Three years passed and so many things have happened. After Dr. Neal Hudson started the liaison position between Emergency Surgery and Emergency medicine things went southwards for the new couple.
If you need someone who is at fault for all this there was someone. Dr. Grace Adams. After she came back from her year in Haiti chaos ensued. Dr. Christa Lorenson might have broken up with her short-time boyfriend Dr. Neal Hudson because previously he was dating Grace and always told Christa as little as possible about their past. Grace seriously thought she could get back with Neal as if never anything happened between them.
This did not only cause problems in the love life, also the ER at Angels Memorial Hospital in LA had to overcome issues. Dr. Leanne Rorish lost a great attending in Neal and she had to switch positions from ER Residency director to Director of the Emergency Room in a matter of one day.
Also, the Adderall abuse did change some things. It wasn't of great publicity. But the closest to Dr. Angus Leighton found about the abuse and only his brother Dr. Mike Leighton knew why he abused it. Angus couldn't live with the fact that he was at fault for the death of Gordon Heshman. Even if it was Gordon himself who took the knife out of his throat. But what the fewest only knew was that Angus only helped after security came. Gordon's "I'm gonna kill this bitch" brought him out of his state of mind trying to safe this man who previously had killed their Director of Emergency Room Dr. Gina Perello and injured Dr. Malaya Pineda.
Promising to his brother to not tell anyone he couldn't concentrate anymore and getting sleeping issues. With 'the help' of Dr. Heather Pinkney, surgical resident under Dr. Mike Campbell, he got hooked up with Adderall. Improving his work but after he couldn't get anymore things went out of hand. Heather finding her own way to deal with Campbell and Mike helping his brother Angus with dealing with the abuse and the memories still stuck in his head.
No one really knew what happened around this ER. But in the end things slowly started to get better. Starting with Dr. Mark Taylor coming back from his two Months leave and releasing Leanne from her duties. Leanne became ER Residency doctor again working alongside Dr. Mike Leighton. Neal still had his position and Grace Adams still was a doctor in the ER. But shortly after Rosaline was released from the Hospital she started dating Dr. Mike Campbell, who was Chief of Surgery and Neal's boss.
Christa still had her differences with Grace and Neal but after her hurt and anger died down. She still wasn't on talking terms which made everything more complicated. Neal didn't give up. Everyday he at least once tried to talk to her and she always blocked off. Leanne watching the scene of the two unfold decided to take matters into her own hand. She was up to something to bring the two back together, as the universe already did things for her.
Three years ago:
The Medical university of Los Angeles asked for two doctors for their medicine program, Leanne sprung into action choosing Neal and Christa. The program Neal and Christa had to lead consisted of a day spent at the Medical university of Los Angeles telling them about Residency in the busiest ER of the States.
Neal took it as a change and Christa didn't really knew what to think. Since breaking things off she never spent more than a few minutes around him. She still loved him deeply and she still cared. But after her son died and her marriage failed she knew life was to short to be anybody's second choice. What she didn't really know about Neal was that he always needed time. His British roots never allowed him to just say what he wanted. Would she just given him time to think he would have told her she would always be his first choice and that she was his present, his future and that Grace was his past. But neither of them went to HR to take the disclosure form back, so for HR they still were in a relationship.
Anyways, after three days of preparation it was time to leave Angels Memorial. With Goodbyes and Good lucks from the other residents and doctors the pair left the doors of the ER walking to the parking lot for staff.
"Do you want to drive on your own or do you want me to take you?" he asked her.
"I got a ride with Malaya today." She answered, and Neal lead the way to his car. They both haven't said anything else. Opening the back door of his car they put in the code bag and one bag with important medical supply. After five minutes Neal carefully left his parking spot heading for the west exit.
After ten minutes into their way neither had said anything and Neal grew impatient.
"Please Christa, can we talk?" he asked expecting to hear the same answer as always. "Not now, I want to concentrate on our task. Telling the students about the busiest ER ever." She answered. It wasn't a no, which made Neal hopeful to get his change to explain everything. But God was she stubborn.
Arriving at the Medical university of Los Angeles a professor already waited for them at the entrance.
