A/N: Thanks to the reviewers again. I really enjoy reading your opinions and what not. I came to realize that this story will be a little bit lengthy, but if you guys are willing to stick with it, then I am willing to post it. It's up to you. What do you think? I also promise that the next chapter will have some happy, comical stuff in it. This one gets a little angsty at the end.


Morning brought the pleasant feeling of the warmth of another person beside her. Upon opening her eyes, she was greeted with a sight she would much rather wake up to every morning-Ray still asleep beside her. She sighed contentedly, stretching some as she listened to his rhythmic breathing for signs of any problems. Nothing like the mess he had been yesterday.

She was about to close her eyes again when she caught sight of the time on the nearby clock. 7:00 a.m. She was supposed to start her shift here at six. Bloody, bloody hell. Neela slid out of the bed as quietly as she could and was rushing out of the room as Abby was coming in. They nearly collided, but Abby threw up her hands to stop them from hitting.

"Whoa, Neela, slow down," her friend advised.

"Abby!" Neela hissed loudly.

Ray stirred at the commotion, but as two pairs of eyes fixed on him, he merely rolled onto his back and slept on.

"I'm late. Why didn't you wake me?" Neela demanded in a whisper.

Abby kept her hands up in defense. "Take it easy. I got you covered. Luka said Ray had a rough night and you stayed with him so I thought it was best to let you stay. I took your shift."

Neela felt herself calming and regretted snapping at her friend instantly. Looking down at the clipboard that Neela knew contained Ray's medical information, Abby continued to speak.

"Besides, he's going to be released today so I figured you should be there to help him out a little."

Her friend had just done her a huge favor. Neela looked sheepish. "Sorry about the…" She trailed off, looking more embarrassed with each passing moment. Abby squeezed her shoulder to let her know she was forgiven before moving past her to Ray's bed. Neela reached up to smooth her hair, wondering how badly she looked, straightening, and tugging at the wrinkled scrubs.

Ray only awoke as Abby came to his side to check how he was doing. When she checked the binding on his ribs, he hissed sharply in pain even though she only applied small amounts of pressure. Neela watched as his eyes wandered to where she had slept last night before looking up for her once he realized she wasn't there. Neela came closer to them as Abby scribbled her signature on the papers she was holding.

"I'm signing your release, Ray," the blond doctor spoke up, fixing him with a stern look. "I advise taking it easy for a couple of weeks. No crazy band concerts or parties with groupies."

Ray groaned as he slid himself up into a sitting position. Abby hooked an arm under his to help him. "You're having too much fun with this, Lockhart. I'm in serious pain here," he moaned as Abby slid her arm around his back to support him to his feet. Neela held back from hurrying over to help him as well. There was no need for him to feel smothered.

"That's why I wrote a prescription out for you as well. You know how it all goes." Abby pulled the slip from the clipboard and handed it to Neela, who tucked it into her pocket for later.

"I hope you're not going to make me use a wheelchair," Ray commented as he finally was steady on his feet. Abby pursed her lips, mentally debating against hospital rules in her head.

"I suppose we can skip that rule as long as Neela helps you. I brought you some clothes too. You can get changed before you leave." Abby threw a bundle to him of some clothes she had found in his locker.

It took some time, but when he finally emerged from getting changed, Neela held out an arm to him with a small smile, and he slid his arm through hers with a grin of his own.

They made their way through the chaotic hospital. Many of the staff stopped to ask Ray how he was doing and looking sympathetic.

"How do you feel?" Neela asked once they exited the hospital.

Ray attempted to draw in a deep breath of fresh air, but his ribs prevented him, sending waves of pain up his body. "A lot better then yesterday, but definitely not up to those parties Abby was talking about."

That was surprising coming from his mouth. Neela felt him squeeze her arm tighter when the step down from the sidewalk jostled his ribs.

"Do you need to go slower?" she asked in concern. He opened his eyes from clenching them shut and shook his head.

"I'm fine."

She changed the subject as they approached her car. "I was thinking about ordering that lunch we missed yesterday and watching a movie-your choice." Neela opened the passenger side door for Ray.

"My choice?" His charming smirk was back as he mulled over that while Neela went around to the driver's side door. "I got a good one then."

"As good as the last one?" she asked as she buckled her seatbelt. In truth, she didn't like horror movies like he did, but she tolerated them because he insisted they were good.

"Not quite, but definitely a classic."

The car roared to life and they pulled away from the hospital and headed toward their shared apartment.

