Title: Medical Wonders: Monday Morning
Author: Jen Zoromski
All other information is in the first chapter.
Author's Note: Okay, I suppose I can give you guys another chapter before I leave for vacation for two weeks. It's a nice long one too…lol…so enjoy and I'll be back in two weeks J
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May 19, 2003
8:02 a.m.
"Damn-it, these clothes don't fit," Elizabeth mutters as she tries to button a pair of slacks. It's been another month and she's now three and a half months pregnant.
Robert walks into the bedroom from the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist, whistling happily. He heads to the closet without even glancing at Elizabeth -- completely into his own set of mind.
"Damn-it!" Elizabeth mutters once again failing to get her pants buttoned.
Elizabeth flops onto the bed once again trying to button her pants. Robert grins and turns to watch as Elizabeth grumbles, fighting with her pants.
"Is there a problem, Lizzie?" Robert asks laughing.
Elizabeth starts to pout, "I feel like I've gotten huge over night," she says continuing to pout.
Robert laughs.
"Do you think this is funny?" she asks him angrily.
"If you were watching it from this angle, you'd agree."
"Robert --" she says sternly, glaring at him.
"Whoa, I know that glare. All right you can keep the hormones at bay," Robert tells her as he heads over towards the bed still wearing a towel and only a towel, "Besides you look really cute when you get angry, even if it just with your pants."
He joins her on the bed placing kisses up and down her neck with his hand resting protectively on the little pouch of a stomach that has literally appeared overnight.
Robert kisses her full on the lips, deepening it as he lays his nearly naked body on top of hers.
Elizabeth breaks the kiss.
"Robert, I have to be at work in half an hour."
Robert grins wickedly and kisses her again.
"Since you can't seem to get your clothes on we might as well keep them off."
They both laugh and he leans in to kiss her again.
"Mommy!" Ella screams from her room.
Elizabeth pulls away.
"That kid has impeccable timing," Robert says as Elizabeth heads into Ella's room.
"Ella, sweetheart, what's the matter?"
"Ow, ow," she replies rubbing her neck. Ella, having just turned two a few weeks before looks up at her mother with her blue eyes starting to fill with tears.
Ella reaches out her arms for her mother as she starts to sob.
"It's all right, Ella. You're going to be okay."
"Lizzie, what's up with the munchkin --" Robert's voice echoes down the hall and he stops when he sees the sobbing child in Elizabeth's arms.
"I think she has a sore throat," Elizabeth tells him.
Robert gently feels the child's neck, "Her glands are swollen and she feels warm. Ella, can you open your mouth and say 'ahh'?"
Ella nods her head and does so as Robert looks into her mouth, immediately seeing that her tonsils are swollen and red.
"I'd say she's got strep throat, but I'm not completely sure," Robert tells Elizabeth.
"Since we do work at a hospital and we are going there in about half an hour we could just bring her in with us."
"I love the way your mind works."
"Should I be afraid of that?"
Robert grins, "Very afraid."
"Rahba, rahba, ouch," Ella says rubbing at her throat.
"I know, Ella, we'll make it better."
"Robert, I don't want to leave her if she's sick."
Romano nods, understanding. Ever since Ella nearly died, any kind of sickness or need to go to the hospital has worried Elizabeth. She's more protective of Ella than most mother's would be.
"I know," he mulls it over trying to figure out a plan, "Why don't we bring her in, get some antibiotics in her and then take it from there."
"I guess that would work."
Robert heads out of the door, but turns back.
"Lizzie, I'd suggest that you get some pants on. We wouldn't want any rumors flying around in the ER," Robert says smugly.
Elizabeth laughs and throws the troublesome pants at him.
"What?" he asks feigning innocence.
County General
9:01 a.m.
Half an hour later Elizabeth sits in an examining room with Ellaon her lap. Robert walks into the room with his lab coat and all on.
"Rahba, Rahba!" Ella screeches.
"Hey sweetie, how're you holding up?" Robert asks as he places his hand on Ella's forehead.
"She seems tired."
"Did they run a strep test?"
"Yeah. Susan said she's sure its strep. She'll be back in a few minutes with the results."
"Glad to see that the ER is running like it normally does -- slow."
"I'm sure that will all change."
"Of course it will. I'm the one in charge of the ER now. And they are all scared out of their minds."
Robert moves his hand protectively to the small bump on her abdomen.
"How are you holding up?
"I'm not the one who's sick."
"You know what I mean."
"I'm worried. Ever since she --" Elizabeth doesn't need to finish. Her eyes tell the story. She still can't forget nearly losing Ella after she got a hold of Rachel's ecstasy.
"I know."
He kisses her.
"Elizabeth, I've got the --" Dr. Susan Lewis stops in the doorway.
Elizabeth and Robert pull apart quickly like they were two teenagers getting caught by one of their parents.
"Sorry. I didn't realize--"
"I was just checking in on our patient and now I'm leaving. Getting back to running this dump -- going back to my wonderful job. Something that you should be doing Dr. Lewis," he says returning to his normal sarcastic tone.
He turns back to Ella and plants a kiss on the top of her forehead.
"Get better soon, Ella."
He kiss Elizabeth full on the lips whispering, "Love you, Lizzie."
"Love you, too."
Robert walks half way across the room.
"Dr. Lewis, I don't want to hear this all over the ER."
