Title: A Chance Encounter
Author: GalaxyDuster (AKA: Sara)
Rating: T (for now)
Content: Mild language, alcohol use (for now)
Disclaimer: I don't own the regular ER characters. Yadda, yadda.
Spoilers: Season finale spoilers (13x23)
Summary: Neela is off on a conference trip when she unexpectedly runs into Ray – and nothing goes quite the way she expects. (Major spoilers for the content of the finale, please don't read if you don't want to be spoiled.)
Note: This story is not connected to the last one I wrote in any way. Please read & review!!!
Neela Rasgotra was just plain tired.
She felt like little weights on strings were hanging from her eyelids, in fact, as she walked through the gold-and-glass revolving doors at the front of the Hollister Hotel. Her bag was packed for just two days worth of things, but it felt especially heavy as she adjusted it over her small shoulder.
Her shoes sank deeply into the plush maroon carpet of the lobby as she crossed to the desk. A tall, thin woman with pin-straight black hair smiled professionally at Neela as she confirmed her reservation. Neela accepted her room key with an equally distant sort of smile, wanting nothing more than to just flop into a big, soft bed and go to sleep.
She slipped into the fancy elevator and pushed a button for the seventh floor. As fatigued as she was, the luxurious deco furnishings were not entirely lost on her.
And she could have sworn it smelled like lilacs in there.
There was a soft chime, and the doors slid open. As Neela trudged down the hall, she could hear the faint din of rock music being played loudly somewhere in the hotel. She vaguely recalled that the eighth floor doubled as a conference room, and she decided they were probably using it for a party tonight.
She was there in Baton Rouge for an annual surgeons' convention. It had been years since she'd been to any conferences or conventions, but Crenshaw wouldn't accept no as an answer when he'd asked her to go. She knew he had only sent her because the alternative would have meant Crenshaw having to go, himself. Bastard probably was afraid of the southern sun beating down on the top of his head.
Neela opened her door softly and set her bag on the floor. The room was exactly what she expected it to be; all shades of gold and red, with a black wrought-iron bed frame. Oddly shaped mirrors – all with perfect finish – decorated the walls of the room.
She thought that she should be more excited, but all she could feel was the exhaustion.
She flopped onto the bed, allowing her body to sink into the thick, fluffy comforter that had been flawlessly spread across the top. Her eyes dipped once – then again – and she slipped into sleep almost immediately.
It was almost eleven o'clock when Neela awoke later that night. She sat up with a start, momentarily confused as to where she was.
The trip came flooding back to her a few seconds later – riding on the plane, with the obese man next to her that took up more than his fair share of the seats. Mentally fighting with herself about whether or not to visit Ray.
Staring into the pages of a magazine for three hours without actually reading a single word as she tried to pretend she wasn't worrying about the prospect of visiting Ray.
Telling herself, again and again, that she was only coming to Baton Rouge for this stupid conference, which was being forced on her by Crenshaw. She didn't even have to see Ray.
Riding to the hotel in a rental car that still had that new-car smell – and pretending she wasn't thinking about Ray.
Neela got to her feet, shaking her head as she tried putting the long trip out of her mind. It had been a hefty battle of the psyche, and she didn't care for a repeat of it again now. She needed to get out and distract herself.
A trip down to the lobby to look around at the works of art – which the hotel catalogue boasted about to no end – would be the perfect distraction, she decided. She straightened her clothes a bit and ventured back out into the hallway.
The din of rock music had gotten even louder, Neela noticed. She could hear the sound of muffled laughter and chatter along with it. Definitely sounds like a party.
She pressed the button for the elevator.
The elevator chimed. The doors slid open.
And there he was – just standing there.
For a moment, Neela thought that she must not have really woken up at all.
Ray, who looked just as tall and cocky as the vision that lived in her memories, was leaning back against the wall of the elevator quite languidly, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes closed completely in thought. He was standing – standing! – quite steadily. And why that should be the first thought she had, she couldn't say, but it was immediately replaced by an onslaught of emotions that rammed into the backs of each other like a sudden pile-up on the interstate.
