Far more fluffy than funny, it's hard 'cause it's kinda a serious song but there are some funny esq bits in it.

Chapter 13

Song - When Your gone - Bryan Adams

(No lyric changes ain't that a surprise especially in one of my chapters!!!!)

By Alice

Ray wondered round his apartment with the TV on. He was waiting for Neela to pick up her god damn phone, she had gone away for a week, surgical conference or something and Ray missed having his roomie there. Well he missed having his girlfriend there. Wow it felt good to say that word.

"Pick. Up. Your. Phone. Woman!" Ray said angrily at the phone.

"Don't call me woman!"

"Oh god sorry, i didn't realised you where there."

"Well thats a nice greeting, isn't it?"

"I miss you? Any better?"

"A little" Ray could hear the smile on her lips, he loved making her smile.

And just like magic, music was heard and Ray began to sing down the phone

"I've been wandering around the house all night, wondering what the hell to do"

"Ray? Why are you singing?"

"Neela haven't you noticed a trend recently, I should be asking you why you aren't singing."

"alright, alright, so what have you been doing while I've been working?"

"Yeah, I'm trying to concentrate but all I can think of is you."

"Aww your sweet Ray."

"Please, let me at least finish a whole line before you interrupt me again." If Ray could see her she would have had a fake hurt look right now, but as he couldn't the look was wasted on a hotel wall.

"well the phone don't ring 'cause my friends ain't home, I'm tired of being all alone"

"Come on Ray don't be so over dramatic, I've been gone two days and you already pining - "

She was interrupted by Ray's indignant "got the TV on 'cause the radio's playing songs that remind me of you."

"Are you listening to that mixed CD that we made?"

"I might be, but Neela the TV is showing celebrity poker. Technology is against me Neela, it's truly evil."

"Ray? Change the channel and put on a different CD on."

"But Baby when you're gone, I realize I'm in love, days go on and on, and the nights just seem so long. Neela, I miss you, come home."

"Ray, you know I can't, I have to do this conference, but it's over soon and then I can come home and we can have an evening in... and I could wear... I don't know? Spangled boots?" An air of flirtation drifting through the phone.

"Neela, Neela, Neela, I thought you said you were a classy girl?"

"Ahh, but you forget Barnett, you are a very bad influence on me." She laughs.

"Even food don't taste that good, drink ain't doing what it should. Things just feel so wrong, baby when you're gone. The house feels so empty and the technology might revolt against me, while your not here to protect me. Come home..."

"Ray, you'll be fine, the technology will not hurt you, your a big boy now. But I've got to go, I'm up early in the morning. Night night. Love you.

"Don't be so patronising, you! But I'll see you soon, Love you to."

And then the phone was put back on the hook and Ray let out a huge sigh. Time to go out on the town.

He hopped into his van and drove around the streets of Chicago looking for a place to drown his sorrows.

"I keep driving up and down these streets, trying to find somewhere to go." He reached the studios and went straight to the third floor where Ike's was located.

"Yeah i'm looking for a familiar face, but there's no one I know." He was right there was no

one he knew in Ike's tonight, not even the usual extra who plays the bar tender.

"oh, this is torture, this is pain, it feels like I'm gonna go insane" And he got out his cell and text, " I hope you're coming back real soon, 'cause i don't know what to do. "

"Send to: Neela. Message Sent"

Ray sat with his head down over his beer while singing softly to himself,
"Baby when you're gone, I realize I'm in love, days go on and on, and the nights just seem so long. Even food don't taste that good, drink ain't doing what it should, things just feel so wrong, baby when you're gone."

people just ignored his mutterings passing him off as just another drunk actor with no other place to go.

"Mate you better be going, the director is packing up his chair." Ray looked and certainly the place looked deserted.

The director looked at Ray and walked over to the hunched figure "Ray I didn't want you to actually drink the stuff, just pretend to. That's what acting is."

"Oh, well I'm going to go now, off to my empty apartment, with the technology that hates me and a phone that doesn't ring."

"Oh actually Ray , I was going to send you on location."

"Where to?"

"Where Neela is at the moment, you know the conference, can't quite remember where it is though, talk to our location finder."

"No no it's ok I'll get there."

Neela here he comes!