Revolving Walls
Chapter 2
The Weight Of The World
"A Simple Twist Of Fate"
Disclamier: Don't own ER, never will do. It's just a dream of mine.
* * * * *
"You are my sunshine, my ray of sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey...."
A quiet gurgle was heard in the darkened room as the small baby cradled lovingly in the safety of her mother's arms responded to the lullaby sung to her. A loud sigh echoed across the room as the mother bent down to place a tender kiss on the child's forehead.
"Everything will be okay my darling" Elizabeth promised, leaning back into the large wooden rocking chair. She closed her weary eyes for a moment and pressed her lips together, the stress of the previous day's events clearly taking their toll on the exhausted woman. She wanted to fall asleep. She wanted to snuggle up and allow sleep to over-take her weak and tired body. But she couldn't. She couldn't sleep for fear of what might happen to her precious baby. The last time she slept, she awoke to find Ella had accidently swallowed an ecstasy tablet, she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. The truth was Elizabeth Corday was frightened. Fightened of losing the one person she loved more than anything else, her beautiful Ella. If she continued to keep watch over the child, then nobody could take her away from the surgeon. Running a hand through her curly, tangled locks of hair, she rubbed the temple of her forehead irritably and stifled a yawn. It was every mother's worst nightmare- not being able to protect your own flesh and blood. The child you carried around and protected inside your womb for nine months. Elizabeth ran a finger across Ella's pale skin. It felt so smooth and delicate, like a piece of polished ivory. She was the most beautiful creation the woman had ever cast her eyes upon. And she belonged to her. Only her. Placing the baby carefully down into the white cot, Elizabeth ran her fingers through the short, curly strands of Ella's fair hair before collapsing into the chair nearby. Where's Mark, she shook her head in frustration, bitterly annoyed by his decision to work today. How could he think about any other patient when his own daughterwas currenly lying in the PICU after a near fatal overdose? When she really thought about it, Elizabeth realised she was not at all surprised by her husband's behaviour. It was all so typical of Mark to run away from his problems and not face them head on. Yet she still couldn't forgive him for not being there when she and Ella needed him the most. She needed support and comfort, a figure to lean upon during these troubled times.
"Daddy, will be here soon Ella" she sighed, a bitter laugh threatening to claw it's way out of her throat as she realised how empty her words meant. Bringing a hand to her crumpled face, the woman burst into a fit of tears, rocking back and forward in the chair as the tears fell freely down her cheeks. Truthfully she didn't want Mark there with her at that particular moment in time. Truthfully she was thinking about him once again.
* * * * *
She stood perfectly still for a moment, frowning as she stared back at her reflection in the mirror. Her curly hair looked
a dreadful fright, dark circles lay under her eyes and her pale lips were cracked and chapped. She looked and felt like a living corpse. The dizziness and vomitting had resided that morning leaving her with just a dull headache. It had been a far cry from the glamorous Elizabeth Corday a few weeks back when Mark had suggested they go out for dinner. Oh how time could turn your life upside down so quickly. Elizabeth stepped back from the mirror and leaned back against the bathroom wall, her head spinning with snippets from the conversation she had just shared with Rachel. The young teenager had looked frightened and remorseful but Elizabeth simply could not forgive her. She wanted to, wanted to listen and forgive the girl but she simply couldn't. All she held was utter rage and hatred for the person responsible for Ella's overdose. And to some extent that included Mark too. He knew rachel could not be trusted, that she wasn't dependable yet he had trusted her with their most precious pocession. She felt terrible for wishing to ship Rachel away, the surgeon knew the brutal truth of being shipped away by your family, of feeling unloved and unappreciated. But Rachel needed structure, she needed to live in a world where 'sorry' simply doesn't fix your problems. For as long as she had known him, Mark was a man who simply never took responsibilty. He never made a stand, always spent more time trying to be everyone else's friend. Kids needed parents, especially someone of Rachel's age. Perhapas it was an accident that nobody could have anticipated, but Elizabeth had carried Ella around with her for nine months and was not going to lose her now because of Mark's daughter's negligance. She was frustrated at so many people, the step-daughter for invading her life, Mark for always making excuses for Rachel, herself for not making a stand sooner. And that was why she ordered Rachel to leave, Elizabeth had been left with no option but to make a stand. If Mark was not prepared to do so, she certainly was. Pushing open the bathroom door, the intense light from the hospital corridors blinded her for a brief moment as she set off towards the elevators. Faces seemed to stare at her as she made her way through the crowds, judging and asking how she could possibly have allowed her own child to swallow drugs. Elizabeth resumed a stern face as she ignored their questioning looks and punched the elevator button violently. As the doors slowly slid apart, the surgeon froze on the spot as she came face to face with the man standing directly opposite her.
