Disclaimer: The red-hot pokers didn't work. I'm onto The Waltons video's. Don't worry, they'll break. But as of yet, ER still isn't mine.

A/N: I know, I know, Merrymime-Robert probably would want to stay at the hospital with his Lizzie, but he'd have nothing to do but twiddle his thumbs. Well, thumb. Besides I wanted him to bond with Ella. Still, I'm not sure about this chapter or the previous one. I can't decide if they're too contrived or corny.

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When Robert saw the woman in the doorway, his mind did twenty back flips and finished with a double somersault. He had, at that moment, no idea who she was or why she was standing outside his door.

'Dr Romano?' she said, urgently.

He blinked and shifted his gaze to the quiet blond child in her arms. Her eyes met his. Her big, blue eyes. Ella.

'What? I...Sorry, things are a little-Chris, is it?' he said, his mind reeling.

'Yes. Yes, that's me I'm so glad you remembered. Look I kept her as long as I could, but my sisters hollering down the phone, her kids are hungry-'

Without asking, she practically thrust Ella into his arm.

'I know you said you'd find someone and sort it so I waited and waited but then I couldn't wait any longer. I had to come in. How's Elizabeth?'

Robert was half-stunned by her entrance and the fact that Ella was now happily ensconced in his arm poking his cheek with her finger. He fumbled for a moment then took the easy option by answering her question.

'In surgery. She was shot-'

Chris' face fell into utter shock and he back peddled quickly in case she keeled over on him.

'-but it's not that bad. I mean it is, but we're doing everything we can,' he continued, hastily, 'the best surgeons in the hospital are working on her. We'll let you know what happens.'

That was the oldest, lamest bunch of platitudes he had ever strung together. He'd said them thousands of times but now he was ashamed of having uttered them. But Chris seemed to believe him and recover herself. She glanced at Ella.

'I can't take her with me,' moaned Chris, half-talking to herself, 'my sisters too sick. I don't want her to get it too and what with the three other kids. God I feel so bad.'

She looked up at him again.

'But you said you'd sort something right?' she said, beaming and without waiting for an answer, she dumped a bag at his feet.

'There's all the stuff I could think of in there, diapers, food, toys whatever, so whoever it is shouldn't have any trouble,' she said.

Chris gave Ella a kiss and stroked her head.

'Bye sweetie, see you soon. Oh and my numbers in there too, for you know, when she wakes up. I'm so sorry. Thank you!'

And with that she whirled around and was gone.

Considering all the other shocks he had had that day, he shouldn't have been surprised. But he was. He went over what had just happened and tried to sort it out.

That was Ella's nanny, whom he'd spoken to on the phone. That was like a million years ago, but Robert vaguely remembered her mentioning how she was looking after her brothers kids or something...and couldn't keep Ella for long. And he'd said, oh don't worry I'll sort something out.

Which I would have done, he protested, had I not been otherwise involved in negotiating for the police. Yeah, that old excuse. He turned and looked down at Ella. She was regarding him with a slightly quizzical expression.

'You and me both,' he said.

He sat her on Brenda's desk and looked around, vaguely hoping that some emergency baby sitter would suddenly leap out of the shadows and help him.

'What am I going to do now?' he said, aloud, 'more importantly, what am I going to do with you?'

Ella looked at him and held a pen out to him. He took it absently and twirled it round his fingers.

'Write an SOS?' he said, 'mmm, good plan but I don't think it'll work. No-one would want to help me.'

He sat down on the desk next to Ella. Okay, who could he call on? Shirley? No, she was still busy. His mother? Bad idea-he didn't want to scare Ella at her early time of life. Okay, so that left...Susan? She'd had that niece so she knew babies. She also asked if there was anything she could do to help. Sweet but deadly. But she was bound to be wrapped up in the ER with all those traumas. So that left...oh no Rocket don't even think about it, that has a disaster written all over it in big, bright shiny letters.

He looked down at the child who was now eating some of Brenda's memo pads.

