Ahem.
Authors note-what I know of trials in the US comes from crime dramas so that's what I'm using as 'research'. Oh and its not me putting in obstacles-Robert and Elizabeth refused to make things easy-blame them.
Couple of swearwords.
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Robert held still, savouring the embrace. Her hair had a sweet scent and a strand brushed his cheek. She was warm and real and...this was dangerous. Gently, he pulled himself back.
Elizabeth had a strange look on her face. Her eyes were wide, her lips in a tight smile and she drew her hands tightly together on her lap.
'I'm going to start coming to court more often if that's the welcome I get,' Robert said finally.
He was trying to break the tension but his words sounded hollow. Elizabeth drew back and widened her smile a touch. But her eye's were still oddly wide. Then Robert understood-she was terrified. He raised one hand slightly but stopped and stiffened his own posture. After the warmth of the initial greeting, the air between them had cooled rapidly. Robert remembered her laughing at his jokes, crying on his shoulder, being in his house, kissing-he forced the memories back.
'I'm sorry,' Elizabeth said, 'I don't know what came over me.'
She stared down at her hands, brow wrinkled.
'I guess it was seeing a friendly face,' she said.
That's okay, thought Robert, hug me all you want.
'It's fine,' he said, trying to sound casual, 'it's the reaction I usually get from women. Actually no, its opposite to the one I usually get from women.'
This line raised a smile. They sat in awkward silence and Robert pulled himself round so he was facing forward again. He watched a very fat woman carrying a child hurry by.
'Robert?'
He turned his head. She was looking at him, playing with her hands.
'I'd be lying if I said I was okay right now,' she said, 'I feel like my legs are going to buckle under me and I hate it. I hate feeling this way. Part of me's worrying I'll get in there and I'll just...go mad and wallop him!'
'Well, I'll hold him,' Robert said, 'Look Lizzie you'd be a fool if you weren't feeling all this right now-you wouldn't be human.'
A couple of barristers walked smartly past, followed by a nervous looking couple in suits. The building never stopped. Robert's suit was starting to feel constricting and he twisted his neck back and forth, trying to get comfortable.
'I know,' sighed Elizabeth, 'I know that, I do, I just...I wish it was over, I wish I was coming out of those doors instead of walking into them. The worst thing is the waiting. It may not even be today.'
Robert raised his eyebrows and made a tutting noise.
'Mmm, this would never happen in surgery,' he said.
Another smile.
'Robert stop. You don't have to for my sakes.'
'I'm not!'
No I'm doing it for both our sakes, he thought.
'This is just me Lizzie. You know me.'
Robert expected a resigned 'I do' or a more tender 'only too well'. But Elizabeth paused, then said.
'Do I Robert?'
He frowned.
'Do you what?'
'Know you? Do I know you now after everything? I feel like I know you more, but you, the real Robert Romano? I'm not so sure.'
She looked away, staring at nothing. Robert was floored by the sudden change in conversation. The questions seemed too unanswerable. She was still wondering? After everything he had given out to her? The heat and the suit were making him edgy. This was not the time for questions.
'I could ask the same Lizzie,' he replied, archly.
Elizabeth cocked her head as if listening, but did not meet his eye.
'I don't think I really know you,' Robert continued, 'I want to and God knows I've been trying. I've been learning about you for six years now, bits and pieces and I don't know why. Well I do but...I feel like a stalker, or a...weirdly enough I actually want to carry on learning like that. The difference is now...now I can talk to you.'
Robert took a deep breath, thinking how he really wanted a drink. He didn't want to get maudlin, not now. He realised he had forgotten what he just said or if she'd even been listening.
There was silence from Elizabeth. Well that had a huge impact, he thought, as much as me visiting her, as much as the kiss...he absently pulled at his collar.
'Too damn tight,' he muttered.
He fiddled with the button and tie, but doing so one handed proved-as usual-to be problematic.
'Here.'
Elizabeth reached out with long, practised fingers. As she unbuttoned his collar and loosened his tie, he wondered if she had done the same with Mark. She must have, that's what wives did. He wondered if she was thinking the same.
She caught his eye and they paused, their recent history hanging between them like a deadly Pandora's box. The rain poured down. Elizabeth pulled her hands away and broke the moment.
'Dr Corday?'
Elizabeth and Robert both started. It was Mrs Graham. They had been so caught up with each other that they had failed to notice the other witnesses sitting near them. Looking over, Robert saw Sarah, the injured black man he had first treated all that time ago and lurking amongst a group of what had to be policemen, Yvonne Brown. She gave him a small nod and smile, eyes flicking to Elizabeth and back.
Mrs Graham was peering at them with a watery smile, supported by a similar looking woman that Robert assumed was a sister.
'I thought I should come over. Say hello. You-you look so well. I-so different,' she enthused.
Elizabeth returned the smile.
'Thank you. Is everything okay with you and Jane?'
'Yes! Oh more than okay, you should come and see her she looks so much better. She has this light now. I know I've thanked you before but, again-'
'Please Mrs Graham, there's no need.'
'I know, I know. And Dr Romano. Our hero of the hour I hear?'
Robert forced himself to smile.
'I just did what I had to do,' he managed.
Mrs Graham nodded a bit too long.
'Don't know how I'm going to do this!' she laughed, 'don't know at all.'
She looked around, they suddenly asked,
'What are you going to do? When this is over?'
Elizabeth turned to Robert who shrugged. How about, get this useless chew toy off my shoulder?
'I think I'll go and see my mother,' he said, un-sincerley.
Elizabeth turned back.
'Well I suppose I could do with a holiday. Di you have something special planned?'
But they never got to hear the answer because just then, Camilla Prince came over.
'It's time.'
In silence they filed into the room and slid onto hard seats. By coincidence or design, Robert and Elizabeth sat together. She was beginning to get jumpy, fidgeting with her hair and tapping her chin with her fingers. Robert peered out of the blinded windows, watching the rain scoot down it in rivers. He felt contained and overly sensitive.
His attention was brought back to the court by a door at the other end of the court room opening. Two guards entered followed by two more guiding a figure in an orange suit.
At first, Robert did not recognise him, but Elizabeth did. She caught her breath and curled her hands into balls. Then he knew.
Martin had his hands and feet handcuffed, his face doleful. Black rings under his eyes stood out on his pallid complexion. This made Robert feel better, but deep down he knew it was part of the carefully thought out story, the picture perfect man in torment. He heard a woman sobbing and saw Mrs Graham rocking back and forth.
As Martin sat down, Robert glanced at Elizabeth. She was looking down and breathing rapidly. She's going to have another panic attack, Robert thought. Alarmed, he took her hand without thinking.
'Lizzie?' he whispered.
She did not respond.
'Elizabeth?'
She looked up, staring fixedly at Martin.
'Elizabeth, can you hear me? Elizabeth, come on, come back. You can't let him win this one. Do you want to go outside?'
She closed her eyes again and shook her head. Robert waited, rubbing her hand and glancing around.
'All rise.'
The judge was entering. Elizabeth's head shot up and her eyes opened. Robert helped her stand, then they sat back down and she was breathing normally. She looked at him, and he smiled. She returned it, but pulled her hand away.
They waited.
For a week and a half, they waited. The prosecution had a case with plenty of forensics, expert witnesses, police witnesses and evidence which, though good, took an age to get through. Everyday Robert and Elizabeth came in and sat together. They ate lunch together, in a canteen not much better than the one at the hospital and talked about nothing. Robert cursed himself for keeping himself barred, but the tension from the case was too much. Things were strained.
Then-
'The prosecution calls Dr Robert Romano to the stand.'