The next day, Abby and Neela finished their shifts together, and headed to Ike's to meet up with Mike, and his sister, who was in town for a while. When they got there, they were met with a scene of typical Greg Pratt flirtation. Mike was clearly annoyed by his colleague's interest in his twin, and after only a few moments of exposure, Abby and Neela headed straight for the bar.
When they left, they shared a taxi home. Neela was staying close to where Abby lived, and after an evening of extensive alcohol consumption in Neela's case, she was glad of the shared fare.
"Nine am!" Neela moaned, "Give me the night shift so I have the day to recover."
"You shouldn't drink so much." Abby said, amused, "You're gonna feel like crap in the morning."
"Ooo, look at you, miss good too shoes," Neela teased, "Can't handle your drink eh?"
"Not really." Abby's voice was no longer amused, and after a while, Neela's brain caught up with her ears and she realised she had said something wrong.
"Sorry," She said, trying to become serious, "I didn't mean to…"
"Hey don't worry about it," Abby said, waving a cab and opening the door, "I used to drink. A lot. Now I don't. End of story." Neela nodded,
"I'm sorry," She said again, "I'm drunk. I don't think when I'm drunk. I'm usually quite sensitive about things, honestly,"
"I know." Abby said, laughing again, "Don't worry about it, really." She changed the subject, "Remember when you said that you were always good with the theory stuff?"
"Vaguely." Neela admitted,
"You offered to help me out. Well, actually, you said we could help each other out."
"Oh yeah…" Neela screwed up her face trying to remember, "I remember."
"I might just take you up on that offer."
"What made you change your mind?" Abby shrugged,
"Oh I don't know… something about fifty two…" Neela giggled, and Abby couldn't help laugh at her.
"Oh my god, I hope that's just your drunken laugh." This made her giggle even more, and pretty soon the cab stopped at Neela's apartment block. She was trying to get out and stumbled on the pavement. Abby sighed and handed some money to the driver, "Don't worry about the next stop," She said, climbing out. "Come on, I don't want you missing your shift tomorrow."
"What?"
"I'm guessing your apartment has a couch?"
"Yeah…"
"It's my experience that alarm clocks don't get med students out of bed. I'm staying at your place." Neela frowned,
"What about your clothes?"
"I've got a spare set in my locker at work." Abby explained, "I can change in the morning." Neela shrugged,
"Okay then. Hey, it'd be like a sleep over!" Abby pushed her fellow student forward and up the stairs where she fumbled for her keys.
"No. It will me like you going to bed and me waking you up tomorrow." Abby switched on the light that Neela neglected when she stumbled clumsily into the room. Abby looked around the tiny apartment, an unsettling reminder of her early student life. "Go to bed!" She called to Neela, who was looking fazed. She did as she was told, and walked zombie like through one of the doors. Abby followed her, smiled and shook her head when she saw Neela sprawled on her bed, still fully clothed. Abby pulled off her boots, and covered her over with a blanket from the end of the bed. She shut the door quietly behind her and set her sights on the couch. She moved a pile of papers from it, and sat down. Pulling off her own shoes, she lifted her feet up onto the couch and within ten minutes she was asleep.
The next day, Abby woke around seven, and stretched. She grimaced as she felt the unfamiliar stale feeling in her mouth. It was the kind of feeling she used to get when she feel asleep on the couch, with a beer in hand. Only this time there was no skull splitting headache. She shouted out the time to Neela. She had no clue if it would wake her up, but she decided that if she hadn't done, then she could give her the benefit of a few extra minutes sleep. She pushed herself up, and headed for the kitchen, which consisted of a small fridge freezer, a microwave, a gas ring that looked unused, and a sink, all on one small bar unit, with a couple of cupboards. Abby opened the fridge looking for something resembling breakfast. She heard a grunt behind her and heard the door of Neela's room creak.
"Morning," Abby said brightly, and was met by an incredibly rough looking Neela.
"Shower." She mumbled, heading for the door next to her bedroom. Abby turned back to the fridge and took out a half full carton of Orange juice. She poured herself a glass, and then one for Neela and shut the door. She drained the glass pretty quickly and paused to push the strands of hair out of her face. She redid her ponytail and blinked as the first signs of sunlight caught her eyes through the small window. Neela re-entered the room after about five minutes, looking considerably more awake.
"Thanks," She said, when Abby handed her the glass of Orange. "Oh god."
"Sleep well?"
Neela scoffed, "Like a log. Do you want to get a shower?" Abby nodded,
"Yeah, thanks. I wish I had my toothbrush. My mouth feels like a stale ash tray." Neela pointed to the bathroom,
"There's mouthwash." She suggested, "Steal a toothbrush from the hospital when we get in."
"Oh, you rebel." Abby joked, heading for the bathroom, "I'll be out in a minute."
"Hey, wake up kiddo." Sam Taggart knocked sharply on the door of her son Alex's room. "Alex, school bus leaves in twenty minutes." She was in the middle of drying her hair and half way through eating a slice of toast when the door bell went. She threw back her semi dry head and ran to the door, pressed for time and wondering who the hell would ring her doorbell so early. She was about to give the person on the other side what for when she realised it was Luka. "Hey." She said, astonished and confused.
"Need a ride to work?" He asked, holding up his car keys. Sam looked taken aback, but stepped away from the door beckoning him in,
"Uh, sure." She answered, "I didn't realise you were on this morning."
"Starting at Nine."
"Oh, me too,"
"Hence the ride." Luka finished, grinning. Sam looked flushed,
"Right… Do you want something to- wait a minute, ALEX! GET UP!"
"I'm up, I'm up!" A muffled voice yelled back from the other room.
