Title: Giving Thanks: Help
Author: Jen Zoromski
All other information is in the first chapter
Author's Note: Thanks so much for the feedback. Once again I apologize for the tardiness of this post. Finals have been very time consuming along with the one-act play that I'm in. Posts will become more regular in a few weeks. Thanks for the continued interest. Has anyone noticed that ER has been lacking the sarcastic punch lately? It makes me miss Romano :-( Well anyways hope you enjoy this chapter -- we're still back in December in this fic.
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December 10, 2003
Robert Romano's House
5:19 a.m.
"Whomp, Whomp, Whomp," echoes through the dark night looking up he sees the light of a circling object in the sky. The light gets closer, and closer as does the sound.
"Dr. Romano!" Susan yells at him, "This patient's not stable."
No words come to his lips as he looks down to realize that both of his arms are still intact. She is pushing a gurney with a patient on it -- fighting him and his patient for the helicopter.
"Mine's worse!" he replies.
The metallic bird circles around and lands. A clipboard is dropped. He leans over -- the rotor blade.
Pain.
Lots of pain.
"No!" he wakes screaming. Sweat glistens on his face. He rubs his left shoulder trying to relax the tense muscles, but the pain persists -- phantom pain.
Hot, white, pain, one that he hasn't felt in quite a long time.
Looking over at the clock he realizes that he has another two hours before he has to be up and ready to go to that hell hole they've labeled as work. His insistence to continue to go back even baffles him. Six days ago he had the episode in the lounge and for the last six days he's stayed at home secluded from everyone.
Hasn't answered the phone. Hasn't even looked at the machine with the messages blinking at him. No mail. Just secluded and lost in his thoughts.
Images and nightmares are prominent through his sleepless nights. It was when he was around Elizabeth that he felt at peace. She is the vision of what the past used to hold for him.
"Maybe I could talk to her --" Romano reasons with himself, but quickly dismisses it. Why would she want to hear his pity story? She's dealt with enough of his attitude for the last seven years. He didn't need her to pity him.
Forcing himself out of bed he heads to the medicine cabinet and pulls out a bottle of Tylenol. "Yeah I'm sure this will get rid of the pain," he says sarcastically to himself.
He doesn't have anything stronger -- didn't want to show that there was a scared man underneath the steely exterior of sarcastic quips and mean honesty. That and he didn't want to end up dependent upon a chemical. He would never go there -- not like his dad -- never.
Pushing back the painful memories from his childhood he steps into the shower hoping the hot water will wash away some of the pain to a dull ache.
It was going to be a long day.
County General Hospital
9:00 a.m.
Tired and dragging his ass through the first hour and a half of his shift he was hoping for a pick-me-up -- anything -- coffee, rip apart a resident, catch a glimpse of Elizabeth, a trauma. Ripping apart a resident sounded inviting, but Elizabeth sweeping her way through the ER made up his mind. One glimpse of her and he'd be able to keep going for at least another hour.
Seeing her made him realize how much he really did miss her. Miss the time they used to share in the OR. They had something up there -- probably one of the best surgical pairs ever to grace the hospital.
Robert rests his head on his hands and watches the ER -- strangely quiet for a morning. New med students scurrying around replying to the orders of Kovac and Lewis. At least they're doing something. Elizabeth comes out of an examining room and heads for the elevator, but she stops when she sees him sitting at the admit desk -- his back to her.
"Robert, I thought you were taking another week off?"
Robert smirks at the sound of her voice and turns around, "Well you know me Lizzie -- Always ready to get back on the horse."
"I bet."
She leans on the desk next to him and looks at him concerned.
"How are you really doing, Robert?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," he replies softly.
"Robert, you need --"
"Elizabeth, don't presume to know what I need and what I don't," he barks startling her and himself.
"Fine," she storms away.
He catches her arm and spins her back to him, "I didn't mean that."
"Well you have a great way of showing your true emotions, Robert," Elizabeth spits back at him.
"Lizzie --"
"No, don't Lizzie me -- If you think I pity you I don't. I never have -- I am genuinely trying to be your friend -- not because you need one, but because I want to."
"Elizabeth--"
"I have surgery," she storms away from him and disappears into the elevator.
"Damn," he mutters -- looking around at the forming audience, "What the hell are you all looking at? Get back to work!" he barks and heads into the lounge -- exhausted. So much for the pick-me-up.
Minutes later, timid footsteps walk into the lounge. Neela looks at Robert questioning his demeanor.
