Hit and Run Part Two
Title: Hit and Run
Author: Marsabi
Summary: Reid and Luke are happily engaged and living together, when a sudden event causes Luke to break it off with Reid. This is also my story for Natalie. I read a lot with Ethan and Faith, but not many stories have her in them. I always loved her for hugging Luke at the end of ATWT.
Warning: Angst
Rating: PG
a/n: I based the medical part on a magazine article that I read. Sadly, I also based it on a friend of mine who, while getting ready for an Aids race for charity, was a victim of a hit and run on his bike. I hope it is medically accurate, but I’m not a doctor so…Then again, if Noah can have a full head of hair and magic eye drops, I think my medical info is just as sound!
Part Two:
At the hospital, Luke and Reid found Lily a sobbing mess. Bob had just given her a shot of something to calm her, but she still blubbered all over Luke as he embraced her.
“My baby!” She cried, smearing her lipstick on Luke’s shirt. “My baby!”
“I know,” Luke hugged her.
“Why did she take out her bike? I was on my way home!”
Emma arrived and rushed over to Lily. She looked at Luke. “I can only stay a little- I am going to relieve the nanny and take care of Ethan. Keep him busy at the farm.” Emma bent down and squeezed Lily hard, “It will be alright, honey.”
Luke began to fall apart with Lily. He felt huge sobs starting inside of him. Reid took his hand and pulled him away.
“Stop this now,” he told Luke firmly. “You can’t lose it. Not like Lily.”
“But-“
“ Call Holden. Call Faith. Help with Ethan. Do what you need to do, Luke. “ He shook him. Now was not the time to coddle him, even though it pained Reid to be tough. Luke responded. He sniffled and stopped crying.
“You’re right, okay. I’m okay. I can do that.”
"You can,” Reid ran a finger down Luke’s cheek. “You can do it.”
Luke nodded bravely. They walked back to Lily.
“ Can I see her?” Luke asked. “ Where is she? Where is Natalie?”
Lily gestured wildly, “Back there,” she motioned to the ER. “I saw her already, but they asked me to step out. “
Bob hesitated. Lily had gone hysterical at the sight of Natalie. He wasn’t sure it was wise to let Luke see her either. He sighed .
“Come for just a moment, “ Bob told Luke. Then he nodded to Reid. “I think she is stable, but I need you.”
Reid nodded. Luke started to ask another question , but Reid and Bob were already going to the trauma room and Luke quickly followed.
Natalie was there. Her blond hair streaked with blood. Her eyes wide and frightened. Nurse were working furiously all around her.
Luke approached her slowly; he moved like he was walking in a fog. He was afraid of knocking into the machines and tubes all around him. He felt so clumsy suddenly. He was aware of Reid quickly putting on a white coat, barking a few orders at the staff, and turning into “Dr. Oliver” right before his eyes. He was aware of the strong odor in the room: astringent and bleach and the iron smell of blood. He was aware of the harsh bright quality of the lights. But mostly, he was aware of Natalie’s small body; her feet not even long enough to reach the edge of the exam table.
“Luke! Help me!” Natalie said, her gaze locking on her brother’s. Luke took her hand or tried to take it, but he did not want to pull at her IV drip. He tried to smile and his lips felt frozen. His sister’s face was a mass of bruises. Her left eyelid swollen shut. He touched her gently on her shoulder.
“Natalie! You scared me so much!” Luke managed to tell her. “ I’m here now. Reid too. “ Luke glanced at Reid and Bob who were studying her CT scans, “And you will be fine -“
As the words came out of Luke’s mouth, Natalie’s eyes suddenly rolled back in her head.
Her body seized. Nurses roughly pushed past Luke.
“Out, out, out,” Reid told him, shoving him away.
“What’s happening? What’s happening?” Luke shrieked at Reid.
Machines beeped. An intern flew into the room with a crash cart.
Reid turned his back to Luke and began to help Natalie. Luke felt a firm hand on his back. He tried to shake it off. He tried to get closer to Reid and Natalie.
“Let them work,” Bob told him. He grabbed at Luke again and forced him out. As he pushed
Luke through the door, Bob looked back to Reid. Their eyes met. Reid needed to stabilize Natalie and fast.
