Disclaimer: I still don't own any of these characters. They all belong to other parties and I'm just using them for my own personal amusement, which doesn't involve making any money.

Thank you everyone who has reviewed. It means a lot to me, so keep the feedback coming! For those who are asking for more Cordano love, I can only quote Elizabeth: "You have to be patient!". ;)

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About an hour later Elizabeth stood up, feeling slightly dizzy. She was surprised of how pleasantly the hour had passed in Robert's company. They had kept their conversation in safe topics, both clearly willing to avoid any awkward moments between them. But it was getting late and as much as a part of her would have wanted to stay, Elizabeth knew she would have to get home now if she wanted to see Ella before her bedtime.

Robert looked disappointed when Elizabeth announced that she was leaving.

"Is there nothing I can do to make you to stay a little longer?", he asked, knowing full well that when Elizabeth had decided something the decision wasn't easily shaken.

"No, Robert. I think I've had more than is good for me already." She retorted, then added with a smile: "And, quite frankly, so have you."

"Always the spoilsport", Robert sighed resignedly, getting up of his chair. "But if you insist on leaving, I think I'll be heading out as well."

He took a couple of unsteady steps and almost stumbled on a box that was lying on the floor.

"Don't tell me you are with a car, Robert." Elizabeth said, being all too well aware of the fact that Robert Romano never went anywhere without his Jaguar.

"Worried about me, huh?" Robert was staggering his way through the boxes as he spoke, trying to make his way to Elizabeth who already was standing near the door.

"No, I am only worried about the people you will knock over if you start driving now", she replied dryly, hiding any concern she might have felt.

Robert feigned a pout and sighed heavily. "And here I was thinking you actually cared for me!"

"Well, I'm relieved to know you still are thinking." Elizabeth shot back, making a face at his back as he was pulling on his coat.

"So, what do you suggest then?" Robert asked, ignoring Elizabeth's last remark as he was battling with his coat, trying to get his left arm in.

"Huh?" Elizabeth had been watching Romano's struggle with the evil coat and hadn't paid any attention to his words.

"What do you suggest? Your place or mine?"

"I beg you pardon?!" Elizabeth could hardly believe her ears.

Robert chuckled, finally managing to get the coat on.

"I just had to make sure you were listening." he explained calmly. "I was asking what do you think I should do with the car."

"Oh" Elizabeth blushed slightly. The last drink had probably been too much for her. "Um.I think you should leave it here and take a cab."

"Sounds reasonable." Robert admitted. "But what about you?"

"What about me?"

"How are you planning to get home?"

Elizabeth hadn't really thought of it, but she didn't think there'd be a problem since she didn't have a car with her anyway.

"As you might know, there are people who actually use the public transport." She therefore replied without much hesitation.

Robert frowned.

"Oh, did I just lose your good opinion by confessing I don't always have a car with me?" Elizabeth asked sarcastically after noticing his expression.

"No", Robert retorted. "But don't expect me to let you go there all alone in the dark after all the drinks you have had."

Elizabeth realized he was being serious. Maybe it was the alcohol that was making her emotional, but at that moment she found his concern quite touching.

"Are you worried about me?", she asked softly.

Robert seemed to contemplate her question for a second, then his lips curved into a grin.

"No. I'm only worried about the people you will knock over if you have to run to catch the train."

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest and managed to look indignant for a second before breaking into laughter.

"I guess I deserved that one." She finally admitted.

"You certainly did" Romano replied simply.

"But actually." he then continued in a more serious note "I meant what I said earlier. I don't think you should take the train. You could come with me."

"In a cab?"

"No, on top of an elephant - of course I mean in a cab!"

"But we live in totally different directions!" Elizabeth protested.

"So?"

"So, if I were to take a cab, don't you think it would be better to just take two cabs and go our separate ways?"

Robert sighed. There seemed to be no point in resisting.

"Whatever you say, Lizzie"

"I'm glad you think that way." Elizabeth smirked, opening the door as she spoke. "Now, shall we go?"

"Ladies first." Romano offered, standing back to let Elizabeth pass first.

She raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"I had no idea you could be such a gentleman."

"There's a lot about me you don't know."

Elizabeth could only silently agree with him as she stepped out of the office, closely followed by Romano who stayed behind to lock the door. She walked slowly towards the elevators, suddenly beginning to wonder why she had never bothered to find out more about Robert before. She now realized she had no idea what he was like outside of his office and outside of the hospital. She didn't know what he liked to do when he had spare time and if he had any hobbies. She wasn't even sure if he had any close friends. The list of unanswered questions seemed endless and it slowly began to dawn on Elizabeth that she knew absolutely nothing of the man she had been working with for almost six years. She had had many chances to get to know him better, but she had never used them.

Silently Elizabeth reached the elevator doors and she stood there in her thoughts until Romano finally joined her again. Elizabeth was startled out of her reverie as she heard his voice from behind her.

"Lizzie!"

Elizabeth looked up to see Robert coming to a halt beside her.

"Have you lost your 'Elevator for Dummies' -manual or did you just forget to press the button?" he snapped as he proceeded to press the 'down' -button.

Elizabeth was embarrassed to realize she hadn't ordered the elevator, even though she had been standing right before it for a while already. Damn it. She would have to get a grip of herself and stop drifting off to her own thoughts in Robert's company or she would never hear the end of it.