"Lizzie?" he sounded surprised, studying the woman from head to toe as she stood frozen on the spot. She could almost hear her own erratic heartbeat amongst the constant backdrop noise of the hospital floor. The palm of her trembling hands were drenched in sweat as a lurch of dizziness overtook the woman. "You know you have to actually step inside in order to travel upstairs" he presented her with his usual smug grin. "Wonderful invention don't you think?"
"I'm sorry" she apologised, shaking her head before taking a few small steps into the elevator. She couldn't understand why she was feeling like this, especially around Robert. And yet as the elevator doors shut tightly, she felt a sudden urge to pour her entire heart out to him. To tell someone how she was coping, or rather not coping. She knew he would listen and understand, despite his arrogance and brashness he always did listen, even Kerry would agree with her on that particular statement.
"I heard Ella was extubated this morning" he turned to face her, folding his arms across his chest in await for a reply.
"She's making excellent progress" the woman nodded and smiled, choosing to look at the ground below rather than his watchful stare. "She's been sick twice after eating but that was expected"
"That's good, I'm happy she's doing well" Robert replied, taking a step closer towards the female surgeon. "And how are you coping?"
"I'm.......I'm not coping very well" she answered honestly, self-conciously pleased at least one person was lending support at this dreadful time. "I don't know what I'm supposed to think or feel, my mind is a complete mess at the moment"
"Well I think you're coping fantastically. You're too hard on yourself at times, most people would have broke down by now"
"Thank you" Elizabeth allowed herself to smile for a moment. It was comforting to realise that at least one person acknowledged the emotional struggle that was now her life.
"I've handed your dictations over to Edson, the ass that he is I decided he could work your load" Robert grinned as he placed one hand on his hip, using his common form of sarcasm to disguise a simple gesture of kindness. "Take as much time off as you need though, we can manage without you. Your family is your number one priority at the moment" he finshed, offering the English woman a faint smile as his dark eyes studied her intensely.
"Family" she snorted, bitind her lip in a bid to hold back the tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "It was family that caused this catastrophe" she shifted her weight nervously from foot to foot, aware of Robert's watchful stare, observing her emotions, studying her features. Any other time she would have found this chilling, but now...but now she found it strangely attractive.
"I have to hand it to you Lizzie, takes some guts being able to face the evil step-daughter again"
Elizabeth stifled a laugh at the man's comforting attempts to humour her throughout the dreadful situation. His sarcastic comments and degrading remarks had thoroughly disgusted and irritated the woman in the past, yet now she found them to be rather...refreshing. It was certainly a welcome form of normality in respect to the nightmare her step-daughter had caused.
"I'm surprised Greene hasn't informed the police yet. He seemed like such a righteous man down in the ER"
"That's the problem, our daugher nearly died yesterday yet all he seems to do is run around in circles chasing Rachel. She needs to learn from this lesson, not be treated like some bloody princess!"
"Have you talked to Mark about this?"
"I can't remember the last time we talked. It's one argument after another. I know Rachel is his daughter....."
"And he should know that Ella is his other daughter" Robert narrowed his eyes before interupting the female surgeon, the elevator doors opening to both doctor's great surprise.
"Robert...." she began to answer him but promptly stopped as a surgical nurse approached the couple with a cordless phone clutched tightly in her hands.
"Dr Romano, there's a situation in OR two, Dr Edson requests to speak to you" she informed him, offering the phone to him as he stepped outside the elevator.
"Why I wanted this job....." Robert cursed under his breath, turning to face an amused Elizabeth one last time. "Before I forget, dinner's on me again" he smiled, patting her lightly on the arm, his smooth fingers sending an instant shiver of excitement down her spine. She placed a hand upon the elevator wall in order to balance herself as another brief lurch of dizziness passed over her, a blurred image of Robert pacing down the corridor into the distance. Why did she feel like this? Why him of all people? Robert 'Rocket' Romano? For as long as she had known him, she had been disgusted by the man, infuriated by his discontinuation of her sponsership, for his daily harassment, for his bullying tactics. Yet in the wake of her crumbling marraige, she had viewed him in a completely different light. Kind, caring, compassionate and considerate. Qualities she never imagined she would ever associate with the arrogant, heartless surgeon. He was there to listen, Mark.....Mark was not. And so as Elizabeth Corday braced herself for another argument with her husband in the PICU, her mind wandered to the mysterious male surgeon, seemingly her only saviour in a world that was slowly crumbling to pieces around her. Hell had officially arrived.
Author's Notes: So how will Elizabeth's new found feelings for Romano affect her relationship with him? Will Mark find out? Does their marriage even stand a chance of surviving after so much tragedy? If you want me to continue please say, feedback greatly appreciated!! Thanks for reading folks!! xxx
Chapter 2
The Weight Of The World
"A Simple Twist Of Fate"
Disclamier: Don't own ER, never will do. It's just a dream of mine.
