs and see what they can do," Robert said before leaving the room to make the call. Melanie sat back in the pillows and thought about what an amazing time she'd had. Robert was such a kind and tender lover and she never wanted this time with him to end. She loved how safe he made her feel. Safe enough to try new things and do things that might make her feel silly or self-conscious.

Robert walked back into the bedroom and lay down on the bed next to her. "They'll be sending two people up in the next half hour," he said, reaching out and taking her hand in his. "They have a couple's massage special so we can get one together." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"That sounds like so much fun!"

Robert and Melanie lay side-by-side on the bed when the massage therapists arrived and held hands while being lavished with a relaxing body rub. "Oh…Robert…We have got to do this more often," Melanie sighed at one point in time.

"Why did I not do this sooner?" Robert moaned. "To think of the years that I've missed out on having massages…"

By the time they checked out at noon that day, both of them were completely relaxed and ready to return to the hospital the next day. "You start your next rotation…Are you ready?" Robert asked as they packed all their purchases in the car.

"I hope so!" Melanie said, feeling nervous suddenly. "Dr. Anspaugh says this will be a good rotation for me."

"Why is that?" Melanie explained how she was feeling drawn to cardiology and that Anspaugh thought it might be a good match for her. Robert listened carefully and smiled when she finished. "My future wife, the cardiologist…" he murmured as they drove away from the hotel.

Melanie grinned. "I love the sound of that," she cried.

"The future wife part or the cardiologist part?"

"Well, they're both very important to me…I mean, they're both going to be a part of who I am, right? But, if I had to choose just one…Wife. Definitely," she said quietly, trying not to blush.

Robert looked out the window, trying to ignore the beating of his heart as he thought about proposing. Part of him just wanted to blurt it out right then, but it wouldn't be perfect if he did that. It had to be perfect. Melanie deserved nothing less. He had no idea what the best way to do it would be. It had never been a possibility for him before now, so he'd hardly spent much time pondering the concept.

By the end of the day, when he and Melanie were curled up in bed together, he still had no idea of the best way to propose. It was such an exhausting thought that he was glad to be returning to work the next day to get away from it. He was going to talk to Elizabeth and give her the news of her permanent promotion. He was happy for her.

(SCENE)

Melanie's first day of the Internal Medicine rotation went quite well in her opinion. Tina Smith was finally not on the same rotation with her, and her assigned team was nice. The people who chose this field seemed to be the doctors who cared the very most about their patients. It was a thankless job, and rarely did they achieve glory or monetary riches, but they seemed to truly love what they did. Melanie had a great respect for the nurses and doctors who chose Internal Medicine. Egos remained well-checked, and even in her first day, she felt as though her team taught her a lot. It was demanding work, with rounds and hours nearly equal to that of the surgery rotation, but she felt more at ease and at home there.

Robert felt a little like he had during Melanie's Christmas break. She was here, but not with him. He was very lonely without her. He consoled himself with the thought that in just a couple weeks, he'd be in the ER working on consults and other important tasks.

He spent most of his morning in his office, working on paperwork. When Elizabeth stopped by to discuss a patient's care with him, he tossed his pen aside and looked up at her with a smile. "Lizzie! How are you today?" he asked cheerfully.

Elizabeth looked at him carefully for a moment before responding. "All right, I suppose."

"Glad to hear it," he said, standing up. "Listen, do you have lunch plans today? I have something important to talk to you about. Why don't you let me take you to Doc's for a meal?"

Elizabeth smiled and rolled her eyes. "You know, the last time you bought me lunch there, it didn't turn out well for either of us," she replied lightheartedly.

"Don't remind me," Robert said with a chuckle. "I've got some work to finish, but I can join you in an hour. I'll stop by your office to pick you up."

An hour later, Robert and Elizabeth were sitting in a booth at Doc Magoo's, looking at the menu. "The steaks are pretty good here, actually," Robert said casually, thinking of his first meal with Melanie.

"I was thinking of the Rueben, I haven't had one in years."

They both ordered Ruebens, and sat, talking while waiting for their food. "So what is it you wanted to talk about? Is it about Melanie?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes and no," Robert replied cryptically. "I want to offer you the position of Chief of Staff permanently. You've already proved you're up to the task."

Elizabeth looked surprised and saddened. "What brought this on?" she asked quietly as the server put their sandwiches on the table for them.

Robert picked up one of the sandwich halves and took a bite. He tried to think of the best way to explain it. "Sometimes a person has to make a change in his life," he replied. "My life has changed a lot since last spring. It's time I accepted those changes."

Elizabeth frowned and put her sandwich down. "Are you sure you won't make more improvements with your arm?"

Robert pursed his lips for a moment, weighing the outcome of telling her the truth. "I haven't had any feeling in my arm since the New Year," he said quietly. "It had been fading, but now there's nothing."

