Stay - Chapter Thirty Three

[happyinchintz72]

Author's Notes:
There IS more of this night to come so don't worry, it doesn't end here. Wow, one night is 3 chapters- haha! :D Carried away, much? Anyway, I never intended on it going on THIS long but have so many things I want to do with it. Looks like this story just got a LITTLE longer. Hope you enjoy! Again, I indulged a little on the kids and brotherly!Luke! Feedback is cherished as always! :)

CONTINUED....

Reid closed the door behind them and  watched as Luke began organising the sea of mess on the kitchen table. There was a layer of newspaper, pots of glue, scrap pieces of paper, books and flimsy plastic bone shaped pieces scattered everywhere. He smiled, recognising the kit on the right hand side of the table.

"Ethan's?" he asked picking it up and glancing in Luke's direction.

"You've created a monster," Luke said with a chuckle, stacking the books tidily. Reid watched in awe as Luke moved instinctively.

"Me? What did I do?"

"You remember when I was in hospital and struggling and you asked Ethan to draw those x-rays? Well he wants to be a doctor now and has his school teacher recommending things for him to do."

Reid raised his eyebrows and looked away. He spotted the skull on its stand on the kitchen bench and reached out to marvel at the little boy's handiwork. "Usually kids cower in fear when it comes to me," he mumbled, half amazed, half completely touched by the kid's interest.

"Yea well not my little brother," Luke stated warmly, now appearing behind Reid and wrapping his arms around his waist.

Reid jumped a little at the warm touch and turned his head to catch Luke's eyes.

"At least one of the Snyder clan approves."

Luke hooked his chin over Reid's shoulder and nuzzled his head into the crook of his neck. "I approve, that's all that matters," Luke whispered, sending a cascade of shivers down Reid's spine. He turned in Luke's arms, depositing the box on the table and replacing it with Luke's face onto which he planted a small kiss. Luke grinned, all swooning and slow, before jumping back to life with a wink.

"Ethan! Natalie!" he called, noticing the fear of god enter Reid's eyes.

At once, a multitude of heavy stomping footsteps could be heard and a small blonde girl in pigtails appeared at the door.

"Who are you?" she asked, picking at her purple dress, letting her big blue eyes blink up at Reid.

Luke swooped down, lifting her into his arms. She giggled, obviously too big to be carried but enjoying the ride regardless. Luke swooshed her side to side, his face alight with playfullness. Reid watched on feeling a definite outsider and so removed from the kind of connections he saw before him; having no siblings and a very distant family, he had no frame of reference for family life.

"This is Reid. Say hello," Luke instructed, hoisting Natalie onto his hip and walking her towards Reid with a safe smile.

"Hello Reid," she said, he face blushing a little at having to talk to strangers.

Reid stepped forward with uncertainty but stuck out his hand for her to shake. "Nice to meet you Natalie." His voice was serious and adult. Natalie giggled and pulled back her hand, burying her head in Luke's shoulder with a coy glance back at Reid.

Luke deposited her back on the ground and she ran out of the room to where she'd come from.

Reid let out a sigh as if he'd been holding his breath.

"They won't bite you know?" Luke said, humour filling his voice. He made his way towards the kettle and flicked the switch. "Hot chocolate?" he asked with a small smile. He could feel the worry creep inside of him a the situation- it was hardly the kind of first date most people expect.

Reid undid his tie and smiled. "As long as I get marshmallows," he added, throwing his jacket and tie over one of the dining chairs.

Luke rolled his eyes with a hint of exageration. "Typical. You and food."

"I'm a growing boy," Reid stated matter of factly and patted his flat stomach with slightly pouted lips.

Luke busied himself with the drinks and they fell into a comfortable silence. Reid looked around the room. It was warm, cosy, cluttered and covered with small mementos and family things. It felt personal and full of heart, a place a family would congregate and feel at home even if they didn't live there. He wondered if this was true and felt himself tense- he didn't belong here.

"Doctor Reid Doctor Reid Doctor Reid!"

Ethan came running, arms flailing to his sides, into the room and skidded to a stop right infront of Reid. He stuck out his tiny hand and looked up, his eyes bright with excitement. Reid reached down to take hold of his little hand and shook it with a half smile.

"Hello again Ethan."

