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 This may be the last update for about a week because I start school again on Friday! Damn! I got my GCSE's on Tuesday….so glad cos I passed all nine!
Chapter Four: Bubble Baths and Invitations
Neela had been living with Ray for the past month and a half and she was surprised at how much she actually liked it. She had thought that the place would always be a mess and that there was going to be an endless string of 'groupies' in and out the door every morning, and although the place wasn't exactly immaculate, and Ray did have the occasional one night stand that would keep her from sleep, living with Ray was actually turning out to be, well, great.
Both doctors weren't on until the night, and so they were enjoying their days off lounging around the apartment. Neela had gotten up first and had decided that she would use the time to study some of the medical journals which she hadn't read in a while, knowing that it was always a good idea to keep on top of all of the latest techniques and equipment that was being discovered.
Half way through her second article Neela looked up at the sound of Rays bedroom door opening, and couldn't stop the smile that painted her face at how cute he looked. His hair was all ruffled and sticking up in various places, and looked kind of fluffy in Neela's own personal opinion. He was also wearing a big t-shirt and a pair of sweats. Cute? Since when did I think Ray was cute, puppies are cute for God's sake! Well he does have those beautiful, big eyes like a puppy.
Walking over to the couch where his roommate was sitting Ray flopped down beside her, close enough so that Neela could smell his spicy scent, and she couldn't stop herself from pulling a breath in. Deciding that she had read enough Neela closed the journal which she was reading, marking her place, and then turned to Ray.
'I phoned the landlord and he said that the elevator should be fixed by days end'
Clapping his hands together Ray turned to Neela and gave her his trademark smile, the one that lit up his eyes and said,
'I love you'
Feeling the blush that crept up her cheeks Neela quickly stood and went to the kitchen, saying as she went,
'You want coffee?'
From his place on the sofa Ray shouted, 'Yes', and stared at the back of his roommate, wondering what was up with her strange reaction. That's women for you!
In the kitchen Neela let the smile light up her face, knowing that Ray couldn't see her as she thought,
Why am I getting on like a school girl? He said it in a joke…but it was SWEET!
Bringing the cups of coffee over, Neela sat beside Ray, and took a sip from her coffee, testing it to make sure it wasn't too warm.
'Thanks' Ray said as Neela handed him his cup, just the way he liked it, no milk and one sugar.
After drinking her coffee Neela stood up and made her way to the bathroom, realizing that she only had about two hours to get ready for work. Running the bath Neela poured in a generous blob of her favorite bubble bath and changed out of her pajamas and into her dressing gown as she waited for the tub to fill. Stepping into the water, Neela felt the feeling of relaxation washing over her. That however was short lived when her eye spotted what was on the wall beside the bath.
Ray was still sitting on the sofa, only now he was watching an old horror movie, the type that were so cheesy they could be played in the middle of the day because they couldn't even scare a fly. Just as the villain was creeping down the dark hall, about to open the door to the room which the girl was in, Ray heard a shrill scream coming from the bathroom, and he felt his heart jump into his throat at the sound.
Jumping up from his seat, Ray jumped over the back of the sofa, and ran to the bathroom, swinging the door open and running in, not caring what Neela would think, she had just been screaming for God's sake. Skidding to a halt Ray was shocked to see Neela, her hair soaking wet and wrapped in her dressing gown, her eyes fixed on the wall.
'What is it, what happened?' Ray asked, grabbing Neelas arm so that she would look at him.
'There…Ray!' Neela shouted, her finger pointed at the wall which she had just been staring at.
Turning his head, Ray couldn't stop the laugh that ripped from his throat when he saw that the thing on the wall was only a small black spider, no bigger than a dime.
'It's not funny Ray, it could have diseases. Now will you kill it, please' Neela asked, wanting to finish getting ready for work, but not wanting to stay in the bathroom as long as the spider was still alive.
Nodding his head, Ray walked over and grabbed a bit of toilet paper, and walked back beside Neela, wondering how the hell he was supposed to kill it without falling into the bath. If it wasn't so high up the wall it wouldn't be a problem.
'I just hope I don't fall in…I'm more of a shower kind of guy' Ray joked as he leaned forward, as Neela unconsciously grabbed the back of his t-shirt, her mind trying not to think about what Ray had just said, I'm more of a shower kind of guy.
