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Elizabeth had no idea how she had managed to fall asleep, but the next thing she knew, Luka was shaking her gently. Ella was cradled on her lap, sound asleep. Elizabeth stifled a yawn as Luka said, "Dr. Anspaugh just came down and said that the surgery is over and that Dr. Romano is in Recovery."

Elizabeth stood carefully, trying to keep Ella sleeping and said, "Thank you, Luka. For everything." He smiled at her warmly and laid a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, "You're welcome. Don't lose hope, Dr. Corday. Everything will turn out all right."

She thanked him again and headed upstairs. When she reached Recovery, she saw that Anspaugh was already there, checking Robert's chart. The surgeon looked up as she entered and greeted her. She asked, "How is he, Donald?"

"All things considered, remarkably well," Anspaugh said as Elizabeth laid Ella down on the empty bed next to Robert's, "The surgery went well and the anesthesia should wear off in a few hours. Transport will be here soon to take him to Mercy."

"Thank you, Donald. For everything," Elizabeth said, embracing the older surgeon.

"Dr. Kovac told me about you and Robert, Elizabeth," he said, "and I must say that I am glad of it. Robert has a difficult road ahead of him and that road will be infinitely easier if he has someone to travel it with."

After Anspaugh left, she pulled up a chair on the right side of Robert's bed. She took his hand in her own and pressed the back of it to her cheek. She said, "Robert, it's Elizabeth. Ella and I are here with you." He squeezed her hand weakly and tears sprang to Elizabeth's eyes.

She looked at his left arm for the first time and was shocked at how normal it looked. It was completely covered by a white cast and looked as if the am had simply been badly broken rather than severed. Tears slid silently down Elizabeth's face as the enormity of what had happened settled over her. She folded her arms on the side of the bed, laid her head down and wept.

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Elizabeth had no idea how long she had been sitting by Robert's bedside. The steady whoosh of the respirator and the beeping of the monitors had lulled her into a kind of half doze. When Anspaugh came in and laid a hand on her shoulder, Elizabeth jumped, badly startled. Anspaugh gave her an apologetic smile and said, "The helicopter is here to take him to Mercy."

Elizabeth tried for a wry smile, but it felt more like a grimace, "It's a good thing he's still out. I can't imagine that he'd be too eager to go back near one of those things."

"I didn't think he would be," Anspaugh said as he raised the rails on the side of the bed, "but with the ER possibly contaminated by an infectious disease and he having just had major surgery, air transport is just about the only option."

Two paramedics came in as they were talking and started wheeling Robert out to the elevators. Elizabeth gathered up Ella, thanked Anspaugh and followed. When they reached the roof, Elizabeth was doubly grateful that Robert wasn't aware of his surroundings.

The thumping of the chopper - she mentally cringed away from the term - blades was deafening and all she could think of was what had happened, each feverish imagining more lurid and grotesque than the last.

Elizabeth was thankful when, once they were aboard, Ella awoke and became fascinated by the view from the windows. It allowed her to focus on something besides her fears. After what seemed like an interminable period, though judging by Ella's squeal of dismay it was entirely too short, they landed on the roof of Mercy.

What followed was a whirlwind of movement and questions from assorted doctors and nurses and before she knew it, Elizabeth found herself sitting next to Robert's bed in his room with no clear idea of how she had gotten there. Ella was curled up on a large chair in the corner, sound asleep. Elizabeth yawned, glancing at the clock. 4:45 am.

She checked Robert over, knowing that the nurses would have done a thorough job, but needing to know for herself. She yawned again, feeling as if her face were splitting. Mentally resigning herself to a crick in her neck in the morning, Elizabeth folded her arms on the edge of the bed and fell asleep just as she was wondering how long it would take.

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Elizabeth woke to Robert's hand brushing the side of her face. She caught his hand in her own and pressed a kiss to his palm. He gave her a weak smile and whispered, "Hello, Lizzie . . ." He coughed and Elizabeth reached for the glass of water on the table next to the bed.

She held the straw to his lips and he managed a few sips before letting his head fall back to the pillow. "How long have you been here?" he asked.

Elizabeth glanced at the clock, "Only a few hours." He glanced at the cast on his arm with a grimace. "Not very attractive is it?"

Elizabeth gave a disbelieving laugh that nearly became a sob, "I much prefer it to any of the alternatives."

He looked away for a moment, and when he met her eyes again, his were suspiciously wet, "Lizzie, I . . ." He swallowed hard, "All I could think about on that roof was you and Ella, and that I would never . . ."

Elizabeth blinked back the tears pricking at her eyes, "It's all right, Robert. Ella and I are both here and we're not going anywhere."

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