***
In the hallway, Luke wheezed in big gulps of air. He bent down a moment , feeling dizzy. Bile rose to the back of his throat and he swallowed it down. He tried to think of what Reid would want him to do. He would want him to calm down. Luke straighten up and took a few careful steps towards his family. They had not yet noticed him; they were distracted by a fight going on between Lucinda and Margo, who had both just arrived.
“What are you doing about the driver? “ Lucinda was barking at her. “Who leaves a child by the side of the road?”
Margo’s face looked pinched. She had no evidence yet, except for some tire skid-marks. She busied herself with a notepad and pen and tried to look professional.
“Well?” Lucinda demanded.
“The driver might have been drunk or stoned.”
“At this hour?”
Margo shrugged, “It’s the holiday season. Maybe the driver has a record or -“
“Find him!” Lucinda ordered. “Or will the Oakdale Police be incompetent as usual?”
“We need to focus on Natalie, mother,” Lily looked up, “and get in touch with Holden.”
Holden and Molly were visiting Abigail in Los Angeles .
“Luke, can you try him again?” Lily was asking.
Luke did not respond. He kept seeing his baby sister’s face, her voice, when she had pleaded with him to help.
“Why isn’t Holden here?” Lucinda raged. “He is still in LA? Still off with Molly, that slut?”
“Please mother.”
“You should have gotten rid of her, darling, like I told you.”
“Lucinda!” Emma scolded, “None of this is helping. Holden’s cell phone is not picking up -we will call again.”
“Let me tell you about Holden - “ Lucinda was saying.
But Luke stopped listening to them. He watched the door for signs - for Reid.
***
Inside the room, Reid had managed to stabilize her -for the moment. Sweat coated Reid’s face and dripped down his forehead. He bent over Natalie.
“Where the hell was Chris?” Reid demanded to Bob.
Chris had been on call, but had not shown up. Natalie’s care had fallen into the hands of the nurses and young interns, until Bob had arrived.
Bob flinched. “I don’t know.”
Chris had been slipping as a doctor ever since his successful heart transplant. Thanks to
Reid finding a heart, Chris had made a full recovery. But instead of being grateful, Chris had, in Reid’s opinion, acted like a spoiled brat. He had decided he needed to “live,” and had proceeded to blow off work, sneak around on Katie, and try risky sports. He had been hanging out partying with Casey and not coming to work much. He was on the verge of suspension more than once.
Poor Katie had caught him cheating on her just weeks after his recovery. She and Reid had walked in on Chris fondling Nurse Gretchen, his hand yanking up her skirt and exposing her undies that had read “Happy Monday!” on them. Reid had yelled at him and Katie had cried. A humiliated Nurse Gretchen, jerking down her panties, had fled at the sight of Reid.
Since then, Chris had been making his way through the nurses. Katie had left for an extended “vacation”, taking Jacob to visit her mother Lila. Although she had promised Reid she would return for his wedding to Luke. Reid wished he’d ripped the donor heart out of Chris Hughes and given it to a better person . The bastard had the IQ of spam and the morals of an alley cat.
Bob had put off his retirement, due to all this business with Chris. Bob almost had given Reid the Chief job, but Kim had pleaded with him to wait, to give their son a chance to change. She’d pleaded that Chris was just going through a “tough time” adjusting. Reid had told Luke he did not even want to job now; it was a bunch of BS and paperwork. Reid preferred the operating room to the board room anyhow. The only part of being Chief that he would enjoy would be firing Doogie’s ass.
“She’s stable; you did it,” Bob said now, blowing out a huge breath.
“She’s stable so far,’ Reid cautioned. “But we need her to stabilize for 24 hours before we can operate.”
Bob nodded.
Natalie was now fully hooked up to machines; her body shrunken and pale.
Reid reached out a hand and touched a strand of Natalie’s blond hair. It was soft, like Luke’s, and only a few shades lighter. Reid imagined that Luke’s hair was this exact color as a young boy. He pictured the first time that he had met Natalie and she had given him a beautiful smile. She had just gotten past the last of her baby teeth. Her smile had been wide and trusting. Reid’s hand shook as her stroked the hair. There was matted blood on it.
Reid’s fingers trembled. Badly.
Bob saw and frowned in concern. “You know- you’re too close to this. You shouldn’t be the one to -“
“I know,” Reid said.
“You do?” Bob was surprised. It wasn’t like Reid to agree so fast.
