"Hey Neela." Carter said appearing behind her.
"Hi Dr. Carter."
"Ready for your first patient of the day?" he laughing slightly and handed her a clipboard.
Neela looked up somewhat solemnly, "As ready as I'll ever be."
He silently nodded and walked away busying himself with his next patient.
Neela looked to the chart, going over her patient's information, though found herself partially locked in a daze, eyes skimming over the words but not really absorbing them.
"So, heard from Gallant lately?" Pratt appeared, quickly pulling her from her thoughts.
"Actually, yes. I got a letter from him today." Neela replied in a formal tone that sounded foreign to even herself.
He shot her a knowing look, "Letter, huh? I guess it is more romantic then e-mail." Responded and lightly chuckled.
Trying to ignore the smirk on his face she continued, "I'll be writing him back, anything you want me to say?"
He quickly sobered, "Just tell him… it's not the same without him here." He smiled uneasily and continued, "And tell him to hurry up and come home."
Neela gave him a small smile before turning around making her way to her first patient.
"So, Gallant?" Ray quickly appeared to Pratt's side.
"Oh, hey man. I didn't see you there."
"Yeah, well…" Ray looked apprehensively off to the side.
"He was before your time, also an intern though. One of the best this place has ever seen."
He turned to lean back against the counter, "So he was loved all around, then?" and folded his arms across his chest.
Pratt nodded slightly but continued to look over his patient's chart. "Most people took it pretty hard when he left. Neela particularly."
"Left for where, exactly?" Ray pressed on.
Pratt shook his head slowly and let out a sad laugh, "To serve his country."
"Iraq?" Ray looked up questionably.
"Yeah, from what Neela tells me, things are so crazy he actually misses the ER. This place is paradise compared to what he has to deal with on a daily basis."
Ray looked thoughtfully at the ground, "Yeah, I can only imagine…"
"Hey, Lockhart. Wait up a minute." Ray called after her, trying to catch up.
Abby abruptly stopped and turned to see who was shouting her name.
"Ray..." she responded, unable to hide both the confusion and surprise in her voice.
"So, nice day a walk isn't it?" replied lamely with a huge smirk on his face.
Deciding the best possible solution was to ignore him, Abby turned back around and continued walking, unaware he following quickly behind.
"You know, you really should be more careful." Ray said feigning concern.
"Oh yeah?" Abby responded, raising an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
"One might think you're trying to avoid me." He stated feigning hurt, motioning dramatically toward his heart.
Without bothering to respond Abby crossed the street getting in line for a cup of coffee.
After thinking over her options momentarily, "I'll have an Espresso Roast." And started to grab for her purse.
"I'll have a House Blend, and put the ladies on my tab." Ray stepped up, putting a 10 bill on the counter, pretending not to notice the look of surprise and disgust on Abby's face.
"Ray, what are you—"
He quickly waved a hand to stop shush her, grabbed the coffee's and motioned for her to follow him.
"So, are you off?" Ray asked trying to start conversation.
"Yes." Abby answered, not bothering to hide the puzzlement in her voice.
"Well, I'm only on break." Ray stated, looking pointedly at Abby, trying to grasp how annoyed she was by him.
"So I guess you should cut to the point of this little excursion then."
"Right." Fairly annoyed, he decided. A smirk appeared on his face.
"Come on, take off your jacket, sit down and drink your coffee. Relax." He jokingly commanded her, receiving a not so friendly look in the process. She wearily obeyed.
Figuring it best to try and lighten the mood, "And I don't think losing that glare would hurt too much either."
She carelessly rolled her eyes and his smirk only growing wider.
"Is this going to take long? Because believe it or not--"
Quickly jumping in, "I know you have a life, Abby. In fact, you have quite the social life I hear. Now, if I had a guy like Dubenko giving me that kind of attention…" Purposefully stressing his last choice of words.
"Ray!" Abby explained, no longer wanting to put up with this charade. She quickly stood and set down her coffee.
"Wait, wait. I'm sorry." He stood and gently took her arm and guided her back to the chair.
"I didn't come to you looking for a fight." Ray admitted, agonizingly sincere.
"Then what do you want from me?" Abby asked expectantly.
Ray sighed and sat back, running his fingers through his hair.
"Do you remember a while back, I helped you with a problem of yours." Ray began, hoping she would remember. He stared at her momentarily while a confused look covered her face.
"Oh. Right. My needle stick patient." Abby nodded, though was no less confused.
Trying to remain confident, he continued, "So, it'd be a fair assessment then that you kind of… owe me?" He smirked but couldn't stop the seriousness in his voice.
