***Heads up! We are entering the Valley of the M/arguably MA, so be warned if that is not your cup of tea. This was going to be the last chapter, but I kind of don't want it to end. Continuing Serial or Separate Stories? Let me know! Also: Big Thanks to Rocketlover for feedback and fellow fangirling.***

Separate

Chapter 7

Once dinner was finished, Robert and Melora headed over to the Civic Opera House for a nine o'clock production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Melora was excited to see it live, and even more thrilled when her crutch got them a free upgrade to aisle seats. "I'm going to have to remember to bring one of these to all seated events," she whispered to him as they took their seats.

Seated close together now, Robert took in her scent – a combination of gardenia and sandalwood – and it had the unexpected effect of making him want to lean over and kiss her. He resisted the urge, but he did take her hand and she gave his a little squeeze in approval as she smiled over at him. The lights dimmed then, and Robert could not think of a time when he cared less about sitting through something he'd paid so much money for.

He spent a large portion of the performance trying to think of how he could get her back to his place later. Was that rushing things? Would it put her off? Any excuse he could come up with for going to his place – coffee, meeting the dog, some random book she might like – sounded as transparent as it was. Then again, he thought, she seemed to respond best to simple statements that weren't overthought. So he purposefully (if somewhat painfully) put it out of his mind for the rest of the show.

Once it was over and they filed out towards the parking garage, both of them walked rather slowly, hand-in-hand, as if putting off the end of the date as long as possible. "That was utterly amazing," she told him as they walked. "Best first date ever, in fact."

"You say that like it's over," he replied with a suggestive raise of the eyebrow, opening the passenger side door of the car for her.

She looked at him, making no move for now to get in. "There's more?"

"I'm hoping," he said. "I realize it's getting late, but I'm having a great time, and if you'd like to come back to my place, I can offer you tea or maybe wine? If not, I can drop you off at your place, no problem."

She smiled with what he thought was an adorable blush creeping up her neck. "That sounds great, actually. It's never too late for a nice glass of red." And before he could respond, she'd kissed him, just once, before disappearing into the passenger seat.

Robert forced himself to stay focused and closed the door after her, climbing into the driver's side. "Red it is, then," he said, clearing his throat. He started the car's engine, but then turned to her, leaning over and kissing her, first lightly, then more deeply a second time. She kissed him back deliciously. "I've been waiting two hours to do that," he informed her.

"And I've been waiting a day," she replied, adding one more kiss before pulling on her seatbelt. "Where do you live, anyway?"

"Glencoe," he replied, backing carefully out of the parking spot and mentally calculating how quickly he might be able to get them there in one piece.

"Oh!" Melora was surprised that he lived outside the city proper, but then realized of course he'd live in a nice neighborhood – he was well-established surgeon, after all. But Glencoe was a longer drive outside of the city than she'd expected.

"Don't worry," he assured her, hearing the surprise in her voice. "I'll get you home safely whenever you like."

She laughed a little. "I don't know. If Glencoe's as nice as it's supposed to be, you may have to kick me out."

"It's nice enough, but a little dull. No Skeleton Keys out in the 'burbs. Just quaint bistros and antique shops."

"But…John Hughes movies!" Melora insisted with a grin, referring to the fact that the suburbs of Glencoe and Highland Park were the settings of many John Hughes films. "Sixteen Candles, Ferris Buehler's Day Off…"

"Risky Business," he reminded her.

"Oh yeah!" she replied, adding dramatically, "Glencoe After Dark?"

"I don't think that's a thing," he said with a smile.

Within another fifteen minutes or so, they'd arrived at Robert's house, a tidy Craftsman – one of Melora's favorite sorts of homes. Gretel barked at the front door, and Robert warned her before opening it, "Don't let her bowl you over."

Once Melora had greeted Gretel and felt sure she wouldn't get knocked off her crutch, they entered and Robert showed her into what she supposed was the living room. The home felt warm and inviting, and he helped her remove her coat, getting yet another whiff of whatever that magical scent was that seemed to be a part of her. Think unsexy thoughts, he told himself, moving away to hang up their coats and retrieve the wine. "Be right back," he told her.

