With the Greene/Corday wedding approaching, the couple is filled with anticipation. Meanwhile, two unlikely relationships have developed elsewhere in the ER...

censor: PG-13 at highest I don't own the characters, we all know that. Note: This fic is pretty short, and it's a lot about the characters. There's definitely not a lot of "doctoring" going on, but this definitely IS a romance, all stuff that I want to happen. I hope you enjoy!

Elizabeth sat at the counter of Doc Magoo's. She pushed her mug of coffee to the side, then started briskly sketching on a napkin. Her curly red hair fell down over her face as the pen ran smoothly. She was startled as Mark walked up beside her. "Hey," he said, kissing her briefly. "Hey!" she answered back, genuinely happy. "What's up?" asked Mark. "Oh, nothing much. I'm just taking a little break. Are you off?" "Yeah, until nine." Mark said down beside her. When are you off? "Oh, not until seven. You wanna have dinner or something?" Elizabeth took a sip of her steaming coffee. "Yeah, sounds great," Mark said. They both sat there for a moment, smiling at each other. They were so in love, and they both knew that it could last a lifetime. Elizabeth suddenly looked down at her watch. "I've got to go," she said, getting up. She kissed Mark on the cheek. "See you later!" "Yeah, see you...later," he said as she headed out the door.

Luka and Abby stood talking at the front desk of the ER. "So, Abby, when are you off?" he asked, glancing at her. "Umm...six. Why?" "I was just wondering if you'd want to go out tonight." Abby looked up at him. Her hair was a wreck, and her face was pale, only two signs of her fatigue. "I'm really busy, but I guess so." She picked up a chart and started to talk away, but Luka spoke up again. "We don't have to if you don't feel like it." He caught up with her and lowered his voice quite a bit. "Look, I know I've been very unsupportive lately, I guess I was just scared. Abby, I..." "It's not that!" she interrupted him. She took a deep breath. "It's been really hard for me too, so I know what you're going through. I'm dealing with my ex and my mother all at the same time, and to top it all off, I didn't get much sleep last nigh " Luka looked suddenly very sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Abby. I promise, I'll be here for you, I will support you." He put his arm around her in comfort. Abby pulled away violently. "I've had all the support I can take for a while," she said over her back. She stormed off, but Carter stepped right in front of her. "Geez, Carter...." "Hey, Abby, help me out, would you? Finish up the stitches on the guy in Exam One. Thanks, Abby." He walked away again. "Sure, Carter, fine with me," she said, throwing her arms up in the air sarcastically and starting to walk down the hallway again.

Elizabeth walked into the hospital and pulled off her hat. She shook her head, trying to at least partially wake up. She looked down at the floor as she walked, and let out a little yelp as she bumped into someone. Jing-Mei Chen bent down to pick up er scattered papers on the floor. "Oh, Dr. Chen, I'm so sorry." Elizabeth immediately bent down to help her. She didn't want to upset Jing-Mei now. She had been a little uneasy around her colleagues lately, and Elizabeth figured it had something to do with her pregnancy. "It's fine," said Jing-Mei, taking the last of the papers from Elizabeth. "Thanks." They both started to go their separate ways but Jing-Mei turned back around. "Dr. Corday!" she called. "Yes?" "Um, can I talk to you later on...alone?" "Sure. When does your shift end?" "Seven o' clock," responded Jing-Mei. "Great, me too. I'll see you then." "Thanks Elizabeth." Jing-Mei started off again.

Peter sat alone in the lounge, his head in his hands. He sighed and started to get up, but only sat back down in the chair again. Cleo walked in and put her arms around him. "I'm sorry," she said softly and gently. "I'm sorry for all the times I never appreciated you." Peter stood up in his usual rough manner, but only held Cleo's hand in his own. "No, I haven't appreciated you. I should be the one that's so sorry. I mean, you're really the only one that's been here for me. You always have been." They embraced, and Cleo found herself crying silently. She finally had him back.

