NOTE: Remember, this is a fan fiction and it could go in any direction I want. I write about what I wish or want to happen. This is my fav fanfic out of 14 I write and if you have questions and comments, feel free to join my update list below. I love answering questions, just not inside fanfics.

December 9th, 2003

Their relationship certainly had changed since making love. It had gotten even stronger. It was hard to keep their hands off of each other while working together, but he were trying to keep their relationship quiet. It was no ones business who they were seeing. Kerry didn't really approve of workplace romances anyway.

"It's just a sore throat, Mrs. Crawford." Michael said with a smile, "I'll hive her some antibiotics and she'll be as good as new in a few days."

"Thank you, Dr. Gallant." Mrs. Crawford smiled.

"No problem." Michael said as he walked out of the room. Today as been a pretty good day. Only two traumas. Michael walked into the supply closet and saw Neela. "Doing inventory?" Neela jumped.

"Christ, Michael." She chuckled, "Yeah. Gotta love it."

"I do." Michael pushed her hair off of her face, "Have you taken a lunch break yet?" She shook her head.

"After inventory I will." She said, "I'll meet you upstairs in a half-hour if you want."

"Sounds good." He lowered his lips to hers. Neela smiled as she kissed him back.

"Gallant, you have- Oh! Sorry." Susan looked at the lovers. She chuckled as she backed out of the closet.

"Thirty minutes?" Michael asked. Neela nodded.

"Thirty minutes." She said. Michael walked out of the supply closet.

"What happened?" Michael asked.

"Your patient in five is asking for you." Susan smirked.

"All right." Michael mumbled.

"So...You're the mystery man." Susan said. Michael glanced at her.

"What?"

"Oh don't play innocent with me." Susan playfully smirked. "I knew someone was seeing Neela. She's been too happy lately. I'm glad it's you."

"Me too." Michael smiled as he went to see his patient.

* * *

"Shit!!!" Neela opened the toaster over. Smoke bellowed out from it, "Well, we're not having garlic bread with dinner."

"That's okay." Michael chuckled as he opened a window, "Pasta and you are enough."

"Thanks." She chuckled as she grabbed a couple of plates from the cupboard.

"I talked to my mother last night." Michael said draining the pasta.

"Oh yeah? Nice talk?" She asked.

"Yeah. She really wants to meet you." He said.

"Well, soon...Maybe in a few weeks." Neela said. Michael smiled weakly.

"Mom would like that a lot." Michael said. Neela smiled at him. "Is there a reason why you're so shy about meeting them?"

"Is there any reason why you want me to meet them so badly?" Neela narrowed her eyes. Michael saw anger in them. He shook his head.

"Ready to eat?" Michael mumbled.

"Yeah." Neela grabbed the bowl of sauce and stepped into the dinning room. Michael sighed softly.

"If I did something to offend you, I'm sorry." Michael said.

"You didn't offend me. You just frustrate me." Neela said putting pasta on her plate, "I'm not ready to meet your parents and I don't understand why you're so persistent."

"Because I want them to meet the woman I love and plan on spending the rest of my life with." Michael said. Neela's face softened. He was thinking of their future.

"I'm sorry, Michael." She sighed.

"I'm not looking for their approval or anything I hope you know." Michael said as he poured sauce over his pasta.

"I know. I'm just nervous." Neela said, "It's a big step meeting someone's parents."

"I know." Michael smiled as he poured each of them some wine.

"Thanks." Neela smiled, "All of this is new to me. I've never been in a serious relationship before."

"Me either." Michael raised his glass "Let us toast."

"All right." Neela laughed as she lifted her own glass.

"To new experiences, our life together, and our future children. May we always be happy." He said.

"Here. Here." Neela ticked her glass against his. She hoped that his toast would come true. Marriage, kids, their happiness...All of it.

December 23rd, 2003

Neela's heat raced as she stepped out of Michael's car. She stared at the house in front of her. It was huge, had a garden Neela assumed was gorgeous in the spring, and there was a wheelchair ramp. Michael came around and took her hand.