"Of course not, Dr. Romano."
Robert leaves the room.
"Don't even say it, Susan," Elizabeth tells her.
"Say what?" Susan asks.
Elizabeth ignores the expression on Susan's face.
"What'd the test say?"
"Its strep," Susan tells her as she writes out a prescription.
"That's what we thought."
"Ella, do you want a sucker?" Ella nods her head reaching out her hand.
"Ella what do you say?"
"Than-you"
"You're welcome," Susan says handing the prescription to Elizabeth.
"So, Elizabeth, what's with the pants?" Susan asks amused as she points out Elizabeth's pajama pants.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing."
"Are the rumors true?"
"What rumors are those?"
"That you and Romano are involved."
Elizabeth shakes her head laughing.
"Come on, Susan. I'd think you'd be able to figure it out from the nice little display that just occurred.
"So you're confirming it?"
"I'm not at liberty to say," Elizabeth says laughing as she picks up Ella and starts to head out the door.
"Oh come on Elizabeth!"
"How about if I told you that whoever bet the most in the office pool is going to be very rich."
Elizabeth heads out the door and into the bustling ER.
"Oh no you don't, Dr. Corday. You can't leave me hanging like that! I want details!" Susan pesters her.
Elizabeth stops and turns back to her.
"I can't express such details like that with Ella in my arms."
Dr. Romano comes up to the duo.
"Dr. Lewis, this ER isn't going to doctor itself. Get back to work."
"Aye, aye, Captain," Lewis replies mock saluting him before she disappears into the crowd of the ER.
"Smart ass," Romano mutters under his breath. Ella reaches her arms out to Robert.
"Rahba!"
"Ella, sweetie, you're going to show the ER that I have a nice side and we don't want them to know."
Ella giggles as Robert bounces her with his good arm.
Carter walks up to them, "Hey Dr. Romano can you sign off on this?"
"With what, Carter? My foot?"
"No --"
Corday takes Ella out of his arms which, freeing up his right hand. He signs the paper.
"Thanks," Carter grumbles, "Bye Ella, Dr. Corday."
"Pompous --"
"--Robert!" Elizabeth scolds.
He grins, "What?"
Ella jumps back into his grasp.
"What are you going to do, Lizzie?"
"About you?"
"No, about Ella. Besides I already know what you'll do to me."
"Ella seems to be feeling better and I'm supposed to be working."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'll call Chris. Besides I can't keep on taking days off."
"I hear Weaver likes to fire people after awhile."
"Not unlike someone else that used to have the Chief of Staff position."
"Oh no you don't, Lizzie, don't even go on that territory."
"Rahba! Momma!" Ella says playfully.
"Ah yes, Miss Ella, we need to figure out what we are going to do with you," Robert says looking a Elizabeth questioning.
"I'll go call Chris," Elizabeth replies heading over to the front desk leaving Robert in the middle of the ER with the blond toddler supported in his caring grip.
John Carter walks past Romano again.
"Dr. Carter, what exactly are you doing walking around here in a daze?"
"Same thing you're doing, Dr. Romano," Carter says grinning sarcastically -- maybe the new chief of the ER's sarcasm is catching on.
"What's that supposed to mean, Carter?"
Abby walks up to the two, confused at the conversation going on between them. Carter's face lights up almost immediately.
"Is everything okay here?" Abby asks confused.
"Yeah," Carter replies.
"There's a multiple GSW coming in. Dr. Romano you would probably want to be in on this one."
"What's the ETA?" Romano asks.
"Five minutes."
"Set up Trauma One." Romano replies.
Elizabeth comes back over to Ella and Robert.
"Chris will be here in fifteen minutes."
"That's good because I can't treat the GSW with my foot. We might get a nice lawsuit on our asses if I'm doing treatment with my feet."
"That's something I'd like to see."
"What are you suggesting, Lizzie?"
"Nothing, Robert," she replies grinning as she takes Ella out of his arms.
"Come on Ella, we'll go wait for Chris."
"What you don't want her to learn medicine?"
"At two?"
"Ever heard of Doogie Howser, Lizzie?"
"Who?"
Romano rolls his eyes, forgetting that she doesn't keep up on American pop culture…or pop culture from the late eighties.
"Never mind."
He leans in to kiss her deeply and heads off into the busy ER. Leaving her standing there with the toddler in her arms.
"Rahba!"
"He's got to work, Ella. Let's go wait for Chris."
Elizabeth strokes the child's blond hair, as she sits in the waiting area. The people all around her don't distract her. She wonders how Robert is really doing down here in the ER. Its hard to understand what's going through his mind. Even harder to figure out how he's feeling.
She looks down at her daughter and then realizes that at fourteen weeks she's showing ever so slightly. Showing that she and Romano will forever be connected by a child. A child that by all means could be one hell of a kid. The kid will probably want to be something completely out of the realm of surgery even though with their combined skills the kid could have some of the best genes for surgery -- ever.
Elizabeth smiles at the thought and wonders where she'll find her children. What they'll be doing when they are grown. Just thinking about that starts to form tears in her eyes. Damn hormones.
"Momma?" Ella asks seeing the tears welling up in Elizabeth's eyes.
"I'm okay, Ella."
"Love, ma"
"I love you too, Ella."
TBC
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More to come! Please R&R
Thanks
~Jen