Bob studied Reid. His skin was still sweaty. Reid was holding his hands together now, trying to stop his shaking.
Bob patted Reid’s back. “I’ll call over to Bay City and get somebody.”
“No!” Reid snapped. “I’m not turning Natalie over to some neurosurgeon from nowhere-land who got his license in a cereal box. No, “Reid drew in his breath. “I know somebody in Boston. She’s good. “
“Who?”
“Dr. Alexa Jones.”
“Dr. Jones?” Bob echoed. “ I have heard of her. “But will she come tonight? She has a huge practice.”
“She’ll come for me,” Reid said with a hint of his normal arrogance. He walked over to the ER phone. “I will get her.”
He dialed the number for Boston General. They had gone through Harvard together and had once accidentally dated the same boyfriend. Reid had not known the guy was pretending to be straight and Alexa had not known he was secretly gay. They both kicked the guy to the curb and had remained friends.
***
Reid had managed to avoid telling Luke that particular story, not that Luke hadn’t tried to dig up everything he could about Reid’s past. Sometimes, Luke’s attacks for information could be downright sneaky. Once, just a few days after they’d moved in together, he’d cornered Reid after his shower, while he was shaving. Reid had been concentrating on the slightly foggy mirror, his face already full of lather.
“So,” Luke had said, slipping up behind him. “Did you miss me last night?”
“Hmm,” Reid had answered as he pursed his lips and slid the razor down his chin. Luke had been out with Casey. Watching the way the razor moved along Reid’s skin, Luke had licked his lips at Reid and smiled innocently.
“We had fun. Casey got to telling me stories of some of his ex-girlfriends.”
Reid’s eyes had met Luke’s in the mirror, dreading what was coming.
“How about you -ever think about your ex- boyfriends?”
“No,” Reid had made a face, “don’t be a moron.”
Luke had shifted around. “I just want to know more about you. I told you my entire sexual history!”
Bits of shaving cream had fallen into the sink while Reid had laughed.
“I doubt one ex-boyfriend could be defined as a sexual history, Luke.”
Reid made another clean swipe with the razor and then tapped it against the sink impatiently to wash out the foam.
“Maybe it qualifies as a small skirmish. And from what you told me about Mayer, “ Reid couldn’t help adding, “his soldier could barely stand at attention.”
“Very funny.” Luke took the razor from Reid’s hand and washed it out a little more. Then he handed it back . Reid began to shave the other side of his face.
“I could go on with the great battle of Noah,” Reid had grinned as he shaved. “Small sword, jammed gun? “
“Fine, be obnoxious,” Luke had said. Coming up behind Reid, Luke had pressed himself into Reid’s naked back. “I have ways of making you talk.”
“Why do you need to know these stories?” Reid had asked. “I love you. The end.”
Luke had shrugged. “ I know, but…”
Reid had dropped the razor and turned. He’d given him a firm kiss, getting lather on the side of Luke’s face.
At Reid’s kiss, Luke had smiled. Sliding one hand into Reid’s hair, Luke had just tilted his face close to Reid’s. Luke inhaled the scent of shaving cream and man. Reid reached out a finger and wiped the spot on Luke’s cheek. Luke had shot him his ridiculously, charming smile. He’d placed both palms against Reid’s bare chest. Keeping his eyes glued to Reid’s, Luke slowly worked his hands down to rest on the towel slung over Reid’s hips.
“Just tell me the number. “ Luke had whispered sweetly. “How many?”
Flexing his muscles, Reid had pulled away. “Well, I am a damn fine specimen.” He preened around the bathroom a bit. “But I don’t know if you can count that high, Einstein. The number is so large.”
“Shut up!”
“It’s bigger than all the grains of sand in the ocean,” Reid had said with mocking poetry, “Than all the stars in the sky.”
Luke had grabbed the can of shaving cream and blasted him with it. Foam had dripped down Reid’s face and chest.
“Hey!”
“You never learn when to stop ,” Luke had laughed. Reid wrestled the can away from him and squirted Luke back. In just moments, they had covered each other in lather.
They had not made it to the bedroom. Things had turned heavy and hot right on the bathroom rug. And Luke had dropped his interrogation - for the time being. Reid knew it had been just a reprieve.
That was the tricky part about being involved with one Luke Snyder. He appeared blithely sweet and all that on the surface, but underneath he was the most stubborn, single-minded person on the planet.
