They were sat back comfortably on Neil's couch watching an old movie when Audrey's cell vibrated across the table in front of them. Stretching out and sitting up, she scooped it up and smiled as she saw Jo's name flashing across the screen. She motioned to Neil to shush as she slid her finger across the green button to accept the call.

"Good news" were the first words they heard and Audrey laughed at the greeting.

"Hi Jo, you okay there?"

"Better than okay" she replied. Even over the phone you could tell she had a grin on her face. "We're heading your way next week. Kev and I found a couple of days we're both free and we're coming to check on you" she said sounding excited.

"It's a long way for just a couple of days but that's great news" Audrey replied maintaining a cheery tone despite the look of panic that passed across her face. Neil put his hand out to rest on her thigh but that just seemed to agitate her more and she got up and started pacing the room as Jo reeled off their plans.

She hid her anxiety well during the call but when it ended she sat down heavily. He was about to speak but she held up her hand to stop him, looked pointedly at his cell and as if on cue, it rang.

Leaning forward to check the screen, he smirked as he answered "Hey Jo."

Audrey could hear her excited voice on the other end of the line even as she sat on the opposite end of the couch and couldn't help but smile despite her initial change in mood.

"Of course you can" he said. "Never a problem, you know that."

After a few more minutes, he continued. "Sure, send me your flight details and I'll sort it. See you next week" he finished with a smile before ending the call.

"So?"

"So" he replied. "Are we going to tell them?"

"Maybe? What do you think?"

"You know what I think" he smiled moving to sit close to her making her smile right back at him.

"Maybe" she repeated leaning in for a kiss. "We don't have to decide tonight though."

X

The days that followed were full of distractions and they hadn't really had the chance to discuss the visit much further. Their caseloads had kept them very busy and they had worked all the additional hours to get everything done. They mostly passed each other in the corridors like ships in the night, smiling softly when nobody else was about and checking their instincts to reach out and touch each other.

With the loss of Shaun to the Pathology department, they were finding some of the residents a little subdued with the exception of Reznick whose brutal honesty seemed to sting a little more than usual. The cases they were dealing with were challenging enough and it was hard keeping them all motivated.

Neil, Claire and Morgan treated Clarence, a pastor with advanced cancer. The suggested treatment was to fuse his spine to reduced the pain and then remove the tumour. They were all shocked when he decided he wanted to forego part of the procedure and just remove the tumour. He saw the pain as his punishment for killing somebody but after discussing it further they discovered he was counselling a parishioner who committed suicide.

The procedure began but was quickly aborted when the tumour was found to be smaller than scans which caused some confusion. Further scans confirmed spontaneous retraction throughout his body. He was still adamant he was not having spinal fusion but Claire argued that his issue wasn't with God, but that he couldn't forgive himself for not answering the phone.

Neil listened as Reznick and Browne debated her loss of belief. She described it like losing a loved one when she lost her faith and his heart tightened in his chest a little. His family had a colourful religious history and he wanted to share with his closest confidant but they hadn't seen much of each other these last couple of days.

X

Audrey was treating Sadie Barnes for numbness and headaches during a climbing expedition. She'd had a premonition that she was going to die so Lim orders brain scan and lab work causing some confusion for Park. After questioning her, Lim revealed she'd had patient who kept coming back to the ER with feelings and symptoms but there was nothing wrong. They weren't going to die they just needed that reassurance and once they'd completed the scan she was on her way. The conversation stopped quickly, however, when they found malignant tumour in Ms Barnes brain and the only prognosis they could give was palliative care and symptom control.

She continued to argue with Han about Shaun. He was adamant that he couldn't see him leading rounds and advocating for patients without support and when he pointed out that maybe fact she likes Shaun was hindering her decision making, it caught her off guard. She wanted nothing more at that moment than to go and rant at Neil but there wasn't time.

Shaun found that the Pathology testing for the tumour didn't match the diagnosis and struggled not being able to finish what he started with regards to her treatment. She was ultimately diagnosed with a worm in her brain, confirmed as gross but very curable.

