Elizabeth looked down at Mark's hand which was sweating profusely against her own. She shook her head slowly before making eye contact. "How long?" She asked after several minutes.
Mark sighed, he felt bad enough about the way he told her, he didn't want to admit he'd been hiding it for weeks. "I started showing symptoms while Ella was in the ICU." Mark admitted. "Susan insisted I get an MRI, which confirmed the tumor's back."
"That was nearly a month ago Mark." Elizabeth said quietly. "Have you seen Doctor Burke?"
Mark nodded. "The tumor's invaded Broca's. He won't operate."
"So what is the next step?" Elizabeth asked, each of her words carefully calculated, trying to keep her emotions in check.
"I had gamma knife therapy a couple of weeks ago." Mark replied honestly. "I had my second round of chemotherapy yesterday."
Elizabeth shook her head. "This isn't happening." She said quietly. "We're not doing all of this again."
Mark sighed. "Elizabeth my prognosis if the chemo works is around ten months."
Elizabeth shook her head. "Mark." She said quietly, a sob catching in her throat.
Mark gently moved so he was sitting next to her on the small hospital bed. He shifted Ella in his arms so he could hold his sleeping daughter and his wife at the same time. "It's going to be okay." He said quietly his arm wrapping around Elizabeth's shoulders. "We're going to be okay."
Elizabeth buried her face in his shoulder, tears streaming down her face. "I can't do this." She said, so softly Mark wasn't even sure he'd heard it.
"Yes you can." He replied quietly, gently kissing the top of her head. They laid in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Mark spoke again. "I'm so sorry Elizabeth."
Elizabeth looked at him, confused. "What?" She asked tiredly.
"I should have told you." Mark clarified. "And I certainly shouldn't have told you because I was angry with you."
Elizabeth sat in silence.
Mark sighed. "I'm sorry." He said again before he felt Ella start to move against his shoulder. "Hey Ella." He said softly, gently adjusting his positioning so she was sitting between himself and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth smiled as her daughter sat next to her, grabbing on tightly to her thumb. "Hello sweetheart." She greeted her.
"Can you say mama?" Mark encouraged her as he watched his daughter point to her mother. Ella looked at him curiously. "I guess that's a no then." He said with a smile. "How about daddy?" He asked, earning a groan from Elizabeth.
"Mark." Elizabeth said tiredly. "I've been trying to get her to say something for weeks. She's not going to…"
"Dada." A small voice interrupted Elizabeth.
Mark and Elizabeth immediately looked down at the girl between them.
"Dada." Ella repeated, watching both of her parents smile down at her.
Mark quickly scooped her into his arms, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "That's my girl." He teased Elizabeth gently.
Elizabeth sighed. "Fine… fine…" She admitted defeat, unable to keep the smile off her face.
"You know… it won't be so bad." Mark said after a few minutes.
Elizabeth looked up at him curiously. "What?"
"Having another one." He replied.
Elizabeth took in a deep breath, closing her eyes, trying to concentrate on anything else. "Mark… I can't talk about this right now."
Mark looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry." He said gently. "I didn't mean to press you."
Elizabeth nodded, biting her lip to keep herself from crying. "I want to go home." She said quietly.
Mark looked at the clock. "Alright, I can get you a taxi to take you back to the hotel…"
"No Mark." Elizabeth cut him off. "I want to go home."
Elizabeth was sitting at the kitchen table sorting through mail when the front door opened and closed. Elizabeth glanced behind herself to see Rachel sneaking into her bedroom. She rolled her eyes before getting up and making her way to the doorway of Rachel's room.
"Good afternoon." Elizabeth said softly, watching as Rachel tossed her jacket and backpack onto the floor.
Rachel turned around quickly, shocked to see her step-mother standing in the doorway. "Elizabeth?" She asked, obviously startled. "What are you…?"
"Your father's home sick." Elizabeth interrupted her. "He thinks you've been here all day and I don't want him to be under any unnecessary stress, so I won't be telling him."