"Hey, Chief!" Doctor Malucci ran down the hall after Kerry. "Dr. Weaver!" Kerry turned on her heels and yanked off her glasses. Dave, along with the rest of the staff, thought she was unusually crabby today. He almost cringed as she just stared at im expectantly. "Yes, Dr. Malucci?" Ahh, the words had finally come. "Ummm......" Dave ran his fingers through his short brown hair nervously as he fidgeted. She was his superior, and she had always been...scary. He smiled. "Yes, Dr. Malucci?" she asked again, very obviously impatient and aggravated. "Do you think I could get off work about an hour early today?" Kerry cocked her head to one side. He's very amusing sometimes, especially when he's nervous, she thought to herself. "Why, have you got a hot date or something?" "Actually, yeah." Dave smiled hopefully. "No, Malucci! We need you here, definitely until nine! You're staying!" She turned around again and walked off quickly. "But..." "No, Malucci!" Dave snickered at her. "Witch," he said under his breath. Probably attacks people with that cane of hers." He smiled, thinking of Kerry beating Dr. Romano down with her cane. "Poor baldy," he said, just as Dr. Romano passed him by. "Baldy?" he said aloud, rubbing the top of his head. "Could he possibly mean me?" He felt like going after malucci and reprimanding him on something...anything, but he was pretty out of it today, so he just kept walking. "Damn...young people," he said softly. "Seems I'm the only one of them who tries to do any good anymore." He was walking slowly now, trying to think of more ways to praise himself. He yelled as he slipped on a wet spot on the floor, falling down on s back.

Jing-Mei cautiously entered the empty hospital room. Today hadn't been so bad. She hadn't had any tough patients, except for a little boy who had tried to give himself a tattoo. It was 2:00, and it hadn't been very busy yet. She looked around. The oom was dim, and very lonely-looking. She had wanted to be alone for a moment, just to relax, or to think. She leaned back against the wall, and was startled as someone came through the door. A small beam of light ran across the floor, then disappear as the man shut the door. "I thought you'd come in here," he said. He pushed her silky dark hair behind her ears and held her face in his hands. He lifted up the collar of her coat and started kissing her gently on the back of her neck. "You know we can't do this," she said, shutting her eyes. She knew she was going in way too deep emotionally. "We won't," he whispered. "I'd know better." He kissed her again. "We'll just make out for a while." "You sound like a teenager," she said, putting her arms around his neck. "That's what it is, isn't it? Making out?" He smiled. "Absolutely." Jing-Mei sealed lips with him in a kiss. Everything had gone so fast. It had started with one small kiss from him. Before she knew it, they were sneaking around to steal time with each other. "Dave..."

"I swear, I'm fine!" Dr. Romano was lying on a gurney, being wheeled down County's halls. He had a small cut on his forehead. He was getting annoyed. "Lizzy!" Elizabeth glared at him as she walked swiftly along beside him. "Precautions, Robert. You always told me to take precautions." She put on a very serious face, but laughed as soon as he was put on to an elevator and the doors closed, leaving her on the ground floor. She walked to the front desk, still smiling.

"Randi, I'll need to use the phone." "Sure." Randi moved to the side without a thought. Elizabeth picked up the receiver. "Is something wrong?" Randi asked her. Elizabeth dialed a number. "Oh, no!' Elizabeth put her hand over the phone. "I just have to tell Mark something." She put the phone to her ear. "Oh, Mark? Yes, we're still on for later. No, I just have to tell you something about Romano. Oh, all right, you go first." Elizabeth smiled broadly. Any news she got from mark was usually good, but he seemed hesitant. He's just being shy because e knows I love it, she thought to herself. "What?" Her face fell. "Yes, I...I'm still here, Mark. I..love you too. So, you don't know much yet?" She bit her lip and wiped a tear from her face. "OK. Yes. I love you." She paused. "I'll see you tonight!" He had already hung up. "I'm going to be sick," she said, slowly putting the phone down. "What's wrong?" asked, Randi, popping a hard candy into her mouth. Elizabeth just stared at her before rushing off.

