The One Face I Missed

AN: A Write the Wrong Tag from FFreader22

A scene or two taken from season nine, episode 2.

Leave a review with a wrong you'd like me to 'write' or send a pm. Enjoy!


No one had told her. It had been weeks since she had fled the states, weeks since that night. The accident. Weeks and no one had thought she cared enough about her former colleague to be told. About Robert.

When Elizabeth had found out, it was by pure accident. She'd called Robert's office hoping he'd held her job open and instead got Anspaugh. Elizabeth hadn't realized how much she looked forward to hearing Robert's voice again until it wasn't his that spoke to her. Somehow she'd managed the call long enough to confirm that yes, County would gladly have her back and not to be sick during it. That Elizabeth managed to save for after she hung up.

All of Elizabeth's plans for going back to America had been shattered, so much of it hinging on working with Robert, and she hadn't even realized it. She wanted to damn her American colleagues to hell for not calling her.

It had taken just under a week for Elizabeth to sort out moving arrangements, and it had been agony. At first, she had merely wanted to escape the place she'd never really fit in at, and now she was running to see Robert. He'd come to be a strong friend to her over the years, aside often hidden beneath sarcasm and a desire to poke everyone around him with a stick just to see what would happen. A habit that Elizabeth had a proclivity for as well.

In all the packing and rushed plans, she couldn't figure out how to call Robert, though. As each day passed that Elizabeth didn't pick up the phone, the more ashamed she became. The night before her flight to America, Elizabeth had finally picked up the phone only to realize she didn't have Robert's home number. It was written in a little black book that was still in America, an object she had kicked herself for leaving behind on numerous occasions. Her flight was on a Friday, giving her and Ella the weekend to recover from jet lag and get settled back in. It would be more like returning from a long holiday than a move, complete with Ella's old nanny Kris picking them up at O'Hara.

The little black book was the first thing Elizabeth dugout Saturday morning, determined to call Robert and tell him she was back in Chicago. At that point, she was mad at him, though. Mad for going and doing something so stupid and getting his arm chopped off. It was supposed to be The Rocket and Lizzie Show, didn't he know that? Mad at him and mad for him, irritating as the man could be, Elizabeth knew first hand just how much he cared—cared about his job, his patients, his friends. People like Kerry Weaver would be rejoicing, and the thought made Elizabeth angry. She'd set the phone down, vowing to wait until Monday to talk to him; Anspaugh had said he was coming in regularly for physiotherapy after all.

Waiting until Monday had been excruciating, and Monday itself passed by slower than molasses. Elizabeth had spent the morning going through the motions of her start-up paperwork, more formality than anything since it turned out that Robert never turned in her resignation. The sneaky little bastard had known her too well and put her down for a leave of absence that no one had questioned, considering her husband had just died and all her family was overseas. Her office hadn't even been touched since she left. But the majority of the morning had passed by, and a few discrete inquiries later, she found out that Robert had physio that afternoon. Not the most opportune time for her as she was covering the E.R., but Elizabeth was determined to catch him before he left for the day.

Walking into the physio room, however, revealed that it wasn't the most convenient time for him. While it appeared Robert's physio session was over, he was currently preoccupied with biting the head off of Kerry Weaver, something that normally would make Elizabeth smile if it wasn't for the look of pain and frustration on his face. Oh, Robert. He finished strapping his arm into the sling and standing up before noticing she was there.

"Lizzie." Elizabeth didn't know if it was seeing her or the fact that Weaver was leaving, but she thought some of the pain had left his face to be replaced with a hint of happiness. The smile that sat on Elizabeth's face was all for him, though, even as Weaver tried to inquire after her.

"Elizabeth, how are you doing?"

A brief glance was spared for Kerry, and Elizabeth let the smile fall from her face a bit. "Fine." One word answers were all Kerry would get, as they were not friends. Looking back toward Robert, the smile came back and got bigger as Weaver left the room.

"I heard rumors." Robert's face and voice were even-keeled, and Elizabeth could not read them. The distance between them felt as vast as the ocean instead of the mere feet that it was.

"All true, I'm afraid."

"The one face I missed seeing in recovery." There was a hint of happiness to see her, and yet it was buried beneath the barb he had thrown at her.

Robert turned his back on her to reach for a towel, and Elizabeth felt her heartbreak a little. Two months had passed since his accident, and she had said nothing to him during her absence.

"I'm so sorry, Robert."

