Good Days: A Final Scene for "On The Beach"
By: Lori (SixteenOzs) and Ros (mg4ec)

DISCLAIMER: "ER," the characters and situations depicted within are the property of Warner Brothers 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 not making a profit.

SUMMARY: This is the final scene we would like to see for the episode "On The Beach." This was written BEFORE the episode "The Letter" aired in the United States, and does NOT incorporate that episode into this story.

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

RATING: PG

LORI'S NOTE: While I wrote the text of this story, it would have been absolutely impossible to complete this work without Ros. This story is the culmination of HOURS of discussion that we have had about Anthony Edwards's departure from ER, and what we think would be a fitting exit for such an amazing actor and a wonderful character.

I would also like to thank Cari for all of her help in looking over the drafts of this story and giving such great feedback. Thank you so much!

The white sandy beach was deserted except for one tall, lanky figure, who walked alone in the surf. He wore baggy khaki shorts and a blue shirt that almost matched the color of the ocean. He had tied the laces of his shoes together, then casually slung them over his right shoulder. The waves lapped against his ankles and the cool breeze off the Pacific blew the shirt, which he'd left unbuttoned, away from his body.

Mark Greene had to smile. For the first time in his adult life, he could honestly say he was at peace. At that moment, he had to admit that his life was pretty damn near perfect. Or at least as perfect as it could be considering there was a tumor in his brain that was slowly killing him. He'd devoted the last sixteen years of his life to medicine, but now that the end was near, it was of no use to him. How was that for irony? But he had accepted it. After all, what else could he do? The only thing that mattered anymore was making the most of the time that he did have left, spending it with his wife and two daughters.

Mark's smile broadened as he looked ahead and their rented beach house came into view. As he finally reached the stairs leading up to the lanai, he stepped into a bucket of water to rise the sand from his feet before climbing the stairs. He was on the third step when the muscles of his left leg locked, preventing him from continuing upward. Without a doubt, this was the hardest part of his illness; adjusting to the physical limitations and his inability to retain control. Cursing inwardly, he gripped the railing with both hands and pulled himself up, one step at a time, holding all his weight on his right leg.

Finally reaching the lanai, tiny beads of perspiration covered his forehead and his breathing was labored. He made his way to one of the chaise lounges, then gratefully collapsed with a heavy sigh. He remained there for some time.

Elizabeth Corday walked out of the house and onto the lanai, crossing directly to the edge and looking down the beach. The wind ruffled the teal shirt she wore over a sleeveless, floral-print dress.

"Hey," Mark called from his spot on the chaise. "Looking for me?"

Elizabeth jumped slightly, then turned sharply in his direction, not having seen him when she first came outside. "You scared me! I didn't know you were back yet."

As she walked towards him, he began to explain, "I got back a few minutes ago. My leg locked up on the stairs. I was just resting out here before I came in."

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth questioned quickly, the anxiety making its way into her voice.

"Yeah," he assured her with a quick nod and a smile.

"Dinner's almost ready. I'm just waiting for Rachel to get back from the market." Upon seeing his puzzled expression, she elaborated. "I wanted fresh pineapple with dinner, and she offered to go on her bike."

"Ahh," he nodded his understanding. "How about Ella?"

"She's had dinner and is napping in the playpen."

"Since it's just the two of us right now, how about joining me for a sunset?" Mark suggested with a grin as he slid over to make room for her next to him on the chaise.

"I'd love to," Elizabeth said softly as she sat down and settled next to him. "How was your walk?"

"It was nice."

"Good," she smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

They remained in a companionable silence, looking out over the ocean, until Elizabeth finally spoke. "Mark, there's something I need to tell you?"

The hesitation in her voice prompted him to turn in her direction. "What is it?"

She continued to stare out at the water as she casually said, "I'm not going back to Chicago."

"What?" he questioned in shock.

She turned to face him. Shaking her head slightly, she repeated, "I'm not going back to Chicago."

She had definitely piqued his curiosity. "Why?"

Elizabeth drew in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. She'd given this a lot of thought over the last two weeks. It wasn't a decisions she made lightly. So what was it about telling Mark that made her so anxious? Quietly, she said, "A lot has happened this year. It took almost losing Ella... and you... for me to realize that work isn't as important to me as it once was. After being here, after spending this time with you, I've realized I really don't have a desire to go back."

She'd often asked herself why she was doing this. Things had been going quite well since her arrival in Hawaii. There were still signs of the tumor's progression, especially the decline in motor functions, but Mark was doing much better than she'd expected. Plus, the island was beautiful. It truly was paradise. She had to wonder if those factors had combined to make her believe that if they stayed there, then nothing would go wrong; then she wouldn't have to face losing him. But she knew there was more to her decision than that. She didn't want to go back to Chicago, or the hospital, without him. She wasn't sure she could face that. It was time for a change. She wanted to spend more time with Ella, less time at work. In what she had observed in her short time there, she had to admit that there was quite a bit to be said for the laid-back lifestyle of the island.

