Title: Medical Wonders: Unyielding Love
Author: Jen Zoromski
All other information is in the first chapter.
Author's Note: Thanks for a the awesome feedback. Please R&R. Thanks.
******
December 16, 2003
Elizabeth's Home
4:14 a.m.
Elizabeth rolls over to her other side, away from Robert, as she tries to get comfortable -- a feat that is hard to do, especially since she is five days over her due date, one day over the first one that was given and she's huge.
She closes her eyes trying to fall asleep again, but nothing. Elizabeth manages to get out of the bed and waddles down the stairs and into the kitchen.
Placing her hand on her stomach she whispers to the child within, "Maybe some tea will calm you."
Elizabeth starts to prepare the tea when a sharp pain shoots across her back. She rubs her back, trying to massage the pain away, but nothing works -- the pain is so intense that she pulls out a chair and sits down.
"Damn," she mutters under her breath. Another pain shoots across her back -- intense pain, unlike nothing she has ever felt or experienced.
Meanwhile upstairs Robert rolls over, still asleep. He reaches out for Elizabeth and finds the bed empty. At first it doesn't register and he just cuddles further into the pillow, but then his eyes shoot wide open.
"Lizzie?" he questions looking towards the darkened bathroom.
Robert jumps out of bed and heads down the stair taking two at a time. The sight in front of him is Elizabeth hunched over in a chair, rubbing her back. Her face is screwed up in pain.
"Elizabeth, are you all right?"
"Does it bloody look like I'm all right?" Elizabeth snaps at him.
Robert pulls up a chair next to hers and takes over rubbing her back as another contraction rocks through her body.
Elizabeth clenches her teeth together.
"Breathe, Lizzie, breathe," Robert coaches.
She breathes through the contraction, her face completely full of pain. After the contraction is over she finally looks over at Robert with a small smirk on her face. The look on his face is priceless.
"Robert, are you having second thoughts about this? You do realize that this is only the beginning."
"Lizzie, I would never have second thoughts about having a child."
"No I'm talking about having to see me go through this pain."
"Well, that's something I don't want to see, but I can't wait to hear the obscene things that you'll come up with when you're screaming at me."
"Other than normal?"
"Oh yeah."
Elizabeth grimaces again as another contraction starts up. Robert stands up.
"I'm going to get Ella ready to go or else you're really good at faking this."
She glares at him as she clenches her teeth.
"Didn't think so," Robert replies as he starts to leave. Elizabeth catches his arm and pulls him back to her.
"Stay with me until this one's over."
Robert doesn't fight it as he continues to rub her back to provide counter pressure to take off some of the pain in her back. Elizabeth continues to breathe through the contraction.
"Okay," she says, "but hurry!"
Robert gives her a quick kiss and heads up stairs to wake Ella. He gently shakes the two and a half year old awake. She opens her eyes groggily, looking up at him confused.
"Rahba?"
"Come on, Miss Ella, Mommy needs to go to the hospital."
"To work?" Ella asks him as she starts to sit up.
"No, to get your baby brother or sister."
"Can't they bring the baby here?" Ella inquires, still rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"If we don't hurry they might have to," Robert tells her as he starts to pull out her clothes from the dresser.
"But I don't want to!" Ella proclaims, stubbornly.
"Any other time I would fight with you, but right now you are going to do what I say," Robert replies, trying not to panic.
He pulls out a little pair of jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt and heads over to Ella's bed.
Ella folds her arms over her chest in protest. She can be just as stubborn as both Robert and Elizabeth.
"Come on Ella!" Robert says.
"No!" Ella says pushing the clothes out of his hands.
"Fine. You can wear your pajamas to the hospital," Robert tells her starting to panic -- any other day he would have played his little sarcastic game with Ella until he talked her into doing what he wanted, but not now. He didn't want to end up delivering his child.
"No!"
"All right, Ella, I've asked nicely. We're going now!" Robert tells her picking her up and slinging her over his shoulder.
Ella screams all the way down the stairs. Robert heads into the kitchen to find Elizabeth still grimacing as the contractions head through her body. She looks up to find her daughter over Robert's shoulder -- giving him a questioning look.
"Are you ready to go?" Robert asks her ignoring the screaming child over his shoulder.
