Disclaimer: Kum-by-ER ain't mine/Kum-by-ER/Kum-by-ER ain't mine/Kum-by-ER-ahem, thats enough of that.

A/N: Short and, well not sweet, more a bit sour. Still with Elizabeth, but we're getting near the climax of the stand-off. Question is who's going to end it? And how?

Lots of thought in this chapter as Elizabeth slowly unravels.

And yes it is a cliff-hanger. Come on, you know you love it really.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now where was she? Oh yes. She was sitting on the floor with the smooth, cold wall behind her. Sarah was tied to a bed at right angles to her.

Elizabeth had her eyes closed and her head had fallen sideways on her shoulder. She wasn't trying to keep alert anymore; there wasn't any point. Jane and her mother were gone.

It had been touch and go. Martin looked from Elizabeth to Sarah to Helen and Jane and moved back to the phone excruciatingly slowly. In slow motion he had rung the police and agreed to let Jane and Helen go.

With Helen wheeling her daughter's bed, Martin had stood in the doorway, out of sight of the SWAT team, but with his gun fixed on Helen's back. He was obviously worried about what Sarah might do, which is why she was tied to the bed. He didn't seem to feel she was a threat though and had simply thrown her to the floor and left her there.

She was too weak to move. She felt her life force flowing out of her, not through her blood, but from her toes and her fingertips in an invisible stream.

She was dying, that was a fact and she doubted she had much time left. Ella and her parents were at the front of her mind, in looping films; caught in the happiest places she could remember them. And there was Mark.

She realised, a tad guiltily, that she had barely thought of Mark since all this had happened.

It was not that she did not still love him. She did. Even after all that happened with Rachel, when she was angry with him and they had lived apart, she had loved him because he was a wonderful person. Kind, thoughtful, hopelessly trying to do the right thing all the time. And he had given her Ella, the greatest present in the world. But after the initial happiness of finding that love and marrying him, she realised that it wasn't the love she expected. It was what she had wanted, yes, but not what she needed. She needed something else.

The room was so quiet. After Helen and Jane had left, the phone had rung a few times, but Martin seemed to have settled into a stupor and had not answered it.

She wondered if Robert was still out there. Of course he is, said the voice, whilst you're in here he won't leave. What had she done all those years ago to get the man so hooked on her? She certainly hadn't encouraged him.

Yes you did, said the voice. All those caustic conversations which you practically revelled in? You'd bait him as much as he baited you.

She heard a faint click and, with a great deal of effort, eased one eye open. Martin had picked up the phone and was calling someone. She swivelled her eye sideways to look at Sarah. The girl had her eyes focused on Jack's still and stiff body and was carefully moving her arms behind her. She was trying to break free. Elizabeth closed her eye.

Well good for her, she thought. Let her try. It won't help me, but maybe she'll find happiness. Without Jack.

'Hi again doc, it's me. I thought I could have a little chat before I go,' she heard Martin say, 'Whilst we wait. How's the money coming?'

He had decided to phone Robert again. She listened to the one side of the conversation and absently tried to wonder what was being said on the other side.

'Good, good. I suppose I should get details about how we're getting away? Mmm? Shouldn't I Sarah? That's my girl. But I just wanted to tell you something first. I know you probably think I'm a nut, that I have no reason to do what I did but I do.'

This should be good. Wait-he did have a reason. His wife cheated on him with his best friend.

So? Happens all the time. Everyday. People fall in and out of love all the time. Nothing special about that.

'You ever been in love doc? I mean real love, real gut-wrenching, mind-bending love when you can't understand why or how but one person has you whole?'

Pause.

'Really?' (disbelief) 'Who was she?'

Another pause. Who? Who was she? Robert in love. Real love? Talking to Robert about love, now there's a joke.

No it's not, said the voice.

Why?

Because he loves you, Elizabeth. He loves you. If we're talking unrequited love here...

'What happened? She run off with someone else? They always do. You always end up alone. I mean Sarah left me for Jack and now...Jack's gone from her. That kids Mom; her husbands gone and...hey Dr Corday what about you? You been married, in love?'

'He died,' she murmured.

'What? Oh she's gone quiet over there. Always-'

Her ears suddenly gave out. She went deaf and she was left alone in a quiet world of her own slow pulse pounding in her ears, her shallow breathing and her buzzing mind.

Robert loves me? That's obvious. It's been obvious for ages, you just haven't admitted it to yourself, said the voice. But he's Robert. Robert Romano, for God's sake, have we forgotten this?

I could never...I mean, I don't...what is love anyway but a few chemical reactions in the brain?

In the heart.

Someone hold me, it's cold here.

I can't do this.

It wouldn't make a difference if you didn't care so much.

Get out of my head.

Loves you.

I'm too tired.

It would be nice to sleep now. After everything, it would be very nice just to go to sleep.