CHAPTER ONE

The one and only Femi Johnson M.D, diagnostician extraordinaire and general asshat struggled into consciousness and immediately discovered that trying so hard was clearly his first mistake of the morning. His head was pounding to the point where he could actually feel his blood rushing through his veins with every throbbing beat of his heart. The taste in his mouth was fairly indescribable, but he was positive that he could die a happy man if he never had to taste it again. His stomach was revolting even with the absence of any external stimuli, and his whole body ached, his right leg, of course, most of all.

It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't in fact dying, although at this point that didn't really seem like a poor option, but instead was suffering from the worst kind of hangover known to mankind. Knowing from experience that his leg pain was about the only thing he could do something about at the current moment, he reached out and grabbed the prescription bottle off the night stand without even opening his eyes. Popping the cap with one hand he shook two into his mouth and swallowed them dry with great effort, grimacing when he realized that the bitter taste they left behind was actually an improvement.

He had every intention of rolling back over and passing out for a few more hours until life would seem marginally more bearable, but a groan that did not come from his own mouth caused one eye to fly open.

Initially he was surprised to discover that he was not in his own bed in his own home, but after a moment of disorientation, he remembered that he was in a hotel room in Abuja attending a conference Ade Grant, his chief medical director, had blackmailed him into going to. In actuality, he hadn't really fought that hard not to go since it meant he had a week in Abuja on the hospitals tab, but that wasn't really what was on his mind at the moment. What was more pressing at the present time, was the wide expanse of feminine back that he was currently presented with as he turned his eyes to the other side of the bed.

He had no recollection of how she got there and considering his own state of undréss he only hoped that they had been careful in the excitement of last night. It didn't take long for his critical mind to deduce that the mystery woman was also naked as his eyes traced the gentle curves of her waist as her hips disappeared under the bed sheet. And an attractive back it was too, he decided as he took in the graceful lines of her muscles from the chestnut curls that fell over her shoulders to the dimples at the base of either side of her spine. Fossae lumbales laterales or the Dimples of Venus, his excessively cerebral thoughts rattling off both the latin and colloquial terms for those indentations.

But regardless of the attractiveness of said back, in his pained state he was more interested in finding out who it belonged to, and then getting her the hell out of his hotel room so he could nurse his hangover in peace before his flight back to Lagos that afternoon. He reached out and gave his impromptu slumber party partner a sharp jab in between her shoulder blades. When she only groaned again, reaching down to pull the sheet up around her shoulders, he jabbed her again, this time harder.

This time the unidentified female stirred, groaning again as she turned towards the source of the poking. Opening her ice blue eyes, she gave a startled cry as she took in the wood brown eyes that were clearly just as surprised to see her, as she was him. That wasn't the only thing they agreed on however, as they both grimaced at her shriek, bringing matching hands up to equally throbbing temples.

"Oh, for the love of God, lower you voice about four octaves," Femi murmured, his own voice sounding abnormally loud in his head.

"Femi! What the hell is going on?" Daniella Dinobi, the youngest and prettiest of Femi's underlings, demanded, making them both wince again at the pitch of her voice. "I think my head is going to explode," she continued, quieter this time, bringing a hand up to her forehead.

Quickly realizing that kicking her out of his room and never having to deal with her again wasn't really a feasible option anymore, and also recognizing they were both far too hung over to deal with what most likely happened the night previous, he made a decision.

"I can take a pretty educated guess," he replied to her earlier question, "but right now, I'm going back to sleep and you should too."

"What?" Daniella whispered as indignantly as her headache allowed her. "How can you possibly sleep when we probably-"

Femi reached out and haphazardly covered her mouth to cut off the rant he was all to aware was coming. "Whatever may or may not have happened last night, based on the fact that we're drawn to each other with both hate and love could have still happened in the future when my brain will be more capable of listening to your tirade and when your voice will be less grating. And considering your photophobia, hyperacusis, sweating, raised body temperature, and the fact that your having trouble keeping your eyes focused on me," he said, listing some of the physical symptoms of a hangover that he could see without even asking how she felt, "means you feel just as crappy as I do, and a couple of hours of sleep will make you far less offensive to my senses. So I was actually being nice, believe it or not, when offering to let you stay here and sleep, instead of kicking you out, which I will still do if you don't shut up for the next four hours."

"But Fe-"

"Shhhh…" he soothed pressing two fingers to her mouth as his eyes fell shut, ready to go back to sleep.

"But-" she tried again.

"I said shhh woman," he said rolling over so his back was facing her, a clear statement that the conversation was now over.

Recognizing this was not an argument she could win, Daniella sighed and gave up. Besides, Femi was right, she was feeling too much like she had been repeatedly ridden by a monster truck to argue with him right now. And with that, she too rolled over and went back to sleep. Hoping beyond hope that she would wake up in her own bed and this will all have been some alcohol induced nightmare.

Ride on, feeling this already.

Interesting from the beginning. Nice one.

The second time Femi woke up for the day, the pain in his head had transformed from a harsh constant pounding, to a more bearable dull throb. He opened his eyes to find that Daniella was no longer in bed with him, but it didn't take long to figure out where she might have went since a quick scan of the room revealed that she was sitting at the cheap laminate hotel room table by the window, her back to the bed and by a matter of proximity, him. He deduced that she had been up for awhile as she had both showered and dressed and judging but the fact that her hair was already half way air dried, she had been sitting there for a while.

"So, we did the nasty last night," he announced, not in the mood to beat around the bush.

If she was started by his proclamation, she didn't show it. "I'm on the pill, so we're covered there," she replied just as no nonsensely, before falling back into a terse silence.

He was surprised when she didn't speak again. He was half expecting her to deny the possibility that they had slept together and the other half of him figured she would want to talk it to death, wanting to know what it meant for their relationship. Instead she just sat there facing away from him, her entire posture letting him know that she was clenching.

"So what, that's it? No denials, no wanting to talk about it?" he asked, relaying his thoughts. "And would you relax? What have I told you about clenching."

"Well, I think it would be pretty pointless trying to deny what so obviously happened and I think we have much more important things to be talking about. Things that give me every reason to clench," she spat irritably, finally turning around to glare daggers at him.

"Like what?" he asked unconcerned, yawning as he sat up, drawing the blankets around his waist.

"Like this," she said holding up an official looking piece of paper, "and this!" she exclaimed showing him her left hand.

He wasn't a genius for nothing and the pieces quickly clicked into place. For once in his life Femi Johnson was at a complete and utter loss for words.

"We didn't…" he said incredulously after a moment.

"We did," she replied flatly, crossing over to the bed and handing him the marriage certificate that clearly had both of their signatures on it, and showing him the rather large diamond ring that was sitting on her left hand like it had a perfect right to be there. "You have one too," she added, nodding towards the hand holding the certificate.

He followed her line of sight and found that yes, he too was wearing a shiny new wedding ring. Then much to her surprise and dismay, he started to laugh. And it wasn't the restrained I'm so witty I'm chuckling at my own cleverness, or the you're so stupid I snicker at your obtuseness that she was used to hearing from him. No this was a deep belly laugh that only came from honest and true amusement.

"Femi!" she exclaimed, her jaw dropping disbelievingly. "This isn't funny, we, as in you and I, got married! To each other!"

