Hello again everyone! Here's another chapter. Chapters 8 and 9 are bascially going to befiller chapters just to advance the Rabby relationship. I promise there will be some excitement to come in future chapters. I'd like to thank Striker20 for the review; it's going to be very helpful in my upcoming chapters. Thanks!

Abby walks through the door of her apartment and flops down on the couch. She had managed to avoid Ray for the rest of her twenty-two hour shift after the little incident in the hallway.

"Neela! Are you home yet?" There's no answer. Abby shrugs and glances over at the answering machine; it's flashing seventeen. She presses the button.

"Hi Abby it's Ray. I couldn't talk to you at work, so I just wanted to leave this message to tell you-," Abby presses the skip button. "Abby it's me again. I work until ten this morning. Please-," Skip. "Abby please just call me-," Skip. "Please call me when you get this-," Abby turns off the answering machine.

"I can't handle this," she says laying a hand over her eyes. There's a knock at the door. "What the hell." Abby grumbles the entire way to the door. She opens the door to find Neela.

"Hi Abby! I missed you," Neela says, "Sorry I would have opened the door myself, but my arms are full. How was New Years Eve? How's Ray?"

"Oh Neela, you don't want to know," Abby says sitting down on the couch.

"It can't be that bad Abby. It's not like you slept with him right."

"Right, right," Abby says looking away. Neela goes to her bedroom. "Why are you home so late?"

"My first flight home was cancelled because of snow and I had to wait for another one. I hate this weather. Abby where do you want me to put that necklace I borrowed from you?" Neela calls. Abby walks to her room.

"I'll throw it on my dresser," she says. Abby walks into her own room with the necklace and glances at the bed. She shakes her head and tosses the necklace on her dresser. As she's leaving the room, a piece of paper catches her eye. Her name is scribbled on the front and on the opposite side is a note.

Abby,

Sorry I have to leave so early; work is calling. You have no idea how much I would rather stay in bed with you and listen to your heartbeat or to feel the rise and fall of your body when you breathe. I didn't want to wake you when I left; you looked so peaceful. I'll see you when you come to work today.

XOXOXO,

Ray

P.S. I miss you already.

Abby wipes a tear off her cheek. I really fucked up this time.

"Neela, I have to go do something; it's important. I'll be back," she says getting up to leave. Neela walks into the living room to see the door close.

"Right when I get home she leaves."

The El ride to the ER seems to take days but she finally makes it. Abby marches through the doors of the ER and spots Ray at the admit desk. He won't forgive me. She thinks.

"Abby what are you doing here? Didn't your shift end two hours ago?" Susan asks, "Wait let me guess, are you here to work a double shift or, better yet, are you here so I can go home?"

"Susan, didn't you just get here?"

"Yeah, but that's beside the point. So, why are you here?"

Abby sniffs. "I need to talk to Ray."

"Good luck with that," Susan says. "After he talked to you this morning, he hasn't said another word to anyone else."

Abby sighs, "I have to talk to him though." She walks up to the admit desk. "Ray," she whispers, "We need to talk." Ray rolls his eyes.

"What are you talking about Abby? We talked this morning and you made it perfectly clear that you never want to speak to me again." He walks away.

"Ray stop," Abby says chasing after him, "I'm sorry. I didn't know that you left a note. I thought that you had your one night of fun and left me. Ray. Ray please. I really am sorry; I was scared because… because I feel special when I'm with you Ray. When you kissed me last night I- I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry everything felt just right, perfect. Ray, when I woke up alone this morning, it felt like I was just a quick score for you; I thought I was getting hurt again. I just… I just can't handle that." Ray stares into her eyes.

"You think I was just after a quick score? Abby, last night I told you that I care about you and I meant it; I still do. I'd never want to do anything to hurt you." He cups Abby's face in his hands. "You're so beautiful." Ray closes the distance between them and places his lips on hers.

Susan enters exam one and walks up to Luka.

"You owe me twenty bucks," she says.

"Why?" Luka asks.

"Because Abby and Ray made up," Susan smiles, "I knew they would."

"That's an ER record isn't it?" Luka asks as he writes on the chart in his hand. Susan nods and glances out at Ray and Abby.

"They're still making up out there… wait no, they're moving to the lounge."

Ray is standing with his back against the lockers holding Abby in his arms.

"You know," he whispers, "We just let the whole ER know that we're together."

"So what," Abby says resting her head against his chest, "That'll leave fewer topics for the ER rumor mill. I can't wait until the rumor about me being pregnant goes around." Ray smiles and leans in to kiss her.

"I just wanted to let you know that you are still here for two more hours."

Ray and Abby turn to see Susan poking her head into the lounge.

"You're not done working yet Barnett; you've got patients waiting."

"Yeah, yeah I'll be right there," Ray says. He turns to Abby. "Why don't you go home and I'll call you later."

"Okay," Abby says with a yawn. Ray wraps his arms around her waist and they kiss.

"Ray you've got patients waiting," Susan says again.

"I'm coming okay?!" Ray exclaims as he and Abby walk out of the lounge, "I'll talk to you later Abby." He gives her one last kiss before picking up a chart and heading to exam three.

Abby walks into the apartment and sees Neela sitting on the couch flipping through the channels.

"I thought you'd never come home. Do you realize how long you've been gone?" Neela asks.

"Sorry Mom, I had to straighten things out with Ray. I said some things today that weren't very nice and I just wanted to make everything better."

Neela gives her a look. "Well you and Ray have certainly been spending a lot of time together lately. What's going on?"