Her shift drew to a close as she watched from the desk while Shaun calmly confronted Han, making a case for his reinstatement. He failed in his appeal and her heart broke a little as she watched him walk away. She would definitely need that drink tonight.

X

Neil had ducked out from the hospital half way through the day to collect Kevin and Jo from the airport and drop them back at his place before getting an Uber back to the hospital. Neil's place was bigger and they had quipped that they didn't want to cramp Audrey's style with her new man by staying at hers. Kevin and Jo would be sharing Neil's room while he was camping out on his couch.

After a quick recce this morning before leaving, he'd thrown some bits and pieces away in a drawer and hidden one of Audrey's jacket in the closet underneath a few of his. There would be no clues to give away what was going on. They still hadn't talked and decided what they would do so it looked like they would be winging it tonight.

Audrey was sat at the bar waiting for the rest of them to arrive, slowly nursing her bourbon over ice. She'd had a few glasses of wine and the odd beer over the last few weeks but she was taking her time with her first real drink since she'd been hospitalized and savouring the flavour.

They weren't due to meet for another thirty minutes time but by the time she'd changed after her shift she'd gone straight there, not bothering to go home first. Neil would be coming straight from the hospital as soon as he was ready leaving Kevin and Jo to make their own way. It was the most flying of visits but they had both demanded that they set eyes on Audrey despite her insistence that she was fine and now she knew they were so close by, she really was excited to see them.

Her thoughts turned to her favourite person and it was almost as if thinking of him had made him appear. Her face broke into a large smile as she saw him walk through the door and he caught her eye immediately, smiling right back and making his way towards her.

Bypassing the stool she'd saved next to her, he moved in close, took her face in his hands and kissed her hard. Her hands came to rest on his hips as she leaned into him allowing him to deepen the kiss, eliciting a groan from him that gave her goosebumps.

"I've been wanting to do that every time I saw you today" he mumbled against her lips as they eventually broke apart. "I've missed you" he smiled.

"Probably best you didn't" she smiled. "Andrews would have a coronary."

"True" he laughed. "Besides, it's still our little secret from these two" he said, referring to Kevin and Jo. He stepped back a little to order his drink before she pulled him back to kiss him some more.

"Shouldn't we cool it a bit?" Neil asked, pulling away and sitting on the stool she had kept for him. "Imagine they walked in and saw that! We'd never hear the end of it."

"We've still got...18 minutes" Audrey said checking her watch. "When have you ever known those two to be early for anything?" she smiled as she got up from her seat.

She got up and stepped into the gap between his legs, putting her hands on his thighs. She leaned closer and whispered something in his ear that made him shiver and close his eyes. She could only smile at his reaction wishing that she was staying at his place tonight, so he could make her pay for that teasing later.

"Want to put your money where your mouth is Lim?" he smiled as she brushed her lips against his again.

"You want to make this a bit more interesting?" she suggested, raising her eyebrows. "How about no grand announcement, but we just see if they notice. The first one to crack and be affectionate, owes the other?"

"Hang on, hang on, we need to set some rules" he smiled. "Affectionate how? I could touch you under the table and they'd never know" he said seductively.

"I bet I can get you to kiss me first" she challenged with a wide smile. "Usual stake?"

He kissed her hard, holding her to him while she held onto his arms.

"Deal" he said as they broke apart. "Starts now!"

X

Their friends arrived around thirty minutes later, a little tardy as expected. They exchanged great back slapping hugs and kisses before heading to a booth towards the back to order dinner.

Kevin and Jo took their seats on one side while Neil slid in first opposite. He turned slightly and put his back against the wall while bending one knee up slightly onto the seat. As Audrey slid in next, she noticed his arm draped casually across the back of the seat and smiled. It looked welcoming enough to any observer, but she'd seen the way he was sitting and knew she wasn't getting nowhere near him for a while yet. They ordered their meals and a round of drinks with the server, they settled in for the evening.

Dinner arrived quickly enough and they tucked right in. They had a lot of catching up to do and luckily, only Audrey had to be at the hospital the next day, albeit after lunch. Steak had been the order of the night and Neil snagged Audrey's tomato as soon as her plate was set down and once she'd finished her fries, she started on clearing his as per usual.

