A/N Hey there! And thanks for the lovely reviews. And thanks especially to Ash and butterflywest for answering my queries, and also cherryblossom02 for telling me about American phrasings! I hope I get them better this chapter.

I've also discovered that I can find a line in ANY song that relates to the roomies. Seriously, any song! I'm obsessed with it. Give me a challenge if ya like. I even found one in Savages, from Pocahontas. Challenge me people, challenge me! I'll write one-shots of your challenges... Hmm, obsessive? Moi?

Chapter 4- Ray

"Just another day, started like out any other, just another girl who took my breath away."

-Jesse McCartney "Best Day Of My Life"

I dragged myself out of bed. I'd been on an evening shift, but Brett and Callie had kept me awake into the early morning. I could really sympathise with how Neela must have felt when I brought girls back, the walls were like paper thin. Now it was eleven and I had one hour to get into work on time. I was betting that wasn't going to happen, but the wrath of Doctor Weaver made me scramble quickly into my clothes. I'd washed as best as I could with the tube of the shower, but it was damned hard. And for some reason it was freezing. As I was walking out the door, Brett passed me on the way to the bathroom.

"Hey man," he said with a nod.

I glared at him. He didn't seem to notice. I walked out, slamming the door. I was so pissed. I needed coffee bad. It hadn't helped, I guess, that I'd checked my emails last night. Two nights had passed since I'd replied to Neela's surprise e-mail. Well, last night had been the second. But anyway, she hadn't replied. So I was feeling great. Not.

I ran down the steps from the El station, and checked my watch. Ten minutes. Just enough time to grab a coffee, a proper one, rather than the muck Smith made. Smith was the newest member of the County family, she'd come to replace Morris as coffee maker. And doctor. But even Morris's swill was preferable to Smith's. I shook my head, just thinking about. It was vile. At least she was a better doctor, though I guess that wasn't hard. I tapped my finger's nervously on my legs as the que got slowly served. All I wanted was a black coffee. Surely this guy getting an extra large frappacino (whatever the hell that was) wouldn't mind the waitress pouring me a cup before him. But oh no, we Americans must be civilised and wait.

Finally I got my coffee, I went to grab a napkin and took a sip. Oh yes, sweet heaven was in caffeine form. I stood there for a minute, pretending to look at the painting on the wall over the napkin dispenser, really drinking down my coffee.

"Can I have a coffee with milk, please." I swirled round to face the speaker and I swear my mouth must have dropped open. Literally, I was catching flies. It was Neela. Ordering coffee. In Chicago.

I walked up to her, "Hey Roomie."

She turned to me with a frown, then seeing who it was gave me a smile. I had missed that smile. Shut-up, Barnett, I thought to myself.

"Ray! It's so nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you too. I didn't know you were coming up."

She shrugged, and looked embarrassed or something, "It was a... last minute thing. I'm staying with Abby."

"Oh right," I grinned.

"You on today?" She asked, tilting her head in the direction of the hospital.

"Yeah, I am, you coming for a visit?"

She nodded, then checked her watch. "Um... I think you're late."

"Shit!" I said, before running off, I shouted back over my shoulder, "It was great to see you!"

"You too!" I heard the reply before darting out into the traffic. Cars squealed and I reminded myself that I really needed to look first next time. I threw my coffee cup into the trash can and ran inside.

"You're late," Abby said, giving me a smile.

"I know, I know. But I got distracted in the coffee shop."

"Oh yeah?" She said, with a raised eyebrow.

I nodded, "Yeah, someone who said they were staying with you?"

"Ah yes, I think I know who you mean."

I grinned, "You could have told me."

She held up her hands, "I didn't know until yesterday when she turned up on my door stop."

I frowned as I headed towards the lockers. That wasn't like Neela at all. But then what did I know, I hadn't seen her in eighteen months. For all I knew she'd become some spontaneous person. I shook my head, smiling to myself, somehow I couldn't even imagine that.

The next time I got to see Neela was an hour later. Of course as soon as I'd arrived three traumas had come in. I swear it was the universe telling me not be late... or to be later. I wasn't sure which. Anyway, once I'd changed into another lab coat I went to the desk to pick up some charts and she was chatting to Jerry, beaming. She looked so happy and I realised she hadn't changed at all. Her hair was a little longer and cut in a different style, but she was still the same old Neela.

