Title: Happiness Is a Road Traveled
Author: DockRock06
Rating: M
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Spoilers: None. This story is AU
Content Warning: None yet
Summery: What if Gallant hadn't went to Iraq, but stayed in Chicago instead. What if he was the other link of the love triangle for the roomies? AU set in season 11. Will be a REELA.
A/N Neela and Abby do still live with each other in this story…well for now anyway! And I also have Ray living in the hospital for the start of the story like he did on the show. I don't think anybody has ever written something to show why Ray was living in the hospital and so I thought that I would. I also know that Michael may seem OOC, but I need him to be for my story!
Chapter 2: First Date...Only Date?
Ray Barnett woke up, hearing a constant buzzing, and reached his hand over to slam the 'Off' button on the alarm of his phone. Turning onto his back again, Ray yawned, mentally telling himself to get his damn ass out of the bed before one of the nurses came in and wondered why the hell he had been sleeping at the hospital. He didn't think that, my friend went back to rehab and so I couldn't keep up with the rent, would really go down well.
Swinging his legs to the side of the bed, Ray sat up and ran his hand through his hair, ending on the base of his neck which he began to rub in order to get the crick out of his neck which was there after sleeping on one of the most uncomfortable beds ever. Ray wondered if they made them that way on purpose or where they just that stupid that they didn't know that a bed that felt as if you were lying on top of bricks wasn't comfortable.
Pushing his musings out of his head, Ray stood up and stretched, trying to ease his muscles from there cramped state. Moving round to the other side of the bed Ray picked up the bag of clothes that he had with him and swung it over his shoulder and made his way to the door, checking that no one seen him coming out of the room in case they questioned the fact that he was in there at 5.30 in the morning.
Walking down the empty hall, Ray walked into the room where the staff showers where and quickly turned one on. Reaching into his bag he pulled out all the stuff he would need for his shower, like his spicy smelling soap, not really wanting to smell like hospital soap all day unless he had to. Getting showered quickly Ray stepped out and dried off just as quick and began to put his clothes on. Today, however, he wasn't dressed in a shirt and tie like the rest of the other male doctors, no, that just wasn't Raymond Elijah Barnett's style was. He was a creature of comfort and had only got all traditional the day before so as to make a good first impression, one thing which his parents had always taught him was important.
Today Ray was wearing a pair of slightly faded blue jeans, which had small rips in the knees from Ray's very out-going life style. They were accompanied with a sleeve-less t-shirt with a band logo on it, a t-shirt which perfectly showed off his panther tattoo which painted the bicep of his left arm.
Along with the cuffs and gelled up hair which Ray now had, he didn't look like a doctor, but instead he looked like the musician that he was in his spare time, the other thing which Ray was passionate about in his life. He knew that the two were an odd mix, mainly because many people didn't believe him when he told them he was a doctor or vice versa, but he didn't care, because it made him happy and feel like he was making a difference in both ways. Sure being a doctor was more hands on, but his music helped people too, songs about heartache and regret, they usually helped cheer some poor soul up, or at least get him and the band some 'fun'.
Stuffing his bag in his locker in the lounge and grabbing his white lab coat, which had, 'Raymond Barnett M.D' stitched onto it, Ray casually made his way to the admit desk for rounds.
Neela Rasgotra had just made her way into the E.R and was chatting away to Abby who was starting at the same time and so the two had just gotten the E.L together. As both women walked through the doors and made their way over to the admit where some of the staff was gathered for morning rounds, Neela and Abby where both shocked when they seen the difference in the appearance of the man whom they had met just yesterday. Neela couldn't believe her eyes. Yesterday Ray had looked so neat and proper and today he looked as though he should be standing in a mosh pit somewhere.
'Hey, Bon Jovi, nice hair' joked Abby as she came to rest beside Ray at the admit desk, and was surprised when he just smiled at her and said,
'Same to you Lockhart' Abby just playfully punched him in the arm and Neela didn't know why but she felt a little jealous that she wasn't the one who Ray was messing with and flirting with.
Walking over to the admit desk John Carter casted a curious look at Ray, thinking the same as everyone else about the young doctors appearance, and then began to speak,
'O.K, what have we got…' and as Carter listed off the various injuries and aliments that were on the board, handing charts out to interns and residents alike, Neela couldn't take her eyes off of Ray. She wasn't usually the type of girl who went for spiked up hair and ripped jeans, but it was just something about the way the clothes fitted Ray, showing off his perfect body, that made Neela find him very attractive. She wondered what it would be like to go out with someone who was so confident and sexy and…she was snapped out of her daydream when she felt a chart being thrust into her hands and quickly made her way to exam three, hoping that no one had noticed her so clearly checking Ray out.
