Stuck Revisited

Disclaimer: Yeah, right. Same old, same old. Guess who still doesn't own ER or any of the characters?

This is a sequel to my story "Stuck" because I was silly enough to promise that I'd write a continuation. Please excuse the title, I really couldn't think of anything more creative.

I'm not sure about the rating yet, but I'll start from PG-13 and change it if necessary.

For those whose memories need refreshing; in the end of "Stuck" I left Elizabeth and Robert quite blissfully wandering off into the rain and towards their future together. For everyone who has been biting off their fingernails wondering whether they actually caught a cold, I'm sorry to inform that this story takes off a couple of weeks after the occasion and everyone is in excellent health – except of course the patients.

The first chapter isn't very long, but I need a bit of time to get back on track with writing.

Chapter 1 ~ Still Stuck After All These Weeks

The last procedure of the day was over. Elizabeth sighed as she pronounced the time of death of an elderly patient who had crashed during the surgery. Dying patients was something she'd never get used to.

"Don't worry," she heard a voice behind her say. "You did a good a job today. There was nothing any of us could have done."

She turned back and smiled at Dorsett half-heartedly.

"I know I did," she replied coolly. "But is that supposed to satisfy me when a patient dies?"

Dorsett looked slightly taken a back, but soon he had a seductive smile back on his face:

"Satisfy isn't the word I'd use for this…" he replied, stepping closer, "But I could help you find some other meanings for the word."

"I have no doubt of it," Elizabeth retorted, "In fact," she continued, "You could actually start by letting me go now. I have other plans for the evening."

"Oh," Dorsett frowned slightly, "May I ask what kind of plans?"

"You certainly may," Elizabeth replied cheekily as she headed towards the door. "Good night, Edward!"

With that she was gone, and after quickly picking up some of her belongings from her office, she headed for the ER.

*********

As the elevator doors opened to the buzz that was ER, Elizabeth immediately discerned a familiar voice yelling from somewhere not too far:

"No, I don't care! It's not my concern how you do it, just do it. Clear the damn board!"

Elizabeth chuckled to herself as she came around a corner and found Robert raging at everyone and no one in particular. He immediately shut up as he noticed her.

"Lizzie," he noted, picking up a chart and shoving it to a disgruntled Susan who happened to be passing by. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Elizabeth glanced around and saw about half a dozen curious pairs of eyes instantly being directed at them. The rumour mill already seemed to be running, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to go public yet.

"You paged me," she replied simply, giving Robert a pointed look.

He raised his eyebrows slightly, then realizing where she was coming from, nodded.

"Oh, right," he said, stopping another attendant and giving him another chart, before nonchalantly turning back to Elizabeth again: "Too bad we already lost the patient. But now that you finally showed up, there's something in my office I think you should see."

"Can't it wait?" Elizabeth yawned, trying to sound disinterested. "I was going to go home."

"No, Dr. Corday, it cannot wait," Robert replied and began shoving her towards his office. "This is essential."

As soon as they were both inside the room that Robert now called his office, he closed the door behind them and grinned.

"Do you think they bought it?"

"I don't know," Elizabeth sighed. Then, loosening up, she too smiled; "Now, would you care to tell me what is so essential?"

"Me?" Robert raised his brow, "You were the one who came down here, practically begging. I just had to play along." He stepped a little closer.

"Well, you didn't seem to have much trouble doing so," she countered, also stepping closer.

"I had, actually," he replied, "because I would have done this way sooner."

While Robert was still speaking, he closed the remaining gap between the two of them and, pushing Elizabeth against the nearest wall, began kissing her hungrily.

"I didn't see you yesterday," he mumbled accusingly against her lips.

"I had a day off," Elizabeth breathed between the kisses.

"You didn't call." Robert bit her lower lip gently.

"Neither did you."

They departed, but only to stand a few inches from each other. Robert looked searchingly into Elizabeth's eyes.

"Were you avoiding me?" he asked, his voice betraying no particular emotion.

"No!" Elizabeth exclaimed, but she soon had to look down under Robert's examination. "Well…I don't know," she muttered. "Things are just moving so fast…or actually…"

"Have you changed your mind?" Robert asked, remaining stoical, but moving slightly further away from her.

"It's been a hectic week. We've barely had time to talk after…after the last time," Elizabeth tried to explain, but Robert barely marked her words.

"Have you?" he repeated his question.

"No," she sighed exasperatedly. "I just don't think we should rush things."

There was a pause.

"So, you want to take more time off?" Robert asked after a while. This time his voice sounded gentler.

Elizabeth shook her head and reached out to stroke his hand.

"I just need to get used to this," she said, smiling slightly. "- Dating Rocket Romano."

"Many would call you crazy for even trying," he retorted.

"I know, because I'm one of them," Elizabeth grinned as she leaned in to place a kiss on Robert's lips. Teasingly she broke off before he could catch up.

"Does this mean you'd be willing to try and get used to me on a date tonight?" he asked. He sounded playful, but the look in his eyes told Elizabeth that he was serious.

"Actually that's what I wanted to talk about," she replied, grinning. "Although," she continued, toying with Robert's golden stethoscope that was hanging around his neck, "perhaps there isn't that much to talk about."

"How so?" he asked, catching Elizabeth's hand from the stethoscope.

"Because I only have a suggestion for which I will not take 'no' for an answer," she smiled as Robert moved her hand to his lips.

"I'm listening," he retorted, but then moved on from the hand to Elizabeth's mouth without waiting for her answer.

She let out a giggle, but didn't let herself be distracted for too long.

"Tonight," she mumbled against the kiss. "At my place," she broke the kiss and brought her finger onto his lips; "After your shift is over." 

Robert was left standing breathless in the middle of the room as Elizabeth took off. Before slipping through the door she turned around and grinned once more:

"I'll be waiting," she quipped and was gone.

*********

Once at home, Elizabeth finally had time for her thoughts. A few weeks had passed since the rainy day she and Robert had got together. They had had their first official date, and the second and the third, and at work they had shared many moments similar to the one that had just occurred in his office, but so far that was as far as they had went.

Elizabeth knew they couldn't go on forever in the easy, half serious manner they had developed, but it seemed as if both were waiting for the other to make the initial before moving on. She also knew that a part of her was already anxious to make things more serious between Robert and herself, while another part of her was enjoying their relationship as it was now, playful and full of expectation. She almost felt like a teenager again, stealing kisses while the co-workers weren't looking and wondering when and how they would get down to the real business.

She grinned at the thought.

But they weren't teenagers anymore. Neither of them was looking for a casual partner in the other, yet their relationship at the moment seemed to be the very embodiment of casual, and Elizabeth wasn't sure whether jumping into bed now would serve to make it even more casual or if it was just the thing they need to get more serious.

It didn't help that Elizabeth was almost certain Robert was waiting for some sort of a sign or invitation from her before he would do anything, and so they'd remain in their present situation as long as she remained confused. And that could take longer than either of them really wanted.

Perhaps acting on her instincts wouldn't be that bad of an idea for a change.