Disclaimer: I will never own ER, etc, etc
Note: many humble and sincere apologies as to delay of update, unlike previous moves, current flat had no internet connection and it took longer than expected for my flatmate's account to transfer to new abode. Anyway, what will laurie do next? Dum-dum-dummm…
Sitting in the bar, Laurie swirled her cocktail and watched the pink liquid circle smoothly around the martini glass. Across from her, Katey took another sip of her drink and waited. It was great to see her friend, albeit a surprise and now having met up for the evening, the psych intern had the faintest hunch that something wasn't right and it made her nervous.
Clear green eyes framed by long red lashes were unreadable as they studied, searched, the young doctor before they cleared and returned to their usual bright friendliness. "So how have you been? It seems like forever since we last spoke." Another sip. "You never really told me what happened with you and Ray."
Brown eyes looked away, clouded before looking back. "Oh, it was just one of those things, y'know, a small blip but we're fine now." Katey kept her tone light but had no intention of expanding further and for good reason.
"What kind of blip? A Neela-shaped one?" Laurie had no room for messing about.
"Sort of, kinda," Katey had to stop herself from squirming in her seat, especially when Laurie leaned forward towards her.
"I never thought her and Tony would have ended up back together." Her voice softened, Katey was still one of her best friends and she didn't want to hurt her if possible. "Sweetie, what if…" How did you go about telling your best friend that they shouldn't be with someone because they were standing in the way of another person's happiness? "…what if Ray isn't for you? That you're meant to be with someone else and that Ray is supposed to be for…"
"Neela?" Katey cut her off sharply, angrily. "What are you getting at?"
"I'm getting at how I think Neela and Ray would work and after everything you told me about what he had said to you when you had your 'blip'. He sounded pretty definite about what he wanted." She reached over to touch Katey's arm. "Are you holding onto him just cos it is Neela?"
"He's mine, Laurie, fair and square. All she's done is to mess him around, a perfect match for Gates don't you think?" The words came out in a hiss.
At the mention of Tony, Laurie's expression hardened. "Ray's not a prize, something to own and Tony is…" she searched for the right words. "…something completely different. Nobody should have to be inflicted with him."
"She does." Katey drew her arm away from the teacher.
"Tony told me you told him that Neela broke up with him cos she didn't think he would commit."
Katey made no response.
"I spoke to Ray as well." Katey looked sharply at her, jaw clenched as Laurie continued speaking. "Interestingly, he said you were the one who told him how close Neela and Tony were, told him he didn't need to see her let alone speak to her." Frustrated by Katey's silence, Laurie couldn't help raising her voice. "What the hell are you playing at?"
Regarding the red-head coolly, Katey stood up, picked up her bag and jacket before finally replying. "I'm not going to lose to her." She swept out of the bar leaving Laurie incredulous that she had appeared to find her supposed best friend so similar to the one man she despised most in all the world. She would have to strike fast if she were to salvage the situation.
---------------------------------------
Ray groaned at the sound of the doorbell, he had just been about to drift off to sleep and he hadn't expected Katey to arrive tonight. Even though they had resumed their relationship, they had decided not to live together again, at least not yet. This, to Katey's chagrin had been at Ray's instigation and she had had no option but to agree.
Shuffling to the hall in his socks, he rubbed his eyes as he opened the door. "Hey, I thought you were out with…" Ray looked up, "…Laurie!" He was more than a little surprised to find her at his door. "What are you doing here? Where's Katey?" He poked his head out into the hall to see if she was standing behind Laurie.
Ray had no chance to linger though as Laurie pushed him firmly back into the apartment with an accompanying, "Mind if I come in?"
"Uh, sure." A confused frown following her.
Turning towards the still-sleepy Ray, Laurie fixed him with a firm gaze. "There's something you need to hear."
Rap! Rap! Rap! The sound of knuckles on the door cutting through his startled mind.
"Ray, it's me, open up!"
Laurie beat him to it by opening the door herself to Katey who also barged inside. "Whatever she says, don't listen to her!"
Ray looked from one to another. "Will someone let me in on what's going on here?!"
Hope it was worth the wait x