Standard disclaimer: All characters and material related to the ER belong to well, I'm guessing here, NBC, various production companies, the writers and all others associated with it. I'm sure they don't belong to me and I won't be making any $.

Ray was silent a moment and then said, "It's strange. I can't think of a thing to tell you. I've been talking to you for 25 days. I suppose I could just start over since you probably didn't hear me. Could you hear me?"

Neela considered. "Tonight I heard you telling me to calm down." She didn't have the nerve to add 'Baby.' "And earlier I had the strangest dream. Were you talking about a stream? We were having a picnic. It was lovely." She looked at his lips and remembered a strawberry. She repeated, "Lovely."

"A stream? You said that when you were waking up." Ray tried to remember. This afternoon he was so worried he'd brought the guitar. Then he remembered. "'My Neela's asleep by thy murmuring stream. Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dreams.'"

"Is that a poem? Does it really say Neela?"

Ray looked embarrassed. "It's an old English folk song. I think it's Mary. Pretty unimaginative. I like Neela better."

Neela thought a moment. "Ray, you said you'd been talking to me for 25 days. Lucien said I've only been here 25 days…"

"That's right." He was afraid he knew where this conversation was going.

"So, you were here every day."

"I'm glad to see you math skills seem unaffected; I'll be sure to tell Dr. Dubenko."

"Be serious. Ray, the day I had my accident you were leaving for Baton Rogue. Didn't you go?"

"I went. Abby called, so I came back."

"Right away?"

"As soon as I could get a flight."

"Ray, you should have waited. You shouldn't have taken two trips the same day they released you from hospital. I wasn't going anywhere."

"I hoped that was true." Ray thought about how he had prayed she would live. "Neela, you were in really bad shape." He remembered what it had been like to see her battered face and her body all hooked up to tubes. He shuddered when he recalled how she had crashed that first week. "Please, can we not talk about this tonight? You should rest. I think I'd better go."

"Please stay. At least until I fall asleep. I promise I'll try to rest. You said that was a folk song. Did you sing it to me?" She thought he looked embarrassed when he said yes, but she loved to think of him singing to her while she was sleeping. "Would you sing me something now? Like a lullaby?"

"If you stopped talking you might be able to sleep. Or I could see if you've got standing orders for something to help."

"No, please, if you'll sing or talk to me, I'll close my eyes and try to sleep."

Ray tried to think. He wasn't sure he knew a lullaby. There was the one his step-sister liked that he'd sing to get her back to sleep after a nightmare. So he started out softly, "Hush little"–he nearly winced when he realized this dreaded word started it off—"baby not a word. Brother's gonna buy you…"

"Isn't it supposed to be Mama, or in your case, Papa?"

"If I were answering questions from a sleeping person, I'd say that I've never been either of those."

"You've never been a brother, either, have you? I thought it was just you and your mum."

He knew he should go so she could rest. Clearly she wasn't going to stop talking while he was in the room. But after all these weeks of his worry and her silence, it was just so good to have her back. He'd missed her so much. He hadn't realized how much until he was here with her and the conversation was coming pretty easily like it used to when they lived together. So instead of trying to leave again, he answered her. "Well, not all the time. For the short time my mother's second marriage lasted, I had a step-sister about"—he had to think, it had been so long—"five years younger than I am."

"Where is she now?"

"I have no idea."

"You don't know?"

"No. I tried to keep in touch with her after the divorce, but neither of the parents was very excited about the idea. One day my letter came back and the phone number I had didn't work anymore, either."

"What was her name?"

"Cat. Short for Catherine. I called her Kitty Cat, of course, sometimes just Kitty. I was about twelve—she didn't seem to mind."

"I bet she adored you."

"Yeah. That's why I tried to stay in touch."

"What was her last name? Maybe you could google her."

Ray laughed a short, humorless laugh. "Smith. And my step-father was John."

"Oh. And you have no idea where she lives."

"None."

"I'm sorry, Ray."

"It was a long time ago. But, I thought you were going to quietly listen to my beautiful lullaby, not interrogate me about it. Where was I? Never mind. Speaking of sisters, here comes yours with your folks. So, I'm clearing out."

"Stay to meet them at least."

"I met your folks more than three weeks ago. I'm practically a family member now. Good night."

She was vaguely disappointed she wouldn't get to introduce him to her family; he'd done that himself. She was more disappointed he was leaving. Still holding his hand she asked, hoping it would sound like it went along with the lullaby, "Do I get a goodnight kiss?"

Ray was very aware that Neela's parents were about to step into the room, so he leaned over and gave Neela a chaste peck on her forehead. "Sweet dreams. I'll see you tomorrow."

As her family came into the room, it was obvious they knew Ray and were quite friendly with him. Interestingly, her mother stopped to converse with Ray as he was leaving. Jess and her father had come over and were both trying to talk to her at once, so she couldn't hear what her mother was saying. She saw her mother lean down and give Ray a hug before he left.

Her mother approached the bed, "How are you?"

"I'm not completely sure. If you'd hand me my chart, I could tell you."

"No, you don't need to read your chart. Ray says you need rest. So we won't stay long tonight. How do you feel?"

"A bit wonky." Ray was ordering her mother around? And she let him? Neela realized many interesting developments had occurred while she was sleeping. "My ribs hurt. It's odd to think about how much time I've missed."

"You were very lucky, Neela. We were all very worried."

Neela realized both her parents looked exhausted. Her father looked ten years older than the last time she had seen him.

"I am kind of tired. Where are you staying?"

"At a place near to the hospital. We've got a nice little lounge, which is where Jess has been sleeping since she arrived. There's a bit of kitchen so we can do some cooking. Ray helped us find it. It's too bad about his legs. He's a nice young man. He likes my chicken tikka."

Neela wanted to tell her mother that Ray liked practically anything, especially if someone else cooked it for him.

"You had him over for dinner?"

"No. He stayed with you so we could make lunch. Sometimes I'd bring him a little something along. He was here every day and so concerned. Not like that other one. The tall, good-looking one. You made Ray very happy today by waking up. And made us happy, too. We'll go now and see you tomorrow."

Yes, some very interesting developments indeed while she had been asleep. Wait, didn't her mother think Ray was good looking? And Tony had been here. She remembered now that she'd heard him while she was waking up. She'd dreamed about him, too. She didn't want to think about the problem of what to do about Tony and Ray. Maybe she should go back to sleep. Life seemed less complicated then.