Melora was too busy petting Gretel to respond, but she did glance around the room. Lots of old wooden siding along the walls, darker colors, warm lighting from mica-shaded lamps – she guessed that was what made it feel so welcoming. There were a few pictures on the shelves, loads of books, and a fireplace.

When Robert returned with the wine and glasses, he found Gretel seated on the sofa next to Melora, getting all kinds of attention from his date. He cleared his throat, but Gretel wasn't about to move. "Okay, Gretel – scram." He motioned towards her dog bed by the fireplace, and Gretel relented. Melora chuckled as he poured them each a glass of wine.

"So you were saying something earlier, about this being the best first date ever?" Robert said as they each had a sip of wine.

"I did, yes. It's going to be difficult to top this one."

"Don't underestimate me."

"I'll settle for simply having you there for the whole thing instead of getting paged away."

"We've lucked out so far tonight," he said, removing his pager from his pocket and leaving it on the coffee table. "Just separating the man from the pager."

Now it was her turn to say his line. "I get that reference." Melora leaned forward then. "Hey, you remember what you were talking about last night, about separating yourself from the surgeon?" He nodded, and she continued. "It got me thinking. Have you ever heard of Einstein's spooky action at a distance?"

"I don't think I even know what that means, no."

"Well, when we were talking about separation of otherwise entangled aspects of a person, it reminded me of Quantum Entanglement. That's when two particles of a larger thing that links them are so deeply linked that even if you move them to opposite ends of the universe, one particle feels it and reacts in the same way as the other particle when it's acted upon."

Robert just looked at her. Was there some hidden message in this? "Are you hitting on me with science? Because if you are, it's working."

Melora went on, albeit with a promising smile. "Einstein thought this didn't make sense because nothing can transmit faster than the speed of light, yet… there it is. Two particles reacting in the same way, even when separated. A bit of magic with your science."

"Spooky action at a distance."

"Yup. I mean, it probably sounds better in German. But that's what happens when science meets the inexplicable. Spooky action at a distance." She'd set aside her wine, and so had he. "It backs up your hypothesis of difference as a positive influence."

Without another word, Robert leaned in and kissed her, slowly this time. He ran his hand down her back as she leaned towards him. That beautiful scent encircled him, and the kiss turned to several deeper kisses. He looked into her pale blue eyes then, and could see that whatever this was he was feeling, she was feeling it, too. It pulled them together and held them there.

Something happened inside of Melora then. She'd known she wanted this man since the evening before, and that feeling had become more intense the later it got. But now, as he paused and looked at her, it was as if some void inside of her that had been there for far too long was filled. She'd never felt this before, but if she'd had to put it into words, she would have called it a "there it is!" feeling. Something she'd not even known she'd been missing was here now, and she didn't want it to leave.

Now she kissed him, turning towards him and reaching across him to rest her hand on the back of his neck. He placed a hand on her wrist, almost as if holding it there, and she thrilled inside as he slipped the arm closest to her around her waist and down her back, holding onto her as they kissed. He began kissing her along her neck, sending chills down her spine as he whispered in her ear, "God, you're beautiful, Mel."

She smiled against his neck as she kissed it in turn, replying, "You're the most handsome man. And in case you didn't notice, I think you're sexy as hell."

"That's a relief," he grinned back at her. "Because I really want you to stay with me tonight."

"That can be arranged," she replied, kicking off her shoes as she snuggled up against him, kissing him softly.

He returned to kissing her neck, noting that she really seemed to like it. He could feel her heartbeat quicken, and her breaths became shorter as he moved, tasting the salty sweet of her skin as he moved to kiss the back of her neck. Apparently, he was doing something right, because she moved to accommodate him. Duly noted – she was a neck person. If he knew his anatomy – and he did – he was getting close to the point of no return for her, which suited him just fine.

He moved his hand up along her side, gently running a thumb over the tip of her breast, feeling her nipple harden through the fabric of her dress. She gasped when he tasted just the right spot at the base of her neck, and at first he thought he'd upset her because she pulled back. But he knew when she looked at him that it was the opposite. "Who taught you that?" she asked with a seductive grin, now actually swinging her legs beneath her, still mindful of her ankle but sitting on her knees so she might face him better. "You broke my code in a matter of minutes."