"I know," he replied once he could breathe again, "that's what is so hilarious. Can you imagine the look on Grant's face when she finds out?" he laughed again, earning himself a dangerous glare. "Oh relax Daniella, we can get the thing annulled once we get back to Lagos," he said placatingly. "Now even you can't tell me that this whole situation isn't just a little bit amusing. This is the kind of thing you see on soap operas, these things aren't supposed to happen in real life. Congratulations, you're a living cliché."

Femi was pleased when she gave a little smile as she began to see the humor in their current predicament. A cranky, pissed off immunologist was not something he wanted to deal with on the one hour thirty minute flight home. Speaking of going home, a quick glance at the clock on the night stand told him it was time to get ready to go.

"We can talk about this more on the plane," he said bringing the conversation to a close. "But why don't you make yourself useful and find your hubby his pants before you leave."

Daniella glowered at Femi's flippant request, but still grabbed the jeans that had been discarded the night before and threw them at him as she stalked from the room to her own to pack.

"Thanks Wifey!" he called after her retreating back.

Well, he thought, laughing softly to himself, that was unexpected.

ride on....

Interesting pls continue and fast plssss

Chapter Two

It was a mightily amused Femi that settled into his window seat on the plane next to a very displeased, and therefore unpleasant, immunologist. For some reason that he couldn't seem to fathom, she just didn't seem to enjoy the fact that he was letting everyone from the hotel desk clerk at checkout, to the taxi driver that drove them to the airport, to the airport agent who checked them through security, to the flight attendants that helped them store their carry on luggage in the overhead compartment, know that they were newlyweds enjoying their first full day of happy wedded bliss. And since she was too polite to contradict him, and since he had the benefit of what he was saying actually technically being true, there wasn't much she could do, but grit her teeth and force a smile at all their heartfelt congratulations.

As a result, Daniella was less than thrilled with her head of department and the fact that she was stuck sitting next to him in a confined space for the next five hours, especially with his penchant for getting bored and amusing himself by annoying whoever was available. And on top of everything else she still hadn't completely recovered from this morning's mother of all hangovers, and was eager to put on her complementary airplane headphones, attempt to take a nap and forget that any of this had ever happened, if only for a few minutes. The only redeeming value of her day was that they were in first class as it was one of Femi's stipulations to Grant in representing LCTH at the conference, so at least she would be more comfortable.

Femi watched her try and fail to get comfortable and quickly asked the flight attendent to get his wife a blanket and pillow. Daniel honestly didn't know whether or not to be annoyed that he was once again calling attention to the fact they had accidentally gotten married, or pleased that he actually cared enough about her comfort to get the pillow and blanket for her. She settled on annoyed since she knew that realistically he was only pretending to care about her comfort since he was having fun annoying her by playing the caring and concerned husband.

Even with the blanket and pillow making her more comfortable and soothing classical piano playing over her headphones, she still couldn't find the escape she so desperately desired in a nap. There were just too many thoughts running through her mind at a mile a minute to fall asleep. Part of what was bothering her most was that she could really only remember fragmented bits and pieces of the previous night and she didn't like not having the whole story.

"Femi?" she said, temporarily abandoning her attempts to sleep and opening her eyes. However, he too was listening to his headphones and didn't hear her as he absently watched the passing clouds through the the tiny airplane window. "Femi," she said again this time reaching out and nudging his arm to get his attention.

"How many times do I have to tell you? No, I don't want to bend you over and do you right now," he said loudly as he pulled the earbuds from his ears and gave her his attention.

Eyes wide with embarresment, Daniella blushed and sunk lower in her seat when the other passengers in hearing distance, which was quite a few rows in every direction thanks to excessive volume of Femi's voice, turned to look at them.

"Bros, you be idiot oh," the young man, who was sitting across the aisle caddy corner to Daniella, replied looking back at the pair. "But," he said looking the female doctor up and down speculatively, licking his lips, "If the thing really hold you, I fit escort you go bathroom make we go in and out."

"Oh gross," Daniella scoffed, disgusted by the vulgar proposition.

"Hey," Femi said as he put an arm protectively around her shoulders and pulled her close, "why don't you turn around and stop perving on my wife before you get a piece of cutlery so far up your gluteus, that you're coughing up nuggets."

The other passenger simply rolled his eyes, gave Daniella one more speculative glance and popped the collar of his pastel polo before turning back around to mind his own business.

Daniella took in a couple deep breaths of the scent that was Femi, while he continued to hold her close, glaring at the younger man with an animosity that would have surprised him had he reflected on the intensity of it.

"Umm, Femi?" she said having to crane her neck to look up at him and meet his eyes.

"Yeah, Daniella?" he replied looking down at her.

"You can let go of me now."

"Right," he said letting go of her with an uncharacteristic absence of snark. "So what did you want?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, the incident with the wannabe pervert completely distracting her from why she had gotten his attention in the first place.

"Well, I'm assuming that you got my attention for a reason that didn't have anything to do with bending you over a sink," he retorted, returning to form. "Although, if it did, the logistics of it would be awkward what with the dimensions of an airplane bathroom combined with the bum, leg and all, but we're smart, I'm sure we could figure something out."

Daniella simply raised an eyebrow and flashed him a pointed glare, choosing not to even deign that with a response, knowing that absolutely nothing good could come of it. "Well," she said instead, going right into the real reason she got his attention, "I was wondering if you know what happened last night, because I don't remember."

"And here I thought you were a doctor, I'm almost positive they still go over that in medschool," Femi replied with a smirk. "You see Dinobi," he began condescendingly, "when a man and a woman love each other very much… Oh wait, I don't think that applies in this situation. How about this, when a man and a woman consume large quantities of alcohol-"

"No Femi," she said, cutting him off with a roll of her eyes. "That part I don't want to remember. It's the stuff before that I'm trying to recall. The last thing I remember clearly is going to this casino."

"Ugh, fine," Femi sighed, knowing she wasn't going to leave him alone for him to get his own nap in until they had figured this out. "But I'm going to need a drink to get through this," he said reaching up and hitting the call button.

"How can you even possibly consider drinking anything after this morning," she asked, her stomach revolting at the very idea of more alcohol. "I never want to even think about the possibility of drinking again."

"Can I get a malt for me and a gin and tonic for the little missus," he ordered from the flight attendent that promptly appeared. He loved traveling first class.

"Right away sir."

"Femi! What did I just say?" Daniella said exasperatedly.

"Worry not, it'll make you feel better," he replied.

"No, a vitamin B-12 shot would make me feel better," she snapped irritably.

"Yeah well, it's an anti-terror world and you can't get those through security," he responded, as the flight attendant returned with their drinks. "Now drink," he said putting the small airline size bottles and the plastic cup full of ice in front of her.

Daniella sighed defeatedly and mixed her drink, heavy on the tonic and took a small sip trying not to shudder visibly as she watched Femi drink his straight from the miniature bottle.

"So," he began, "we were at this casino…"

Between the two of them they were eventually able to put together a rough outline of what had happened the night before. After the last seminar of the conference they had decided to celebrate with a little bit of gambling where Femi quickly concluded that Daniella was his lucky charm. And as the complementary drinks kept flowing at the high rollers table, Femi's winnings grew from one million, to ten million, to fifteen million and upwards.