He considered her words, then asked, "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," she replied without a trace of hesitation.

With a grin, he remarked, "I thought Chicago suited you?"

She laughed softly. "I can't believe you remembered that."

"It was a good day," Mark answered simply.

"That it was," she agreed. "Feels like another lifetime ago, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," he nodded as the sorrow made its way into his voice. He hesitated, but then said, "Elizabeth, I'm sorry. I never imagined-"

"Don't," she interrupted as she gently placed her finger to his lips. "Don't apologize. I wouldn't change a thing. Well, except for moving out."

He smiled sadly. "If given the chance, I think we both would have done things differently, but... we can't change the past."

"We can only make the most of the future," she concluded with a slight smile. "That's why I want to do this."

"What about the hospital?" Mark inquired. "You've got another year on your contract."

She drew in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly before she said, "I talked to Robert this morning."

With a wry laugh, he asked, "Do I even want to know what his reaction was?"

"Well, he definitely wasn't happy," Elizabeth chuckled, "especially since we're still haven't gotten a replacement for Peter. But he finally agreed. He said that if this is what I need to do, then he won't fight it."

"He always did have a soft spot for you," Mark teasingly reminded.

She smiled before adding, "I mailed my resignation letter this afternoon."

"You're okay with that?" he wondered. He knew what her career had always meant to her, so he wanted to make sure this was what she really wanted.

After thinking about it for a moment, she nodded, "Yeah, I am. I want to take some time off right now, but I know I'll eventually want to go back. In fact, I called the hospital here this afternoon and spoke to their Chief of Surgery."

"You've really been thinking about this, haven't you?" he questioned in awe.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "I suppose I started thinking about it soon after I got here, after you told me you weren't going back. I realized you might be onto something."

"So, what did you find out from the Chief of Surgery?"

"Her name is Kelly Bradshaw, she seemed very nice on the phone. I told her what was going on, and that I wouldn't be ready to start for at least a few months. I still have to get licensed here, and go through all the paperwork. But she said they'd be willing to work with me. The hospital's pretty relaxed; I'd be doing mostly general surgery. Their traumas are pretty much limited to MVAs. I told her I was thinking of only working about three days a week, at least until Ella gets a little older, and Kelly said that shouldn't be a problem."

As Mark listened to his wife, he could tell she obviously was excited about this opportunity, and he hoped it would be just what she needed. Smiling, he commented, "Sounds like a pretty good deal."

"That's what I thought," Elizabeth admitted with a quick nod. "Do you think I should do it?"

"Is it what you want? Will it make you happy?" he countered.

"I think so. When I think about it, I realize I haven't been that happy at County since I went back last year. The whole sepsis investigation is part of it, but it's more that even that. I miss Ella, especially now that she's talking. Catherine's great, but I want Ella to talk to me, not to the nanny. I don't want her to go through what I did; thinking my mother didn't love me because she was never there," she confessed as she wrapped the shirt tightly around her chest and stared down at her lap.

"Elizabeth, you're a wonderful mother. Ella knows that, and I don't want you to forget it," Mark reminded her firmly.

A reluctant smile made its way across her face. "And you're not at all biased, are you?"

"Of course not," he grinned.

She just laughed softly in response.

Mark stopped for a moment before he spoke again. "What about the house? Are you going to sell it?"

Elizabeth's smile turned sad as she slowly shook her head. "No, I don't think so. There are too many good memories there. I'm not ready go let go of those. I may go back and pack everything up, or I may just hire someone to do it and have it shipped here. Maybe contact a real estate agent about renting it."

"That's a good idea," he agreed. "The life insurance will pay off the mortgage, with some left over. Plus, the rent you get from Chicago should more than pay for this house."

As she turned away, Elizabeth had to blink back the tears. She still remembered the first time he told her about the life insurance policy; in New York, as they were taking him into the operating room. She'd tried to change the subject; she didn't want to talk about that. She didn't even want to think about it. On some level, she knew that she had already started to accept that she was losing him and that there was nothing she could do to stop it. But there was something about confronting the cold details and practicalities. She wasn't sure if she was ready for that. Or if she ever would be.

Mark sighed softly while watching her. He could almost guess what was going through her mind, just from the look in her eyes. It was the same look he'd seen from Jennifer when he tried to talk to her about his will and Rachel's college fund. Gently, he reached out and took her hand in his, lightly caressing its back with his thumb.

Elizabeth looked back to him and managed a small smile as she rested her head on the back of the chaise.

Several moments passed before she said, "There's one other thing that I've been thinking about."

"What's that?" Mark questioned curiously.

"Well, we'd have to talk to Jennifer first, but Rachel is welcome to stay here as long as she'd like. Maybe she could even start school here in the fall."

He was so surprised that it took him a moment to reply. "You'd do that?"

With a smile, she nodded. "Ella should know her sister. Rachel's had you for fifteen years. I'm sure she has lots of wonderful stories Ella would love to hear when she's a little older. Who knows, I might even be able to learn a few things from Rachel myself."