"Oh, Robert," Elizabeth breathed. She glanced at his bad arm and reached out to pat it encouragingly. It hurt her to think that he couldn't feel it. "I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this."

"I'm stepping down as Chief of Staff," he blurted out before taking another bite of his sandwich.

Elizabeth's jaw dropped at hearing this. "What? Are you leaving? You can't quit, you're the reason I came to County! You're the reason I came to America!" She lowered her hand down from his arm to his hand.

"I'm not leaving, Lizzie," Robert assured her. "I'm moving to the ER to work as a permanent surgical consult."

"What?" Elizabeth couldn't have been more shocked if he'd told her he was quitting to join a hippie commune. "You're going to—"

"Good afternoon, Dr. Romano, how are you today?" Robert looked up to see Melanie standing next to their table. "I just stopped by to order something to go." He watched as she looked over at Elizabeth and focused in on her hand on his. "And good afternoon to you too, Dr. Corday."

Elizabeth looked up at Melanie and saw the glare in her eyes. She could hear in her mind what Melanie was thinking: Kindly remove your hand from my man's arm, or I shall remove your arm from its socket. She quickly moved her hand away from Robert's and smiled at Melanie. "Would you like to join us? We were just discussing—"

"I was just telling Elizabeth about all the things you bought on Saturday," Robert jumped in before moving over in the booth for Melanie to sit next to him.

Melanie sat down and smiled at him. "Robert bought me a Prada handbag!" she exclaimed.

"Wow!" Elizabeth replied, "That is quite impressive…"

"Did he tell you about the hotel?" When Elizabeth shook her head, Melanie launched into a description of the Drake Hotel.

Robert was pleased that Melanie had enjoyed herself so much. He was also a little surprised at how possessive she was over him. Elizabeth had merely been making a friendly gesture, but Melanie wasn't going to stand for that, clearly. He liked that she was jealous of others who had his attention. And they couldn't do anything yet, but in just a few weeks' time, he'd be able to squeeze her hand or even give her a peck on the cheek in this sort of situation. Not that he was the type of person who engaged in public displays of affection very often, but it was still a nice thought. Being able to pat Melanie's hand reassuringly would be very nice right now, but he had to settle for patting her on the leg instead.

"That sounds like an amazing place," Elizabeth said when Melanie finished talking about the hotel. "Robert seems to enjoy spoiling you. Who knew he was so romantic?" She felt a pang of regret once again and tried to ignore it the best she could.

When Melanie's food arrived, she grabbed the bag and stood up. "I'll see you tonight, Robert," she said quietly before walking away.

Elizabeth smiled at the younger woman before returning her attention to Robert when they were alone again. "You haven't discussed any of this with her, have you?" she hissed.

Robert narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Discussing it would imply that I need to weigh my options still and to take her opinion into account," he replied coolly. "I have already decided this and she will find out when everybody else does."

Elizabeth was taken aback by his response. "Is that how you intend to always treat her?" she asked in shocked tones.

Robert looked away, silently fuming over the direction their conversation had taken. "It's my arm, it's my life," he finally replied. "I shouldn't have to ask for her permission." This was perhaps the last decision he'd get to make for himself about his own life; he wasn't about to give that up. Besides, Melanie trusted him to make the right decisions in his life, and theirs. Who was Elizabeth to question how their relationship worked? It was none of her business.

"It's not about asking for her permission, but she should be the first person you tell, not the last. She'd probably appreciate being confided in. Think of it as practice for when you're married."

Robert looked at her sharply, and pursed his lips. Was it that obvious to her?

"Look, forget I said anything, all right? Tell Melanie in your own time, in your own way. You know best, after all," Elizabeth said quickly. "Why does everything have to be a fight with us?"

"Tradition," Robert replied, setting his sandwich down. "It's what we've always done, and probably always will do."

"I suppose you're right." Elizabeth stood up to leave. "Thank you for lunch."

As she walked away, Robert called out to her. "So, is that a 'yes'?"

She turned around and looked at him before nodding her head. "Yes, I will."

Robert at the last part of his sandwich in silence. One down, two to go.

(SCENE)

Melanie was very clingy with Robert that evening. He wanted to reassure her, but wasn't ready to admit to her about his arm. Deep down in the recesses of his mind, he was convinced that if his arm got any worse than it already was, then Melanie would leave him. His arm might not work, but at least it was still attached. He was still a "whole" person. Melanie deserved a man who could care for her and provide for her. How could he do that if he lost his arm?

"Robert, I missed you so much today," she said quietly as they lay in bed, startling him out of his thoughts. "I hate it when we're apart."

"I missed you too," Robert said, turning to look at her. "Unfortunately it's going to be this way the rest of your school career. Maybe we can meet for lunch some days. And we could start Waffle Wednesdays again too, if it works with your schedule."

"I could have met you for lunch today…"

Robert took a deep breath and reached out to take her hand. "I had important things to discuss with Elizabeth," he replied carefully.