"Have you seen my skeleton?" Ethan asked, gesturing wildly over to the glue covered skull, "he's not finished yet 'cos I got stuck on some of the bones but G'ma said she will buy me a new science book to help me."

Reid chuckled. The kid was ok, he had to admit. "What seems to be the problem?"

Ethan blushed, his head turning in embarrassment. "I don't know the bones here," he said, pointing to his chest and neck area.

Reid kneeled to the little boy's level and looked at him straight in the eyes. Ethan's shoulders seemed to square and chest puffed out in an attempt to look older. Luke glanced over, a shining grin on his face as he took in the two science geeks in the corner. He sighed with contentment as he stirred the mugs of foaming chocolate.

"Ok, should I tell you how I learned them?" Reid asked, settling himself down. Ethan's vigerous nodding was enough of an answer. "This bone here," Reid said as he pointed, "is called your collar bone. You own a suit right?." Ethan nodded again and listened intently. "Ok, well you see how the collar lies here, well that's why it's called a collar bone. There's another word for it though. A lot of bones have a doctor word and a normal word. Do you want to learn the doctor words?"

"Wow," Ethan whispered, leaning in to Reid's face, "is that allowed or do you have to be a doctor?"

Reid laughed and smiled a genuinely huge smile. He looked into the kid's face and saw himself, all fascinated and honestly interested. He recognised that smile, those looks of awe and wonder at the amazing human body.

"No Ethan, you don't have to be a doctor," Reid reassured, "you can learn them and then you'll know for if you do become a doctor."

"I want to," Ethan said, full of certainty.

"There's no shame in that," Reid asserted, sharing a secret smile with the little boy, "and I can, um, help you with your model if you'd like?" It was like an outer body experience. But I hate kids, Reid mused, kids don't like me, I'm harsh corners and blunt words and kids like cuddles and playful games. He felt something inside that he couldn't describe, a rush of something warm and sure that took root in his chest and tugged at his heart.

"He loves you," Luke whispered in Reid's ear, bending down to place his hot chocolate on the table infront of him as Ethan clambered up into the near-by chair. Reid'e eyes locked with Luke's and there was that feeling again, that wholeness and desperation both swirling together inside. Luke sat opposite them and sipped from his mug, his eye peering over the crockery.

"So the doctor's name for this bone is the clavicle," Reid explained slowly pointing just below his neck and tracing its line outwards.

"Cl-avi-cle," Ethan repeated, his brow knitted in concentration as he reached for the glue pot. "What's the one?" he asked, his finger jabbing into his shoulder.

"Well what do you call this normally?" Reid asked.

"Erm," Ethan considered for a beat, "shoulder?"

Reid nodded, a tiny smile tugging at his cheeks. "That's it. It's called the shoulder blade but doctors call it the scapula."

They carried on like this for half an hour. Luke didn't interupt and simply sat as a spectator to the scene unfolding. Natalie soon joined them and climbed up onto Luke's knee to watch. She sipped her hot chocolate slowly, nibbling the marshmallows in turn.

Reid and Ethan talked a lot, Reid explaining each bone's job and Ethan repeating it back to him as he glued everything in sight. Luke was sure he'd never seen anything cuter in his whole life and almost hugged Reid (eventhough he'd hate it) when he saw Ethan drop a splodge of glue onto his new shirt. Luke panicked a little at Reid's reaction, worrying that his little brother had over stepped the line but Reid didn't flinch or flicker, he simply wiped it off leaving a dark smear and babbled on about the sternum and rib cage. Ethan's face was flushed with concentration, his tiny fingers working dilligently to keep up.

"Luke?" Natalie whispered into his ear, putting down her mug.

"Yes Nat?"

"Is Doctor Reid your new Noah?"

Luke coughed a little and closed his eyes preparing to explain. He prayed when he opened them that Reid was oblivious to it all. He seemed to be, passing Ethan a piece of plastic bone.

"No, Reid isn't a new anyone. He's just himself." Luke struggled to term it, to put it the right way.

"So he's not going to stay over and give you hugs like Noah used to do?" Luke chuckled quietly and hugged her to him. The image of Reid hugging was comical enough not to mention Natalie's assessment of his past relationship- she was spot on if he was honest.

"He might stay over at the house, yes, but hug... No. Reid isn't big on hugs."

"Why not? Hugs are nice."

Luke laughed again. "They are but some people don't like them."

