What Will It Take? Part VI
By: Lori (SixteenOzs)

DISCLAIMER: "ER," the characters and situations depicted within are the property of Warner Bros. Television, Amblin Entertainment, Constant c Productions, NBC, etc. They are borrowed without permission, but without the intent of infringement. The story presented here is written solely for entertainment purposes, and the author is making no profit.

Please do not post or redistribute without the disclaimer above, or without the consent of the author.

Feedback is welcome. Please send all questions, comments or criticisms to SixteenOzs02@yahoo.com

SUMMARY: Follows What Will It Take? Part V

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: As always, I'd like to thank Trigg for her input and assistance. Thank you!

PART VI - Four Months Later

"Hi," Elizabeth said softly as she approached Mark at the admit desk in the ER.

Looking up from a chart, he said, "Hi. Everything okay?"

She sighed, then admitted, "Not really."

"Want to go in the lounge?" he asked.

She nodded. He gently placed a hand on her back and guided her into the lounge.

"What's wrong?" he asked in concern.

"The press got my name from the courts or the police or somewhere. They got my number and they've been calling my office all morning. I finally stopped answering the phone. I'm just letting everything go into my voice mail," she explained.

"Anything I can do?" he asked sympathetically.

"Can you make the rest of the world go away?" she asked with a weak smile.

"I'll see what I can do," he promised.

She laughed, then said, "I just wanted to let you know, so that if you need me, just use my pager. It'll be easier for me to call you back than for you to try calling my office."

"I thought you were in surgery this morning," he commented.

"I was supposed to be, but my lap chole got moved to one. Grimacing, she added, "Then I've got to spend the rest of the afternoon digging out from the mountain of paperwork Romano's thrown on my desk."

"I'm sorry. Let me know if there's anything I can do," he offered.

"Could you hold me for a few minutes?" she asked softly.

"Sure," he smiled as he took a step closer and wrapped her in his arms.

"At least today is Friday," she sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"What do you want to do this weekend?" he wondered.

"I don't care, as long as it has nothing to do with Rollins' trial or this hospital," she replied.

Before he could say anything, a pager went off.

As they both looked down, she asked, "Why does this always happen?"

"It's me," he said apologetically.

"I should probably get back upstairs anyway," she remarked. "If you don't hear from me by the end of your shift, just come looking under the avalanche of paperwork in my office."

He laughed. "Okay. I'll put a search party together, too."

"Thanks," she said with a laugh.

"See ya," he said as he left the lounge.

"Bye," she smiled.

When Carol came into the lounge an hour later, Mark was on the phone at the desk, a telephone book open in front of him.

"That's sounds great," he said with a smile. "So it will be okay if I call you back in about an hour to confirm? … Thank you."

"What are you up to?" Carol asked with a grin as he hung up.

"It's a surprise for Elizabeth," he replied.

"What kind of surprise?" she asked.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be surprise," he grinned.

"But it's not a surprise for me, so you can tell me," she countered.

"I'm not taking my chances, in case you picked up any of Doug's bad habits," he teased.

She put her hands on her hips. "So, you're not going to tell me?"

"Nope," he said with a laugh.

"You're no fun," she said as she walked to the refrigerator.

He laughed. "I'm off to find Weaver and Romano. See you later."

"Bye," she smiled as he left the Lounge.

Elizabeth glanced curiously at the desk as she entered her office. Walking behind the desk, she sat in her chair and picked up the single white orchid resting on the blotter. She smiled as she inhaled deeply, enjoying the flower's fragrance. With her free hand, she picked up the envelope that had been resting under the flower. She recognized the familiar scrawl immediately. Placing the orchid back on the desk, she reached for her letter opener, withdrew the letter from the envelope and sat back in her chair as she began to read.

Dear Elizabeth,

I think I've found a way to make the world, or at least the city, go away for the
weekend. But there are a few things you have do.
First, go home. I spoke with Donald, and he agreed to take your lap chole this
afternoon. Robert also said that the paperwork could wait until Monday.
Second, pack your bags. You're probably wondering where we're going, so
you'll know what to pack. I can't tell you where we're going - that would spoil the
surprise - but, I can say that you should probably bring something nice to wear to
dinner tomorrow night. Tonight will be casual, and tomorrow you should be prepared
for biking, tennis, swimming or hiking.
I've got a couple of errands to run, and my own packing to do, so I'll meet you at
the apartment between 3 PM and 4 PM.

Love,
Mark

PS One thing you're not allowed to bring: anything related to the hospital. This
includes patients' charts, files, medical journals, etc. I'll be checking!

Her curiosity piqued, she reread the letter. Just what was he up to? Picking up the phone, she dialed the extension to the ER.

