Chapter 2
Explanations
Ray had been treated and released a few hours after he fell so he was lying down on the couch at Frank's. The desk clerk and his wife had offered him a place to stay so somebody could make sure he was okay. He had hit his head in the fall and had needed three sutures to close up his chin so the only way he could get released was for one of his former coworkers to let him stay with them for a week or so.
Thankfully his prosthetics had been undamaged and Dr. Grossman in ortho had came down to check him and make sure he didn't do any more damage to what was left of his legs. He had seen Neela, who had hung around outside exam 2 until he had left with Frank, talk to the other doctor as he went by her. He wondered if something romantic had happened with them after he left because they acted awfully close to each other. As soon as he had thought it, he put it out of his mind because Neela Rasgotra was out of his life, for good this time.
Ray was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of Frank's wife, Connie and their daughter, who had downs syndrome walk into the room and they weren't alone. Neela was with them, talking about the heart attack that Frank had during Neela's last year of med school. He scowled when she glanced over at him and at how quickly they were left alone by Frank's wife and daughter.
"What the hell are you doing here? I thought I told you to leave me alone."
"Ray, what you saw last night wasn't what it looked like."
"Bullshit. I didn't see you tell Brenner that you liked him and wanted to be with him, you didn't let him kiss you.?" Neela didn't say a word because she knew that he was right about what he had seen and heard. "If I wouldn't have interrupted you by falling down, it wouldn't have been long before you were back either at his place or yours, screwing each others brains out."
"Ray.."
"Leave me alone, Neela. I'm done with you, for good."
"Fine, if that is the way you bloody want it, you sorry wanker! I just want you to explain to me about one thing. Where the hell is your girlfriend? The one you went to Georgia with? You moved on first, so don't act like the damn injured party here. I was going to come see you for Thanksgiving and then you tell me you have met somebody else and are going to Georgia with her. So where the hell's your girlfriend?"
"We broke up as soon as we came back from her parents house. All I wanted was you but every time I called all I heard was all the surgeries you were performing and how much you hoped that you got a job offer at County. I didn't want to pull you away from your home when it was everything I could do not to ask you to come to Baton Rouge because I missed you."
"Ray..."
"No. That doesn't matter anymore. Do you remember when I told you that you made your choice and can't have it both ways, in regards to Gates? Well guess what, the same rules apply now. I'm going to be back at County tomorrow to get checked over to see if I can go back home, if you are there on a consult, don't speak to me. The same goes for Brenner. Keep him the fuck away from me."
Ray turned his back on her and waited until he heard the front door slam. He didn't hear Connie walk into the room until he felt the couch move from when she sat down beside him.
"I know you are hurting over what you saw last night but son, she seems to love you. According to Frank, the second she saw you and that you were hurt, Simon Brenner was the last person on her mind. You were the one she came to see, not him."
"So are you saying I should just let her off the hook, Mrs. Martin?"
"From what I just overheard, she isn't the only one who made mistakes in this situation. Maybe you need to hear her out and give her a chance to explain. Call her, ask her to meet you for dinner somewhere that you can talk without anybody interrupting you."
"Fine. Thank you for letting me stay here last night. You have been very kind to me."
"Frank talked about you, along with Neela, Abby, Archie and Greg all the time. When he found out that you had lost your legs, it really broke his heart. He may appear to be a bigoted pain in the butt, Frank is actually a very caring man and he talks about all of you in the ER like you were his children. He doesn't care for that Dr. Brenner that much though. In his opinion, you are the better man."
Ray smiled at her as Connie got up and left the room, before pulling out his cellphone and calling Neela. She answered on the first ring, an anxious tone to her voice like she was hoping he would change his mind and call her.
"Meet me for dinner at Ike's at seven o'clock and we'll talk some more about what happened. I have cared about you too long just to completely write you off. I don't want to see Simon Brenner show up or I'm going back to Baton Rouge and I am changing my cellphone number. Only Archie will have it."
