Far Away
Chapter 3 – When All is Said And Done
A/N: Ha-ha! I got you! I bet you thought I meant marriage proposal. Nope, sorry, not yet. It will come though… Maybe even in this chapter… Nobody knows… Hehe. Please give me reviews! I need to know how this is going if you want a 4th chapter!
Summary: Gallant's first day at County. The oh-so-cute couple get into a big fight, and when Ray is there to comfort Neela, Michael only makes matters worse.
"Neela! Neela wake up!" Michael whispered. He had a tray of fresh food on her dresser, just waiting to be eaten. Neela was scrunched up in a little ball on her side of the bed, snoring softly.
Not knowing any other way to wake her up without startling her, he leaned in and gently kissed her lips. There was a shock of electricity that made both of them jump, and Neela started blushing right away.
"You scared me, Michael…"
"Sorry, I was just trying to wake you up. We have an hour before we have to go to work, and I thought I would make you some breakfast to really say how sorry I was…" Neela looked around, and spotted the tray. He brought it over to her, and she shared it with him. They were both under the covers, and had their backs propped up on the headboard.
"Wait a second… what time is it?" Neela asked, sounding alarmed.
"6:00… why?"
"Oh Michael, that means you must have at least gotten up at 5! You really shouldn't have! I told you that it wasn't your fault!"
"I know, I know… but you might as well get used to it, because I love to cook, and I love to spoil you." He smiled, and took a sip of water, while Neela took a bite out of her toast.
"You are too good to me, you know that?" she said quietly. He shook his head.
"You're worth it."
Later, at County, Neela, Gallant, Haleh, and Sam were working on an extremely critical patient by the name of Ginny Walters. As they feverishly tried to stop her internal bleeding, the minutes ticked by. Soon, Haleh got called out, and it was just the three of them. The little girl's heart rate was dying fast, and Sam had to rush out and find the family. When Ginny's heart finally gave out, Neela began pumping the heart immediately. She wouldn't let Michael shock her. ((A/N: I am not sure what it is called when doctors say, "Charge to 360" or whatever, and use those hand-held things, so forgive me for my lack of medical knowledge!))
Neela was in her own world, with just her and Ginny. She kept pumping, and pumping, until after 10 minutes, she finally gave up. She sobbed a couple times before gaining composure again. Michael just glared at her.
"Neela, why didn't you let me try?"
"I… I was doing just fine."
"Yeah, obviously! She died because of you, Neela!"
"She was bleeding internally, and because of the force of the car crash, half her bones were broken! It wasn't me!"
"If you would have just let me by, I might have been able to shock her!"
"It wouldn't have made a difference…" said Neela, growing quieter by the second. She knew she was going to lose this one.
"And how do you know that? Because you wouldn't even try the shocks, a very confused and worried couple will have to go home without their 5-year-old!" He was raging.Justshaking with fury.
Neela stared at the ground, and looked at him with tear filled eyes, and said so softly that Michael had to strain to hear her, "Time of death: 10:06 a.m." She dragged herself out the door, leaving a very regretful Michael behind.
In the lounge, Neela screamed. Not so loud that people could hear her through the door, but whoever was inside would wince. She threw her stethoscope on a table, and sank to the floor in the corner of the room.
Ray was just getting off, and almost ready to leave when he heard her scream. At first he didn't know who it was, but when he saw her slump down a wall and begin to cry, he immediately rushed to her side.
"Neela, what happened?" he asked, sounding very concerned.
"Mi-Michael and I… we… we got into a hu-hu-huge fight. Over a patient… Ginny… I'm so sorry, Ginny…"
"Wait, so you and Mikey got into a fight over a patient? That's stupid. You guys lover each other…"
"I-I-I know I love him… but he doesn't love me anymore."
"Neela… he loves you. He really, really does…"
"Then why did he yell at me?" she asked, wiping away some of her tears.
"You know people get mad sometimes. Whatever it was about, he just got angry over it. Give him some space, and talk to him later on."
"Ray… I don't know it I can…"
"Sure you can. Just wait…" he embraced her in a tight hug, and kissed the top of her head. He knew where things were going, but he didn't care. He didn't think. He just pulled his head back slightly, lifted her head up, and kissed her lips. A door slamming jolted them back to reality, and they saw Michael. He was teary eyed, and shaking his head. Neela leapt up, and went over to him.
"Michael, it's not what you think! Ray was only comforting me as a friend!"
"I don't… I don't want to hear it, Neela. I will be out of your hair by tonight, don't worry." His voice was so cold it stopped Neela in her tracks. Ray was ghostly white, and instantly regretted everything.
Michael slowly turned around, and before he opened the door again, he muttered, "I was coming to apologize to you Neela. But I can see you don't care whether I am sorry or not. I thought you were the one…" Then, he left, leaving Neela speechless and alone, or at least, that's how she felt. Ray slowly approached her, and she just stared at him with expressionless eyes. He turned to her once more, before leaving her mentally and physically alone.