After several rings, Carol picked up. "ER"

"Hey, Carol. It's Elizabeth. Is Mark around?"

"No, he left early," Carol replied. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just trying to figure out what he's up to," Elizabeth said with a laugh.

"Why? What's going on?" Carol asked.

"I got a letter from him. Apparently he's managed to clear my schedule for the afternoon and we're going away for the weekend. That's all I know," Elizabeth said. "He didn't tell you anything, by chance, did he?"

"No, afraid not," Carol said apologetically. "He was in the lounge making phone calls earlier, but when I asked him about it, he just said it was a surprise for you. He wouldn't tell me any more."

"Well, thanks anyway," Elizabeth said with a sigh.

"What did he tell you in the letter?" Carol wondered.

Glancing over the letter again, Elizabeth said, "Not much. Just that we'll be spending tomorrow outside, and I should bring something nice to wear to dinner."

"Sounds like fun," Carol grinned. "Go, enjoy yourself, relax."

"Yeah, it's just making me a little nervous," Elizabeth admitted.

"How's that?" Carol questioned.

Elizabeth sighed. After hesitating a moment, she said, "We haven't, you know, made love, since the rape. I know it's been over four months, but I'm not sure I'm ready."

"If you're not, I'm sure he'll understand. But this weekend could also be what you two need," Carol pointed out gently.

"Maybe you're right," Elizabeth conceded.

"You know I am," Carol said firmly. "Now go!"

"Okay," she laughed. "Thanks, Carol."

"No problem. Just remember, I want all the details when you get back," Carol said with a laugh.

"Maybe," Elizabeth said before she hung up.

Smiling slightly, she got up from her desk and walked down the hall. She tapped lightly on Donald Anspaugh's door.

"Come in," he called.

"Hello, Donald," she said.

"Elizabeth? What are you still doing here?" he asked as he looked up.

"I heard that you agreed to take my lap chole. I just wanted double-check," she said somewhat hesitantly.

"Mark came to me this morning. He said he was planning a surprise for you this weekend and wanted to know if you could get the afternoon off. I didn't have anything scheduled, and I still sort of owed him for not backing him up when he said Robert might not be the best candidate for Chief," he explained with a smile.

"Thank you very much, Donald," she said sincerely.

"Don't worry about it."

"If you ever need me to take a surgery for you, I'll be more than happy to," she told him.

"You don't have to make this up to me," he assured her. "Like I said, I owed Mark."

"Well, thank you," she smiled.

"Now get outta here," he grinned. "Have a good weekend."

"Thanks," she said before she left.

Stepping out into the hall, she sighed. She knew the next conversation wouldn't go as smoothly. She knocked on Romano's door.

"Enter."

"Hello, Robert," she said stepping into to office.

He looked up. Sarcastically, he said, "Thought you and Greene would be half-way to you little Shangri-la by now."

She drew in a deep breath as she clinched her fists. "I wanted to make sure you wouldn't have a problem with the paperwork waiting until Monday."

He stared at her for a moment. He shrugged, "It's waited this long. What's three more days?"

"Thank you, Robert," she replied.

"Go, before I change mind," he said as he looked back to his desk.

Knowing better than to press her luck, she quietly slipped out of the office.

An hour and a half later, Elizabeth was standing in front of the closet, her arms folded across her chest. She didn't want to pack too much, but at the same time, she didn't want to leave out something she might need. Sighing, she wished she knew where they were going, then she'd have a better idea of what to take with her.

After leaving the hospital, she'd stopped at her apartment to pick up a few items. Most of her things, including nearly all of her clothing, were now at Mark's apartment. She spent practically every night with him, and there were times when she seriously questioned why she was still paying rent on her apartment. She supposed she just wasn't sure what it would mean if they were "officially" living together. Shaking her head, she decided not to worry about that right now. After all, the point of this weekend was to relax, right?

Once she'd finished packing, she curled up in the corner of the sofa and started the first chapter of "Pride and Prejudice" as she waited for Mark.

"What are you reading?" he asked with a smile.

She jumped slightly. She was so engrossed in the book, that she hadn't heard the front door open. Looking up, she drew in a deep breath and said, "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

"I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I didn't mean to startle you."

She smiled as she closed the book. "So, what exactly have you been up to this afternoon?"

"Who me?" he asked innocently.

"Yes, you," she grinned.

"We're going away for the weekend," he explained.

"Where?" she asked as she stood up and walked closer to him.

He didn't reply immediately. Finally deciding to tell her, he said, "Michigan. There's a small inn about two hours from here, right on Lake Michigan."

She considered this for a moment. Quietly, she said, "Sounds romantic."

"And relaxing," he added. "I thought you could use the break."