"You must be the Doctors Angels Memorial sends. I'm Dr. Clark." He said and introduced himself.
"Precisely, this is Dr. Lorenson and I'm Dr. Hudson. It's nice to meet you Dr. Clark." Neal introduced themselves as the professor shook their hands.
"You'll be in the same class room, talking about Angels and about you work." The professor explained the day.
"You will be in the class of Dr. Clover." He said and walked them to Dr. Clovers class room. After a nock the professor and the two doctors entered the room. Revealing a gorgeous woman in her forties with brown hair and blue eyes. Dr. Clark introduced them to the teacher. Dr. Clover, Melissa, Neal later found out seemed to be friendly. But after the professor left she only had eyes for Neal. Starting to set up their equipment Neal helped Christa, despite the disturbance from Dr. Clover.
Christa knew that Neal is a handsome man and it made her jealous that this Doctor was shamelessly flirting with him in front of her. Why did she again break up with him? More and more realising the big mistake, she had made. She reached the point were watching them made her sick. Even if Neal tried to block her questions.
"Dr. Clover, where can I find the bathroom?" she friendly asked and became the unfriendly answer
"Next door left." Back. Leaving the room, she didn't see Neal's worried look, lasting for at least ten seconds, upsetting the teacher even more.
After taking a minute in the toilet splashing water into her face she could manage to face the other Doctor again. She had to stay strong, for at least another seven hours. Slowly walking back to the class room, she encountered other students.
"I already am in a relationship Dr. Cover. I kindly ask you to not flirt with me!" Christa just heard as she wanted to enter the room. Did she just hear correctly? He already was in a relationship again? Was this what he wanted to tell her? He thoughts spun like a carousel almost making her feel dizzy.
Why did she again have to do this? Oh yeah, Leanne send her. This evil… wait, Leanne send them? Only just now Christa realized why she had to be here and not Dr. Angus Leighton or Dr. Malaya Pineda. Even Dr. Mario Savetti would have been a great match to do this.
"Christa. Are you coming?" Neal asked her. She must have stood out here way to long just staring into blank space.
"Yes, yes. Ready to go Neal?" she emphasized Neal looking at the teacher. Ten minutes all the students sat in the class room waiting for the two doctors to start.
"Hello class. This are Doctors Lorenson and Hudson. They are talking to us about the work at the busiest Emergency room in America." She talked to the class introducing them.
"Hello, as already introduced I'm Dr. Hudson. I am working at Angels Memorial as a liaison between the OR and the ER. My colleague Dr. Lorenson is a first-year resident at he ER." He explained.
Just like planned Christa continued. "It's an interesting work in the ER, we learn a lot from our attending's and from the patients we have. The hard part in this residency is the Code Black. Being in Code Black almost every shift there rarely is a minute to make a break." She said, assuming right that everyone knew what a code black is.
One hand already going up for a question. "Yes?" Neal asked pointing to the woman in the last row.
"How long lasted the longest Code Black you were ever in?" she asked interested.
"Mine was 22 hours. But I don't know how long Dr. Hudson's was." She said looking at Neal to let him answer.
"In my first year at Angles Memorial I had a Code Black lasting for 32 hours." He answered and heard a lot of wow's going around the class room.
"Mainly we stabilize patients coming in for next treatment. Sometimes there are other things to do, like the Code Bag." He said showing them the Code Bag. It was Christa's part to talk more.
"The Code Bag is a bag filled with drugs, extra syringes, needles, a phone connected to the wireless of the hospital if it loses reception and oral airways. When you are on Code Bag duty you'll be called to every cardiopulmonary arrest that happens out of the ER." She explained the Code Bag showing some of the stuff inside, like the oral airways, the phone and syringes. Another hand shot up.
"What was the toughest Code Bag you ever had?" a boy in the first row asked.
"Mine was to intubate after an anaphylactic shock and I couldn't find the vocals. But Dr. Lorenson had one a few months back." He said giving Christa an encouraging smile.
"I had to intubate a woman after neurosurgery with a halo. Difficult to intubate because you have to figure out a way without breaking the cast." She said. Remembering the moments before he checked in with her.
