Still don't own E.R or any characters from it
LEAN ON ME
Chapter II
"Elizabeth?" was all Robert could manage to choke out.
Elizabeth held on to him and rubbed her hand in comforting circles over his back. 'What the hell had happened?' she wondered. ' I know Robert has not had much luck these last few weeks, and what with Lucy, he's been more moody than usual, but I've never seen him this upset.'
"Shhh, it's okay now," she whispered into his ear.
For some reason seeing Robert like this deeply upset her. They had had their differences in the past, but lately they'd been getting along better. In some ways their fight to save Lucy had only reinforced their working relationship. Despite their failure they had worked almost as one surgeon without the need to communicate verbally. Each one proactive to the others needs. She dared to even think of him as a friend now. Elizabeth did the only thing she could and drew him in tighter to her.
In the darkened room the only sounds were of Roberts slowing sobs and Elizabeth's quiet assurances.
He did not want to appear weak in front of Elizabeth of all people, but her kindness was his undoing. His arms encircled around her and he pulled himself in as close as he could get, hanging on for dear life.
After a few minutes Robert began to calm. The sobs stopped and the tears slowed.
Elizabeth brought her hands up to cup his face and lifted his head up to meet her concerned gaze. She looked into his eyes and saw only raw pain. With their foreheads touching she continued to look him in the eyes and said in the softest voice he had ever heard,
"Robert, please talk to me – Let me help."
He nearly had himself back under control but needed to stall.
"Lizzie what are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry, I was knocking on the door. Brenda wasn't outside and I needed the McDonald case file. You didn't answer – Robert please talk to me."
"The McDonald file is over on my desk. I'm fine – just can't hold my liquor anymore," he babbled.
Elizabeth made no movement so he regretfully extracted himself from her warm embrace, and got to his feet. Picking up the file he proffered his other hand to Elizabeth, who sighed at the floor before accepting it and allowed him to help her up.
She kept a hold of his hand and tried once again.
"Robert I like to think that we are friends." She started.
"Yeah" was all he replied.
"You know if you ever need to talk – about anything – I'm you girl." She smirked.
That brought a slight smile to his face. Oh, how I wish that were the case he thought to himself.
"Look, err, I'm not really good with all this touchy feely crap. Thanks for you know, the hugging stuff, but really I'm fine. I needed to vent and I have." He lied.
He chanced a look into her eyes. He could tell straight away she didn't buy it.
"Robert – you know what you need?" she asked.
"No, but I have a sneaky suspicion you are going to tell me" he replied.
"To get shitfaced!"
"I beg your pardon Lizzie!"
"You know shitfaced, pie eyed, drunk as a skunk, off your rocker – you understanding me yet?" she joked. She folded her arms across her chest and jutted her chin out in that snooty way only the British can do.
"Am I understanding you're volunteering to be my drinking buddy?" he ventured.
Elizabeth continued with the snooty expression and simply nodded her head slightly.
Romano thought to himself. She was right about the getting 'shitfaced' part, but should he go with her. What if he got all emotional again? Alchohol Lizzie=possibilities. AlchoholLizzieboo hooing, soul revealing Romano=major embarrassment.
He broke his gaze from hers and looked down. She was still holding his hand whilst he still held the file in his other.
"I thought you needed this file urgently – that usually indicates you have outstanding work?" he said.
"True. I also have a loose dinner date with my mother, Mark and his father. However, I am willing to blow them all off for a friend."
"Ohh, the images you conjure up in my head Lizzie" Robert teased.
"Cheeky sod!" she released his hand and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "So are you coming or not?"
"Are you buying?" he smirked.
Again the snootiness.
She looked gorgeous. He knew it would be better if he declined, he was in far too an emotional state right now. But there was that face – the one he could not resist. Robert knew deep down he should talk to her; it might even help her to understand him. Maybe even like him? Whoa slow down boyo – the lady only suggested a drink or two. He looked at her face. She was still smiling, but there was quiet concern in the eyes. That was the deal breaker. He stepped around her, grabbed his coat and opened the door.
"Come on then Corday, let's see what you're made off!"
"What you're going out like that?" Lizzie teased.
Robert looked down at himself. Still in scrubs.
"Fine, give me a minute to get changed. I'll meet you outside in ten minutes, okay?" he asserted.
"Whatever you say Robert."
And with that she was gone.
Robert got changed into his street clothes and grabbed his pager and wallet. Stopping by the cafeteria he bought a disgusting cheese sandwich and ate it on the elevator down. The last thing he needed was embarrassing himself by drinking on an empty stomach!
When he reached outside there she was as promised – waiting for him. She looked him over, nodded her approval of his attire and smiled.
"Shall we then..........?"
He walked over to where she stood, linked his arm with hers.
"Come on Corday, let me introduce you to the seedier parts of Chicago."
They set off together in silence both wondering what thay had just got themselves into............
