Where have I been? Graduating and failing to find work for a start. I'll admit I was lost for inspiration so I must wholeheartedly thank I'm-just-reviewing for her wonderful words of praise which guilt tripped me into writing more and eventually I will finish this. My great apologies for those who had given up, I hope you will return and forgive me for the wait. I'm a little out of practice so this may be a bit bumpy! Also I decided to explore a few things in Robert's head which may be a bit OOC but keep with me.

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It rained. God, did it rain. Robert stared out into the dim, murky sky. He was standing in his kitchen, a mug of untouched coffee in one hand, dressed in a painfully tight and dull suit. The rain battered against the window and streamed along the ground beneath it.

Today was the day. Court day. One benefit was he did not have to be in the ER at least. The weather signalled messy car accidents but a general lack of people. The plebs would be bored and doubtless make up a game which cause someone an injury.

On the other hand, work would be preferable to seeing that man again. His teeth gritted of their own accord. The bastard, he thought, God if I could...

I have to tell the truth. Her voice in his mind. Yeah, do you? Well I don't, I don't have to, I can lie and deceive-I'm Robert Romano it's what I'm good at. And hiding of course. In his head and now in real life.

She had kissed him.

It had been a week since the events of that fateful evening and he had not called her. She had not called him either. The hiding had occurred when she popped in to speak to other members of staff and sort out her office. As she came sweeping down the corridor of the surgical floor he, the great Robert Romano, had hidden in a cupboard. He hadn't wanted to awkwardness, the stiff hello and forced interest from her. The tentative way she would bring up what had happened, just as she had done before with the firm intention of ripping up his hopes however nicely.

He, of course was all ready playing the game, dismissing the kiss as a gesture of pity, the act of a confused widow. It would be forgotten.

And it had all been going so well.

All of a sudden, he wanted to do something, anything, to take his mind off his arm, his job...and her. She would be there today. He would have to face her and she him. He closed his eyes. Too many thoughts. His arm spasmed in pain. He would give it up if it meant having her. He opened his eyes. Would he? Would he give up his arm, his surgery and his job? Settle down and be, what, a house husband. He indulged in a few quick fantasies about playing with Ella, hearing the door close and feeling soft hands wrap around him as Elizabeth came home.

But no. He couldn't give up everything, just as he could not change the fierceness, the determination that made him. He couldn't be the good guy. He couldn't be the one-armed house husband either. He had to have...everything. He needed her like surgery, like oxygen. She felt the same on the surgery part. Whatever trauma she had suffered she would be back in there, up to her elbows in someone's chest because she had to be.

He turned and placed the cup on the counter and focused on his other arm. He willed it to move, he called into service every muscle he had left. But it lay, white and limp like a beached whale. He slammed his good hand on the counter and the coffee cup jumped and crashed to the floor.

Robert looked up.

'Thanks a lot,' he said.

Elizabeth took off her earrings and stared at herself in the grubby mirror of the Ladies toilets. Outside, the courthouse bustled with people. The rain might be battering done but the law goes on. The earrings, gold hoops, were too much for a court date, she decided. It was the kind of little, unimportant thought she had been filling her head with for a couple of days now. Partly to stop herself thinking about what she was going to do today, about how she was going to see Martin again, about how she could put him away. Or set him free.

The other part of thinking of such things, meant she also avoided thinking about something she had done, just days ago, in Robert's front room. She still did not know why she had done it. But she knew one thing, she was not sorry that she had.

Despite what she had realised in her dream, Elizabeth had begun to consider Robert as more than a friend. She fell into occasional day dreams about him. Whatever they meant, they were a hundred times more pleasant than the other dreams she still had.

'Ms Corday?'

The face of a older black woman, face framed with short curls appeared around the door. It was the DA, Camilla Prince. Elizabeth liked her a lot. The woman had been kind, yet full of determination. She would not let the case be lost but she respected that witnesses were people too.

'Mrs Prince,' said Elizabeth.

'Is everything all right?' the woman inquired.

Elizabeth looked at herself, severe in black, with hair that had seen better days especially in the rain.

'I think so,' she said.

'Good.'

The two women exited the bathroom. Elizabeth felt dizzy in the rush and noise, but forced herself to concentrate.

'Most of the other witnesses are here now. It's going to a take a while to get through everything so you may not get to the stand today. It may get boring, I warn you. Whatever anyone asks, tell the truth. Do not be bullied. I'll be there to protect you as will the judge but keep your wits. Don't get mad, don't try to explain, remember the jury are not stupid.'

They had reached a waiting area near the court room.

'I have to talk to my team, you sure you're okay?'

Elizabeth realised her hands were shaking. The rain seemed to be thudding into her head. Dear God, help me...

'I'm fine,' she said.

'Good.'

Camilla gave a warm smile and walked swiftly away.

Elizabeth sank into a seat. Get a grip, she said, come on. She forced herself to think of Ella, at home safe and warm with her mother, smiling and talking. She thought about her friends at the hospital, full of smiles and flowers and cards. She thought about him. Holding her hand, helping her through, kissing her...

'Elizabeth?'

Sitting next to her.

Elizabeth looked up and straight into those warm brown eyes. She felt like crying. For a moment, they said nothing, each frozen in time, regarding the other as if they had just met. Robert had so much he wanted to say. He was stopped however, by Elizabeth enveloping him in a hug.

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What d'you think? I was a bit unsure how to end this chapter, but I thought I'd do something nice for a change!