Part 3
Mark woke early in the morning to find that it was still dark outside. Turning around to face Elizabeth, he found her on her side facing the other way, eye's closed and one arm placed protectively on her stomach. Mark smiled to himself as he watched her sleep. 'Elizabeth looks much more peaceful with her eye's closed than when they are open' he thought to himself. But after a few minuets, he noticed that she wasn't sleeping at all. Mark was debating with himself on how he should 'wake her up', when Elizabeth grabbed him and rolled him over on his back and started giggling at his surprised expression.
"Your awake." he said as if he didn't know it just a few seconds ago. "How long have you been up?"
"I don't know, a little while." lied Elizabeth giving Mark a kiss on the lips. Mark looked at her but didn't say anything. "Ok, fine a couple of hours."
"Is She keeping you up?" sympathized Mark.
"Ummhumm." said Elizabeth softly, snuggling against Marks bare chest.
"And Charlotte?"
"Yeah. I just feel so sorry for her..."
"There's more to it isn't it?" asked Mark pulling the hair back from Elizabeth's face and giving her a cuddle.
"Sought of." admitted Elizabeth. "I don't really want to talk about it."
"Elizabeth, you know better than that-"
"Mark can we just drop this?" pleaded Elizabeth flipping over onto her stomach.
"No Elizabeth, it's obviously bothering you and I know you better than to just let it go like that." demanded Mark. "I just want to help you." he said in a softer tone.
"I know, but I still don't want to talk about it." said Elizabeth.
Mark got up from the bed dejectedly and made his way to the door.
"Mark..."
"I'm going to work." came his reply as he quickly put on a pair of pants and a shirt.
"I'm sorry-" said Elizabeth sitting up.
"Elizabeth, I don't keep secrets from you and you shouldn't keep them from me." said Mark walking out of the room.
Elizabeth heard the front door slam and then she too got up herself and put her head in her hands. "What the hell have I done?"
Mark, angered by Elizabeth's stubbornness put his head down in recognition of what he had just said. But he was way too strong headed to go back in and apoligise. Instead, he continued walking to the EL tracks glancing back at the house and watching as the lights went on, slowly one by....one.
~*~*~*~
Charlotte opened her eye's to find Elizabeth watching her.
"Morning." greeted Elizabeth simply.
"Morning." said Charlotte, sitting up. "I'm hungry."
"That's good because I brought you breakfast." said Elizabeth getting up and placing a tray of disgusting hospital food infront of Charlotte. However Charlotte didn't notice and started eating like she never had before. After a few bites of cereal and making sure that the food wouldn't disappear, she put her spoon down and wiped the milk from around her mouth with a corner of her blanket instead of using the napkin.
"What's wrong?" asked Elizabeth.
"Why are you sad." asked Charlotte back.
"I'm not sad. Eat." lied Elizabeth for the second time that day.
"No. Did you have a fight? Everytime I have a fight with my next door neighbor I'm always sad and then I go 'say sorry' and everything is all better."
"Something like that Char but sometimes saying sorry is really hard to do." said Elizabeth, wishing that it was as simple as Charlotte had said.
"Why?" asked Charlotte before going back to her breakfast but eagerly waiting for Elizabeth's answer.
"It's complicated and one day when your older you'll find out."
"Ok." said Charlotte happily. "How long do I have to stay in hospital Elizabeth?"
"Your full of questions this morning." said Elizabeth, keeping an eye on the glass door for any sign of Cathy. "About a week maybe less."
"Why??"
"Because your not ready to leave yet."
"Og hidj hoiud jk boding harre." said Charlotte, her mouth full.
"Char, I have to talk to someone, I'll be back soon." said Elizabeth getting up and walking out of the room. Chalotte continued talking to her spoon, only nodding in response to Elizabeth's departure.
"Cathy." called Elizabeth as she approached the social worker that was chatting to the nurse at the desk. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It just a few minuets." said Cathy.
"What's the word?" asked Elizabeth anxiously.
"Well... there are no foster homes available to care for her at the moment. They are all either full or way too busy at the moment."
