A/N Thanks for all your reviews! You're lovely. I got stuck on the chapter title, so I used a bit of an inside joke... it doens't matter though.

Chapter 8 -Ray

"Say it's true. Say you like me (I like you) Just for the night. For me it's been eternity."

-Motion City Soundtrack "Attractive Today"

When I got off the stage I went to the dressing room and splashed my face with cold water. It wasn't particularly because I was so hot, it was because I felt mind-boggled. That moment with Neela had been overwhelming. God, I thought to myself...

I didn't know what to think. Sure, she'd been looking at me, but did that mean anything? No, of course it didn't. And she'd gone off with her cell phone a minute after. In fact it had probably just been a glance on her part, not the soul searching look I'd felt. But still, I couldn't help hoping... I shook my head. Get a grip of yourself Barnett, she's a married woman. She left you, she's made it quite clear what her feelings are. Get over her, and get over yourself.

I wished I could listen to myself.

I walked out of the dressing room after changing my top. I walked passed the security guy and into the packed out club. I scanned the room for Neela but couldn't see her anywhere. She must have left... I felt crushed. Then I saw Brett waving to me from a table, the band and a couple of girls were all sitting with him. I walked over to him, and saw that one of the girls was Neela. I couldn't stop myself from grinning like a kid on Christmas. She'd stayed.

"Where were you?" Matt asked, his arm around a hot blonde girl. Ah, the perks of being in a band.

I sat down next to Neela, call me crazy, but she looked better than all the other girls at the table combined. All the girls in the club. Oh man, I still had it bad. The sight of her wearing make up sent chills down my spine, and I couldn't help thinking about what her lipstick would taste of.

"Ray?" I realised I hadn't answered.

"Oh, just changing my shirt."

"Oh right," Matt grinned at me.

"What?"

"Nothing, just you don't usually change your shirt. I wonder what could be different about tonight..." He said rolling his eyes around the table before looking in Neela's direction with a smile.

"Shut up," I muttered. I was way too easy to read.

"Great set, some of my favourites," Neela said with a smile.

"Did you like the new stuff?"

She nodded, "Yeah, it was good."

"Who phoned you?" I asked, before thinking. Then I wished I could reverse time, I had just admitted that I'd been watching her -otherwise, how would I know she'd gotten a call? Why was it that when I was around Neela, or even thinking about her, I would say things that got me in trouble?

She didn't say anything about me acting like a stalker though, "Michael."

"Oh... is he alright?"

She nodded. "You want a drink?" She said, changing the subject pretty quickly. I was thankful, but wondered why. Just like I wondered why she'd been crying this morning. But it was one of those things I could never ask. There were so many unspoken questions between us, sometimes I thought I'd bust from wanting. Of course, asking questions wasn't the only thing I yearned to do.

"I'll get them," I said, getting up. Yet another rookie mistake, because everyone turned to me;

"You getting a round in Barnett? I'll have a beer," Brett said.

I groaned then counted heads, "Eight beers? I'm not getting anything else, so it's beer or nothing."

"Beer's fine."

I looked at Neela's almost empty cup and saw she'd been drinking coke and something. I bent down and whispered, "Since you're my Roomie, you can have something else, but don't let those vultures know."

She smiled, "Beer's fine."

"Come on, what were you drinking?"

"Hurry up man! I'm parched," Brett called.

"Rum and coke," Neela said quickly, "Thanks."

Anything for that smile, I thought to myself.

It was early in the morning before we stumbled out of the club. Neela clutched onto me, but I wasn't much use seeing as I'd probably had more to drink than her. "Abby's going to kill me, I bet I wake her up."

"You wanna stay at mine?"

"Did Brett talk to you?" She asked, closing one eye as she looked at me.

"No, why?"

"Oh, no reason... are you sure it's not a bother?"

"I told you, you're never a bother." We had one of those moments of staring again, but considering I was swaying slightly and she had one eye closed it didn't quite have the same impact.

"Alright. You'll have to lend me pyjamas."

I laughed, "Yeah, because I have plenty of girl's pyjamas."