She stepped into the elevator, acutely aware of the storm that was raging inside of her. He still hadn't opened his eyes.
A hundred possible greetings sprung to mind, but Neela couldn't make a single one roll off her tongue. She stood quietly beside him as the elevator began its descent, staring up into his face with eyes round as dinner plates. So many things she could say, and not one of them quite right.
Ray's eyes fluttered open then, and he stared directly in front of himself for a moment. Neela followed his line of vision to the foggy but unmistakable reflection of the two of them in the shiny metal elevator doors.
A look of complete and utter shock passed over his face.
He blinked several times in quick succession, and inhaled deeply. Very slowly, he turned his head in her direction.
"Ray," she whispered, staring up at him. She couldn't even find any other words.
The look of total astonishment repeated itself, as if he hadn't really believed what he thought he had seen in the reflection. Almost immediately, the look was replaced by an ecstatic, boyish smile.
"Neela…"
"What are you doing here?" Neela asked softly. It wasn't the most important thing on her mind at the moment; the question had simply popped out, against any hope of self-control.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, turning his body to face hers. His eyes were bright and burning right into her, Neela thought. She could feel her palms tingling.
"I'm staying here at the hotel. For a conference," she said quickly. Her breath was catching in her chest, and she felt as if someone else were speaking her words. She continued to stare into those familiar eyes, mesmerized.
"I'm here for the party," he explained, shifting back and forth lightly. He seemed happy to see her, yet very nervous, and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She didn't really know what to make of herself, either.
She could smell him – the same wonderful scent she had always picked up when she'd been close enough to his body. It was going to her head like a shot of tequila. She worried that she would soon be saying something incredibly dumb as a result.
"Who's party?" She heard herself continuing to speak, as if auto-pilot had gotten switched on by mistake in the back of her brain.
The elevator came to a stop. Ray slowly stepped forward, and Neela suddenly realized that he was getting his balance and walking. She couldn't believe she was watching him walk. The last time she had seen him, he'd been completely wheelchair-bound. She had never expected him to be walking around on his own.
"A solo artist who used to be good friends with my old band actually became pretty famous," Ray said, continuing to look down at Neela even as he walked. "She's kicking off a national tour next week, and decided to throw a little bash beforehand. Lots of big names are here tonight – as well as old friends." He grinned at her deliberately.
It was the strangest sensation, Neela thought, to have him talking to her, walking beside her, smiling at her – just as he always had before, when they were friends.
He was walking in step with her – as if he had forgotten all that had happened between them that fateful day at Luka and Abby's wedding. He was smiling genuinely at her – like he had forgotten all about their final words together at the hospital two years ago.
But he couldn't have forgotten.
Maybe I am still asleep, Neela thought.
"Wow, that's great," Neela found herself saying – again, auto-pilot. They came to a stop in a small alcove just off of the lobby, where a complimentary pot of coffee was sitting in its warmer. Ray casually poured himself a cup, not taking his eyes off of Neela any longer than required.
"So, when is your conference?" Ray asked. His eyes continued to match hers over the rim of the coffee cup.
"It starts tomorrow afternoon. They're going to do some sort of dinner-thing to kick it all off – then, you know, it will be an all-day event for two days or so, then they'll round it out with a breakfast and call it quits." Neela could hear herself speaking perfectly and politely, and she wasn't sure who was doing the talking, because she was almost certain that every organ in her belly was being torn to nervous shreds.
"Very cool," Ray nodded, sipping his coffee again.
"Yeah, I s'pose so." She was speaking too quickly again. She cracked a big smile, not knowing what else to do.
Ray lowered his cup of coffee, still staring directly into Neela's eyes. She felt as if he were searching to find some sort of answer hiding in them. Finally, he looked down at the floor and chuckled. "I don't suppose…" he looked back up at her quickly. "Ah… I don't suppose you'd like to go to the party." He said it as if he were expecting her to agree.
Neela looked up at him, her emotions swirling almost to the edge of control. He was being so polite, so friendly, so normal – just what the hell was she supposed to say now?
Auto-pilot seemed to have suddenly stopped working.