"Visiting Hours, # 3: Chen and Pratt"
Jing-Mei Chen and Gregory Pratt were bickering as the elevator rose.
"I'm telling you, this is not a good idea," Pratt reiterated.
"Oh, come on, don't be a baby."
"He's not even going to want to see us. Haven't you noticed that he hates us all? Me especially," Pratt argued, "Maybe we should just leave well enough alone and enjoy our break from the little tyrant."
"Five minutes, Greg," Chen insisted.
Pratt scowled, but felt himself caving in. Damn. "Why do you want to do this? You don't like Romano any more than I do."
"Yeah, well, I don't want to be the only attending who hasn't gone to visit him. It wouldn't look good. Susan already went. And I heard a rumor that your friend Gallant even stopped by."
"Aw man! I love that guy, but I swear sometimes he's like the kid who asks the sub if she's gonna collect the homework!" After a beat, Pratt continued, "Couldn't we just send a card?"
"Cards are for weenies. Besides, I couldn't find one that seemed appropriate," replied Chen.
"You mean the gift store doesn't sell 'Hope you die' cards?"
"Eww." Chen tried to look disapproving, but her eyes were smiling.
"OK, how about 'Get well soon . . . far away from here'?" Pratt offered.
Chen giggled. They exited the elevator and began walking down the corridor.
Pratt continued, "Seriously, I see why YOU have to go - getting in good with the new Chief and all - but ME? I don't know. Me and Romano are pretty clear that we can't stand each other. Visiting him won't change that."
"Yeah, you're already on his shit list," Chen smirked. "But that's not why you're here. You're coming along to provide me with moral support."
"Oh, really?"
"You don't want me to have to deal with him all by myself, do you?" Chen asked in a mock-pleading tone.
Pratt cocked an eyebrow, "Hmmm . . . Will there be any reward for this selfless act of chivalry?"
"You never know," Chen replied in a sultry voice, flashing him a killer smile. Then she stopped abruptly, pointing to the next door, "Oh, I think that's the room."
The door was slightly ajar, and they could hear a female voice from within. They couldn't make out what she was saying, but detected a familiar British accent.
"Whoops. He's busy. Let's go," Pratt said cheerfully, turning back the way they came.
"No, no - this is good," whispered Chen, grabbing Pratt's arm. "We can just stop in, say 'hi', and we won't have to stay long, since he's got company already. Plus, he's nicer when Dr. Corday is around. It's perfect."
Pratt shrugged, following behind Chen as she pushed the door open. He was about to call out a greeting, when Chen silenced him with an upraised arm. Both of them froze in the doorway, looking into the room.
Romano was sitting cross-legged on the bed, wearing scrub pants and a T- shirt. He was bent forward with his elbow on his knee, head down, hand covering his face. Elizabeth was on his right side with her arms around him, hugging him gently toward her. He wouldn't look at her, but he leaned into her embrace, resting the side of his head against her shoulder. She spoke softly, reassuringly, stroking the hair at the back of his neck. Neither of them was aware that they had company.
Quietly, in unison, Pratt and Chen backed out of the room and closed the door behind them. They walked back down the corridor, not speaking. Their pensive silence continued as they entered the elevator, though Greg took Jing-Mei's hand, entwining his fingers with hers. He let go when they reached the ER floor and got off the elevator.
"That counts, right?" Pratt asked, trying to lighten the mood, "I don't have to go back again, do I?"
Chen rolled her eyes, then smiled. "Maybe tomorrow."
"Or maybe we could just send a card . . ."
Author's note: Do Chen and Pratt ever make it back for another visit? Who else might drop in to see Romano? Kerry Weaver? Donald Anspaugh? Alderman Bright (I foresee a short visit, filled with venom)? Jerry (C'mon, the big guy deserves to star in at least one fic)? Peter Benton (He still lives in Chicago, right? Maybe Elizabeth told him)? Gretel? ( It's up to you. The semester's starting soon, so I don't plan to write any more for quite a while. But it would be great if other authors would continue these stories. Please?
