Six weeks came and went in the blink of an eye. Kerry was wonderful about
keeping Erin's shifts to eight daytime hours as much as possible. Robert's
arm went from cast to sling, and he threw himself into physical therapy,
vowing to be back in the OR in ninety days. Erin attended his therapy
sessions as often as she could, partially to learn the necessary exercises
so she could help Robert work at home. But mostly, it was because the PT
staff begged her to. They insisted she provided a "calming influence", and
that working with him alone was almost unbearable. So, whenever possible,
she would leave the ER and head for the fourth floor to observe and assist.
One morning a particularly grueling trauma came in, and Erin got caught up in chest tubes and central lines. When things had finally calmed, she glanced at her watch. "Oh, shit," she muttered, realizing she had missed most of one session. She dashed for the stairs and hurried to the therapy room. She was already speaking when she pushed open the door: "I'm so sorry I'm late, we got slammed." The words died in her throat when she discovered Elizabeth Corday standing between herself and Robert.
"Elizabeth!" She gasped in surprise, hurrying to embrace her friend. "You're back! Are you visiting?" Elizabeth returned the hug warmly. "Nope. I'm afraid I'm here to stay."
"That's so great!" Erin smiled widely. "How's Ella?"
"If you two lovely ladies don't mind," Robert interrupted them, his voice mildly irritated, "I have an occupational therapy session to finish here. So why don't you go do your catching up over a cup of tea or something?"
"Same old Robert," Elizabeth mused. "With or without the arm." She turned back to Erin. "I have to check in with Shirley, but coffee sounds lovely. Do you have the time?"
"I'll make the time," Erin grinned. "It's so good to see you." She watched Dr. Corday exit the room, then crossed over to Robert. "Hey RoboDoc, how's it going?"
"Fine," he answered thinly. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. We had multiple trauma victims come in." Robert cut her off with a wave of his hand. "No sweat. You have a job to do down there. I understand; it's no big deal." Erin's face clouded with concern at his abrupt words. "Are you okay?" She asked.
"Yeah," he insisted. "Arm hurts like a bitch." As if to reassure her, he pulled her into his embrace and covered her mouth with his own. She closed her eyes as he deepened the kiss, so she never saw how his remained open, looking past her to the woman leaning over the desk outside. When they parted once more, she stroked her hands up and down his back. "So, we'll work tonight?" He nodded, brushing her cheek with the tip of his nose. "Okay." She kissed him once more. "See you then." She turned and left the room. He watched her approach Elizabeth with her expression of genuine excitement, saw the taller woman put a friendly arm around her shoulders, saw their heads fall back in simultaneous laughter. His brain felt suddenly lost in a fog and he cursed under his breath. Trying to regain some clarity, he slowly clenched his left hand into a fist, gritting his teeth against the pain.
Outside, Elizabeth and Erin were heading for the elevator together. "You look great," Erin smiled. "I can't wait to see Ella. I bet she's gotten so big." She absently lifted her left hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, and her diamond caught the light, flashing brilliantly. "Good Lord!" Elizabeth grabbed her hand. "Where did this come from?"
Erin smiled widely. "He didn't tell you?" "Who? Didn't tell me what?" "Robert? He didn't say anything?" "Robert?! Robert Romano?! Gave you that ring?" Erin nodded. "You and Robert.getting married?" She nodded again. "He didn't tell you?" She repeated, trying not to sound like it bothered her. "No!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Of course, to be fair, I'd only been there a moment or two before you arrived." Erin's face cleared. "So, fill me in on all the details," Dr. Corday encouraged.
The two ended up lunching together at Doc Magoo's. Erin explained the timeline of her relationship with Robert, including abbreviated versions of the conversations they'd shared with regard to Elizabeth. They discussed the night of the accident, and Robert's progress since then. Finally Elizabeth described, in very brief detail, the events of her stay in London and the particulars that made her decide to come home. Erin's pager went off suddenly, and she checked the display. "I better get back. Weaver has been great throughout this whole nightmare, and that's no small feat, considering how rude Robert has been. Don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth." She rose from the table, and Elizabeth followed suit.
"Erin, you look very happy." The two friends embraced.