"But we do not always work inside of the hospital, sometimes we have to go out to crash scenes like we had one a few months back." He said and again a hand shot up.
"Are you the one who came in the news Dr. Lorenson?" a girl in the third row asked and Christa nodded.
"Yes, she did exceptional work. Saving two people with the help of a little girl and a dislocated shoulder. With slim medical equipment." He said with such pride in his voice. This shift was one of her favourites beside the horror they saw.
"Does anyone of you have any questions?" Neal asked into the round. 45 minutes already gone by.
After answering seven more questions they started to pack up their things while Dr. Clover dismissed the class.
"You did good Christa!" he said looking at her with a smile. They shared one of those looks they did every so often before.
"Thank you. You too!" she said packing up the code bag, making themselves ready for the next one.
Luckily these next hours passed fast. Dr. Clover still not stopping to flirt with Neal.
At five in the afternoon they left the doors of the University.
Neal now was talking to Leanne over the phone. "Yeah, the day was good. We are heading back to Angels now." He said, and Christa only could hear his part of the conversation consisting of "No... Yes…I already tried… Will do…. Yes… Thank you…Goodbye." She was now wondering what he was talking about with Leanne.
"Leanne gave us the other two hours of shift off. We just have to bring back the Code Bag." He said as they walked towards his car.
The whole day Christa was wondering who his new girlfriend was and now she couldn't take I anymore. Knowing the truth or waiting meant the same hurt. So why not getting it over with?
"You already have a new girlfriend?" she said, it was a normal question but behind her voice he could hear sadness, hurt and jealousy.
"You heard that?" he played shocked, he assumed she heard him.
"Yes. So, who is she?" she really wanted to know. But was it good to know who he was dating?
"A beautiful woman, strong, independent…" he began worshipping the woman he was talking about, till Christa brought an end to it.
"It's okay, I get it. She's perfect." She said, hurt and sadness mirroring her voice.
She still hasn't a clue. Neal thought as they stopped at his car.
"The woman is you Christa!" he said and looked at her. She turned so she now was directly facing him.
"Wait…What!" gasping for air. Not fully understanding what he had said.
"First, technically for HR we still are a couple and second, I still am very much in love with you!" he said the last part in a whisper. He never was one to really open about his feelings, hence the not talking.
"You…still see us as a couple?" she asked, searching for words. This was really overwhelming her. Now she really felt stupid. If she just had talked to him sooner, this wouldn't have gone this far.
"I never gave up Christa, I always wanted to talk to you!" he said calmly taking a step into her direction taking her hand.
"I'm so sorry Neal!" she said her voice shakily.
"Christa there never was a choice to make, because you are my present and my future!" he said leaning his head towards hers. They foreheads touching as memories of their first kiss flooded their minds. So sweet, so simple.
"I'm sorry." She whispered repeatedly. Apologizing for being this stubborn. One or two tears falling. She looked into his eyes and he leaned down capturing her lips ever so lightly. Kissing him felt like forever. So sweet so tender, her skin tingling where he held her around the waist. They had to break their caring kiss for much needed air. Looking at each other smiling for them was no one there. Just the two of them not realizing that Dr. Clover was watching them from her class room.
"You ready to go home?" he asked her, and she nodded. They might not have been together for the whole time or not talked to each other much, but both knew they never stopped caring.
They left the parking lot with Neal driving from time to time shooting a quick glance at Christa who was looking out the window smiling and what seemed to be in her own world.
Stopping the car, they got into traffic on the highway. She looked over at him taking his hand which was on the steering wheel.
"I love you Neal!" she said squeezing his hand ever so softly. He looked outside the front and saw the cars moving. Still holding her hand, he drove the ten meters to stop the car again.
He took the hand he was holding and gave her knuckles an ever so light kiss she couldn't almost feel it. Her skin tingling as a shiver sped down her back. "And I love you too, darling!" he said looking at her. Just a few seconds as he saw from the corner of his eyes as the cars were moving again. While stuck in traffic for another half an hour they talked about nothing and everything and he never let go of her hand.
He let go of her hand as he took the exit of the highway and could drive without stopping every few seconds.