"I guess med school taught me that. And life. And now you know why they call me Rocket," he chuckled, slipping his arm round her waist once more and pulling her close. Soon, she sat with her legs across his lap, kissing him and working seamlessly at his shirt buttons as she did. He ran his hand up along her leg, up to where her skirt's hemline lay, bunched up around her thighs. His other hand cupped her breast, massaging it gently. He felt the softness of the skin on her legs through the silky fabric of her stockings, and he wondered if she was wearing actual stockings… as in, the kind with a garter belt. He let his hand wander upwards and was very pleased indeed when he reached their top mid-thigh, and felt the attached garter. There truly is a God.

It didn't take long for them to realize that the living room sofa was not the best place for them to comfortably continue. "Upstairs?" he managed to say, and she simply nodded, standing with him and following him up the stairs, her hand in his. "Abbreviated tour," he said, turning on one dim bedside lamp in the bedroom. "Bedroom. Bathroom is in there." He pointed towards a door near the corner.

"And that's all I need for now," she said, cozying up to him once more. It was as if they'd known each other forever, it seemed to her. Or at least, more than a day. None of this seemed awkward or full of the usual first-time tension. It flowed naturally for her, and she wanted more. "Before you ask, I'm on the pill."

"Thank God. Who, by the way, I now believe in. So thanks for that." Standing beside the bed, she pulled off his tie and giggled as she continued to struggle with the last of his shirt buttons. "Okay, I can't for the life of me get this last button undone."

"Revenge for all the complicated bra hooks I've struggled with over the years," he replied, helping her undo the last button on his shirt and taking it off. She admired his taut, lean muscles and moved closer. He reached behind her and unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the ground at her feet. In addition to the gartered stocking, she wore black panties and a black bustier. Here's a memory that will keep me happy for a very long time, he thought, drinking her in with his eyes. She was every bit as beautiful as he'd imagined, her light platinum hair spilling over her shoulders as she leaned back on the bed.

He knelt before her by the edge of the bed, telling her, "I've always wanted to do this." He ran a hand up her leg, unsnapping the front garter, and then the back of one stocking, his fingers lightly teasing her skin as they gently pulled off the stocking. He repeated the action on the other side next, this time kissing the inside of her thigh as he pulled the other stocking off.

Melora sighed contendedly, feeling his hands move up to her hips as he pulled her to the very edge of the bed, removing her panties and undoing the garter belt. Again, he kissed the inside of her thighs, touching her most sensitive area teasingly before at last kissing her there. She moaned again, inhaling sharply as he moved to taste her, her legs over his shoulders now. God, she tasted amazing. He could feel the quiver of her muscles when his tongue flicked at her in just the right place, and he returned to it again and again, feeling those quivers build. He wanted nothing more than to feel her give in to him, and her breathing and movements told him he was getting close. Feeling her move around him and hearing the effect he was having on her just made him want her more.

Melora hadn't expected this at all, but she was more than happy to feel it. Was being a doctor what informed his movements so well, she wondered before all thought left her head and she was just feeling him relentlessly moving against her in just the right way and at just the right spot, until she could barely contain herself. She felt that bunching sensation gather at the base of her spine, ready to radiate out just as he picked up his pace. He kept going, until at last she jerked, crying out, "Oh God, yes!"

Knowing that this would really prime her to feel an even more intense orgasm later, he moved his kisses up her stomach, giving her a chance to recover as he unhooked her bustier and gently moved her back further onto the bed, shoving back the covers. He'd had plenty of chances to admire her figure the night before, but none of it compared to seeing her like this, Sitting up now beside him, she pulled at his belt and undid his trousers, and soon both of them at last fully free of clothing.

He kissed her deeply once more, and she leaned up into it as he slid atop her. "Still the best first date ever?" he grinned at her suggestively, kissing her breasts and nuzzling against her neck as she lay back beneath him, finding that perfect spot once more.

She inhaled as his lips found her weak spot again, and let her hand travel down to feel him. He was rock hard, and he moaned a little as she stroked him. "What do you think?" she replied playfully.

That was all he needed. He slid easily inside of her, and it felt like heaven. It was as if every bad thing that had happened to him in life was finally being rewarded by being with this delicious woman.