"It's good to have you back." She headed across the street to the ambulance bay, and Dr. Corday watched her go. She was about to leave herself when she caught sight of Romano emerging from the building. He approached Erin, and Elizabeth watched him reach up to tug playfully on her auburn hair. She observed their body language, the air of familiarity that hung between them. Then Robert pulled the young woman into his embrace and kissed her, his arm low around her waist. With amazing focus, she saw Erin's fingers trace the line of his skull, his hairless head, and his angled jaw. Elizabeth felt a twist in her stomach as she realized she and Mark must have looked exactly like the two of them at one point or another. She forced herself to look away as she tasted tears in the back of her throat. Shouldering her bag, she headed for the El platform, being careful not to turn her eyes in the direction of the hospital again.
In the ambulance bay, Erin forced Robert to release her, giggling as she did. "Well, you seem to be feeling better."
"Sensory function should kick in any day, and it's all downhill from there." He insisted, following her into the ER. They made their way to the admit desk, where Jerry, Carter, Abby and Weaver all stood performing various tasks. "Robert, it's good to see you," Kerry smiled professionally. "You're here for therapy?"
"Just for today and tomorrow, and then it's back in the saddle again." Everyone glanced quickly over, and he grinned, relishing the trepidation he saw in their faces. "That's right, boys and girls, it's official. As of Monday, Yours Truly will be back at the helm of this rat-infested, over- taxed, under-funded ship. I am ready, willing, and more than able. And any crew member not up to task better be prepared, because there will be public floggings for those who aren't."
Everyone turned his or her eyes from him to Erin, who shook her head, refusing to look up from the chart she was working on. "Don't even try to put me in the middle," she chided. "You only have to put up with him here; I have to live with him." She glanced up at Robert, pleased to see he took her remark in stride.
Chuney approached the desk from exam four. "Hey, Dr. Windsor, Pablo's here, and he's got a fever. 102.8"
"Saved by the beer," Erin sighed in relief, excusing herself and following the nurse. She opened the door and greeted Pablo with a smile. He was already hooked up to a banana bag, holding tightly to his grungy bag of belongings. "Hey, Pablo, Miss Chuney tells me you have a fever."
"Yeah, Miss Chuney." Her patient muttered. "She stuck that thing in my ear."
"Well, that's how we find out whether your sick or not."
"Haleh takes care of me. I like Haleh."
"I know," Erin commiserated, "but she's not here today."
Yeah, she's mad at me."
"No, she's not mad at you. She's just not here today." She straightened up and began listing her orders for Chuney. "Chest is clear, so it's not respiratory. CBC, lights, tox screen, stick for glucose, and see if you can't find someone to get him cleaned up." She patted the homeless man on the shoulder. "Don't you worry, Pablo. We're going to take good care of you."
She was checking his IV line when Robert entered the room with bravado. "You know, I find it amazing these people can catch a cold, they're so slow on the uptake."
Erin grinned as Pablo shot him a suspicious look. "Pablo, this is Dr. Romano. He's the big boss around here."
"Charmed, I'm sure. Dr. Windsor, if you have a moment." He leaned, somewhat impatiently, against the door.
"Just a second." She hung her stethoscope over her neck. "I think I saw some donuts in the lounge." She smiled at her patient. "You like jelly, right?"
"Oh, yeah, jelly's good."
Erin turned to leave, and jumped as she felt the man's hand slide over her rear end. She looked at him sternly. "I'll give you that one for free."
"Well, I won't!" Robert moved forward, but Erin caught his chest in her hands and pushed him back, out of the room.
"Calm down. He's a frequent flyer, he's drunk, he's harmless."
"He grabbed your ass!"
"Well, if that's the worst thing that happens to me today, I'm ahead of the game." She moved past him, towards the lounge. "So what can I do for you?"
"The finance committee meets today at three. Could you stop by and pick up a copy of the completed agenda? I swear, I'm gone for a while and it seems like we're leaking money from the seams. It looks like the department heads have indulged everything little whim, save stuffing twenty dollar bills down the patient's shorts on their way out the door."
"Well, that's one area where Kerry can be a big help. She's always got her eye on the budget."
"Sure, when it isn't on the backside of some female paramedic."
"ROBERT!" Erin gasped. He shrugged nonchalantly. "I swear, one day she's going to lay you out flat with that crutch, and I hope I'm there to see it."
He grinned lasciviously, stepping closer to her. "Would you nurse me back to health?" She raised her chin in stubborn resistance, and he leaned in to nuzzle her ear. "Hmmm? Would you?"
Erin tried to suppress her grin and failed. She nudged him bodily with her shoulder. "You really enjoy pushing your luck." She kissed him brusquely. "Go home."
Robert eyed the worn leather couch. "You sure? We could always.you know."