"What do you want?" Robert bites.
"Dr. Romano, I know this is a bad time --"
"No kidding."
"But I was wondering if I could ask you a question."
"Ask away," Romano says weakly.
"I've been considering surgery --"
"Don't."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You are a bright kid, one of the best I've seen come through here, but you don't want to do surgery. You don't have the demeanor to do it. You'd be eaten alive up there."
"Dr. Romano -- I was wondering if you could help me."
"Help you?"
"I understand that you think I don't have the demeanor, but I've been on my surgical rotation for the last week and its exciting -- exhilarating, something I've never experienced."
"Tell me about it -- I've been there."
"Right and that's why since you are the best I was wondering if you'd help me."
"What give you lessons in how to be an asshole? You are a sweet kid, Neela, really, but believe me surgery is not for you."
"No give me lessons in how to be the best surgeon possible."
"Don't you get it? I'm no longer a surgeon --"
"Dr. Corday told me to come to you."
Romano finally really looks at Neela. Elizabeth thought he still had talent. She knew he was still the surgeon he once was -- he just couldn't practice anymore. But his skills as a teacher were still there -- and better than ever.
"Look --"
"Dr. Romano I know this is a stretch for you, but I think that this is something I could be really good at."
"All right."
"What?" Neela asks him surprised. She didn't think he'd agree.
"Who's the attending?"
"Edson."
"Don't listen to much of what he says. He's a weasel. Get through your rotation and then I'll help you the best I can."
"Thank you, Dr. Romano."
"Don't mention it."
Neela leaves him with a huge smile on her face. Maybe performing surgery isn't the only thing he can do. He can teach. Take a very talented med student under his wing. He'd make her great -- she'd be his next project -- after Elizabeth Corday, of course.
And then he remembers Elizabeth "Damn, I better fix that too."
12:01 p.m.
OR -- Observation Room
Elizabeth puts in the final stitches of a successful exploratory surgery for a patient with cancer. She had removed all of the tumor and with rounds of chemo this patient would hopefully be fine. Looking up into the windows in the operating room she sees a figure standing next to the glass -- a small smile on his face.
It's Robert Romano.
She doesn't pay him any more attention as she heads into the scrub room and strips her mask and scrubs off. Three hours of surgery -- not too bad.
Her neck hurts though -- the muscles tense from craning them to get a better look into the patient's body cavity. That and the tension of having fought with Romano just minutes prior to starting the operation.
"Lizzie -- congrats on a successful surgery," Romano says in classic Romano nature.
"Robert," she replies curtly and breezes past him out towards the waiting room to address the family.
"Lizzie, wait!"
Against her better judgment she turns and looks at him, her eyes full of hurt.
"What?"
"I want to talk."
"Robert I'm busy right now."
"You were right. I do need someone to talk to."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I want it to be you."
"Robert, I don't want to deal with this anymore."
"Deal with me? I don't blame you. If I were you I would have quit long ago, but that's not the point."
"Robert--"
"No, hear me out. I know that I can be overbearing -- must a be a surgical trait," he says with a smirk on his face, "But I think I need you."
"Think you need me?"
"No, I know I need you. I need someone to talk to."
"Robert I have a family to go and address."
She starts to walk away.
"I woke up this morning from a nightmare. A nightmare from that night -- the night I lost my arm -- I get them a lot and the first person I wanted to talk to was you."
Elizabeth turns, looking at him compassionately, "Robert, I don't know if I can help you."
"But I do."
"What do you want from me?" she inquires giving in.
"Dinner."
She raises her eyebrow -- with a puzzled look on her face, "Dinner with Robert Romano?"
"Oh don't get that look on your face. I'm not that easy," Robert replies smugly.
She becomes uncomfortable, "I didn't mean --"
"I know. Look it will be to toast you're successful surgery."
"And what do I do with Ella?"
"Bring her with."
"Where exactly am I bringing her?"
"To my house."
"You cook?"
"Don't look so surprised. There are plenty of things a man can do with one hand," he smirks, "Your shift is over by seven right? Come on by at eight."
"I haven't even accepted your invitation--"
"I know you Elizabeth. You'll be there."
"Don't be so presumptuous."
"Me not be presumptuous -- now that would be a sign of some sort of trouble," he replies turning on his heel and leaving Elizabeth standing alone in the hallway -- dumbstruck.
Had she heard that right? Did Robert Romano ask for her help?
And on a date?
TBC
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More to come!
Please R&R
~Jen