"I don't think we're going to make it to the hospital," Elizabeth tells him, her face white.
"Of course we are, Lizzie, let's go."
"My water just broke."
"Wonderful," he yells -- now losing his cool.
Elizabeth stands up and heads towards the door. Another contraction rocks through her body and she doubles over in pain.
"Keep moving, Lizzie!"
"That's easy for you to say --" she snaps.
"All right I'm sorry. I apologize for putting you in this situation, but I do not want to deliver our child here."
Ella continues to fight with Robert.
"Ella, stop!" Elizabeth tells the child harshly.
Ella having never heard her mother yell at her, stops almost immediately, and just stares at her -- her lip quivering -- and then she starts to cry.
"Out to the car now!" Robert says.
County General Hospital
4:45 a.m.
Robert runs into the quiet ER, looking frazzled with Ella supported in his right arm. Robert heads over to the desk and hands Ella over to Jerry.
"Dr. Romano?" Jerry asks.
"Just watch her," Romano barks as he takes a wheelchair and heads back out the doors of the ER.
Minutes later he wheels Elizabeth through the door -- panting. She is in a ton of pain.
"Robert, I need to push!" Elizabeth tells him, through clenched teeth.
"No you don't, Elizabeth, not now."
"Robert, we're not going to make it upstairs. I can feel the baby."
Susan Lewis heads over to the pair.
"Elizabeth, how long have you had the contractions?"
"An hour -- I don't know. My back has been hurting all night."
"Jerry, what's open?" Susan asks.
"Everything."
"All right," Susan replies as she starts to wheel Elizabeth towards Trauma One.
"She's not having the baby down here," Robert says forcefully.
"Dr. Romano, I don't think you have much choice."
Carter sees them and heads over as they help Elizabeth get into a gown and situated on the gurney.
"I need to push now!" Elizabeth screams.
Romano holds onto her hand as Susan and Carter get everything situated. Susan is at the base of the bed.
"Elizabeth, you're not going to have to do much work. You're baby's head is right here."
Robert kisses her forehead, smiling, "Lucky you."
"Robert, right -- oh God -- these contractions are horrible!" Elizabeth screams.
"Okay. I want you to take a deep breath in, blow it out, take another one in and push."
Elizabeth does as she is told and bears down. Robert watches in awe as their child's head appears.
"Elizabeth, stop pushing. The baby's head is out."
"Cute looking kid," Carter replies, with a smirk directed at Romano.
"Any comments Carter and you're fired."
"Robert, shut up!" Elizabeth yells.
"All right, Elizabeth. One more push and you have your baby," Susan tells her.
Elizabeth pushes and seconds later Susan is placing the child on her stomach.
"It's a boy!" Susan exclaims, "Congratulations!"
Both Robert and Elizabeth stare down at the child, amazed at their own creation. The little boy has reddish blond hair on the top of his head and he tries to open his brown eyes.
"We have a son," Romano whispers, amazed.
Elizabeth smiles up at him, kissing him, "He's beautiful."
"I love you, Lizzie," Romano responds kissing her back.
"I love you too."
"Dr. Romano would you like to cut the cord?" Susan asks offering the scissors over to Romano.
He nods his head, speechless as Susan shows him where to cut -- Romano separates the child from Elizabeth.
Lily takes the baby off of Elizabeth's chest and brings him over to the scale to weigh him and clean him off better. Robert follows, looking down at the infant.
"Nine pounds, two ounces," Lily tells Robert.
"Elizabeth did you hear that?" Robert asks.
"He was almost a week late," Elizabeth tells him.
Robert gently strokes the top of his son's head, looking down at him amazed. Carter examines the infant and looks up at Romano.
"Your son is completely healthy. Congrats, Dr. Romano."
"Thanks Carter."
Lily wraps the baby up in a blanket and hands him over to Romano. Robert walks carefully back to Elizabeth and reluctantly hands him over to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth kisses the infant on the forehead, lovingly, and then she looks up at Robert.
"He needs a name, Robert."
"I was thinking baby boy Romano sounded good," Robert replies sarcastically.
"Now who said that he was getting your name? Baby boy Corday sounds just as good."
"There was never a question --"
"I know, Robert, I know."
"But what are we going to name him?"
"Aiden."