Michael had been standing at admit, and had noticed that Neela was looking over at that rock star wanna be pretty boy, what was his name, Ray. He didn't usually get jealous, but he had never been looked at like that by Neela and she was his friend! She didn't even know this guy and she was practically drooling all over the floor at the sight of him.
Taking the chart that was handed to him, Michael just had to keep reminding himself that Neela was going on a date with him tonight, not Ray.
Ray looked down at the chart that had been handed to him and smiled when he saw that it was a woman in her thirties. He knew that there had to be a perk to being a doctor, and this was it. Getting to meet beautiful women all day long…and save lives of course.
After finishing with the woman, and getting her number which was now stuffed into the back jeans of his pocket, Ray made his way over to the admit desk, in search of another case. As he was flicking through the pile of charts he heard someone calling his name, and looked up to see none other than Doctor Weaver.
'Hello Dr. Weaver, something I can help you with' Ray said in his most charming voice, knowing that it was always a good idea to be nice to the boss.
'Yes, Doctor Barnett. Come here so I can talk to you for a minute.' Kerry said in a commanding tone, sounded a little agitated Ray thought. Stepping round the counter Ray followed Kerry down to the nurse's desk, where Carter was sitting on the other side, filling out charts, and looked up when he saw the two approach.
'I want to talk to you about the patients…and you're dress code'
Ray nodded his head in response, knowing exactly where this was going. He had gotten this lecture dozens of times in jobs he had growing up, not that it had really made him to anything to change the way he looked or dressed.
'I think that maybe the patients will find it a little, uncomfortable' Kerry said, trying to get her point across.
'Do you mean patients, or the other Doctors?' Ray questioned with a smile, knowing exactly what she meant.
'Both' answered Kerry,
'What is it, the hair, tattoos, the jewelry?' Ray questioned, wondering which part of his image was what made people, 'uncomfortable'
'It's the whole package' Kerry answered, now a slight smile of her own covering her face.
'Well I'll talk to my band and see if I can pull it back a little' Ray said before walking off and back to the admit, but not before he heard Kerry calling him, the lovechild of Ozzy Osborne, and he had to smile at that one. He'd been called many things, that one wasn't so bad.
Walking into the lounge Neela walked over to the fridge and pulled out a cool bottle of water, tossing one to Abby who was sitting on the couch. Walking over to sit beside her friend, Neela opened the bottle and took a long gulp, glad for the refreshment.
'So did you see Ray today?' Abby asked, talking like a school girl.
'Yes Abby, I was there' Neela answered her friend, trying to sound nonchalant, because she knew where this conversation was heading.
'I mean, talk about looks, that guy is lethal!' Abby exclaimed, 'Maybe a bit young for me, don't want to rock the cradle you know?' Abby joked.
'What! You are not that old Abby' Neela protested, Abby was talking as if she were an old woman.
'Yeah but he's just a baby. He could be no more than 25' Abby said, internally happy that her friend hadn't agreed with her age comment.
'I know, he makes me feel old, I'm 29!' Neela laughed, soon followed by Abby.
The pair where interrupted however when the door to the lounge opened by none other than Ray Barnett.
'Morning Ladies' Ray said, smiling at the two women as she stopped there laughing and he went to his locker, opening the door and rooting around inside.
Neela couldn't help herself from staring at Ray, the way he had an odd look of concentration on his face as he fished something out of his locker and looked and it, obviously not the thing he had been intending on getting. She had to stop herself from pulling in a sharp breath however whenever he leaned down to the bottom of the locker to root around in the bag, showing off one of his assets.
Neela felt Abby nudge her in the side and lean into her ear and whisper,
'Cute ass'
Neela couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her throat at the fact that Abby had said that when he was standing only a few feet away, and was flustered when Ray spun around and looked at her with a lopsided grin,
'Something funny, Rasgotra' Ray said, his eyebrow raised as he shoved his cell phone in his pocket, the item which he had 'misplaced' in his locker.
'What…no, just remembered something I did, but it's not funny'
Ray slowly nodded before leaving the room again.
'I can't believe you said that when he was standing right there' Neela said, pointing her finger to the spot which Ray had just been occupying.
'Why, it's true. He has a cute ass' Abby said as if what she done wasn't the slightest bit embarrassing.
