Chapter Three -

Elizabeth finished what felt like, another marathon shift. With Robert out of action they were really beginning to feel the pressure in the surgical department. As Associate Chief of Surgery, she was picking up all of the administrative work that Robert juggled along with his surgical duties on a daily basis. She felt out of her depth and was absolutely knackered and wondered how he managed to do it. She couldn't even begin to comprehend how he managed Chief of Staff duties as well. Tempers were beginning to fray, morale was low and the department was genuinely praying for his speedy recovery.

She hadn't had a day off since Robert had been shot and she felt exhausted. It didn't help that Mark was also putting pressure on her to make some time for them, and she had no clue how to accommodate him and juggle everything else. She wanted to go home and sleep for a week….and yet here she was yet again, standing outside a certain door, about to visit Robert.

"How is he today?" Elizabeth asked the nurse who came out of Robert's room.

"Back from PT and grumpy as hell," was all she said not even breaking her stride. "Good luck if you're going in."

Elizabeth popped her head around the door.

"Good morning," she said, over cheerfully.

Robert looked up from where he sat on the bed dressed in sweat pants, struggling to shrug out of his damp T-shirt.

"Morning,' he grumbled.

"But not a good one?"

"Have you brought coffee?"

She rolled her eyes and produced two cups, holding them up for his approval and he smiled.

"Okay you can come in then," he said. "You think you could grab me a clean T-shirt?" he asked nodding his head at the wardrobe.

"Of course." She placed the cups down on the table, and retrieved a black shirt and turned back to face him. He'd managed to discard the dirty one and sat bare-chested, inspecting his wound.

"Don't even think of poking around down there," she said and he looked up at her with a boyish grin revealing dimples.

He raised his hands into the air, adopting an air of innocence. "Thought never crossed my mind," he said chuckling.

She watched his chest and shoulders rise and fall as he laughed and found herself mesmerized by the movement. Only a few weeks ago she remembered watching that same chest, hooked up to machines, willing him to wake up. Now, here he was sat upright, smiling and laughing. She noted the broad shoulders and the well defined muscles. He looked strong.

She snapped out of it as he waved his hand in front of her then turned his hand out waiting for the T-shirt.

She passed it to him and he pulled it over his head but winced as he tried to lift his left arm.

"Here let me help you," she said and helped him ease his arms into the sleeves, then pulled it down gently around his waist.

He looked a little taken aback but said nothing.

She retrieved the coffee's and passed him his, then took a sip of hers.

He followed suit appreciating the hot liquid. "Mmmm….okay, now the morning is officially getting better," he said glancing at Elizabeth. "Thank you."

She wasn't sure if he was referring to the coffee or her presence.

"So how was it?" She asked shaking off the thought.

"They sicked the planet's biggest sadist on me for my first session," he griped.

"Ouch."

"Everything hurts," he complained.

"I see….and you wouldn't have taken that out on the poor nurse who just left?" she admonished.

Robert gave a guilty smile.

"But otherwise it went okay?" she asked with an undertone of seriousness.

"I guess...the way I see it...the harder I work, the quicker they sign me off...the quicker I get out of here."

"Had enough of this place?"

"And then some."

"Well if it makes you feel better, you are definitely being missed downstairs. How the hell do you cope with all the paperwork?"

"I forgo having a life," he said quietly.

"Ahh, so I am doing it right then."

Robert looked at her concerned. "Are you okay Elizabeth?"

She shook her head and chastised herself. "I'm fine, just tired is all. So did Emma arrive home safely?" she asked with some forced cheer.

Robert nodded. "That was the relayed message since Donald won't let me have a phone in here."

Elizabeth looked at him quizzically. "Why not?" She asked taking another sip.

"In case I start working," he grouched. He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers in air quotes. "Bed rest means bed rest," he said in his best Donald voice.

Elizabeth laughed and nearly spat out her coffee.

"Seriously, I swear its a conspiracy! Even Brenda won't sneak me anything in!"

He watched her smiling and shaking her head in laughter. She looked beautiful and he forgot all about the hour of pain he'd just endured.