"Where'd Aiden come from? I thought you were set on Mathew," Romano questions.
"I also thought that he was a girl," Elizabeth responds, "He looks like an Aiden."
Robert studies his son and then grins at her, "I suppose."
"Besides Aiden Mathew Romano sounds pretty good to me."
Robert kisses Aiden on the forehead whispering, "Hey Aiden, I'm your dad."
"Was that ever in question?" Elizabeth asks, smirking.
"You never know with you, Lizzie, always one to sleep around," Robert replies playfully.
"Robert, you know me too well," Elizabeth snarks.
"We'll get you moved upstairs in the next ten minutes," Susan tells Elizabeth.
"Thank-you Susan."
Susan leaves the room and comes back in a moment later with Ella in tow. Ella is now nearly asleep.
"The screaming must have worn her out," Robert says as he takes Ella into his arms.
"That and it being five in the morning might have done it for her," Susan tells him.
"Thanks Dr. Lewis."
"It wasn't a problem, besides she was wreaking havoc in the lounge."
"Jerry took her into the lounge?"
"I think he was at a loss of what to do with a two and a half year old."
Susan then leaves the room.
"Ella, do you want to see your baby brother?" Robert asks her.
Ella glares at him. Even at two and a half she already has Elizabeth's glare down to a 'T.'
"He's pretty cute. You're going to be missing out," Robert prods.
"I didn't want a brother," Ella tells him.
"Well little Miss Ella, I don't think that you have a choice. We can't put him back."
She looks up at him innocently, "You could try."
"I don't think your mom would like that."
"Come on Ella, come look at your brother," Elizabeth tells the child.
Robert puts Ella down and she reluctantly heads over to the bed with her mother on it. Ella just looks up at her mother. Robert picks her up and places her on the bed with Elizabeth and Aiden. Ella looks at the tiny baby in her mother's arms -- at first she doesn't do or say anything.
"What's his name?" Ella asks her mother curiously.
"Aiden."
"Aiden," she says it slowly like a foreign word.
"He's pretty cute. Are you sure you don't want to hold him?" Elizabeth asks her daughter.
Ella peeks at the child and then shakes her head 'no.'
"You're missing out, Ella," Robert tells her.
"Come here, Ella," Elizabeth replies scooting her daughter closer to her.
"Aiden," Ella says again.
"Do you want to hold him?" Elizabeth asks again.
This time Ella places out her small arms -- ready to hold him. Robert takes Aiden out of Elizabeth's arms as she places Ella on her lap. Then Robert puts Aiden into Ella's arms supported with Elizabeth behind her two children.
"I guess he's a little cute," Ella replies looking down at her baby brother.
"Only a little cute?" Robert asks.
"He's not my Christmas present is he?" Ella inquires.
Both Robert and Elizabeth laugh at this.
"No, Ella, he's only part of the family Christmas present," Elizabeth tells her daughter.
Robert leans in and kisses Elizabeth, smirking.
"What do you think is so funny, Dr. Romano?" Elizabeth inquires.
"The family Christmas present, Lizzie?" Robert asks playfully.
"What?"
"Does that mean that I don't get anything for Christmas?"
"Robert what else could you possibly ask for?" Elizabeth snarks.
"You."
"You already have me," Elizabeth replies.
"Marry me, Lizzie."
"Are you serious?"
"I've never been more serious about anything in my life."
"Umm --"
"Is that an answer, Lizzie?" Robert asks sarcastically.
"Well --"
"It's not that hard -- you have a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right."
"Getting it right?"
"Well I'll only accept one answer," Robert tells her matter-of-factly.
"Figures."
"Your answer then Elizabeth?"
"Yes."
He grins at her and leans in to kiss her. For once Robert Romano and Elizabeth Corday have found some sort of happiness. Their relationship has been through its fair share of ups and downs -- and the future holds just as many prospects for them -- the playful bickering of course is always included. Elizabeth and Robert have a foundation for their future relationship -- one built on plenty of harsh words, playful times, and most importantly on unyielding love.
FIN
****
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the great support throughout this story. Please tell me what you thought of this story -- thanks. Hopefully on the show we will get to see some sort of cordano for season 10 -- probably not to this extent. But thanks once again for the loyal readers and everyone who has reviewed!
~Jen