December 18th, 2004

It was that time of year again. Drunken Santa's and Christmas light electrocutions. And the worse part of all Secret Santa. Abby hated Secret Santa time. She always had to do something good to out do people last year. Susan walked up to her with a jar.

"Pick Abby." Susan said. Abby groaned loudly hoping Susan would go away. "Pick." Abby closed her eyes and reached into the jar and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Who did you get?" Neela asked.
"I'm not looking and if I did I wouldn't tell you." She said, "That defeats the purpose of it being a secret." Neela gave her a look.

"You'll be interested in seeing who I got." She held up the piece of paper and Abby saw Ray's name. "I have your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend and you suck." Abby said.
"He is to your boyfriend and I don't suck." Neela chuckled. Her eyes pleaded with her friend, "Please tell me who you got."

"Fine." Abby grumbled as she opened up the piece of paper. "Luka."

"How fitting. You know him well." Neela smiled.
"He's changed so much over the years. I'm not sure who he is anymore." Abby said as Neela walked away. She stopped in her tracks and looked at Abby.

"Do you want to know who has you?" She asked. Abby nodded.

"Ray." Neela smirked and walked back to work. Abby stood there for a moment. Ray had her in this whole secret Santa thing? That could be trouble. Abby walked down the hallway when she ran into John. She glared at him.

"Are you still not talking to me?" He asked her.

"I don't want to ever talk to you again, John. Luka had enough sense to stay out of my relationship. I'll talk to him again." Abby smirked and walked into the suture room. She could careless what John thought. He made her mad.

"Hey." Ray grinned brightly when he saw her.

"I know you got me for this stupid secret Santa thing." Abby said, "What are you getting me?"

"I'm not telling you." Ray chuckled.

"I will tell you who pulled your name if you tell me." Abby said.

"Abby, I'm not telling you, but if you think hard enough you'll be able to figure it out." He said. Abby narrowed her eyes. "I'm a musician."

"And?" Abby asked.

"Think about it." He said. Abby did and then it hit her. He was going to write her a song. Redness crept over Abby's cheeks. She watched him smirk at her. She wanted to smack that smirk right off of his face. "Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?"

"What are we, Ray?" Abby asked. Ray cleared his throat looking at his patient.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"We're more than fuck buddies. I know that. We said we weren't ready for a serious relationship, but what we've been doing for the past couple of weeks...That's serious." Abby said, "So, what are we?" Ray sat there staring at her.

"You're my girlfriend." He said. Abby stared at him. Girlfriend. She was someone's girlfriend. Was she ready for that? Hell yeah. She smirked.

"Okay. Dinner sounds fine." She said turning and exiting the room. Susan ran up to her.

"You haven't been to the gynecologist in two years." Susan said.

"Susan!" Abby looked around her shocked, "What the hell?"

"Your medical records. You need to have a physical by the first of the year." Susan said.

"Why?" Abby said.

"Because of insurance things." Susan said, "And because the people upstairs want it. I can do it if you want."

"No!" Abby's eyes widened even wider, "I'll make an appointment with Coburn or someone up there. I don't need a friend examining me down there."

"Oh. We could just ask Ray." Susan said.

"Bite me." Abby growled stomping down the hall. There was a reason she hadn't gone to see the gynecologist in a while. She hated them.


Both Neela and Abby sat on the couch, tubs of ice-cream in their hands, watching TV. It was girls night for them tonight. Okay, it was we can gossip about everyone night. After havin dinner with Ray, Abby wanted to gossip, although Ray wanted to come over nad have sex.

"I think I'm going to get Ray some stuff for his guitar like picks and a strap." Neela said. Abby nodded as she licked the ice-cream off of her spoon.

"He'd like that." She said, "I have no idea what to get Luka."

"Ask Sam." Neela said. Abby shook her head.

"I'm sure she's as clueless as I am." She said. Neela sighed deeply.

