Elizabeth had indeed been thinking a lot about what Abby had said. She loved Mark still, but she had accepted his death now, and had controlled her grief. She used to feel guilty about the fact that her mind always wandered to Robert when she was alone, instead of Mark, but now she saw what she had been blind to before. Her mind was looking to the future.
She had to ignore her personally conflicts for the moment though, because it was almost six o' clock, and she felt sure Dorsett would be early to try and get control of the situation. She ignored her feelings about him. She was going to be strictly professional.
"Doctor Dorsett," She said, pushing open the door to her office.
"Elizabeth," She was glad he couldn't see her face in the dim light of the room. She flicked the light switch, and turned around.
"Take a seat." She said, following her own advice and sitting down behind the desk.
"Look, Elizabeth I-"
"Have given the department a lot of trouble over the last four days." She kept her face neutral, but was fighting a battle behind her eyes,
"Well-"
"And the fact that you didn't see fit to inform me, makes me wonder just how much you want to work here." These words sparked a sudden fear in Dorsett's eyes, "However, I am not unreasonable. I'm sure you have a perfectly good explanation for your absence." She sat waiting for him to answer.
"I had… an emergency…"
"Ah. A family emergency. That would explain both your absence and you reluctance to tell me." He said nothing, and Elizabeth was on a role. "I have a family. And I can understand that the family must always come first. Well, it does for me anyway." She paused after this seemingly innocent comment, registering the effect that she knew it had had, even if it wasn't that obvious. "But. If you ever do anything like this, without my permission, or without consulting me again, I assure you, you needn't bother returning from your extended holidays." She stood up and opened the door for him. "Was there anything else?"
"No." Dorsett seemed some what deflated. Elizabeth didn't let her expression falter,
"Good." He was heading down the hall, when she called after him.
"You may want to check the rosters for the next few weeks. Due to the rearrangement of shifts because of your unscheduled absence, there's been a few changes." She shut the door, not waiting for a reply. When it closed, she let go of her professionalism and punched the air. She suddenly couldn't help thinking how much she wanted to tell Robert about her victory. She saw the small mountain accumulated in her in tray, and decided, against her better judgement, that she should get some work done. She sat down behind her desk, but her mind wasn't on her work.
Elizabeth finally emerged from her office three hours later. She went to Robert's room, but he was asleep. She couldn't help being disappointed, but decided that as it was Christmas eve the next day, she would come in early in the morning to see him. She headed out through the ER as she always did, random African objects catching her eyes in the hall. She got to the front desk, and went to the computer to check the new surgeries scheduled for the next day. She wanted to make sure she was definitely not going to have to work Christmas Eve. While she was stood behind the computer, a pretty red headed woman with startling blue eyes came bustling up to the desk, with a large bag and a coat in her arms.
"Excuse me," She said to Frank. He looked up from his own screen, "I was wondering if you could help me? I'm looking for Doctor Romano? He works in this hospital doesn't he?" The mention of Robert's name caught Elizabeth's attention and she looked up. The name had obviously registered with Frank as well because he turned to Elizabeth.
"Hey Corday, does Romano still have his job?" Elizabeth glared at Frank,
"Of course he does." She said, turning to the woman, "Can I help?" The woman looked sceptical,
"Look, I know he has an office around here somewhere. I tried to call him at home but there was no answer. He spends all his time in this damn place." Elizabeth forced herself not to comment, "So do you know where he is?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't divulge that information," Elizabeth said slowly, still confused as to who this woman was. The woman rolled her eyes, exasperated,
"I know all about doctor patient confidentiality Doctor Corday," She had picked up on her name a few moments ago, "But I'm family." She noticed Elizabeth raise her eyebrows, "Well isn't it obvious? And seeing as it is Christmas Eve tomorrow, I would like to see my little brother." Elizabeth didn't need to find the words she was searching for, because Frank did it for her.
