ER isn't mine. This chapter picks up immediately after the last one.

Elizabeth was still fuming and decided she wasn't going to let him walk away so easily this time. She yanked open the door and was satisfied to see a surprised look on his face.

"Hold on, I'm not done talking" she yelled.

"I don't care, I don't want to hear it," he shot back.

"Well too bad because I'm not leaving until I have my say," it was her turn to be angry. She figured that was the only way she could get through to him.

Her insistence that he listen was finally getting Robert's attention. He fixed his eyes on her, "Fine, speak."

She stood only a few inches away and locked her eyes with his, hoping that would help convince him of her sincerity. When she spoke she was still forceful but was no longer yelling, "You helped me out last year when my marriage was falling apart. And before that when I felt like I couldn't operate again, and again when I was pregnant with Ella. Its my turn to return the favor." She paused and took a breath before blushing slightly, looking down and saying, "You mean to much to me to let you go through everything alone," in a rush of words.

"What?" he asked having missed the last part.

She looked up into his eyes and acted instinctively.

After freezing for a moment in surprise he gave into to all his desires and kissed her back.

Elizabeth's mind was racing. She was trying to make sense of the last 30 seconds or so but she kept getting distracted by the man who had his lips pressed against hers, his tongue dancing around hers. Finally she came to her senses and quickly backed away.

She started to speak but he put a finger to her lips to silence her before any sound escaped.

She slowly and wordlessly backed towards the door, he eyes never leaving his until she got to her room, shut the door, and sank to the floor.

From his side of the room he watched he close the door softly, then slowly let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

Elizabeth didn't sleep well that night. She kept replaying every moment of their conversation and argument in her head and realized that she'd meant every word that had come out of her mouth.

Robert couldn't get to sleep very well either, but he fared better than Elizabeth. The previous night's lack of sleep was catching up with him so it wasn't too long before exhaustion won out over worry. That night was one of the first in quite a while that wasn't plagued with nightmares.

They next day Elizabeth left early. She knew she couldn't avoid him forever but she didn't want to have to try to speak to Robert until her mind was cleared and she'd had several cups of coffee.

She headed over to the conference center before Robert had a chance to make his way downstairs. She found a seat near the front, where it usually filled up first, hoping Robert wouldn't be able to sit near her by the time he arrived.

Luck was going her way. Robert ran into the room just minutes before the presentations began. He spotted her mane of red curls up front as he found a seat in back. Elizabeth looked around a few minutes later, spotted him in the back of the room and sighed in relief.

Neither one of them could focus that day.

At the end of the day Elizabeth gathered up all of her stuff and quickly made her way towards the door. Robert was standing there waiting for her.

Elizabeth slowed her step as she approached him. She knew she had to go talk to him, he'd seen her coming.

"Hey," Robert spoke first.

"Um, hi," she replied uncertainly.

Wordlessly Robert took her elbow and propelled her forward out of the room and onto the sidewalk.

When they were outside Robert dropped her arm and Elizabeth couldn't help feeling a sense of loss.

They started walking back towards the hotel, still without speaking. Elizabeth noticed Robert flexing his fingers using his right hand.

"How's your arm doing?" she asked softly.

"Same," he said emotionlessly.

"Still no sensory function?" she asked even though she knew the answer already.

"Nope."

"How's that ulcer?"

"Same."

"Do you want me to look at it?"

He shrugged.

Elizabeth decided it wasn't worth asking questions when he was only going to give her one word answers.

A short while later they reached their hotel and headed upstairs. Elizabeth got her key first and opened the door. "Wait," she called to Robert who was at the next door about to swipe his card key.

He looked up questioningly and Elizabeth indicated that he should come into her room.

Robert sighed and obeyed.

"Sit," she said pointing. He sat on the edge of the bed, still watching her every move.

Elizabeth rummaged around in her suitcase for a minute before coming up with the first aid kit she always carried with her. It was pretty basic but it would do.

She pulled a chair up and began working on his arm. After a few minutes she mentioned, "It's not healing very well."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"But its only been a couple days, give it some time."

"Right" he said softly.

She worked on his arm for a few more minutes in silence before she saw him grimace.

"Did that hurt?"

"No. But I wish it had."

"How long has it been like this?"

"Well it happened Wednesday."

"I didn't mean the ulcer."

"Oh." Robert looked down sadly and replied, his voice barely audible, "Almost two weeks."

"You haven't been able to feel anything in your arm for two weeks?!? And you didn't say anything?" she asked in surprise.

"Nope" he answered matter-of-factly.

Elizabeth looked at his face for the first time since entering the room.

"Robert are you ok, you don't seem like yourself."

"Everything's just peachy" he replied with obviously fake enthusiasm.

"Liar."

"It's nothing."

"Robert look at me. You know last night when I said that you meant to much to me to let you go through this alone?" she said blushing slightly. He nodded. "Well I meant it. Talk to me."

Robert looked at Elizabeth sitting in front of him. He wanted to talk to her but he couldn't. Not trusting his voice he shook his head.

Elizabeth sighed and threw down the scissors she was using. "Ok, that should do it," she said forcefully while putting a fresh piece of gauze over his arm.

"Lizzie…" started Robert.

She interrupted him, "Forget it."

Elizabeth was having trouble figuring out why his behavior upset her so much. Its not like it was anything new. He never opened up to her. Well except the night before when he'd told her more about his past and family than she ever would have expected.

Robert turned to leave but decided better of it.

"Elizabeth, I want to talk to you, but I need to figure things out for myself first."

"Its not important."

He decided to let it go.

"Stupid," he thought to himself out loud as he entered his own room. Why did he always shut out the people he cared about most. Here she was, trying to get him to talk to her and he shut her out, just like he always did. Every person he'd ever fallen for had ended up leaving. Of course with Elizabeth it seemed worse since he'd fallen for her faster and harder than he had for anyone else. And last night he'd actually opened up to her and it ended up in a fight, like always. But then she'd kissed him, something he'd always dreamed about. Except she backed away.

Robert had wanted to go after her but he couldn't. She'd done something she obviously regretted and he wasn't about to after her.

Elizabeth put the first aid kit away, grabbed her purse and coat and headed outside. She needed to get away.