Post by lubylover319 on Sept 2, 2006 3:06:35 GMT 10
*Sorry it’s so short, I’ll make the next one longer and a Luby. Loads of thanks to Jenny for all her help and to my reviewers for pointing out mistakes, asking questions, and just telling me what you think. Thanks again.
*”The Promise” by Tracy Chapman
*“At Last” by Etta James
Chapter Seventeen: Homecoming
Neela was miserable. She’d been in England for a month and the constant rain did nothing to lighten her mood or her depression. Her family had long since forgiven her for marrying an ‘outsider’ without their consent or knowledge. Now they were suffocating her with their concern and love. She just wanted space. But more than space she wanted Ray. She had propriety to think about, and it wouldn’t allow her to date, f**k, or otherwise be involved with someone so soon after her husband’s death. It was simply scandalous. Not that she really cared. She’d cheated on Michael during their brief marriage, played the part of an adulteress.
With Ray. Flashes of their time together appeared in her mind, making her smile. She knew Ray so well, knew what they had together was the real deal.
“If you wait for me then I'll come for you
Although I've traveled far
I always hold a place for you in my heart
If you think of me, If you miss me once in a while
Then I'll return to you
I'll return and fill that space in your heart
Remembering
Your touch
Your kiss
Your warm embrace
I'll find my way back to you”
But Michael. Was it really okay to dismiss her time with him just because she was unhappy towards the end? He’d had never been the same after Iraq, coupled with the fact that they barely knew each other, their marriage had been a minefield in the last few months. If Michael had made it back alive, they never would have made it to a year. She knew that.
She’d come to clear her head, and in a sense it had worked. She needed to be with Ray. No matter how things had turned out with Michael, no matter what people would say- her place was with Ray now. She knew that.
xxxxxxxx
O’Hare. Ray hated O’Hare. It was busy and crowded and a pain in the ass to navigate. But she was here and that was all that mattered to him. All that he really cared about. So he paced by the baggage claim, cursing security for keeping him away from greeting her at the gates. For a month he’s heard not a word from her. He had been hurt to hear that she was in England from Morris of all people. He’d gotten the call yesterday. He’d missed her voice, soft and breathless over the phone. She was the last person he’s expected to hear from.
“Yeah.” Ray crossed his fingers, hoping it wouldn’t be the hospital. He was tired, just in from his last shift and all he wanted was to sleep.
“Hey Ray. It’s me.” Her voice took away any thought of sleep.
“Neela? Hey! Where are you?”
“Still in England. I was just calling to let you know I’ll be coming in tomorrow at eight on flight number BA0294. Can you pick me up? I’d call Abby but-”
“It’s fine, I have tomorrow off.”
“Thanks, Ray. See you soon.”
“’Kay, bye Neela.”
“Bye.”
He needed to calm down- so Ray sat, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, she was right there. She looked beautiful and confidant as she searched for someone, him. He stood up and when she spotted him, a smile broke out on his face.
She ran for him, jumped into his arms. Ray felt Neela relax as his arms wrapped around her. He took her face in his hands and kissed her full on the mouth.
“It’s good to be home. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, babe.” They kissed again, long and passionately. She was back, finally, in his arms.
It was later that the two lovers found themselves in bed. Neela’s head rested on Ray’s bare chest, fingers tracing invisible circles on his warm skin. Ray just held Neela, breathing in the scent of her. He felt so content, just being together like this.
“Ray?”
“Hmm?”
“I forgot to mention this, but… I kinda told Abby about us.” Neela looked up at Ray, expecting him to be upset.
“That’s okay. The whole hospital knows about us now.”
“What!” She sat up, glaring down at him.
“Well, they already knew how I felt about you. I just told Pratt, who told everyone else, that we were actually together.” Neela groaned and nestled back down.
“It’s fine, I suppose. But I hope you realize I’ll be dubbed the new E.R. slut.” Ray just chuckled.
“I don’t care. You must be, or how else could I have gotten you in bed?” Ray winked at Neela, who smirked.
“Is that what you think? Because I beg to differ.” She changed positions on him, straddling his hips. Their eyes met, both sparkling with amusement. Ray just kissed her.
“No matter what people call you, I love you, Neela.” He said quietly, with all sincerity, once they parted a few minutes later.
“From the lips of a heart- breaker, who now is mine.” She laughed; take those same lips in another kiss. “I love you, too” She whispered.
