A/N A small one-shot, that is set about three or four months after my story "Perfect" and, shock horror, it is from neither Ray nor Neela's PoV! Can you believe it? I can't...

It was vaguely inspired (as much as Perfect was inspired by My Perfect Cousin) by See The Day, by Girls Aloud -I have a suspicion that this is a cover but I don't know who sang the original!

Not So Perfect

"Hey," my boyfriend, Ray, said, coming up to me and kissing me on the cheek. I was sitting in a small café, where we'd planned to meet half an hour ago. "Sorry I'm late. It's just there was this..."

"A patient, I know," I said, with a smile. I loved the way he was so good with his patients. I thought it would bother me that I didn't seem to come first with him, but it didn't. I just loved him being so... sincere and... Well, I loved him I guess. We'd only been seeing each other about two months, but I was pretty sure I loved him. I couldn't help it. He was wonderful. It seemed he was my perfect partner.

He looked at me and gave me his signature smile, it was small and sad. I wished he would tell me what had made his smile so sad, but he hardly talked. He would never tell me about... anything. He had only said that he used to live in Chicago, and that was all. Whenever I mentioned his past he would grow quiet.

"Jilly... I..." I frowned at is serious tone.

"What is it?"

"I... I'm leaving."

"You're what?"

"I'm leaving town. I'm leaving America."

My eyes grew wide and I couldn't say anything. How could he be leaving, he'd only just moved here! And as for leaving America... he had to be joking. He could be a joker, sometimes. "You're joking right?"

"No, I... I was talking to someone I used to work with. A doctor. He went out to Africa a few years ago, but we still exchange the odd e-mail or letter. But recently I've felt that maybe I could do more good over there."

"Is it me? Because if you want to break up with me you can just tell me, you don't have to lie!" I spat it out, angrily. I loved this guy, and he was... leaving?

"Jilly, you have nothing to do with my decision, I just... I moved away from Chicago to get a perspective on some things, and that isn't happening here. I'm sorry, but I feel I should be somewhere where I'm needed."

It was ironic, but now that he was breaking up with me I was learning more about his reasons for leaving Chicago. I couldn't help but wonder at the things he'd wanted to put into perspective as I walked away from the café Was it his job? Or family? Or a girl maybe.

A week later I was at the airport with him. I wasn't sure how he'd persuaded me to go, but he was almost impossible to say no to. He said he didn't want to end it on a bad note. The pain in his voice made me go, I think. I'm pretty sure it was that.

I couldn't help be angry that there was only a week between us splitting up and him leaving, it meant that he had most likely been organising his "trip" when we were together. That didn't feel nice. However, he was. He was a great guy, sweet, kind, funny... I was going to miss him.

"It's been short and sweet," I said, giving him a hug at the gate. "I really... I really liked you Ray Barnett."

"I liked you too. Thank you for... showing me around. And everything." He gave me a small smile and then slung his rucksack onto his back. He bent down and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Bye."

"Bye Ray... maybe I'll see you around when you get back."

He gave a wink, "Maybe you will."

Dear Carter,

You're right, things aren't working out here. How did you guess? Am I really that obvious?

Anyway, I've decided to take you up on your offer. I think that it would be good for me. It will definitely put things into perspective, if you, Pratt and Luka's stories are anything to go by, and I'm sure it's even worse than that. It will help me realise that my own problems aren't so bad. I hope.

Thank you for your advice, and I'll see you in Darfur soon. Just a few things to sort out here, and then I'll be on the next plane out.

Ray

A/N This was basically to... I'm not sure, just show that Ray doesn't seem to be finding himself even though he's left. He's roaming... but should he be? Lol, we all know where he should be, but I hope you'll read the sequal to find out when he realises it!