"Brother?" He managed, "Dear god, Romano has a sibling." The dread in his voice was obvious. Elizabeth ignored him,
"So where is he?" The woman repeated, "If he's in surgery or something I can wait." These words took a few moments to register in Elizabeth's mind.
"Why would he be in surgery?" She asked, cautiously. The woman looked at her in such as way that Elizabeth suddenly couldn't work out how she hadn't recognised her as being related to Robert the moment she walked though the doors.
"Because he's a surgeon." She said, very slowly, as if talking to some one who was not all there. Frank was about to say something, but Elizabeth got there first,
"Frank, get back to work." She said sharply, her mind working in overdrive. She stepped out from behind the desk. "Do you want to come through to the lounge?" She asked, "It can get a bit mad out here." The woman didn't move,
"What's going on?" She asked, suspiciously.
"There's- I'm sorry, I didn't get your name…" Elizabeth said, awkwardly.
"Emma." Emma told her, still in the same tone. Her feet seemed rooted to the floor. "What is going on?" Elizabeth was not going to say anything more. She knew Frank was listening, and the high volume of Emma Romano's voice had attracted the irritating attention of Morris, who was stood nearby.
"Let's go into the lounge. And I'll explain everything." Emma complied, with a barely audible mutter on her way past. Elizabeth opened the door for her and found Neela in there, reading through some notes. "Neela, could you give us a moment?" Neela looked slightly confused, but left anyway. Emma had gone from anger, to confusion and was now stuck on worry,
"Is something wrong? Has something happened to Robert?" Elizabeth sat down, before looking back at her. Emma felt like pacing, but decided that it would probably help the situation if she sat down too. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes,
"When was the last time you spoke to your brother?" She asked. Emma looked taken aback by the question, but answered anyway.
"About a month ago I guess. I said 'Come and stay for Christmas.' He said, 'No, I'm working.'" Elizabeth got the feeling that she was about to give away a lot more than Robert would like her too, but then again, he wasn't here, dealing with this situation.
"And he didn't tell you that he's no longer a surgeon?" Emma shook her head,
"No. Why? I mean, did he finally piss off someone more powerful than him?"
"Well how did you expect him to carry on operating?"
"Uh… I don't understand the question."
"Well even when his arm was reattached-" Emma's eyes flew open,
"Woah, woah, woah. Reattached? What the hell are you talking about?" Elizabeth was feeling like she was telling on a friend to a teacher.
"The accident… on the roof…" The clueless look on Emma's face told her that the woman had no clue what she was talking about. "Oh dear."
"Oh dear indeed. I think you should tell me exactly what my little bro has been hiding from me." Elizabeth sighed.
"Two years ago," She started, "The hospital was put under quarantine conditions. Robert and some other doctors were on the roof, there was a dispute over which patient should be air lifted I believe. In all the confusion, the rotary blade from the helicopter severed Robert's left arm." Emma's hands flew to her mouth,
"Holy crap!" She gasped, "Completely? He got his arm sliced off and he didn't bother to tell any one?" Her eyes seemed disconnected from the room, lost in her own thoughts for a second. Then she refocused. "But you said reattached. They, they reattached his arm, right?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said, "But there were complications. He never gained full control back, and began to loose feeling. I think the last straw was when his sleeve caught fire. He didn't notice at all, because he had no feeling in his arm."
"So what happened?"
"He decided to have it removed." Emma closed her eyes for a moment, then said, in a sort of strangled voice,
"So he lost his job?"
"He was still OR chief for a while," Elizabeth explained, "But the responsibility of the job is immense, and being in recovery himself I think Robert found it quite difficult to cope."
"So then he lost his job."
"Then he became chief of the ER."
"He was chief of Staff." Emma said despairingly, "He never talks about anything other than this place. It's his life."
"I know." Said Elizabeth. "I trust if you didn't know about the accident on the roof you don't know anything about the more recent events?"
"By all means, fill me in. No one else has bothered too."