"I just wanted to save you the pleasure." She finally retorted to get back her dignity.

Robert seemed to be ready to shoot back his response, but he never had the change to deliver it, because at that moment the elevator doors flew open and they suddenly found themselves face to face with Kerry Weaver.

"Ah, Kerry!" Robert cried, feigning excitement. "Just the person I was not looking for."

"Elizabeth, Robert" Weaver greeted, sounding somewhat reserved.

For a moment it looked like she was going to pass them both by without any further notice, but then she suddenly came to a halt, looking at Romano incredulously. Elizabeth realized she must have smelled the alcohol in their breaths and quickly looked away, but Robert didn't seem to be so easily intimidated.

"Anything I can do for you, Kerry?" he asked with a smirk. "Because whatever it is, the answer is no."

"Have you been drinking, Dr. Romano?", Weaver asked, ignoring his comment.

"Drinking at work? Me?" Romano replied innocently. "Kerry, I'm disappointed to hear you could even suspect something like that of me." Then he turned to Elizabeth. "Dr. Corday here can confirm that we only shared a glass or two of orange juice in my office."

Elizabeth coughed to hide her chuckle and then tried to reach a lever voice to convince Weaver that that was indeed the case.

"See?" Romano snapped before Kerry could open her mouth again. "Now, if you will excuse us. We don't want to miss the elevator."

With that, he quickly dragged Elizabeth with him to the elevator, leaving a wordless Weaver on the other side of the gliding doors.

"Bitch", Robert snapped as soon as the elevator was moving.

"Robert!" Elizabeth protested, but didn't manage to sound very convincing.

"Oh, don't bother. You know that's exactly what she is."

Elizabeth didn't reply. Robert was right. She had never liked Kerry and probably never would. It would just be hypocritical of her to try to stop others from calling her names.

"Do you think she will get us into trouble?" Elizabeth asked instead, remembering that Kerry now was the Chief of Staff and had the power to make their lives miserable if she wanted. In fact, she already had made Robert's life miserable. The bitch.

"What? For drinking? She can't prove anything", Robert replied lightly. "And even if she could, there's still the fact that neither of us were on call or treating patients."

"You're probably right", Elizabeth agreed, relaxing and yawning. She was beginning to feel increasingly tired and she had no wish to think about Kerry Weaver any longer.

The elevator soon stopped and the doors opened. This time they had reached the ground floor without any interruptions.

They were both silent as they stepped out and proceeded to walk outside. Elizabeth had finally been overcome by sleepiness and she found herself too tired to keep up the conversation. Robert, on the other hand, seemed to be too deep in his own thoughts to talk. Or maybe he was tired too, Elizabeth couldn't tell. Once she was almost certain she had caught him staring at herself, but he had quickly averted his eyes and turned to look at something that was on the other side of the road. He seemed to be slowly descending back into moodiness again.

For a while they walked quietly down the street. Then Robert finally managed to stop a cab.

"You're tired", he said quietly once the cab had been secured. "You can take this one."

Elizabeth didn't have much will to protest, but she was also hesitant to leave Robert all alone in his current mood.

"What about you?" she asked softly.

"I'll take the next one", he shrugged, looking away.

"You promise?" Elizabeth asked, trying to make Robert meet her eyes. "I don't want you to even consider going to take your car as soon as I'm gone."

"Well, I wasn't going to, but now that you brought it up..." he replied a bit more lightly.

"Robert!"

"Oh, right, you're thinking about the people I will knock over again, aren't you?"

There was something in Robert's voice that alarmed Elizabeth.

"No", she pleaded. "I'm thinking about you. I don't want you to get hurt." Elizabeth no longer cared if she sounded worried. Robert seemed moody, probably due to the drinking, and she wasn't sure what he was up to. She had a right to be worried, she told herself.

Robert finally looked into Elizabeth's eyes and held her gaze for a while. Then he sighed.

"All right, I will promise", he finally said.

Elizabeth had barely time to register her relief when Romano suddenly continued:

"Um...Elizabeth?"

"Yes?"

"Uh...You have tomorrow off, right?

There it was. He was going to ask her out. Elizabeth cursed herself for having shown too much concern for him. She should have known he would mistake it for something else. But what else could she have done?

Robert seemed to be waiting for some kind of confirmation, so Elizabeth nodded, dreading for what would come next.

"I was just wondering if I could.." he trailed off. "I mean, if you wouldn't mind me calling you tomorrow?"

Elizabeth looked at Robert in surprise. "Calling me?"

"Yeah." Robert nodded, his mood seemingly lifting again. "I trust you are familiar with the telephone?"

"Of course I am, Robert!" Elizabeth retorted. She could only wonder why she was suddenly feeling almost disappointed. She should have been relieved that Robert was not asking her out. She was relieved, Elizabeth told herself firmly. Of course she was.

"So?" Robert was still waiting for her answer.

"Um..No, I don't think I would mind." Elizabeth finally replied, stretching her words. Then she pulled herself together and smiled.

"Actually, I'd be happy to hear from you, to know you got home safely." She continued more assuredly. After all, it was just a phone call. What harm could it do to anyone?

Robert seemed satisfied. For a moment Elizabeth almost thought he returned her smile, but the moment didn't last for long. He quickly bid her good night and helped her into the cab before disappearing into the night.

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TBC