Disclaimer: I don't own any of them!

Chapter 5: The mystery is no more!

"What happened?" Susan asked as she saw Elizabeth being wheeled into the ER.

"She fainted!" Shirley said.

"Bring her into Trauma 1!" Carter said as he grabbed his stethoscope from his neck and walked next to her so he could listen to her cardiac rhythm.

"She's not breathing right! Abby bag her!" Susan ordered as she stepped into Trauma 1.

"Get me a EKG! Stat!" Carter said as he rushed around Elizabeth!

"This happened just from fainting?" Susan asked as she turned to Shirley who was just standing there watching them.

"She just fainted! But she opened her eyes as we were bringing her here... and started mumbling something about getting her help and then she just closed her eyes again!"

"How long was she unconscious?" Carter asked Shirley but never turned to face her.

"About, I don't know..."

"How long!?" Carter turned to her.

"About two minutes!"

"Let me go! Help! Help!" Elizabeth started with a low voice and without ever opening her eyes. Then after a short pause she stopped breathing.

"Damn! We have to intubate!" Susan said as she watched Carter take the Endotracheal Tube and started the procedure.

"I can't see the vocal cords!"

"Tilt her head more!"

"It's not working... wait... It's working... Done."

"BP?" Carter asked Abby.

"Normal. Pulse normal too." Abby added.

"She's stabile! Good job!" Susan told Carter. Now we just have to figure out what caused all these. It can't be from fainting. "Abby get her a blood culture and find me when you get the results."

Robert was driving his car to Elizabeth's house. It was almost 8 o'clock. As he reached in front of her house he hurried out of his car and rang the bell. No answer. He rang again. But nobody came. He took a few steps away from the house and looked up. The lights were turned off.

Shortly after leaving Elizabeth's house Robert arrived at the medical conference. He sat on a chair just as it started. Very prestigious doctors were presenting interesting cases, but he could hear nothing. His mind was wondering off at Elizabeth. She failed me once again only this time she had the courage to mock me. At least last time she was sincere and just refused me in my face. But why go through so much trouble just to make fun of me? Why kiss me? Why was she that cruel... She must have forgotten! That was the last time she caught me barking up her tree. I really must get her out of my mind. It's obvious she doesn't want anything to do with me. So tonight I will say good bye to Lizzie and hopefully to my love for her.

The Medical Conference finished and Robert left. He didn't feel in the mood for a party. And besides he has to work tomorrow.

TOMORROW

"Dr. Romano you have a appendectomy in half an hour." Shirley told Romano who suddenly stopped and turned to face the nurse.

"I thought Dr. Corday was performing that one. Or did she just bail on us?" He said anger on his face.

"Dr. Corday has been hospitalized since yesterday afternoon."

"What?" Robert said as he put on a concerned look.

"She fainted and they took her to the ER..."

"What? With those incompetent Zoo monkeys? Where?"

"She was in Trauma 1 but they must have moved her."

"So how are you feeling today?" Susan asked Elizabeth as she entered her room.

"Uh well I'm fine and sincerely I don't understand why you hospitalized me."

"Well you did faint!" Susan said sarcasm all over her face. "The good news is that your blood culture came back normal, but..."

"There is a but in all of this?" Elizabeth asked as she was starting to lose her temper.

"BUT as the cause of your fainting is still unknown I took the liberty of ordering a CBS."

"So what do the results of the CBS say?"

"I don't know. Abby will be here in a couple of minutes to drain you of your remaining blood!" Susan said in a strange Dracula way. As the both of then started laughing Abby came in and Susan exited the hospital room. As she was walking down the hallway to the admit desk the elevator doors opened and a very concerned Robert stepped into the rush of the ER.

"Dr. Lewis..." Romano called Susan who didn't hear him. After calling her name another three times he took two of his fingers to his mouth and whistled noisily. "Lewis!"

"Dr. Romano to what do I owe the pleasure?" Susan asked trying not to feel angry about the way that he called on her.

"Have you ever considered a hearing..." Romano was cut off by Susan.

"Uh I'm sorry did you call me just to make jokes about..." Romano cut off Susan.

"Enough small talk! I heard you were treating Dr. Corday." Robert decided to put a stop to their little game. He knew she wasn't going to let him get the best of her.

"Yes I am."

"What is her condition. What happened? I know that she fainted but why?" with concern all over his face he took a big breath of air to fill his longs, because he said all of that with one single breath.

