Sorry that's its been a while but I was working on this to try and get it right to fit with the chapters to come…a reminder to all this is set at the START of season 12 and is a bit AU and OOC for some of the characters, but I'm sure that reading you will be able to guess who. I have a few original characters but not many, so far only Rays father but there may be more later on.

Disclaimer: we all know its not mine so must we rub it in?


CHAPTER 8: The Morning After

It was the middle of the night and Neela woke to find that she was alone in the bed and that the lamp in the living room was on. She looked to the alarm clock on Ray's bedside table as it flashed 2:30am in the morning. Throwing the blanket off she carefully padded to the living room were she saw Ray staring out the window into the Chicago night, completely oblivious to the fact that she was watching him.

Walking over making sure not to startle him she picked up the blanket on the back of the couch as she passed, suddenly noticing how cold it was, the weather fitting to the mood which she was sure Ray was feeling right at that very moment.

Neela walked up behind Ray and wrapped both herself and the warm blanket around him, noticing how Ray was nearly as cold as the room.

'Sorry, didn't mean to scare you' Neela apologised when she felt Ray give a slight jump when she touched him, but he quickly settled back down, leaning against her as if she was the only thing in the world.

'Nah it's alright' Ray let out a yawn but knew that he wouldn't be sleeping any time soon as he closed his eyes at the memories that kept flooding back to him, ones that he had forgotten and wished that they had of stayed that way. Neela noticed him yawn but guessed the exact reason as to why he wasn't sleeping, after hearing his story, she could barely sleep herself, she didn't want to imagine what it must feel like if those memories are your own.

'Do you wanna come back to bed, it's warmer in their or we could just stay out here if you want' she didn't want to be too pushy, knowing that he was obviously not in the mood for one of her moods at the moment.

'I do want to go to sleep, I just cant' Ray started to stand and Neela let go of him and watched him as he flopped down onto the couch and put his head in his hands.

'I cant believe that this is happening now…I mean…I don't know what I mean'

Neela walked over and sat beside with her arm and the blanket around him, for the second time that night, not that she minded because she knew that he needed a friend at that moment.

'Well maybe tomorrow you could go talk to Abby or somebody?

Ray's head shot up and he turned to look at Neela with pleading eyes

'No, please just promise me that you won't tell anybody…I mean no offence but I didn't really want you to know, well I actually didn't want anybody to know that I'm actually related to him'

'O.K if that's what you want I wont tell a soul, but you have to promise me something as well'

'Well that depends' Ray gave Neela a watered down version of his normal grin

'Just promise me that if you need anyone to talk to that you'll come to me and not try and keep it to yourself'

'but…O.K…although now all I want to do is sleep'

With that both Neela and Ray lay on the couch wrapped around each other for warmth, as they were both too tired to go to the bedroom.


The next morning Ray woke up with a stiff neck and his back killing him from the awkward position he had slept in. when he woke up a bit more he noticed that Neela was gone and pushed himself up off the couch and padded towards the kitchen, smelling coffee and knowing now where she had went.

'Morning…well afternoon actually sleepyhead' Neela said as she handed Ray a cup of coffee as he sat himself at the table looking like he was about to collapse.

'Afternoon to you too' Ray craned his neck trying to get the crick out of it, how did Brett used to sleep on that, he'd never know.

'Yeah well I let you sleep on, and I did leave you water this time so you better hurry up, we have work today…if you wanna go?'

Neela looked at Ray, wondering if he was really in the mood and awake enough to work today.

'Nah I'll go, better than sitting around here all day…thinking'

With that Ray got up and went to the bathroom to get ready for a long day.


Well I hope that you like this update…please R+R and I will try and update sooner. Next chapter will work on the friendships of Neela, Ray, Abby and Luka as a group.