Title: Medical Wonders: Sick Day
Author: Jen Zoromski
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I do agree with the fact that Corday is a lot smarter than what I portrayed her in the last chapter regarding protection…I'll try and keep them closer in character, but I kind of needed that plug for this upcoming chapter and the rest of this story.
Well anyways…thanks for the reviews and keep on reading.
Enjoy!
*****
Elizabeth's House
March 24, 2003
6:09 a.m.
For six weeks their relationship went unnoticed by colleagues. Susan and the rest of the gossip brigade continued to question Romano's happy mood, but they never drew any conclusions.
Life was good for Robert and Elizabeth. They'd sneak in minutes of passion in both of their offices. Robert rarely even went home and he brought a lot of his clothes and Gretel over to Elizabeth's house.
On a rainy Monday morning Elizabeth rolls out of bed and heads for the shower as Robert continues to snore lightly. A wave of dizziness strikes her almost immediately as she stands and Elizabeth sits back down abruptly, breathing in deeply.
"Maybe I stood up too quickly," she mutters to herself as she tries it again, standing up slower.
The dizziness is still present, but Elizabeth manages to make it into the bathroom. The room starts to spin around her and she sits down on the side of the tub with her aching head in her hands.
Minutes later Robert walks into the bathroom still half asleep.
"Lizzie, it usually helps if you get into the shower instead of sitting on the--"
Before he can finish what he is saying, Elizabeth bolts for the toilet, a few feet way and starts to heave.
"Maybe you shouldn't go into work today," Robert tells her, rubbing her back.
Elizabeth doesn't respond as she heaves once again. Minutes later she rests her head on the cold porcelain trying to settle her stomach. Robert wets a washcloth and places it on her forehead.
"I must have caught what Ella had last week," Elizabeth finally says.
"You need to get back to bed," Robert nags, protectively.
"That would probably be a good idea, if I didn't have my head in the toilet."
"Call in, take the day off."
"Obviously, Robert. I can't operate. I might spew all over the patients."
"Glad to see you still have your sense of humor," Robert muses.
Elizabeth rolls her eyes, trying to gain some control of her body.
"Have you checked on Ella?"
"She's still asleep. I could call her sitter - tell her she doesn't need to come today."
"Robert, I can't possibly watch Ella while I'm sick."
"No kidding, Elizabeth, I don't think I'd have ever figured that one out," Romano tells her sarcastically, "Actually I was planning on calling in sick as well to help watch over you."
"Oh God," Elizabeth says, trying hard not to laugh at him.
"What? You think this is going to last?" Robert responds sarcastically.
"Robert, why do you have to be so difficult?"
"Me, difficult?" he grins sheepishly.
"Never," Elizabeth replies grinning. Her face becomes ashen and she leans over into the toilet - retching the empty contents of her stomach.
"Lizzie, there's nothing left," Robert says as he gently helps her up, towards the sink.
"What would I do without you?"
"You'd probably still have your head in the toilet," he responds laughing.
Elizabeth grins weakly as Robert guides her back to bed.
"I'll bring you something to eat in awhile."
Elizabeth mumbles an incoherent sentence and falls into an exhausted sleep.
4:19 p.m.
Hours later Robert sits in the kitchen eating lunch. Ella sits in the highchair happily squashing her peas on the tray.
"So, Ella, it's just you and me," Robert says.
"Rahba," Ella replies happily.
"Well, I'm glad you got that one down. Have anything else you'd like to talk about?"
"Mamma!" Ella screams
"Ah, yes, your mother, the most beautiful woman alive. You're lucky, Ella, you've got her with you for life. Me - who knows how long. I would love for it to be a lot longer."
"Mamma!"
"She's a great woman."
"I didn't know you thought that way," the British accent comes from behind them.
"Lizzie, what are you doing up? You should be back in bed."
"I feel better. A lot better and hungry."
"That's always a good sign. I can make you some toast."
"Robert, really, I can handle it. All I need is some toast and a 7-Up and I'll be fine."
"The way you were throwing up this morning you didn't seem 'fine.'"
"But I'm fine now. Maybe its just one of those twelve hour bugs," Elizabeth tells him putting bread in the toaster.
"Are you sure?"
"I feel great. Maybe I should take the day off more often."
"Over my dead body," Robert says laughing.
The toast pops out of the toaster and Elizabeth smears butter across the top.
"What have you two been up to all day?"
"Nothing much. Ella pretty much kept herself occupied."
"And what kept you occupied?" Elizabeth asks devouring her toast.
"The thought of getting to see you naked."
"Well you might have to wait awhile longer," Elizabeth replies.
"Do you want some water? Something to keep you hydrated?"
"Yeah but--" her face becomes ghastly as the toast she just ate starts to find its way back up.
Elizabeth runs for the bathroom, clutching her mouth. Robert follows behind her -- trying to steady her as she vomit's the toast right back up.
"Lizzie you need to keep something down."
"Obviously that didn't work. Maybe just drinking water will help."
County General
9:35 p.m.
Five hours later after multiple trips to the bathroom due to failed attempts at trying to keep anything, including water, down Robert pulls up to County Hospital with a very dazed and dehydrated Elizabeth Corday.
Robert hurries into the ER looking for anyone. Abby runs through the ER.
"Abby, I need you over here right now!" Romano barks.
"Dr. Romano, I thought you called in sick," Weaver asks coming up to him.
"Kerry, where do sick people find themselves?" Robert asks, "What no answer? For someone who wants my job you should have figured that one out. Sick people come to hospitals. Imagine the concept."
"Well are you sick, Dr. Romano?" Weaver asks annoyed.
"No, Dr. Corday is. She's out in the car nearly unconscious and dehydrated."
Weaver, Abby, and Carter hurry out to the car with a stretcher and place the dazed and confused Elizabeth onto it.
"Robert, what's going on?" Elizabeth asks weakly.
"You're going to be fine, Lizzie."
Robert takes Ella into his arms and carries her into the ER lounge, quickly. Gallant sits on the couch in the lounge pouring over medical text books.
"Gallant, are you busy?"
"Actually Dr. Romano--"
"--Good, I need you to watch Ella. Make sure she doesn't choke on anything - you know the drill."
"Where's Dr. Corday?"
"Unconscious and dehydrated."
Without further ado, Robert storms out of the lounge and into the trauma room that they took Elizabeth to.
"Is she taking anything?" Carter asks.
"Not that I know of."
"How long has this been going on?"
"A good day - she hasn't even been able to keep water down."
Elizabeth is passed out with an IV in her arm as the doctors continue to check her out. Romano is becoming impatient -- very impatient.
"Abby draw some blood. Maybe there's an infection somewhere," Carter says.
"You think - Dr. Carter? I'm so glad you just realized that you need to draw blood," Romano barks at him.
"Chuny take Dr. Romano out of here," Carter replies forcefully as he continues to examine Elizabeth.
"You can't kick me out! This is my damn ER!"
"I can if its disrupting the way I'm treating a patient."
Romano glares at him and then finally lets down as the security guards appear outside of the door.
"Fine!" Romano says reluctantly as the security guards escort him out of the room. Carter turns his attention back to Elizabeth.
"Dr. Corday? Can you hear me?" Carter asks Elizabeth as her eyes flutter open.
"Ella?" she mumbles.
"She's with Dr. Romano. You're going to be fine."
Elizabeth passes out again as the ER staff stabilizes her and pumps liquid into her trying to hydrate her.
TBC
*****
More to come! Please R&R!
~Jen