He kept his eyes close on Reid, watching for some twinge of recognition. "That's weird. So is Reid your boyfriend then?"

Luke saw it, Reid's cheek lifted ever so slightly in an amused smile but in seconds it was gone and replaced with his solid countenance, focused on his task.

"Well I guess he is, yes. Why do you want to know Nat?"

"I just do. Is he rich? Doctors are rich aren't they?"

Reid couldn't mask his reaction then. He stifled a laugh but kept his eyes down. Luke smiled, wanting to laugh too but turned back to Natalie. "I don't know if Reid's rich but you are right, a doctor is a good job."

"Oh right. If he's rich, will you marry him?"

Reid spluttered this time making Ethan jump a little. "Did I do something wrong Doctor Reid?" he asked in a small voice, his hands frozen mid glue smear. Reid felt his heart clench at the innocence in the kid's eyes but had no idea how to react. He found himself saying "Not at all Ethan. You're doing better than me."

Luke sighed contentedly, his head swimming a little with admiration and affection. He didn't expect Reid to act this way.

"Ok Nat, you nosey little thing, let's get you to bed." She whined a little but gave in when Luke raised his eyebrows in a brotherly fashion. "Ethan, you too. I'll come down to get you once Natalie's tucked in, ok? Finish up what you're doing."

Luke was sure he saw Reid pout a little, sad to stop.

Luke didn't take long. Natalie questioned him as he pulled the covers up, still intent on finding out all she could about their relationship. He marvelled at how quick she was growing up before planting a cool kiss on her forehead and heading downstairs.

He lingered in the doorway, his hand somewhere near his heart as he watched the little scene unfold. "Ok, Ethan you grab that side and we'll lift, ok?"

Ethan held tight to the frame, his arms shaking a little under the weight. As they positioned it on the counter top, they both stood back to assess their work. There was now a skull and fully formed torso, the fake bones hanging professionally in place.

"Wow!" Ethan cried. Luke watched as his little brother clasped hold of Reid's leg. He saw the panic in Reid's eyes, the overwhelmed look on his face as he lifted his hands awkwardly away from Ethan's head. Shakily and full of uncertainty, Reid let his hand graze the little boy's hair and ruffle it a little, his face full of fear. Luke had to muffle his noise of joy. Reid heard, his head jerking up in shock at being caught. As Luke bit his lip and smiled, Ethan detached himself and ran at Luke only to be hoisted high in seconds.

"Well he looks awesome. You can do more in the morning ok? Now say goodnight."

Ethan beamed and waved in Reid's direction. "Goodnight Doctor Reid, thank you for helping me. I think I remember them... cl-avi-cle and sc-ap...lia?"

Reid smiled despite himself and nodded. "You'll be a surgeon in no time." Ethan's smile could have lit up the room as he turned to grin at Luke who rubbed their noses together lightly and proceeded to carry him upstairs.

Reid sat down. He had to contain the rush of life souring through his body and alighting his once dormant heart. It was as if he'd been waiting to experience something that proved his chosen way of life wrong and this was it. He couldn't turn it off, couldn't block it out or ignore it.

"So, I guess I'll be marrying you for your money then Doctor Reid," Luke chimed from the doorway with a cheeky smile. Reid snapped alert and raised his eyebrows.

"You'll be waiting a while Mr Snyder, I'm not the marrying kind." Luke chuckled, shaking his head.

"Should have known," he sighed, "not even if I make exceptional hot chocolate?"

"Not even then." Reid's words were delivered, as always, with a clever smirk.

"So, you're incredible with kids, who'd have thought?"

"They scare me, I'd hardly call it incredible." Reid frowned at Luke's generosity- Luke was always willing to offer way too much credit. So much optimism, he thought.

"I saw you. Ethan adores you, he smiles so much when you talk to him. You've honestly made a huge impression on him."

Reid didn't know what to say. So they made plastic skeletons and he was able to say two words to the little kid without being rude or harsh... Not exactly praiseworthy.

"He's a good kid." Reid's words were noticeably clipped.

Luke tilted his head in concern. "Have I said something wrong?"

"No, but you always see the best, the absolute best in people and fail to notice the glaring faults. I have monumental faults and you always pass me off as some kind of Florence Nightingale."