"I'm sorry…" Rachel began again.
"No Rachel, you aren't." Elizabeth said tiredly. "Ella and I are back which means you need to start acting responsibly. That means no drugs, no sex, and no alcohol. I get that you're a teenager and you think all of that makes you fit in, but Ella is your sister and her safety comes before anything you want. Do you understand?"
Rachel simply nodded, looking at Elizabeth with a cautious stare.
"Please start working on your class work." Elizabeth said with a sigh. "I'm going upstairs to check on your father."
Elizabeth watched as Rachel pulled a book off her desk before she headed up the stairs. She looked into Ella's room and saw her daughter lying in the crib napping. Smiling she closed the door to make sure the music Rachel had just started wouldn't wake her.
She slowly opened the door to her and Mark's bedroom, hoping to find Mark asleep. She sighed when she saw that the bed in front of her was empty. The master bathroom door was slightly ajar and she could hear Mark's heavy breathing from where she stood.
"Mark?" She asked quietly as she opened the door.
Mark looked up at her miserably from the floor. "Hey Honey." He said before coughing a bit. "Welcome home." He tried to joke.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes before sitting down next to him. "How's the nausea?" She asked him gently.
Mark shook his head. "I took Zofran about twenty minutes ago. It should be gone soon." He tried to assure her.
Elizabeth rested her head on his shoulder, smiling as she felt his hand begin to run through her curls. "Mark." She said quietly after several minutes.
"Hmmm?" He asked looking down at her.
"We have to talk about Rachel." Elizabeth said, wincing as she realized how harshly she had said it.
Mark sighed. "I know." He said quietly. "I've been meaning to talk to her about her suspension, but I've just been so tired."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I didn't mean about that." She replied softly. "Mark she doesn't know you're sick."
Mark put his head in his hands. "Crap."
"She's suspicious Mark." Elizabeth said gently. "I think you should tell her, but if you want me to I will."
Mark shook his head. "No Elizabeth." He stopped her. "I have to do it."
Elizabeth nodded. "I understand." She confirmed gently, wincing as Mark quickly leaned forward to dry heave into the toilet. She stood up and wet a washcloth in the sink before sitting back down next to him, holding the cool cloth against his forehead.
"You know…" Mark said before coughing. "In the morning we can trade places."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Lucky me." She replied teasingly.
They sat in a comfortable silence for what seemed like forever before Mark's pager went off in the bedroom.
"I've got it." Elizabeth said quickly as she got up to check the message.
Want some dinner? – SL
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the screen before taking it in to Mark. "Your secret lover wants to know if you want some dinner." She teased, handing him the small device.
Mark closed his eyes and winced. "Elizabeth I've told you…"
"I know, I know." She interrupted him. "But that doesn't mean I don't get to have fun with this.
Mark smirked before sighing. "Can you call her and let her know I don't need her to stay tonight?"
Elizabeth looked at him closely, seeing the regret in his eyes match her own. "I'm sorry I wasn't here Mark." She apologized gently.
Mark shook his head. "You were protecting Ella. I understood that." He affirmed her actions. "Don't feel guilty because my brain tumor decided that it would be a good time to make a reappearance."
Elizabeth nodded before getting up to get the phone. She dialed the ER number without difficulty and waited for someone to answer.
"County General Emergency Room, Jerry speaking."
"It's Doctor Corday, may I please speak with Doctor Lewis." Elizabeth said formally, trying not to raise any suspicion.
"Doctor Corday!" Jerry's voice sounded through the phone. "Everyone's been talking about you…" He began before Elizabeth cut him off.
"I need to speak with Doctor Lewis." Elizabeth said, harshly this time.
"Of course." Jerry responded, followed by several minutes of silence before Susan arrived at the phone.
"Hello?" She asked, sounding out of breath.
"Susan it's Elizabeth." Elizabeth said tiredly.
"Oh… Hey!" Susan replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Mark's asked me to call you…"
"Is he alright?" Susan's concern quickly filled her ears.
