The door of her office was slightly ajar and light filtered out from it across the dark corridor. Below him the ED beeped and shuffled its way to sleep; patients wincing as they rolled onto their sides, drawing their covers higher.

Jay was pretty sure Ruth was still here - he'd waited for an hour in the staff room watching the exit (trying not to feel creepy as he peered through the blinds). Tess had let it slip that since breaking up with Edward the young doctor had made a habit of staying all night crammed in her office... which certainly went some way to explain the ice queen she'd turned into of late – really, he'd be a little cranky if his 8 hours of beauty sleep had been replaced with staring at a text book on neurological synapse thingymigjies.

Well not tonight, Jay had pledge silently to himself. Tonight he was going to make sure she got home, idiotic-gay-husband-that-was-way-too-old-for-her-anyway be damned.

He knocked softly and without waiting for answer pushed the door all the way open, holding back a snicker as he caught sight of his former girlfriend. She was face down on the desk, arms hanging limply downwards, one hand still clutching a biro and snoring softly.

Terror of the ED by day, sleepy young doctor with a cold by night.

Unsure of how to wake her Jay stepped tentatively forward, "Ruth..." He cooed, "Hey, sleepy head, some of us do this in beds you know?"

Ruth didn't move.

He poked her. Several times.

No reaction.

So he brought his hand to her head, hesitated for a long second and then traced the length of her ear, ignoring the unexpected jolt of arousal that jugged at the bottom of his stomach. Beneath him Ruth stirred and turned her head till she faced him, through her eyes remained closed. She hummed croakily and then muttered: "I'll feed you later."

What? "Ruth? It's Jay."

Ruth's eyes immediately flickered open and she sat up so quickly that Jay's hand, which had begun absentmindedly playing with her hair of its own accord, got caught between her head and the seat back – he winced, retrieving the offending limb and stuffing it into his jean pocket.

"Jay!" There was a hint of panic in the doctors voice, "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you got home."

Ruth's features darkened, "well, I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself thank you."

"Really, 'cause from where I'm standing..." He trailed off waving a hand over her, "well you're not home are you?" She harrumphed in such a typically Ruth way that Jay couldn't help but snigger. "You are clearly exhausted, why don't you let me take you home eh?"

"I don't need your help. And I certainly don't need you pity."

Pity? That was left field. "I'm not doing this 'cause I pity you..."

"Then why are you doing this?" Ruth was indignant and sharp.

Jay knew exactly why he was doing this, it was the same reason he was having trouble sleeping at night or concentrating in the day. And perhapsit wouldn't be so bad if he didn't already know how it felt to wrap her in his arms, what perfume she used, or how many chips her favourite mug had (half of them he'd put there himself). He supposed that was some sort of twisted metaphor for their whole relationship – knowing, but not knowing quite enough. He couldn't say that aloud though because no matter how it sounded in his head, it was bound to come out garbled and backwards and Ruth would retreat even further away from him.

"Because I'm your friend."

She softened ever so slightly, her tone losing its heat, "I've got work to do."

"Yeah and it looked like you were doing so much work."

"I just lost focus... for a second. That's all."

"Ruth..."

"I'm not going home, Jay." It was said softly, so softly Jay almost didn't catch the tremor of fear that quivered just below the determination.

"Then stay with me."

They stared at each other, fixed motionless in each other's gazes till the drone of the ED was suddenly far away and even the clock on the wall stopped its ticking silenced by their suspended intensity.

Jay walked towards her, kneeling beside her and taking her face in his hands. Maybe the words would come out garbled and backwards and un-poetic, but he could show her. "Stay with me."

"Jay..."

"I can look after you. And if you want..." He shot her a quick smile, "you can look after me too."

Ruth's hands rose hesitantly, ever so slightly shaking, to rest on his shoulders. She lent closer, taking one quick clean breath before pressing their lips together chastely in a brief kiss, "okay" she muttered against him, "okay."

They left the Ed hand in hand, when a thought suddenly hit Jay and he stopped short, "'I'll feed you later'?"

A blush immediately fled up Ruth's cheeks and she ducked her head, uncharacteristically sheepish. "I thought you were... Edward has a cat – Dodger, she still lives at the house..."

"Right."

The doctor gave a soft sigh, "I have to go home."

"Why?"

"I need to feed her."

"She's Edward's cat though."

"He doesn't really look after her," Ruth's gaze was still cast downwards, "she's such a sweet thing."

Jay sent her a long look, trying to grasp this new, unexpected piece of information: Dr Ruthless was a cat lover? A slow grin broke over his face and he reached out, retaking Ruth's hand in his, "I think my Nan might have a cat basket still hanging around in the loft I could borrow."

AN: And then they lived happily ever after and Ruth didn't go psychotic in a very out of character fit of rage. Um... Was there anything I missed? Oh yes, Adam also stopped being an idiot, Warren died and Dr Hanna got a very large paper cut from some paperwork for being horrible to Ruth on her "breakdown day" which never actually happened.

Review? You know you want to – I mean look at how friendly that lovely green/grey link is...