Disclaimer: Did you know that ER was inspired by a British drama called Casualty? Well it was. Its still going as well, after something like twenty years so ER could be here a while yet. Oh, but its still not owned by me.

See interesting read and a TV history lesson all in one place what more could you ask for?

Big thanks to my reviewers including Merrymime, Christina, sparky015 and everyone else. You peeps are lovely jubberly!

A/N: BIG dramatic license going on here. I don't know if this would really happen, but I figure that a bloke with hostages would probably get any request he asked for.

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Everyone in the room was focused on the ringing phone. Martin stared at it as if it might explode.

'You really had better answer that,' said Elizabeth, wearily, 'It'll be the police and they'll want to talk.'

She sat down heavily next to Jane Graham's bed. The pain she had been trying to block out was slowly making its way through her senses. She felt sick suddenly and bent over, breathing deeply. She heard Martin picked up the phone.

'Hello?' he said.

Elizabeth listened as Martin too was silent, and she imagined the negotiator asking him what he wanted, what he was doing, why he was doing this.

Her mind began free-wheeling. She saw old images of her childhood. Her school, her first boyfriend, an old interview, a scrap of an old sitcom.

There's so much I won't do, she thought suddenly. In her frazzled mind she saw Ella, at her tenth birthday party, dressed up and laughing as she blew the candles out. But she wasn't there, she was gone...

'You know something? I really don't like the police.'

Martin's voice brought her back to reality, albeit a reality which was beginning to blur at the edges.

'You see I'm being investigated at the moment. I'll let you research that. My names Martin, Martin Peterson, by the way. We should be on first name terms shouldn't we? My wife is in here; she's called Sarah. Got that? Sarah Peterson. And then there's little Jane-is that her name? Yeah, Jane Graham and a doctor. British woman-Elizabeth Corday. That's everybody. I don't think I've missed anyone. Except Jack but he doesn't seem to mind.'

He paused again, and Elizabeth managed to raise her head to look at him. Her hair fell into her eyes and she pushed it away. Martin was grinning, looking happier than he had since he had so rudely entered their lives.

He's enjoying this, she thought, he's gone past whatever score he wanted to settle and he's enjoying the power. The thought made her feel sick again and she ducked her head down.

A raw anger was building in her. How dare he do this to them, to her? How could he treat them like this over something so trivial?

But love isn't trivial Elizabeth, said another voice in her head. She wanted to laugh. Now she was hearing voices. She was arguing with herself.

She looked backwards at her chest. Blood had seeped through and was blossoming like a red rose on the white of the bandages. How beautiful, she thought.

'Where was I?' Martin said, 'Oh yes. Fraud, that's what you called it, fraudulent business practices. And my wife's having an affair with my best friend-oops! My ex-best friend. Never rains but it pours huh? Gotta be more than one thing to make me go nuts huh? Trouble is I'm feeling very sane right now.'

He looked around the room and gazed at Sarah, then he locked eyes with Elizabeth. A smile played at the corners of his mouth.

'Okay, shush now. Yvonne-you said that was your name right? -I'm hearing what you're saying. You just want to talk, to listen, but I know the tricks you guys use.

I want someone who doesn't. In fact, I'm making my first request. I want to talk to someone of my choosing or-bang, bang. Who...let me think. I know...that doc who I saw earlier...what was his name?'

'Dr Romano.'

Elizabeth said the words without even thinking. She had closed her eyes but kept alert and peered briefly up at Martin.

'That's his name, but I wouldn't advise you speak to him,' she continued, her voice sounding distant in her head.

Martin let a tight grin pass across his lips.

'Right then. Dr Romano it is.'

He put the phone down sharply, then turned to look at them all. He gave a small chuckle.

'They have all the tricks and all the strategies, but I won't let them control me.'

'Do you really want to talk to him?' Elizabeth managed.

'Maybe. But they'll do whatever I want now it seems,' said Martin.

'Martin, they were going to drop those charges,' said Sarah quietly, looking up at him.

He laughed again and played with the gun, staring at it.

'No they weren't darling. I just told you that because...hah...because I didn't want you to worry. Didn't want to hurt you. No, I was going down. I was stupid. Thought no one would notice a few dollars here and there. I wanted give you everything you ever wanted. Turns out I was wrong on both counts.'

The room went silent again.

'Dr Corday?'

It was Sarah. She got to her feet, looking at Martin, who opened his mouth.

'I'm not going to do anything Martin,' she said scornfully, 'I'm just going to talk to her. She's been shot in case you didn't notice.'

She walked over and stood next to her.

'Is there anything I can do?' she asked.

Elizabeth shook herself and tried to stand but failed. She pointed to a box.

'Pain relief,' she said, simply.

Sarah passed her the box and Elizabeth, with shaking hands administered an injection to herself.

'That girl okay?' whispered Sarah.

Elizabeth looked up at Jane Graham and her mother. Mrs Graham was holding her child and staring blankly at Martin. Jane was still awake and humming a tune Elizabeth recognised from a kid's TV show Ella watched.

Elizabeth stood up, using the bed for support and checked her vitals. She may not have looked that bad, but her vitals were falling. Her pulse was becoming weak and her skin growing ever more jaundice. She stared vacantly at a spot on the wall. Mrs Graham looked at Elizabeth.

'She's getting worse,' whispered Mrs Graham.

She knew. Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something comforting, moved her hands to try something else, but suddenly realised there was nothing else she could do.

She closed her mouth and sat back down. Mrs Graham's stare was penetrating and Elizabeth looked away.

'Wh... what are you going to do?' asked Mrs Graham, suddenly.

Elizabeth darted her eyes back, but Mrs Graham wasn't looking at her anymore. She had her eyes fixed on Martin.

'You going to keep us all here just so your...wife, who's run off with someone else can see how much you love her?'

Her voice dripped with hatred and venom. Elizabeth could see the panic and anger fighting inside her. She was clutching Jane so hard, Elizabeth worried she might be hurting the girl.

'Mommy you're hurting me!' said Jane.

'Mrs Graham?' said Elizabeth, warningly.

'I don't remember asking you anything, bitch,' Martin said, in a low, steady voice, 'we will stay here as long as I say. Keep talking, you might never leave.'

Mrs Graham let out the bark of a laugh.

'My husband left when Jane was five,' she spat, 'I got over it, you should to. If you kill my daughter, I swear, I will kill you!'

She clutched her daughter tighter.

'Mommy, please!'

Jane let out a small, but plaintive cry. Mrs Graham looked down as if she had forgotten Jane was there and then loosened her grip. She pushed Jane's hair away from her face.

'Its okay, its okay, Mommy's here, everything's going to be just fine I promise you,' she said, softly.

Elizabeth blinked and rested her head against Jane's bed. Just fine, she thought, with Robert negotiating? I should be worried. But strangely enough, right at that moment, she felt perfectly calm.

How was that? Was that okay? I won't put the next bit up unless people are okay with this bit, so tell me what you think.