"There was an accident two weeks ago. Up on the roof, a helicopter was caught in an updraft and crashed in front of the ER. Robert was outside the doors," She indicated the doors in which Emma had passed on her was through, "He was caught in the blast," Suddenly a look of utter horror crossed Emma's face. She had thought of something that hadn't seemed a possibility before,
"He's still alive- right?" She couldn't believe she had to ask the question. Elizabeth felt the need to respond quickly, she could see the effect this was having on the woman.
"Yes. He's alive and well." She assured her, "He suffered an injury to his right eye, which is healing, and some second degree burns which may leave some scars, but nothing as drastic as the last time." Emma sighed in relief, though she couldn't see much, other than the fact that her brother was alive, that she should be thankful for.
"So why isn't he at home? Is he here? Is he still in hospital?" Elizabeth nodded, "Well, can I see him? Elizabeth hesitated,
"He was asleep the last time I checked," She said, "Maybe it would be best to wait until tomorrow…" She saw instantly that this was futile. Emma Romano was just as stubborn as her brother.
"Are you his doctor?" She asked, ignoring everything Elizabeth had said.
"No…" Elizabeth said, cautiously, "Robert and I are friends." Emma's eyes narrowed,
"What did you say your name was?"
"I didn't. It's Elizabeth Corday." Realisation seemed to dawn on Emma's face, which unsettled Elizabeth,
"You're Elizabeth? The accent should have given it away I guess. Look, my daughter's checking in at a hotel down the street, I don't want to be here long. I hate hospitals, no offence meant."
"Your daughter?" Elizabeth inquired, before she could stop herself. Emma shook her head,
"The little bastard's really never mentioned me at all has he?" She rolled her eyes, "Yes. My daughter. Her name's Caitlyn, she's seventeen, she's going to be a lawyer." Elizabeth smiled at this stream of information. The way Emma spoke reminded her of Robert,
"If you really want to see him tonight, then I'll take you up." She said, "I trust I don't have to warn you that he'll most likely be irritable, irrational, and liable to bite your head off?" Emma shrugged,
"What's new? He learnt it all from me anyway." She stood up, "Lead the way." Elizabeth opened the door to the hall and lead Emma to the elevators. She couldn't help noticing the stares in their direction as they walked through the hall. Frank had obviously wasted no time spreading his precious piece of information. When they reached the OR floor, the doors opened and Elizabeth visibly stiffened as Dorsett stepped in. He avoided her eyes, just as she looked instantly in another direction. Emma noticed this, and glanced between the two, slightly amused. Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief when Dorsett got off at the next floor, and they were due for the next one up.
"Old boyfriend?" Emma asked conversationally. Elizabeth shook her head,
"Not exactly." She stepped out, beckoning Emma to follow. They walked the short way down the hall to room 2B. Elizabeth stopped at the door. "I can go in first, and tell him you're here." She offered,
"And give him time to make up some excuses." Emma added, but then she shrugged, "I'll wait here. You can give me the all clear." Elizabeth nodded and pushed open the door. Robert was laid in his bed, but he was not asleep. He looked up when she came in.
"Did you fire him?" Elizabeth paused for a moment, until she realised that he was talking about Dorsett.
"No." She said, sitting down, "Grave yard shift."
"How long?"
"A month."
"Ah Lizzie, I have taught you well." Elizabeth glanced toward the door.
"Robert, you never mentioned anything about having a sister." She saw the instant dissipation of all humour from his face,
"Didn't I?" He said, innocently, "Can't think how that slipped my mind. Why?" His last word was sudden, and full of suspicion.
"She turned up downstairs, looking for you. Her brother. The surgeon."
"Ah." Robert looked uneasy, "What did you tell her?"
"A few horror stories." Emma appeared in the doorway, "Jesus Robert, why the hell didn't you bother to tell me you got your arm cut off?" Elizabeth suddenly felt out of place.