Towel in hand, Robert walked towards her, closing the gap. "What about my arm? Or about not being there?"

Robert's tone of voice left little doubt which he wanted her to pick, and yet Elizabeth still felt some of the cowardice in her that prevented her from reaching out sooner. The middle of a physio room wasn't the place for any sort of meaningful conversation, and she leaned into the cowardice.

"Sorry that you didn't get the memo."

It caught him off guard, and he leaned back from her a little, confused by what she meant. "Memo?" He was looking at her as if she was an idiot.

"Yes, memo. The one that says only one of us is allowed to have a shit year at a time. I thought it was ladies first, and yet you go and try to one-up me." Teasing this new Robert was a gamble; he could bristle at her attempt to deflect, he could push her away or do any number of things in response.

"Oh, that memo?" The corner of his mouth twitched, and Elizabeth was pleased to see he was taking the bait. "That memo must have gotten lost in my inbox under the memo that says 'friends don't skip town and leave the other to deal with Weaver alone."

Ouch. Point Romano.

"Yes, well, I was caught up reading the one about instant karma. It turns out hiring a divorce lawyer brings back your husband's brain tumor. So skipping town after that one seemed…ideal."

Judging by the look on Robert's face Elizabeth knew that her comment had come out wrong. She hadn't meant to say it, but she also hadn't planned on Robert calling her out for leaving. He'd once worked hard to take her away from England, knowing just how much she could thrive in America, and he knew that going back to London wouldn't fix her problems.

"Well. That's. . . You know you got me there, Lizzie."

"That came out wrong." Elizabeth shook her head full of curls and sighed. The truth was always better with Robert. "I'm trying to deflect from the fact that I never called you and the even more embarrassing fact that I only found out last week."

As Robert blinked, a look of surprise and hurt came over him. "You didn't… no one… no one called you?" He paused and watched as she shook her head. "I uh. I asked them to. Hmpf." Robert shook his head as if he were attempting to get rid of the anger and frustration that was taking over his face. "Well, that's…that explains some things. Assholes."

The teasing mood fled the room leaving only pain in its wake. None of this was going the way Elizabeth had planned. "Oh, Robert." It came out softly as she moved to stand beside him, shoulder to shoulder. It had been a horrible year for the both of them.

"Robert, if I had known. . ." Leaning against him slightly, she sighed. "You know, my father was almost glad to be rid of me."

That certainly caught Robert's attention, his head turning sharply to look at her. "Oh really?"

"Apparently, once he got me in the O.R., I reminded him of you a little too much." Elizabeth smiled as the corner of Robert's lips twitched, and a twinkle of mischief settled in his eyes.

"What? So brilliant and talented no one else can keep up?"

An evil laugh escaped from Elizabeth, and she gave him a wicked grin.

"No. Apparently, my cockiness and sarcasm have gotten to the point where he thought he was working with you." They both laughed at that. "The other surgeons were starting to complain. And I made a student cry. Allegedly."

Strolling towards the door, Robert had thrown his head back and laughed, something Elizabeth was pleased to hear. She had missed their back and forth.

"Lizzie, we don't eat the young."

"What can I say? I've got higher standards than they can meet."

Whatever Robert was about to say was interrupted by the sound of her pager. Stupid bloody thing.

"It's a motorcycle accident; I have to go. I'm sorry."

Robert's laughter had died the moment she looked at her pager, and she was both angry and grateful for the interruption.

"Yeah. Of course."

Another glance at Robert and the look on his face tugged at her heart.

"Robert, listen, I'm sorry."

"Hey, duty calls."

"No. I'm sorry I wasn't there."

There were far too many emotions running across his face at her words for Elizabeth to decipher. Acting impulsively, she stepped closer and hugged him, gently slipping an arm around Robert's waist from his good side and nestled her head into the crock of his neck.

"We'll have to catch up when I'm not at work. This weekend perhaps. I'll give you a call this evening when I'm off, and we'll plan something." She whispered into his neck. Robert brought his arm up to encircle her waist, pulling her close. His only response was to nod in agreement.

The reality of the situation was sinking in quickly, and Elizabeth wanted to escape before it overwhelmed her. Pulling back slightly, she placed the briefest kiss upon Robert's cheek before stepping away from him. Her flight to the E.R. felt excruciatingly long. Elizabeth needed the distraction of a trauma to keep away all of the emotions at play inside of her. Stepping into the elevator, it was everything she could do to not cry as the reality of Robert's situation sank in. It wasn't fair.