She seems quiet enough, he thought, of course, that's now. In a few hours she'll probably be a raving psycho. Especially if she's Elizabeth's child. His stomach twinged. He'd almost got her mother killed.

'...take care of Ella, won't you?'

Remembrance came in a jolt. He'd promised her he would. Dammit Lizzie, you're making me do what you want without even being conscious, he thought. Now that's a talent. Well, looks like I'll have to take care of her.

Seriously? asked his mind. You want to be tortured, go downtown, it's cheaper. I mean hello? You've only got one arm. You need at least twelve to look after a toddler. The little girl sighed and leaned against him.

'Oh come on!' he protested, looking down at her curly blond head, 'give me a break here. I'm tired, I'm grouchy, I'm covered in blood and I'm, well, me. Didn't you mother ever tell you about me? Use me as a scare story to get you to eat your vegetables?'

Being two, Ella didn't have the faintest idea what he was on about, so she continued to lean against him and piled papers on his knee.

Robert sighed. He couldn't fight a two-year-old and if he had another choice, he couldn't think of it. He was just going to have to try.

'Okay, but this is temporary,' he said sliding off the desk and picking up the bag.

He swung it on his shoulder and then curled Ella into his arm. She began to make little humming noises.

'Don't pretend to be all cute and innocent,' he muttered.

He walked out onto the floor and past the nurse's station, which was empty. The nurses were all dealing with the patients the newly re-opened ER had brought in. Jacy appeared suddenly and breathlessly began sorting through the papers.

'Jacy-' he began.

'Three gunshot wounds, two MVA's and some guy who fell onto railings. I swear they've been saving them up for us!' exclaimed Jacy, without looking up.

She glanced at him.

'Oh going home? I-isn't that Ella?'

Robert raised his eyebrows.

'No it's just a random child I picked up,' he deadpanned.

'You're taking her?' asked Jacy, still bewildered.

'Yes. But only for a while, now listen I want to know the second Dr Corday is out of surgery do you understand?'

Jacy nodded.

'Of course. But it's going to be a while. There's a lot of damage-'

'I know, I know. And I want to know if she, you know, has any problems,' he continued, steadily.

Jacy nodded again.

'Okay,' she said, 'oh, I got hold of her parents. Her father's in England and he's catching the first flight he can, but her mother's in India so she'll be longer.'

'Okay, great. I suppose you should let me know if they arrive too. They'll wanna know what I've done with their grand-daughter,' Robert sighed.

Jacy nodded for a third time and dashed away down the corridor. Everyone had jobs to do now. Except him. But deep down he knew that even if he had both arms, Anspaugh still wouldn't have let him operate.

Instinctively he walked over to OR 2 and peered through the double doors. He could see Davidson, Edson and Anspaugh all working feverishly. All he could see of Elizabeth was an outline of her body under a sheet, obscured by figures, hands and machines.

Someone moved sideways and he saw a glimpse of blood and tissue. He turned away, feeling his stomach lurch. On other people it was easy. Blood and guts meant nothing. On people you knew...

'Mommy?' said Ella, softly.

He looked down at her and wondered if she knew that Elizabeth was through there.

'She's uh, she's sleeping for a while,' he said, 'she's sick at the moment.'

'Mommy sick,' repeated Ella, 'better?'

'Yeah, she's got some really clever people working on her. She's going to get better.'

I wish I could believe that, he thought. Robert felt rooted to the spot but knew he couldn't stay there forever and wrenched his feet from the floor. Determinedly, he walked towards the elevator. He felt like his heart was being pulled apart, half of it staying behind in that OR.

'Oh get a grip Robert,' he muttered, pressing the elevator button.

All the same he swallowed hard. Ella's small warm body was strangely comforting. For once, he had to put someone else before himself.

I'm getting a weird 24 vibe here-Is this the longest day of Robert Romano's life? Could be.

Now I'm planning the second half of Elizabeth's dream and Robert's Ella time, but I want to know your opinions before I decide on them fully.

I want to know if you're getting bored. I don't want you to be bored. So tell me 'kay?