Author: Please R&R! I don't own any characters (although i wish i did :p) but I do however, own this story. So don't be a thief. Enjoy...

And Back Again

Later on it was getting darker than usual outside. Luka was in a cubicle treating the small boy from earlier, handing him some tablets to take.

"They should clear the pain up, ok? We'll keep you in over night for observations and you should be allowed home in the morning,"

"Ok thank you," the little boy replied.

"It's ok. Erm, Paul, do you know where your father is?" Luka asks, looking concerned.

"He went out to get a burger,"

"Oh, ok, when he comes back have a nurse come and find me ok?" Luka told him standing up.

As he turned to walk toward the door Sam entered. They exchanged another difficult stare as Luka pursed his lips in his trademark way. They stood in front of each other for a second, before Luka stepped back and made to move around her. She looked down and wished so hard that she could hold out her arm to stop him. He continued to walk out of the room and up to admit.

He slammed down his charts and sat down. Ray looked up and raised his eyebrows. Susan looked over and walked over to him.

"You ok?"

"Just fine,"

"Ok. But if you don't mind me saying, you've been in a pissy mood all day. And, you look like crap. So go home," she said matter-of-factly tilting her head to one side.

"Thanks for your enthusiasm,"

"Not a problem. It's what I'm here for. Now get you coat and leave. Get some sleep,"

He looked up at Susan, wanting it be annoyed with her but couldn't. "Ok, thank you,"

"As always," he got up and headed for the lounge. Ray watching after him.

"What rattled his Croatian cage?" Ray said dryly.

"Don't ask. This weather does funny things to men,"

"Ahem. I seem to be fine,"

Neela walked up to the admit desk, hearing Ray, wringing wet.

"Yeah, if you count lining up the shower gel, alphabetising the tinned food cupboard, and labelling the contents of the fridge this morning,"

"Hey, I got up early, I was bored,"

"Mmm hmm. Sure. Whatever rests your conscience,"

Ray opened his mouth then closed it, astounded. "Any other home truths you'd like to share with me?"

"Errrmm, no, except the kitchen ceilings leaking, there's a bowl underneath it, don't know how long it'll last though,"

"Great. Guess I won't be sleeping tonight,"

"Oh don't be such a girl. Get some ear plugs!" Susan dipped in smiling.

Neela pulled off her coat and shoved it under the desk. Sam walked up to admit, her mind racing with inane things.

"Hey," Neela said smiling.

"Wh-what?" Sam replied realising she was being spoken to.

"I just said hello,"

"Oh right, hi. Sorry I've just got, a lot of things happening at the minute,"

"Really? Anything you'd like to throw into the domestic hell hole?" Neela asked derisively.

"Oh, I have plenty, but not enough time to go through them all," Sam half-laughed, stopping only to yawn.

"Hey, you get off. It's past 5," Susan said instructing her.

"Are you sure? We're pretty hit on tonight,"

"I'm positive. Now go, before I get security to throw you out," she said.

"Ok, ok, I'm going, I'm going. Thanks," she replied walking round the desk.

"Sure," Susan replied, as Sam pulled out her coat and bag from the shelf below Neela's.

"Is it still like the Day After Tomorrow out there!" Sam asked jokingly.

"Oh yeah, be expecting a wave of water anytime soon. It's really bad out there be careful," Neela replied, joking at first but then pushing across the seriousness of the weather.

Sam laughed. "Ok, I will. Seeya later,"

"Ok bye," Susan replied.

"Seeya," Neela followed.

"Bye," Ray chipped in just as Sam walked through the doors. Luka came out of the lounge and up to triage.

"Ok I'm off,"

"Ok seeya," Ray replied.

"Bye..." Susan said.

"Oh, bye Dr Kovac," it was Neela's turn to chip in at the last minute this time.

"Reckon there's trouble in paradise? Perhaps this weather?" Ray asked light-heartedly.

"What?" Susan asked turning to glare at him with a smile on her face.

"Well, I mean, they've left separately, they've been avoiding each other all day...can only mean one thing right? I mean you said it yourself he was in a pissy mood all day," Ray replied enlighteningly.

"Ray. That is absurd. Sam and Luka are...well Sam and Luka. They're perfect for each other. They probably just had another fight or something and it's taking 'em a while to kiss and make-up," Susan replied straightforward.

"Hmmmmm, and I'm guessing it's gonna be one hell of a make-up session when they sort it out..." Ray said absent-mindedly.

Susan and Neela looked at each other dazed by what had just flowed from Ray's lips.

"RAY!" both half-yelling at him.

"What? Come on! It's obvious they had a fight. They've been off with each other all day, and they left separately. Thy usually wait for each other to go home together, even when they've had a row. This might be something more severe," he replied unaware of the point they were trying to make.

"Maybe. But they'd never leave it this long surely. And anyway you shouldn't be discussing the attending's love lives. Now get back to work," Susan said firmly.

"Ok, ok, I'm going!" Ray said laughing walking round the desk and walking down the hall. Neela watched and shook her head.

"Ok, so what have you got for me?" Neela asked Susan getting back on task.