"He knows you so well Robert," she said and finished her coffee. Stretching out her arms she couldn't hide the yawn that came.

"You're tired….just finishing I hope?" he asked.

Elizabeth ran a hand through her hair. "Yes, and yes," she said. "I just wanted to check you had survived your first PT session before I left. In fact, I'm nipping off to your house now to take care of Gretel."

He nodded, disappointed she was leaving. The prospect of another day stuck in here staring at four walls or watching lame daytime television was sending him slowly insane.

"Thanks for looking after her," he said. "Hey, give her a bear hug for me, will ya?"

She smiled at him. "Of course I will. Guess I'll see you tomorrow," she said turning to leave.

He really didn't want her to leave just yet, and before he knew it, the question he'd been mulling over for days was out of his mouth.

"Why are you being so nice?" idiot, he thought.

"What, I wasn't nice before?" she said a little startled at being put on the spot.

"Ha-ha….you know what I mean."

She turned around and sat in the chair next to the bed placing her bag down on the floor.

She looked at him and thought about it more. It was a question she had been asking herself and still had not come up with a definitive answer. "I don't know really…..erm, well, I guess I...well, what I mean to say is…"

"Maybe if you tried forming an actual sentence," he said smirking, enjoying her ineloquent rambling.

She shot him a withering look which just bounced of him. "Well, the thing is when you got shot...and then afterwards; when we were waiting for you to wake up….I did a lot of thinking and realised that, well…."

Robert raised an expectant eyebrow.

"I think I owe you an apology," she blurted out.

He didn't know what he was expecting, but he knew it wasn't that.

"What for?" he said.

Elizabeth thought about how best to sum up what she had been feeling the last few weeks.

"Do I have to guess?" Robert asked.

"Nooo, you need to stop talking and try listening!"

"Gotta say, Lizzie, this apology is not filling me with warm, fuzziness," he said and she shot him with another look.

This time he mimed zipping his mouth shut.

"I never apologised to you for getting Dr Kotlowitz in behind your back for Alison's vocal chord surgery."

Robert pulled a face and actually scoffed. "Wait...I nearly die and that's your big regret?! And anyhow you were right...in fact I told you that at the time if I remember correctly."

She nodded, yes. "You did, but it's all part of a wider series of …" How to put it, she thought. "Bumps," she said.

"Bumps?"

"Yes…like bumps in the road?"

"Okay...well bump away," he said encouragingly with a theatrical wave of his hand.

"Well, let's see….I called you a prick in front of our colleagues."

He shrugged. "Been called worse, called people a lot worse."

"I went around your back yet again to do my own Hemo Aid study….and, I don't know, for some reason I just started looking for reasons to butt heads with you, and somewhere down the line 'we'," she said, flicking her hand between them. "Took a wrong turn, got our wires crossed and ….well it all got a little bit …..."

"Bumpy?" he said jokingly.

"Robert, I'm trying to be serious here," she said.

Robert shrugged again, then looked at her searching her eyes. She looked away when his gaze became too intense.

"You really want to do this?" he said and she nodded.

"Okay, none of what you just said ever really bothered me Elizabeth. I respect, and I expect you to fight for what you want, and I've always known that you were ambitious. It's one of the first things I noticed about you."

She met his gaze again.

"I can tell you when it got, as you say, bumpy for me, if you like?" he said.

She was suddenly wary, not liking where this conversation was going.

"You lied to me," he said simply, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"I lied to you? When?" she asked, but she already knew. She remembered that awkward lunch at Doc Magoos when he had asked her out on a date and she had lied and let him believe she had a policy of not dating colleagues….while secretly dating a colleague. Elizabeth had the grace to look ashamed.

"Peter?" she said quietly and he nodded.

"I asked you out, and you flat out lied to me. I always wondered, did you and Peter have a good laugh about it afterwards?" He said, the humiliation of it sill fresh for him, even now.

"No! I wouldn't!" she said. "Robert, you have to believe me."

He waved a hand at her to silence her.

"All you had to do was to say 'thanks, but no thanks.' Instead, you lied and made me feel like a first prize idiot."

"I'm sorry," she said looking down at her feet trying to think of something more to say but came up empty.