Somewhere around this point, marriage began to seem like a good idea and they hopped in a taxi to go to the nearest jewelry store where they used a good portion of the winnings to buy the rock that was currently sitting on Daniella's left ring finger, and the simple white gold ring that was sitting on Femi's. After that neither of them had any kind of recollection, fuzzy or otherwise, but they could only conclude they got married hastily and went back to the hotel and had a night of drunken connubial bliss. Of course Femi didn't say it quite as politely as all that.

After putting the pieces together they sat in silence for a while, both absorbing and musing on what they had discussed. After a long moment it was Daniella who broke the silence first.

"Here," she said taking the diamond marquise solitaire off her finger and holding it out to him.

"What?" he asked, looking at the ring in her hand.

"The ring," she clarified, motioning for him to take it.

"Keep it," he told her with a shrug as he turned back towards the window considering the topic closed.

"What?" she asked, this time being her turn.

"It's not my size," he retorted sarcastically not bothering to look at her.

"Femi," she sighed sensibly, "this ring was incredibly expensive, I can not in good conscious keep it."

This time it was Femi's turn to sigh, his out of exasperation, as he once more rolled his head across the headrest so that he could level with her. "I bought the ring for you, it fits you, it looks good on you. I'm not going to fly back to Abuja to return it, and I'm not going to suddenly go run out and get married again so I can give it to someone else. I don't want it back."

"But-" she tried again.

"Daniella, keep the damn ring."

He continued to watch her as she looked at him pensively and then back down at the ring she was holding. She looked him in the eye once more for a long moment, before slowly and deliberately putting the ring on her right ring finger. Satisfied that she was doing as he said he moved to put his headphones back on, ending any sort of conversation they were having.

Just before he clamped them over his ears, he spoke one last time. "And I had better see you wearing that thing to work, as you said it was incredibly expensive. I want to get my moneys worth."

As he once more looked out the window, he didn't see the smile that flitted across her countenance as she shifted into a comfortable napping position. This time she had no trouble falling asleep.

CHAPTER THREE

As per the status quo, Daniella found herself to be the first one in the office on her first day back to work after the Abuja conference. However, she wasn't quite as early as usual, having not had time to rest so she wasn't terribly surprised when Kingsley showed up while she was still unpacking her bag at what she considered to be her desk since she was the only one who used it.

"How was the trip," Kingsley asked amiably, sliding into his usual spot at the table.

"Umm," she replied as the diamond ring on her right hand caught the light steaming through the office room blinds, "It was more interesting then I thought it would be."

"Yeah, sometimes those conferences can actually surprise you," he agreed taking her statement at face value.

"Right," she responded vaguely. "So, do you want some Nescafe?" she asked eager to change the topic.

"I would love some," Kingsley replied quickly, "Obika actually tried to do it while you were gone. And that didn't end well for anyone," he only half joked as he picked up an article he hadn't finished the day before.

"What didn't end well?" the Easterner in question asked as he entered the briefing room to find Kingsley reading and Daniella making caffeine.

"You failing miserably in your pathetic attempt to make consumable Nescafe," Kingsley told him, not bothering to look up.

Obika seemed to be having an internal battle on whether or not to be insulted at this jab at his Nescafe making abilities. He must have decided that Kingsley was right because he let it go and instead turned his attention to Daniella.

"So I see you made it back in one piece," Obika commented nonchalantly as he gratefully accepted two mugs from her, one for himself and one to hand over to Kingsley.

"What do you mean?" Daniella asked watching her coworker sit down.

"There was a betting pool going around upstairs on the odds that you two would never come back," the Easterner clarified. "Bonus points for guessing which one of you would be dead and which of you would be in prison for killing the other."

"Either that," Kingsley added with a teasing smile, "or you would come back married."

Before Daniella even had the slightest chance to react to this statement, Femi breezed into the briefing room hearing the tail end of the conversation, his co-doctor, Lukman trailing a half step behind.

"Kingsley was right, alert the winners," he said inching towards a stunned Daniella who was holding his red mug. "Did you make my Nescafe wifey?"

Obika chuckled lightly and Kingsley just shook his head at Femi's usual antics until they both noticed the peculiar red color their female colleague was turning as she stared at their boss in horror.

"I… I thought we agreed not to tell anyone," she sputtered, not so under her breath.

"Did we?" Femi asked, mock disconcertion playing across his features. "Oops," he shrugged as he rescued his coffee out of Daniella's hand which was in imminent danger of dropping to the floor. Then with a wink he turned on his feet and disappeared into his office.

Daniella remained frozen for a long moment continuing to stare in the space Femi had recently occupied as she attempted to process what had just happened. It was unclear just how long she would have stood there left to her own devices, as it wasn't until Obika cleared his throat lightly that she became aware of the three sets of intensely curious eyes that were focused on her. Giving them a fleeting glance she quickly marched into the adjoining office.

"Femi!" she shouted as the tension hinge pulled the door shut behind her. "We decided, you agreed with me, last night on the taxi ride home from the airport, that telling everyone at work would be a very, very bad idea!"

"Yes," Femi answered innocently from where he sat, lounging on the edge of his desk, his long legs crossed at the ankles. "I agreed that telling everyone would be a bad idea. I never actually agreed to not tell anyone," he revealed taking a sip of the fresh drink she had just prepared. "This is good," he added, conversationally, "Is it a new brand?"

"Why! Why, were you physically incapable of keeping your mouth shut for once in your life!" she exclaimed, getting right up in his face and jabbing him a couple times in the shoulder with an indignant finger.

Femi looked over her shoulder to see all three men in the briefing room gaping openly and unashamedly as they watched the scene play out through the glass. With a devious grin he took the hand she was accosting him with quickly in his own and leaned forward so that he could whisper in her ear.

"Femi, what are you doing?" she asked, confused even through her anger.

"You know my little angel eyes," he said huskily as his breath tickled her ear, "you look terribly sexy when you're angry, with your eyes flashing dangerously like that. Do you think we should give them a free show out there or should we charge them admission first."

Daniella's head swiveled slowly towards the window, her gaze narrowing when she spotted her colleagues watching them with even wider eyes than they had been a few moments prior. With an angry huff she stormed over to the blinds and pulled them shut with such force that for a second Femi thought she was going to pull the whole setup right off the wall. Some semblance of privacy restored, she whipped back around, her hands perched firmly on her hips when she was presented with a smugly smirking Femi.

"What the hell was that for?" she demanded, lowering her voice so the others couldn't hear. "Now everyone out there is going to think we're actually married! Why must you make everything so difficult?"

"Well for one," the older doctor laughed, "We are actually married. And two, I find it amusing that you are standing there all hot and bothered with me, when I'm not the one who told everyone we're married. You were the one who couldn't keep her mouth shut."

"What!" Daniella exclaimed, throwing up her hands in exasperation. "How does that work? I'm pretty sure that you were the one that walked into to the office this morning calling me your wifey."

"Ah, but you see," he started, as if he was explaining something to a petulant child. "All three of them are used to me making inappropriate comments at every turn. If you had simply rolled your eyes at me like you always do, they would never have thought twice about it, and our nuptials would have remained our dirty little secret. But no… you had to go and get all incensed about it and now they're all out there full of questions. Ergo," he paused for effect, "not my fault."