Neela was standing outside the restaurant, waiting on Michael for their date. She was wearing a simple black dress and had her hair in loose curls. Seeing Michael making his way up the path, dressed in a suit Neela smiled at him.
'Hi Neela, you look beautiful' Said Michael as he opened the door for Neela.
'Thank you, you look lovely yourself.'
Both where seated and had just began to eat there meal when Michael turned to Neela and said,
'Did you see that Ray guy today, I mean does he think that this is a rock concert?'
Neela couldn't push down the slight feeling of anger in her stomach, but she didn't know why. She like Ray, yes, but she didn't think that someone saying something mean about him would cause this sort of reaction in her; she had only known him for two days!
'He's just wearing what he always wears Michael, there's no crime in that' Neela said, matter-of-factly.
Michael couldn't believe the fact that Neela had just sat there and defended him like that, I mean the guy was probably a druggie or something, he shouldn't be a doctor, it wasn't right.
'Yeah, well, that's not what some people will think. I mean I heard he's in a band. I you know what musicians are like' Michael said with a small laugh, thinking Neela would find it funny. Not getting a reply Michael looked up and saw Neela looking at him, her face set in that of anger,
'No Michael, I don't, so why don't you tell me?' Neela said, trying to keep her control on her temper.
'You know…drugs and stuff' Michael said quietly, silently scared at what Neela might say.
'You're calling Ray a drug user and you don't even know him!' Neela said exasperated. She couldn't believe how jealous Michael seemed of Ray. That was the only reason she could see for him to be saying all of these things, jealous of the fact that Ray had come into the E.R and most of the staff had liked him instantly, something most staff members rarely had happen to them. Most people had to be there for a while before people started to truly like you, but with Ray there had just been something about him.
Michael opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off when Neela put her hand up and said to him,
'I think I'm going to go home. I don't want to sit here and listen to you rip the back out of Ray when he did nothing wrong'
Standing up, Michael grabbed Neelas wrist, halting her movements and said,
'I know, but let me take you home, it's late' Michael offered with pleading eyes.
Neela nodded her head, but she walked ahead of him, just slightly to show that she had not forgiven him for what he had said.
The ride home in the Michaels car was a quiet one, neither knowing what to say. Neela knew that Michael wasn't normally a jealous person, but tonight she had seen a different side of him, one she wasn't sure she liked.
As the car pulled up to the curb outside Abby's apartment, Neela went to open the door but felt Michaels hand on her arm. Turning back to look at him she seen the guilt in his eyes as he said,
'I'm really sorry for tonight Neela. I was hoping that maybe we could give it one more shot?' Michael said it more as a question than a statement, his eyes showing hope as he waited for Neela's reply.
'I do forgive you Michael, but I think that it would be better if we stayed friends, it was nice like that' Neela answered, hoping that she didn't sound patronizing.
Michael tried to cover the hurt and anger which he was sure was reflected in his eyes as he said,
'If that's what you want, then I want that to. I'll see you at work, goodnight'
'Goodnight' Neela said before stepping out of the car and making her way to the apartment. Reaching the door she pulled out the key and slid it into the lock, hoping that Abby was still up. She really needed some 'girl time' at that moment, and her and Abby and a tub of Ben and Jerry's seemed the best way to spend the ruined night.
'You're back early, what happened?' Questioned Abby, who was sitting on the sofa watching T.V.
Walking over to sit beside Abby and taking her shoes off, Neela replied,
'Let's just say it didn't turn out quite how I thought' Neela turned and looked at Abby, who was now giving Neela her full attention, her nosiness getting the better of her,
'Do tell' Abby asked as she walked to the fridge and pulled out the tub of ice cream, having the same idea as Neela.
'Well it started out fine, great actually. We got there and were making small talk. But when we started dinner he started to rip into Ray. I never know that Michael could be so' Neela left the sentence hanging, not really knowing how to finish that sentence.
'Why what did he say?' Abby was curious now, it must have been bad to have ruined the date.
'He started off by making fun of the way he dresses, saying that Ray was just a 'wanna be rock star' and then he implied that Ray was some sort of drug user'
Neela looked at Abby face, which was a picture of absolute disbelief.
'He actually said that. I didn't think that Michael was the vindictive type. He also seems so kind'
'And he usually is. I told him that we should just stick to being friends and he agreed.'
As Neela reached over and lifted two spoons, handing one to Abby, she said,
'Now, how about that ice –cream!'
Well there you go, a nice long chapter two! I know that Michael seems OCC but he has to be for my story. Please review and let me know your thoughts.