AN: Two Chapters for the price of one, for my evilness as a bad author
When he woke the next morning, Neela had happily seated Ainslee in front of the TV. With a bowl of cereal in her lap as she gazed at the screen. He rubbed his eyes, and Neela handed him a cup of coffee.
"Thanks, She ok?" He nodded towards Ainslee.
Neela gave a gentle nod, "She was asking for you awhile ago".
"I'll just go speak to her", Ray said walking over to her.
He sat in front of the TV and looked at her, "Did you sleep ok?"
"Like a bug in a rug", She giggled. "Mommy always says that".
He turned the TV. Off, "Neela said you were asking for me".
Ainslee smiled, a wide one. "I like her, she has a funny voice. I couldn't find you, you said you'd stay with me", Her voice changed.
"I know I'm sorry, but I'm here now. I have to go into work today, do you think you could maybe hang with Kara." He then corrected himself, "Mommy for a while".
"You are doctor, Neela's a doctor. Can I be a doctor? Doctors help people", Ainslee chattered.
"Of course you can, do you think you can stay with Neela. I've got to get ready for work?" Ray said standing up, Ainslee nodded. Jumped up from her sitting position, and ran towards Neela in the kitchen.
"Stay here ok, Mommy's asleep right now. Don't leave the nurses station ok? Sam will look after you", Ray told his daughter as he placed her on top of the nurses station. She held tightly onto Mr. Ted not wanting him to run away again. He leant in close, "If you ask Sam nicely, I bet she could find you some scrubs", He said pointing to the ones he was wearing.
Ainslee grinned, the gap coming into view, "Ok!" She leaned over and kissed his cheek, and made Mr. Ted kiss his cheek also.
"Sam!" He called as the curly haired nurse headed past him, "Yeah?" She stopped and looked up from her charts.
"Do you think you could do me a favor?"
"Ray I'm not covering your shift, and I'm not giving you twenty dollars", She said loudly. Ainslee laughed, and Sam looked to her.
"Hey there cutie", Sam smiled. Ainslee gave a shy wave, "Hi".
"Sam can you please look after Ainslee until her mom wakes up. She's in Room five. Keep her outta trouble", Ray said as he grabbed some charts.
"I'll see you in a bit kiddo"; He said walking away to tend to his patients.
She waved him goodbye, and turned to jabber to Sam, who was more than happy to listen.
Neela had just finished the sutures on the elderly man in front of her when she heard someone yell her name.
"NEEEEEELLLA!" She saw Ainslee run down the corridor towards her; She was now suited up in a large pair of scrubs that were tied together with a bit of cord so they wouldn't fall down. She had a little stethoscope around her neck and held on tightly to Mr. Ted.
"Hello Ainslee", She greeted.
"I'm so bored!" Ainslee said jumping in a chair and spinning around in it, squealing happily.
Neela put down the suture kit, Took of her gloves.
"How about we go see if your Mum has woken up", She held her hand out and Ainslee accepted it.
They hadn't stepped foot out of the room, when Ainslee piped up, "Why'd you talk so funny? Are you gonna stay with us long? Do like Ray?"
"I think we've already spoke about this, I'm from Britain that's why. I live with your Daddy, and he's a friend", Neela answered quickly.
"I'm sure people don't speak funny in Britain", She said raising an eyebrow. Kara was awake when they walked in, and Ray was sat by her bed. They seemed in deep conversation. Neela coughed announcing their presence but she shouldn't have bothered, as Ainslee was enough announcements herself. The kid seemed to have endless energy, just like Ray.
"Hey look at you, don't you look smart", Ray laughed. Ainslee jumped on the bed, and kissed her mother hello.
"Sam helped me, Look Mr. Ted's got scrubs too!"
Ray saw Neela stood at the door, "Kara this is Neela, Neela this is Kara".
Kara lifted herself up slightly, "Its nice to meet you, Ray tells me you are a great doctor".
