Notes at bottom of this chapter.

Title: It Happened One Night (Chapter 2)

Author: Undertoad

Rating: PG-13

Content Warning: Language.

The words cruel and unusual punishment came to mind.

He needed to sit down. He couldn't look at her as she found a seat across from him. He was on the couch and she was sitting on the coffee table that they had bought together. She use to yell at him for sitting there. And he had thought then that things had been complicated between them. Well, he'd gladly give up their current situation and go back to that one—in a heartbeat.

"What the hell, Neela," He began, sounding more bitter than he intended, "Why come to me? You ignore me at work like I'm the fucking plague and then you show up here at God knows what time and expect what from me, exactly? Congratulations?"

As the words came out of his mouth he regretted the way they were said. But being angry was easier than feeling anything else at the present moment.

He stood up and crossed the room. He had to get away from her. He heard her shuffle behind him and her soft steps towards him. She didn't get too close.

"I didn't want things to end up like this between us Ray. You have to at least know that if you ever knew me at all." She offered, just barely above a whisper.

He had thought that he knew her. And months ago he would have staked his life on that fact. But presently he felt as though the woman before him was akin to the people he treated in the ER—practically a stranger. But this was worse. The woman before him was a stranger with the face of the woman he loved.

He turned to face her and offered in exhaustion, "You didn't answer me. Why are you here?"

"Because I don't know what to do, Ray. This wasn't something I planned. I'm so scared I'm going to make the wrong choice…like I did with you." She paused, tearfully, "I figured that its one thing if my life's for shit. But this baby didn't have a choice in the matter. I need to do the right thing here. And you, probably better than anyone, know that my judgment has been a little skewed of late. Despite everything, I still trust you above anyone else. And I figured that if anyone would be able to help me than it would be you."

"I don't have a fucking clue…" He began, honestly.

He let out a breath that he had not known that he was holding and watched her across the room. She fidgeted on her feet and kept clenching and unclenching her fists. She was looking down at the floor, which caused her hair to fall and conceal her face from him. He knew that she was crying. He couldn't stand it when she cried.

He crossed the room and closed the space between them. He hesitated briefly before taking her in his arms. It was awkward for a moment before they both settled in. She said nothing as she cried against his chest. He rubbed her back soothingly as her small body was wrecked with silent sobs. She was shivering against him and he pulled her tighter only to realize that she was soaked. She had been rained on.

"You're soaked," He muttered against her hair, "you need to take care of yourself."

She said nothing.

He pulled back from their embrace, "I'll get you some dry clothes."

When he returned from his bedroom she was in the same place that he had left her. He helped her off with her jacket and did not hesitate to reach for the hem of her shirt. He paused and waited for her to react in some way but when their eyes met he saw no resistance. He took the hem of her shirt and helped her off with it. He followed suit with her shoes, socks, and pants.

She was left standing there in her underwear. And he couldn't help himself from giving her a once over. He noticed a few of the slight changes in her body. For a moment he could not take his eyes away from her stomach and its slight swell.

She was carrying a child and it wasn't his. He hadn't ever thought about children. He generally thought of them as a nuisance. But right now it was painful—in every way possible—to see that she was carrying another man's child.

Her teeth were chattering slightly when he draped a blanket over her shoulders from behind. She clutched the blanket at her chest and it was then that their eyes met. He picked up the clothes he had carried into the room with him and held them out to her.

This time she took the shirt from him--the very same shirt she had left him with on the curb that night—and shuffled towards the bathroom to change.

She emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later in his fresh clothes and wrapped up in the blanket. He was sitting on the couch and this time she sat beside him. He pulled her into the crook of his arm and rubbed her shoulder lazily through the blanket.

It was only when he felt her settle comfortably against him that he finally broke his silence.

"You don't have to decide on anything right now," He paused, "But no matter what you do you need to tell the father."

He felt her stiffen slightly beside him, "I'm positive it is not anything he wants to hear."

"But he has the right to hear it."

"Like you said," She paused with a yawn, "Nothing has to be decided right now."

With her small body tucked against him he couldn't help but feel slightly better about their situation. Granted, it was a complicated situation. And he had never expected to find himself here when he asked her to be his roomie but for a moment it was enough to just have her there. They would figure out the rest—eventually—but tonight the woman he loved was tucked safely in his arm asleep and he couldn't help but close his eyes and drift off. It was the first time in a long while that they both slept peacefully.

Thank you for all the reviews. I never expected that so many people would read this.  Thank you all for waiting patiently for me to update. I'm not always able to have access to a computer.

Also, Alik22, in regards to your question: Spoilers for S13 used in this story consist of Neela's "romance" with Tony Gates. I wish I had more to spoil you with!

Alexandria Dunas: Livejournal? I don't have a journal on that site.