Robert and Elizabeth swung by a grocery store and picked up a pint of Cherry Garcia ice cream before they headed back to Elizabeth's home.  Elizabeth went into the kitchen to gather spoons and bowls while Robert went through her DVD/video collection.  When Elizabeth reappeared in the living room Robert was putting a Tracy Chapman CD into the stereo.

"No movies caught you eye?" she asked.

"Nah, I already have those 'Sponge Bobs' at home."

Elizabeth smiled up at him before setting down the tray of supplies with the ice cream still unopened.  Robert raised his eyebrows at her, "you weren't expecting me to scoop for you, were you?  Like I said my service days are long gone."

"No, actually, I was thinking that you should earn your ice cream."

"Oh really?"

The words slid out with enough sexual tension that Elizabeth shivered a bit.  "He's taking the bait," she grinned to herself.  But what she said was, "I thought we could play a game of truths."

"Truths?"

"Like truth or dare but without the dares.  In this game the object is to ask a personal question that I can't, or won't, answer.  For every question I refuse to answer, you get a scoop of ice cream."

"I don't know Lizzie, taking the dares out is really like open heart surgery with a butter knife.  I mean sure it could be done, but what's the point?" This was definitely a game Robert did not want to play.

Elizabeth looked up at him disgusted with the image and then finished, "afraid you won't get any ice cream?  All right, I'll spot you a scoop.  I'm pretty good at this, I'll have you know."

Robert took the bowl with a small scoop in it and gave in, "fine, you first.  I got my scoop."

"Ok…" she thought for a moment of where to start; nothing that would make him toss away the game but nothing too easy either, "What did you wish Santa would bring you most growing up?"

He hesitated for a moment not sure how seriously he wanted to play this game of hers.  He wasn't that interested in the ice cream and figured he could always refuse to answer later.  "I asked for a guitar for at least three years straight at every Christmas, Birthday, Easter, grocery shopping trip, and so on."

"Really?  Why a guitar?"

"Nope, one question.  My turn.  What did you wish for last Christmas?"

"Ha!  Amateur!  I wished for more time with Ella."

"My turn." Elizabeth laughed as she leaned back further into the chair.  Sitting across from him she stretch tall and crossed her legs in a sweeping motion oozing confidence.  "Do you play the guitar now?"

"Yes.  My turn."  Romano smiled to himself.  She asks me a yes/no question and calls me an amateur he thought to himself.  "Aside from Benton, and Greene obviously, who else have you seen socially?"

Elizabeth leaned forward and scooped some ice cream into his bowl.  Robert laughed.

"OK, Robert…" she settled back into her chair, "have you ever been in love?  And Gretal doesn't count."

Robert thought the question over in his mind for a moment and then lowering his eyebrows at her clearly showing his reluctance to respond.  Then he answered, "yes."  He looked at her questioningly, "have you ever broken someone else's heart?"

Elizabeth solemnly looked down to the floor between them.  "Yes," she answered softly.  Taking a deep breath she regained her composure.  "Who was she?  The woman you fell in love with." 

Romano looked around the room searching for an out, "no dares, huh?"

"Nope… only truths."

Robert shrugged his shoulders and leaned forward scooping some ice cream into her previously unused bowl.

As the evening wore on they put the melting ice cream into the freezer and decided they would just keep track of the IOUs.  The later into the night it got, the less and less questions they refused to answer.  Both of them yawned occasionally but neither offered, or suggested, that they stop the conversation.       

Whether it was lack of judgment do to sleep, or simply overwhelming curiosity, she made a bold move.  "Why didn't you tell me about your arm?"

Romano looked down to his right arm, trying to be comical; he turned it around a few times, "what was I supposed to tell you?"

"I'm serious Robert, why didn't you tell me that you were getting the prosthetic so soon.  I would have liked to help you though some rehabilitation exercises."

Sitting across from him, he could see the sincerity of her question.  The pain.  The care.  Romano blushed.  He hesitated before finally admitting, "Lizzie, you have seen enough of my… struggle… over the last year.  I… I needed to get through this without you.  I wanted… to have you just see the results… not the work to get to this point."

"Robert, I never asked you to hide--"

"What do you miss most about Mark?" Romano asked cutting her off. 

"Umm…" She gathered her thoughts.  Robert didn't want to talk about his arm, and she knew better than to push.  They were getting along so well she was fearful that he would run if she gave him any more pressure.  "Back scratches… definitely." 

"Scratches up your back?  Well Elizabeth, I had no idea?  Hmm this suddenly has become much more interesting."

"No… just back scratches.  When I was young I used to get them from my mom when we were all settled around the TV.  After Mark and I moved in together he used to scratch my back while I read, before we went to sleep.  I miss that most.  Sad, huh?"

Romano shook his head. "No, it's perfect," he whispered.  With the lateness of the night getting to him he just couldn't resist.  "May I?" he asked kicking his shoes off and leaning against the arm of the couch.  He lifted his left leg up onto the sofa.  He then patted the sofa area between his legs.

Elizabeth held her breath as she crossed over to him and sat down criss-cross applesauce (a.k.a. the non-politically correct term, Indian-style) in front of him.  He reached his right hand up tentatively and started to scratch.  Her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned against his touch.  His nails caused a rampant rush of sensitivity up and down her back.  The warmth filled her completely.  Soon her neck got heavy and her head rolled back abruptly.  Robert reached up and pushing his fingers into hair he held up her head, "hey you falling asleep on me?"

"Nnnooooo…" she exhaled a bit sultrier that she had realized and stretched her legs out.  She scooted back so the hypersensitive area of her skin that he was focused on leaned against his chest.  "My turn," she announced.  Robert froze not really sure where he should put his hands… not really sure if he should breathe.  After a beat of silence, caused from Elizabeth trying to come up a question, he placed his arms around her waist and laid his hands gently on her legs.  Relaxing, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath into her hair.  He was thankful that he too was getting pretty tired.  He figured if this had happened earlier in the night he wouldn't have been able to control himself, or rather, his self.

"Ok… my question… what were expecting… would happen… between us… tonight?" she could barely get the question out, but Romano waited patiently holding in his desire to interrupt.

"Umm… this…" He laid his hands flat on her thighs to indicate the closeness of their seating.  "Is much more than I was expecting."  She smiled broad, but with her back against him, he didn't see it.  He needed to know.  He closed his eyes and risked everything, "My turn.  What are you hoping… will happen… between us tonight?"