Neela nodded, "Its nice to meet you as well, I must be getting back to my patients", She hurried quickly from the scene.
"She seems nice", Kara commented.
"She is nice", Ray told her. "She is Mommy! I like her lots. Even if she does talk funny", Ainslee butted in.
"Neela that's a strange name?"
Ray laughed softly, "Its Indian, Her parents are from the Punjab".
Kay grimaced as a surge of pain flashed through her, "You seem to know a lot about her". Ray glanced at her, "Do you want me to up your meds?"
"I'm fine, it's just a twinge. You gonna answer my question", She stroked her daughter's hair and watched as the now sleeping child's chest rose and fell.
"Yeah well she's my roomie".
Kara laughed weakly, "You don't look at roomies the way you look at her Ray".
He walked in an hours later than what he said he would, His guitar bag on his back. A chocolate cake, in the box in his left hand. Looking at his watch it was four am; He had to be at work in two hours. No point in sleeping. Looking the door behind him, He was just about to place the cake down. When Ainslee ran smack into his legs, "Neela's gonna get me!" She whispered hiding behind him.
The first thing that came into Ray's head was why on earth a five year old was up and running around at four am, he saw Neela hiding behind the couch, water pistol aimed. Now his head was swimming with thoughts, and bad ones kept popping up. Like Neela and water, wet t-shirts and Neela. He quickly shook them from his head, placing the cake down. He grabbed a hold of Ainslee.
"Well then we'd better get her back", He sniggered, snatching a bottle of water from the counter, and heading towards the couch in super stealth mode, Ainslee giggling all the way giving away their position. But Ray was just too quick for Neela; He opened the bottle, and threw it over her head. She let out a scream, as the cold water splashed down her face and her front. Glaring at him she let fire with the pistol intent on soaking him too. And that's exactly what she did, and just as he thought she was finished Ainslee grabbed a hidden water bottle and threw it at him. Now both girls were against him, he'd definitely lost the battle.
"Come on kiddo, off to bed its late", Ray told Ainslee who pouted in return.
"Its early", She retorted.
"Ainslee you'll be tired in the morning, go on go to bed", Neela advised. Ainslee nodded, and skipped off to her makeshift bedroom.
"That's psycho, she's my daughter. Yet she listens to you", He laughed, and dropped the empty bottle as a sign of defeat.
Neela laughed, and dropped her pistol. "Well who wouldn't listen to me, little late tonight aren't we?"
"I know, but the gig ran late, I ran into some old friends", Ray explained but Neela wasn't buying any of it.
"Ray you've got a kid now, like it or not you have one. You can't just be hopping off to gigs when you want. She needs you now"; Neela said firmly, Ray sighed. He knew Neela was right, Goddamn she was always right.
"I know, I know. God I suck at this, I'm a crappy dad", He said now wallowing in self-pity.
Neela placed a friendly arm around his shoulder, "Your not, your just new at it that's all".
He gave a yawn, "Well I better get the couch made up", He said slowly moving away.
"Why don't you have my bed, I don't mind sleeping on the couch", Neela offered.
"Neela I can't just chuck you from your room, its not nice", Ray said loudly.
Neela looked at him eyebrows raised, "Is this the same Dr Barnett?"
He looked at her, "I sleep on the left Dr Jumbomart".
She looked at the ceiling; it hadn't been part of the plan when he offered to share the bed with her. Neela had developed something for Ray over the last couple of weeks, and she couldn't quite deny it.
He had happily sprawled himself over the bed, and crossed the 'line' that divided the two. Neela however scrunched herself up, into a small fetal position. Sighing quietly she closed her eyes tight and tried to fall asleep.
After ten minutes of pretend asleep, She tried to count sheep. That didn't work either, She was screwed.
"Neela go to sleep", Ray mumbled as he turned over in his sleep.
"I can't", She whispered to him.
"Just close your eyes and sleep".
She shook her head, "I can't Ray".
