Title: Finally Found (3)

Author: Emony

Rating: FRT

Disclaimer: The names of characters contained herein are the property of the copyright holder of "ER." No infringements of these copyrights are intended, and said characters are used here without permission.

Spoilers: Season 11 including finale and slight for the movie Die Hard.

A/N: Thanks for the beta Ash )

Summary: It's been one of those days and Neela's feeling the urge to let her hair down. It's the day after the night before… and the two finally get to talk.


Neela climbed the stairs, a sense of dread filling her. How's Ray going to react? Does he think I deliberately went to the gig? Did he even see me? Just because Bret did doesn't mean Ray did…just see what happens.

She opened the door and made her way to her room, passing Ray, who was engrossed in the TV. At least somebody can just veg out without his mind going on and on.

She closed the door to her room with a sigh; dropped her bag to the floor and hung her coat on the back of the door. She changed into jeans and a top and cleared her clothes from work and the night before into the basket in the corner. She realised she couldn't stay in there all night; she'd have to go out there eventually.

Get on with it! He won't bite you.

She lunged for the door, wanting to get it over with as quick as possible. Her sudden entrance into the living area startled Ray, who gave her a somewhat puzzled look.

"What?" She snapped.

"Nothing."

He turned back to the TV whilst she headed into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. As she drank, she flopped onto the sofa next to Ray; grinning as Hans Gruber fell from the Nakatomi building - until she noticed Ray's eyes on her.

"What?"

"Uh – you're drinking quieter today." Even Ray seemed confused at his words.

"I'm what?"

"Last night, I heard you get back from wherever…"

"Oh." Wherever? Maybe he didn't see me.

"I hadn't realised you were going out last night, I would have invited you to the gig."

Which is precisely why you didn't know… not that it mattered in the end.

"It was a split second decision."

"A night out with the girls, Abby, some guy?"

Why is he so bothered about what I was doing

"Right! That's it! I have had it with the lot of you!" She jumped up from the sofa with the intention of heading to her room.

"What? Neela?" Ray stood up, confusion rolling off of him in waves; this was not going at all how he had expected it to.

She spun round, eyes flashing, "Fine. I did go out last night! No, there was no other aim than having a good time! Yes, I do have a hangover! Who knows if I was at your stupid gig? Bret and Abby think I was, but who the bloody hell cares!"

Ray answered in a small voice, "I do."

Neela faltered for a moment, but carried on, her voice getting louder and louder.

"Why is it such a big deal? Is it that unusual for someone my age to go out for a night? No! Am I supposed to stay in every night? Bollocks to that!"


As she stormed out, Ray sat down trying to understand what had happened from the moment Neela had walked through the door. Why had she been in such a weird mood? Maybe that's what a hangover does to Neela. She'd been quiet, then happy with the movie, then a sudden snap which led one of those rants. Ray had certainly been happy that he hadn't been the whole focus of it this time around.

None of what Ray had expected to happen had. He didn't even have a chance to make a comment he'd get in to trouble for, or embarrass himself by; Neela had obviously had a bad day and the slightest thing would have set her off… he hoped.

He wondered what the hell Bret and Abby had said to his roomie; and what had she meant by 'Who knows if I was at your stupid gig?', how did she not know? Was she that drunk, or that away from it all?

He realised he wasn't about to get any answers from Neela at the moment; maybe when she's calmed down a bit. He decided to go and find the answers so that he'd be able to deal with Neela when she let loose again. Problem was, whom would he get them from? Bret would want to know what had been up with him the night before, never mind anything about Neela. Abby, well they didn't always get on too great, especially when it came to Neela, and if she'd spent all shift trying to get answers from Neela and had maybe got Bret's side of the story too… not good.

The ringing of the telephone interrupted his thoughts, and answering it before Neela could shout at him to get off his bloody arse and answer the phone, made his decision. It was Bret; he couldn't be too pissed off about it, either, as Bret had told him he'd call after he'd gotten back from the ER.

"Bret. How'd it go in the ER?"

Try and keep him on work related stuff, maybe it'll work out good.

"Neela stitched me up, 3 stitches."

"What did I tell ya? Go to the ER and you'd be fine."

"Yeah… she is fine."

Ray tried, once again, not to analyse the scowl that appeared at Bret's words.

"Ah ha, so everything's all good, then?"

"Well, Neela had one hell of a hangover, but then from the way she was last night, you'd expect it."

"The way she was?"

"Come on, man, you saw her, she was trashed… no way was she gonna come out of that without one."

"Right."

"What is up with you two?"

"Up? Nothing." Apart from me seeing things and her loosing it at everyone.

"Yeah, right. Whatever. Anyway, she said she wasn't trying to get rid of me, but she definitely was, even Abby thought so."

"Abby?" Not Dr Lockhart? When does she introduce herself to my friends as Abby?

"Yeah, she was seeing to some kid in the next bed thing over. Neela was pissed at her too, so I told Abby what was up with her when Neela went to get the stuff for the stitches."

That explains that one, then.

"Oh man."

"Uh, yeah… listen, can you apologise to her for me for that one? I kinda figure she wasn't too impressed with Abby knowing."

"Understatement there, man. No, I'm not risking it, you can do it yourself."

"She pissed at you too?"

"Uh, yeah."

"You find out what she was doing last night?"

"No, not that it's any of our business."

Bret laughed, "Whatever, man… you two are really weird, you know that, right?"

"So, your hand's all good then?"

"You trying to get rid of me too?"

Yes. "No."

"Alright, later dude."

"Later."

The phone call had gone some way to explaining the day for Ray, but he still wanted to know more. Realising that for that, he'd have to wait until Neela calmed down, he sat back again, figuring he'd take a nap; hoping that this time he wouldn't see his roomie in that outfit every time his eyes shut.

Unfortunately for Ray, Neela had heard some of the call as she'd left her room to take some laundry to the laundry room. Glaring, she sniped at him as she passed the sofa on her way out the door.

"I never figured you for such a gossip Ray, you only needed to ask."

End part.