Just as he was about to squish the little spider that had been the centre of all of the drama, Ray's foot slipped on the large puddle of water that had formed outside of the tub from when Neela had jumped out, and he couldn't stop himself as he toppled head first into the bath, Neela falling in behind him.
Both jumped up from under the water, Ray rubbing the soap from his eyes as he said,
'If you wanted a bath with me, why didn't you just ask?'
Before he knew what had happened, Neela grabbed Rays ankle, pulling him back under the water and laughed as he shot back up, spluttering.
'You are so dead!' Ray said with a smile before lashing a handful of water at Neela.
It was an hour after the spider incident and Neela was finishing drying her hair while Ray was getting showered, after saying that a dip in the tub wasn't enough.
Realizing that she had left her make-up bag in the kitchen Neela opened the door to her room and seen it lying on the table. Grabbing it Neela turned around to go back to her room, and stopped dead in her tracks when she seen Ray, who was wearing only a towel, which was very low on his hips.
'Left my clothes in my room' Ray said as an explanation before walking into his room and closing the door behind him, smiling to himself as the look on Neela's face. She's cute when she's embarrassed. Ray thought before rummaging through a pile of clothes, trying to find something clean to wear.
Snapping out of her trance, Neela made her way back to her room to finish getting ready.
Both doctors made their way into the lounge, Ray pulling his hoodie over his head, giving Neela a glance at the slightly tanned skin on his flat stomach and back. Pulling his lab coat on Ray left the lounge, saying a quick, 'Hello', to Abby who was just entering the lounge, her shift over.
'Hey Neela, you just on?' Abby asked her friend as she went to her own locker and swapped her white lab coat for her own black winter coat.
'Yeah, had this morning off' Neela said with a smile, remembering the fun that she had shared with Ray.
Abby noticed the smile too, and sat on the couch as Neela made a pot of coffee.
'Oh. How was your morning off then, anything interesting happen?' Abby said with a sly grin, knowing that something must have happened.
Neela sat beside her friend and proceeded to tell her about the spider and her and Ray falling into the bath together. However, she left out the part about her being rendered speechless by the sight of Ray in a towel, knowing that Abby would just start being Abby, trying to see something that isn't there.
'I can't believe that you and Ray ended up in the bath. That I would have loved to see!' Abby laughed, picturing Ray and Neela falling head first into the pile of bubbles.
Standing up, Neela turned to Abby and said,
'Well, tough. Anyway I have to go and work. See you tomorrow'
Abby was about to leave the lounge when she seen Michael Gallant walk around from the back, jumping in surprise.
'Michael, I didn't see you there. Goodnight' Abby said before leaving the lounge.
Walking over to his locker, Michael punched it, muttering under his breath.
'That punk better stop trying to make a move on Neela, or he will be sorry'
It was the end of their shifts and both Neela and Ray were standing in the lounge, getting ready to go home.
'That was one crappy day' commented Ray as he shoved his lab coat into the locker and pulled his grey sweatshirt back on over his head.
'I know, I swore this day was never going to end' replied Neela as she pulled on her coat and made her way to the lounge door, Ray following close behind. As both doctors passed the admit they said a quick 'Goodnight' to Gerry and Frank and made there way out into the cold Chicago air.
Feeling the cold hit him, Ray shivered, receiving a weird look from Neela.
'What, what I do?' Ray asked, puzzled at the look she was giving him.
Shaking her head, Neela linked her arm in Rays, feeling quite bold and said in a joking voice,
'Big, bad, Barnett can't handle the cold.' She said with a laugh.
Playfully pushing Neela, Ray turned his head towards her as he said,
'No, but I know what you would be afraid of' Ray said, a smirk on his face.
Wondering what exactly it was her roommate was going on about Neela asked,
'And what exactly would that be?' a smirk covering her own face, am I flirting with Ray!
'Going to one of my gigs. All those scary people there' Ray said in a baby voice, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
'No I'm not. When's you're next gig and I'll go?' Neela couldn't stop the smile on her face at Ray's look of shock.
'Friday night at eleven' Ray said, not believing that Neela was going to go to one of his shows. I thought she was more into classical music.
'O.K, we'll see who's scared on Friday then shall we?'
Both doctors laughed as they made there way to the EL, wanting to get home and into the warmth.
A/N Hoped that you liked this chapter, and don't worry not too long now! Please review and tell me what you think!