Abby smiled slightly as the basketball swished through the net. "Nice shot!" Carter said from behind her. She picked up the ball as it bounced back to her, then tossed it at him. He shot it over her head and laughed as it bounced off the rim. He shrugged. "No offense, but...you suck," she joked. "Yeah, well, today's kind of an off-day for me." "You know I was joking, right?" She approached him. "Yeah," he said with a smirk. They both stood smiling, but soon, both their faces grew serious. Abby's heart fluttered as he took her hand. They inched closer together slowly, even nervously. "Too choppy," said Abby softly as his face neared hers. "What?" "Never mind." "OK." In a split second, they were kissing. Abby pulled away slightly. "Cart...John?" "Yesssss?" "Support me?" "Sure," he said, and grabbed her butt. She laughed. "John!" "What?" "I'm serious." Abby pulled away and held both his hands. "Will you support me?" "Absolutely, if you will. After all, you are my sponsor." They both smiled. Luka glared at the new couple from inside the glass doors. He exhaled sharply, then stormed away. "Dr. Kovac!" Jing-Mei followed after him, but stopped as he held out his hand in protest. She shook her head in confusion and then walked into the lounge to find Elizabeth staring at herself in the mirror of her locker door. Two red streaks faintly owed down her face where tears had ran from her eyes. "Elizabeth?" Jing-Mei said softly. Elizabeth turned around and shut her locker door. "Oh, hello Dr. Chen. Do you want to..." She pointed at the chairs. They both sat down across from each other. There was silence for a moment. "Elizabeth?" "Yes?" "What's wrong with Dr. Greene?" Elizabeth looked startled. "How did you know?" "I don't know, exactly. I guess I can kind of relate." Jing-Mei looked into Elizabeth's eyes. Something was very wrong. "Mark has a tumor." Jing-Mei's mouth dropped open, and she covered it with her hand. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" How much does he know?" "Not much, so far. We're still waiting." Another silence. "It's all right now," continued Elizabeth. "What did you want to talk about?" Jing-Mei smiled in spite of her sadness of Elizabeth's news. "I'm seeing somebody." "That's wonderful!" Elizabeth exclaimed. Is it..." "The father?" Elizabeth nodded. "No." "Oh." Elizabeth could see that she had upset Jing-Mei. "Well, who is it?" The Asian woman brightened again. "It's......." She was obviously hesitating. "Dr. Malucci," she blurted out. Elizabeth's eyes bulged out, and she sat up straight. "That jerk?!" Elizabeth immediately regretted that remark. "It's okay." Elizabeth was relieved. "I know how you feel." Too much silence, Jing-Mei thought. Uncomfortable silence. Elizabeth broke it. "It just doesn't seem like he would be the kind of person to...to...." "To date a pregnant woman." Jing-Mei's face was blank. Damn it, Elizabeth, she thought to herself. You did it again. "I have to go," she said, getting up. "I told Mark I'd meet him for diner. Goodbye, Dr. Chen." She headed for the door. "Jing-Mei, call me Jing-Mei. Goodbye, Elizabeth."

"Luka," said Abby gently. "Luka, I need to talk to you." He stared at her intently before following her into a corner. He seemed unaware of what the topic of their discussion would be, but after a moment, he burst out. "Why didn't you tell me you were seeing Dr. Carter?!" "Luka, I..." "Behind my back?" "No!" Abby interrupted. "No, I wouldn't do that." "It's not much better that you just cheated on me. Abby was a little upset now. She tried to calm down. "I didn't think we were that much together." She waited for the wrost, but Luka only opened his mouth and closed it again, searching for the words to say. "Luka, there's someone else for you," she said quickly. He smiled sadly. "That's so familiar," he said softly. "What?" "Carol," he said in a whisper. "Carol Hathaway?" Abbu seemed surprised. "Yeah," said Luka, rubbing his forehead. "You guys were together?" "Sort of. I guess I had loved her for a long time." "And then she left to meet Dr. Ross." Abby finally understood. "I'm so sorry Luka, but I still can't stay together with you." She looked at the floor. "I know," he replied. Abby looked up again. "I just needed to tell a friend." He smiled, and they both embraced.

Elizabeth walked into Doc Magoo's. She checked her watch. 7:15; she was late. Mark was seated at the counter. "Hey." She tried to sound perky, but she couldn't when she looked at his face, and realized that he might not be there to be a father to her child. Their child. "Don't look so sad," he said, brushing her hair behind her ears. It'll be ok." They hugged tightly, and Elizabeth closed her eyes to keep the tears from streaming out. "It'll be ok," he repeated softly.

Peter walked into the kitchen. Jackie was sitting alone at the table. He sat down next to her and just held both her hands. That was it. She started to cry, but she could have the comfort she needed now.

"Long day," thought Dave. He looked around his messy apartment. "I shouldn't have brought her here." He stroked Jing-Mei's hair and kissed her head. She had been sleeping on his shoulder ever since they had seated themselves on his couch. He kicke off his shoes and shut his eyes. "I love you," he whispered into the air.

The End

-- (fanfic@ertvonline.net), January 15, 2001