Thanks very much to all of you that read and reviewed the last couple of chapters. I'm really happy that you're still enjoying the story.

Elizabeth was saddened by the journal entries. Reading about all these painful events that Robert had been through, and getting such a deep glimpse into his perspective, had really gotten to her. She felt depressed. The worst thing was that Robert hadn't made an appearance since the last time she had seen him. She found herself missing him, wanting his presence.

"Robert," she surprised herself by saying out loud. "Are you there?"

Nothing.

"If you're around, please come back." There was silence. "Because I know you're still around -- somewhere."

She waited through several minutes of silence, desperately hoping that he's show up. "Robert?" He didn't appear. For whatever reason, he wasn't coming around right now. She supposed all she could do was wait.

She was out on a date.

She had reluctantly agreed to go to dinner with a radiologist from the hospital. Dr. Eric Richardson. He'd started working at County just recently. He was close to her age, or so she supposed: late thirties or maybe very early forties. Tall, very thin, blonde hair, somewhat receding, kindly blue eyes. He looked a bit like David Hyde Pierce. Elizabeth supposed he was attractive, although she really wasn't looking for any kind of special companionship right now. Mostly, she was tired. She'd been staying up too late, reading Robert's journal entries and she was edgy and easily distracted. When Eric Richardson invited her out, she didn't feel like making the effort to say no, knowing she'd have to do it correctly, just politely enough and then suggesting another time to avoid any awkwardness. Better to get out of the way, she wearily decided.

So there they were. He was very nice -- pleasant, friendly -- she had no problem with him personally. Yet she kept drifting off into her own thoughts in the middle of the conversation.

"...So I'd imagine it must have been difficult," he said.

Elizabeth looked up, caught off guard. "Sorry?" she said, having missed the first part of his sentence.

"Infiltrating the old boys club at the hospital," he explained. "I can't imagine it's much easier at County than it was in England."

"Oh, that," she said. "Yes, well, it's never easy - they go off on their golf games or whatever and I just do my work. Can't get involved in all the politicking."

He smiled sympathetically. "I've never been very good at golf," he said.

"I've never tried it," she admitted.

"Well, you might be quite good at it," he said encouragingly. "Still, I think you have the right idea -- staying detached, I mean."

"Right, well there's only so many hours I can spend with people there, you know," she said.

"Oh, come on, they can't be all bad," he said, smiling.

"No, of course not, I didn't mean that," she said, smiling back. "I just meant -- well, you know."

"Sure," he said. "Especially working in surgery, you must work a lot of overtime as it is."

"That I do," she said. "As Associate Chief of Surgery, I can't avoid it, unfortunately. Especially since--" she broke off.

"Sorry, since what?"

"Since -- well, they never filled the Chief of Surgery position after Dr. Romano vacated it, and -- it's been very busy there, ever since."

"Oh, right, Dr. Romano," Dr. Richardson said. "I heard about his situation, of course. I never did get to meet him, you know. I started at County about two months ago, and our paths just never crossed."

Elizabeth nodded, feeling tense.

"And then of course, well, he -- tragic how he died," Dr. Richardson mused. He looked over at Elizabeth, noticed her eyes filling up. "I'm sorry, were you close?"

"He was my friend," she said sadly.

"I'm so sorry," Dr. Richardson said. "I had no idea."

"I wasn't such a good friend to him, though," Elizabeth said quietly, almost to herself. She heard Robert's voice in her head, saying, "You didn't owe me anything." Yet she couldn't stop the feelings of guilt and sadness from flooding.Those awkward moments in the hallways after his operation where she could have said something, done something, invited him to lunch. The loneliness in his eyes when he saw her with Dorsett. Worst of all, her scornful attitude toward him on his very last day at the hospital. That wealthy patient – Robert's remark about him being in good hands with Dr. Corday. "You're in good hands with Dr. Corday, I envy you." She'd rolled her eyes in exasperation, thinking, Oh, Robert.

Those were the things she could not forget.

"Elizabeth, are you all right?"

"What?"

"I was asking you about the Chief position."

"Oh, of course."

"So do you think they will--"

"Eric, I'm sorry," she said. "I'm not feeling well. I need to go home."

"Right now?"

"Yes, right now," she said, getting to her feet. "I do apologize."

"Okay," he said. "Can I give you a ride?"

"I'm going to take a cab."

Lying in her bed that night, she tried to summon him again.

"Robert?"

There was only silence.

"If you can hear me, I really need to talk to you." She waited in the darkness for him to appear to her, but he didn't. "I want to talk to you. Some things in your journal -- we really need to talk." Again she waited. "Robert, please."

"Okay," she said, finally, her voice full of fatigue and disappointment. "I can't force you, I guess. I hope I'll see you soon."