A whole myriad of emotions flickered across Daniella's countenance in a matter of seconds. Anger, dismay, and finally a grim sort of acceptance at the validity of his statements. All the fight drained out of her and Femi could actually pinpoint the moment she physically deflated like a popped balloon. Crossing the office, she sat down heavily on the couch, irritated because she knew that he was right, as usual, and that she had blown it in her thoughtless panic.

Femi simply observed as she sat there, looking quite pathetic with her head in her hands. She was taking this really hard, he almost felt guilty about it…almost.

"Cheer up buttercup," he told her as he moved around to the other side of his desk so he could sit in his chair.

"You're acting like your puppy just died, it's depressing me. Now go do my clinic hours," he said brightly as he threw her his name tag which she instinctively caught, "now you wont be lying when you clock in as Dr Johnson. Grant can't get mad if Dr. Johnson is doing the hours Dr. Johnson is scheduled for. See, I knew this whole marriage thing was a good idea."

"Femi," she said evenly, making eye contact as she looked up from the nametag she was holding in her palm, "this isn't a game neither is it a joke."

Before he could respond with an inappropriate sexual innuendo, she had stood and was out the door. She had taken his nametag with her, so Femi pulled his iPod out of the drawer and sat back in his chair, assured that his hours for the day would be done.

---

Meanwhile, a very short distance away, three very highly respected doctors, three extremely educated and generally well spoken men, were absolutely and positively gob smacked.

"You don't actually think that they…" Lukman started, the first brave enough to break the silence and voice what they were all thinking.

"No, they couldn't have, besides its technically impossible so…" Kingsley quickly countered, shaking his head.

"But then why would Daniella…" Obika began to ask, still looking at where she had been standing, before she had angrily shut the blinds.

"She wouldn't," Kingsley agreed, thinking logically of what he knew of his coworker of the past few years. "Unless…"

"But this is Femi we're talking about," Lukman reminded them emphatically.

"They did just get back from a week together in Abuja," Kingsley pointed out.

"Yeah, for a medical conference, not a wedding," Lukman replied, not buying it for a minute.

"Everyone in this hospital knows that Daniella has always harbored feelings for Femi even though she denies it," Obika, the neurologist retorted.

"But if that where true, then why would she be so angry at him for saying something?" Lukman, the oncologist challenged. "She was telling everyone who would listen when they went on that date awhile back."

"And look how that turned out last time," the Easterner reminded him. "Maybe this time she wanted to keep it quiet. Besides, why would she have reacted so strongly if they hadn't gotten married? And did you see that in there?" he asked pointing towards the now shut blinds of the office.

"That was a lovers quarrel if I ever saw one."

"I know what it looked like, but it
couldn't have been," Lukman insisted. "I've been best friends with Femi since university and he would not just go out and get married on a whim, albeit to his much younger and very attractive subordinate, after a week in Abuja!"

Kingsley was about to rebutt, but never got the chance as Obika, who had up until this point been conspicuously quiet, finally remembered what he had been silently trying so hard to remember while they were going back and forth at the odds of Femi getting married.

"A ring!" Obika shouted standing up suddenly, startling both of the other doctors. "When she handed me my Nescafe this morning," he explained miming the motions they had gone through just a few moments before, "I noticed she was wearing a diamond ring." He paused, replaying the moment again in his mind. "But it was on her right hand, not her left."

"See," Kingsley said pointedly to Lukman, "she's never worn an engagement ring to work before."

"That could have been a present from her mother or something," Lukman lamely tried to explain away. "And Femi just said it was on the wrong hand.

"But what if she just didn't want us
thinking it was an engagement ring," Obika mused thoughtfully, sitting back down at the conference table, completely on the fence about the whole topic. "But I don't see Daniella as the eloping on a trip sort either."

Both Lukman and Kingsley had something to say about that, but they quickly shut their mouths when the door connecting the conference room and the office swung open suddenly and Daniella walked into the room. All three men failed miserably in their attempts to act casually and not like they were all just talking about her, but it didn't really matter as she paused only long enough to grab her lab coat before continuing out into the hall on her way down to the clinic.

They remained silent as they watched her leave until she was completely around the corner out of sight. At which point Obika muttered something about helping out in the ICU, grabbed his own lab coat and left. Kingsley mentioned a consulting and quickly followed suit, and Lukman, well he didn't say anything or go anywhere, he had a cranky diagnostician to interrogate

I love this story. Pls continue

CHAPTER FOUR

Femi watched with mild interest as Daniella stormed out of his office before rifling through his desk drawers until he found a distraction that caught his interest. Deciding on his iPod, he snatched it out of the drawer and fit the buds into his ears. Scrolling through his large and varied music collection for something to listen to, he smirked as he selected the the song 'Gobe' by Davido. The high energy Afropop singer wasn't his usual fare, but listening to the song 'Gobe' was simply too situation appropriate to pass up. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes hoping he could get a nap in since he hadn't slept well the night before.

He idly wondered how long it would be before someone tried to ruin his morning, most likely by talking to him. It turned out that he had jinxed himself as it would be sooner rather than later as he sighed internally when a rush of cool air alerted him to the fact that someone had opened the door and walked into his office. And by the intensity of the disapproving stare that he could feel through his closed eyelids, he knew it could only be Lukman. After a moments consideration of possible actions on his part and a careful weighing of the pros and cons, he decided to just ignore his friend and reconsider acknowledging him once the next song ended.

It seemed, however, that the good Dr. Lukman was not willing to wait that long, as the music abruptly stopped when the ear buds were pulled from his ears.

"Did you need something?" Femi asked innocently as one eyelid popped open so he could look up at the oncologist.

"What the hell was all that about?" Lukman asked pointing back towards the briefing room, wasting no time getting straight to the point.

"What was what about?"

Lukman sighed internally when he realized the way this conversation was going to go. But he wasn't about to give up on his quest for real answers, even if it meant he was going to have to spend some time digging. "Hmmm, I don't know," he retorted as he scratched his chin in faux thought. "How about when you said that you and Daniella got married last week!" he exploded, spelling it out in big giant neon letters.

"Did I say that?" Femi asked with a guileless look that had no place anywhere near his countenance.

"Well I'm pretty sure that's what it sounded like," Lukman deadpanned.

"Well if that's what it sounded like," Femi replied simply, "then who am I to say otherwise?"
?"

"What are you up to Femi" Lukman asked coolly, crossing over to Femi's desk and leaning over it, both palms pressed against the glass table top.

"What makes you think I'm up to something?" Femi continued to evade easily.

"I always knew… no, I know you like her more than the average immunologist, and more then you would ever actually let on to me, or anyone else in this hospital. But not enough to actually marry her," he replied, the disbelief clear in his voice.

"What can I say, autoimmune diseases get me hot," Femi shrugged helplessly.

"Oh come off it Femi, be serious. We all know that you did not elope with Daniella Dinobi some time in the past week."

"Do we now?" Femi responded, clearly enjoying how flustered his best friend was. "And who exactly are we?"

"Well that's what I think," Lukman clarified. "For some reason Kingsley seems to be convinced that you were actually asinine enough to get espoused and Obika is just plain confused. So," he asked again, "which is it, who is right?"

"You know," Femi started, still managing to avoid giving any kind of a straight answer, "for someone who seems to enjoy the institution of marriage as much as you do, so much so to try it multiple times, you really seem to be against me joining the club. Should I be insulted? I'm not sure. What's wrong, is it that you don't want to give me the password to the secret club house?"

