Still don't own E.R or anyone from it.....................
THE AMERICAN PATIENT
Chapter XIX – Home is where the heart is...
It was 06:45 the next morning when they climbed out of the car and snuck up to the house. Robert slid his arms slid around Elizabeth's waist and nuzzled his face into her hair, kissing her neck, as she attempted to push the key into the lock.
"Give over." She giggled, struggling with the door.
Romano chuckled, and instead doubled his efforts, while pulling her body tighter to his. Elizabeth's hand fell away from the key in a weak attempt to fend him off, and her jocularity level increased tenfold.
When his tongue flicked to her ear all pretence of resisting ceased, and she turned herself round melting into his arms, ardently returning his kisses. He pushed her up against the door, his tongue now charting the warm depths of her mouth; a mouth, that was so familiar to him now. When the door opened suddenly, they both stumbled forward, nearly falling to the floor, as Isabelle's voice shrilled out.
"I know I said not to hurry back, but really.... that must have been the longest film in cinematic history."
Her smile belied the annoyed tone she used, and the two miscreants did their best to appear semi-apologetic.
"Sorry." Elizabeth giggled, her face flushing red, feeling very much like the teenager caught out by the parent.
Isabelle snorted semi-haughtily and took in her daughter's appearance; she was exuding joy from every pore, her face aglow with happiness. It wasn't hard to imagine what had kept them away all night. Good for you Elizabeth she thought, and smiled back at her, genuinely pleased to see her daughter full of life once again.
"It's quite alright. The idea after all, was for you two to have some time together."
"Thanks...is Ella still asleep?"
"I think I heard her stirring before I heard you at the door."
"I'll get her...you go get ready." Romano said, already suited and booted from home. He squeezed her hand then took off up the stairs two at a time.
"Somebody missed his munchkin I think...I'd keep hold of that one if I was you." Isabelle said, as he reached the top of the stairs and disappeared from view.
"Oh, don't worry, I have every intention of." Then she kissed her mother on the cheek, before bounding up the stairs after him.
Isabelle smiled and went into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Romano entered with Ella in his arms. He put her into her chair, kissed the top of her head, then set to work preparing her some cereal, and making himself coffee. He turned when he felt Isabelle's eyes on his back.
She was smiling at him, and he smiled guardedly back, waiting for her to say whatever was on her mind.
"Thank you Robert."
He wasn't expecting that. "What for?"
"Why for making her happy of course...and for loving both of them.........oh and don't worry about Charles... when the time comes, I'll handle that old curmudgeon for you." She winked slyly.
"Well, it's not exactly a chore for me Isabelle, but thanks anyway" he laughed reaching for a mug. "Do you want some coffee, 'cause I'm reliably informed my tea sucks."
"Well you're American dear, so that goes without saying."
He grinned at the slight, happy to be back on familiar footing and regarded her almost fondly...
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They drove in to work together, but entered the hospital separately having agreed not to flaunt their relationship. They thought it would be more fun to let the rumour mill figure it out on their own.
Romano strolled in, said a quick hello to Brenda and Shirley before getting sucked into a morning of backlogged administrative hell.
That's the last time I stay away for a week again!
Finally he whittled the mountain of paperwork down to a manageable pile, and went sniffing for some real work. He checked over the rosta and found Lizzie down to do a bowel resection. Hardly romantic, but he didn't care he'd get to be close to her.
Robert barged into the scrub room and found her already there. Walking to the sink next to her, he grabbed some soap and smiled at her.
"Hey gorgeous, how's your morning been?"
"Bloody busy, courtesy of the ER." She smiled back.
"Thought I'd scrub in with you."
"On a bowel resection?" she raised an eyebrow sceptically.
Romano continued to smile at her, his eyes boring into hers.
"That's love that is Robert." She giggled and he grinned back with a cocky expression.
"Noooo...that's a devotion to my craft.... however, I'll show you what love is later." He winked.
At the sound of the scrub room doors opening they both turned and painted professional expressions on their faces.
"Ah Robert, there you are!" said Dr Anspaugh, "You're looking a helluva lot better than the last time I saw you...in fact, I don't think I've ever seen you looking so well."
"Well I'm feeling a lot better Donald!" Romano replied over robustly.
"Your bed rest obviously agreed with you."
"Oh my bed rest most certainly agreed with me!" Romano smirked sideways in Elizabeth's direction.
Elizabeth had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing as he winked at her slyly.
"And you Elizabeth, you're looking very well for your week off...you look positively radiant."
Elizabeth chuckled and smiled politely, "Thank you, it was a very enjoyable week."
"Excellent, so we're all one big happy family."
Robert and Elizabeth eyed each other mischievously, fighting the urge to laugh at the older doctors innocuous comment.
"Right, well we have a bowel resection waiting for us, so if you'll excuse ..." Elizabeth said, shaking her hands and backing out to the OR doors.
"Be right there." Robert nodded, and hurriedly carried on scrubbing, as Donald took up at the sink next to him...
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Later that afternoon, Romano found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the midst of enjoying himself publicly balling Kerry out, he somehow got sucked into a multiple GSW victim. He spotted Elizabeth as he climbed out of the elevator and motioned for her to follow him. She took one look at the patient on the gurney, as they wheeled him past towards the OR, and knew what was coming.
As they entered the scrub room, he went straight to a sink and began scrubbing.
"I'm sorry, I'm gonna be hours with this guy."
"Oh." Elizabeth said, attempting to hide her disappointment and failing miserably.