"Do you really think it's more serious this time? I mean it's Sam and Luka, they can't have broken up. Can they?" Susan asked Neela distractedly, surprising Neela by going back to the old topic of conversation which she had just scolded Ray for talking about, openly contradicting herself.

"Errmm, I don't know Dr Lewis. They argue all the time, I'm sure they'll be back together soon," Neela replied tentatively.

"So you think they have split-up," Susan quizzed Neela, who was obviously getting nervous about the situation she was being put in.

"N-no. I don't... Erm Dr Lewis, am I going to do any work today?" she asked hesitantly.

Susan looked at her for a second then registered what she had said. "Oh. Oh yeah, sorry Neela. Broken finger in 6," she replied. Neela takes the chart out of her hands and turns around; widening her eyes at the odd conversation she had just been involved in. She suddenly realised what patient Susan asked her to check on and became confused. She span back round to face Susan.

"Broken finger? Why is he admitted?" she asked.

"Oh, Luka bandaged it up and the dad took off, he hasn't been back since, social work has been down, but still no sign of the father, we're trying to get in touch with the mother but the line's been disconnected, so it's a real mystery there," Susan replied looking rather annoyed at the young boy's situation.

"Oh, ok, well I'll go see how he's doing," Neela said turning round walking off down the hall.

Int. County General Hospital. Cubicle.

"Hey Paul how are you feeling?" Neela asked the small boy from earlier, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Ok, but my finger really hurts though,"

"It is? Ok, let me have a look," Neela said smiling. Paul smiles back. She took his finger and examined it. "Ok, there doesn't seem to be any trapped nerves but I'll get you some more pain meds ok?" Neela smiles comfortingly. Paul looks at her, trusting her judgement. He nodded and smiled.

"I'll go get you some medicine," she replied, getting up from the bed and walking off.

Int. County General Hospital. Admit.

"This really isn't right. Where the heck is everybody?" Neela asked looking around.

"They're all skiving. Cos of the weather, they don't have to come in," Ray answered staring at the computer screen as Neela approached.

"Well why did we have to come in?" she asked.

"Cos we have the word 'MUG' written across our foreheads. Oh and we live nearer to the hospital," he replied.

"Right," Neela replied walking around him and sitting down in the chair next to him. "I can't believe how dark it is. It feels like a night shift,"

"I know, it's only what? September?" Ray replied looking up.

"Yeah. It'll be Freak Night in no time though," Neela replied her hand supporting her head up.

"Oh yeahhhh. I love Freak night," Ray replied.

"Seriously?" Neela asked turning her head toward him.

"Yeah. C'mon, people beating other people up because they nicked their candy, people thinking they're werewolves and other demonic beings. How much more fun can you have?" he asked a touch sarcastically.

"Hmmm, yeah can't disagree with you there Ray," Neela replied rolling her eyes.

"Ah c'mon Neela, live a little," he replied going back to the computer, just as Susan approaches.

"No patients?" Susan asked Ray and a tired Neela.

"No, none. Only the tramp in the waiting room who keeps shouting in his sleep," Neela mumbled, her head now on her folded arms on the desk.

"Ok, well you two can leave early, say in about an hour?" Susan said wiping something off the board.

"Really? Cheers," Ray said looking up.

"Yeah, it's fine. God I can't remember the last time I was so deserted like this," Susan said walking to the desk and leaning on it with her elbows.

"Neither can I. Probably cos it never has been while I've been here," Neela said.

"Yeah, we used to have days like these all the time when I was an R2," Susan said.

"Yeah, rub it in why don't you," Ray said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Oh I love to. Ok go, it's fine, there's no-one here, I guess we'll just get a few stragglers in later," Susan said.

"Really?" Neela said lifting her head up.

"Yeah, there's nothing to do, unless you want to clean the floors,"

"No, thanks, I think I'll pass," Ray said getting up.

"Thanks Susan," Neela said walking round the admit desk.

"Yeah thanks," Ray mumbled through a yawn.

"No problem, see you tomorrow," she said as they walked off to the lounge. Ray barged into Neela purposely knocking her to the wall; she laughed and ran after him pushing him into the opposite wall. He threw up his arms and knocked into the wall, he laughed as Neela ran into the Lounge. He called after her "Right you're in for it now!" before running into the Lounge.

Susan watches them smiling. "Kids," she shakes her head and walks off.

Int. County General Hospital. Lounge.

"So, what are you doing this evening?" Ray asks whilst searching in his locker.

"Errm, meeting Orlando Bloom at Ike's then going back to a fancy hotel and having the best sleepless night I've had in ages. Why?" she replies joking, sticking her head from round her locker door. Ray slammed his shut and turned to look at her. He had an unamused expression on his face, as Neela burst into laughter.

"OK, ok, I'm gonna go home take a shower sit down and fight with you over the remote. That sound good to you?" she enquired smiling.

"Sounds fine to me, come on roomie let's get home," he replies walking up to her putting his arm around her and leading her out of the door. As he put his arm around her back, he sticks a post it note on her, reading 'Kick Me I'm a Doctor'.

She looked up at him slightly confused as to what he'd just done to her. As she looks back down seeing where she's walking, he broke out into a smile and turned his face away from her so she couldn't see his expression.