"You don't even believe in marriage," Lukman pointed out. "You make it a point of telling me what a mistake it is multiple times before every wedding we attend begins."

"But Daniella does believe in marriage, she's made that point several times. Like you, she's even done it before. And besides, whose to say I just don't believe in your marriages," Femi countered logically.

"I don't care how in love Kingsley says she still is with you, she is way too smart to ever actually permanently attach herself to you, even if, for some godforsaken reason, you were stupid enough to think it was a good idea."

"I'll be sure to let her know you hold her intelligence in such high esteem," he said winding the ear buds around his iPod realizing that he wasn't going to get a chance to go back to his music listening any time soon.

Lukman sighed, knowing he wasn't getting anywhere with this line of questioning. Time to try something different.

"Okay fine you got me. Ha ha, very funny. Now tell me who the real target of all this is," Lukman requested, used to being on the inside of Femi's practical jokes. "Is it Grant for making you to the conference?"

"Why would me getting married to Daniella affect Grant in the slightest?" Femi asked. "Except maybe some paperwork, but TJ would probably handle that. I mean unless Grant was harboring some deeply needed love for me." He stopped to consider it for a moment before shaking his head. "Nah, that's just plain stupid."

"Femi, what are you playing at?" Lukman asked genuinely, once again changing tactics, hoping that perhaps, for once, sincerity would get an honest response from his friend.

Femi glanced at the PSP that was sitting innocently on the corner of his desk.

"Well at the moment I'm playing the new Pro Evolution Soccer, Superstar mode. My striker is thirty five years and he's close to a thousand goals," he replied picking up the handheld game console and turning it on.

This time, Lukman knowingly allowed his attention to be diverted.

"Do you really mean to tell me that you have wasted your time to that extent?" he asked. Although he didn't know why he should be surprised, he knew more than anyone just how much time he spent on that thing.

"For your information, you can actually cut time in the settings," Femi scoffed. "I would think that would be common knowledge."

"Well excuse me, I know I meant to dedicate myself to an in depth study of all things Gamebox, but I suppose I spent that time becoming and being an oncologist. You know coordinating the multidisciplinary care of cancer patients, which may involve little things like physiotherapy, counseling, clinical genetics, actually seeing and talking to my patients or any of the other silly things I do on a regular basis. Unfortunately that doesn't leave me much time to become a European star footballer."

"Yes, instead you've become Dr Lukman the boy wonder, patron saint of bald cancer kids everywhere. However, this means that not only will you never have any chance of ever beating my high score, but it also means that you will continue to humiliate yourself by actually thinking that a Gamebox, is a real gaming system," Femi replied shaking his head in shame for his friend.

"And now I'm going to go cry about it in my office," Lukman said sarcastically. He was well aware that he wasn't going to get anymore information about Daniella and what may or may not have happened in the past week out of Femi. At least not right now, no, he was going to have to figure this one out on his own. Well maybe he could enlist the help of a few others.

"I know something deeper is going on Femi. And its only a matter of time before I figure out what kind of game you're playing," Lukman insisted as he turned and walked out of the office.

What kind of game I'm playing, Femi repeated in his mind as he paused his game. Didn't Daniella say something about it not being a game earlier…

He honestly hadn't meant for any of this to happen, not that he wasn't enjoying it now that it had, and he truly wasn't playing a game with anyone. Daniella was the one who panicked and started this whole mess and Lukman was the one who wanted to dig things up that would be better off remaining buried. Of course, while it wasn't a game at the moment, he could certainly make it one.

A metaphorical light bulb went off over his head as a plan formulated in his mind. The only potential problem he could foresee was getting the involvement from the other key participant of his little scheme. But with his legendary powers of persuasion he was confident that he wouldn't have any problems convincing her to be his accomplice in his latest ruse.

He knew he would have to get her agreement sooner rather than later, but as he glanced down at the PSP he was holding loosely in his hands, he figured it could wait until lunch. After all he was bored of playing 'hard' and was about to move on to 'Ultimate'.

Nancydearie(f), oluwajt(m), Xionez(m), Maydfourth, Kaymercury(m), nastyd(m), Deztro(m), kingzic(m), Oyinprince, Kayemjay, Donkross1, Audreytimms, Jay542 Jagugu88li Twizzy30 Veekid SPDAZZY bot101 princewilla missuniverse Roseygold ahlajidanko yorhmienerd twinkle004 missmossy divepen1 yorubawoman iomoge02 edimahgurl Michelle55 Elize1 yusufibrahim Riog Sayocruz Chefremy Phemocheee Shigo20 justicextian Sotozo Chimacks crusherdaniels TONYE001 bibijay123 Oyimzy Costal Monsieurp peachyp sexyfire911 Olatex25 room089 noblet2 warfibabe rachealfst Mofy1 stanley010 mamindy Maggilove fidex Mhiz bobbydreofficial Ridwan1821. Leriebloom olashinle2016 Horlorlardaey Whizzdom ReuEl12 SheWrites ADECULATE girlhaley redon12(m), Stexy(m), ifyjohnson(f), cyndylove64, Aitee1(f), sameesyd(m), Keemellah(f), Chimkizy(m), kinggenesis(m), gtin(m), shaksu, rachealfst(f), sommyqueency, oyionina(f), validstar1, swiz123(m), seanmozilla(m), Omakid01(m), bossy512(f), Fabulousmendex, femostic6, evelynakpore, Gamesound(m), Palmerbarry(m), Godsent231, MissRelly, Ogodlovely1(f), phattie(f), moh2015, iwakacome(m), Cylovee(m), ROYH(m), PrettyMizQdot(f), colik(f), laddybay(f), Trayoralas, ujunwa23, Onyenso100(m), animides, Shollyjay90(m), twinkiet(f), cathytee, Paulynah(f), pauljokotagba, supizino(m), joyberry(f), paulaspearz(f), oshorstan(m)

Novelistguy:
Nancydearie(f), oluwajt(m), Xionez(m), Maydfourth, Kaymercury(m), nastyd(m), Deztro(m), kingzic(m), Oyinprince, Kayemjay, Donkross1, Audreytimms, Jay542 Jagugu88li Twizzy30 Veekid SPDAZZY bot101 princewilla missuniverse Roseygold ahlajidanko yorhmienerd twinkle004 missmossy divepen1 yorubawoman iomoge02 edimahgurl Michelle55 Elize1 yusufibrahim Riog Sayocruz Chefremy Phemocheee Shigo20 justicextian Sotozo Chimacks crusherdaniels TONYE001 bibijay123 Oyimzy Costal Monsieurp peachyp sexyfire911 Olatex25 room089 noblet2 warfibabe rachealfst Mofy1 stanley010 mamindy Maggilove fidex Mhiz bobbydreofficial Ridwan1821. Leriebloom olashinle2016 Horlorlardaey Whizzdom ReuEl12 SheWrites ADECULATE girlhaley redon12(m), Stexy(m), ifyjohnson(f), cyndylove64, Aitee1(f), sameesyd(m), Keemellah(f), Chimkizy(m), kinggenesis(m), gtin(m), shaksu, rachealfst(f), sommyqueency, oyionina(f), validstar1, swiz123(m), seanmozilla(m), Omakid01(m), bossy512(f), Fabulousmendex, femostic6, evelynakpore, Gamesound(m), Palmerbarry(m), Godsent231, MissRelly, Ogodlovely1(f), phattie(f), moh2015, iwakacome(m), Cylovee(m), ROYH(m), PrettyMizQdot(f), colik(f), laddybay(f), Trayoralas, ujunwa23, Onyenso100(m), animides, Shollyjay90(m), twinkiet(f), cathytee, Paulynah(f), pauljokotagba, supizino(m), joyberry(f), paulaspearz(f), oshorstan(m)