Remembering back to this moment he still couldn't grasp the fact how lucky he got. Now three years later Christa was living with him, having moved in a year ago.
Leanne also has found new love. After her grieve decreased and she slowly found acceptance she opened herself to a new man in her life. This man was no other than Dr. Ed Harbert, CEO of Angels Memorial.
Today was the last shift, the last shift at Angels Memorial for Neal and Christa. Her residency ended a month ago and it now was time for a change, both Christa and Neal thought. Deciding to go to England for a while. They already sold Neal's apartment and bought a new one in London. Half an hour away from where his parents lived.
"Can you believe that we are leaving in ten hours?" Christa asked him as they walked down the hallway to the ER.
"No darling. Everything seems surreal." He said and took her hand in his. Their relationship got public as he comforted her in the hallway after a case hit close to home. A seven-year-old girl dying in the arms of her parents losing the fight against leukemia.
Passing the doors to the ER he let go of her hand and they passed a very unhappy Leanne yelling at Ed.
He didn't know about what it was but her "What did you do?" and "How could you without asking me first." Told him it was something work related and a man standing beside both looking around, he guessed he was the source of the problems.
"Hired him without her knowing?" Christa asked after she too saw the scene unfold and Leanne storming away.
"I'm going to talk to her!" Christa said and left his side walking past the CEO and the stranger.
"Dr. Rorish?" she asked into the supply closed.
"Leanne, Christa. You are not a resident anymore." She said, her voice still possessed with anger towards the action Ed took.
"Okay, Leanne. What did Dr. Harbert do now?" Christa asked friendly. Hopefully friendly enough. Standing in midst of the closed which held so many good and bad memories she looked at her superior who was facing a shelf with boxes.
"He HIRED a counterpart for me! Can you believe it. Without asking me nor my consent!" she huffed. He sure is the CEO of the hospital but he can't hire someone who isn't needed in an instant, but when she was asking for more money and more nurses he first said no?
"I know he should have asked you and not jus decided, but did you ask him for his reasons?" Christa asked and as Leanne nodded she knew she was right. Leanne was just as stubborn as she sometimes was and not seeing the reasons behind something so simple.
"Maybe he wants to spend more time with you? You are more in the hospital than somewhere else." Christa softly said, she didn't want to upset Leanne even more.
"Maybe you are right." She said again with a huff but turning around. Visibly calmed down.
"Now we get back out there. Don't want to spend my last shift in here!" she said with a laugh. Both Leanne and Christa leaving the supply room closet heading for the doors of the Emergency room.
"Ed." Leanne said after she found him in the ER talking to the new doctor.
"Please excuse us for a minute Dr. Kramer." Ed said and left to a separate part of the ER to talk with Leanne.
"I'm sorry Ed. I just shouldn't have lashed out like this. But today is a hard one." She said referring to Neal and Christa's departure to London. She won't just be losing great Doctors, no, she will be loosing persons she started to call friends. Maybe even counting them to her family.
"I know Lea!" he said putting an arm on her shoulder. An affectionate gesture but subtle enough for the ER. Even if the hospital knew about them they kept this as private as possible.
"I just don't want him here for today. I want to be able to work freely, because it already is scarring me to not work with Neal and Christa." She said. This might be a little bit out character for her, because she never is one for emotional things but since she started dating Ed and becoming friends with Christa things started to change.
"Okay, I'll send him up to HR. Filling out paper-work should keep him busy for the rest of your shift." He answered as they walked back to Dr. Jay Kramer. A doctor in his mid-thirties with dirty blonde hair, wearing glasses.
"Another Income in five minutes!" Jesse yelled announcing the income of another patient in need of medical help.
Soon enough the patient was out of the ambulance and in the hospital on center stage. Still working on this patient another two incomes were announced. Resulting in Jesse announcing yet another Code Black.
"3-0 Prolene please!" Christa yelled over the buzzing and beeping of the Emergency room closing her patients wound after stopping the bleeding for now. He still needed surgery but for now he was stable. Bringing him onto the side where all the stable patients lied, and Christa looked onto center stage.
"You are going to miss it, right?" Malaya asked her, surprising Christa.
