Epilogue part 2

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever

A spark fired in Ray's brain. He'd never planned to wake up again. He must have screwed up somewhere, not taken enough, or maybe someone wanted him to live. No, he wasn't going to get all philosophical about it, probably it was down to the ER guys, they never quit, even when you tell them to. So much for respecting a patients wishes.

Now he was going to have to face these guys. He was going to have to go through the whole psych consult and assessment before he'd be allowed back to work, if he was ever allowed back to work, if he wanted to go back to work. They were a bit wary of letting psychologically unstable doctors back in the hospital after what happened with Clemente. Let's face it; they're not going to let me back here anyway.

What do you say to people that you'd kind of hoped to never see again? Well Barnett, you could start with thanks for saving my life, you ungrateful bastard. But I didn't want to be saved, I still don't want this life of pain and hollow blackness. I have nothing.

Ray became uncomfortably aware of the tube in his throat, of his chest being forced up and down at a rate that was brutally fast, much faster than he wanted. He checked that thought. He wanted to breathe. He reached for the tube, fumbling with fingers that felt wrapped in cotton. Gentle hands moved them away and he heard someone say something.

The ventilator changed its pace so he could dictate when he drew breath. At first he was anxious, breathing meant accepting life, accepting the fact that he was alive and he wasn't sure he wanted to do that. He felt his hand being lifted, soft lips and breath against his skin "Come on Ray" he heard, bouncing around his head. He imagined it was Neela's voice. He inhaled.

He could smell her perfume, wafting over him, he knew she was there, he wished he had the energy to open his eyes to check, but he didn't have to.

"When this is over, I'm going to take you home and get you better, one way or another. I'm not leaving you again Ray and I'm not going to let you go either." he heard her say. He couldn't answer, but he hoped she saw the tear that slipped from his eye.

A/N: There, all over now. Was it worth the warnings? Did you like, or hate?

How this story came to be. I was sat in a fusty old pub, Bonnie Tyler came on the juke box and bingo, I saw Roomies all the way. Not quite like this, I have to admit, this one just ran off my fingertips the very same day and has been burning a hole in my hard drive ever since. Sometimes the plot just develops the way it wants to, I'm just the conduit for the words to make their escape.

Apologies for any medical inaccuracies, I researched as much as the story would allow.

Liz