Neither spoke and the silence stretched out. Robert turned his face away from her to look out of the window. He was so fed up of being all but confined to this bed, this room, this place. He wanted to get out so badly and breathe some fresh air. He wanted to go home.

He heard Elizabeth moving around in the chair, clearly uncomfortable. She'd been amazing the last few weeks keeping his spirits up. He didn't want her to leave, and he definitely didn't want to fight with her, but he knew this conversation was probably long overdue and needed finishing.

"You know, I very rarely open myself up to people, but for you I wanted to make an exception," he said so softly, she almost missed it.

She looked over at him as he stared out of the window. He hadn't shaved for a while, and the morning sunlight caught his face wonderfully. It highlighted the different shades of gold and reds coming through in his soft whiskers. She caught herself looking at him, really looking at him. He was still very much guarded, but there was a definite vulnerability there that she'd never noticed before.

"Look Elizabeth, I'm aware I'm not great with people; but the one thing people can never accuse me of is not being honest. It's something I put a lot of stock in….you should have just said 'no'. That little lie of yours hurt me more than this," he said gesturing to his stomach.

Elizabeth reached for his hand. "Robert, look at me," she said gently.

He turned his head back slowly and met her eyes.

"I am truly sorry. I really am…. and you're right of course. I haven't behaved very well….but please believe me when I say I would never have intentionally hurt you. I know I've been a terrible colleague and…..and an even worse friend. But, we're here now….do you think….what would you say to starting over?" she asked tentatively. "Clean slate and all that?"

Robert looked at their clasped hands and thought about that. He had no real clue what was going on, but this friendship or whatever else was forming here, he was more than happy to take.

He gave a little smile and looked up at her. She looked, adoringly rather nervous. He lifted their hands and moved them up and down in a gentle handshake motion.

"Pleased to meet you," he said looking her straight in the eyes. "I'm Rocket Romano."

She rewarded him with a beautiful smile that he knew if he wasn't careful, he could lose himself in.

"Elizabeth Corday," she replied squeezing his hand back.

"You know what else I realised when you were out of it?" she said. "I know absolutely nothing about you! I didn't even know you had a sister...in fact I don't think I've even ever asked you a personal question."

"Ahh, twenty questions, eh? What are you thinking?" he said.

"Erm, I don't know," she said unprepared. "Middle name?"

"Lame," he sang. "That the best you got?"

"Well I wasn't ready! Anyhow, answer the question."

"Patrick. You?"

She shook her head and said, "None.

"Boring," he said and she laughed.

"So, Patrick, huh?"

"Irish on my mothers side, and that counts as a question by the way. Next?"

"Are you from Chicago?"

"No."

"Play properly," she chastised.

"Ask properly," he shot back.

"Where are you from?"

"Born in Philadelphia."

"Any more brothers or sisters?"

"Nope."

"Ever been married?"

"Nope."

"Ever come close?"

"I was engaged once," he conceded.

"Really?!"

"No need to look so shocked, Lizzie."

"So, what happened?"

"Bit too heavy to cover in 20 questions," he said instantly regretting the game.

Elizabeth detected a change in his mood and wanted to bring the levity back so she tried a different question.

"Err, okay, I've always wondered why you call yourself Rocket."

"Not sure I know you well enough for that yet," he said playfully, appreciating the out she had given him.

"But we're friends now...and friends share secrets," she said.

He smirked. "True, just remember that works both ways."

She smiled and narrowed her eyes at him. "Its not something rude is it?" she giggled.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Corday," he said.

"So tell me then Rocket….why you are called Rocket?"

He smiled at her, and beckoned to her with his finger for her to lean in closer.

She rose slowly out of the chair towards him. When she was close enough, he slowly brought his mouth up to her ear. She could feel his warm breath on her skin and it sent goosebumps down the length of her arm, and she hoped he didn't notice.

"High school nickname," he whispered.

"I'm going to need more than that," she whispered back, her voice so low it sounded strange even to her own ears.

Robert smiled and she could actually feel it, he was that close to her.

