Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own anything.

Author's Note: Firstly, I want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed. Secondly, I'm not at all happy with how this chapter came out but I have to leave it like this for how I want to continue with the next chapter...


The Roomies: A Soundtrack Of Despair

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Ray: Chapter 2

You were no angel

and I was no sin

Somehow I can't let it go

can't let it go

- 'I Can't Let Go' - Goo Goo Dolls

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26 hours earlier

"Hey, Ray." a familiar voice said, as he picked up the phone.

He frowned.

"Abby!? What --- How did you know I was here?"

"Katey told me, listen this isn't a social ca ---" she began, but he interrupted.

"Katey told you!? How --- What did she tell you, Abby?"

Abby let out a frustrated sigh.

"Nothing, okay! I asked her if she knew where you were, and she bluntly told me that you'd gotten some time off and were visiting your mother, why are you so uppity about it, anyway?" Abby asked, curiously.

'Thank God,' Ray thought feeling relieved.

"Uh, no --- no reason ---"

"Okkayyy, but Ray, that's not the point, something --- something's happened..." her voice trailed off and Ray instantly felt himself tense. Something was wrong...

"What is it, Abby? What happened?" he asked, urgently.

"There's been an --- an accident..."

Suddenly everything made sense. The reason behind her call, the urgency in her tone, there was only one possible --- He felt his world beginning to collapse.

"It's Neela, isn't it?" he whispered, coming out as more of a statement then a question.

Abby sighed.

"Yeah, honey --- there was a peace rally" and from then on all he heard was incoherent words, "...Iraq...she went...stampede...severely injured...coma..." Abby stopped, taking a deep breath before continuing,

"She hasn't woken up as yet, Ray but I really know that she'd like to see you if --- when she wakes up...I know I haven't been as good as a friend as I should have been for of you over the past months...and I don't know what's happened between the both of you but I do know something's happened...but whatever it is...I was hoping you could just push it aside for --- for now just until she ---"

He interrupted.

"I'll be there, Abby."


And he was there. He had travelled here without a single doubt in his mind, that he shouldn't be. He had been ready to be there as soon as she had said the words 'Neela' and 'accident' but now as he was outside her room door he wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe he should rethink this... but it seemed that he was on auto pilot as his arm reached out and gave two forceful knocks on the door.

He gulped nervously as he heard footsteps, followed by Abby peeking out, followed by a relieved smile and then a horrified look as she took in his legs --- or lack of them, in his case. She opened the door, slowly inch by inch, and he felt himself ageing about ten years with each passing moment.

"Hey," he finally said, weakly.

"Oh my...Ray..." she whispered, tears pricking in her eyes.

And lastly a barely audible third voice spoke,

"Ray!"


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