Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for those people who you do not recognize. Though I do wish that I owned Shane West. But he is my future husband, he just doesn't know it yet.
A/N: Kodac moment! This is my very first ER fic and I hope you all like it. I think that it is really good.
A teenage boy sat next to the hospital bed, holding its occupant's hand. She was dying and he knew it. Deep down, he knew it. But he didn't want to accept it. His mother's weak grip tightened slightly and it scared him that her strength was waning. "Ray," Emily Barnett said weakly, attempting to regain his attention. Tears in his eyes, 17 year old Ray Barnett replied, "Yeah, mom?"
"Ray," his mom said again. "I'm dying and you have to accept it." Ray shook his head vigorously. He didn't want hid mother to die. "No, mom. You're—"
"Ray," his mother interrupted more forcefully this time. "I know—I know I don't have much longer to live. I love you, Ray, and don't you forget that." Now the tears finally fell as Ray listened to his mother. "Oh, baby," Emily said, reaching up to wipe the tears from her son's eyes. "It's alright. Everything is going to be okay. Don't be afraid."
"No, mom. It won't. What am I going to do without you?"
"Ray," his mom said. "I know this will be hard for you, but you're still a minor and…" Emily sighed, bracing herself for her son's reaction. "Ray, when I die, I want you to live with your father."
Ray stopped. Stopped breathing, thinking. He let his mother's words sink in before sighing shakily. "I—I can't. I can't, mom. He left us. He left us and I can't forgive him for that. I can't live with him." Emily sighed again and Ray realized how tired his mother was. "Please, Ray. Just do this one thing for me. You don't even have to live with him that long. The minute you turn 18 you can move out and live by yourself. I promise you. Everything will be fine."
Ray swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "Okay, mom," he said sincerely. I'll live with him. But only for you." Ray gave his mother's hand another squeeze, reassuring her. Emily smiled and closed her eyes. "I love you, Ray."
"I love you two, mom," Ray said, smiling slightly. Seconds later, Emily Barnett's grip on her son's hand slackened. "Mom?" Ray said frantically. "Mom!" A shrill beep filled the room, but it seemed distant to the teen's ears. He paid no attention to the doctor and nurses who rushed into the room. He wasn't listening when she was pronounced dead.
In a sense, part of him died that night. And though his mother was dead, to him she never looked more beautiful.
Ray bolted awake in bed, sweating and breathing heavily. He had had that dream. The same dream he had each year. That could only mean one thing. Today was the anniversary of his mother's death. Ten years ago today, he lost the person he cared most about, his mother. Standing slowly, Ray made his way to the bathroom and splashed cold water from the sink on his face. Looking over at the clock, he saw that it read 5:05 am. He had to be at work in forty minutes. Glad that Neela's shift wasn't over and she wasn't home, Ray removed his clothes and hopped in the shower.
20 minutes later, Ray stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. After pulling on jeans, Ray turned when he heard the door to his apartment opening. Moments later, Neela stepped inside. Shocked to see Ray standing there shirtless, Neela turned red before saying, "Ray, it's ten to six. Don't you have to be at work?"
Looking at the clock, Ray realized she was right. "Shit!" he said, hastily throwing on a shirt. Ray grabbed his things and left quickly, yelling to behind him to Neela as he left, "See you later, Neela!"
And there you have it. An ER fic by yours truly. Please read and review. Any bad reviews will be fed to the plot bunnies.
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