Taking Chances
Title: Taking Chances (12/?)
Author:
appassionata1
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 1,883
Pairings: Noah/Reid
Warnings: Mpreg, Strong Language, Graphic Sex
Summary: A handsome, middle aged doctor named Reid Oliver and a hot, young culinary student named Noah Mayer meet by chance at a Chicago bakery on a frigid January morning. As their attraction for one another grows, will they be bold enough to take a chance at falling in love?
Disclaimer: Noah and Reid are characters which are property of CBS and Telenext Media. No copyright infringement is intended.
Noah attempted to resume his daily routine as usual; however this day he was very concerned about Reid. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow there was a reason to worry. As he sat in class trying to pay attention to a cooking demonstration he knew he should have been concentrating, but he just couldn’t focus. Spring semester was nearly over and finals were fast approaching.
Previously his courses had been easy for him. He breezed through most of them earning excellent marks, but recently he was having trouble grasping the material. He found that he was often distracted and impatient, not the best state to be in when you’re trying to learn something new. He was spending most of his time thinking about Reid and the baby.
Reid was scheduled to have a doctor’s appointment that afternoon. His health as well as the baby’s health remained an issue. Noah even considered putting his studies on hold and resuming them after the baby was born. It was a feasible option, only if he did so it would take him longer to earn his degree. With the baby coming he wanted to be able to secure a post as a chef’s apprentice and start making some real money as soon as possible.
He sighed and looked at his watch, then was shocked when he looked down at his notebook and realized that half the class was over and he hadn’t written down a single word. He glanced around the room aimlessly and saw Todd staring at him. Ever since that awkward incident with Todd at his apartment he had tried to avoid him. He quickly looked away, ignoring him and forced himself to pay attention during the remainder of the class.
When it was over Noah swiftly gathered up his belongings, shoved them into his backpack, and rushed out of the classroom. He hadn’t noticed that someone was following him until they caught up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He paused and turned around, and to his dismay saw Todd standing there.
With a smirk Todd quipped, “You look totally wasted dude. What’s wrong, boyfriend trouble?” He giggled mockingly.
Noah sighed, showing his distaste at Todd’s remark and snapped, “Ok Todd, you’ve had your fun at my expense, so later dude.”
“Come on Noah. I should be the one angry at you for the pissy way you treated me.” He rolled his eyes for emphasis.
“Then why aren’t you?”
“Because unlike most jilted potential lovers; I’m willing to forgive and forget.”
Noah pursed his lips and responded, “Well that’s mighty big of you. I have to go now. See ya.” He began to walk away.
Then with a sneer Todd zinged him with, “Rumor has it you’ve knocked somebody up!”
Noah froze in his tracks. The words hit him like a blow and he could feel the rage welling up inside him. He wasn’t enraged because he and the man he loved were expecting a baby and the news of it had gotten out, it was because Todd was taunting him with the cheap and tawdry way he had phrased it. Noah was angry enough to punch his lights out.
In an instant he was inches away from Todd’s face shouting, “Shut your mouth you tacky little shit, before I shut it for you!”
Todd feigned surprise with an exaggerated gasp, “Oh my God! It must be true then. Please don’t tell me it’s that old guy you’ve been fucking. So he’s one of those freaks who can get pregnant huh?”
Before Todd could finish the sentence Noah’s fist had forcefully connected with his mouth, knocking him to the floor. Noah’s cooking partner Deb and a few other witnesses reacted in horror, never believing someone as well mannered as Noah would have behaved so violently. Deb grabbed him by the arm and hustled him away from the scene. He looked back in time to see Todd bloody and shaken, struggling to get up off the floor.
As they exited the building she inquired, “Noah, what the hell was that about?!”
Noah examined his right hand and was disappointed that he had injured it once again. He opened and closed his fist and wiped Todd’s blood off on the leg of his jeans. He looked again and noticed several cuts on his knuckles, the result of his fist slamming hard against a sharp set of teeth.
He exhaled loudly and replied, “That idiot just doesn’t know when to shut the fuck up!”
“What did he say to you to get you so pissed at him?”
Noah paused for a few moments, looked at his hand again, and replied, “Something personal…something really insulting!”
“Well everyone knows that Todd’s an airhead. You shouldn’t let him get to you.” She took his hand in hers and looked at it closely. “You know you really should have that looked at by a doctor. You’re going to need a tetanus shot and with Todd’s rep probably a whole lot of other shots.”
Noah sharply replied, “I’ll be alright,” removing his hand from her grasp.