*”The Promise” by Tracy Chapman
*“At Last” by Etta James
Chapter Seventeen: Homecoming
Neela was miserable. She’d been in England for a month and the constant rain did nothing to lighten her mood or her depression. Her family had long since forgiven her for marrying an ‘outsider’ without their consent or knowledge. Now they were suffocating her with their concern and love. She just wanted space. But more than space she wanted Ray. She had propriety to think about, and it wouldn’t allow her to date, f**k, or otherwise be involved with someone so soon after her husband’s death. It was simply scandalous. Not that she really cared. She’d cheated on Michael during their brief marriage, played the part of an adulteress.
With Ray. Flashes of their time together appeared in her mind, making her smile. She knew Ray so well, knew what they had together was the real deal.
“If you wait for me then I'll come for you
Although I've traveled far
I always hold a place for you in my heart
If you think of me, If you miss me once in a while
Then I'll return to you
I'll return and fill that space in your heart
Remembering
Your touch
Your kiss
Your warm embrace
I'll find my way back to you”
But Michael. Was it really okay to dismiss her time with him just because she was unhappy towards the end? He’d had never been the same after Iraq, coupled with the fact that they barely knew each other, their marriage had been a minefield in the last few months. If Michael had made it back alive, they never would have made it to a year. She knew that.
She’d come to clear her head, and in a sense it had worked. She needed to be with Ray. No matter how things had turned out with Michael, no matter what people would say- her place was with Ray now. She knew that.
“If you'll be waiting
If you dream of me like I dream of you
In a place that's warm and dark
In a place where I can feel the beating of your heart”
If you dream of me like I dream of you
In a place that's warm and dark
In a place where I can feel the beating of your heart”
xxxxxxxx
O’Hare. Ray hated O’Hare. It was busy and crowded and a pain in the ass to navigate. But she was here and that was all that mattered to him. All that he really cared about. So he paced by the baggage claim, cursing security for keeping him away from greeting her at the gates. For a month he’s heard not a word from her. He had been hurt to hear that she was in England from Morris of all people. He’d gotten the call yesterday. He’d missed her voice, soft and breathless over the phone. She was the last person he’s expected to hear from.
“Yeah.” Ray crossed his fingers, hoping it wouldn’t be the hospital. He was tired, just in from his last shift and all he wanted was to sleep.
“Hey Ray. It’s me.” Her voice took away any thought of sleep.
“Neela? Hey! Where are you?”
“Still in England. I was just calling to let you know I’ll be coming in tomorrow at eight on flight number BA0294. Can you pick me up? I’d call Abby but-”
“It’s fine, I have tomorrow off.”
“Thanks, Ray. See you soon.”
“’Kay, bye Neela.”
“Bye.”
He needed to calm down- so Ray sat, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, she was right there. She looked beautiful and confidant as she searched for someone, him. He stood up and when she spotted him, a smile broke out on his face.
“You smile
you smile
oh and then the spell was cast
and here we are in heaven
for you are mine at last”
you smile
oh and then the spell was cast
and here we are in heaven
for you are mine at last”
She ran for him, jumped into his arms. Ray felt Neela relax as his arms wrapped around her. He took her face in his hands and kissed her full on the mouth.
“It’s good to be home. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, babe.” They kissed again, long and passionately. She was back, finally, in his arms.
It was later that the two lovers found themselves in bed. Neela’s head rested on Ray’s bare chest, fingers tracing invisible circles on his warm skin. Ray just held Neela, breathing in the scent of her. He felt so content, just being together like this.
“Ray?”
“Hmm?”
“I forgot to mention this, but… I kinda told Abby about us.” Neela looked up at Ray, expecting him to be upset.
“That’s okay. The whole hospital knows about us now.”
“What!” She sat up, glaring down at him.
“Well, they already knew how I felt about you. I just told Pratt, who told everyone else, that we were actually together.” Neela groaned and nestled back down.
“It’s fine, I suppose. But I hope you realize I’ll be dubbed the new E.R. slut.” Ray just chuckled.
“I don’t care. You must be, or how else could I have gotten you in bed?” Ray winked at Neela, who smirked.
“Is that what you think? Because I beg to differ.” She changed positions on him, straddling his hips. Their eyes met, both sparkling with amusement. Ray just kissed her.
“No matter what people call you, I love you, Neela.” He said quietly, with all sincerity, once they parted a few minutes later.
“From the lips of a heart- breaker, who now is mine.” She laughed; take those same lips in another kiss. “I love you, too” She whispered.