"Yes, I spent three amazing years here. How couldn't I?" she answered smiling. Looking at the clock she saw there were only seven more hours left before they were on their way to London. Which meant they were off work in five and a half hours.
"You know I'll also miss you guys!" Christa also said, briefly hugging Malaya. In the three years Malay grew to her closest friends she ever had. Talking to her always was a great help to figure out things.
"I'll miss you too. But let's go, there are more coming in!" she said, and both were jogging back to Center stage accepting new cases.
Every so often she traded glances with Neal. Working with Mario and Angus for the last time she remembered how much of a great team they became.
Making one last run for the CT-Scan room where she got a picture of her patient's head, showing signs of a brain bleeding which had to be monitored. Something in return she wouldn't be able to do anymore.
"Darling, you ready?" Neal asked her as he saw her standing at the nursing desk scribbling something down on a chart.
"Yeah…Almost." She said, sounding so far away. The farewell moving closer and closer. He knew this was a hard decision. Hard decision for both, which did cause yelling and fighting.
6 Months ago
"Christa, I've got an offer from the Royal London Hospital." He almost blurted out as they were enjoying dinner in Neal's kitchen. He looked at her expectantly. "You…What… When…" she couldn't even form a whole sentence, that's how shocked she was.
"Last week, it's a position as surgical attending, more or less the same position as I had here but I would teach others." He carefully explained. He didn't sense she would react like this.
"Are you going to take it?" she fearfully asked. She always knew London was his home. Sometimes they talked about his childhood there when he was homesick. Also, the fear of losing him really was persistent.
"I am considering it. But …" he couldn't even finish his sentence as Christa stood up leaving the dinner table. "You should." She said heading for the door. Putting on the light Jacked and her shoes.
"Wait Christa!" he said, also up, coming for her but she already was out the door. Taking the stairs not wanting to wait for the elevator.
"I'm not finished. Please Christa!" he yelled. She had a good head start already one floor ahead of him. He didn't really care which neighbors could hear or see him.
She didn't say anything, but she seemed to have stopped. In the middle of the hallway. He caught up with her, still trying to catch some breath.
"What? You want to tell me we are over?" she yelled angrily but he could still see behind her façade, seeing how heartbroken and sad she was. They both were focused on each other. Not realizing how a neighbor opened the door. He just wanted to say something as Neal started to speak.
"No Christa, God no. We are far from over. I am not going to take it if you aren't in there with me. Without you I'm not going anywhere!" he honestly told her. Since their relationship progressed they promised to always be open about their feelings. Which was sometimes hard for Neal.
Listening to his word Christa looked up straight into his eyes and could not only see the truth but also love. Love only reserved for her.
"I honestly don't know Neal. LA always has been home for me. There are so many memories!" she said. He promised to give her enough time to think. The next day he called the hospital telling him the situation asking for more time.
"I want to visit some places before we go." she said turning around. He could see the sadness in her face. The leaving clearly taking its toll on her.
"Sure darling, whatever you want!" he told her taking her hand. He didn't care if the others could see them. He stopped caring a long time ago, after he knew he sometimes needed the closeness between them.
"Where do we start?" he asked her as they started to walk.
"Center stage." She told them and a few seconds later they stood in front of center stage for presumably the last time.
"You remember?" she asked looking at him from the side. She referred to their moments. Which they had plenty of times.
"Oh my God Christa!" Malaya yelled as a patient tore her mask away. Probably breathing in the stuff, they still didn't know about. Mere seconds later Neal arrived by her side calming the patient and afterwards telling her "Christa I'm so sorry.".
This wasn't the only memory from this shift. Seeing Neal's father at a loss of things she looked at Lawrence Evans she knew what to do.
Connecting them and seeing the hurt on both faces, including Neal's she knew she did the right thing and his whispered "Thank you!" more than enough reward. Later seeing his relieved face after he found out it indeed was air trapping.
But this wasn't the only memory they shared on Center Stage.
Cutting the wire to the implant in the boy's heart. Neal walked Christa through the procedure. Hoping to get the timing right.
Christa cut the wire as the electricity crackled and she jumped back Mario holding her steady.
"Christa, are you okay?" he worriedly asked. This wasn't planned at all.