Abby looked at him, somewhat alarmed, "Ray, what's going on? Are you in trouble? Because--"
"No, no." He quickly waved his hands furthering those thoughts from her mind. "It's nothing like that."
Relief quickly spread across her face, "Then…?"
"I was hoping…" He briefly looks down to the table, but then confidently meets her gaze. "I was hoping you could just fill me in on something. You know, like, information."
He allowed himself a small smile toward and continued sipping his coffee.
Abby looked at him curiously and decided to play along, "What do you want to know?"
"Dr. Michael Gallant?" He asked slowly, but hopefully.
Not knowing what to think, Abby look at him skeptically.
After hesitating for a moment and briefly running his fingers through his hair, he laughed awkwardly and readjusted his position looking Abby in the face.
"Were he and Neela…?" He said shaking his head, almost laughing at how much his voice was shaking.
Smiling slightly, Abby nods in understanding. "Together? Yes. Serious? Getting there."
"So… what happened? Once he left, I mean." He finished off his coffee relaxed back into his chair, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Nothing much could happen. They've kept in touch, but it's been over a year now and he still hasn't come home." Abby responded and looked thoughtfully at Ray, trying to read his expression.
Not sure what his silence meant, she decided to continue. "She's always worrying about him. I don't know if she loves him like she used too, but she misses him. She tries to hide it. But I know she does."
Ray continued to stare into the table, not sure what to ask.
"So he's a US Army Reserve Doctor?" He asked finally break the silence.
"Yeah. He comes from a strong military family. He didn't really have a choice in the matter. Plus, the army paid for him to be put through medical school."
After waiting a moment for him to respond and got nothing, she decided to try her luck. "Why do you want to know all this Ray?"
Ray looked up uncertainly and met her gaze, not sure how to answer that question.
"You're not... interested in her, are you?"
"Interested?" he managed to choke out. "In Neela?" He paused for a moment wondering if Abby was being serious.
"No, no." shaking his head he clarified, "But a band mate of mine is."
Abby shot him a skeptical look, but decided to believe him. "She's not into casual dating. Or casual sex for that matter."
Looking pointedly at her, he tried to decide whether or not he should take offence to that comment.
Slowing shaking his head, he shrugged it off. "Bret's a good guy."
"I guess we'll see." Deciding she's said enough, or more then enough, she quickly finished off her coffee pulled her jacket on.
She tossed her cup in the garbage and looked back towards Ray, "What?"
He looked at her innocently, "Nothing…"
"No. You have something face." Abby responded pointedly.
"Is she waiting for him? To come back, I mean"
She locked eyes with him for a moment, thinking of the best way to answer, "I think that's something you'll have to ask her yourself."
Ray nods in understanding and grabs his jacket. He turns around, slightly unsure of what to say. "So, umm… thanks" He spit out awkwardly.
Abby had never seen Ray nervous before, but she knew that look in his eyes. He was pleading with her not to tell anyone about this conversation, especially Neela.
"Just returning the favor." She laughed.
He smiled as he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and headed back towards the ER.
Nearing the end of his shift, Ray caught sight of Neela going over a patient with Dr. Pratt. He waited until Pratt made his exit, and came up behind her.
Hovering over her shoulder, he looked down at the charter in her hands, "You almost done?"
Slightly startled, she turned around to face a seemingly anxious Ray. "Yes. Actually. Why?"
"I'm headed home. Do you want a ride?"
Thinking it over for a minute, she nodded, "Sure, but can you give me a few minutes? I wanted to find Abby before I left."
Ray felt his heart stop for a brief second as panic flooded over him, "Why?" he managed to get out.
Luckily, Neela was still looking over her chart and didn't seem to notice his abrupt change in behavior.
"To set up another dinner." She carelessly stated, but then looked up to meet Ray's eyes. For a moment she could have sworn she saw fear deep inside his eyes, but she quickly shrugged it off.
"Right, well. Sorry. She was off a while ago." Ray replied
"Oh. Okay. Well let me grab my jacket."
"Alright, I'll be out by the car."
Neela nodded briefly before turning around and leaving Ray with his own thoughts.
He silently watched her walk away, before turning around himself and made his way to the car.
Authors note: I'm used to writing strictly dialogue (for movies scripts and such) so this whole descriptive/visual side of writing is sort of new for me. I'll probably be experimenting with some different writing techniques, so if it starts to go down hill, let me know.
Also, I sort of feel like this story is lacking, so if anyone has ideas or suggestions, please enlighten me. I don't know what it is, but something just feels off when I read it. Maybe it's just my subconscious side filling my head with doubt.