Title: It Happened One Night
Author: Undertoad
Rating: This part I guess is PG?
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters.
Spoilers: Everything through season 12 has happened in this universe. A bit of this is based on spoilers for season 13.
Content Warning: Maybe a dirty word?
Summary: A friend in need.
It was easy to avoid him when she was doing her surgical rotation. For the most part it kept her out of the ER. But occasionally she did still have to consult. And then there was always those times when they happened to work the same shift or run into each other in the break room or at the Jumbo Mart. They were polite, like colleagues but not like friends. To say it was awkward between them was an understatement.
She felt guilty every time she looked at him.
Originally the guilt was due to the fact that she had more than friendly feelings for her former roommate when she had been married. And then, when she discovered her husband was gone, she felt that she deserved to feel guilty whenever her eyes fell on Ray. She had spent more time with him than her husband. She had lived with him. She knew how he took his coffee and every time he did his trademark smirk there was this feeling that it gave her that she never felt with Michael.
She knew that she had loved Michael. But she didn't know how she felt about Ray. And that scared her.
But now she felt guilty for pushing him away. He had only tried to help. She had brushed him off, closed off, and leaned on everybody but him. And then there was Tony.
Tony Gates, the flirtatious paramedic that she had done a ride-along with was her new boyfriend. Did she like him? Most of the time. Did she miss him when he wasn't around? Not unless she was feeling particularly lonely or Michael was drifting to the forefront of her thoughts.
But where did she go when she really needed somebody? To Ray.
Which is where she found herself at one in the morning on a Tuesday. It was raining but she had barely registered that fact on her long walk from the hospital to his apartment. The apartment they use to share together.
She knocked and waited for quite a bit. She heard him shuffling around on the other side of the door. She blushed inwardly recalling that he had mentioned to her once that before he had a roommate he liked to sleep naked.
She didn't hear him shuffling around anymore. She wondered if he had finally managed to make it to the door, had looked through the peephole, and was debating about whether or not he should open the door. Did she deserve his kindness after what she had done to him?
If only she had just let him help her then maybe she wouldn't be in the situation that she was in now.
He opened the door and was obviously startled.
"Hey." She managed out.
"Neela," He said just above a whisper, his voice slightly hoarse from sleep.
Ray moved out of her way enough so that she could squeeze in. He shut the door and took the time to lock it.
She was studying the apartment and taking in the subtle differences in it since she had last been there. It felt like forever ago. When she finally turn to meet his eyes her own were starting to water up.
"This was a mistake," She paused, "I shouldn't have come. Especially at such a late hour; uninvited. You were probably sleeping or entertaining and I know better."
She took a step towards the door and he grabbed her arm to hold her back. He knew she wouldn't have come unless it was important.
"We're alone, Neela. Tell me what's wrong."
She bit her lip and stole a glance at his eyes, her guilt creeping up on her again.
She sighed as she quickly brushed off the wetness underneath her eyes, "I don't want to hurt you anymore than I have. Just let me go, Ray."
He released her arm and it fell to her side. But neither of them moved.
"If that's what you want, go. But you came to me. Something must be going on. And I can't help you unless you tell me what it is."
He brushed some fallen hair off her forehead so that he could see her eyes better and leaned his head down slightly so that he was closer to her, "And I want to help."
She looked up slightly and panicked at how close they were. Their lips were within inches of one another. She watched him lick his lips and for a moment all she thought about was what it would be like to kiss him.
But reality always has a way of sneaking up at the worst times and she immediately pulled away. He let his chin fall to his chest as he let out a sigh. He combed his fingers mindlessly through his spikes and raised his eyes up to meet hers.
He looked slightly irritated, "Neela…"
He lost his voice or did not know what else to say. She sent up a silent prayer that her news would not hurt him anymore than she already had. But she figured that such a request would be asking too much.
"I'm pregnant."
His expression was blank for a moment as if he words were not fully comprehended. And slowly she saw him attempting to connect the dots…or more specifically, the dates. A moment later confusion etched his features before he finally settled on a look of melancholy.
"With Tony Gates kid?" He spit out, unable to help himself.
He turned away from her and she took a hesitant step forward and grabbed his arm, "No."
His eyes traced her form quickly. She was not yet showing. She would have been showing if it were Michael's child. So who was the father?