"I need a boyfriend." She said. Abby rolled her eyes.

"You don't have time for a boyfriend." She said. Neela shot her a look.

"Of course I need. If you have time for Ray, I have time for Joe somebody." She said. Abby thought for a moment who Neela could get hooked up with.

"The only single man I can think of is John and I don't want you to date him." Abby grimaced. Neela too wrinkled her nose.

"I don't want John." She said, "I'll find someone someday. There's still hope for me yet."

"Maybe there is a maybe there's not." Abby winked as the phone rang. She groaned as she leaned over and picked it up, "Dr. Lockhart and Dr. Rosgotra, how may we service your needs?"

"Abby, it's your mother." Abby froze when she heard her mother's voice. She hadn't expected to hear from Maggie for another five years. She glanced at Neela.

"What do you want, Maggie?" She asked. Neela looked up. She knew all about Abby's mother. She often got an ear full.

"I just wanted to call my baby and tell her how proud I am of her." Maggie said. Abby looked at the television screen, "You're a doctor, Abby. Congratulations."

"I became a doctor a while ago, Mom." She said. "I even had this thing called a graduation. It's this thing where friends and family watch people leave school and go into the work force. You weren't there but Susan and Luka were. Susan, nine months pregnant, was there."

"Abby I know you. Did you really want me there?" Maggie asked. Abby pierced her lips. Had she wanted her there? She growled.

"I don't know, but a card would have been nice." Abby muttered.

"I'm sorry, Abby. I'm sorry I didn't send you a stupid card, but I'm calling now to check up on you." Maggie said, "Is there anything new with you?"

"I have a boyfriend. You would hate him. He plays the guitar." Abby said. She heard Maggie chuckle. "I'm living with a girl." Neela's eyes widened and she smacked Abby's leg.

"Don't you dare." She hissed.

"Her name is Neela and she's hot." Abby said.

"Abby," Maggie chuckled, "I know what you're doing. Is there anything you want for Christmas?" Abby sat there dumbfounded. Maggie was asking her what she wanted for Christmas. "Abigail...I'm trying to make a small effort here and I would hope you'd do the same."

"I need a coffee table for Christmas." Abby said. There was silence on the other end for a second. "A nice coffee table."

"Okay..." Maggie said, "A coffee table it is then." A small smile came across Abby's face.

"And maybe a microwave. I'm paying off loans and it's hard to furnish my apartment." She said. Neela looked at their coffee table and back at Abby.

"What happened to all the furniture that you had when I was there?" Maggie asked.

"You don't want to know. Trust me you don't want to know." Abby said. Maggie noted this. "Is there anything you would like for Christmas?" Maggie laughed.

"Just a picture would be nice." She said. Abby rolled her eyes but nodded.

"I can do that..." She said, "How is everything there? Are you staying on your medication?"

"Does it sound like I'm staying on my medication?" She asked.

"Sort of..." Abby chuckled. "Look, I have to go. Neela and I have a movie on pause, but....but it was nice hearing from you. I swear it was."

"don't make yourself a stranger, Abby." Maggie said. "I know a lot has gone on between us but you're still my daughter and I still care for you."

"I know." Abby said.

"I love you, Abby." Maggie said. Abby took in a deep breath.

"Take care, Maggie." Abby hung up the phone and stared at her melting ice-cream. Neela looked at her.

"Is everything all right?" She asked. Abby nodded.

"Things are just peachy." Abby said.

"Then let me ask you this." Neela said, "Why did you ask for a coffee table and a microwave?" Abby began to laugh.

"Because ray doesn't have them." She said. Neela burst out laughing.

"You're terrible." Neela chuckled.

"I know." Abby stuffed another spoonful into her mouth. Maggie had some balls to be calling her. Abby didn't care if it was Christmas, her birthday, or the end of the world. She was in no mood to hear from Maggie. Abby was happy and with Maggie, nothing was happy.