"I…uh…" Robert looked at Elizabeth, "You told her everything?" Elizabeth nodded, and realised that she had never actually seen Robert Romano searching for words before. He turned back to Emma, "Look, I would have told you, but you guys have way too much going on in your lives. You would have wanted to fly down here, be all irritatingly family like, and it would have wrecked Cait's school…"
"Oh bullshit." Emma retorted, "Stop making excuses." Elizabeth stood up,
"I think I should go," She said, glancing between the two, "You two obviously have some things to talk about…"
"No way Lizzie, this woman can get damn scary." Robert told her. Emma rolled her eyes,
"No offence meant Elizabeth, but I think you're right. We do have a lot to talk about." She glared at her brother,
"Don't tell her what to do," Robert said, warningly to Emma, "She's got more of a right to be here annoying me than you do."
"Excuse me? It was Elizabeth's idea to leave. And it was a smart one. And I'm your god damn sister, I have every right to annoy you." Elizabeth decided it was definitely time for her to go,
"When you two are done arguing over me," She said, "You need to sort this out."
"When do you finish tonight?" Robert asked, his eyes still fixed on his sister,
"Soon. When I've finished the student evaluations."
"If I'm not dead, come back before you go? I want to talk to you about something." Elizabeth nodded,
"You're grading Abby high, right?"
"Yes."
"See you later then." Elizabeth thought about saying something more, but decided against it. She left them and headed back to her office.
"So that's Elizabeth." Emma said, approvingly.
"Don't change the subject." Robert said sharply, "What the hell are you doing here?" Emma sighed and sat down in the chair Elizabeth had vacated,
"Well, we were going to surprise you for Christmas. Turns out, the surprise is on us." Robert didn't say anything. "Come on, why didn't you tell me about all this?" Emma looked genuinely hurt that he hadn't trusted her enough to tell her.
"Because it was a stupid thing to do. It was a stupid accident, and it wouldn't have happened if I'd bothered to read that dusty old health and safety manual that got passed around in med school." He glanced down at his arm, or rather, lack of arm, "And besides, like I said. You and Cait have enough to worry about."
"Me and Cait are fine." Emma said, "Which is more than I can say for you. I know you too well. That's what it is. Just sitting here now I can read you like a book, just like I did in high school."
"We're a long way from high school." Robert reminded her. Emma rolled her eyes,
"Look at you. All this smart talk, all this cocky confidence that makes people round here hate you so much. You did it back then too. It's such a charade Robert."
"You got a job yet?"
"Pre-school."
"Ah retraining." Emma rolled her eyes.
"You've got that scared puppy look you used to get when Eddie Primmit went on the rampage. You always covered it up, but I could still see it." Robert scoffed,
"I am not scared."
"Yeah you are."
"No I'm not."
"Yes. You are." Emma sighed, "So Elizabeth then. I can read you there too. She's not one of those airhead bimbos you used to carry on with."
"No."
"For starters she's a red head."
"How very observant of you." Robert was beginning to feel trapped in the bed, and couldn't help wishing he was stood, in his normal clothes, talking to his sister. He may be small, but he was bigger than her.
"Are you dating her?"
"No."
"But you'd still rather talk to her than me?" Robert sighed,
"It's not like that." He said, finding it hard to explain, "Look, I looked after you and Cait, for years and years. I was paying you back for looking out for me when we were kids. Now we're adults, I didn't see the point."
"Of looking out for each other?"
"Of giving you more problems than you already have." Emma rolled her eyes,
"I think I like it better when you're a prick." She told him, looking around the room. "What d'you call that then?" She was staring at something that Elizabeth had not noticed before.
"That would be my new arm." Robert said, not even glancing at it. "The last one broke."
"Broke?"
"Broke, sliced up by shards of burning metal. Same thing." Emma shuddered,
"So how does it work?" She asked, prodding it,
"Nerve impulses," Robert said, seeing his sister look at him blankly, "It's magic." Emma glared,
"I'm not thick you know. So why aren't you wearing it?"