Melora felt him inside of her, filling her deeply as she inhaled sharply once more with pleasure. Her senses below felt heightened now rather than dulled as she'd expected; maybe he really did know things about female anatomy that even she didn't know about, or maybe he was just that good. Either way, she felt herself opening up deep inside in a way that she didn't often feel.

He moved slowly inside of her at first, not wanting to move too quickly too soon. He wanted her to feel this, to really feel it. She tilted her hips towards him as he moved, developing a rhythm that she felt as he moved deeper and deeper within her, opening up to him more and more with every thrust. Soon, they were moving faster together, breaths coming quickly, and she knew that elusive sensation of an imminent and powerful orgasm forcing its way deeply through her, causing her muscles to clamp down around him in just the right way as he thrust into her. She cried out as she felt the waves of it wash over her. For Robert, her movements and cry of satisfaction triggered a powerful sensation, and he too came, calling out her name as he did. He stayed inside of her for a few moments as they caught their breath, Robert burying his face in her hair.

"Jesus God, Mel," he breathed, slowly withdrawing from her. "You're amazing, do you know that?"

She smiled slyly at him, settling in bed beside him and gathering some covers about her as she began to feel the chill night air settling in around them. "I do what I can to amaze and enlighten," she told him, snuggling up beside him.

"Spooky action at a closer distance?" He slipped an arm around her and pulling her close, until her head was resting on his chest.

"Art and science make terrific bedfellows," she grinned. "Did you learn all of that at med school, too?"

"A true magician never reveals his secrets," he told her, kissing the top of her head. There was something very comfortable about this now, as if he'd been waiting for Melora Weir to just appear in his life and almost didn't even recognize her when she showed up last night. But fate was funny like that, he thought. Gently caressing her back, he queried, "Did you think this would happen back when you first crashed into me last night?"

Melora laughed, rolling off his chest and onto her side, facing him. "No way!"

"Ouch," he said, feigning hurt. "You could at least pretend."

"Honestly, I was in pain and freezing and quite certain that you were some uptight businessman more worried about his Jaguar's leather upholstery than me," she confessed.

Oh, yeah. That. "That's going to haunt me forever, isn't it?"

"Oh, I'll be hanging onto that one. But I did start to have…curiosity about you at the ER," Melora confessed. "It wasn't quite attraction yet."

"Curiosity?"

"Yeah. I could see you had layers. Watching you work was just really impressive. You knew exactly what you were doing and you were nothing short of amazing. And that med student, Lucy – I could tell that you actually gave a shit about her education, even if you hid it under a patina of annoyance. You're a good teacher, I bet."

He was surprised by her observations, and flattered. He'd thought she was entirely put off by him at the ER. "Huh. I thought you thought I was a rude asshole. You went kind of quiet there for a while."

She looked up at him knowingly. "The better to watch you, my dear Rocket."

"So you first realized you just had to have me when, exactly?"

Melora smiled a bit at the question. "I knew I liked you when you stuck it out at the flat. Such an adorable fish out of water!"

"I couldn't tell if you were just being polite," he told her. "It was like I'd walked onto a Tim Burton movie set. But then you asked me to stick around, and what could I say? 'No, beautiful woman. I must go.'" He wasn't sure if he should confess the next part or not. "I might not have pursued it if Anastasia hadn't thought it important enough to tell me she could tell you were interested. Like, out loud, with words."

Now it was Melora's turn to look surprised. "She did? How did she…" She didn't finish, though. "She's hated every guy I've ever dated! You're the first one she hasn't scowled about, ever."

"She's a wise woman," he commented. "Was she right about those other guys?"

Melora laughed a little, admitting, "Yes! Completely. Loser assholes, the lot of 'em."

"There you go." Robert felt an odd bit of pride in the fact that only he had been good enough in the Russian's eyes. "If Anastasia says I'm awesome, then I guess you're stuck with me."

"I guess I am," Melora replied, ducking back under his arm to snuggle up against him. She felt a warmth and a safety here in this room that she hadn't felt since she was very young, back in Milwaukee. She appreciated that he wasn't playing distant; he was referencing seeing her again and this just confirmed what she already suspected: Robert Romano didn't play the normal dating guessing games. She could feel herself growing comfortably drowsy and eventually, hearing only his breathing and the rain outside on the windowpane, she too drifted off to sleep.