NOTE TO READERS: First and for most thank you so much to those who have been reviewing! It feels so good to have reviews in my mailbox! A few things I should probably warn you guys about. This is my story, my timeline. Just run with me here...it is for the most part an AU story. Secondly...I'm not a doctor; I'm a junior in college. Those of you who feel my pain know that the last thing I want to do is research for fun. So although I will do basic research I don't actually know what I'm talking about. Sorry but if you guys could just roll with me I promise I will keep writing. Any problems with that that's cool just leave them as a review! :)

Also lets give a WHOOP WHOOP to my girl Kim for beta reading this for me. (and by the way if you haven't checked out any of her stories you are missing out big time! Her pen name is kimbari) And as always a BIG thank you to Janine (check out her stories too! They are ALWAYS top notch she rules. Her pen name is rocketlover.)

Lastly I know this review took forever but I don't have the internet at home and I'm super busy...working as fast as I can I promise! Now on with chapter 3...

I don't own anyone...honest.

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The words came out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. "Robert, would you like to stay here tonight?"

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Abruptly he stopped kissing her and put six inches between them on the couch.

What the hell did she just say? She wants me to stay here? She couldn't possibly want that. It's been less than a year since Mark passed away and there's an entire photo album of them together, sitting on her coffee table. But what if this is the only chance I get? God, her eyes are beautiful, her face is so soft and delicate, I can't say no! Oh, but damn it, I don't want a one night stand; I want more, but I don't want to scare her away. She can't possibly be ready...

Elizabeth felt as if she'd had the wind knocked out of her. He didn't want her, or maybe she was too forward in asking and he didn't like her aggressiveness. Or maybe she wasn't wearing the right clothes.... she must have done something wrong!

"I'm sorry, Robert, I didn't meant to make you feel—"

"No, Elizabeth..." he interrupted her. "I want this to happen... I'm a male and you're an extraordinarily attractive female. That and the fact that I've only been dreaming about this since the first day we met!" He brought his hand up to her face and brushed a stray hair away from her eyes.

His voice softened. "But this is a lot to take in right now. Just the fact that I'm even here with you blows my mind, which as we both know is no easy feat." She chuckled in agreement and he smiled knowing they were both more at ease now.

"Robert, I know it was fast. It's just that I like how I feel right now... and I don't want it to end. I feel..." She searched for a word. "Right."

"Well, the feeling is mutual Lizzie." He paused and a mischievous grin appeared on his face. "And I promise you that I will make you feel 'right' for as long as you let me." He kissed her deeply again making her forget about everything else in the world, leaving only the two of them in their dance.

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Robert awoke to sound of a key entering the lock followed by a voice. "Hello! Anyone home! Elizabeth!"

Robert looked down to his chest to find Elizabeth, fast asleep. He quickly, but carefully removed himself from the tangle of limbs and went to greet who he assumed was the baby sitter.

"Hi, you must be Kris." He held out his hand.

"Hi, there. You must be Doctor Romano." She grinned and shook his hand.

He looked at her strangely. "How do you know who I am?"

"Oh, Elizabeth talks about you all the time. And there's a picture of you around here somewhere," Kris said as she set a bag down at the end of the stairs.

Well, I'll be damned, Robert thought.

"Shouldn't you two be at work?" Kris asked as she busied herself straightening the toys in the corner of the room.

"Oh, God, what time is—" He looked at his watch, "OH, GOD! Lizzie time to get up," he gently nudged her. "LIZZIE!" he yelled in his authoritative voice.

"Bugger off," she mumbled and stirred slightly hugging a cushion to herself.

"Lizzie, it's 8:45 and we're due on at 9:00. You have a surgery scheduled at 9:30 and seeing as I'm no longer your boss I cannot grant you a hall pass. LET'S GO!"

Elizabeth sat up with a start. "Shit!" she cursed and bolted towards the stairs. "Kris, can you get Ella up for me please?"