It was supposed to be The Rocket and Lizzie Show, and damn to hell anyone who got in their way. Elizabeth had always looked towards Robert for guidance and support whether or not she wanted to acknowledge it. Even when she was mad at the man, his opinion still carried great weight. Robert had always been there, pushing her in the right direction even when she was tired of being pushed. And now he needed the support, and it almost broke her. It had been such a horrible year, first with Ella, then with Mark, and now with Robert.

Elizabeth had always been the strong one in her relationship with Mark, and she had been tired of it. Robert always had been the strong one at work, however, and in the past, she had borrowed from his strength. Clearly, that could no longer be the case. As the doors to the elevator opened, revealing the E.R. in all its chaos, Elizabeth resolved to be the strong one for Robert as he'd done for her so many times before. Unfortunately, by the end of the day, Elizabeth's strength had all but left her. Going back to County and working trauma in the E.R. had been hard then she had anticipated. So many memories. Good memories with Mark. It was hard coming to terms with the fact that Mark wasn't there with her in a trauma. While Elizabeth had no regrets when it came to how she handled their separation or even starting the process for divorce, she dearly regretted the timing of it all. Mark had been an incredible man, and she grieved for that loss and for the loss of the father of her child. Working in the E.R. was going to be hell.

Once home Elizabeth waited until Ella had gone to bed for the evening before pouring a glass of scotch and picking up the phone. The little black book opened to the name Rocket that she had scribbled in long ago. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Four rings.

"Hello."

"I didn't think you were going to pick up for a moment there."

"Lizzie. I didn't think you were going to call for a moment there."

"Touché." Taking a sip of her drink, she pressed on. "I waited until Ella was settled for the night, and I could have a drink."

"Oh, I see. You need liquid courage to talk to me."

"Honestly, Robert. No, I needed a scotch after a rather rough first day back. Everyone was treating me funny, and frankly, I kept expecting to see Mark every time I turned a corner."

"Do you think you came back too soon?" Robert had spoken so softly that Elizabeth almost missed it. She paused and contemplated the question.

"No. It would be hard either way. I just wish everyone would stop walking on eggshells around me. Although I think I've got to agree with my father now, I've become very much like you."

His laughter punctuated the conversation, and Elizabeth was grateful to hear it. It was refreshing, and she was enjoying the fact that Robert wasn't treating her as if she needed to be handled with kid gloves.

"So keeping the staff on their toes, I see. Well, I'm glad. We don't need them to get lazy in my absence. Now tell me, is there going to be an issue with some med student you made cry, or are you giving them a day to get used to a higher caliber of standards?"

"Nope. Not a med student."

"Wait. Lizzie. Who did you make cry? I was only joking."

"Kerry Weaver." It turned out single malt went well with Robert's laughter, and Elizabeth caught herself laughing as well. It had been too long since she had laughed like this and had almost forgotten how to.

"Lizzie, you have no idea how proud I am of you. Hang on; I need to pour a drink because I'm sure this is going to make for a great story."

As Robert set the phone down to get his own refreshments, Elizabeth closed her eyes and sighed. The house felt empty with just her and Ella in it, and she knew that she would have to get used to that feeling. But not tonight. Tonight she would attempt to ignore, for just a few more hours, that everything was not alright. That she had lost Mark twice, once to their relationship inevitably failing, and once again to the damned tumor. That her surgical partner, mentor, and friend was irrevocably changed. Sitting on her couch waiting on Robert to return to the call, Elizabeth mulled over his words from earlier in the day, 'the one face I missed seeing in recovery' and was nowhere near ready to deal with what every implication lay hidden in it. Yet she could relate to it, having missed him far more than she had let on when she was in London. As he returned to the phone, Elizabeth made a silent promise to herself that they were going to stop all of their silly workplace games and, for once, get their friendship right. It had been a hell of a year, and she felt as if they were owed it.

"Ok. So describe in exact detail what you did to Weaver, because I swear, Lizzie, that woman has become an even bigger pain in the ass since you left."

Laughing at the eagerness in Robert's voice Elizabeth settled in the cough and told him about her day in the E.R. with Weaver, all thoughts of keeping the call short forgotten. At some point, she'd get back around to the real reason of the call, to plan something for the weekend and catch up properly, but for now, Elizabeth was just going to enjoy the experience of laughing again. It wasn't quite The Rocket, and Lizzie Show Elizabeth had hoped for, but she was glad for it none the less.