She hesitated, then nervously said, "I know it's been a long time, and you've been really great, but I'm not sure I'm ready for - "

He gently pressed his finger to her lips, knowing what she was going to say. "Shhh. That's not why I'm doing this, Elizabeth. I know none of this has been easy on you. But this week's been especially rough, with testifying at Rollins' trial and the press this morning. You're burning out, and I don't want to see that happen."

She smiled and shook her head. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"I think we're both just lucky to have found each other," he said softly.

"I love you," she said simply.

"I love you, too," he whispered before he leaned in to kiss her tenderly.

Looking up at him, she smiled and asked, "Are we ready to hit the road?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I just need to get one thing first. Why don't you go on down? I'll get the bags and meet you at the car."

"Okay," she nodded as she picked up her purse and tossed her book in a canvas tote bag.

Elizabeth napped during the drive, and only awoke as Mark pulled to a stop in front of the inn. Looking out the car's window, she could see the sparkling water from the lake behind the quaint Victorian house. "It's beautiful," she commented quietly.

He smiled as he got out and walked around to open the door for her. "So, did I do a good job?" he asked with a grin.

"You did a fabulous job," she confirmed as she stepped out of the car. Lightly kissing his cheek, she said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled as he got their bags.

After checking in, they were given a key and pointed in the direction of their room, which was actually a private cottage, away from the main house.

As they entered the cottage, Elizabeth drew in a deep breath. "This is incredible."

Walking into the room, there was a king-sized, four-poster bed on the left wall. There was a blue and white floral print comforter on the bed with mountains of pillows. To the right of the door, there was a blue sofa and two cherry-finished end tables in front of the fireplace. On the wall across from where they entered, there was a set of double, glass-paneled doors, flanked by floor to ceiling windows, leading out onto a private patio that overlooked the lake. The bookshelves that lined the walls were filled with books, antiques and even a mini-stereo system and a small refrigerator. A door to the left of the bed led into the private bath, complete with a whirlpool tub.

Mark just stood back and smiled as he watched her take in the room.

Turning to look at him, a huge smile on her face, she said, "You are amazing. I don't know how you managed to arrange this all in one morning, but thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled. He walked over and sat their bags on the bed. "Want to unpack, then go for a walk along the lake before dinner? They have a dining room in the main house. I was figuring we could just eat there tonight."

"That sounds perfect," she replied.

"Dinner was fantastic," she said as they walked back into the cottage.

"It was," he agreed. "What do you want to do now?"

She thought for a moment. "I was thinking a swim in the whirlpool might be nice."

"Have fun." Grinning, he added, "Just stay in the shallow end."

"Sure," she laughed. "What are you going to do?"

"Actually, I need to go back up to the main house to check on something," he replied, "but, I should be back before you get out."

"I'll see ya," she smiled.

"Okay," he nodded. Kissing her on the cheek, "Bye."

"Bye," she whispered before she went into the bathroom.

After her bath, she walked into the other room wrapped in a white, floor-length, terrycloth robe. She looked around, and was a little surprised not to see Mark there. "Mark?" she called somewhat hesitantly.

"I'm out here," he called from the patio.

She walked through- the atrium doors and found him sitting in an Adirondack chair, an open bottle of beer resting on one of the chair's arms.

"There's beer in the 'frige near the fireplace, if you want one," he smiled.

"Thanks," she nodded as she sat down on the other arm of the chair. "What are you doing out here?" she wondered.

"Just enjoying the quiet," he said as he looked up at her.

She looked out at the moon reflecting off the lake, the fireflies dancing in the trees, crickets chirping in the background, a gentle breeze rustling through.

"It's perfect here," she commented. "We don't get many nights like this in the city, do we?"

"Afraid not," he remarked. "Enjoy your bath?"

"It was very relaxing," she confirmed with a smile as she reached for his beer and took a drink.

They were both quiet for several minutes. Finally, she said, "I was wondering if I could talk to you about something."

He looked at her curiously for a moment or two before finally nodding, "Sure."

She fidgeted with the belt on her robe, then said, "I'm thinking about giving up the lease on my apartment?"

"Really?" he questioned.

"Yeah," she nodded. "If you added up all of the nights I've spent there in the last four months, it's probably still less than two weeks. I've gone back there by myself, I've spent the night there with you. I've proven to myself that I can do it, but I've also realized that I don't want to. I can stay there, but I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, jumping at every little noise. I'll never feel as safe there as I once did."

He nodded understandingly. "So what do you want to do?"

She smiled, "That's sort of what I wanted to talk about. Would you be interested in giving up your apartment, then we could find a new place, together?"

He smiled coyly. "Why, Dr. Corday, are you suggesting we move in together?"