hmm.. is good to be here, tnx for mentioning

Novelistguy:
Nancydearie(f), oluwajt(m), Xionez(m), Maydfourth, Kaymercury(m), nastyd(m), Deztro(m), kingzic(m), Oyinprince, Kayemjay, Donkross1, Audreytimms, Jay542 Jagugu88li Twizzy30 Veekid SPDAZZY bot101 princewilla missuniverse Roseygold ahlajidanko yorhmienerd twinkle004 missmossy divepen1 yorubawoman iomoge02 edimahgurl Michelle55 Elize1 yusufibrahim Riog Sayocruz Chefremy Phemocheee Shigo20 justicextian Sotozo Chimacks crusherdaniels TONYE001 bibijay123 Oyimzy Costal Monsieurp peachyp sexyfire911 Olatex25 room089 noblet2 warfibabe rachealfst Mofy1 stanley010 mamindy Maggilove fidex Mhiz bobbydreofficial Ridwan1821. Leriebloom olashinle2016 Horlorlardaey Whizzdom ReuEl12 SheWrites ADECULATE girlhaley redon12(m), Stexy(m), ifyjohnson(f), cyndylove64, Aitee1(f), sameesyd(m), Keemellah(f), Chimkizy(m), kinggenesis(m), gtin(m), shaksu, rachealfst(f), sommyqueency, oyionina(f), validstar1, swiz123(m), seanmozilla(m), Omakid01(m), bossy512(f), Fabulousmendex, femostic6, evelynakpore, Gamesound(m), Palmerbarry(m), Godsent231, MissRelly, Ogodlovely1(f), phattie(f), moh2015, iwakacome(m), Cylovee(m), ROYH(m), PrettyMizQdot(f), colik(f), laddybay(f), Trayoralas, ujunwa23, Onyenso100(m), animides, Shollyjay90(m), twinkiet(f), cathytee, Paulynah(f), pauljokotagba, supizino(m), joyberry(f), paulaspearz(f), oshorstan(m)

Present oo

Présente

paulaspearz:



Present oo

present sir

CHAPTER FIVE

Daniella Dinobi was currently hiding.

Patients, nurses, hospital administrators, her boss, herself, the whole world, specifics didn't matter, she was hiding from them all. She had started off trying to do her clinic hours - well Femi's hours - but it wasn't long before she realized that if she had to listen to one more mother who thought their child's cough was pneumonia or if she had to put up with one more old man her grandfather's age with athletes foot, try to hit on her, she was going to loose it.

That was what led her to her current course of action. Which just happened to be laying down on one of the clinic room's examination tables with one arm draped across her face to cover her eyes from the harsh florescent lighting as she tried to will the rest of the world away. At first she felt guilty for skimping out on her duties to the clinic, but then she reasoned that she was actually doing Femi's hours, not her own, and that if he were down here, he would be doing the exact same thing she was doing now, so in actuality it was just par for the golf course. She groaned lightly, she hated sports metaphors, even the ones she made herself.

It was then that the beeper that resided on her right hip called her attention away from her self-pitying musings. She sighed audibly when she read the message. Your hubby's office STAT. While all she really wanted to do was ignore it, since in all likelihood it meant that Femi was bored and would like to annoy her some more, she also knew it could very possibly be a patient and she refused to let the mess that had become her personal life interfere with her work. Well anymore than it already had.

She clocked out of the clinic and managed to make her way to the elevator and up to the correct floor, successfully avoiding any kind of conversation. But what she saw once she arrived at the Diagnostics department gave her pause. The conference room was empty so she wanted to assume that the boys were simply in the office with Femi. However, he had never reopened the blinds she had closed earlier, so there was no real way to tell.

Taking a deep but not so cleansing breath, she opened the door hoping against hope that she would be walking into the middle of a differential session. But it seemed that this was not her day, let alone week, and her wish was not granted when she saw that Femi was indeed by himself and apparently waiting for her as he was sitting behind his desk looking back at her quite expectantly.

"What took you so long?" Femi asked accusatorily the moment she opened the door. "I'm starving."

"What?" Daniella asked, genuinely confused.

"I would make a comment about you letting the food get cold, but I happen to like my Jollof cold and the rabbit food you eat is supposed to be that way," he continued as he stood, picked up two food cartons, handed one to her and sat down on the couch with the other.

"What is this?" she asked, cautiously opening the Styrofoam carton as if it was something completely foreign to her.

"In some cultures they call it a grilled chicken salad," he replied picking up his sandwich and taking a large bite, not bothering to chew and swallow before continuing. "You eat it, most people find using a fork is helpful, but I suppose that's your prerogative."

"I know what it is," she retorted irritably, continuing to stare at it. "I guess the better question is why are you giving me a chicken salad?"

"Because it's lunch time, and I've heard that even your kind gets hungry occasionally. Now stop starring at your lunch like you're expecting it do a trick and just eat it."

"In all the years I've been working for you, you have never bought me lunch," she pointed out, not even about to touch that your kind comment. "Cut in front of me in the lunch line and then stick me with your bill, sure, but buy my lunch and have it waiting in your office for me? Never."

"We've also never been married before," he pointed out in return. "What," he asked when she continued to look at him doubtfully, "is it so wrong for me to want to have lunch with the little missus?"

"Seriously, what did you do to it?" she asked warily, choosing to ignore the little missus comment as well, as she peered under the Styrofoam cover yet again.

"Why are you so suspicious?" he questioned in return, not even sure if he was amused or irritated by her refusal to just take the damn salad at this point.

"It's not paranoia if they're actually out to get you," she countered.

"Well I didn't do anything to it, but I can't vouch for the lunch ladies and they can be a wily bunch. I don't think you have done anything to piss them off recently so I think you're safe," he assured her. "On the other hand, I have and since I'm the one who bought it, there is in fact a large possibility that someone did do something. On the other hand, I've never actually bought a salad before so they wouldn't have had time to prepare something to do to it. On the other hand…wait how many hands am I on?"

Daniella simply sighed in defeat and sat down on the couch next to him, well more accurately she sat down as far away from him as she could and still technically be on the same couch. They ate in silence for a few minutes and Femi turned the TV on and flipped it over to CW where they were airing The Flash.

"Femi-" Daniella started to speak.

"Shhh, they're about to reveal if Harrison Wells is really Reverse Flash after all. Which I can't see as possible because he was right there with them during an attack by the Reverse Flash," he relayed, glancing over at her. "But if they can come up with some made up physics explanation for someone being in two places at once then I bet they will do it after all."

The doubtful look on the immunologist's face told him that she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. He sighed audibly before attempting to explain further.

