Author's Note: Sorry it took a while to get this chapter up- I didn't have much time at all last week to write. Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner rather than later.  This chapter is still in the time between "Finders Keepers" and "Things Change". I'm going to try to tie in events from the more current episodes in future chapters, but I'm not there yet. Anyway, I'd appreciate any feedback. Enjoy!

***

"Mommy, I want the rubber duckie!" Ella said, slapping her hands down on the bath water. Elizabeth reached across the tub and gave her the squeaky yellow toy, then poured some shampoo into her hand and began to wash her daughter's hair.

"Close your eyes, darling," she said as she poured water over her daughter's soapy head. Ella tightly squeezed her eyes shut, and shampoo trickled down her face. When Elizabeth was sure that she had gotten out all the shampoo, she reached down and tickled her daughter's stomach. Ella began to giggle, keeping her eyes shut tightly. When Elizabeth bent down and kissed her nose, Ella opened her eyes and laughed even more.

"What's so funny, Ella?" Ella pointed at Elizabeth's nose. Elizabeth reached up to see what was so funny, and brushed off some bubbles that were sitting on the end of her nose. She smiled, and Ella kept laughing. Elizabeth got up off of the bathroom floor and reached for a towel. She held it open as Ella climbed out of the bathtub. Elizabeth wrapped her daughter up in the towel, drying her dripping hair. She then picked Ella up and carried her into her bedroom.

After getting Ella into her pajamas, brushing her hair, and reading her three bedtime stories, Elizabeth turned off the light and went downstairs, leaving her daughter's door open slightly. It was 7:30 on a Friday night, and here she was, alone in her living room as usual. Elizabeth went into the kitchen and got a carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream out of the freezer. Spoon in hand, she sat down on the living room couch and opened the carton. Elizabeth picked up the remote, planning to turn on the television, but decided to turn on the stereo instead.

Elizabeth leaned back and propped her feet up on the table in front of her. She opened the ice cream and scooped up a spoonful. As she ate the first refreshing bite, she laughed to herself. This was something she used to do when studying for exams during medical school- she hadn't sat down with a full carton of ice cream in years. Elizabeth dug spoonful after spoonful out of the carton, and began to debate with herself.

After half an hour of thinking about her meeting with Kerry, Elizabeth got up from the couch and picked up the cordless phone from the kitchen. There was only one way to make this decision. Sitting back down on the couch, she dialed Robert's home phone number.

***

Robert slowly unwound the dressing from his arm. He couldn't help but wince when he saw the beginnings of an ulcer. It looked bad, but he wasn't willing to admit that to anyone else. Not yet, at least.

As he began to rewrap the wound, he heard the phone ring. Walking out of the bathroom into the kitchen, he picked up the phone and placed it between his ear and neck.

"Hello?"

"Robert? I'm sorry to be calling you at home, but-"

"Wait…Elizabeth? Is that you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, it's me."

Robert sat down at the kitchen table. "How was your day? I wasn't expecting to hear from you tonight. Checking up on me, I assume?"

Dozens of blocks away, Elizabeth's eyes widened. "No, Robert, not at all. I called for a different reason. But since you brought it up, how are you?"

"I'm doing all right. Damn arm still hurts, but I'm used to that by now."

"Doing better than last night, I suppose?"

"Yes, definitely."

Elizabeth nodded. "Good. I'm glad."

There was a pause. Neither of them was quite sure what to say. Phone conversations weren't a normal occurrence between the two of them. In fact, Robert couldn't remember the last time Elizabeth had called him at home. Finally, he broke the silence.

"Well, you said you called for a reason. Care to share it?"

Elizabeth took a breath to compose herself. "I had a meeting with Kerry Weaver today."

Robert gave a small laugh. "Well, there's an enthusiastic way to start a story."

"Yes, yes, I know. Anyway, Kerry…er…well, she offered me the position of Interim Chief of Surgery."

Robert was taken aback. Kerry was offering other people that job? His job?

"Well, nice to know that she has faith in my recovery. I guess this means I'm banished to the ER forever, then."

"Robert, I'm sorry, I was as surprised as you are. I was sure this was going to be a temporary move too."

"Well, did you accept the job?"

"No, I haven't. Not yet, at least. That's why I called. I wanted to get your input."

"I'm touched, Lizzie, really," Robert said. Elizabeth smiled at his mocking tone of voice.

"Well?"

Robert took a deep breath. "Elizabeth, you would make a wonderful chief. You've got surgical talent, and people skills and bedside manner to match. If someone has to have my job, I want it to be you."

"So you think I should take it then?"

"Yes, Lizzie, I think you should take it. You'll probably do a better job than I ever did."

"You were a great chief of surgery, Robert. And you will be a good ER chief too. You just have to learn that they don't enjoy being bossed around as much down there as they do in surgery."

Robert smiled. "Yeah, I kind of made a fool of myself yesterday, didn't I?"

"Well, to put it frankly, yes. You may want to reconsider your approach to emergency medicine before you have a mutiny down there."

"I'll have to work on that tomorrow."

"You're going back in tomorrow, then? You're feeling up to it?"

"Yes, I think I am, thanks to wonderful Nurse Corday."

"Ha, ha, ha," Elizabeth said. She and Robert both laughed.

"Well, thank you, Robert. I'll tell Kerry my decision tomorrow."

"So you're going to take the position?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good."

"So, I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yes. And Elizabeth?"

"Yes, Robert?"

"We should do this more often."

"Do what?"

"This whole talking thing. I really enjoyed our conversation."

"Me too." Elizabeth heard a whimper from upstairs. "Robert, I have to go, Ella's crying for me."

"I don't want to keep you from your daughter. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right. And thank you, Robert."

"You're welcome." Robert heard the click of the receiver and then the harsh dial tone. 

Robert hung up the phone and got himself a glass of water. The conversation he had just had certainly gave him a lot to think about. Not just about his future at County- though he now certainly had doubts about it.  He had forgotten how much he enjoyed talking to her.

Robert finished his water and set the glass next to the sink. He smiled, and walked upstairs to do some work.

***

Elizabeth hung up the phone and jogged upstairs to Ella's bedroom. Ella was sitting up in her crib.

"What's the matter, darling?"

"I want water."

Elizabeth reached over to the dresser, where a sippy cup sat, full of water. "Here you go, Ella."

Ella took a long drink from the cup. "Thank you, mommy," she said, handing her the cup. Elizabeth took the cup and set it back down on the dresser.

"All right, darling. Now go to sleep," she said, smoothing Ella's hair back from her forehead. Ella's eyes closed, and her breathing became slower as she fell asleep again. Elizabeth sat down in the rocking chair in the corner of the room and began to rock back and forth.

She was going to take the position of Chief of Surgery, and her conversation with Robert had made her sure of it. That conversation had also reminded her how much she valued him as a friend. He had said that they should talk more often. Elizabeth told herself that he was right about that before drifting off to sleep.