She laughed, "Yes, Dr. Greene, I do believe I am."

"I think I could handle that," he grinned.

"Me, too," she said softly as she slid off the arm of the chair and moved so that she was sitting in his lap. "Would you be okay with getting a new apartment?"

"I don't see why that would be a problem," he shrugged.

"I was just thinking that yours might be a little crowded with both of us there," she explained.

"That sounds about right," he admitted with a smile. After a moment, he asked, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Yeah, I think so," she nodded. "If you look at it, we're practically living together already. It really doesn't make sense to keep both apartments."

"I just want to make sure you're comfortable with this. I don't want to rush you into anything," he said as he gently brushed her hair back from her face.

"I am. And you're not," she answered. "I want to be with you, Mark."

"Good, because I think you're stuck with me," he smiled.

"I think I like the sound of that," she smiled back.

After a moment, he asked, "How are you doing?"

"Right now or in general?" she wondered.

"Both."

"Right now, I'm wonderful. This weekend is exactly what I needed. In general, I think I'm doing okay," she said softly.

"'You think?'" he questioned.

"Some days are better than others," she admitted. "Testifying at the trial on Tuesday was rough. The entire time I was on the stand, I could feel him staring at me. Somehow, I just knew that he was thinking about what he wanted to do that day at my apartment. That night was the first time I'd had the nightmare in over a week."

His brow creased as he thought back to that night. "You didn't wake me up," he commented.

"No," she confirmed. "I didn't want you to worry."

"But I do worry about you," he reminded her.

"I wish you didn't have to," she said quietly.

"I worry because I care," he pointed out.

She smiled guiltily. "I know. I care about you, too." After a moment, she added, "I'm not sure if I could have made it through this without you."

"I'm glad you didn't have to try," he replied.

"Thank you," she said simply.

"You're welcome."

Slowly, almost tentatively, she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer until their lips met. The kiss deepened, and he encircled her waist. A moment later, she broke the kiss and pulled away, wrapping her arms across her chest.

Unable to look at him, she turned and stared out at the water as she fought back tears. A minute passed before she spoke. Her voice faltering, she said, "I'm sorry."

"Elizabeth, you don't need to apologize," he assured her.

She gave a bitter laugh. "How many times have we had this conversation? I apologize, then you tell me I don't need to."

He didn't say anything. He knew there was nothing he could say just then.

"It's been four months," she commented sadly. "I should be over this."

Carefully, he pointed out, "There may be parts of this that you will never get over."

"I want my life back. I want us back," she said quietly.

"And you'll get that," he assured her. "It just may take some time. But I promise you, I'll be here."

She stood up and walked to the edge of the patio. As much as she hated to admit it, there was a part of her that wondered if he would be better off if he wasn't with her. After a moment, she said, "If you want to leave, I'll understand."

He watched her carefully, then got up and walked to stand next to her. "Give me one good reason why would I want to do that."

Obstinately, she said, "We haven't made love since the rape."

He stared at her for a moment in shock. How could she even suggest that? "Do you think that's all I care about?" he asked tightly.

"You can't tell me it doesn't matter," she said matter-of-factly, still not looking at him.

"What will it take to make you see that YOU are what matters? I thought you knew that, Elizabeth." His stopped as his ire continued to build. Caustically, he asked, "If I was only here for the sex, do you really think I would have stuck around this long?"

She turned sharply in his direction. The look in her eyes was a mixture of hostility and apprehension. For so much of the last few months, he'd been completely agreeable to whatever she said. Now, she was almost surprised to find him at odds with her, and her immediate reaction was one of anger. At the same time, she was terrified that she'd just given him a reason to leave. She'd doubted the integrity of his intentions.

They stared at each other for a minute or two, the air around them strained. Finally, he sighed and said, "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back later."

She watched him leave. She wanted to call after him, but she didn't know what she would say if she did. So, she let him go, fearing that it was for good.

"What the hell were you thinking, Elizabeth?" she asked herself after the front door of the cottage slammed.

She clutched her robe tighter around her chest, and walked inside. She sat down on the sofa in buried her face in her hands.

She didn't know why she said it. He'd been nothing but completely understanding since this whole thing started. And being completely honest with herself, she knew that any pressure she felt to resume their love life was coming from her, not from him. She wanted to be with him again, but she was afraid of how she would react. She was afraid it wouldn't feel the same.

She sighed heavily. With what had just happened, she wasn't even sure she'd have a chance to find out. She curled up in the corner of the sofa as a few tears slipped down her face.

TO BE CONTINUED...

As always, thank you for reading. I'd love to know what you think. Please e-mail me at SixteenOzs02@yahoo.com

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