Luke considered those words for a moment, his brow focused in concentration. He sat down at the table and Reid followed suit, taking the seat opposite him. "You don't think I know your faults? You're an ass. A big one. You make interns cry, you struggle with basic polite conversation, you are painfully cynical, you eat digusting food, you are so self critical but at the same time wildly lacking in any propriety and you..."

"I sound like a monster," Reid mumbled, seemingly amused through his own embarrassment. Luke shook his head.

"Not a monster. Just human... Maybe a little bit special though..." Reid laughed then. He couldn't hold it in. Luke was spot on, as always. Luke loved the sparkle in Reid's eye and the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, he watched as Reid rubbed a hand over his face and sighed, resting his chin on his spare hand. "I'm hardly flawless Reid."

"You're Oakdale's golden boy, don't make me laugh."

Luke shook his head again, he felt like he did it a lot. "You're wrong, for once. I am far from perfect."

"So you got expelled from college, doesn't that earn you a medal from the elite. Who needs education when you've got a trust fund and a super powerful family?" Reid felt he was overstepping the line and felt a twinge of something horrible. He wasn't used to realising the consequences of his actions. When Luke simply leaned closer with a purposeful grin, Reid wondered how he could have hit the jackpot meeting someone as ... unique as Luke, as accepting and understanding.

"Ok then. I'll hit you with it. If you're still sitting here by the end of this, you'll exceed all of my expectations. I wouldn't blame you if you ran for the hills." Luke felt sick. It wasn't exactly how he saw his first date progressing but the truth had been prickling away under his skin for a long time and he just had to get it out whether Reid could handle it or not.

"Try me."

Luke took a deep and self concious breath. "I made out with my grandmother's husband because he hit on me while my grandmother was in hospital recovering from a mastectomy. I drank myself into hospital and then did it again years later, knowing that I could kill myself. I cheated a school election because the first guy I ever fell for made a fool out of me and I wanted revenge or something... I have been arrested for breaking and entering-"

"Why are you telling me this?" Reid asked, a softness to his voice that made Luke forget to breathe out.

"You need to know."

"No I don't. That's your past yes but you've learned from it right? You've grown? You're not about to do any of it again?"

Luke nodded sincerely, his eyes stung and he felt his forehead tense with emotion. He didn't know how to deal with this.

"No. I'm not. "

"So what did you expect me to say to all of that? If you expected me to freak out and run then you don't know me at all. If you expected me to judge you and think less of you then maybe you should consult the Life and Times of Reid Oliver."

Luke chuckled and leaned even closer. This had to be good. "Try me," he said, echoing Reid's words.

"Ok posh boy, see if you can handle this." It was Reid's turn to breathe deeply.  "I beat up my childhood best friend when we were teenagers because he ripped on me for being gay and got myself suspended for quite some time. My parents who dictated my life failed to understand and empathise so I cut myself off from civilisation until I hit college just so I could please them. When I was eighteen, I fell for the partner at my father's company who happened to be a very rich, very handsome and very married closeted gay man with a tendency to play away. He left his wife, he lost his job, I was stupid, he hated me. He was the first guy I ever... anyway. End of story. I won a fellowship at med school and when I say won, I mean I worked the system and twisted my talents to make myself look even more incredible than I actually am meaning good old Doogie missed out on the prize. Sucks to be him. There you go." Luke couldn't speak. He didn't know how to. "Ready to run for your life?"

"No." Luke shocked himself at how quick he answered, his eyes finding Reid's and lingering there, taking in the honesty and openess.

"See. Works both ways." Reid felt his heart return to its normal rhythm and stopped tapping his hand against his leg. He was sure Luke would freak out, panic, retreat and wonder what the hell he was doing ... how was he still sitting there?

"It must," Luke smiled openly, letting his hand land on the table only millimetres from Reid's. He didn't care one bit about stupid things in the past. Those things that make you who you are are to be learned from. Luke didn't think he'd felt closer to Reid before. "You're more human than anyone I've ever met."

Reid felt his fingers slide closer to Luke's and touch them lightly across the table. How does he do it, he thought, how does he look at me and see right into my soul and still stick around?

"And you've got the biggest heart out of anyone I've ever met and believe me I've met a lot of saps in my time." Luke giggled and looked down then back up, under his eyelids. Reid's skin fizzed. It always did when Luke looked at him like that.

Luke took in a deep breath and sat up straight. "Ok, this is meant to be a date and if I'm honest, this isn't how I'd pictured the night going."