One of the most persistent memories was the one as Kelly Rockmann died after a silent heart attack.
"Get the ultrasound." Neal yelled.
"No cardiac motion." She said, and she looked up at Neal. Center stage almost seemed silent.
"Anyone have any suggestions?" he asked and after no one responded he told "Time of death 2:41 A.M."
After this she left, and Neal only could look at Dr. Perello, angry and disappointed. Although it was the right decision a few hours back.
"How couldn't I?" he said after he replayed all these scenes in his head. Some good some bad.
"Come on, there are a few more places I want to see." Christa said taking his hand. Both walked out the ER leaving Center stage behind them. This was indeed a longer walk. Taking the elevator upstairs they walked into one of the OR's.
Also replaying the memory in their head.
After saving Mother, son and daughter at the car crash scene Neal and Christa were in the OR operating on the son, fixing his throat.
"But what you did was an act so brave, and, medically, so impressive, that I'm baffled that you call yourself a mess." He honestly told her both looking at each other. His next words already following "You're a great doctor, Christa. And do yourself a favor... Admit it." She really was a great doctor and he enjoyed working with her.
"This was one hell of a shift." Neal said chuckling.
"The first time you told me I looked beautiful." She said in return smiling up at him. Looking around there was no one so he gave her a quick peck on the lips.
"You were the one asking me to come to bed." He said chuckling, in the end both were laughing at the memory.
"I want to go the Supply Room and then we can head to the locker room." She said both leaving the OR.
This hospital held so many memories. Good ones and bad ones. But this one, would always be their favourite.
Entering the locker rooms all the memories of this moment came flooding back.
"Christa?" Neal asked, he just wanted to take something from the shelve as he saw Christa there.
"Hey" he again said after she didn't react to him. Now she was deciding in between looking at him or not. She did get the feeling if she would be looking at him there wouldn't be anything to hold her back. Neal also knew, if he didn't soon leave there would be something happening which he didn't knew if Christa was okay with.
"Are you okay?" he still asked. He really wanted to leave. Not because he didn't care. He did care, way too much actually.
"I should have fought harder for her" she said finally looking up. He knew this wasn't going to be done fast.
"Don't do this to yourself." He said closing the door. Shaking his head could mean anything. But in this case, he couldn't believe she was doubting her actions.
"No." a break. "I knew something was wrong. I knew it... and I didn't fight for her." She said still sitting.
"You did." He said and now he turned a switch.
"She was my patient." Again, a break which she used to get up.
"My patient... not Perello's, not yours, mine." With every word she spoke her voice got louder. Angry at Perello, angry at herself.
"And I screwed up, and now she doesn't get to go home and tuck her kids in! They don't get to see their mother again! You should have seen the look on her husband's face!" she almost yelled, tears almost striding down her face. She was angry and heartbroken. That's when he knew she needed more comfort than just listening, so he stepped closer. Still not breaking the personal distance.
"It's called a silent heart attack, and it comes with very little warning." He said, which evidently was the wrong thing to say because all hell broke loose.
"I know what a silent heart attack is! I know! But that doesn't mean anything to her family and that doesn't do anything for me!" she fully yelled, and he wondered if anyone was hearing hem outside.
"I know, I know." He said loudly, not yelling but hopefully enough to calm her down.
"I still have to live with the fact that I.." she said, and Neal again started to say, "I know, I know, I know, I know." Not once, not twice. Four times, the last one barely above a whisper as she stopped talking. Meanwhile his right hand found her waist and his forehead found hers and their noses were touching each other. Lightly pressing against each others Christa looked up straight into his eyes. The look she found was full of emotions she couldn't quite assign. Looking back down and then up again she decided what to do.
Closing her eyes, she leaned it. She knew what would happen and she wasn't afraid. This was the last sign Neal needed and he closed the distance. Their lips pressing against each other. Tasting the taste of their lips for the first time Neal's left hand moved up to the side of her neck holding her close for a few seconds. They kissed three more times barely lasting ten seconds his hand travelled sideward on her.
The kiss ending her foreheads again pressed against each other. They stood there for a few more seconds processing what just happened.
