"Bygones"
Season 8 ~ Episode 17
For once, Romano is a very good man.
Elizabeth storms into the surgical lounge, looks around to make sure no one is there, and closes
the door behind her. She crumbles up the unsigned consent form and launches it across the room. As her sobs overcome
her, she half-collapses into a chair and weeps her heart out.
Suddenly, the door swings open, and Romano barrels in. "Aaah, hiding out, are you?" The
door closes behind him as he walks over to get a cup of coffee. "Do me a favor, just go down there when those idiots
page you. They're like crazed cyborgs...paging every five minutes until they somehow manage to find your fearless leader
and suck us all into their universe." He knows something's up, because she still hasn't turned to face him. "Oh,
uh oh, is Prince Harry in rehab again?"
Elizabeth lets out a little half-laugh, half-sigh that betrays her tears. Romano
freezes, as Elizabeth tells him, "Mahk's tumah's back." Her face scrunches up, trying not to
sob out loud again. Romano still hasn't moved, and quietly asks, "Has it invaded Broca's?" Elizabeth replies,
"It's encroaching the motor cortex."
Romano makes his way over to her chair, and gives a soft, sincere "I'm sorry. It *was* always
a possibility." Elizabeth has turned her face from him, and adds, "He's known about it for weeks. He just didn't
tell me."
Romano sits his cup down and takes the chair to her right, facing her. "Well...maybe
he was protecting you."
"There's so much we haven't worked out," Elizabeth sighs. Romano
briefly gazes at his hands, then back at his lovely Lizzie.
"I don't think I can go through this again," she moans. "I'm sick and tired of being the strong
one. You know, we've broken up; we've grown apart. He doesn't even expect me to be there, anyway."
She looks over her shoulder for Romano's reaction, only to see him staring at his hands. Turning
to face him, she questions, "Well, what am I supposed to do? Go home and watch him die?"
Long pause, then a soft "Yes."
"Well, I don't think I can," is Elizabeth's angry response.
"Is he your husband?" Romano asks in the softest, most concerned voice ever.
Elizabeth exhales heavily, then answers, "Yes."
"Do you love him?"
Elizabeth wants to say no, but the script says "Yes", so that's what NBC broadcast. They nod
at each other, understanding the conclusion he helped her reach. See? They bonded. Isn't that lovely?
More of this, please.