She grinned. Then Matt shouted over, "Hey, are we dropping you two off somewhere?"

"Shit, no! I'm not getting in a van with you lot, you're all drunk."

"Like you're not Barnett," he said with a grin, "Besides, Samina here doesn't drink and offered to drive."

I looked at Neela, she shrugged. Normally I knew she would never get into a car being driven by someone she didn't know, but she was too drunk to think irrationally tonight, or rationally some might say. We went over and climbed in the back. I sat down and was shocked when she sat in my lap.

"I don't have good balance," she slurred.

"Ok, but I'm not sure whether I do either tonight."

We literally fell into the apartment, once I'd finally managed to wrestle the key round in the lock. She looked at me from the floor and smiled. "I missed you Barnett."

"I missed you too, Roomie."

I wanted to kiss her so badly, but no matter how much beer I'd had -I always knew better than that. I didn't want to lose her friendship, not when I'd only just got it back again. And if I kissed her she'd run a mile, and yeah I'd probably get a visit from an angry solider which wasn't my idea of fun.

"We should probably get off the floor," she said, laughing.

"Yup, but I don't think I can."

"Me either."

"Ray, I'm moving out."

"What, why?"

"I think we both know why."

I got up quickly as that night flashed through my head. I'd been trying to impress her with my cooking, and she'd come home from the surgery conference and told me. I never knew why she'd decided then that she had to move out. All I knew was it was soon after that she was gone and I was left alone.

"Ray, are you alright?" She said, getting up and following me.

"Yeah... yeah I'm fine." I felt pretty sobered now, my mind full of depressing times, of wallowing, of tears.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

She looked at me as if she knew better, but repaid me the favour I'd done her a few days ago by not asking about it. "Ok. Wanna watch poker?"

I smiled, "God, I really have missed you." Move back in with me? I asked silently. Yet another thing I couldn't ask out loud.

We went and sat on the couch. Oh, damn good memories from this couch. Nights of movies, take outs, and poker. Endless jokes, songs, and tickling. And the most recent and memorable, falling asleep with her in my arms and waking up with her in my arms. I loved this couch.

She switched the t.v on and settled back. "Must remember not to fall asleep here again."

I wouldn't mind. "I know, it was bloody uncomfortable."

"I'm rubbing off on you, you said bloody!"

"I called Matt a twat at practise the other day," I said, with a smile.

"You're just turning British aren't you? At least when it comes to swearing. I must be a bad influence."

I laughed. A few minutes later I asked one of my myriad of questions; "Hey Neela, how long are you staying here?"

"The night?" She replied.

"No, not here. I mean in Chicago."

"Oh... I don't know."

"What about work?" I knew I should stop pushing, but I had to know, had to prepare myself for her departure.

"I'm just using up all my leave."

I raised an eyebrow, "Won't you need that?"

She shook her head, "No. I'm leaving there anyway, we're relocating apparently."

"Oh, you never said." Relocating apparently. Interesting turn of phrase... I thought to myself.

"No... I guess I didn't."

"Do you know where to yet?" I was just trying to seem interested, but she glared at me and snapped;

"Actually, I don't know if I'm going with him."

I was taken aback. I knew I'd gone too far with my probing, for both her sake and mine. Because she'd let something slip that I'd never thought I'd ever hear, except in my dreams. She was unhappy with Michael. She might not be moving with him. That meant...

"I'm sorry Neela, I didn't mean to pry."

"No, I'm sorry," she sighed, "I should get narky with you it's just... god I wish I had someone to talk to sometimes about it all. But Abby's busy with Jasmyn and..."

"You have me."

She gave me a small, unamused smile, "I can't talk to you about being unhappy with my husband."

I wanted to ask why, but knew I couldn't. I thought I knew why, but I would have liked it confirmed for once. This conversation was the closest Neela had ever come to telling me she had feelings for me. Even when she'd told me she was moving out I'd thought it was my fault, my feelings were to blame. Now though... she seemed to be saying she couldn't talk to me because I was too close to the situation. Or maybe I was just big-headed.

She got up, "I'm really tired, where should I sleep?"