* * * * *
"You are my sunshine, my ray of sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey...."
A quiet gurgle was heard in the darkened room as the small baby cradled lovingly in the safety of her mother's arms responded to the lullaby sung to her. A loud sigh echoed across the room as the mother bent down to place a tender kiss on the child's forehead.
"Everything will be okay my darling" Elizabeth promised, leaning back into the large wooden rocking chair. She closed her weary eyes for a moment and pressed her lips together, the stress of the previous day's events clearly taking their toll on the exhausted woman. She wanted to fall asleep. She wanted to snuggle up and allow sleep to over-take her weak and tired body. But she couldn't. She couldn't sleep for fear of what might happen to her precious baby. The last time she slept, she awoke to find Ella had accidently swallowed an ecstasy tablet, she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. The truth was Elizabeth Corday was frightened. Fightened of losing the one person she loved more than anything else, her beautiful Ella. If she continued to keep watch over the child, then nobody could take her away from the surgeon. Running a hand through her curly, tangled locks of hair, she rubbed the temple of her forehead irritably and stifled a yawn. It was every mother's worst nightmare- not being able to protect your own flesh and blood. The child you carried around and protected inside your womb for nine months. Elizabeth ran a finger across Ella's pale skin. It felt so smooth and delicate, like a piece of polished ivory. She was the most beautiful creation the woman had ever cast her eyes upon. And she belonged to her. Only her. Placing the baby carefully down into the white cot, Elizabeth ran her fingers through the short, curly strands of Ella's fair hair before collapsing into the chair nearby. Where's Mark, she shook her head in frustration, bitterly annoyed by his decision to work today. How could he think about any other patient when his own daughterwas currenly lying in the PICU after a near fatal overdose? When she really thought about it, Elizabeth realised she was not at all surprised by her husband's behaviour. It was all so typical of Mark to run away from his problems and not face them head on. Yet she still couldn't forgive him for not being there when she and Ella needed him the most. She needed support and comfort, a figure to lean upon during these troubled times.
"Daddy, will be here soon Ella" she sighed, a bitter laugh threatening to claw it's way out of her throat as she realised how empty her words meant. Bringing a hand to her crumpled face, the woman burst into a fit of tears, rocking back and forward in the chair as the tears fell freely down her cheeks. Truthfully she didn't want Mark there with her at that particular moment in time. Truthfully she was thinking about him once again.
* * * * *
She stood perfectly still for a moment, frowning as she stared back at her reflection in the mirror. Her curly hair looked
a dreadful fright, dark circles lay under her eyes and her pale lips were cracked and chapped. She looked and felt like a living corpse. The dizziness and vomitting had resided that morning leaving her with just a dull headache. It had been a far cry from the glamorous Elizabeth Corday a few weeks back when Mark had suggested they go out for dinner. Oh how time could turn your life upside down so quickly. Elizabeth stepped back from the mirror and leaned back against the bathroom wall, her head spinning with snippets from the conversation she had just shared with Rachel. The young teenager had looked frightened and remorseful but Elizabeth simply could not forgive her. She wanted to, wanted to listen and forgive the girl but she simply couldn't. All she held was utter rage and hatred for the person responsible for Ella's overdose. And to some extent that included Mark too. He knew rachel could not be trusted, that she wasn't dependable yet he had trusted her with their most precious pocession. She felt terrible for wishing to ship Rachel away, the surgeon knew the brutal truth of being shipped away by your family, of feeling unloved and unappreciated. But Rachel needed structure, she needed to live in a world where 'sorry' simply doesn't fix your problems. For as long as she had known him, Mark was a man who simply never took responsibilty. He never made a stand, always spent more time trying to be everyone else's friend. Kids needed parents, especially someone of Rachel's age. Perhapas it was an accident that nobody could have anticipated, but Elizabeth had carried Ella around with her for nine months and was not going to lose her now because of Mark's daughter's negligance. She was frustrated at so many people, the step-daughter for invading her life, Mark for always making excuses for Rachel, herself for not making a stand sooner. And that was why she ordered Rachel to leave, Elizabeth had been left with no option but to make a stand. If Mark was not prepared to do so, she certainly was. Pushing open the bathroom door, the intense light from the hospital corridors blinded her for a brief moment as she set off towards the elevators. Faces seemed to stare at her as she made her way through the crowds, judging and asking how she could possibly have allowed her own child to swallow drugs. Elizabeth resumed a stern face as she ignored their questioning looks and punched the elevator button violently. As the doors slowly slid apart, the surgeon froze on the spot as she came face to face with the man standing directly opposite her.