"Someone in a wheelchair?" Neela mumbled.

"My sister. Come on." Michael was grinning from ear to ear as he opened the front door. "Anyone home?"

"Michael!" A young woman came running down the stairs. She was beautiful. "You've missed a few dinners."

"I know. I've been busy wooing." Michael smiled, "I want you to meet someone. Neela this is my younger sister, Tricia. Tric, this is the love of my life."

"It's a pleasure." Tricia smiled polielty but gave Michael a look, "They're all waiting in the dinning room for you two."

"Michael..." Neela whispered.

"Come on. you'll be all right." he smiled and went into the dining room where the Gallant family sat, "Where are the kids?"

"We thought it'd be better if it was just us children." The woman in the wheelchair said. Michael was silent for a moment.

"All right then. Well, Neela, that is my younger brother Steven, My twin Susan, My older brothers Elijah and James." Michael pointed each person out, "And that lovely lady is my mother Jacqueline and my father, Arnold. Everyone, this is Neela."

"Finally we meet the mysterious Neela." Jacqueline chuckled.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you;." Neela smiled pleasantly. Michael pulled the seat out for her and she sat down. James and Arnold were whispering to each other.

"Feel free to start digging in." Jacqueline said. Everyone started to pile food onto his or her plates. Michael glanced at Neela. She looked petrified.

"Here. Try some of this." He pulled some of Jacqueline's famous chicken casserole onto her plate.

"Thanks." S he mumbled. Arnold looked at Neela.

"You're Muslim or Arab aren't you?" he asked.

"Dad!" Michael warned. Neela took a bite of the food trying to ignore Arnold.

"This is great, Mrs. Gallant."

"Thank you." Jacqueline smiled. Arnold looked at his son.

"She doesn't even celebrate Christmas, Michael." he said. Michael chuckled.

"What does that have anything to do with this?" He asked.

"What place does she have in this family if she doesn't celebrate Christmas." Arnold asked.

"God, Dad," Elijah chuckled, "If you remember I've been married for ten years to a Jewish woman. She doesn't exactly celebrate Christmas.

"Oh yeah." Arnold said. Michael looked at Neela.
"I apologize. my father is always hard on ladies us boys bring home." He said touching her hand softly.

"Michael, James and I spent six months over seas and this is how you repay us?" Arnold asked. Tricia and Susan exchanged worried looks.

"Excuse me?" Michael put his fork down.

"Come on, Bro. You have some balls to bring someone like her into our house." James said.

"Someone like me?" Neela looked at James hurt.

"I'm going to eat in my room." Steven picked up his plate and left the room.
"All right." Jacqueline said.

"I'm going to call home and check on the kids." Tricia got up and went into the kitchen.

"Look, Dad, you're clearing the room with your idiotic comments." Michael said.

"Boy, don't start getting an attitude with me." Arnold said.

"Well, don't start acting like this to the woman I love." Michael said.

"How could you love someone who did something so terrible to our country?" He asked.

"My god!" Michael cried, "She didn't fly that goddamn plane into the towers."

"I h-hate planes." Neela whispered.

"You betrayed this family by loving the enemy." Arnold growled.

"That's it. Neela, come on." Michael pushed back his chair, "Thanks for the dinner, Mother." Neela looked at the family sadly.

"Stay, Michael." Susan said.

"I don't think so." he said taking Neela's hand, "You'll be lucky if I come back after today's performance."

"Michael..." Neela whispered as he pulled her out of the house, "Michael..."

"I'm sorry, Neela." Michael ran his hand over his face, "I don't know why Dad and James were acting like that."

"I don't want to come between you and your family." She said. Michael looked at her. She looked so hurt.

"You're not. Their ignorance is." Michael led her to the car, "I love you and that will never change. They are going to miss out on a wonderful woman." Neela got into the car. God, she felt so bad about this whole dinner. She knew how important Michael's family was to him and now it was her fault they were fighting.

* * *

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