As he closed his eyes, he couldn't deny the sting of tears that he felt there. She didn't have to do it. He hadn't even expected her to do it. But the fact that she was willing to do it... that touched him more than she could ever know. His only regret was that he wouldn't be there to tell those stories himself. Opening his eyes, he looked at her and whispered, "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Mark," she assured him. "She's your daughter, and she will always be a member of this family."

Smiling softly, he wondered, "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

She smiled back, even as a tear traced its way down her face. Reaching out to caress his cheek, she guided his lips to hers while whispering, "I do. And I love you, too."

The kiss slowly ended, and he wrapped his arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. She reached for his free hand after a moment and laced her fingers with his while they watched the waves roll toward the shore.

Several minutes passed before they heard music filtering onto the lanai. With a smile, Elizabeth remarked, "Rachel must be home."

Almost as soon as the words left Elizabeth's mouth, Rachel emerged from inside the house, carrying Ella on her hip. "Guess who woke up?"

"I hope she woke up before the stereo came on," Mark said with a grin.

"She did," Rachel pledged as she placed Ella in his arms. "She was actually playing with her toys when I got back. I put everything away, then turned the stereo on, got Ella and came out here."

Smoothing Ella's hair, Mark wondered, "Did you have a nice nap after dinner?"

"Dada," Ella giggled in response while reaching for his glasses.

"I guess you did," Mark chucked as he gently took his daughter's hand in his, moving it away from his glasses.

"Dada," she repeated.

"I'll be right back," Rachel told them before disappearing into the house.

Elizabeth just smiled as she watched Mark talk to Ella, who babbled contentedly. While her vocabulary seemed to be expanding every day, her first word appeared to be her favorite. Every time Elizabeth saw them together, it felt as if her heart broke a little more. There was no doubt that Ella was Daddy's Little Girl; but Elizabeth couldn't help but be reminded that he wouldn't be there to watch her grow up, and she would miss out on so much as a result.

Drawing in a deep breath, Elizabeth looked away as she tried to force those thoughts from her mind. She tried to focus on making the most of what little time they still had together, but sometimes it was hard not to think about the future. Looking for a distraction, she began to concentrate on the lyrics of the song that was coming from the stereo.

After a moment, she turned back to Mark. "Where have I heard this song before? It sounds familiar, but I can't place it."

Mark laughed, "You don't remember?"

"No. Should I?" she wondered with a puzzled expression.

"It was playing when you paged me to the kitchen, thinking someone here was ready to make her entrance," he explained as he tickled Ella's chest.

"I knew it sounded familiar," Elizabeth said with a laugh. Listening to the song a bit more closely, she added, "It's pretty good. What the title?"

"'Come Sail Away' by Styx," he smiled as he watched Ella. "We like this song, don't we, Sweetheart?"

"Okay, milkshakes for everybody," Rachel announced as she returned carrying three frosty glasses.

"Milkshakes?" Elizabeth questioned suspiciously. "We haven't even had dinner yet."

While passing out the drinks, Rachel explained, "Almost every night when we first got here, Dad wanted to go out and get milkshakes first, dinner later."

Looking to Mark, Elizabeth had to laugh. "So this is your idea?"

He grinned as he took a drink from his milkshake, then countered, "And who was it that wanted Cherry Garcia before dinner?"

"Okay, you win," Elizabeth laughed as she tried her milkshake. Turning to Rachel, she remarked, "This is very good. What's in here?"

"Mangos and peaches, along with vanilla ice cream. I saw them when I was at the market and thought it'd be cool."

"It is," Elizabeth agreed. "I like this."

"We were going to watch the sun set. Want to join us?" Mark asked while looking out over the water.

"Sure," Rachel nodded as she sat down in the chaise lounge next to them.

The music playing in the background and the waves crashing against the shore provided the only sound as they sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. After a few minutes, the sun dipped below the horizon just as the last notes of the song flowed from the stereo.

Turning to look at her husband, Elizabeth softly questioned, "You know what?"

"What?"

"Today was a good day," she concluded with a smile.

Smiling back, he agreed, "That it was."

Come Sail Away
Written by Dennis DeYoung
Performed by Styx

I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea
I've got to be free, free to face the life that's ahead of me
On board, I'm the captain, so climb aboard
We'll search for tomorrow on every shore
And I'll try, oh Lord, I'll try to carry on

I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory
Some happy, some sad
I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had
We live happily forever, so the story goes
But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold
But we'll try best that we can to carry on

A gathering of angels appeared above my head
They sang to me this song of hope, and this is what they said
They said come sail away, come sail away
Come sail away with me
Come sail away, come sail away
Come sail away with me

I thought that they were angels, but to my surprise
They climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies
Singing come sail away, come sail away
Come sail away with me
Come sail away, come sail away
Come sail away with me

THE END

We would love to know what you think. Please seed all comments and feedback to: SixteenOzs02@yahoo.com

May 9, 2002

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