"How is he?" Luka asked Sam, who sighed, and tied back her hair into a loose ponytail, deciding to let the winter winds do the work of her hair dryer.
"I don't know." She admitted, "I mean, did that sound hostile to you? Did it sound like he hates me?" Luka chuckled,
"Sounded like he just woke up." He said, "I'm sure he'll be okay today."
"Yeah well I hope so." Sam said worriedly, "Oh sorry, I was about to ask, do you want some breakfast?" Luka shook his head,
"No, I've already eaten, but thanks anyway."
"Hey Luka." Alex's door opened, and he trudged out, his sneakers in his hands. "Did you stay the night?"
"Alex!" Sam looked annoyed at her son, and avoided Luka's eyes,
"I was only asking."
"No I didn't." Luka said, coming to Sam's rescue, "I came round to offer your mother a ride. To work." Alex shrugged,
"'Kay." He opened the fridge and helped himself to some milk straight from the carton. He became aware of his mother glaring at him. "What? You do it." He disappeared from the room for a while, and Sam looked at Luka apologetically.
"He'll be gone in a minute." She said, "Then we can leave."
"Sure," Luka said, "There's no rush." Sam smiled, and finished off her breakfast.
"What time are you on till?" She asked him, after a few moments silence.
"My shift ends at six," Luka told her, "But I'm working until ten."
"Why?" Sam asked frowning,
"Romano was supposed to be on tonight." Luka explained, "We're short staffed in the ER." Sam nodded, remembering,
"How long until he's back?" She asked, one eyebrow raised in the hope that he would not be.
"No idea." Luka said honestly, "I don't even really know what happened."
"Me neither." Sam agreed. At that moment, Alex came back into the room. He had his coat on and his bag over his shoulder.
"See ya." He called, running out of the room to meet his bus. Sam was about to call after him but the door slammed in her face.
"See. He hates me." Luka was about to object, but Sam let out an exasperated sigh, "Look, the idiot's left his lunch." She said, picking up a paper bag from the table. "I'll be back in a minute." She ran out of the door after her son.
"Alex!" She shouted down the hall, and was about to round the corner to the stairs,
"Yeah?" She almost jumped out of her skin when she found him waiting around the corner at the top of the stairs.
"Geez, give me a heart attack why don't you?" She gasped, "You forgot your lunch."
"I know." Alex said simply, taking the bag from her.
"What?" Sam looked confused, and was trying to work out what kind of scheme he was planning. Alex grinned and took the bag from her.
"Thanks." He said, "I love you Mom." Sam's eye widened and he grinned even more as he ran off down the stairs and out of the building.
"Everything alright?" Sam jumped when she heard Luka behind her. She stood up, still shell shocked,
"Yeah…" She said, "Yeah, it's fine." She shook herself, "I'd better lock up before we go." She hurried past Luka, not being able to stop the smile from creeping onto her face. She returned in a few moments still smiling.
"What's made you so happy?" He asked her, as she swept past him,
"Alex doesn't hate me." She said,
"Well I could have told you that." Luka grinned, putting his arm around her shoulders. Sam grinned too, and rested her head on his shoulder as they left the apartment block and headed for his car.
"Oh god, that's feels better." Abby said, yawning as she left Neela's bathroom, refreshed, "Now all I need is my clothes."
"Do you want to get some breakfast on the way?" Neela asked, swallowing a head ache pill, "I'm a student, you can't expect me to have food in my house."
"Sure." Abby agreed, "I think I got a couple of bucks left for a burger."
"A burger? For breakfast?"
"I have weird taste." Abby shrugged, "Leave me alone." Neela grinned,
"Each to their own. I could personally kill for a full English right now." Abby raised her eyebrows but picked up her bag anyway.
"Come on, let's go." She said, "Romano's my first patient, so if we want to get breakfast and be on time we'd better get going."
"How is Doctor Romano?" Neela asked, picking up her bag as well and looking around for her keys. Abby sighed,
"Okay I guess." She said, "His CT scan's today, so I can hopefully find out what's causing this blindness. I hope the results are positive. I know he's a complete bastard, but I wouldn't wish what he's had to go through on any one." Neela agreed,
"Doctor Corday's been in to see him a lot," She observed. Abby nodded,
"Yeah. She has."
"It's been almost two years since she lost her husband hasn't it?" Abby frowned,
"Yeah." She stepped out into the hallway in front of Neela, "Corday and Romano have known each other a long time. He was her sponsor when she first came to Chicago."
"Just because they've been friends a long time, doesn't mean their relationship hasn't changed recently." Neela suggested. Abby was uncomfortable discussing this will Neela, after all, she hadn't known either of them as long as Abby had,
"I don't think we should be talking about this." She said quickly. "It's not any of our business."
"Well maybe," Neela agreed, "But I can't help being curious. Anyway, has he had any other visitors apart from Doctor Corday?"
"Doctor Weaver has been in once," Abby said, "She came out looking twice as agitated as she had when she went in, so I'd say that went well."
"Maybe we should send something up to him," Neela suggested, "From the ER. We could get the staff to sign it." Abby scoffed,
"Yeah, if we paid them. Lots." She shook her head, "He's done nothing to deserve their sympathy anyway, to tell the truth."
"But maybe if we just talked to everyone. Or some people, like Doctor Lewis, or Doctor Kovac,"
"Maybe." Abby said, "But don't get your hopes up." She tried to avoid the guilt imposing look that Neela was giving her. "Okay fine! Buy some god damn flowers, send them up with a card saying 'Congratulations, you didn't get crushed, love, the ER.' See where it gets you." She yawned again, "God I need coffee."