"Sure, Doctor Corday," Kris halted her cleaning and looked at Robert. She crooked her finger at him. "Come here," she ordered.

Robert obeyed and followed her, more out of shock than politeness. Kris led him into the laundry room where she grabbed a bottle of wrinkle release, sprayed his shirt, and smoothed it out.

"There," she said. "Better, but I would change when you get to work if I were you."

"Uhh... thank you," he said.

"No problem," she smiled and handed him the bottle. "You can do your pants." Then she trotted off up the stairs to see to Ella. She met Elizabeth in the hallway.

"Kris, you do remember I have that Surgeons Ball tonight right?" she asked, fussing with her unruly earrings as Kris went into Ella's room.

"Yeah, I was planning to stay here tonight." She came out of the room with Ella in her arms.

Elizabeth conquered the earring with a celebratory "HA!" and walked over to Ella. "Good-bye, pumpkin, Mommy loves you very much. Kris, I don't know what time I'll be home. Oh, and thank you for dropping her off at the hospital last night, sorry I got caught up."

"Not a problem, have fun tonight!"

Elizabeth descended the stairs in a rush and met Robert at the bottom. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, just waiting on you," he said in mock annoyance. He grabbed his jacket off the railing, slung it over his shoulder and opened the door, allowing her to go through first.

"Excuse me! I think I got ready in record time," she said as she trotted out to the car and opened the passenger side door.

"You're a sloth!" Robert replied with a smile.

He climbed into the car, and peeled away from the curb. "Seatbelts!"

"Apparently you're not," Elizabeth said.

"What's that?" Robert asked.

"A sloth."

"Nope. I just drive like a ruthless jerk."

"And how is that different from any other aspect of your life?"

"Ouch, Lizzie, you wound me! Besides after last night I thought you were actually getting to like me." He glanced over at her and smiled.

She smiled back and in a more serious tone said, "I haven't slept that well since... I can't even remember. Did you sleep okay?"

"Hmmm, let's see... I made out with a beautiful woman for hours on end – that doesn't exactly make me sleepy. Then, when you fell asleep I had this overwhelming urge to watch you. No, Lizzie, I slept like crap." He said the last sentence harshly. "But..." his voice softened to almost a whisper, "it was the most peaceful I've ever been, and I think the happiest."

Bracing the steering wheel with his knee he reached out with his hand to grab hers and bring it to his lips. "I had a good time."

Elizabeth's heart leapt against her chest, and she resisted the urge to lean over and kiss him.

"Did I hear something about you attending the Surgeons Ball tonight?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Uh, oh yes," said Elizabeth. "Are you going as well?"

"I was invited, but... it was more out of tradition than anything else. There's no reason for me to be there."

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "Well, come with me then, you can be my date or I could be yours...whatever. It would be much more fun than going alone."

"You don't have a date?"

"No...why would I?"

"I was just asking."

"Is that what you're assuming then? That I'm dating other men?" her voice cool.

"I didn't say that."

"Well I—"

"Lizzie, stop. We haven't even had a chance to get to the good stuff and we're already fighting about nothing. Let's save that until we at least get the benefit of making up afterwards." He winked at her. She smiled back, once again at ease. Robert mentally congratulated himself on diffusing the situation so well. Women, he thought, exasperated.

"So, you will come with me then? To the ball?" Elizabeth spoke again.

Robert cocked his head to the side. "What's in it for me?"

"I'll let you dance with me!" Elizabeth said in a seductive tone.

"Nah, I need more persuasion."

"Open bar," Elizabeth deadpanned.

"Sold."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes but smiled, suddenly excited at the thought of dinner and dancing with him.

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Robert strolled into the ER with an extra bounce in his step. Susan looked at him strangely and raised her eyebrows.

"Doctor Romano... You're late... and you look happy." Susan said clearly surprised.