"Ray, I will try to keep him away but being that Ike's is a public place near the hospital, he still might show up there."
"Get Archie or Gates to help you, he interrupted what could have happened with us Halloween and I don't want a repeat of that."
"I don't want that to happen either. I will try. What made you change your mind?"
"Connie talked to me and made me see that I was acting like an idiot and that I wasn't as innocent in this situation either. This doesn't mean I've completely forgotten about what happened last night but I am willing to listen more to your side of the story. I will also try to explain more about the girl I went to Georgia with."
"I'll see you tonight."
"See you then."
Right as Neela hung up her phone, she walked into the entrance to the ER so she could go upstairs and get something out of her locker. When she got inside, Simon stopped her at the door and led her into the lounge. He tried to kiss her and a hurt look came over his face as she pulled away.
"You told me last night that you wanted to be with me. Are you trying to tell me that Ray coming back has changed all of that?"
"Simon, I meant what I said last night but I also meant that I didn't want to like or want you. I have to see what is going to happen with Ray here in the next day or two or I will have to live with the fact that I didn't try and regret letting him go. If I end up with you, I would take it out on you the fact that I had a chance with Ray and didn't take it. I care about you but I don't love you. I have been in love with Ray for the past three years and there have been so may obstacles keeping us from being together. I have to see where this can go with him and if he is willing to give me another chance. I'm sorry."
She turned and walked out of the lounge, going into the elevator and letting the door close behind her. She buried her face in her hands as she thought about the hurt and devastated look that had been on his face. Neela hated that she had caused him pain but she had to know if she and Ray stood a chance at being together. She just hated that Simon had been caused pain because of it.
Simon buried his face in his hands as he sat on the couch in the lounge. He was so lost in the emotions that were churning inside him, he didn't hear the door the lounge open and Laverne walk in. She had overheard the conversation and despite how he had treated her the previous year, she felt sympathy for him. The whole situation was royally screwed up.
Laverne and the other interns had heard the whole Ray/Neela saga from Gates, Morris and Sam and after treating him the night before, she could see why Neela had fallen for him. He was smoking hot and was a pretty nice guy despite how angry he had been at Dr. Rasgotra.
Dr. Brenner had also changed and was trying to help her more, even trying to make amends as to how he had acted towards her. She could see he honestly cared for Dr. Rasgotra but Laverne had a bad feeling he was going to be the loser in this situation. Her heart went out to him.
She walked over and sat down beside him on the couch, touched him gently on the arm and tried to comfort him. He started a bit before turning to look at her and could see the surprise that she was trying to comfort him.
"Laverne..."
"I overheard the conversation Dr. Brenner. I'm sorry that you are having to go through this. It sounds like a messed up situation that none of you deserve to be in. How about we got to Ike's for a beer after our shifts are over."
"I'm not going to use you to take my mind off of Neela, Laverne. That was who I used to be and I don't want to go back to being him again."
"I'm not talking about a date. I have a boyfriend, who I love very much. I'm just offering to be your friend and help you take your mind off of her for at least one night."
"Okay. Thank you, Laverne. Tell your boyfriend he is a lucky guy."
"He knows it. Even if she chooses him and not you, things will get better. I know it will hurt for awhile but time heals all wounds. If Neela Rasgotra isn't the one for you, then you can meet someone who is and that you will have her whole heart, not turning to you because she can't have somebody else."
Laverne walked out of the room with Simon right behind her. He grabbed a chart and started taking care of patients who needed him, so at least for a few hours he wasn't thinking about Neela and the fact that she was spending time with another man.
AN: I know, I'm mean, setting it up so Simon will end up at Ike's the same time as Ray and Neela! I'm still trying to decide whether or not Neela will be jealous over Simon being with Laverne, who I also haven't decided whether she and Brenner will stay friends or is she the one to heal his heart if Neela chooses Ray. There is also a matter of Ray's reaction when he sees Brenner at Ike's. Although he has an ally in somebody that he least expects when Gates, the last man who fought him for Neela's heart decides to help him?
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