"She was holding your hand," Melanie whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Robert closed her eyes, trying to figure out how to handle this. Should he keep Melanie in the dark as long as possible? If he did, he was likely to lead her to believe he was cheating on her. There's no way she'd stay if she thought he was being unfaithful. He felt like he was trying to hold sand in his hands, and the grains were slipping out between his fingers, only half of which were even functional. He hated to see the pain and fear in Melanie's face. He'd rather kill himself than be the cause of that.

Slowly, he sat up and looked down at her. "Yes, she was holding my hand," he admitted. Melanie sat up as well and studied his face, waiting for him to speak again. "I was discussing the fact that I am going to make her OR Chief permanently and that I'm stepping down as Chief of Staff." It was like ripping off a band-aid, it had hurt at first to say those words, but it actually felt better now, to have done it.

Melanie's jaw dropped and she was rendered completely speechless for almost a full minute. "Why? How? When did you decide this?" She couldn't even form a single thought.

Robert explained everything to her, from losing feeling in his arm after his polar bear plunge, and being useless at work except while in the ER, and how this move would make it safer for her career.

Melanie burst into tears and threw her arms around him. "Oh Robert, how could you keep all of this to yourself? That's way too much for anybody to deal with by himself!"

Robert let her hold him, and buried his face in her hair. The familiar apple scent was a great comfort to him. "I think I'm still getting the hang of this relationship thing," he murmured. I'm not quite used to it yet."

"That's ok, I'm still getting used to it too," Melanie replied before kissing him gently.

"In the interest of full disclosure, I will be having lunch with Susan tomorrow to talk to her," Robert said, looking into her eyes.

Melanie smiled, and then laughed. "I thought by 'full disclosure' you meant to take all your clothes off. I'm rather disappointed now…"

"Witty girl," Robert chuckled. "Well, if viewing my nude form excites you so much, who am I to deny you that pleasure?" He stood up from the bed and slowly undressed as Melanie watched and treated him to a couple wolf whistles. "But I think 'full disclosure' means both of us…" he said when he was done. Melanie grinned and promptly removed her clothes. "Much better."

Melanie threw herself at him and they were quickly embroiled in their hot and heavy activity. Robert felt so much more at ease after having opened up to her and it showed in his performance. By the time they were finished, he was curled up on the bed, clutching his knees and trying to catch his breath and Melanie had slithered off the bed, onto the floor. Her foot had gotten caught in the comforter and that's all he could see of her. He could hear her gasping for air, though. "You ok?" he called out to her when he could speak again.

"Oh yeah," she breathed. "Never better."

When Melanie had gotten back into bed and Robert was holding onto her tightly, he came up with an idea. "How would you like to join me tomorrow when I meet with Susan for lunch?"

"I'd like that," Melanie replied before they fell asleep.

(SCENE)

Robert was fully aware that his future at County was completely dependent upon Susan's answer. If she turned down his offer, he would be forced to retire, because he refused to work in the ER with Weaver.

He wasn't sure what Susan's answer would be. She would be taking on a huge responsibility, though he knew she could handle it. And as an attending, he could help her out as well, depending on the circumstances.

When he approached her on Tuesday, he made sure she was in a good mood before asking her out to lunch. "Melanie and I would like to discuss something with you if you're free for lunch today," he said quietly when they were alone in the ER lounge.

Susan's eyes grew wide and she gasped. "Oh my God, are you guys pregnant? Oh, this is wonderful!"

"No, no, it's not that," Robert said quickly, "It's actually work-related. An opportunity I'd like to offer to you."

Susan sighed and looked sad for a moment. "No baby…damn…" Then she smiled. "All right, I'm free today around one if you want to go across the street."

Robert contacted Melanie to see that she could join them at that time and reassured that she'd be there.

At one, Melanie, Robert, and Susan met at Doc Magoo's. After they'd ordered their food, Robert quietly explained to Susan what he was planning and the role he needed her to play in all of it. For the second time that day, her eyes grew wide. "That's a really big move, Robert," she said, looking down at the table for a moment. "I don't know if I have what it takes to be in charge…"

"Susan, you are one of the most level-headed people I know," Melanie said reassuringly, reaching out and squeezing her hand. "And you are so knowledgeable. I think you'll make a wonderful ER Chief."

"Why don't you take on the position?" Susan asked, looking at Robert.

"I can't be in a position of power if Melanie and I are going to continue our relationship," Robert said in hushed tones. "If we got caught, it could ruin her career. That's not fair to her."

Susan looked back and forth between them and sighed. "Nothing like a little guilt trip," she murmured. After a deep breath, she spoke again. "All right, I'll do it. But you have to promise to help me out." She looked at Robert pleadingly.

"Absolutely," he replied as the server brought their food. "Every step of the way." He smiled as Melanie squeezed his leg under the table. Things were working out brilliantly. He was almost in the clear. Two down, one to go.