LEAN ON ME
Chapter II
"Elizabeth?" was all Robert could manage to choke out.
Elizabeth held on to him and rubbed her hand in comforting circles over his back. 'What the hell had happened?' she wondered. ' I know Robert has not had much luck these last few weeks, and what with Lucy, he's been more moody than usual, but I've never seen him this upset.'
"Shhh, it's okay now," she whispered into his ear.
For some reason seeing Robert like this deeply upset her. They had had their differences in the past, but lately they'd been getting along better. In some ways their fight to save Lucy had only reinforced their working relationship. Despite their failure they had worked almost as one surgeon without the need to communicate verbally. Each one proactive to the others needs. She dared to even think of him as a friend now. Elizabeth did the only thing she could and drew him in tighter to her.
In the darkened room the only sounds were of Roberts slowing sobs and Elizabeth's quiet assurances.
He did not want to appear weak in front of Elizabeth of all people, but her kindness was his undoing. His arms encircled around her and he pulled himself in as close as he could get, hanging on for dear life.
After a few minutes Robert began to calm. The sobs stopped and the tears slowed.
Elizabeth brought her hands up to cup his face and lifted his head up to meet her concerned gaze. She looked into his eyes and saw only raw pain. With their foreheads touching she continued to look him in the eyes and said in the softest voice he had ever heard,
"Robert, please talk to me – Let me help."
He nearly had himself back under control but needed to stall.
"Lizzie what are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry, I was knocking on the door. Brenda wasn't outside and I needed the McDonald case file. You didn't answer – Robert please talk to me."
"The McDonald file is over on my desk. I'm fine – just can't hold my liquor anymore," he babbled.
Elizabeth made no movement so he regretfully extracted himself from her warm embrace, and got to his feet. Picking up the file he proffered his other hand to Elizabeth, who sighed at the floor before accepting it and allowed him to help her up.
She kept a hold of his hand and tried once again.
"Robert I like to think that we are friends." She started.
"Yeah" was all he replied.
"You know if you ever need to talk – about anything – I'm you girl." She smirked.
That brought a slight smile to his face. Oh, how I wish that were the case he thought to himself.
"Look, err, I'm not really good with all this touchy feely crap. Thanks for you know, the hugging stuff, but really I'm fine. I needed to vent and I have." He lied.
He chanced a look into her eyes. He could tell straight away she didn't buy it.
"Robert – you know what you need?" she asked.
"No, but I have a sneaky suspicion you are going to tell me" he replied.
"To get shitfaced!"
"I beg your pardon Lizzie!"
"You know shitfaced, pie eyed, drunk as a skunk, off your rocker – you understanding me yet?" she joked. She folded her arms across her chest and jutted her chin out in that snooty way only the British can do.
"Am I understanding you're volunteering to be my drinking buddy?" he ventured.
Elizabeth continued with the snooty expression and simply nodded her head slightly.
Romano thought to himself. She was right about the getting 'shitfaced' part, but should he go with her. What if he got all emotional again? Alchohol Lizzie=possibilities. AlchoholLizzieboo hooing, soul revealing Romano=major embarrassment.
He broke his gaze from hers and looked down. She was still holding his hand whilst he still held the file in his other.
"I thought you needed this file urgently – that usually indicates you have outstanding work?" he said.
"True. I also have a loose dinner date with my mother, Mark and his father. However, I am willing to blow them all off for a friend."
"Ohh, the images you conjure up in my head Lizzie" Robert teased.
"Cheeky sod!" she released his hand and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "So are you coming or not?"
"Are you buying?" he smirked.
Again the snootiness.
She looked gorgeous. He knew it would be better if he declined, he was in far too an emotional state right now. But there was that face – the one he could not resist. Robert knew deep down he should talk to her; it might even help her to understand him. Maybe even like him? Whoa slow down boyo – the lady only suggested a drink or two. He looked at her face. She was still smiling, but there was quiet concern in the eyes. That was the deal breaker. He stepped around her, grabbed his coat and opened the door.
"Come on then Corday, let's see what you're made off!"
"What you're going out like that?" Lizzie teased.
Robert looked down at himself. Still in scrubs.
"Fine, give me a minute to get changed. I'll meet you outside in ten minutes, okay?" he asserted.
"Whatever you say Robert."
And with that she was gone.
Robert got changed into his street clothes and grabbed his pager and wallet. Stopping by the cafeteria he bought a disgusting cheese sandwich and ate it on the elevator down. The last thing he needed was embarrassing himself by drinking on an empty stomach!
When he reached outside there she was as promised – waiting for him. She looked him over, nodded her approval of his attire and smiled.
"Shall we then..........?"
He walked over to where she stood, linked his arm with hers.
"Come on Corday, let me introduce you to the seedier parts of Chicago."
They set off together in silence both wondering what thay had just got themselves into............