They didn't know how exactly this happened nor how they made it out the hospital afterwards. Not even remembering the drive home Christa woke up to the feeling lying beside Neal. Her hand previously lying on his chest moved upwards to the side of his face slowly caressing the hair. That was what woke him up from his slight slumber. Feeling her naked body firmly pressed against his. Opening his eyes, he took her hand and pressed a light kiss against the inside of it. Which send a shiver down her back.
The arm which she laid on automatically finding her shoulder gently rubbing it asking her for "Can't sleep?" which she answered with "not really". His eyes closed for a moment he turned his head from the side to were he know she was looking at the ceiling. "Regrets?" he asked while ever so softly stoking her knuckles.
"Not one" she answered when flashbacks came back as how they stumbled into his apartment kissing.
"You?" she asked as she remembered how they couldn't take their hands off each other.
He didn't answer as she expected. He turned his head to the side again and closing his eyes, as if he waned to savor this moment for forever.
She looked at him and he began talking. "This could get complicated." He said as the flashbacks again both danced in their heads how she bumped her head on one of his wooden poles. Laughing they continued to kiss frantically.
"Why? Because you are management and I am labor?" she asked, their minds playing forward to where Neal's jacked was gone and his shirt was following. Moving further into the room he answered her question.
"People will talk. HR will flip." he answered. Their minds going back to the events where he took off her shirt and both falling onto the bed.
They lay there relaxed as Neal sat up asking if she was hungry and proposing to make something to eat. She answered with "There's no time." With a smut smile on her face. Looking at the clock which read 5.16 am he said, "Of course there is." Not realizing what she planned. Propping up her head on her hand she lied there facing Neal and with the other she lightly caressed his back, lightly scrapping with her Nails.
Looking down he saw her grin and he leaned down kissing her again.
"This was a morning." He said a smile appearing on his face. They still stood there looking at each other. He now cupped her head kissing her. But this kiss was more than any of the ones they shared before. He lied everything he could into this kiss. The love, the sadness, just everything he felt, because this was the last kiss in this room.
"Come on, let's change!" she said after they caught their breath. The locker room was the last place in memory lane. There were memories in there she wanted to forget. To forget discovering Gina Perellos blood and body and the discussion she had with Neal hours before Gina's death.
"I love you!" he said as they entered the locker room. Neal was walking further into the room to get to her locker while Christa's was closer to the door. Changing from her scrubs to normal clothes she put everything in her bag, lastly picking up the orange play truck from her son.
"Mommy is starting a new part. Thanks to you!" she whispered. Neal was finished sooner, so as he walked over to her he heard what she said.
Encircling her waist with his arms he had his head on the same level as she did. Looking at the truck he silently whispered, "Thank you!" which melted Christa's heart.
Putting the truck in her bag she closed her locker for the last time. Turning around she remembered how she saw Gina's blood and how she walked closer shocked with what she saw.
Yelling for "Help" after a few seconds of shock she bend down assessing the wounds. Trying to save her life.
"This was the place where I found Gina." Christa said, reliving the horrid memories again. He felt her shivering and tightened his arms around her.
"You okay?" he asked her after neither of them had said a word.
"I'll be." She said turning around flashing him a smile. "As long as you are here!" she said leaning in to give him a kiss, which he greatly accepted.
"Let's go darling." He whispered and together they left the locker room to walk down the hallway for one last time. Saying Goodbye to passing Doctors and Nurses they knew.
Opening the door to the ER they already saw Leanne, Angus, Malaya, Mario and Ed standing there, waiting.
"I never knew this moment would come. But I have to say goodbye to not only great doctors but also a part of my family." Leanne said. She had feared this moment for some time now, but here he came.
Hugging both she stepped back, letting the others bid their goodbyes. Malaya having tears, as well as Christa.
Promising to visit each other it was Christa and Neal's part to say a few words.
"Thank you." She said, and Neal continued with "for everything." Both meant it. Since starting at this hospital their lives changed, for the better.
Saying goodbye for the last time the couple made their way out of the ER. Turning around one last time they saw everyone winking. Each giving a teary smile they opened the ER doors and left Angels Memorial.