Author's Note: This chapter takes place the day after "Things Change," so it takes those events into account. And yes, I am going to take all of season 9 into account by the end of the fic, but I'm not quite there yet. Anyway, thanks for all of the great reviews- keep them coming! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: My knowledge of medicine comes from ER. I've done my best, but don't sue me if it's completely inaccurate.

***

Elizabeth pushed open the doors to Trauma 1. Susan, Gallant, Abby, Lydia and Robert surrounded the patient, a 17-year-old stabbing victim.

"Someone called for a consult?"

Robert stepped back from the bed to talk to Elizabeth. "Megan Winer, 17, multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. Possible spleen injury. BP is 120 over 80; pulse ox is 98 on 75 percent oxygen." Elizabeth nodded, put on her trauma glasses, and began to assess the patient.

Ten minutes later, when the girl had been stabilized, Elizabeth and Robert wheeled her out of the room and over to the elevators. After waiting a few seconds, the elevator doors opened and they wheeled Megan inside. Robert punched the button for surgery as the elevator doors shut.

"So, how are you, Robert?"

Robert turned around and leaned against the side of the elevator. Elizabeth was standing next to Megan's head, bagging her. Her trauma gown was covered in blood, but she was smiling.

"I'm doing much better. Learning how to avoid pissing the ER staff off."

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, that's always a good thing." Robert nodded. "How's that ulcer?"

Robert looked down at his arm. "It's better than it was yesterday. The wound debridement really helped."

Elizabeth nodded. "Good, I'm glad. I want to take another look at it later."

"Okay."

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Robert stood up and grabbed the end of the gurney with his good hand, and helped Elizabeth wheel the patient into the OR. Shirley took over bagging, and Elizabeth pulled off her bloody trauma gown.

"So you've got it from here, Lizzie?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you, Robert!" she said, as she walked into the scrub room. Robert hesitated for a moment, then turned to go back down to the ER.

***

"Suction!" Elizabeth called, as she began to clamp off the spleen. The assisting resident obliged. "Shirley, what's the pulse ox?"

"96 on 90% oxygen, Dr. Corday."

"Thank you."

There was a silence in the room as Elizabeth performed the most difficult part of the surgery. A few minutes later, she pulled the enlarged spleen out of the girl's stomach and dropped it into the outstretched pan. As the team began to close, Shirley spoke up.

"So, Dr. Corday, what's going on between you and Dr. Romano?"

Elizabeth's heart jumped into her throat. She was speechless for a few seconds. "Er-er, what do you mean, Shirley?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. It's just, well, you two have been spending an awful lot of time together lately."

"No, no, Robert just needed someone to examine his arm. Nothing's going on between us."

Shirley nodded. "Okay, then. I just wanted to hear it from the source."

"Right, nothing's going on." Elizabeth paused. "Who did you hear it from?"

Shirley laughed. "Oh, you know how nurses gossip. The ER nurses are the worst. I heard it from Chuny."

Elizabeth smiled weakly. "So, everyone thinks that Dr. Romano and I are…seeing each other?"

"Well, yeah."

'Oh, God,' Elizabeth thought to herself. "Okay," she said, visibly flustered.

Finally, the resident piped up. "Dr. Corday, I can close."

Elizabeth nodded and handed the instrument she was holding to him. "Thank- thank you," she said, rushing out of the OR and into the scrub room. As she removed her gloves and began to scrub her hands, she tried to regain her composure. People thought she was seeing Robert?

Elizabeth finished scrubbing out and walked out into the surgical lobby. She rushed over to the elevators and jammed the down button. When the doors opened, she stepped in and waited for the elevator to take her down to the ER.

***

"Randi, where is Dr. Romano?"

"He went outside for a break, Dr. Corday. Carter needs a consult in curtain two-"

"In a minute," Elizabeth said, walking out of the ER. She turned around and nearly bumped into Luka.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Kovac, I didn't see you there," she said before rushing out of the ER.

"Where is she going?" Luka asked Randi.

"Beats me," Randi said. "But it sure seems important." Luka nodded and walked into the lounge.

***

Elizabeth found Robert sitting on a bench outside the ER, holding a cup of coffee in his right hand. When she sat down next to him, Robert turned his head.

"You're out of surgery already?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I let Dalton close. He could use the practice."

Robert laughed. "Yes, he could. Scary, the future of surgery." He paused, but Elizabeth didn't laugh. "So, how did it go?"

"Oh, um, it went very well. Megan should be resting comfortably in recovery soon."

"Good. Still haven't gotten a hold of her parents, though."

"Well, let me know when you do, I'll speak to them about the surgery." Robert nodded.

"So, Lizzie, what are you doing here? This isn't one of your usual haunts."

Elizabeth opened her mouth, about to say something, but bit her lip and turned away. "Elizabeth?" Robert said, his voice suddenly concerned. "What's the matter?"

"It's just…well…I was talking to Shirley during the surgery." Robert nodded, and Elizabeth hurriedly continued. "And she asked if there was anything going on between us. You know, romantically."

Robert raised his eyebrows. "Romantically?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Apparently Shirley heard it from the ER nurses."

Robert laughed. "ER nurses and gossip. A match made in heaven."

Elizabeth stared at him blankly. "Robert, you don't seem to be too concerned about this."

"Well, Lizzie, what can I do? If there's nothing going on between us, we just have to let the rumor run its course. It will die out eventually, you know that."

"Yeah, but-"

"But what?"

Elizabeth looked down and shook her head. "Nothing."

"Okay then. Do you have some time to check my arm now?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll be right in," Elizabeth said, hoping that Robert would go inside and let her gather her thoughts.

Robert realized that Elizabeth was pretty shaken up by the rumor, so he got up. "Okay, I'll get the supplies and wait for you in the suture room. Don't take too long, though, the ER doesn't stop and wait for me." Elizabeth nodded and watched him walk back into the hospital.

Why wasn't he concerned about this? Did his reputation mean anything to him? Suddenly, Elizabeth sat up. What if Robert wanted this to happen? What if he still had feelings for her after all these years? Taking a deep breath, she got up and walked back into the ER. As she passed the admit desk, Randi called out to her.

"Dr. Corday, Carter's still waiting-"

"Page Dorsett or Edson," Elizabeth said, walking down the hall towards the suture room. Randi sighed and picked up the phone.