December 1st, 2004
Ray had a skip in his step and a song in his heart. He whistled nonstop and he felt like an idiot. Abby was just a girl. He had no right to be so worked up about her. She was just a girl...Of course he had to keep on reminding himself about that.
"Yo, Carter, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ray walked up to the admit desk. John looked at him. He hoped he didn't look that young when he was newly starting out.
"About a patient?" John asked, "Because I have twelve right now."
"No It's about Lockhart." Ray said. He knew Abby would probably kick him in the nuts if she knew he was talking to John. John nodded.
"Is everything all right between the two of you?" He asked.
"It's perfect." Ray said, "You know I'm not one for looking for pointers or anything like that."
"I've noticed." John said looking at Ray seriously, "What is it Ray? I don't have time for this."
"Abby and I are sort of seeing each other." He said. Ray smothered the smile that threatened to cross his face when he saw the stunned look on John's face, "You dated her. Is there something I should be careful with or a flower she likes?"
"You're dating, Abby?" John asked. Ray nodded, "I swear to god Barnett, don't screw with her."
"I'm not. I swear, Carter." Ray said.
"She's...She has enough going on in her life. She's a sensitive woman although she doesn't like people knowing that. Abby has had a hard life and she deserves to have things calm for awhile. You aren't the calm she needs." John said walking away.
"Whoa. Wait a minute." Ray jogged after him, "You're forbidding me not to see her?"
"I'm advising you not to see her. Abby is a sweet girl. She doesn't need trouble." John said.
"I'm not going to give her trouble. I swear." Ray said. He couldn't believe the balls on this man, "Abby told me about her drinking problem and I'm going to support her with that one hundred percent."
"It's more than her drinking. She has a screwed up family, Ray." John said, "She uses that as a shield to keep from getting too close from anyone. Trust me, I was ready to marry her and she hid behind her brother."
"Everyone has a screwed up family." Ray said.
"Not like hers. Her mother is sick." John sighed deeply. "Maggie is Bipolar and has tried to kill Abby on many occasions. Abby just needs stability."
"Look, I'm not asking her to marry me or even date me seriously right now. I just...I want her in my life. I know she's special. She must be special to you or you wouldn't be trying to protect her. You may think I'm a player or a slacker by the way I dress, but when I find something I care about, I stick with it, Man." Ray shook his head, "Forget I ever asked you." He growled and started to walk away. He wasn't going to be told he couldn't see Abby.
"Barnett?" John called out. Ray turned around, "Daisies." He smirked.
"Thanks." Ray said going to his locker.
Abby stomped the slush off of her boots as she walked into the ER. She looked around. It looked pretty quiet in here. Good thing because Abby wasn't in the mood to deal with any patients or cocky doctors. She walked into the locker room and threw off her jacket.
"I hate winter." She mumbled to herself. She walked to her locked and stopped. There was a single daisy taped to her door. She grinned broadly peeling it of. It was nice to see a little bit of Spring in the dead of winter. She sniffed it. She loved daisies. She opened her locker and saw a note had been slipped in there. Only two words were on it 'Supply closet'. "Lord." Abby chuckled as she slid her lab coat on. She tucked the daisy into her button hole and walked out. Maybe today would be a good day after all. Abby walked into the supply closet and saw Ray holding another daisy.
"Thank god it's you. If Chuny walked in here one more time she would of thought I was courting her." Ray chuckled planting a kiss on Abby's forehead.
"Are you courting me?" She asked.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." He winked handing Abby the other daisy.
"How did you know I liked daisies?" She asked him smelling the new one.
"A little bird told me." Ray said taking her hand. "What time are you off today?"
"You mean tomorrow?" Abby asked. "I get off at seven. Why, Pervert?"
"Well, Wench, They delivered my bed yesterday." Ray chuckled. Abby rolled her eyes.
"See?" You are a pervert." She said. Ray leaned over and kissed her softly, "A sexy pervert."
"All good perverts are sexy." He mumbled against her lips.
"Opps." Chuny chuckled stepping into the closet, "Sorry, but your patient in five is looking for you, Ray."
"Got it." He sighed glancing at Abby, "See you around."
"Yeah." Abby bit her lip walking out of the supply closet. Chuny followed her.
"So, you and Ray huh?" She smirked.
"No. There's no me and Ray." Abby said.
"He's kind of cute." Chuny said looking at the flowers, "And thoughtful."
"We're just friends, Chuny." Abby insisted as she went to the admit desk.
"Who you friends with?" Pratt asked.
"Her and Ray were making out in the supply closet." Chuny laughed. Abby shot her a look.
