LEAN ON ME

Chapter XII – Should I stay or should I go now?

Robert's Jaguar sliced through the streets of Chicago headed for Elizabeth's. They made polite small talk skirting around any mention of Mark or last night.

As they drove it began to rain quite heavily and Robert adjusted his driving accordingly, concentrating more on the road than his passenger. Elizabeth took advantage of the situation and closed her eyes.

She couldn't believe the day she had had, it all seemed somewhat surreal. How could she have got Mark so wrong? They'd been seeing each other for months now, and had stumbled spectacularly at the first hurdle. Better to find out now I suppose than later. And what of Robert? He had been invading her thoughts all day and she didn't know what to make of it. There had been that 'moment' as she now thought of it in the taxi this morning. What did it mean? She had never once thought about Robert in romantic terms before. She knew he'd liked her, he'd asked her out several times in the past. But was he still attracted to her. Should she even be thinking like this? She'd been single again for what, a whole two hours? No, best to just go home to bed. Sleep, that's what she needed right now.

Shortly after Robert parked up outside Elizabeth's apartment building, and looked over at her. He smiled; she was fast asleep. He studied her sleeping form admiring her delicate shape, the hair he had poked fun at only this morning. Despite her obvious fatigue she was beautiful. He wanted to take this woman in his arms and never let her go.

He'd been attracted to her from the moment he had laid eyes on her. He guessed it was more lust back then but now, after two years? No it was more than that. She was the only woman he had considered having a serious relationship with since Laura. He'd asked her out and she had blown him out of the water. She'd hurt him then, she had no idea how much. Especially when he had found out about her and Benton. So in true Romano fashion he hurt her back the only way he knew how, dropping her fellowship. Hoping that would send her away, her tail between her legs, back to England and out of his life.

But not his Lizzie; she had persevered and started over. That was when he fell in love with her he decided as he watched. He loved her fighting spirit, her tenacity, and her sparkling wit. Elizabeth was never afraid to challenge him and was the only person who could hold her own against him in a conversation. All that wrapped up in the gorgeous package that sat sleeping in the passenger seat of his car. How could he not want her? She was a free agent now right? There seemed to be a connection forming between them Robert thought - he'd not imagined that moment in the taxi this morning. But, did he really want to be the re-bound guy?

Plus, he'd been horrible to her in the past; by rights she should hate him. Sometimes he felt she barely tolerated him, but more recently they had struck up a better working relationship. He'd made her Associate Chief because she deserved it and he knew she would do an excellent job, but also by way of an apology for setting her back in the first place.

And then there was last night. She had been there for him when he had needed her, stopped him from falling apart. And what had he given her in return? He'd come between her and Mark, however unintentionally, and now they had split up and she was miserable. How do you make something like that right? He should let her go.

Elizabeth stirred from her sleep disturbing his thoughts and glanced over at him.

"Oh, we're here?" she whispered.

"Looks like it." He replied quietly.

Elizabeth glanced over at him. He looked a bit sad she thought, but she was too tired to ask.

"Hey the rain has stopped." She said instead.

"Yeah. So, you're going in then?" Robert asked.

"Yes, thanks for the ride." She reached for the door handle.

"So you'll be all right, with your mother there?" he asked, trying to keep her a little longer, his previous resolution to let her go forgotten.

"Oh, you know I had actually forgotten about her!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Yeah, I'll just go to bed, she can't lecture me there."

"Okay, well, goodnight then." Robert said trying to keep his voice neutral.

"G'night Robert, and thanks again."

And then she was gone.

TBC Hee-hee!