These characters aren't mine—I just borrowed them for a while.
A few hours later Elizabeth found herself running through the halls calling out to the figure rapidly moving away from her.
"Robert!" He didn't respond.
"Great," thought Elizabeth. "He's either ignoring me or needs to get his hearing checked."
"Robert!" she called again as he disappeared around the corner.
She quickly followed him, hoping to catch up with him before he reached the elevators.
Suddenly she collided with something…actually, someone. Elizabeth looked up to see Dr. Dorsett grinning down at her. She groaned internally while plastering a fake smile on her face.
"Elizabeth! Fancy running into you here," he said way to cheerfully.
"Dr. Dorsett, " she began.
"How many times do I have to tell you, its Edward." His voice dropped to a whisper, "or fast Eddie, as you might recall." He coyly grinned back at her.
Elizabeth sighed and happened to glance over and see Robert watching her curiously. "Of course now he sees me," she thought to herself.
As attractive as he may be, Elizabeth wasn't in the mood to get the moves put on her by Dorsett and was quickly losing her patience.
"Dr. Dorsett," she began sternly, "if you would excuse me I have work to do, as I'm sure you do too. I recommend you start doing you job while you still have one."
Without waiting for a reply, Elizabeth strode off after Robert. Luckily the elevator was slow and she managed to catch up to him.
"Dorsett Lizzie? Really? I'd have expected better from you."
"Haha. He wishes."
"Really?" asked Robert, eyebrows raised. "You mean you haven't.."
"NO! Not that he hasn't been trying."
"Huh. Well I guess you can't believe everything the rumor mill tells you." Without giving her a chance to respond, Robert quickly changed the subject. "So Lizzie, I'm pretty sure you weren't following me just so we could stand here and chat so what's up? And make it quick, I still have work to do."
"Oh, right. I was wondering if you were still planning on leaving tonight. I mean with…everything" she trailed off.
"You mean my arm Lizzie?" At her slight nod he continued, "Well I'm not the one who's wings we need to fly so yes, I'm still going. Disappointed?"
"No, I just thought you might want to take it easy for a day to two. That's all."
"Now why would I do that Lizzie? I'm still Chief of Staff of this hospital, or were you trying to take that one away from me too?"
"Just forget it!" yelled Elizabeth as she turned on her heel and stormed away.
Robert turned and slammed the up button of the elevator again. "Finally," he muttered when the doors finally opened. Just for good measure he shot an evil glare at the nurse standing inside, as if it was her fault the elevator was so slow. He punched the button for the roof as they slowly began the climb upward.
He'd hoped to find the roof empty but no such luck. There was a helicopter sitting on the landing pad with Drs. Lewis and Kovac and one of the flight nurses trying to stabilize a patient before bringing him downstairs.
"Well isn't this familiar," he thought ruefully to himself. "Last time I was up here that was me on that gurney. And my life changed forever."
Next his eyes wandered to the helicopter, surveying everything. The body, the propeller, the tail rotor…as he looked at back he realized he'd unconsciously taken a step backwards.
He didn't say anything, just stood there deep in thought.
He wasn't sure how long he stood there, but suddenly there was someone calling out to him.
"Dr. Romano. Are you coming down?" asked a concerned Dr. Lewis.
"Huh," he answered as he quickly snapped out of his daze.
"We got the patient stable and are bringing him to surgery. I asked if you were coming down with us."
Surgery. That was the last place he wanted to be right now.
"Uh, no. I just…" he never finished his answer. Truthfully he didn't know why he'd decided to come up here, today of all days.
Luckily Susan seemed to understand, at least she understood enough not to ask anymore questions. They headed downstairs leaving him all alone on the roof.
The helicopter was just taking off and he shuddered inwardly at the noise and the memories.
"Why am I still doing here anyway?" he asked himself out.
"Because you'd be bored out of your mind if you weren't. And they need you here, even if they don't know it." answered a voice behind him.
"Lizzie!" exclaimed Robert, very surprised. "Kovac and Lewis already took the patient downstairs, you just missed them."
"I know I saw them. Anspaugh's doing the surgery. Besides we have to leave soon. Susan told me you were up here, so I came to see if you were ready" she said very matter-of-factly.
"Yeah. Lets get out of here." With one last glance at where the helicopter had been sitting minutes before he turned and followed Elizabeth towards the elevator.