"I was on the swim team," he said. "And I was fast. The coach used to say that I launched myself off the blocks 'just like a rocket'…..and the name just kinda stuck."

"That's it?!" Elizabeth spluttered incredulously.

"Sorry it's not anything saucier," he said.

A loud cough from the direction of the door made them both snap their heads up.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Mark Greene said wearing a stony expression.

Elizabeth straightened up immediately and wondered how long he'd been stood there watching them.

"Had a feeling I'd find you in here," he said looking at Elizabeth. Then he turned to look at Romano. He didn't really like the man, but had to give him kudos for what he'd done stopping the gunman.

"Hi Robert, how are you feeling?"

"Just peachy," Robert said and Elizabeth shot him a look that said 'play nice.'

"Getting better, thanks for asking," he said amiably. "Started PT, which you know...sucks."

Mark nodded and Elizabeth gave Robert an approving smile.

"Well, everyone downstairs send you their best wishes," Mark said.

"Thanks," Robert said. "Let them know I'll be back to terrorising them soon enough."

Mark nodded and smiled despite himself.

"So, did you want me? Elizabeth asked.

"Oh, yeah...can I see you...outside," he said nudging his head towards the door.

"Of course," she said reaching for her bag. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said to Robert smiling.

"Yeah, maybe you'll have thought of something decent to ask me by then," he quipped and watched her leave.

888888

As soon as they were clear of Robert's room Mark said, "Don't you think you're spending a bit too much time with him?"

"What?" she said taken aback. "No. Why would you say that?"

"You're always in there," he whined.

"That is not true, and don't be so mean spirited. Are you telling me if it had been someone in the ER that got hurt, you wouldn't be visiting them? What if it was Kerry in there?!"

"Of course I'd visit….but I wouldn't be sat in there all hours of the day holding Kerry's hand….there's visiting Elizabeth, and then there's visiting!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Elizabeth said loudly. "What are you inferring?!"

Mark looked around to see if anyone was watching and pulled her by the elbow down the corridor towards a quiet corner.

Elizabeth yanked her arm back and folded her arms crossly against her chest. "Are you quite finished playing caveman now?"

"Look, people are talking…its all over the hospital Elizabeth. How do you think that makes me feel?" he said.

"Talking about what exactly?"

"What do you think?….about you and Romano!"

"Oh for goodness sake Mark!" she spat. "There is no me and Romano….he's my boss, but he also happens to be my friend," she said.

"Since when?" Mark interrupted.

Elizabeth ignored him and continued. "And if I, as a grown adult, want to visit my sick friend every minute of every day, then that is my right and my choice!"

"And to hell with how it looks? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Is that what this is about? I'm embarrassing you? I'm not your bloody possession, Mark!"

"No, but you are supposed to by my girlfriend!" Mark said, then put his hands up in surrender. "Look, Elizabeth I don't want to fight with you….I just want to spend some time with you."

"I don't want to fight with you either, but I don't know what you want me to say," she said. "You've never paid any heed to hospital gossip before."

"I know…look, you're off now aren't you?" he said.

"Yes," she said glancing at her watch.

"So am I, so lets go and do something then," he said.

"Actually, I have to go to Robert's," she said. "I'm on dog walking duty."

"You're what?!"

"I told you about this last week. His sister had to go back to Germany for a few days and I sort of volunteered to take care of Gretel, so she wouldn't have to go into kennels," she explained as Mark stared at her. "But you can come with me!" she said brightly. "We can walk her together."

"You want me to walk Romano's dog?"

"No, I want you to walk with me while we walk Romano's dog."

"I was thinking more of grabbing something to eat then sleeping," he said.

"I thought you wanted to spend time with me?" she said.

"Yes, grabbing something to eat and then sleeping," he said, wiggling his eyebrows for effect.

Elizabeth sighed, getting annoyed with him. "Look, you know what? I really am very tired so I'm going to go walk Gretel, and then go back to mine and sleep. I'm back on early tomorrow anyhow. Are you coming or not?"

"Nah, I'm not really a dog person," he said with a hint of petulance.

"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow," she said and walked away.

Mark watched her go but made no move to follow her.

TBC