Once they had all finished, Neil excused himself to use the bathroom. Audrey had to slide out of the booth to let him pass but stood close enough that he couldn't help brush against her as he passed causing them to give each other a little smile. A smile they thought was subtle but as soon as Audrey sat back down, Kevin started.

"So, is this thing with this other guy serious? You two and him were almost single at the same time again you know?" he started getting a good laugh from Jo.

"It's... new" Audrey smiled.

"So?" Jo said suggestively.

"So, what?" she teased. "I'm pretty sure that ship has sailed long ago" she said, shaking her head. She was glad she hadn't been drinking as steadily as the others at that point, she didn't realise how easily she would have cracked. "He almost got married, I think he's over us."

Excusing herself to go to the bar, she saved herself from any more questions. He clocked her standing there alone as he headed back to the table, she didn't look ready to come back so he perched himself at the edge of the booth, right in her seat.

Smiling as he saw her walking back towards them, he got ready to slide back over but she caught his eye and she shook her head to stop him.

"I've just put my stake in the jukebox, I give you ten minutes tops before you owe me" she whispered in his ear before taking his hand and pulling him away to dance. Their dinner spot had become a regular for them over the last few weeks, the food was simple but good and they knew the place would be almost deserted on a Wednesday night.

Kevin and Jo shook their heads and watched as their friends started to move together across the dancefloor.

"Nice to see some things never change" Kevin said with a snarky tone and a smile.

"These two have danced around each other for almost a decade, that's not going to change any time soon" Jo replied with a laugh settling in to catch up with Kevin.

Back on the dancefloor, Neil's hand rested casually on Audrey's hip while his other hand held hers in a traditional hold. He was being stubborn and wasn't even holding her close... yet.

As the next song began, she shifted her grip and their fingers tangled together. She stepped a little closer and he smirked as they moved around the floor to Old Dominion 'One Man Band."

"Strong start" he teased with a cocky smile. "You okay there?" he asked trying to be casual, but feeling a little warm under the collar.

"I'm fine" she replied with a small smile. "You?"

"Fine" he grinned. "You can kiss me any time you like now, you know" he said challenging her.

"I'm good" she said with a smile and he gave his head a little shake. The music continued and they teased each other with little whispers and subtle touches.

"This place closes in two hours" Neil said quietly "I hope this wasn't your whole plan?" he teased.

"Don't count your chickens Melendez, my pièce de résistance is yet to come" she whispered in his ear giving him goosebumps. She smiled widely at his reaction.

"Hhmmppp" came the muffled response. He'd taken this little bet on not thinking it through. It turned out sober Audrey was an evil genius and he was probably going to have to pay up at the end of the evening. Possibly with interest.

The notes of the last song on Audrey's list began and Neil groaned and closed his eyes.

"I really like this song" he whispered before relenting and pulling her flush against him. The slow notes of a George Strait classic filled the bar. He had forgotten for a moment just how well she knew him.

"I know" she whispered back, moving her hand to the nape of his neck and playing with the soft hairs. He felt a shiver travel the length of his spine and gave another involuntary groan making her smile.

He lifted their joined hands, putting hers with her other and running his free hand back down to her shoulder. Buy the time the first chorus played, they were stood wrapped together, noses almost touching as Neil mumbled the lyrics to her.

Kevin and Jo had stopped talking a little while ago and watched their friends, not entirely sure they believed what they were seeing.

The chorus played a second time and as the words 'Baby fall into my kiss' sounded, they did just that. Neither of them knew exactly who made the first move but there they were, kissing in the middle of a bar in front of their friends.

In the background they heard Jo let out a string of expletives and were sure they heard 'about bloody time' from Kevin but they just carried on, lost in their own little world.

Eventually breaking apart as a much more upbeat song came on, they stood grinning at each other like idiots.

"You win" they said simultaneously, making each other laugh.

"Ready for this?" Neil asked her and she nodded. He took her hand and turned to walk back to their table.

"Ready as I'll ever be" she said with as smile.