Jing-Mei Chen and Gregory Pratt were bickering as the elevator rose.
"I'm telling you, this is not a good idea," Pratt reiterated.
"Oh, come on, don't be a baby."
"He's not even going to want to see us. Haven't you noticed that he hates us all? Me especially," Pratt argued, "Maybe we should just leave well enough alone and enjoy our break from the little tyrant."
"Five minutes, Greg," Chen insisted.
Pratt scowled, but felt himself caving in. Damn. "Why do you want to do this? You don't like Romano any more than I do."
"Yeah, well, I don't want to be the only attending who hasn't gone to visit him. It wouldn't look good. Susan already went. And I heard a rumor that your friend Gallant even stopped by."
"Aw man! I love that guy, but I swear sometimes he's like the kid who asks the sub if she's gonna collect the homework!" After a beat, Pratt continued, "Couldn't we just send a card?"
"Cards are for weenies. Besides, I couldn't find one that seemed appropriate," replied Chen.
"You mean the gift store doesn't sell 'Hope you die' cards?"
"Eww." Chen tried to look disapproving, but her eyes were smiling.
"OK, how about 'Get well soon . . . far away from here'?" Pratt offered.
Chen giggled. They exited the elevator and began walking down the corridor.
Pratt continued, "Seriously, I see why YOU have to go - getting in good with the new Chief and all - but ME? I don't know. Me and Romano are pretty clear that we can't stand each other. Visiting him won't change that."
"Yeah, you're already on his shit list," Chen smirked. "But that's not why you're here. You're coming along to provide me with moral support."
"Oh, really?"
"You don't want me to have to deal with him all by myself, do you?" Chen asked in a mock-pleading tone.
Pratt cocked an eyebrow, "Hmmm . . . Will there be any reward for this selfless act of chivalry?"
"You never know," Chen replied in a sultry voice, flashing him a killer smile. Then she stopped abruptly, pointing to the next door, "Oh, I think that's the room."
The door was slightly ajar, and they could hear a female voice from within. They couldn't make out what she was saying, but detected a familiar British accent.
"Whoops. He's busy. Let's go," Pratt said cheerfully, turning back the way they came.
"No, no - this is good," whispered Chen, grabbing Pratt's arm. "We can just stop in, say 'hi', and we won't have to stay long, since he's got company already. Plus, he's nicer when Dr. Corday is around. It's perfect."
Pratt shrugged, following behind Chen as she pushed the door open. He was about to call out a greeting, when Chen silenced him with an upraised arm. Both of them froze in the doorway, looking into the room.
Romano was sitting cross-legged on the bed, wearing scrub pants and a T- shirt. He was bent forward with his elbow on his knee, head down, hand covering his face. Elizabeth was on his right side with her arms around him, hugging him gently toward her. He wouldn't look at her, but he leaned into her embrace, resting the side of his head against her shoulder. She spoke softly, reassuringly, stroking the hair at the back of his neck. Neither of them was aware that they had company.
Quietly, in unison, Pratt and Chen backed out of the room and closed the door behind them. They walked back down the corridor, not speaking. Their pensive silence continued as they entered the elevator, though Greg took Jing-Mei's hand, entwining his fingers with hers. He let go when they reached the ER floor and got off the elevator.
"That counts, right?" Pratt asked, trying to lighten the mood, "I don't have to go back again, do I?"
Chen rolled her eyes, then smiled. "Maybe tomorrow."
"Or maybe we could just send a card . . ."
Author's note: Do Chen and Pratt ever make it back for another visit? Who else might drop in to see Romano? Kerry Weaver? Donald Anspaugh? Alderman Bright (I foresee a short visit, filled with venom)? Jerry (C'mon, the big guy deserves to star in at least one fic)? Peter Benton (He still lives in Chicago, right? Maybe Elizabeth told him)? Gretel? ( It's up to you. The semester's starting soon, so I don't plan to write any more for quite a while. But it would be great if other authors would continue these stories. Please?