***
Reid was abruptly pulled out of the rest of the memory at the sound of the nurse connecting him through.
“Reid!” Alexa’s rich voice came over the phone, “What a long time it’s been.”
“I have a problem,’ Reid said.
“What no hello first? Am I no longer your favorite fag hag?” She laughed at her own joke.
After simultaneously dumping their shared man, Alexa and Reid had bonded over drinks in the various gay bars around Boston, earning her Reid’s nickname.
Normally, Reid would have been snarky to her and they’d have bantered back and forth. But this was not a normal time.
“I need help,” Reid said simply.”Please. “
In her office, Dr. Jones almost fell out of her chair. She knew that if those words were coming from Reid’s mouth it must be serious.
“Tell me,” she said.
***
When waiting for a loved one in a hospital, the whole world quickens to white. Time does not stretch itself out in a smooth line anymore; it shatters and falls down hard as a storm.
The family was waiting now. Emma had left to care for Ethan, but the rest of them huddled together. Luke held his mother’s hand and tried to rub at her cold fingers. Lucinda paced up and down the hallway, looking for anybody to abuse.
Suddenly, Casey and Ali showed up. They hurried over to Luke.
“How is she?” Casey embraced Luke in a bear hug.
Luke’s eyes welled up and he shook his head. “We’re waiting.”
Ali hugged him too. “I’m on my shift -sorry! I gotta go now.” She kissed him. “We would have been here sooner, but my car is in the shop.”
Casey hugged Luke once more. He smelled a little of smoke.
“Where have you been?” Luke asked Casey.
“Nowhere - just hanging,” Casey’s eyes filled with tears of his own, “I’m so sad about Natalie. “ He hugged Luke some more.
“Thanks.”
Casey nodded. “You need anything, Luke? Coffee or food?”
Luke smiled at his friend. “Just need to know how she is.”
Jack Snyder hurried up to them. “Sorry! I wanted to come with Margo. “ Jack’s eyes slid away, “But I had Carly issues.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Lily said. “Have you heard from Holden?”
“No,” Jack shook his head. “Luke, can I get you a sandwich? Lily?”
They both refused it. Everybody seemed to want to feed them now.
“Not hungry, Uncle Jack.”
Before Jack could reply, Chris Hughes came into the hallway. He went over too and patted Luke. He gave him a big smile, “Don’t worry. Really. I have heard of worse, seen worse.”
Chris’s eyes darted all around. His face had stubble, his shirt was undone. He spied Nurse Gretchen and gave her a leer. She stuck out her chest and angrily walked past him.
“She’ll be fine,” Chris said. He smiled over to Lily to comfort her now.
“Thank you.” Lily said, but she continued to cry.
Everybody jumped up then, because Reid and Bob were coming out of the ER.
Bob Hughes looked at his son. “Where have you been?”
“I- er- forgot the pager and -“ Chris stammered. He tried to give his father a hound-dog face.
“In my office! Now!” He looked at the Snyders. “Be right back.” Bob took Chris away.
Casey let out a low whistle.
“Listen,” Jack said. “Let us go and get some coffee,” he nodded to Casey. Who looked puzzled and then realized that Jack thought they should give Reid a private moment with the immediate
family.
“Right. Back soon, guy,” He tapped Luke on the shoulder.
But Luke was watching Reid.
Reid came over to the family. His family.
Lucinda grabbed Reid’s hand. “Thank God, finally a competent face! How is she?”
Reid cleared his throat. His voice was still hoarse from his cold.
“Natalie has suffered a traumatic brain injury. A brain shear has occurred, “ At their blank faces, Reid hesitated, “It’s a shifting inside of her skull. The brain is bruised and -“
“Oh God,” Lily moaned, sinking back into her chair, her knees buckling.
“But you can operate and fix it, right? “ Luke said. His hand gripped Reid’s .
“We can operate,” Reid answered, “once she is stable enough. “ He did not add that she might not become stable enough; Reid pushed that thought away. “But Natalie has suffered a complication already -a mini stroke.”
“Stroke? “ Lucinda parroted. “What? She’s a child!”
“I know. But it’s not an uncommon side effect of brain trauma. Our next CT scan will show more, but I expect there has been tissue damage .”
“How much?” Luke asked.
Reid opened his mouth to answer, but looking into Luke’s worried face, the words would not come out.
