Disclaimer: I don't own ER. An alternate take on 'I Don't', what if Neela arrived with someone other than Gates? I said to myself on my way to work that I wouldn't do an 'I Don't' story, and I've ended up writing one. Slight spoilers for 13.21. This kind of deserves its rating.

You look at yourself in the mirror as you finish getting ready; you're pretty pleased with how you look. You feel his hands wrap themselves around your waist as you hook your second earring through, and you lean your body into his. He looks at you in the mirror, his eyes shining with appreciation 'you don't scrub up too bad, roomie' he pulls away slightly at the look you throw him, 'just kidding' he pushes aside the curls that lie against your neck, and lowers his lips to the spot he's exposed 'you look absolutely' your eyes flicker shut with their first touch 'stunning' and your insides melt with the second. He raises his eyes to meet yours in the mirror and you can see that they're heavy with desire, and you can feel his body responding to yours as you lean further into his embrace.

He turns you in his arms so that you're facing him, and you take in what he's wearing, a dark shirt, open at the collar, a tease of skin on show, and a jacket. You can't remember the last time you saw him in a shirt and jacket. All you can think of is peeling the jacket down his arms, and slowly, tantalisingly, unbuttoning his shirt, trailing your lips across the skin that you expose. You take a second to consider whether there's time; you're meant to be there in an hour, but you're sure there will be drinks and things before the meal, you could get a cab instead of the El as you'd intended, you're sure you won't miss anything important. You reach up and start peeling the jacket down his arms; you register the surprise in his eyes, but you silence his question with your lips.

The jacket is soon lying on the floor, and your hands are playing with the buttons on his shirt, as he tries to unzip your dress. As your fingers expose skin you pull your lips away from his and lower them to his chest. He clears his throat as you flick your tongue across his nipple, and huskily says 'you know we'll be late?' You raise your eyes to his momentarily, 'yes' and then your fingers resume their task, and undo the final buttons. His hand slips inside your dress and he runs his fingers up and down your spine, sending shivers through your body, right down to your toes.

Your dress soon joins his shirt on the floor. Your hands move to his belt buckle, and you slowly remove the leather from the metal. He kicks his trousers off, and for a second you wonder if your clothes will be fit for wearing later, but your thoughts are silenced as he caresses your breasts and adeptly removes your bra.

He pulls away briefly and you see him taking in your stocking clad legs and high heels, and you realise that those two items won't be coming off. Soon they're the only clothes left on either of you. He lifts you so that the silk of your stockings comes into contact with the smooth skin at his waist and presses you against the bathroom wall; all the while his hands are tangling in your hair, his lips teasing your neck. It feels like there are no muscles or bones in your body, his every touch is turning you to liquid, and you feel a moan escape but you still manage to wrap your arms around his neck, your lips meeting his again, and your tongue dances with his in his mouth.

You look at your watch as the cab pulls up at the address, and you register that you're almost an hour late. He grins sheepishly at you when he sees what you're doing. You walk in, hand in hand, both confused about the choice of venue, a deserted warehouse in a less than salubrious part of town. His hands keep wandering to touch you more intimately, and you look at him seductively, promises of later shining in your eyes. You're taken aback as you reach the second floor, it looks like a... 'Victoria's Secrets ad' he finishes your thought. You're directed towards the main room, and just as you're about to enter Hope grabs your arm.

'Where have you been, we've been looking for you for over an hour, Abby needs to talk to you', her words come out like an express train, and you feel your cheeks flush with embarrassment as you look up at him. He wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you closer, as he softly laughs at your expression.

'I don't think you want to know, Hope' you turn your head towards Abby, and you're robbed of your breath. You see her standing in front of you, looking amazing in what looks suspiciously like a wedding dress 'Don't ask' she responds to your quizzical look 'Luka thinks this is the only way he'll get me to marry him! I don't even want to know what you two have been up to' her eyes say differently as they wander across you both; you can see she's taking in the arm wrapped around your waist, the crumpled clothes, the hair that was perfect two hours ago but is now less so, the makeup that you hurriedly tried to repair in the cab, and you know she's jumping to the right conclusion. And that she'll want details later.

'You're just in time, um' and you can see the uncertainty in her eyes as she lifts them to yours 'I was wondering if you would stand up for me?'