"Only got it today. I told Abby to get it ordered ages ago, but I didn't think she was paying attention. Apparently she was."
"Who's Abby?"
"Nurse, slash med student." Robert explained, "I didn't think it would be easy to get the hospital to pay. They paid for the last one."
"Well it was their fault you lost your arm in the first place." Emma said indignantly, "Why should you have to pay?"
"Anyway, it doesn't just slip on." He said, "Gotta get it fitted properly, get all the levels right, or I could want to give you the finger, and end up breaking your nose."
"Like you could ever break my nose."
"I could with my new super powered bionic arm." He retorted, hoping she wasn't noticing how often he was glancing at the door. He suddenly remembered something, "You said 'we'."
"Yeah."
"So Cait's in town as well. Is she in the hospital? Did you leave her somewhere because I wouldn't trust the food round here." Emma rolled her eyes,
"She's at the hotel."
"What hotel?"
"One down the street. It's called… Damn, I forget the name…"
"Pars?" Robert offered,
"That's it." He nodded, and picked up the phone beside his bed. "Call Cait, tell her to get a cab to the hospital." Emma looked astonished,
"Why?"
"It's Christmas eve tomorrow Emma. Every where's fully booked. Didn't you wonder why Pars has vacancies?"
"It's got a good write up. It's four stars."
"It was. About a decade ago. You guys are not staying there." Emma took the phone, but didn't dial her daughters number,
"So where are we supposed to stay?"
"My place. I haven't been there in two weeks, but I'm sure it's still standing." Emma looked unsure,
"It's late, we could just stay there one night."
"Trust me. Cait can get a cab to the hospital, and you can both get one back to my house." Emma dialled the number,
"She's going to go crazy when she sees you, you know that?" Robert shrugged, and Emma put up her hand to indicate that the phone was ringing. "Hey Cait… Yeah, I know. That's what your uncle said… Yeah… Yeah… Okay, shut up for a second. Don't bother checking in. Get a cab to the hospital… What's this place called?"
"Cook County General." Robert supplied,
"Cook County General. Yeah, you can't miss it… No you cannot just walk." Robert took the phone from his sister,
"Don't walk down these streets on your own unless you want to be shot, stabbed, or get something dropped on you from a great height." He listened for a few seconds. "Yeah. By the way, funny story. A chopper sliced my arm off two years ago." He handed the phone back to Emma, but the voice screeching on the other end was loud enough for both of them to hear,
"WHAT?!" Emma sighed,
"Very smooth little bro." She said sarcastically. When the screeching had died down, she dared to put the receiver closer to her ear. "Yes honey. Your uncle's been a total dick and hidden a few things from us… Okay." She looked at Robert, "She says she's going to kick your ass." Robert shrugged,
"Yeah, that's right. Kick the cripple." He said, loud enough for his niece to hear. The screeching started again, and Emma winced,
"Get a cab, and we'll see you soon." She frowned, "What room are we in?"
"2B"
"Ward?"
"Jesus, I don't know." Robert shrugged, "Just tell her to get here and ask where my room is. Every one seems to know where I am. It's irritating."
"Cait? Get to the hospital. I'll try and meet you, but the staff know who Robert is."
"Try the ER."
"Try the ER?… I know… Yeah, I know. You'll be okay. See you soon." The click at the other end of the phone sounded round the room. "She doesn't know this place Robert, just saying come to the hospital isn't exactly specific enough."
"She'll be fine." Robert said, his eyes flicking toward the door again.
"You've got it bad." He ignored her, "I'm sure she has better things to do than visit you twenty four seven." Again he ignored her. "What did you want to talk to your beloved about anyway."
"It is none of your business what I want to speak with Elizabeth about." He replied, icily. Emma shrugged,
"Well, excuse me for- hey, speak of the devil." Robert turned his head instantly, and saw Elizabeth in the doorway.