"Harrison Wells was mentor to the Flash, But he seems to be more than that," he could tell she was still confused. "Good lord woman! Do you know nothing? What do you do all day? Well I'm not going to sit here the whole time and explain it to you so I end up missing something important. You are just going to have to follow along as best you can and figure it out yourself."

Daniella simply rolled her eyes and returned to her salad until the commercial break, it wasn't as if she actually cared what happened to the residents of Central City.

"Now you may speak," Femi announced as a commercial for Gillette began playing on the screen.

"What do you want from me Femi?" she asked simply.

"Who said I want something from you?" he answered with another question.

"You must want something from me to call me in here and it must be something huge for you to buy me food. I break the law on a regular basis simply because you ask me too, so the fact that you're actually trying to soften me up with lunch concerns me greatly," she said, laying the cards, as she saw, them on the table.

"I am deeply, deeply hurt and aggrieved that you would call my intentions into question like that. Don't you realize what today is?" he asked dramatically clutching a hand to his heart.

Daniella looked back at him, the look on her face clearly showing that she feared whatever he was about to say next. "What?" she finally asked when it became clear he was not going to go on without some sort of prompt from her.

"It's our 72 hour anniversary! I cant believe you forgot, it's a very important milestone. And I got you that," he said in all seriousness, pointing at the carton on her lap, "because everybody knows that the cafeteria only prepares chicken salad in three days and it's today."

"Ah yes," Daniella replied smiling in spite of herself, "how could I have forgotten. I'm terribly sorry."

Femi looked her up and down for a long moment, as if evaluating the sincerity of her remorse and deciding if she was worth his forgiveness.

"Well, I suppose as long as you don't forget our 24 day anniversary," he said finally. "That's tomorrow and it's the day we get moi moi on the menu."

"I'll keep that in mind," Daniella responded, chuckling softly.

She realized she had almost forgotten how the conversation started and was going to ask what it was he wanted again, but The Flash came back on and she knew there was no point in saying anything until the next commercial. And when a trailer for the new comic book movie that was coming out started playing Daniella was going to ask, but didn't get the chance since it was Femi spoke first.

"I have a proposal for you," the older doctor announced, not looking away from the screen.

"I'm not sure it would be wise for me to hear it, considering the last proposal you made was the one that got us in to this mess," Daniella retorted wryly.

"How do you know that you're not the one who popped the question?" Femi asked turning towards her, actually curious to hear her reasoning.

"It had to have been your idea," she replied simply with all confidence. "I never could have convinced to you to get married regardless of how drunk you were. Where as I know that when I'm drunk, I can pretty much be talked into anything."

Femi filed this useful little tidbit of information away for later.

"But based on all prior evidence in this twisted relationship we seem to be having, you have always been the instigator," he pointed out.

"Actually, you were the one who started this whole thing with the cooking lessons date," Daniella rebutted.

"It wasn't a date. You wanted to learn my recipes."

"Keep telling yourself that," she replied with a half smile. "Besides I had to blackmail you into even going on that date with me. Which I admit was not my proudest moment, and not something I had ever had to reduce myself to before to get a date, but it was blackmail nonetheless. And that was just a date, a couple of hours out of one evening of your life, not until death do us part. And I'm still pretty morally sure that you only even agreed to the date because you didn't want to have to interview for a new fellow and because you knew that it would give you the perfect opportunity to toy with me and then crush any ideas I might have had that something might have actually happened between us," she said in a rush before pausing and looking out the office windows as her face flushed in embarrassment for having revealed her thoughts about their disastrous cooking 'date'.

Femi frowned slightly when he heard what she assumed his intentions were that night. He was a bit uncomfortable with the fact that she thought he would be so intentionally cruel, but then he realized that she had every right and reason to believe that.

"I didn't plan on saying those things to you that night," he said softly with his attention returning to the TV where the show had begun again. "I meant to let you have a good time. You asked me a personal question. I don't like personal questions."

"I know," she replied matching his tone.

The both remained silent as they watched the screen and picked at what was left of their lunches. The show ended and Femi wordlessly turned off the TV.

"Femi, tell me what you want or I'm going back down to the clinic," she said after a long moment.

"I want to act like we got married on purpose," he announced, turning to look at her.

Daniella looked back at him and blinked, once, twice, three times before looking away. Of all the requests she had imagined coming from him, that was not one of them.

"Now I understand the chicken salad," she quipped quietly, looking down at the mostly eaten salad in her lap. "You should have gotten a Diet Coke too."

She didn't say anything else for several long minutes and Femi almost told her to forget about it, but then she spoke again.

"May I ask why?" she asked with that honest sincerity in her eyes that he had often mocked in the past.

"Because it will mess with everyone's heads," he replied as if that explained everything. "It will be hilarious."

Daniella looked back down at her lap and closed her eyes so that he couldn't read them. For a second there she had let herself believe that Femi was saying that he actually wanted to be married to her. And for some incomprehensible reason this had made her happy. She pushed this from her mind and concentrated on his unusual request. Although nothing about marrying your boss and having sex with him while plastered in Abuja could be considered usual.

"But then what happens when the annulment comes through?" she asked rubbing her temples, feeling a headache coming on. "What do we tell everyone then?"

"We can burn that bridge when we get to it," Femi replied with a dismissive wave of his hand, happy that she was even considering it. That was actually more than he expected. "But think about how much fun we can have until then," he said going in for the hard sell. "Kingsley is already convinced that we are happily married, but Lukman is sure that this all one great big plot against him somehow and Obika is even more confused than he normally is. I cant wait to see what Grant's reaction is going to be."

Daniella acknowledged internally that it would be pretty funny to pull one over on her co-workers. But it would mean having to spend a lot of up close and personal time with her boss, something that she wasn't sure if it would go into the pro or con column. Her rational side told her that this was a very bad idea and that there was no possible way that this could end well. But then the less responsible, less mature, eat a whole gallon of chocolate ice cream out of the carton in one sitting, part of her wanted to go for it and screw the consequences.

"Come on Daniella, we could make it interesting and see how soon we can actually make Obika pass out from shock. So, are you game?" Femi asked, pressing for a response.

However, before she could give her final answer, she was interrupted by Grant, who chose that moment to burst into the room.

----------------------

I'm back and I promise daily updates.

CHAPTER SIX

"So, are you game?" Femi asked, pressing for a response.

However, before she could give her final answer, she was interrupted by Grant who chose that moment to burst into the room.

"Femi, what have I told you about pawning off your clinic hours on your fellows!" the administrator asked angrily.

"Don't get you panties in a bunch," the diagnostician replied. "The schedule clearly said Dr. Johnson, it's not my fault if it simply never specified which one."

"What are you talking about Femi?" Grant asked impatiently, but becoming genuinely confused as she absorbed the scene in front of her as she noticed that Daniella was in the room as well and they both had food cartons in their laps. "Are the two of you eating lunch together?"

"Excellent powers of deduction," Femi quipped. "Is that why they gave you the big office? And here I thought it was because of your amazing-"

"Why?" Grant asked, interrupting what was bound to be a highly inappropriate comment.

"Why what?" Femi responded.

"Why are you eating lunch together? You've never eaten lunch together before," Grant replied, completely perplexed by this anomaly.

"How do you know that?" Femi asked lightly.

"Because this is my hospital, I know everything that goes on here," she replied surely.