"You and Barnett?" Pratt chuckled, "I can't see it."
"I can't see you and Chen so it all evens out now doesn't it?" Abby smirked. John walked up behind her.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked. Abby nodded.
"Sure." She said. John looked down at the Daisies Abby held. He sighed. "What?"
"You and Ray." He said. Abby groaned loudly.
"Did Chuny tell you too? This is getting ridiculous. Should I go over the OA system and tell people who might not have heard?" Abby growled.
"Ray told me." He said.
"Oh." Abby pierced her lips, "What did he tell you?"
"Just that he wants you in his life and that he cares for you." John said. Abby looked away. He must have been talking about a different Ray because Ray Barnett didn't care for anyone but himself. Abby looked down at her flowers.
"Are you the little birdie that told him I liked daisies?" She asked. John nodded.
"He wanted to know." He said. Abby sighed deeply.
"I'm not looking for anything serious, John." She said.
"Neither is he." John told he, "He said so, but I didn't believe him, just like I don't believe you." Abby crossed her arms, slightly annoyed with John.
"What do you mean you don't believe me?" She asked.
"You have feelings for him and he has feelings for you." John said, "you're both adults here. I want to see you happy, Abby. You know that. I can see in your eyes Ray brings something out in you." Abby growled loudly and glared at John.
"You think you know me just because we dated?" She snapped, "You don't know me at all. You have no idea what my feelings are for Ray. Stop being Arrogant, John Carter." Abby stalked away from him. Okay maybe she shouldn't have snapped at him because he was right. She had feelings for Ray already and that scared the shit out of her.
"Are you okay?" Neela walked up behind her best friend.
"No." Abby said pulling one of the daisies out of her jacket, "I'm falling for Barnett and I know he's going to break my heart. Men always do."
"Oh..." Neela glanced around them, "Like...How much are you falling for him?" Abby turned and looked at her.
"You don't want to know, Trust me." She said. Neela groaned loudly.
"That's bad." She said.
"Can you do me a favour?" Abby asked. Neela nodded.
"I'll do anything for you." She said and that was the truth. Abby knew it.
"Can you go find Ray and ask him about me?" Abby asked her. Neela rolled her eyes.
"We're not in bloody high school, Abby." She said.
"Please. I just...I don't want to invest anymore feelings in this before I know I won't get hurt." Abby told her. Neela sighed deeply and nodded. She always seemed to be the middle person. It was this way in high school for her. Neela walked down the hallway until she found Ray.
"Dr. Barnett, May I speak with you for a moment?" She asked. Ray nodded and excused himself from his patient. "How do you feel about Abby?"
"Excuse me?" Ray smirked.
"I know you put on this I'm a player attitude, but you're human and humans have emotions and feelings for other humans." Neela said. Ray chuckled. "Abby has deep feelings for you. She's terrified you're using her and will hurt her."
"I'm not." Ray looked at her shocked, "I would never hurt her."
"That's great, but it often happens when it comes to her." Neela said, "Do you care for her?" Ray stood there staring at Neela. Care for Abby? Shit, he cared a lot about her. It was venturing on territory he knew nothing about. Ray nodded.
"I know she probably sent you over here to ask me how I felt. You can tell her, I like her a lot and I hope she likes me a lot." Ray said, "Whether it's a serious relationship she's looking for or a occasional relationship she's looking for, I'll be here waiting." A small smile came across Neela's face.
"Perfect." Neela turned and walked back down the hallway. Finally, she though. She caught up with Abby, "He likes you just as much as you like him." Abby stared at her.
"Seriously?" She asked. Neela nodded. Abby took in a deep breath. She was starting to panic. This was so out of character for her, but Ray brought something out in her that she never knew was there.
"Don't be so uptight. Go over there and tell him you want to see more of him." Neela said. Abby glanced down the hallway and saw Ray walking towards her. God, she did feel like she was in high school...She kind of liked it.
"Ladies." Ray nodded at Neela and Abby. Abby grabbed his hand and pulled him to her.
"Look, I'm not looking to get married anytime soon if ever. I'm not looking for a live in boyfriend. I'm just looking for someone..." Abby flipped her hair off of her shoulder, "I'm looking for someone I can have fun with and I think that may be you."
"Cool. I think you're my someone too." Ray grinned. Abby's heart fluttered like a school girls heart on the first day of school.
"Cool." Abby said. She leaned over and kissed him softly. She could careless if she was at work and the rumour mill was terrible. Ray said he wanted her. Sure that brought out a lot of uncertainty and insecurities in Abby, but it was time. She had to step up to the plate. She wasn't getting any younger and she needed to have a good time.