"Um, your old room I guess. Don't worry, I changed Brett's sheets. I'll get you something to sleep in."

"I'll just go to the bathroom," she said, heading in that direction.

I went to my room and dug through my draws before pulling out a big black t-shirt. It reminded me of another one she used to like sleeping in, one I'd given to her as a present. I wondered if she'd ever opened it...

"Here you go," I said, handing it to her at the door of her room.

"Thanks, night."

"Night Roomie."

The next morning as we were eating a breakfast of Lucky Charms my phone rang. "My head," I mumbled as I went to answer it. "Ray Barnett."

"Barnett, it's Weaver. You need to come in for the afternoon shift."

"But I'm off," I said, before remembering this was Weaver, and no-one argues with Weaver.

"I don't care, Pratt's called in and we need someone. You're top of my list. I'll see you in a few hours." She hung up.

"Great, I'm going to kill him," I said to myself as I walked back into the kitchen.

"What's up?" Neela asked, munching on her cereal.

"Pratt's called in, again, and I have to cover for him."

"I'll get him for you," she said with a laugh, "When?"

"Afternoon shift."

"At least it's not a night shift."

"Yeah, but I'm dog tired."

"Your own fault Barnett," she said, with a smile.

"How can you not be worn out?"

She shrugged, "Just lucky I guess. I think I'll come in with you, see everyone again."

"Alright, I'm just going to get a shower." At least the El journey would be good. Like old-times...

As Neela and I walked in I went up to the desk, "Hey Jerry. Please tell me he has a good reason."

Jerry smiled, "'Fraid so, he's broken his ankle. He'll be off for at least six weeks. Probably more."

"Shit. Who's covering him in the mean time?"

Jerry looked at me.

"You're kidding me?"

He shrugged, "I don't think Weaver's got anyone else lined up."

"We're short staffed as it is..." I muttered, walking towards the locker room.

Neela walked after me, "What's up?"

"He's broken his ankle. Which means yours truly gets to cover most of his shifts for the next six weeks."

She winced, "Oh dear."

"Indeed."

"I'm going to go say hi to people, I'll see you later alright?"

"Sure, see you." As she walked back down the corridor I couldn't help looking at her. All I wanted to do was to run after her and tell her everything I felt for her. All I wanted was for her too tell me she felt the same.

A couple of hours later I saw her again, at the desk, talking to Jerry. "Hey," I said, "You want to get lunch?"

"Sure," she said, "I've missed canteen food."

I laughed and we walked to the elevator.

"How's it been then?" She asked as we waited to get to the right floor.

"Busy. But alright, I keep having to tell people to talk quietly though. And Weaver's looks could definitely kill I've decided."

"She's not that bad, I was talking to her before."

"Oh?"

"Yeah about Henry and... stuff."

"She's nice to everyone, except me."

Neela shook her head, "Oh woe is Ray."

I put my hand to my chest, "Yep, everyone hates me."

Before I could hear her clever retort the elevator doors opened and we walked out. Once we'd grabbed some jacket potatoes we sat down at a table.

"So what else were you talking to Weaver about?"

"Um... Pratt." I gave her a questioning look and she added, "He's definitely off for the next six weeks."

"Right. And this was interesting conversation because..."

"You're so caring about your friends."

"Hey, he's got me covering his shifts!"

"Actually," she said, with a mischievous look, "That's what I was talking to Weaver about."

"What?" I said, feeling stupid, but I had no idea what she was talking about.

"I was wondering if she'd let me take over Pratt's shifts, until he's better."

My eyes widened. "You have to be kidding?"

She shook her head and smiled at me. "Looks like I'm back at County for a while."

I got up and walked round to her, before pulling her into a big hug, "Aw I love you Neela Rasgotra."

"I love you too," she said quietly, and my heart felt like it was trying to escape my body. Neela was staying in Chicago for at least six weeks. And after that... who knew?

A/N Hope you liked! And I hope this is the right chapter... I'm getting really confused because I've just finished writing chapter 10, and I'm posting chapter 8... something I never do! Please review! I need some nice ones so I can forget... something. (long story -yet again)