**************************************

The horror movies, she admitted, were growing on her, and the Chinese food they had delivered to their apartment was extremely delicious. The only thing ruining their afternoon was that she could tell Ray was in pain. He was shifting more often from his position on the couch, and his face would crease up briefly before relaxing. He couldn't seem to get comfortable.

"How about some pillows?" she offered while grabbing them from the back of the couch. He helped her place them around him until he felt boxed him, and his every move was cushioned. The ache lessened under the feathery support.

"You're just trying to distract yourself from the movie," he joked softly as she made herself comfortable beside him.

"This so does not scare me."

"Sure, it doesn't," he agreed with sarcasm.

Neela took a sip from her coke before lifting Ray's own drink to him as well to spare him from having to reach for it. He felt like a child. She was doing practically everything for him, opening doors, reaching for stuff, driving, making him comfortable, worrying. Soon, she would be insisting on helping him shower and change clothes. Then again, if she joined him in the shower, it wouldn't be quite so bad. He had struggled with his shirt when he had changed in the hospital, but pride kept him from letting her help them. Right now, it was flaring back up again as she leaned forward to sit the glass back down for him. The only thing that kept him from snapping from embarrassment, and possibly yelling at her, was her calm attitude towards it. She acted as if nothing was wrong or as if she wanted to do everything. Maybe she did.

"Why did I ever let you pick?" Neela groaned, covering her eyes. She jumped several times in the next few minutes, proving her earlier statement about being not scared to be false. He chuckled every time she made startled noises, and she glared at him, feigning anger.

Her anger faded abruptly however when violent coughs ripped through Ray's body, wracking his entire frame. He leaned forward, grimacing in pain, with one hand clutching his shirt over his chest. Each cough put pressure on his tender ribs and he had to blink tears away.

"Don't panic. Deep breaths," Neela instructed, leaning forward with him for a moment before springing into action. In a flash, she got a bottle of water and brought it back for him. The movie was ignored as she listened to him gasp in breaths between fits even though he knew he had to stay calm.

"Deep breath," she repeated before raising the bottle to his lips, tipping it for him. He tried to reach up and hold it, but his hands shook badly so she helped him steady it. "Small sips."

The water soothed his throat, and the fit was stopping, leaving only the damn inferior feeling behind. He sat gingerly on the edge of the couch for a few more moments to make sure he was really in control, and Neela held the water close in case he wanted it. Ray avoided her eyes, feeling his face flush as he traced the carpet with his eyes. He hated being sick and hated being helpless even more. Neela said nothing, simply waiting to see if he was okay or not.

"Thanks," he replied with an apology as well. "I think I ruined the best part of the movie for you."

"Like that's more important to me," Neela replied as she resituated the pillows for him. He sank back into them wearily. "You should be resting. You're exhausted," she added, looking guilty. She had insisted that he have lunch with her and watch a movie. She should had let him come home and sleep some more.

For once, he didn't make any comment as she studied him. The shadows under his eyes, that were present before the accident, looked darker. He offered her what she supposed was a reassuring smile, but it came across strained.

"Damn you, Barnett, don't you dare say you are fine," she said with a frown and more harshly then she meant. He was so obviously not fine that it was painful to see. Ray's smile faltered when he realized she wasn't convinced. To her, it seemed as whatever had been shadowing him before the accident had come back to haunt him. It started to clear from his expression as fast as it came though and he tore his eyes from hers to return to the forgotten movie.

Neela was torn between pursuing what had been bothering him and not.

She wanted to shut the movie off and demand that he spill his guts, but she knew she couldn't. To push him that way would probably be pushing their friendship.

Neela looked up in surprise and with question as he suddenly stood and began to walk away. "Ray?"

As soon as Ray stood, he felt disoriented; his head was pounding to the point where the room was spinning. Tears were beginning to build in his eyes for a reason he didn't know, and he managed to trip over his own two feet. His ribs protested the rough treatment to the point where his physical pain overrode his mental anguish. Somewhere in the back of his mind there was a voice whispering that he shouldn't be stressing his body out this way. He had been in a car accident only yesterday.

He managed to catch himself on the wall when he tripped and held still, trying to will the black spots in front of his eyes to disappear. Somehow, Neela seemed to know what was wrong, and before he knew it, her worried face swam in front of his tear blurred eyes.

"Sit down, put your head down," she was ordering gently, her caring hands were touching his face and pressing his head down. A shuddering breath left him as he used the wall to guide him down to sit on the floor. She followed him down, but never once tried to make him talk. He scrubbed uselessly at his face to try and stop the tears before she pulled at him until he was close enough to get her arms around him. He found himself burying his face into the junction of her neck and shoulder, and letting her lull him into silence.

Neither of them brought up the incident again.


TBC.