Erin bit her full lower lip as he rested his forehead against hers, giggling at his suggestion. "Weaver could come watch. I wouldn't mind." He purred silkily into her neck.
"Get out!" She laughed and pushed him away once more, her face flushed. He shrugged sadly, and made his way out the door in his familiar, cocky stride. Erin shook her head, watching him go.
One morning a particularly grueling trauma came in, and Erin got caught up in chest tubes and central lines. When things had finally calmed, she glanced at her watch. "Oh, shit," she muttered, realizing she had missed most of one session. She dashed for the stairs and hurried to the therapy room. She was already speaking when she pushed open the door: "I'm so sorry I'm late, we got slammed." The words died in her throat when she discovered Elizabeth Corday standing between herself and Robert.
"Elizabeth!" She gasped in surprise, hurrying to embrace her friend. "You're back! Are you visiting?" Elizabeth returned the hug warmly. "Nope. I'm afraid I'm here to stay."
"That's so great!" Erin smiled widely. "How's Ella?"
"If you two lovely ladies don't mind," Robert interrupted them, his voice mildly irritated, "I have an occupational therapy session to finish here. So why don't you go do your catching up over a cup of tea or something?"
"Same old Robert," Elizabeth mused. "With or without the arm." She turned back to Erin. "I have to check in with Shirley, but coffee sounds lovely. Do you have the time?"
"I'll make the time," Erin grinned. "It's so good to see you." She watched Dr. Corday exit the room, then crossed over to Robert. "Hey RoboDoc, how's it going?"
"Fine," he answered thinly. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. We had multiple trauma victims come in." Robert cut her off with a wave of his hand. "No sweat. You have a job to do down there. I understand; it's no big deal." Erin's face clouded with concern at his abrupt words. "Are you okay?" She asked.
"Yeah," he insisted. "Arm hurts like a bitch." As if to reassure her, he pulled her into his embrace and covered her mouth with his own. She closed her eyes as he deepened the kiss, so she never saw how his remained open, looking past her to the woman leaning over the desk outside. When they parted once more, she stroked her hands up and down his back. "So, we'll work tonight?" He nodded, brushing her cheek with the tip of his nose. "Okay." She kissed him once more. "See you then." She turned and left the room. He watched her approach Elizabeth with her expression of genuine excitement, saw the taller woman put a friendly arm around her shoulders, saw their heads fall back in simultaneous laughter. His brain felt suddenly lost in a fog and he cursed under his breath. Trying to regain some clarity, he slowly clenched his left hand into a fist, gritting his teeth against the pain.
Outside, Elizabeth and Erin were heading for the elevator together. "You look great," Erin smiled. "I can't wait to see Ella. I bet she's gotten so big." She absently lifted her left hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, and her diamond caught the light, flashing brilliantly. "Good Lord!" Elizabeth grabbed her hand. "Where did this come from?"
Erin smiled widely. "He didn't tell you?" "Who? Didn't tell me what?" "Robert? He didn't say anything?" "Robert?! Robert Romano?! Gave you that ring?" Erin nodded. "You and Robert.getting married?" She nodded again. "He didn't tell you?" She repeated, trying not to sound like it bothered her. "No!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Of course, to be fair, I'd only been there a moment or two before you arrived." Erin's face cleared. "So, fill me in on all the details," Dr. Corday encouraged.
The two ended up lunching together at Doc Magoo's. Erin explained the timeline of her relationship with Robert, including abbreviated versions of the conversations they'd shared with regard to Elizabeth. They discussed the night of the accident, and Robert's progress since then. Finally Elizabeth described, in very brief detail, the events of her stay in London and the particulars that made her decide to come home. Erin's pager went off suddenly, and she checked the display. "I better get back. Weaver has been great throughout this whole nightmare, and that's no small feat, considering how rude Robert has been. Don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth." She rose from the table, and Elizabeth followed suit.
"Erin, you look very happy." The two friends embraced.
"It's good to have you back." She headed across the street to the ambulance bay, and Dr. Corday watched her go. She was about to leave herself when she caught sight of Romano emerging from the building. He approached Erin, and Elizabeth watched him reach up to tug playfully on her auburn hair. She observed their body language, the air of familiarity that hung between them. Then Robert pulled the young woman into his embrace and kissed her, his arm low around her waist. With amazing focus, she saw Erin's fingers trace the line of his skull, his hairless head, and his angled jaw. Elizabeth felt a twist in her stomach as she realized she and Mark must have looked exactly like the two of them at one point or another. She forced herself to look away as she tasted tears in the back of her throat. Shouldering her bag, she headed for the El platform, being careful not to turn her eyes in the direction of the hospital again.