"Slow down. The fainting could have been caused by fatigue. She has been complaining for a few days of it and she has been pretty pale. But the reason for which we had to intubate her is still a mystery. Her blood culture came back normal so I ordered a CBS. "

"When you get the results let me know. Now would you be so kind as to direct me to her room?"

"After that hill Billy whistle I am amazed that you still know your manners!"

"Watch it Lewis!" Robert responded with a angry voice. But seeing the look on her face turn serious he winked and entered the room she was pointing to.

"Snoozing on the job Corday?" He said as he entered.

"Excuse me..." Abby said and exited the hospital room.

"Robert... I'm sorry!" Elizabeth said looking straight into his eyes.

"What ever for?" He questioned her bemused.

"I didn't make it to the party..."

"It's okay Lizzie. It wouldn't have been any fun with you unconscious."

"It would have made dancing hard!" she said and started laughing.

"Who said anything about dancing?"

"Well it was a party..." she added but then her face turned serious. "Susan didn't say anything about the place where they found me? Robert I was so scared! That man was following me... and then he got into my house... I ran as fast as I could but he caught me... And after a while it became quiet! I'm sure he tried to strangle me! I couldn't breathe and I called for help but it was useless! Nobody came! I just stood there, after it became quiet... my eyes closed... struggling to breathe. When I finally could breathe I fell asleep! I couldn't control myself!"

"Lizzie you're not making any sense!" Robert looked at her as he realized that he never asked about what exactly happened. He decided that he has to calm her and talk to Lewis.

"Lizzie what ever happened to you is over... Try to sleep..." He spoke with a very calm voice as he put his hand on her forehead and leaned over to kiss it. Then he stood there with her, holding her hand until she fell asleep. Just as his mind was trying to process everything his Lizzie said he had the funny feeling that he was being watched. As he turned to the door he saw Susan looking through a crack opened door. He let her hand rest on the bed and left the room.

"Didn't know you took the habit of spying on people!"

"I was not spying!" she answered. "I just got the CBS results back!" Susan added as she handed over a small paper.

"Does it show anything that might explain what happened?"

"All! She has Anemia!"

"That explains the fainting..." Romano started but was continued by Lewis.

"The short of breath... We are getting her started on vitamin B12."

"And some iron pills." Romano said never removing his eyes from the chart.

"She should take a week off and rest, but with her Anemia acting up like this I'm not sure she should be alone." She said in a implying voice.

"Are you trying to send me a message?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes! With you being the chief of staff you could give her a week off..." she said knowing that he got her message. Susan knew that he liked her and saw him kissing her in the room earlier. "Will you tell her?" she asked.

"Uh, yes. But later... she's sleeping now."

"Fine. I'm off! Good- Bye Dr. Romano!" Susan said as she turned to leave.

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"She said something about a man following her to her house... breaking into her house... running after her..."

"When?" Susan asked amazed.

"Before she fainted. Yesterday!"

"But she never left the hospital! She was going home when she fainted in front of the elevator." Susan saw Robert put on a amazed face. "She was going to a party... I overheard her call the babysitter earlier yesterday and asked her to keep Ella at her house over night... Wait! It could have been all in her head because as they were bringing her down to the ER she kept asking for help and struggling." They talked about this for a almost two hours and then they both went to their business.

TWO HOURS LATER

"Hey sleepy head!" Robert greeted Elizabeth.

"Your CBS results are back. You have Anemia!"

"Uh I'll take some B12 or iron... I'll be fine!"

"Guess where we are going?" Robert said balancing the car keys into the air.

"To a car race?" she asked smiling.

"You can now get out of this hospital! And you are coming over at my house!"

"What? You can't be serious!"

"It's a tight score between my house and County! What'll it be?"

"I don't want to be a bother! And besides Ella is probably at home with Kris and they are both waiting for me! And many people suffer of Anemia and don't need a babysitter! I'll just take a few days off and take it easy! I'll spend some time with Ella..."

"Do you want to risk fainting at home with Ella? Think about it!" Robert said as he put a serious look on his face. "And besides I called Kris and told her to bring Ella here. They should arrive soon. With a bag of clothes for you and Ella."

They arrived at Robert's house an hour later. Robert showed Elizabeth to the guestroom and left her to accommodate. Half an hour later he came through the door carrying a baby bed.

"Robert where did you get this?"

"My niece visits me from time to time. I bought this for her when she was about ten. It's not that big but she could fit in just fine." Robert said as he picked up Ella and laid her into the bed.

"Thank you Robert." She said as she leaned and kissed his check.

TBC

Thanks for reviewing!