Elizabeth nodded. "Of course. Well he's as well as he can be considering the circumstances." She replied quickly. "He asked me to tell you that you don't need to come over tonight."
Susan nodded on her end. "That's such good news Elizabeth." She said, sounding relieved. "I've been telling Mark he needed to tell you since he found out but he just…"
"I know." Elizabeth interrupted. "Thank you for taking care of him. I have to go." She said quickly before hanging up the phone.
Mark wandered slowly into the bedroom as Elizabeth placed the phone back on its charger. Elizabeth looked up and quickly rushed over to help steady him. "Mark sit down." She insisted as she helped him to the bed.
Mark smirked as Elizabeth practically shoved him against his pillows. "I'm fine." He said gently before pulling her down next to him. Elizabeth relaxed gently into his side. They sat in a comfortable silence, Mark resting his head on Elizabeth's. "What are you thinking about?" He asked after several minutes.
"I don't know." Elizabeth replied quietly. "Everything."
"Well I know what I'm thinking about." Mark said with a smile.
"And what would that be?" Elizabeth mocked.
Mark laughed. "How happy I am to have my family back." He said, kissing her gently. Elizabeth closed her eyes, realizing how tired she was. "Hey are you alright?" Mark asked her gently.
"I'm just tired." Elizabeth replied, holding back a yawn.
"You and me both." Mark said with a smile before adjusting so they were both laying down. "Let's get some rest."
Elizabeth woke up to find the spot where Mark had lay empty. She sighed as she pushed the covers off from herself before heading down the stairs towards the voices in the living room.
"Look Ella." Mark said, pointing towards Elizabeth as she entered the room. "It's mama." He encouraged with a smile.
Elizabeth smiled as she saw Mark holding Ella on the couch. "How long was I asleep?" She asked sitting down next to them.
"About four hours." Mark said with a smirk.
Elizabeth sighed, rubbing her forehead gently. "I cannot believe how exhausted I am."
"Well you have had quite a day." Mark replied.
"So have you." Elizabeth pointed out.
Mark nodded. "But I knew it was coming." He teased softly.
Elizabeth shook her head. "Please Mark."
"Sorry… sorry." Mark replied with a frown. "I really should have told you."
Elizabeth shrugged. "What difference would it have made?" She asked quietly.
"I don't know." Mark replied. "I just can't help but wonder."
"Are you going to start thinking all the time again?" Elizabeth asked with a smile.
"Maybe." He teased back.
They continued their banter for a while before Rachel came into the room.
"Hey Rach." Mark greeted her.
"Dad." Rachel said quietly.
Mark noticed that Rachel's eyes hadn't left him since she entered the room. "You know." He said quietly, handing Ella over to Elizabeth before standing up.
Rachel froze, realizing that her thoughts had been confirmed.
"Hey let's go outside." Mark said as he gently led her out onto the patio. "Rachel?" He asked after several minutes outside.
"How bad is it?" Rachel asked, not looking up from her shoes.
Mark sighed. "The tumor's back. It doesn't look good." He replied honestly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."
Rachel shook her head. "Don't worry about me."
"Rachel I'm incredibly worried about you." Mark protested. "You were suspended for drug possession! I thought we had gone over how dangerous drugs were when you accidentally poisoned your little sister!"
Rachel didn't respond.
"Your behavior is unacceptable Rachel." Mark said, calmly this time. "But that doesn't mean you just get to go back to your Mother."
Rachel shook her head. "I don't want to cause any more problems here."
"Too bad." Mark said quietly. "You're staying here with me and Elizabeth and Ella. We're going to make the best of what we've got left Rachel."
Rachel began to cry quietly. "I don't want you to die." She said between deep breaths.
Mark gently wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry sweetheart. I'm so sorry."
"Please don't die Dad." Rachel cried quietly into his chest. "Please."
"I'll do my best." He promised quietly. "I'll do my best."