Reid's eyes intensified on Luke, causing a reaction inside so affecting that Luke could barely sit still. "What did you have in mind?" Reid asked, his voice low.

Luke suddenly felt twelve with numb lips and a limited vocabulary. "Erm, well... I... "

Reid smiled smugly, proud to reduce Luke to a stammering mess. He watched as Luke pushed his chair back and walked to the fridge, opened it then started to pull out tomatoes, lettuce and a big jar of mayonaise. Reid wanted to ravish him and groaned silently, hating himself for even thinking that word out loud. Fuck me, I'm in love, he thought.

Luke was nervous. He didn't know why and kept his eyes on his hands, cutting and slicing and washing and layering. Anything to stay distracted. This was all very real and very serious. He positioned the cucumber on the chopping board and pushed down with the knife then jumped, his skin on fire as he felt Reid's hand snake around his middle and a hot stream of breath on his neck. He squirmed in place and attempted to focus. Must cut the cucumber... must cut the cucumber...

"You're cute when you're nervous," Reid droned, his voice layered with so much that Luke figured his legs would collapse on him any second.

"How do you like these epic sandwiches?" Luke said quickly, his voice a little higher than he'd have liked.

Reid closed his eyes and breathed in. He was sure he was in heaven. Cooked meats, aftershave and Luke. A combination guaranteed to drive him senseless.

"I  don't care right now," he mumbled, Reid's lips lightly brushing the skin between Luke's ear and jaw. He felt Luke shudder and smiled into his skin, his arms tightening around his waist.

"Well I erm .... mmm... I remember how you... ahhh... made yours and I... mmmmight have tried to remember so I c-could make it for you... oooo... one day." Luke was incoherent. He could barely breathe as tidal waves of tingles washed over him. He'd cut sideways into the cucmber and left a mess on the chopping board.

"You'd make someone such a good housewife," Reid drawled, his voice still deep and far too close to Luke's ear. Luke smiled despite his best efforts to remain resolute.

"You are a god damned tease. I'm holding a knife, didn't they teach you health and safety at med school?" Luke turned in his place to face Reid, their noses inces apart. Reid smirked and re-positioned his hands, their expanse warm on Luke's back even through the material of his shirt.

"Maybe I like to live dangerously," Reid whispered before his lips met Luke's- forceful and with every ounce of energy he had inside him. He could barely think straight. Want... need...want... need... the words flooded his brain. As Reid kissed deeper, his hands pushing up Luke's shirt finding soft skin underneath, Luke frowned and lazily dragged his hands off the counter top and up Reid's arms, tickling slowly as they went.

"Who's the tease now?" Reid mumbled into the kiss messily. He smiled, staring back into Luke's brown eyes and feeling a little woozy.

"Come from a long line of them, may aswell put it to good use."

Reid laughed into the kiss, Luke's eyelashes light against his skin, driving him wild. "I forgot you've got Italian in you, Luciano, my mistake. Must take advantage of that someday."

Luke could feel Reid's inability to stop and it made his head reel. He wasn't used to this- feeling wanted, desired, attractive, passionate and Reid seemed to have the ability to do it all and without holding back for even a second. Luke had never felt that before, had never experienced something this real and, dare he say it, grown-up. It was so raw that he felt it inside and out, completely and utterly.

"I love you."

Reid stopped. His head lifted slowly, lips pouting free and eyes wide. He could feel his heart getting faster, palms sweating and body reacting intensely to those words. Luke had said them before but had disappeared after leaving Reid to ponder the moment's actual existence. Now Luke was here all wrapped up in his arms being well and truly kissed and trying to be all cute making a sandwich and he says it again. He said it again, Reid repeated over and over in his head.

Luke blinked back, a faint pinkness to his cheeks, before smiling nervously and waiting for Reid to speak. They were close still and Luke was sure he could feel Reid's heart beating. "I can't get enough of you. I've never, ever made allowances for anyone, never changed for anyone, never wanted to. I've never babbled to anyone, never kissed anyone the way I do you and never been so damn scared when someone got hurt. So yea, um, I wanted you more than I wanted that sandwich you were making so I guess that says it all."

Under Reid's gaze and piercing blue eyes, Luke leaned in slowly to lightly kiss his lips. "I guess it does," he smiled. Best first date ever.

TO BE CONTINUED.....