"Good morning, sunshine," he said flatly, continuing straight into the lounge. He opened his locker and took out a pair of scrubs. Removing his wrinkled shirt he started to put on the scrub shirt. Just then the door opened and Kerry walked into the room and right into Robert, spilling coffee all over his bare left arm.

"Mother of God! It's not like coffee's hot or anything...Jesus Christ!" He looked extremely annoyed as he quickly grabbed a paper towel and began to dry himself off.

"Robert, I'm sorry I didn't... Wait, did you feel that?" She paused and looked at him. He looked back at her, his eyes widening as he grasped his left arm.

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"I'm telling, you I felt it." Robert was sitting in a small office, not exactly sure how to decipher his feelings at this point.

"Robert, not only is that unlikely... it also means you should probably be in the ER right now. Those are second-degree burns. It was probably a learned reaction."

"Just check my sensation, Mac. And do it now." Robert said using the most authoritative voice he could muster.

Dr. Macowitz rolled his eyes and unwrapped a sharp tool. Robert laid his arm out on the desk. Starting at the tips of his fingers the doctor went inch by inch towards the massive scar that encircled his arm. He was at the elbow...nothing. Damn...had to get my hopes up, Robert thought. Then—

"Ouch!"

"You felt that?" Mac looked at Romano who looked back at him. Roberts face slowly broke into a grin.

"Yeah..." He grinned like an idiot. "Hell yeah, I did!" He jumped out of his chair and ran out the door, ignoring his doctor's calls to wait.

He ran to the stairs. Taking them two at a time, he arrived at the surgical floor. He took a right, a left and another right. He found her in the scrub room with Babcock and poked his head in.

"Lizzie, I need to see you for a moment," he said, and continued down the hall.

"Why do you think he's so happy?" Babcock said.

Elizabeth smiled remembering last night, "Don't suppose I know."

She dried her hands and had to almost jog to catch up to him. What the hell is with him? she asked herself. He went right to her office, opened the door. She followed him in and closed it behind her.

"Robert what—"

He kissed her to silence her, then quickly pulled away.

"Elizabeth," he said. "I...I...I have sensation."

"You what?" She gasped not sure she heard him correctly.

"Yeah, sensation, right..." He searched for the point on his arm "there!" He was pointing to a place an inch above the crook of his elbow.

Elizabeth let her fingers lightly brush against the area. "You feel that?" she asked softly.

He nodded and continued smiling as his pager went off. He looked at the number and snorted.

"The ER?"

"No, it's Mac. I left his office as soon as I realized I had sensation. I had to tell you," he brought his hand up to her face, "that soon I will be able to hold you with both my arms."

She leaned into his palm then embraced him tightly, "God, Robert I am so happy for you." Now she was grinning.

He pulled away from her. "Looks like you cured me, Doctor Corday." He touched her nose with his fingertip, "Thanks."

With that he was gone, leaving Elizabeth alone with her smile.

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"You do need to remember not to get your hopes up too much, Robert," Mac said as he debriefed Robert of the findings of the exam. "Yes, your sensation is returning, but that could stop at any time. And it's extremely unlikely that you will regain the dexterity you had in the past." He paused. "But... right now it looks like sensory function is returning at a very rapid rate. I've never seen anything like this."

"That's because I'm superman," Robert said.

"I want to up your PT to five times a week," Mac said making a note on the chart in front of him. Robert nodded, looking enthusiastic. "But Robert, the reason I am doing this is to keep you from taking matters into your own hands. Do not do anything physical with that arm outside of PT. I know you're excited but if you overwork it, all the improvement could be reversed."

"Yes, mother." He looked at Mac, more seriously he added, "I promise not to work too hard."

"Okay. I want to see you back here next week. We're going to track sensory function from week to week for now...more or less frequently as needed later on."

Robert nodded. "Okay... Next week then," he said and left the office.

Well, well, well, things are looking a hell of a lot better today than they did yesterday, he thought as he headed back down the stairs to the ER.

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