“Seriously, you need to go to the ER. I’ll drive you,” her concern was evident in her tone.
“Deb, please I’m fine!” expressing his annoyance.
Deb sighed, “Well if you won’t go to the hospital then come home with me. I’ll be able to at least give you a bandage. I’m not a doctor, but I watch a lot of Grey’s Anatomy.”
Noah chuckled and nodded. Then he followed her to her car and she drove away. Deb lived only a few miles from the Culinary Institute, in Lincoln Park. She occupied the top floor of a two flat on a quiet tree lined street. She led Noah inside and up the stairs; then opened the door for him. He politely allowed her to enter first. Once inside she offered him a seat, indicating with a wave of her hand, a comfortable looking couch in her living room. He set his back pack down on the floor next to it and sank into an overstuffed cushion as Deb walked to the bathroom to get her first aid kit.
“Would you like anything to drink?” She yelled, on her way.
“What do ya have?” Noah yelled back.
“How about something to take out the sting?” she suggested on her way back. She carried a medium sized white box and set it on the ottoman in front of the couch. Noah shrugged innocently at her question. She smiled and went to the kitchen, then returned with a bottle of rose wine and two wine glasses.
“I know it’s early, but what the hell, you deserve it. And if you’re anything like me you hate to drink alone sooo…enjoy.” She set down the glasses and filled them both; handing one to Noah.
She raised her glass and joked, “To giving pissy little bitches their comeuppance.”
They both laughed hysterically and took a long drink. “Wow, I didn’t realize how much I needed that,” Noah admitted.
“Mommy knows what baby needs,” she teased. Then Deb set down her glass and continued, “Now let me get you all fixed up.” She carefully dabbed peroxide on Noah’s cuts and wrapped his hand with gauze, securely taping it in place. “I still think you need to get this hand checked out by a doctor Noah. Are you in much pain?”
He drained his glass and smiled, while holding it out for her to refill it. “Not for much longer.” She smirked and obeyed his request. He kicked off his shoes and got comfortable. “Deb I need to ask you a favor.”
“Sure, what do you need?” she asked as she removed her shoes.
“I need your notes from today’s class. I didn’t get much of anything down. I couldn’t seem to concentrate. I really tried, but my head just wasn’t in it.”
“Yeah I noticed. You’ve been zoning out for a while now. What is it Noah?” she asked, placing a hand on his knee.
He exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair as he responded with a tone of distain, “Does everybody in the whole damn school know I’m going to be a father?”
“From what I’ve been hearing quite a few people are aware of it. I’m happy for you Noah. Congratulations. It’s wonderful news.”
“Thanks.”
“But I get the impression you wanted to keep it a secret or you wouldn’t be so upset.”
“Not exactly. It’s just really complicated Deb and not something I want everybody to be gossiping about. I don’t understand how the hell it got out!”
“It was Todd. He said he saw you and your boyfriend shopping at a Babies R Us. He said your boyfriend had a noticeable baby bump and he was sure he was one of those, well you know, guys who could get pregnant.”
“So I guess I just confirmed his suspicions by knocking him on his ass.” He took another long drink from his glass and leaned his head back on the couch. “I’m not ashamed that my boyfriend Reid’s having my baby Deb. That’s not why I clocked that annoying prick. It was because he was being such an asshole about it. He insulted Reid, somebody I really love and I wasn’t about to let him get away with it.” This time he filled his glass himself.
“Noah, I understand perfectly. I think I would have done the exact same thing. Except, when he was down, I would have kicked him in the nuts too.”
They both roared with laughter. When their bottle was empty Deb went to the fridge for another and this time Noah drank most of it. When he suddenly began to doze off while going over Deb’s notes, she helped him stretch out on the couch and put a blanket over him. Then she used her copier to copy her notes for him, saving him the bother of all that writing.
Afterwards she left him alone and read a book while he rested. Noah hadn’t planned on drinking so much wine, but he had had a very trying day and felt like he needed an escape. His hectic routine of work, classes, and taking care of Reid had begun to zap his energy. Yet he was determined to do everything he could for Reid for however long it took and to do it to the best of his ability. Noah loved Reid with all his heart and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
In fact since he had moved in with him he had been more reliable than he had ever been, but sadly an innocent gaffe he made today could prove to be the reason for his undoing. Noah always turned off his cell phone before class and back on afterwards, but the confrontation with Todd and the resulting events had thrown him off. As he peacefully slept on his friend’s couch he was completely unaware of what dire consequences would result from his mistake and how much he would deeply regret forgetting to turn his phone back on this time.
Chapter 13