Title: Medical Wonders: A new life

Author: Jen Zoromski

All other info is in first chapter.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for all of the feedback! You guys are awesome. Keep it coming!

Enjoy!

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March 25, 2003

8:01 a.m.

Bright sun rays stream into the dreary hospital room as Elizabeth and Robert continue to sleep. Moments later Elizabeth blinks her eyes once and realized that the nausea is gone for awhile. She turns her attention to the light snoring of Robert Romano, as she smiles to herself inwardly.

She gets up -- amazingly without disturbing his sleep and pulls the IV pole with her into the bathroom. One look in the mirror reinforces the thoughts that she is indeed feeling better. Color has returned to her face and her eyes sparkle with regained life.

Then the events of earlier this morning hit her. She's pregnant. Pregnant with Robert Romano's child.

Elizabeth grips the ivory sink, her color becoming pale at the thought of being pregnant again. The events of her previous pregnancy go through her mind as well as the months after it. A time when even she, started to question her ability as a surgeon and a mother. The post-op deaths and the lawsuit come back to her. Just the thought of it starts to make her nauseous.

She stares at her reflection the mirror again, "Can I go through it again?" she whispers to the face staring back at her.

"Lizzie?" Robert calls from the door, knocking, "You okay?"

Elizabeth regains her composure and takes a deep breath before opening the door to the worried face of Robert Romano. She smiles at the thought of him being this worried about her.

"Robert, can't I even go to the bathroom without you worrying?"

"The way you were yesterday, I wouldn't be too sure."

"I'm fine."

"You look a hell of a lot better."

"Thanks, Robert," she replies faking insult.

"Yesterday you were scary."

"Now you know what I deal with everyday," she playfully tells him.

"Oooh…good one."

"I only learn from the best."

Elizabeth leans in and kisses Robert hungrily. She pulls away with a worried expression on her face.

"What?" Robert asks becoming concerned.

"Are you sure this is going to work? Me and you with a baby?"

"Lizzie, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Robert grins at her, mischievously and leans in to plant another kiss on her lips.

"What's with the smile?"

"What, Lizzie? I can't even smile now and you think that I'm up to something?"

"Well you usually are."

1:19 p.m.

Hours later Elizabeth sits on the hospital bed in her street clothes. Ella colors in a coloring book as Elizabeth stares out the bleak window. Heavy footsteps get closer and closer to the door.

Ella jumps up from the floor and runs to the door.

"Rahba! Rahba!"

"Hello Ella, have you been keeping your Mom company?"

She nods with a huge grin on her face as Robert picks her up with his good arm. Over the last six weeks they have become very close.

"Good," he says bouncing her up and down a little.

Robert stands in the doorway wearing his white lab coat and his normal hospital attire. Elizabeth turns to face him.

"How're you feeling, Lizzie?"

"Good--"

"That look -- there's more, isn't there?"

"I just don't remember the morning sickness being this bad -- especially going on all day."

"From a very early age us Romano's learn to wreak havoc on everyone, including our mother's," he tells her playfully, but he turns his tone to a warmer -- paternal one, "Have you gotten sick again?"

Elizabeth shakes her head 'no.'

"I've just been really nauseous."

"At least you're keeping food down."

"Yeah -- crackers and jell-o."

"Ahh…my daily cuisine," Robert grins.

"Just wait until we hit about eight months -- the cravings are out of this world."

"And I suppose they'll come at all hours of the night."

"Oh yeah," Elizabeth says with a huge smile on her face.

They both laugh.

"If you feel up to it you can come up to my office. It's more comfortable than a hospital room."

Elizabeth agrees and Romano leads the way with Ella still supported in the crook of his right arm.

"I need to call Ella's nanny."

"I already did. She's coming to pick her up at two to give you some time."

"What would I do without you?" Elizabeth asks.

"You'd be considerably unhappy," Romano responds in his very usual arrogant tone.

Elizabeth settles down on his office couch with a small smile on her lips. She starts to drift off into a dreamless sleep, but Ella's giggle makes her open her eyes to see what's going on. Out of habit she's ready to get up with her, but stops. Being too warn out and seeing the sight in front of her are enough reassurance to close her eyes. All fears of having another child vanish.

The fears vanish because of the picture that she had just seen in front of her. Romano with Ella. Even though Ella isn't his, the look in his eyes tells Elizabeth that he loves her despite the fact.

They'll make it through.

4:25 p.m.

"Lizzie, wake-up," Robert says shaking her lightly. Elizabeth groggily opens her eyes.

"Hey," she says.

Robert kisses her on the forehead, lovingly.

"How long have I been out?" Elizabeth asks as she props herself up on the couch.

"Three hours. Ella's with her sitter and I brought you some soup. Thought you could us it."

"Thanks."

Elizabeth, surprised by her own hunger slurps her soup.

"Slurping your soup, Lizzie? I would've thought they'd teach you better in finishing school," Romano says sarcastically.

"I was a rebel," she replies simply, taking another bite of soup.

"A rebel, huh?"

"What did you expect, Robert? I don't see you being the model student either."

"Now what would ever give you that idea?"

"Oh come off it. You must have been a pain in the ass towards your teachers."

"There you go again, Lizzie, assuming things. What if I were to tell you that I was the perfect student?"

"Then I'd say that you are a big liar," she playfully replies.

"I guess I'm a liar."

She stares at him, confused.

"What?"

"The Robert I knew two months ago, wouldn't give up that easily."

"Yes, but the Robert you used to know didn't sleep in the same bed as you either," he replies with a wicked grin on his face.

They both become quiet as she finishes up her soup.

"So do you want to take a trip downstairs?" Robert asks.

"For what?"

"To find out just how far along you are, Lizzie. What'd you think we were going to do? Run through the ER with our lips locked feeding the gossip mill?"

"I thought maybe you'd also become generous," Elizabeth tells him with a grin on her face.

"And risk having the hospital fall apart completely? Nah."

Elizabeth stands up and Robert helps her towards the elevator, taking her hand, guiding her.

"Robert, I'm not crippled, just pregnant!" she says angrily when he tries to guide her towards a wheelchair.

"Glad to see that you have your arrogant spunk back."

"Oh so that's what you call it now."

"That's what I've always called it. You were always too busy trying to rip my eyes out to notice."

The elevator door opens and they head downstairs. Downstairs to verify a new life. A new life -- in many aspects of the word.

TBC

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More to come! Please R&R

~Jen