Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
** Disclaimer: “ER” is property of Warner Brothers Television, NBC, and all respective producers and cast. I have written this story for fanfiction and nothing else. I am not making a profit from this. This is simply for fanfiction enjoyment. **
Relevant Episodes: Contains content from all the episodes up until “It’s All in Your Head”
Rating: PG
Summary: What happened after the credits rolled in “Bygones”? Elizabeth and Rachel try to come to grips with Mark’s cancer. But deep in their hearts, they know they will have to say good-bye and face a loss no family should have to endure.
Acknowledgment: As always, I would like to thank Lori (SixteenOzs) for her generous comments and suggestions with my stories! Thank you so much Lori!! J
I
Wish This Moment Would Last Forever
“I think the worst is over,”
Mark clutched onto Elizabeth, bracing himself for the next wave of pains to arise in his stomach. For the past hour, he had been suffering in unbearably. It felt as if his stomach was literally being tied into knots. As each surge of pain arose in him, he could hardly breathe. The only thing he could do was hold on to Elizabeth and pray the agony would be over soon. Mark’s gasps for air slowly subsided and he loosened his grip on Elizabeth. Elizabeth took a deep breath as Mark loosened his grip, and she studied her husband’s face.
“You okay?” she asked, the concern evident in her eyes.
Mark turned his head to Elizabeth, let out a deep breath and nodded.
Elizabeth
guided the washcloth over Mark’s face, trying her best to cool him down.
Several minutes passed as a silence commenced between Mark and Elizabeth.
Mark rubbed
“You think you can stand up?”
Mark took a deep breath and waited a
few moments before nodding.
“Ready?”
Mark nodded mutely.
Slowly, Elizabeth helped Mark to his feet. As soon as he was standing, Mark stumbled, but Elizabeth tightened her grip around his waist to prevent him from falling. Slowly, they made their way out of the bathroom.
“You need your rest,” Elizabeth commented as they headed to their room. When they reached the bed, Elizabeth pulled back the covers and eased Mark into it.
"Thank you," Mark whispered, the deep appreciation showed through his loving gaze.
"You're welcome," Elizabeth
smiled as she pulled the covers over him. She
kissed Mark's forehead and pulled back. Weakly,
Mark brought his hands up to
"Ooh," Mark said as soon as
his lips parted with E
"You don't have to apologize," she replied with a slight chuckle, "Actually, don't ever apologize for kissing me again."
Mark smiled
and let out a deep breath. It was
obvious the pain had taken its toll on him.
His eyes soon dropped to a close and
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Dad?" Rachel called out at the sound of footsteps on the stairs.
"No, it's me,"
"Th.. Thank you," Elizabeth gasped, looking at Rachel with pleasant surprise.
Rachel turned toward Elizabeth and smiled.
“She was a little cranky, so I thought she was hungry,” she explained, “Looks like she’s getting full now.” She picked up the now empty jar of baby food and threw it in the trash. She then proceeded to wipe Ella’s high chair table with a sponge.
“I can do that,” Elizabeth offered.
“Naw,” Rachel said casually as she rinsed the sponge in the sink, “It’s okay. I’ve got it.”
A silence commenced between Elizabeth and Rachel as Elizabeth seated herself in front of Ella and began tickling her cheeks. Her back turned to Rachel, she did not notice that after Rachel had turned off the kitchen faucet, she stood there; the drenched sponge in her hand dripped water into the sink. She finally put the sponge down on the sink and took a deep, struggled breath.
“Elizabeth... My dad’s going to die… isn’t he?”
“We…. We don’t know that yet. He’s…. he’s undergone chemotherapy today, and that might help him…”
“Might help him?” Rachel repeated. The tears that had been brimming in her eyes, now started to flow down her cheeks, “You mean even if it works, Dad’s still going to die?”
The look in Rachel’s eyes broke Elizabeth’s heart.
“What about surgery?”
“Elizabeth ..” Rachel said, taking in a struggled breath, “I’m sorry…”
Before Elizabeth could respond, Rachel continued.
“Something happened when Ella was in the hospital. Dad... Dad was talking to me, and he bit his tongue. He told me not to worry and to go home, but... but I think it was a focal seizure. And… and now the tumor is back. I-I did it. If he wasn’t under all the stress of Ella being in the hospital and wondering what to do with me, it never would have happened. He never would have gotten sick again.”
“You did not cause the tumor to come back, Rachel,” Elizabeth emphasized, “Recurrence sometimes just happens. You are not responsible for this.” There was a long silence as Rachel processed this. Though it relieved some stress she was going through, she still felt responsible for everything that had happened.
“Is there anything the can do?
Or can anyone help?” she asked, “I ... mean, they operated last time,
right?”
Suddenly, Ella loudly interrupted the silence with a sniffle, followed quickly by a wail.
“Oh, Ella,” Elizabeth turned around and picked Ella up and began cradling her head while holding her close to her body.
“Rachel? Are you okay?” Elizabeth asked. Then she thought to herself, “Of course she’s not okay, she’s just been told her father will die.”
Rachel continued to stare at the kitchen table. She nodded imperceptibly before walking to Elizabeth, who was handing a stuffed animal to Ella. This succeeded in muffling Ella’s cry as she hugged the stuffed bear.
“I’m going to change Ella and put her to bed,” Elizabeth explained, “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Can I talk to Dad?” Rachel asked.
“Um… well, he’s sleeping right now, but if you want me to wake him up…”
“No,” Rachel said quickly, “Let him sleep. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
“You sure?”
Rachel nodded.
“Thank you,” Rachel said sincerely, looking up at Elizabeth
“For what?” Elizabeth asked, honestly confused.
“For telling me the truth…. And for giving me a second chance.”