In the ambulance bay, Erin forced Robert to release her, giggling as she did. "Well, you seem to be feeling better."
"Sensory function should kick in any day, and it's all downhill from there." He insisted, following her into the ER. They made their way to the admit desk, where Jerry, Carter, Abby and Weaver all stood performing various tasks. "Robert, it's good to see you," Kerry smiled professionally. "You're here for therapy?"
"Just for today and tomorrow, and then it's back in the saddle again." Everyone glanced quickly over, and he grinned, relishing the trepidation he saw in their faces. "That's right, boys and girls, it's official. As of Monday, Yours Truly will be back at the helm of this rat-infested, over- taxed, under-funded ship. I am ready, willing, and more than able. And any crew member not up to task better be prepared, because there will be public floggings for those who aren't."
Everyone turned his or her eyes from him to Erin, who shook her head, refusing to look up from the chart she was working on. "Don't even try to put me in the middle," she chided. "You only have to put up with him here; I have to live with him." She glanced up at Robert, pleased to see he took her remark in stride.
Chuney approached the desk from exam four. "Hey, Dr. Windsor, Pablo's here, and he's got a fever. 102.8"
"Saved by the beer," Erin sighed in relief, excusing herself and following the nurse. She opened the door and greeted Pablo with a smile. He was already hooked up to a banana bag, holding tightly to his grungy bag of belongings. "Hey, Pablo, Miss Chuney tells me you have a fever."
"Yeah, Miss Chuney." Her patient muttered. "She stuck that thing in my ear."
"Well, that's how we find out whether your sick or not."
"Haleh takes care of me. I like Haleh."
"I know," Erin commiserated, "but she's not here today."
Yeah, she's mad at me."
"No, she's not mad at you. She's just not here today." She straightened up and began listing her orders for Chuney. "Chest is clear, so it's not respiratory. CBC, lights, tox screen, stick for glucose, and see if you can't find someone to get him cleaned up." She patted the homeless man on the shoulder. "Don't you worry, Pablo. We're going to take good care of you."
She was checking his IV line when Robert entered the room with bravado. "You know, I find it amazing these people can catch a cold, they're so slow on the uptake."
Erin grinned as Pablo shot him a suspicious look. "Pablo, this is Dr. Romano. He's the big boss around here."
"Charmed, I'm sure. Dr. Windsor, if you have a moment." He leaned, somewhat impatiently, against the door.
"Just a second." She hung her stethoscope over her neck. "I think I saw some donuts in the lounge." She smiled at her patient. "You like jelly, right?"
"Oh, yeah, jelly's good."
Erin turned to leave, and jumped as she felt the man's hand slide over her rear end. She looked at him sternly. "I'll give you that one for free."
"Well, I won't!" Robert moved forward, but Erin caught his chest in her hands and pushed him back, out of the room.
"Calm down. He's a frequent flyer, he's drunk, he's harmless."
"He grabbed your ass!"
"Well, if that's the worst thing that happens to me today, I'm ahead of the game." She moved past him, towards the lounge. "So what can I do for you?"
"The finance committee meets today at three. Could you stop by and pick up a copy of the completed agenda? I swear, I'm gone for a while and it seems like we're leaking money from the seams. It looks like the department heads have indulged everything little whim, save stuffing twenty dollar bills down the patient's shorts on their way out the door."
"Well, that's one area where Kerry can be a big help. She's always got her eye on the budget."
"Sure, when it isn't on the backside of some female paramedic."
"ROBERT!" Erin gasped. He shrugged nonchalantly. "I swear, one day she's going to lay you out flat with that crutch, and I hope I'm there to see it."
He grinned lasciviously, stepping closer to her. "Would you nurse me back to health?" She raised her chin in stubborn resistance, and he leaned in to nuzzle her ear. "Hmmm? Would you?"
Erin tried to suppress her grin and failed. She nudged him bodily with her shoulder. "You really enjoy pushing your luck." She kissed him brusquely. "Go home."
Robert eyed the worn leather couch. "You sure? We could always.you know."
Erin bit her full lower lip as he rested his forehead against hers, giggling at his suggestion. "Weaver could come watch. I wouldn't mind." He purred silkily into her neck.
"Get out!" She laughed and pushed him away once more, her face flushed. He shrugged sadly, and made his way out the door in his familiar, cocky stride. Erin shook her head, watching him go.