Title: Giving Thanks: Response

Author: Jen Zoromski

All other information is in first chapter.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for all of the reviews. You guys are great! Well here's more to the story. Please R&R and of course enjoy!

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Northwestern Hospital

November 27, 2003

10:05 a.m.

"I just don't understand it," Elizabeth says amazed as Dr. Carson continues to talk.

"The rest that were brought in were DOA. Robert was the only one to survive who was that close to the crash."

"What's his prognosis?"

"According to the charts the initial CT scan showed swelling in the brain. That's what we think caused him to go into a coma, but from our most recent scan the swelling has gone down immensely."

"And that was done when?"

"Early this morning."

A nurse comes running out of Robert's ICU room frantically looking for Dr. Carson. She runs up to them.

"He's triggering the vent on his own," the nurse says.

Elizabeth rushes into the room with Dr. Carson following closely behind her. Dr. Carson proceeds to check all of Robert's vitals as Elizabeth studies him, looking for any sign of consciousness. She takes his right hand into hers.

"Robert, its Elizabeth. If you can hear me, squeeze my hand."

There's nothing at first.

"Come on Robert, I know that you're in there. Quit being so damned stubborn!"

His right hand twitches.

"Reflex or is that the real thing?" Carson wonders.

Robert's hand grabs onto Elizabeth's with more strength. "The real thing," Elizabeth smiles.

"Come on, Robert, you old son of a bitch, you need to wake up," Carson replies playfully. He and Robert went way back to the early days of their careers as residents in New York City. Robert transferred to Chicago a year later and he and Carson would meet regularly at seminars each year.

There is no response from Romano. Elizabeth looks up at Dr. Carson hopefully, "Well it seems as though he's starting to come around."

"Robert Romano isn't the type to just lay down and die somewhere in a gutter," Carson responds.

"Do you know him well?"

"We were first year residents together in New York way back when. He and I took different career paths though. I stayed in emergency medicine in New York City while he transferred here to Chicago to study surgery under Dr. Jack Nagler."

"I can't seem to imagine Robert as a resident," Elizabeth retorts.

"You should have seen him in action though. Sharp as a tack and determined as hell especially when the rest of us were wondering if we made a mistake in signing up for med school with all the bookwork they shoved our way in the first year."

"Did he have the lovely sarcastic humor back in the day?"

"Of course. He wouldn't be Robert Romano if he didn't."

Elizabeth looks at her watch and mutters, "Damn."

"Do you need to get back?"

"I really should."

Dr. Carson escorts her out of the door and towards the admit desk in the ICU area.

"I'll page you if anything changes."

"Thank-you very much."

Elizabeth turns on her heel and heads down the hallway.

"Oh Dr. Corday?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know if I should be telling you this, but--"

She takes a few more steps towards him.

"Yes?"

"Right after Robert's arm was reattached and was still under anesthesia I remember him asking for Lizzie."

Elizabeth stares at him confused, wondering where he's going with this. Robert's said a few things under anesthesia.

"I was in England at the time," she replies coolly, not wanting to deal with the emotions of the situation. Not now at least. In her mind the events of the last year invade the part of her brain hinting that maybe there is something there between she and Robert. Something that she didn't want to admit to herself.

"Having someone there will speed up his recovery," Dr. Carson states softly.

"I know."

County General

11:12 a.m.

"Dr. Corday, where have you been?" Susan inquires as Elizabeth walks through the door of the ER taking off her jacket and scarf.

"Out," she bites.

"Out? There doesn't seem to be a surgeon in this hospital. Either they are dead or called in sick or 'out,'" Susan responds just as angrily.

"I don't need to take this from you, Susan. Not now," Elizabeth barks heading towards the elevator.

"Elizabeth, I have a patient complaining of severe abdominal pain."

Elizabeth stops and breathes out a frustrated breath, "All right."

She follows Susan as she leads her into one of the curtained areas.

"Mr. Redmond's abdomen is tender to the touch. He's been throwing up."

"You're thinking appendicitis?" Corday asks already feeling the man's abdomen. He grimaces in pain as she presses her fingers over the place that's bothering him.

"Yeah."

"Mr. Redmond, my name is Dr. Corday and it appears that your appendix is about to rupture. We need to get you up to the OR right now. Do you have any family members that we can contact?"

"I want to eat my Thanksgiving dinner," he pouts.

"You'll have to wait on that," Elizabeth replies starting to wheel him out of the room.

"Elizabeth," Susan starts following her, "Look I know that you're under a lot of pressure, but--"

"I'm fine," she retorts pushing Mr. Redmond to the elevator.

The doors are closed and she pushes the button, annoyed. "Oh come on! Bloody hell!"

"My stomach hurts!" Mr. Redmond whines.

'I know, sir, we'll fix that for you in a moment."

The elevator opens to reveal it jam packed with people, "Let's go! Get off the damn elevator! Take the stairs next time!" she yells at them angrily.

Abby joins Susan who is watching the entire scene, "You know I thought I was going to miss Romano, but it seems like he never left."

"What do you mean?" Abby inquires.

"Elizabeth has not only inherited his Chief of Surgery job, she took over his attitude as well."

Abby rolls her eyes and the two share a quick laugh before heading back into the busy ER. People are swarming everywhere. Stomachaches from too much turkey, burnt hands from trying to put the turkey fire out, and injuries from slicing more than the turkey. It's a relatively normal holiday.

2:01 p.m.

"Hey buffet table's ready," Frank bellows to the ER staff. Nurses and doctors alike head for the table happy that there seems to be a lull in activity.

Elizabeth exits from the elevator looking for Susan. Susan sees her first.

"Hey Elizabeth come on over and have some turducken," she says in good spirits.

Elizabeth makes a disgusted face, "I'd rather not."

"What brings you down here?"

"You're appy patient was textbook case."

"I didn't think there'd be a problem. What really brought you down here?"

"Actually I was coming down here to tell you that the memorial service for Romano has been canceled."

"Robodoc's not going to get his send off? That's too bad," Pratt pipes up sarcastically.

Elizabeth smirks, "Actually rumor has it that Dr. Romano is very much alive."

She pulls on her coat and heads out the door with the same smirk still on her face. Romano wasn't only alive, he was awake too. Elizabeth, having received a page not five minutes ago was heading to Northwestern.

"Elizabeth isn't your shift until eight?" Susan questions.

"Anspaugh is going to cover for awhile and Edson was miraculously healed from his sickness that was ailing him this morning," Elizabeth says over her shoulder.

She leaves the ER in shock.

"Did she just say what I thought she just said?" Abby questions.

Everyone mumbles their responses through turducken and wide eyed shock. It will definitely be a Thanksgiving the ER will remember.

TBC

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More to come! Please R&R

~Jen