Here is the next chapter. Can someone let me know where exactly Mark is in his medical condition and relationship with Elizabeth about a year after Karla's death? I know Peter shouldn't be working there, but I changed it to make the story work obviously. Please give me reviews.

Chapter 2

"Peter, are you alright." Peter had begun to make his way down the ER hall toward the lounge after finishing with the MVA patients. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and turned to face the owner of the hand. He peered into Elizabeth's eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine." He replied abruptly.

"Well, you don't sound fine, and what happened in there?" she shot back with her stubborn British accent. Peter always loved her overconfidence, but not today. He just wanted to get as far from everyone he knew as possible.

I'm fine. Please Elizabeth, just leave me alone."

"Peter," her voice took on a more sensitive tone as she laid her small hand across his back. "What happened in there? You looked as if you saw a bloody ghost."

Peter sighed heavily and covered his face with his hands. "Come into the lounge and I'll explain everything."

She followed him in the lounge and over to the counter. Peter slowly poured himself a mug of coffee and leaned against the counter. Elizabeth watched him as he slowly sipped the bitter liquid. Peter always drank his coffee black, no matter how bitter.

"After Karla's death last year, Roger and I both learned that neither of us were Reese's biological father."

"Yes, I remember that. That must have been very difficult for the both of you."

"Yeah," he responded to her comment. "Well, I've always wondered who the real father was. Who did Karla sleep with? What is a long running affaire or a one time fling? Were there other guys she had flings with? It's hard to have a relationship with a person and then learn that the whole thing might have been a complete lie."

"I can't even imagine." Elizabeth added sympathetically.

"Today really got me thinking. Jackie helped Reese pick out a present for Fathers' Day for me. I picked him up in looked into his big brown eyes and that's when it hit me. Were those my eyes? Whose eyes were they? How could I be celebrating Fathers' Day if I wasn't even his real father?"

"Peter, just because you didn't give him twenty-three chromosomes does not mean you're not his father. You raised him. You've always loved him more than anything. You're one of the best fathers I know."

"Thank you, Elizabeth, but after learning that the child you raised isn't really yours, suddenly everything changes. You look at everything in a completely different light."

"Well, don't. He's still your son and you love him."

I know and that's what I've been trying to tell myself. But I guess it's a guy thing. He's not mine."

"Yes he is. He is Reese Benton, one of the luckiest boys I know because he has an amazing father."

"Thanks, that means a lot. But I haven't told you the next part, the reason I freaked out in the trauma room. The drunk man who hit the woman and her children, he was pretty intoxicated and started mumbling things. He said something about how he had slept with the wife of one of the doctors here at County. That he had slept with her in their bed when he was here at the hospital. And then I looked into his eyes. Those were Reese's eyes." Peter gulped out the last sentence as tears began to pour down his cheeks. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his shaking body, trying to soothe him.

"Oh Peter, I'm so, so sorry. I'm so sorry. But we don't know for sure if he's telling the truth. The man had a lot of alcohol in his system."

"Elizabeth you've worked around drunks as much as I have. They have the tendency to blurt out everything they're hiding while under the influence."

"True, but also, there are plenty of other male doctors at County. It could be so many others."

"Elizabeth, I'm one of the only black doctors at County. Now I know that doesn't matter much, but you know it can be a contributing factor. And again, you had to of seen his eyes. I swear, I've never seen anyone else with those eyes, except for my son."

"Oh Peter. I'm just so sorry. But let's not jump to conclusion. Maybe you can talk to the guy, maybe get a DNA test."

"How, you know he'll deny it once he's sober, and I can't do a DNA test without his approval. And what will knowing the truth do for me. I still won't be Reese's father."

"Oh Peter. I just wish there was something I could do. But we'll work this out. We'll figure something out."

"Thank you, Elizabeth. You don't know how much I appreciate this."