"So what's gong to happen?"
"If we can't find a home by tonight, she will have to stay at a halfway home for a while until we can find somewhere. She'll be out in a week, right."
"Yeah maybe earlier." answered Elizabeth with a sigh. "So it looks like the halfway home is the only solution."
"Yeah. Sad I know but if we don't find anyone who is willing to care there is not much more we can do for her."
"Thankyou. Please page me if you receive any news."
"Of course." said Cathy walking down the hall.
The nurse at the desk looked in Elizabeth's direction. "Dr Corday, she was crying and screaming for you all night long. I think she was having bad dreams."
"Why didn't you call me?" asked Elizabeth.
"Dr Legaspi said that it was important her to learn that you might not always be there." explained the nurse. Elizabeth knew she was right, Charlotte was already becoming too dependent on her.
~*~*~*~
"Dr Greene?" asked Carter coming up to the desk. "I though your shift starts at eleven. It's only nine."
"I know the time Carter." said Mark looking up from his chart Q&A. "Just thought I'd pop by see if I can lend a hand."
Carter stood nervously, wondering if he should ask his next question. "Everything ok at home?"
"Everything's fine." said Mark going back to work.
Carter thought for a moment about what he should say next and then asked, "Wanna grab a coffie at Doc's it's slow at the moment."
"Yeah, uh I think I'll take you up on that offer." said Mark stacking up the charts and following Carter to the lounge.
"So how's everything going?" asked Carter again. They were seated in a window boot waiting for their orders.
"Everything's ok. Something just happened this morning between me and Elizabeth." said Mark sadly. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have walked out like that."
"Was it about Charlotte?"
"Yeah, sought of. How did you know?" asked Mark.
"Gossip that's going around the hospital." explained Carter. "There's a rumor saying that your going to adopt her."
"Yeah, well, we might." said Mark taking the mug from the waiter and staring into the dark liquid.
"So the rumor mill is right for once." said Carter surprised.
"Well... maybe. I asked Elizabeth this morning why she was so... I don't know how to explain it." said Mark. "She told me that she didn't want to talk about it. I guess I was mad because she wasn't telling me something that I knew was important."
"And then you stormed out." said Carter pushing the pieces together.
"You got it buddy."
"Well, maybe it's something that's not exactly easy to tell someone you love." suggested Carter.
"What are you saying?" asked Mark suspiciously. "What else have you heard from the nurses."
"Nothing, it's just that maybe it's something that just doesn't come up in ordinary conversation everyday. Talk to her."
"It's not that easy Carter." said Mark shaking his head at all the times it wasn't 'that easy' to tell someone something.
"Yeah, well, you have to talk sometime. You can't just go home tonight and pretend that nothing happened." reasoned Carter.
Suddenly a beeping sound of a pager could be heard and they both looked at their pagers. Only Mark's wasn't beeping.
"Look's like they need me." said Carter getting up. "Think about what I said."
"Yeah, I will. Thanks Carter."
"Anytime."
Mark watched as the younger doctor rushed out of the door and on his way to County as he pondered the profound words he had just heard a few minuets ago.
~*~*~*~
Elizabeth rounded the corner to see Mark working on another stack of charts at the desk. It was slow and she knew he wasn't on 'officially' for a whille and that all her elective surgeries had been pushed back till that afternoon.
She didn't walk straight up to him, but instead opted to watch him from a distance. The way he kept stopping and glancing at his watch told her that he wasn't really paying attention and couldn't wait till his shift started and that hurt a lot. Elizabeth knew that after she explained her 'secret' that things might never be the same again. She ducked once more out of sight of Mark and took a deep breath. The baby which they had found out to be a girl just a day ago hadn't really been kicking since that morning and it was worrying her but that wasn't the point at the moment. She had to tell him. Now.
"Mark. I was wondering if you want to go for a walk by the Lake." asked Elizabeth nervously. Mark looked up and nodded lightly. Without saying a word he piled up the charts, got up from his seat and grabbed his jacket.
"Let's go." he said quietly as they left the desk.