"Well apparently not everything," he replied with that particular self satisfied smirk he only got when he knew something you didn't.

Grant looked at Femi, then over to Daniella, and back at Femi. She knew that she was missing something, and she was quickly getting the impression that it was something important.

"What exactly is going on here?" she asked, in her best 'don't lie to me' tone.

Femi looked at Daniella signaling for her to answer. He needed to know now if she was going to play along, since he wouldn't be able to keep up the charade without her help. This was the moment of truth, it was all or nothing. Taking her cue, Daniella turned to her boss's boss and spoke.

"Femi and I got married while we were in Abuja last week," Daniella announced less awkwardly than either of them would have expected.

"You're joking," Grant replied quickly, before the younger woman's words even had a chance to sink in.

"Oh, I wish I was," Daniella replied jokingly with a smile that Grant was too shocked to notice was forced.

"What the hell happened? Did you two get blind drunk and decide it was a good idea to get married?" she asked disbelievingly, unknowingly hitting the nail right on the head.

"Of course not," Femi replied as if seriously affronted. "Daniella and I have been seeing each other for… How long has it been darling?" he asked, once more passing her the ball.

"Well I don't know dear," she said pausing, looking as if she was making a mental calculation. "It depends on if you are counting from the first time we slept together or the first time we actually went out on a date. Because the former happened about a month and a half before the later."

Femi had to hide his surprise at his usually innocent underling's unexpected answer. He was beginning to think that this whole ordeal might be even more fun than he had initially been expecting. He looked back at Grant and saw she hadn't even made an attempt to hide her surprise. He had to bite back a laugh as he saw his usually unflappable boss openly staring in wide eyed, slack jawed shock. It didn't help matters that at some point during this exchange Femi had snaked his arm around Daniella's waist and pulled her close to him and Daniella was resting a hand on his knee.

The hospital administrator turned on her spiked heel and walked from the room without another word, all prior concern about clinic hours currently forgotten. As soon as the door swung shut and they could hear Grant's Manolos clicking down the corridor, the two doctors sprung apart, quickly retreating to their respective sides of the couch.

"See now wasn't that fun?" Femi asked attempting to dissolve some of the awkward tension in the room. "I think we just got ourselves out of clinic duty for the rest of the day, possibly the rest of the week depending on how long it takes for the shock to wear off."

Daniella bit her lip in an attempt to restrain her smile. "I have to admit, I never actually thought I would see the day where I would see Grant's jaw drop like that."

"I know, I haven't been able to shock her like that in years. Enrage, disgust, amaze, occasionally mildly surprise, I can still do, but to shock speechless? I don't think I've been able to do that in at least eight years. So you deserve double points for that little statement of yours," he verbally applauded her, "that's what put her over the edge. I think I'm going to have to marry Lukman next time to top that reaction."

"No," Daniella replied, shaking her head in disagreement, "that wouldn't shock anybody."

He looked at her in surprise for a moment, before beginning to laugh. "Burn!," he agreed, deciding he liked this side of Daniella.

Feeding off his laughter, Daniella began laughing as well, which caused them to feed off each other as they laughed heartily for several minutes at the ridiculousness of the whole situation they had gotten themselves into. As they sobered, Daniella was the first one to speak.

"You know, if we're going to do this thing, we should do it right."

"I like the way you think," Femi replied lecherously.

"What I mean," Daniella continued, pointedly ignoring his interjection, "is that we should get our stories straight. Figure out a believable history, how long we've been together, how we got together, stuff like that."

"Yes, like this month and a half we were just having sex…when, where, what positions? We should really figure out all of those details, you never know what might come up," he said wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

"Femi, this was your idea, if you don't want to help me figure this out, then I can go find Grant right now and explain the whole thing to her," Daniella threatened, the expression on her face making it clear that she had no qualms following through with it.

"Eight months," he said in reply. "Remember when we were both here late by ourselves on Christmas Eve watching the Albino girl-"

"Shola," Cameron supplied.

House gave her a look that told her exactly what he thought of her remembering the name of a patient from eight months ago, but refrained from making a verbal comment.

"As I was saying, we were here late all alone on Christmas, no family or friends to watch '30 days in Atlanta' with or to share old stories of Christmas' past over tall glasses of wine with, so naturally we took comfort in each other," he said dramatically. "And then one thing led to another and we ended up making sweet sweet love on the office table."

Daniella raised a single arched eyebrow. "Fine, then you took me out for the first time on Valentine's Day."

Femi made a face. "But that's so cheesy," he complained.

"And lonely Christmas sex isn't?" Daniella challenged.

"Hey, maybe it was lonely Christmas sex for you," Femi retorted. "I was just taking advantage of my young and beautiful employee in her moment of weakness. And the sex was so good I didn't want to give it up. And I'm assuming it was good if the scratches on my back are any indication."

Femi watched in amusement as he watch the color appear from under her collar and crept up her neck before spreading across her cheeks. Apparently she could only talk about fictional sex, and the real thing embarrassed her.

"Did I really-?" she started to ask tentatively.

"Yup, do you want to see?" he asked starting to raise his shirt.

"No!" she quickly replied. "I believe you. And umm… I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be," he returned suggestively, making the color in her cheeks rise to her hairline.

"Anyways," Daniella said, shaking off the previous portion of the conversation, "I told Grant a month and a half. If we started sleeping together on Christmas then that would mean Valentines Day. And it works, because if you remember the boys found out I had a date, but I never told them who, because they kept bugging me about it and it was making me vexed. They'll just think it was you and that's why I refused to give them any details."

"Fine," he relented. "And we decided to keep it out of the Hospital because you didn't want the whole Hospital to know you were sleeping with your boss, and I didn't want the other duckays getting jealous," House added.

"And so," she continued, picking up the narrative, "when Grant approached me to go to Abuja with you to keep an eye on you, I agreed with only minimal convincing."

"She had to convince you?" Femi interjected to ask, this being news to him.
Daniella just smirked in reply and continued. "And then you proposed on the top of that incredibly high building, the Stratosphere-"

"Oh good god no," Femi interrupted. "We have to make it believable right? No one who knows me would believe that…"

"Alright then," Daniella laughed, conceding that he was right on that point, "how did you propose?"

Femi considered this a moment. He had never had the desire to propose to someone so he had never really considered it. True he had been with Sonia for five years, and had lived with her for as long, but he had been perfectly content with the status quo and saw no reason to change anything about their situation and it was a good thing he hadn't, considering how that sordid tale turned out.

"I didn't even ask you," he said finally, pushing his previous thoughts to the back of his mind as irrelevant. "You just woke up one morning with a ring on your finger and you were so excited that you insisted we go out and get married that afternoon before I had a chance to change my mind."

Daniella laughed again at his admittedly more realistic version of events.

"Okay, and so I still wasn't ready to tell everyone yet," she said, bringing the story up to date, "but you didn't see a reason for keeping it quiet anymore so you decided to announce it this morning. You figured that since we were actually married, that it would prove that what we have is for real and I couldn't say that people would think I was just sleeping with you to get ahead."

"And Grant can't complain that a relationship would affect our work since she didn't even figure it out for the first eight months," Femi concluded. "Not that it wont now, now that everyone knows," he said with a devious smile. "This is going to be fun."

Daniella returned a slightly more wary smile as she wondered exactly what she was getting herself into.