His eyes opened and he looked at Neela, still finding the fuzzy rabbit pj's amusing. Turning to face her, he spoke.
"Counted sheep?"
"Yep doesn't work".
"Closed your eyes and tried to go to sleep?"
"Doesn't work".
"You are so goddamn annoying", Ray muttered, "I'm tired I want some sleep".
Neela frowned, "I'm not stopping you from sleeping".
"Really? all the talking your doing isn't helping", He snapped.
They heard the door creek open, "Neela?"
In the dim light Neela squinted and saw Ainslee stood at the door, Mr Ted in her hands.
"What's wrong?" Neela questioned.
She quickly ran towards the bed, and leaped in between Neela and Ray. Curling up to Neela, She started to cry.
Neela lay there not knowing what to do, She just held the little girl, "What's wrong", She asked gently.
"I had a bad dream", She hiccupped. Neela rubbed her back in smoothing circles, "Its ok now, we're here".
Ainslee looked up at her, the tears falling freely.
"Can I stay here"?
"Of course you can sweetie", Ray said softly.
"What about Mr. Ted?"
Neela laughed, "Of course he can".
"Why are you and Neela in the same bed", Ainslee wondered, the tears now practically dried up.
Ray and Neela both looked at each other, "Well that's because you're in my bed silly!" Ray answered quickly.
The E.R was hectic, and Neela was weighed down with patients. First on her list with Kara Harper, Ray ex-girlfriend and now dying cancer patient. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the room. Kara was asleep the drugs taking a heavy effect, her face almost gray.
"Ms. Harper", Neela spoke softly. Kara's eyes fluttered open, "Oh I'm sorry".
"I'm Dr Rasgotra, I'm just going to give you a check up. They don't have any beds upstairs that's why your here", Neela explained.
Kara nodded, "Oh ok, you can call me Kara".
"In that case call me Neela, How are you feeling today?" She grabbed a pen.
"I'm a little dizzy, I feel quite nauseous, and I've had a headache that's been there for about a week", She said smiling.
Neela smiled back and wrote it all down, "I'll see what I can do for you, the dizziness and nausea is part of the astrocytomas".
Neela went to stand up, "Can you stay?" Kara asked.
She turned looking confused, "I mean if you're not needed anywhere else", Kara said loudly. Remembering Dr Lewis' words, spend more time than five minutes with a patient, She nodded, "Of course I can, let me pull up a chair".
"How's Ainslee getting on? I know Ray found it hard at first. He's kinda difficult but once you get to know him, he's a pretty good guy", Kara said rubbing her temples.
Neela sat on the stool, "Let me tell you, before you came along with your daughter. Ray was the most irresponsible person in the entire E.R. Now he has responsibilities, its good. I think she's a little wary of him still, he's still learning".
"How long have you two been roomies?"
"Oh not long, just a couple of weeks. I was between places; it's a long story. He needed a roommate, there I was".
Kara nodded, taking it in. She waited before popping another question.
"So what do you think of Ray then?" She wondered.
"He can sometimes annoy the hell out of me, but half of the time can cheer me up. He's a good person, and an even better doctor. Although I do think he cares more about his band, than anything else", Neela admitted.
"So you like him then?"
"Of course, he's a friend".
Kara gave her a skeptical look, "More than a friend?"
"No of course not that would be highly unprofessional!" Neela was quick to defend herself.
"Neela you can tell me you know, I wouldn't tell him", Kara said almost desperate for a bit of gossip.
She gave a small smile, showing her teeth. She then bit her lip, "I don't know, I have these feelings for him. I like him alot".
"Well then say something", Kara encouraged. Neela shook her head, "Oh no I couldn't, He'd say no. I would look stupid".
"You wouldn't Neela, Do it and regret it a little or don't do it and regret it forever", Kara spoke wisely, Wincing again as the pain came back.
"Stay there, I'm going to get you some meds", Neela said as she rushed from the room.
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