"Lizzie?" he sounded surprised, studying the woman from head to toe as she stood frozen on the spot. She could almost hear her own erratic heartbeat amongst the constant backdrop noise of the hospital floor. The palm of her trembling hands were drenched in sweat as a lurch of dizziness overtook the woman. "You know you have to actually step inside in order to travel upstairs" he presented her with his usual smug grin. "Wonderful invention don't you think?"
"I'm sorry" she apologised, shaking her head before taking a few small steps into the elevator. She couldn't understand why she was feeling like this, especially around Robert. And yet as the elevator doors shut tightly, she felt a sudden urge to pour her entire heart out to him. To tell someone how she was coping, or rather not coping. She knew he would listen and understand, despite his arrogance and brashness he always did listen, even Kerry would agree with her on that particular statement.
"I heard Ella was extubated this morning" he turned to face her, folding his arms across his chest in await for a reply.
"She's making excellent progress" the woman nodded and smiled, choosing to look at the ground below rather than his watchful stare. "She's been sick twice after eating but that was expected"
"That's good, I'm happy she's doing well" Robert replied, taking a step closer towards the female surgeon. "And how are you coping?"
"I'm.......I'm not coping very well" she answered honestly, self-conciously pleased at least one person was lending support at this dreadful time. "I don't know what I'm supposed to think or feel, my mind is a complete mess at the moment"
"Well I think you're coping fantastically. You're too hard on yourself at times, most people would have broke down by now"
"Thank you" Elizabeth allowed herself to smile for a moment. It was comforting to realise that at least one person acknowledged the emotional struggle that was now her life.
"I've handed your dictations over to Edson, the ass that he is I decided he could work your load" Robert grinned as he placed one hand on his hip, using his common form of sarcasm to disguise a simple gesture of kindness. "Take as much time off as you need though, we can manage without you. Your family is your number one priority at the moment" he finshed, offering the English woman a faint smile as his dark eyes studied her intensely.
"Family" she snorted, bitind her lip in a bid to hold back the tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "It was family that caused this catastrophe" she shifted her weight nervously from foot to foot, aware of Robert's watchful stare, observing her emotions, studying her features. Any other time she would have found this chilling, but now...but now she found it strangely attractive.
"I have to hand it to you Lizzie, takes some guts being able to face the evil step-daughter again"
Elizabeth stifled a laugh at the man's comforting attempts to humour her throughout the dreadful situation. His sarcastic comments and degrading remarks had thoroughly disgusted and irritated the woman in the past, yet now she found them to be rather...refreshing. It was certainly a welcome form of normality in respect to the nightmare her step-daughter had caused.
"I'm surprised Greene hasn't informed the police yet. He seemed like such a righteous man down in the ER"
"That's the problem, our daugher nearly died yesterday yet all he seems to do is run around in circles chasing Rachel. She needs to learn from this lesson, not be treated like some bloody princess!"
"Have you talked to Mark about this?"
"I can't remember the last time we talked. It's one argument after another. I know Rachel is his daughter....."
"And he should know that Ella is his other daughter" Robert narrowed his eyes before interupting the female surgeon, the elevator doors opening to both doctor's great surprise.
"Robert...." she began to answer him but promptly stopped as a surgical nurse approached the couple with a cordless phone clutched tightly in her hands.
"Dr Romano, there's a situation in OR two, Dr Edson requests to speak to you" she informed him, offering the phone to him as he stepped outside the elevator.
"Why I wanted this job....." Robert cursed under his breath, turning to face an amused Elizabeth one last time. "Before I forget, dinner's on me again" he smiled, patting her lightly on the arm, his smooth fingers sending an instant shiver of excitement down her spine. She placed a hand upon the elevator wall in order to balance herself as another brief lurch of dizziness passed over her, a blurred image of Robert pacing down the corridor into the distance. Why did she feel like this? Why him of all people? Robert 'Rocket' Romano? For as long as she had known him, she had been disgusted by the man, infuriated by his discontinuation of her sponsership, for his daily harassment, for his bullying tactics. Yet in the wake of her crumbling marraige, she had viewed him in a completely different light. Kind, caring, compassionate and considerate. Qualities she never imagined she would ever associate with the arrogant, heartless surgeon. He was there to listen, Mark.....Mark was not. And so as Elizabeth Corday braced herself for another argument with her husband in the PICU, her mind wandered to the mysterious male surgeon, seemingly her only saviour in a world that was slowly crumbling to pieces around her. Hell had officially arrived.
Author's Notes: So how will Elizabeth's new found feelings for Romano affect her relationship with him? Will Mark find out? Does their marriage even stand a chance of surviving after so much tragedy? If you want me to continue please say, feedback greatly appreciated!! Thanks for reading folks!! xxx