~*~*~*~
Mark woke early in the morning to find that it was still dark outside. Turning around to face Elizabeth, he found her on her side facing the other way, eye's closed and one arm placed protectively on her stomach. Mark smiled to himself as he watched her sleep. 'Elizabeth looks much more peaceful with her eye's closed than when they are open' he thought to himself. But after a few minuets, he noticed that she wasn't sleeping at all. Mark was debating with himself on how he should 'wake her up', when Elizabeth grabbed him and rolled him over on his back and started giggling at his surprised expression.
"Your awake." he said as if he didn't know it just a few seconds ago. "How long have you been up?"
"I don't know, a little while." lied Elizabeth giving Mark a kiss on the lips. Mark looked at her but didn't say anything. "Ok, fine a couple of hours."
"Is She keeping you up?" sympathized Mark.
"Ummhumm." said Elizabeth softly, snuggling against Marks bare chest.
"And Charlotte?"
"Yeah. I just feel so sorry for her..."
"There's more to it isn't it?" asked Mark pulling the hair back from Elizabeth's face and giving her a cuddle.
"Sought of." admitted Elizabeth. "I don't really want to talk about it."
"Elizabeth, you know better than that-"
"Mark can we just drop this?" pleaded Elizabeth flipping over onto her stomach.
"No Elizabeth, it's obviously bothering you and I know you better than to just let it go like that." demanded Mark. "I just want to help you." he said in a softer tone.
"I know, but I still don't want to talk about it." said Elizabeth.
Mark got up from the bed dejectedly and made his way to the door.
"Mark..."
"I'm going to work." came his reply as he quickly put on a pair of pants and a shirt.
"I'm sorry-" said Elizabeth sitting up.
"Elizabeth, I don't keep secrets from you and you shouldn't keep them from me." said Mark walking out of the room.
Elizabeth heard the front door slam and then she too got up herself and put her head in her hands. "What the hell have I done?"
Mark, angered by Elizabeth's stubbornness put his head down in recognition of what he had just said. But he was way too strong headed to go back in and apoligise. Instead, he continued walking to the EL tracks glancing back at the house and watching as the lights went on, slowly one by....one.
~*~*~*~
Charlotte opened her eye's to find Elizabeth watching her.
"Morning." greeted Elizabeth simply.
"Morning." said Charlotte, sitting up. "I'm hungry."
"That's good because I brought you breakfast." said Elizabeth getting up and placing a tray of disgusting hospital food infront of Charlotte. However Charlotte didn't notice and started eating like she never had before. After a few bites of cereal and making sure that the food wouldn't disappear, she put her spoon down and wiped the milk from around her mouth with a corner of her blanket instead of using the napkin.
"What's wrong?" asked Elizabeth.
"Why are you sad." asked Charlotte back.
"I'm not sad. Eat." lied Elizabeth for the second time that day.
"No. Did you have a fight? Everytime I have a fight with my next door neighbor I'm always sad and then I go 'say sorry' and everything is all better."
"Something like that Char but sometimes saying sorry is really hard to do." said Elizabeth, wishing that it was as simple as Charlotte had said.
"Why?" asked Charlotte before going back to her breakfast but eagerly waiting for Elizabeth's answer.
"It's complicated and one day when your older you'll find out."
"Ok." said Charlotte happily. "How long do I have to stay in hospital Elizabeth?"
"Your full of questions this morning." said Elizabeth, keeping an eye on the glass door for any sign of Cathy. "About a week maybe less."
"Why??"
"Because your not ready to leave yet."
"Og hidj hoiud jk boding harre." said Charlotte, her mouth full.
"Char, I have to talk to someone, I'll be back soon." said Elizabeth getting up and walking out of the room. Chalotte continued talking to her spoon, only nodding in response to Elizabeth's departure.
"Cathy." called Elizabeth as she approached the social worker that was chatting to the nurse at the desk. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It just a few minuets." said Cathy.
"What's the word?" asked Elizabeth anxiously.
"Well... there are no foster homes available to care for her at the moment. They are all either full or way too busy at the moment."