"I'm going to get going in a while," She said, to Robert, "Oh, where are you and your daughter staying?" She asked Emma,
"They were going to stay at the Pars," Elizabeth grimaced, "They aren't now."
"I thought it would be short notice, on the twenty third."
"I told them to go stay at my place." Elizabeth nodded,
"Good idea. We can share a cab if you'd like. I live just outside the city, but Robert's house is on the way." Emma smiled,
"Thanks."
"Emma, you should go meet Cait," Robert said, "She's not going to know where we are." Emma stood up,
"If I can find my way back up here." She said, feigning helplessness, "I'll let you two have your little chat." She left the room, pausing for a second outside the door.
"Left." Robert called out after her. She waved a hand dismissively and walked off down the hall. He shook his head, and turned to Elizabeth, "You couldn't just have told her I was dead?"
"Oh shut up, you love your sister."
"I also love chocolate, but if it's here all the time, talking, nagging, annoying…"
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Robert nodded to his new arm.
"I'm getting that fitted tomorrow. And I don't want to be stuck in here for Christmas."
"Ah no, you want to go and steal it." Elizabeth suddenly caught up with the fact that the conversation was supposed to be serious. "I'm sorry." She said quickly, "You want to go home?"
"Not particularly." Robert said, "I want to be home. The going bit is the part that bothers me."
"I told you I'd be here if you need me, but, you've got Emma here, and your niece…"
"I can't do that."
"Why not. You're obviously close to them." Robert sighed,
"It's complicated. Lizzie, if you're busy tomorrow… or if…" Elizabeth shook her head,
"I'm not busy, and I'm not, 'if…'." She ignored how awkward the conversation was getting, "If you feel you need me, then I'm here. And with Emma and…"
"Caitlyn."
"Emma and Caitlyn staying with you I don't have to worry if you'll be alright on your own." She paused for a moment, "Listen, I'll come with you tomorrow if you'll do something for me." Robert raised an eyebrow,
"What?"
"You, your sister and your niece come to Christmas dinner."
"You're cooking?"
"I cook every year." Elizabeth admitted, "Although it wasn't much fun last year. Ella doesn't exactly favour traditional English food." She looked him in the eye, "I would really like it if you would come." Robert hesitated briefly,
"Well," He said, "How can I refuse free food?" Elizabeth smiled, "But you should be warned, Caitlyn inherited my personality. And Emma can be more disagreeable than both of us."
"I didn't think that was possible."
"Aha. She never shuts up either, and she's very annoying when she gets going." Elizabeth rolled her eyes,
"She and Ella can compete for the title. She has her own personal version of table manners." Elizabeth now found that instead of feeling awkward, as she had expected, she was quite comfortable with Robert. There were alarm bells going off in her mind, but they were muffled, and pushed to the back of her mind. She would think about them later.
"Elizabeth…" Ah, there were the alarm bells again. There was always going to be trouble when he used her full name. She waited, and noticed that his delay to continuing the sentence was due to him obviously searching for the words. She never got to find out what it was he was trying to say however, because at that moment, the door burst open, and a whirlwind entered the room. It was followed, a few seconds later, by Emma.
"Holy crap, your arm's gone!" Caitlyn was completely the opposite of her mother. She was taller and she had dark hair and skin. Her voice, however, shared the tone of her mother, and had an alarming level of volume.
"Yeah Cait. Real sensitive." Emma said sarcastically, behind her. Caitlyn stood by the bed, her arms folded across her chest.
"Mom says this happened two years ago. I spoke to you last month."
"Yeah."
"And the month before that." Robert didn't see the point of agreeing again. "Are you suing the hospital?" Robert scoffed,
"No." He glanced at Lizzie, with an, 'I told you so' look. Elizabeth couldn't help smiling, "I don't think they'd want to keep me employed if I sued them."
"Remember, your dear uncle has his whole, 'helping people' thing." Emma reminded her daughter, leaning against the door frame.