Romano stopped scrubbing and looked at her face intensely. It took all his strength not to grab her to him and kiss her right there. He didn't know how long he'd be able to go without caressing her, to hold her face in his hands, to taste that sweet mouth. He wanted to do all of the above right there, right then. To hell with people finding out slowly, he wanted them to find out; then he'd be able to crush her to him, as he wanted to now. Unconsciously, he took a step towards her...
"Dr Romano, Dr Babcock is asking for you." Shirley said sticking her head through the door. His head spun round and he shot her an angry glare.
"One minute." He snapped at her, and she retreated back behind the safety of the door, but stood watching and waiting, through the glass.
"Well I guess that's our dinner plans out the window." Elizabeth said quietly.
Robert closed his eyes, regretful at the loss of his bravado that had deserted him on Shirley's entrance. "Yeah...look it's gonna be pretty late by the time I'm through here, so.... well, I guess I should maybe just go home tonight?"
They regarded each other, their eyes communicating all the frustration that they both felt.
"Well, I suppose that makes sense...but I'll miss you."
He flashed her a weak smile he did not feel.
"I'll miss you too.... see you tomorrow okay, I gotta go."
She turned to leave and smiled slightly, as she heard him bellowing at Shirley, "Happy now?"
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Elizabeth got home feeling disheartened and knackered. Upon hearing the door Ella raced towards her mother, and flung herself up into her waiting arms.
"Hello you, did you miss me?"
"Uh-huh." Ella said, looking over Elizabeth's shoulder at the door.
"Where's Wobut mommy?"
"He's at work sweetheart. A man hurt himself really badly and Robert had to stay and fix him."
Elizabeth watched, as Ella's happy face instantly crumpled with disappointment.
"He back later." Ella asked, more as a statement than a question.
"Not tonight sweetie. Robert's going to be very late and he doesn't want to wake us up, so he's going back to his own house."
"Nooo...Wobut lives here now!"
Oh God how do I explain this?
She was saved from answering as the telephone rang and Ella ran back to Chris.
"Hello."
"Hi, only me."
She smiled upon hearing the voice.
"Robert, shouldn't you be up to your elbow's in guts?"
"The guy went and died on me, but I've got a new customer being prepped. Just wanted to say goodnight to Ella...not too late am I?"
"No and you couldn't have timed it better...I told her you weren't coming back tonight and she's a little upset...Ella, guess who's on the phone.... it's Robert!"
The little girls face lit up like a Christmas tree, and she bounded over to the phone where Elizabeth pressed it to her ear.
"Wobut come home now?"
"Not tonight kiddo...it's gonna be really late when I finish, and I don't want to wake you or mommy up. But I promise I'll see you tomorrow okay?"
Ella screwed her face up in thought.
"Okay Wobut."
"Right... so I'll see you tomorrow and you be good for mommy and go straight to sleep. Night -night."
"Night- night...love you Wobut!" Then she ran off to pick up her favourite teddy, leaving two adults, in two different locations smiling at the honest love of a child.
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He couldn't sleep. The house was still standing as he'd expected but it was eerily quiet. The way he liked it, peaceful no interruptions. But it was not the way he liked it now. He missed them, missed the chaos that is family life. Glancing at the clock, he cursed and flicked on the radio clock seeking some white noise for company.
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She couldn't sleep. She missed the warmth of his body and felt lonely and incomplete. She glanced at the clock and groaned before rolling over and hugging a pillow closer to her, inhaling his scent that lingered there. Minutes passed by, but it was no use. She glanced back at the clock and making a decision reached for the phone...
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He lay awake trying to picture her face, to feel her body pressed to his. It was a fantasy he was well versed in and normally drew comfort from. Not tonight.
That's all it ever was...a fantasy...now he knew the real thing.
Last night she had been here, in this bed with him and he had made love to her several times. He knew how soft her skin was, how good it felt to pull his fingers through her hair. He knew how she tasted and he knew the sensation of loving her body. He could still smell her perfume on the pillow next to him...no fantasy was ever going to placate him now. Making a decision he reached for the phone only to jump and stare at it when it rang out instead.
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"Hello?"
He smiled. Elizabeth.
"Hey yourself." He fell back into the pillow holding the phone to his ear, trying to get as close to her as he could.
"Sorry did I wake you?"
"Nah, can't sleep..." he said softly, "I miss you."
"Miss you too...so how's the house; still standing?"
"It's...big...and very, very empty.... as is my bed."
"Robert?"
"Yeah?" he mumbled, eyes closed trying to picture her face.
"Come home."
"I am home Lizzie." He chuckled.
"No...you're in a big, empty house alone, unable to sleep. You're miserable...I'm miserable. Look let's discuss the fine print tomorrow, but for now just come home. I want you here with me....in our home."
Romano's face broke into a full smile and he felt a knot in his throat cut off anything he might have said.
Silence.
"Robert?"
"I'm on my way."
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She opened the door to him a little under an hour later. He stood smiling in the doorway, the porch light illuminating him and the suit cover that was slung over his shoulder. At his feet lay two large bags.
"Honey I'm home." He winked.
They stood smiling, drinking in the sight of one another until Elizabeth broke the spell first. She bent down, picked up a bag and wordlessly turned and headed for the stairs. He picked up the other bag, stepped in and locked the door behind him, before following her up stairs smiling.....he was finally home.
FINIS (For now...)
Thanks to all of you for reading and taking the time to review...now go and do it one last time!
I'm thinking of adding an epilogue, or doing a spin off sequel of a sort, later in the year.... let me know what you think.