Still the same girl you fell in love with?

Best not to answer that one, I thought, because it wasn't like I'd really fallen in love with her... had I?

"Hey Roomie," she said with a smile as she saw me approaching.

"You know, since we're not Roomies, we shouldn't really call each other that," I said, feigning wiping a tear from my eyes.

She pouted, "Aw," then she gave me a devilish grin, "You'll always be my Roomie."

I placed a hand on my heart, "Thank you, that means so much to me."

"Shut up Ray. God, you really haven't changed."

"I was saying that a couple of nights ago," Abby said, as she passed.

"Mr Predictable, that's me." I grabbed some charts and raised my eyebrows at her, "Back to work. Lucky you having a holiday." I tapped her with the charts, "Some of us need money to pay the bills seeing as they have no room-mate to share with."

She smiled, "Who is your room-mate now, anyone I know?"

I pulled a face, "Brett."

She grimaced, "Do you even have a flat left?"

"Who knows, by the end of the day, any number of things could happen. I mean, we don't have a shower any more."

"Crap," she said sympathetically.

"I know, well, I'll love ya and leave ya." I walked off, my eyes wide. That last remark had been a little too close for comfort. Damn my endlessly joking façade.

Time is a healer, people say. So you'd think after this long my want to hold her would have vanished. But no, it was still there I could proudly say after a grand total of one and a half conversations. All I wanted to do was grab her and hold her close to me. Now, wouldn't that have looked strange? I hoped she was staying for a while. No, I didn't, because it wasn't as if I could do anything about it. It was probably best -the further away she was, the less I could do to embarrass myself. All the same... she was back in Chicago now, maybe that meant... I shook my head. It meant nothing. She was back for a visit, that was all.

"It was so great seeing you, I've really missed you."

"I missed you too. Did you get my card?"

She laughed, "The beer and poker, yeah." She paused. "That all you missed?"

She had a talent for cutting me where it hurt, that was for sure. "Of course not."

She smiled, only a small one, but beautiful nonetheless. "We have to go out for drinks. Maybe I could come see you play?"

"That'd be great, how long are you staying for?"

She shrugged, "I'm not sure really. Not long I guess, Abby's place isn't that big and with Jasmyn and everything, I get the feeling I'm in the way."

"Well, soon then. See ya." I walked away from her, heading towards the El station. She wasn't staying long, shit. But, she wanted to see me play. And she'd missed me -or she said she had. I walked quicker, trying to get my mind clear. Thinking of anything Neela related always made me confused.

When I got home the apartment was silent. I stood in the doorway, feeling wary. Since Brett had moved in the apartment was never quiet, there was always something going on. This felt like the first few months after Neela had moved out, when I'd get home from work, grab a pack or twoof beer and make my way through them before crawling to bed or waking up on the sofa. I have to say, it hadn't been the best time in my life.

I went into the lounge and saw a scrawled note on the sofa;

Ray,

Callie and me have gotten an apartment. Sorry to leave such last minute, but this place is bigger and has a shower. I'll come round tomorrow for stuff, and see you at practise. Matt got us a gig at Indigo on Saturday.

Brett

I sat on the sofa, no more Brett and Callie. I was home alone once more. I had a moment of relief that I would finally get a decent night's sleep before my paranoid mind kicked into gear. Brett and Callie moved out the same day I see Neela again? Something didn't feel right. It's not great to feel like Fate is stalking you, it's unnerving. I mean the first time Neela moved in, it had been a big coincidence that I'd had a spare room and needed a room-mate just as she'd needed a place. This felt like Fate was telling me to ask her to stay with me while she was in Chicago, she'd just been telling me how she felt in the way at Abby's...

I shook my head and went to the fridge to grab a beer. Fate was a load of bull. I was getting sentimental in my old age.

A/N Ah but Ray, don't you know that Fate is also known as The Author? Of course I exist... except I'm not stalking you...

Sorry, just having a conversation with one of the characters I've borrowed from the great people at ER -and they tried to say I was crazy. What did you guys think of this chapter? Reviews would be, as they say in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, excellent!