"So you can still work with a fake arm then?" Caitlyn asked. Elizabeth seemed to be the only one in the room who could see how her words were affecting Robert.
"No. I can't operate." Elizabeth shut her eyes, a little longer than a regular blink, giving out a brief silent prayer, hoping that Caitlyn would shut up.
"So what can you do?" Elizabeth, not knowing what to say without risking involving herself in what seemed like a family matter. She glanced at Emma, who caught her eye. Emma seemed to catch on, well before Caitlyn, and stepped in,
"Cait, how about lowering the tone a bit? This is a hospital for gods sake."
"So Elizabeth's invited us to Christmas dinner." Robert said to Emma, in a completely different kind of voice than he had just answered his niece. Emma looked surprised,
"Oh, well, thanks but… Well, that's very kind." Caitlyn's brow furrowed, but she said nothing. She was still staring at the false arm. "Are you sure? We wouldn't want to impose…"
"Oh it's not an imposition," Elizabeth said, warmly, "Besides, you wouldn't be able to get reservations anywhere decent at such short notice, and Christmas isn't Christmas without a good meal."
"Can't they reattach your real arm? You do it with fingers and stuff." Caitlyn spoke up, suddenly. Robert glanced at Elizabeth,
"They did." He said, "And it worked, for a while. But then… it just didn't." Elizabeth looked down at her watch, and saw that the time was ten thirty.
"I should be getting home," She said, "If you want to share a cab?"
"Yeah, sure." Emma said, vaguely. She was watching uneasily as Caitlyn still stared at her uncle's arm. "Cait, it's getting late. Robert needs to get some sleep." Caitlyn looked like she was going to object, but then she nodded,
"Yeah, okay. I don't want jet lag for Christmas anyway." She bent down and kissed her uncle on the cheek, "See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah. I'll call you in the morning anyway. There might be some food in the kitchen, but I haven't been there for two weeks." Caitlyn shrugged,
"I got mega amounts of chocolate in my case. My friends are so original when it comes to Christmas presents." She moved closer to the door where her mother was.
"You want us to wait down in the hall?" Emma asked, much to her daughter's confusion.
"I'll meet you by the elevator." Elizabeth said. Emma caught her brother's eye,
"See you tomorrow okay?" He nodded, and she left, dragging Caitlyn behind her. When the door was shut, Robert let out a breath he had been holding,
"Well, that was awkward." He mumbled.
"Sorry." Elizabeth said sheepishly. He shrugged,
"Not your fault. They were going to find out at some point. You should go, Cait's in an impatient mood." Elizabeth nodded,
"She's just shocked you know Robert. I'm sure she didn't mean to be so… blunt."
"Of course she didn't," Robert said dismissively, "She doesn't mean to do a lot of things. But thanks for getting rid of them for me." Elizabeth grinned, "Jesus, I'm going home tomorrow aren't I?"
"So it would seem." Robert raised his eyebrows, not quite believing what he had gotten himself into. "You know you'd have had to leave some time." She moved closer to him on the edge of the bed. "This is going to be an interesting holiday."
"Got to be better than the last one."
"I would have to agree." Elizabeth took his hand, and to his immense surprise, she kissed it lightly, "You'll try and get some rest tonight, wont you?"
"Here's to hoping."
"When do you want me to get here tomorrow?" She asked, aware that she was going to have to go soon,
"When do you want to?"
"Kris can only baby sit until twelve tomorrow morning. But there's no reason why I cant bring Ella to the hospital. How about I get here at ten?" She indicated his new arm, "Will you have it fitted before then?"
"First thing." Robert said, "The sooner the better. It's better than nothing isn't it?"
"I imagine so." Elizabeth stood up, "I should get going. I'll see you at ten?"
"Yeah. Have a good night." Elizabeth smiled,
"I'm sure me and my television will." She picked up her bag and slung it over one shoulder. She gave him a quick kiss on his forehead, "Get some sleep."