Hello again – I've finally got some time to write. Thanks heaps for all the reviews, as well as to all the people who have written other Cordano stories. I love you all 

Mark was already at work as Elizabeth walked through the ER. She smiled tentatively at him as she walked past – he returned a nod, but there was a softness in his eyes that led her to realise he didn't hate her – not this time. They weren't exactly going to best mates, but at least he wasn't throwing her daggering looks.

She walked on; relieved she had at least made that first contact and it hadn't been terrible.

As she left, Susan came up to Mark, having seen the exchange with Elizabeth. She didn't say anything, just looked at him in concern. "I'll explain over coffee" he said in response to her unasked question. They moved towards the lounge, got themselves some coffee and sat down.

"We broke up – it's for good this time" Mark told her.

"I'm so sorry –"she started to say, but he interrupted.

"It's ok Susan – it was never going to work out – I pretty much knew it was coming." He assured his friend, but she looked concerned nonetheless. "I'm ok! Really!" he added at her look. "If you want to cheer me up, invite me to that party I heard you talking about on Friday".

Susan smiled at this – she knew Mark well enough to know that he really was going to be ok – it wasn't just bravado. She had seen how hurt he was last time Elizabeth broke up with him, and this was different. She figured they really had grown apart after all.

"I don't know, Mark. I mean, having you there with me might cramp my style" she teased.

"I promise I won't get in your way" he joked in return. "I don't want to ruin my own chances!"

They finished their coffee companionably – both comfortable with their friendship. Susan was happy to see Mark laughing again – he hadn't been happy for a while now. She resolved to look after him and make sure he cheered up.

Mark was a great guy – he deserved to be happy. She'd been surprised when she got back to Chicago to find he was with Elizabeth because Susan really didn't think that relationship made sense. Of course, she was hardly an unbiased observer. Much as she didn't like to admit it to herself, Susan had imagined she would sweep back in to County, and she and Mark would pick up where they had left off – where she had left him all those years earlier. How stupid of her to imagine he would still be waiting around for her just because she had finally decided Mark was the one for her and she had made a huge mistake leaving him.

She wasn't foolish enough to believe he was now going to fall in to her arms just because he was free – and she wouldn't have wanted it anyway. She didn't want him on the rebound. But it didn't mean she couldn't be his friend in the meantime - until he was ready for something more.

As they left the lounge to go back to work, Susan was feeling pretty good about life in general!

When Elizabeth got upstairs, she checked the rotation, and discovered that Robert didn't seem to be on that day. At least she didn't have to deal with him until she made her decision. She decided to make another appointment at the clinic to discuss her options. Well, it's not like she didn't already know what the options were, but she needed to hear this as a mother, not as a doctor, so it was easier to have someone else explain it to her.

The time came for her appointment, and she went to the desk to tell the nurses she would be gone for a while and made her way out. She got in to the elevator, but just as the doors were about to close, someone ran in. Elizabeth was almost knocked over, and was then shocked to realise who it was. Robert!

He offered a perfunctory apology, but then he realised who he had just almost knocked over.

"I didn't see you there, Lizzie" he offered as explanation, then asked..

"Are you on your way home?"

"No, just out for – um – a personal matter" she stumbled over her words, aware of the other people in the lift.

"Is it about – "he trailed off, looking towards her stomach with his eyes, to ask the question.

She nodded.

"Need some company?" he asked, trying to be casual, but Elizabeth could tell he genuinely wanted to help.

"I think I need to do this one by myself" she muttered, looking around to see if people were listening.

When the elevator got to the ground floor, they stepped out together, Robert drawing her aside out of view of the ER. She almost jumped at his touch. He used to touch her all the time at work – always guiding her with his hand on her back, or her elbow, or her shoulder – but since that night, he had stopped that habit, and she had to admit she had missed it. There was something familiar and comforting about it, and she needed all the comfort she could get at the moment.

"I'm only going to check out the options, Robert. I told you I wouldn't do anything without talking to you first."

He nodded at her to show he understood, and left her to her visit.

As Elizabeth left the clinic, she knew she had already made her decision. She didn't know how she felt about Robert being the father – it was too much to figure out right now, but it didn't matter. She had already started to think of the foetus growing inside her as her child. It didn't matter that the father of this baby was Robert Romano, and having this baby effectively meant having him in her life long term - she couldn't terminate the pregnancy.

Relieved that she had now made the decision, she resolved to tell Robert as soon as possible to see what his reaction was. He had offered to support her, but would he still feel the same way once she told him she was having the baby?

She found Robert in his office, and knocked tentatively. He looked up about to throw a barb at the person interrupting him until he realised who it was. He didn't say anything, merely looked at her questioningly.

"Can we talk?" she asked softly.

He nodded, indicating she should come in. He didn't trust himself to speak.

"Not here" she said. "Can I come over again tomorrow night?"

Robert smiled wryly at her request. There was a time when Elizabeth asking if she could come over would have been the answer to all his dreams. How things had changed! He nodded to show her that was ok.

"About 7?" he asked, and then regaining his pompous attitude, he added "have you been eating well, Lizzie?" Her guilty look was enough to tell him she wasn't. "In that case, I'll provide some dinner and make sure you eat it."

As she opened her mouth to protest, he interrupted with "And I don't want to hear any argument from you."

She couldn't resist smiling at him – Robert was back to his old self. He was calling her Lizzie, and ordering her around like old times, and she was slightly disturbed at how much this pleased her.

Susan gratefully sank down on the couch in the lounge on Friday evening after her shift. What a day! She didn't think she'd had a chance to sit down all day. She had a vague recollection of breakfast, and she hadn't had anything to eat all day otherwise. Just then, Mark came in and smiled when he saw his friend's expression.

"Are you going to be able to make it out tonight?" he asked, suddenly concerned she wouldn't come out.

"Once I've got some food in me, I'll be fine" she reassured.

"Do you – uh – want to get some dinner before the party?" he asked, trying to sound casual. "With me." He added for clarification.

Susan looked up at him, trying to read his face. He looked casual, so she figured this was just two friends having dinner together. Anyway, it'd only been two days since he broke up with Elizabeth, so it was too early for him to be asking anyone out on a date. What on earth was she thinking?

"That would be great – I haven't had anything since breakfast." She said, sounding just as casual in return.

They agreed a time and a place to meet, and both left work, looking forward to the night ahead, but feeling unsure at the same time.

Elizabeth sat in her car outside Robert's house for the second time that week. She took a deep breath and walked up to his door.

This time, she didn't feel such a mess as the last time. She had made her decision and was anxious to know what Robert would think of it.

He answered the door, and to her amusement, he was wearing an apron.

She couldn't hold in a laugh at the sight. "I wish I'd brought my camera, Robert." She said. "I wonder what everyone at County would think of this image".

"Now Lizzie" he retorted "Do you want to be fed or not?"

Elizabeth thought about this for a moment. A home cooked meal versus a chance to make fun of Robert! Of course, she quickly realised that bringing up Robert in an apron at work would mean explaining what she was doing at his house in the first place, so she admitted defeat and accepted his invitation to come in.

So how will Robert react? How will Mark react? Tune in next time to see.