"So what's gong to happen?"
"If we can't find a home by tonight, she will have to stay at a halfway home for a while until we can find somewhere. She'll be out in a week, right."
"Yeah maybe earlier." answered Elizabeth with a sigh. "So it looks like the halfway home is the only solution."
"Yeah. Sad I know but if we don't find anyone who is willing to care there is not much more we can do for her."
"Thankyou. Please page me if you receive any news."
"Of course." said Cathy walking down the hall.
The nurse at the desk looked in Elizabeth's direction. "Dr Corday, she was crying and screaming for you all night long. I think she was having bad dreams."
"Why didn't you call me?" asked Elizabeth.
"Dr Legaspi said that it was important her to learn that you might not always be there." explained the nurse. Elizabeth knew she was right, Charlotte was already becoming too dependent on her.
~*~*~*~
"Dr Greene?" asked Carter coming up to the desk. "I though your shift starts at eleven. It's only nine."
"I know the time Carter." said Mark looking up from his chart Q&A. "Just thought I'd pop by see if I can lend a hand."
Carter stood nervously, wondering if he should ask his next question. "Everything ok at home?"
"Everything's fine." said Mark going back to work.
Carter thought for a moment about what he should say next and then asked, "Wanna grab a coffie at Doc's it's slow at the moment."
"Yeah, uh I think I'll take you up on that offer." said Mark stacking up the charts and following Carter to the lounge.
"So how's everything going?" asked Carter again. They were seated in a window boot waiting for their orders.
"Everything's ok. Something just happened this morning between me and Elizabeth." said Mark sadly. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have walked out like that."
"Was it about Charlotte?"
"Yeah, sought of. How did you know?" asked Mark.
"Gossip that's going around the hospital." explained Carter. "There's a rumor saying that your going to adopt her."
"Yeah, well, we might." said Mark taking the mug from the waiter and staring into the dark liquid.
"So the rumor mill is right for once." said Carter surprised.
"Well... maybe. I asked Elizabeth this morning why she was so... I don't know how to explain it." said Mark. "She told me that she didn't want to talk about it. I guess I was mad because she wasn't telling me something that I knew was important."
"And then you stormed out." said Carter pushing the pieces together.
"You got it buddy."
"Well, maybe it's something that's not exactly easy to tell someone you love." suggested Carter.
"What are you saying?" asked Mark suspiciously. "What else have you heard from the nurses."
"Nothing, it's just that maybe it's something that just doesn't come up in ordinary conversation everyday. Talk to her."
"It's not that easy Carter." said Mark shaking his head at all the times it wasn't 'that easy' to tell someone something.
"Yeah, well, you have to talk sometime. You can't just go home tonight and pretend that nothing happened." reasoned Carter.
Suddenly a beeping sound of a pager could be heard and they both looked at their pagers. Only Mark's wasn't beeping.
"Look's like they need me." said Carter getting up. "Think about what I said."
"Yeah, I will. Thanks Carter."
"Anytime."
Mark watched as the younger doctor rushed out of the door and on his way to County as he pondered the profound words he had just heard a few minuets ago.
~*~*~*~
Elizabeth rounded the corner to see Mark working on another stack of charts at the desk. It was slow and she knew he wasn't on 'officially' for a whille and that all her elective surgeries had been pushed back till that afternoon.
She didn't walk straight up to him, but instead opted to watch him from a distance. The way he kept stopping and glancing at his watch told her that he wasn't really paying attention and couldn't wait till his shift started and that hurt a lot. Elizabeth knew that after she explained her 'secret' that things might never be the same again. She ducked once more out of sight of Mark and took a deep breath. The baby which they had found out to be a girl just a day ago hadn't really been kicking since that morning and it was worrying her but that wasn't the point at the moment. She had to tell him. Now.
"Mark. I was wondering if you want to go for a walk by the Lake." asked Elizabeth nervously. Mark looked up and nodded lightly. Without saying a word he piled up the charts, got up from his seat and grabbed his jacket.
"Let's go." he said quietly as they left the desk.
~*~*~*~