Title: Learning to Teach

Author: Simple Plan Rules

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own ER or any of its characters.

Author's notes on the story: I just sort of came up with this story one day whilst I was on holiday, its about Ray, he has broken his leg and so he cant work for a while at the hospital so he has to sit around at home being bored, this is until an old friend calls up and asks for a favour, which is to teach a high school music class for 2 weeks! The first chapter sets the scene a bit so it's a bit boring.

Chapter 1: Prologue

Ray sat at home bored to death. He had watched every TV program at least twice, he had played cards, tidied up the apartment and even done all his laundry he was left with nothing to do but sit, and wait.

Ray had been in a car crash a week before and had ended up with a broken leg, Susan, being Susan had insisted Ray take a few weeks off to recover. At first Ray thought it would be great, but after a couple of days it began to get boring, very boring.

The others would pop round every now and again to check on him, and Neela was great, she would spend almost all her time with him when she wasn't working on her shift. But there where those times when no one was around and Ray hated being on his own.

He sat back a picked up his guitar, he had planned on using some of his time to write more songs, but he was having a writers block and couldn't think of anything, so he just strummed along to old tunes.

Bring bring!

Ray jumped with shock, the phone was ringing! At last, people to talk to! Social contact!

"Hello!" Ray was trying to sound not too excited about having a conversation with a real person, something he hadn't had for 5 hours now.

"Hey Ray, it's me Andy!"

"Andy man! Wazzup?"

Andy had been Ray's guitar teacher when he was younger; the two of them had remained friends, even when Ray moved to become a doctor, with the odd phone call every now and again.

"Not much, I'm still teaching music at that high school,"

"I'm still in medicine, well not at the moment actually,"

"Why not?"

" I got in a bad car crash a week ago, my mates car is totally messed up, but he's fine, its just me with the broken leg,"

"I hope you get better soon, but in some ways I'm quite glad, you see I need a favour,"

"Anything man, we go way back, what do ya want?"

"Like I said I'm still teaching but I was hoping to take a holiday, I'm off to France for two weeks with the wife ; she's been ranting and raving like no end about us needing to spend some quality time together!"

Ray laughed; he had had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting Andy's wife once or twice and she was quite the character, to say the least.

"I see, so what's the problem?"

"Well I can't find a substitute teacher and the school won't let me go if I can't find one, and if I don't go the wife will kill me…"

Ray laughed again, "I see where this is going," he sighed "I would man, but I'm not qualified to teach,"

"You don't have to be, I just make some stuff up for you, and it will be easy, you can teach the kids about your type of music if you like, or just give them the text book and make them copy out stuff,"

"Where will I stay?"

"Well that's the second part of the favour I need someone to look after the cat while we're away, Edith simply refuses to leave her at the kennels,"

"So let me get this straight, you want me to stay in your house, look after your cat and teach some kids music for two weeks?"

"Yes, I give you plenty of money for food and things and you can go swimming in the pool, please, I'll owe you one?"

It didn't sound too bad, it would cure his boredom, give him something to do, plus the guy had a well nice house and Andy would owe him one, he liked it when people owed him, it always seemed to come in use.

"Fine," Ray sighed "I teach the kids,"

"Thank you so much, I'll never forget this,"

"You'd better not,"

"Great, come down on Sunday and I'll give you the low-down on the house and stuff and you can start teaching on Monday,"

"I'll see you then,"

"Bye and thanks again!"

"Bye,"

Ray hung up. He sighed and leaned back in the sofa, what had he got himself into this time? Looking after a bunch of brats? Surly it was not his thing but Andy was his friend and it meant he owed him one. It gave him something to do.

Ray smiled, he wasn't bored now more excited, a two week vacation to a posh house in Charlestown, South Carolina, it didn't seem two bad!

At that moment Neela strolled in the door.

"Neela!"

"Hey Ray, why are you all excited,"

"I'm going on holiday,"

"What?"

"Yer a two week break to South Carolina all expenses paid!"

"But, when did you book that?"

"I didn't book it, I'm doing a friend a favour,"

"By going on his holiday?"

"Yer," Ray nodded, "Sort of."

"When are you going?"

"Sunday, I'll take the train down,"

"Oh," Neela seemed shocked, hurt almost, she had spent all that time with him, now he was ditching her.

"I'll miss you, it was real nice of you to look after me but, I really have gotta do this favour for this guy,"

"Its okay," Neela smiled, "So explain this favour to me?"

"Well," Ray sighed, "It's quite a long story…"

That's the end of chapter 1. As previously explained it's a bit boring but I had to explain how he ended up there etc etc. The next chapter starts on Sunday! I will update soon hopefully!