"Neela, nothing is going on. Ray and I are… well, we… Okay, I guess you could say that Ray and I are together." Neela's jaw drops.

"I go away for a week and this happens. I need to stop leaving," she says, "The next time I leave, I'll come back to you two being married."

Abby laughs. "No Neela, we're not that serious. Maybe once I can get Johnny Depp out of the picture I'll have a chance."

"What's with Johnny Depp?" Neela asks, "Do you have some freaky obsession with him or something?"

"I don't have the obsession, Ray does," Abby says laughing.

"Now that is a problem," Neela says. Abby laughs again. She stretches her arms up over her head and yawns.

"Well I'm exhausted. If Ray calls, wake me up please."

"Will do," Neela says.

Abby smiles, "Thanks. Goodnight Neela."

"Night Abby," Neela says watching her friend go to the bedroom.

Neela is sitting on the couch watching an infomercial for hair removal when the intercom buzzes, causing her to jump.

"Why can't we just be left alone?" Neela asks herself as she walks to the intercom. "Hello?"

"Hey, is this Neela?"

"Yes," Neela answers.

"Hey Neela, It's Ray. Could you buzz me up please?"

Neela groans but buzzes him up. Within minutes, Ray is at the door.

"What are you doing here Ray?" Neela asks closing the door.

"Well, I told Abby that I would call her after work but I wanted to see her so I came here instead of going home," Ray says with a smirk, "Where is she?"

"Abby went to sleep a while ago. She's in there," Neela answers pointing to Abby's bedroom.

"Well goodnight Neela. Oh, and thank you for buzzing me in."

Neela watches Ray disappear into Abby's room.

"You're welcome," she answers flopping down on the couch, "I need some love."

Ray removes his jacket and slowly makes his way to Abby's bed, trying not to wake her up. He gently lies down next to Abby and slides a hand over her waist. Abby opens her eyes and turns to look at Ray.

"Good morning," Ray whispers as he plants a kiss on her lips, " I'm so glad I came here instead of going home." Abby smiles at him.

"Me too," she answers. Ray leans down and gently sucks on her neck. "Ray, did anyone ever tell you that I am not a morning person?" Ray shakes his head. "Well I'm not." Abby laughs. "Stop, that tickles! Anyway, I'm not the most pleasant person to be around in the morning, especially when I've had fewer than three hours of sleep."

"And your point is?" Ray asks as he continues to kiss her neck.

"My point is that I am going to be a bitch if you don't let me sleep for a little while. Why aren't you tired? You worked like 26 hours; go to sleep."

"I'm not tired," Ray says, "Seeing you has gotten me all energized; I'm ready for action."

"Well you're not getting any action from me," Abby says as she closes her eyes, "I need some sleep. I seriously cannot function properly without it."

"You're kidding right?"

"No I'm not kidding," Abby answers, "How about letting me get a couple more hours of sleep before I have to go work a 36 hour shift? Maybe I'll even let you have a repeat of New Years Eve."

"Okay," Ray says settling down next to her, "You really know how to reason with me you know."

"I know," she smiles, "And thank you." Ray wraps his arms around Abby's waist and nuzzles his nose into her neck.

Abby opens her eyes and glances over at the alarm clock. 3:30 pm. She groans.

"I don't want to go to work ever again," she whines waking Ray up. She buries her face into his chest, "Call in for me."

"I can't do that, they'll know it's me calling," Ray says pushing a stray lock of hair behind Abby's ear, "I don't have a very feminine voice like you do." He smiles at her and pushes her down onto the bed, pinning her arms down.

"Oh no, help. An evil man has kidnapped me and is going to rape me here in this bed," Abby jokes. Ray smirks.

"I didn't know you were into the role playing stuff Lockhart. That's very sexy. We should play doctor. I can be the brave, manly doctor and you can be the weak patient. I'll save your life and you can repay me with a little bit of the old in out, in out."

"Someone has obviously watched A Clockwork Orange one too many times," Abby says.

"At least it's not a Johnny Depp movie right?" Ray asks pulling Abby's shirt up over her head. She laughs. "What?" Ray asks, "I just want to look at your great body some more."

"Shut up Ray," Abby laughs. Ray takes her into his arms and kisses her.

"You do have a great body, Abby. You're beautiful," Ray whispers. Abby rolls her eyes. "Learn to accept a compliment Abby. You deserve every one that you get."

"Even the ones from that old man who likes to grab my ass?"

"Well, just let me know about that guy and I'll make sure that he isn't able to grab your ass ever again." He reaches down and pulls her pants down. "After all I'm the only one who should be able to do that."

"We've only been together for two days and you already own my butt," Abby says

"Can I own these too?" Ray asks as he removes her bra. Abby laughs.

"A little selfish aren't we?"

"No… well maybe," Ray says, "But can you blame me? Don't you want to have me all to yourself?"

"Uh, sure," Abby says kissing him, "So, when do you work today?"

"I don't," Ray says wrapping his arms around her, "I have off, so we can spend all night together."

"I wish we could," Abby says, "But Ialready told you that I have to work tonight. Actually, Ihave to go to work in three hours. I can't believe I have a thirty-six hour shift and then I get to come home and sleep for eight hours and then I get to do it all over again. Doesn't that sound exciting?"

"That really sucks," Ray says, "I have the next two days off. Looks like we won't be seeing each other for a while." They both sit there in silence for a minute. "Well I guess we might as well make the most of the time we have."He rolls over on top of Abby and starts kissing her neck. Abby smiles to herself. I love this.