Warning! Wee bit of language. Sorry. Lizzie's feeling spunky this morning.

Elizabeth didn't wake before her alarm that morning. It was unusual, but considering what she had been through, physically, the night before, she couldn't be blamed. She opened her eyes to an empty bed. It was the same bed she slept in alone every night, but this morning, it felt, unmistakably, lonely. She wished that Robert had stayed. He must have sneaked out after that last time.

She picked up the phone by her bed and started to dial his number. She previewed some messages in her head, "Last night was amazing" nah, too cliché. "My bed was awfully cold this morning, was yours?" nah, too desperate. "Fucker." Tempting and accurate to what I am feeling, but maybe not. She hung up the phone before he could answer.

She rationalized that she could come up with the perfect message over breakfast. She looked at her clock. It read 8:17am. Ella was usually awake by now. "I know I have an excuse, what's yours?" She questioned aloud. Elizabeth grabbed a robe from her bathroom and wrapped it loosely around her naked body. She contemplated for a moment getting dressed, but decided that was too much work for right now. As she walked towards Ella's room she heard the television on downstairs.

There was singing. And it sounded like a kids show. But it wasn't something she recognized. The tape stopped. Then she heard Robert's voice and a smile spread wide across her face.

" Now this here is your part. See. You say lolly, lolly, lolly."

"Lolly, lolly, dolly," Ella answered and giggled madly.

"Good. Good, but faster this time. Lolly, lolly lolly."

"Lolly, lolly, lolly"

"Get your adverbs here." He spoke in tune.

"Lolly, lolly, lolly" her daughter's voice repeated on cue.

"Selling adverbs here."

Elizabeth stepped into the living room. "What are you singing?"

"Uh-oh!" Romano dropped his mouth open in exaggerated surprise. "We're caught."

Ella looked at him and then over to her mom confused. "Ok, Dolly. Only Mommy."

Robert smiled, "Oh, okay, if it's only her." He turned his head back and winked at Elizabeth and then carried on as if his only purpose for being there was to play with Ella.

"Mommy, Dolly, make song."

"Well no Ella, I didn't make it up. It's been around for quite a few years now. School House Rock. I really can't take the credit."

"Were you singing about adverbs?"

Ella climbed off the couch and walked over to her toy basket effectively putting an end to their singing lesson. Elizabeth took her spot on the couch next to Robert. Robert strained his neck, to look around Elizabeth, to where Ella was playing. "Hey Ella, what about me?"

"You play Mommy. BLUES!" She squealed finding her Blue's Clues activity desktop.

"Well if I must," he whispered with sexuality dripping from his grumbled tone. He leaned over and kissed her collarbone. His right hand traced the opening of her robe. His index finger grazed her skin. Her head fell back in pleasure. He sat up abruptly. "It's almost too easy."

"Bastard." Elizabeth slugged him, in jest, on his arm.

"Hey now, don't get violent. I bruise easy. See." He leaned his head to one side revealing a small bruise on his neck. A mark of passion from the previous night.

Elizabeth's hand went to her mouth in a gasp, "Robert, I am so sorry."

"Don't be." He smiled. "I kind of like it. It makes me feel like a first year med. student again."

"Yeah and we both know how long it's been since then." She teased.

" Don't start with me, or you'll be making your own breakfast," he warned rising and walking towards the kitchen. Once the door swung closed she safely answered.

"Just as long as I don't have to wake up alone again."