“We can’t tell until we look inside, “ Reid finally admitted.
Bob came back over. He had suspended Chris. He did not relish the idea of telling Kim, but it had to be done.
Now Bob wanted to help Reid.
“Listen,” Bob told the Snyder family what Reid could not voice. “Prepare yourselves. There could be memory loss , speech impairment, walking problems or worse.”
“Worse?” Lucinda asked.
“Cognitive damage. Mild or severe. We have no way of knowing.”
Reid felt his body shake again and inhaled sharply. “We don’t know yet. ” He tried to offer Luke a reassuring smile. “She could be lucky.”
Bob raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. It just confirmed for him that Reid was way too involved to be objective.
Luke had heard enough. He grabbed at Reid and burst into tears. Sobs wracked his body. Reid gently took Luke down the hall and into the break room.
“Just take a breath, sweetie. “ Reid murmured, he never called Luke any endearments. Today, he had called Luke both babe and sweetie. Normally, this would have thrilled Luke, but he was in a world of fear and grief.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Luke said. “I know you told me not to cry.”
Reid did not answer; he just held Luke and rocked him.
After a few moments, Luke pulled himself together. At the same moment, Bob opened the door to the break room.
“Look, I’ve talked with Lily now. We think it would be wise to have the family stay in shifts. Nothing can happen until the morning.”
“I want to stay.”
“No,” Lily said ,following Bob into the break room. “I’m taking the first shift.”
“Mom-“
“She’s my baby.” Lily went over to Luke and stroked his tear-filled face. “You both are. Please go and rest, hon. I will need you here in a few hours to relieve me. “
Lily glanced at Reid. “Will you please drive Luke home?” she asked.
Reid and Lily did not like each other much, but they both loved Luke.
Reid nodded.
Lucinda came into the room now. “I plan to hire nurses round the clock. Real ones.”
“Alison will take care of Natalie tonight,” Bob told her.
“An ex-porn star? Ex-junkie? I don’t think so!” Lucinda huffed. “Luke and I are both on the
hospital board and that is the best nurse you offer?”
“Don’t worry, grandma,” Reid said. He always called her that to tease her. Usually, Lucinda and Reid could spend hours busted each other’s balls. Lucinda, Reid often liked to tell Luke, had a rock hard pair of cohunes.
But now, he could see the fear behind Lucinda’s tough, condescending tone.
“I will drop Luke home and come right back. I’ll stay with her.”
Lucinda grabbed Reid’s face and pinched his cheeks. “Fresh.” But she was reassured.
Luke smiled at them. He liked how cute and easy Reid and Lucinda were together.
***
But in the car ride home, Luke cried again softly. He had just hung up the phone with Holden, finally reaching him in Los Angeles.
“Dad is flying in. He was hiking with Molly and Abigail and did not have reception before.”
Reid nodded. They pulled up to their house. It was a cozy, three bedroom house that suited them perfectly. Natalie and Ethan had slept over a number of times. That had been one of Luke’s reasons for wanting a house and not an apartment.
For Reid, it was his first home. Ever. He had moved a lot as a kid. And his parents had not seen the point of owning a home. Later, when his Uncle Angus had taken him in, they had lived in a cramped apartment by the park. Reid was terribly proud of his house with Luke, and that they had purchased it together.
Luke opened the door and they went in. Both men were exhausted. Luke tossed the keys on the coffee table. Normally, Reid would scold him for that and neatly hang them on their designated hook by the front door. Tonight, he barely noticed it.
Luke sat down heavily on the nearby couch and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand like a tired child.
“The only thing giving me courage in this whole nightmare, “ he told Reid, “Is that Natalie will be in your hands. “
Reid faltered and nearly tripped. He sat down next to Luke, slowly sinking his weight down into the soft leather.
“I won’t be,” he said.
Luke looked at him, ”Won’t be what?”
“Operating on Natalie,” Reid said softly. “It’s a conflict of interest.”
Luke stared at him dumbly.
Reid sucked in a ragged breath.
“I just can’t operate,” he repeated.
Luke felt like his heart was being cracked-open and a huge, cold space poured in.
Author: Marsabi
Summary: Reid and Luke are happily engaged and living together, when a sudden event causes Luke to break it off with Reid. This is also my story for Natalie. I read a lot with Ethan and Faith, but not many stories have her in them. I always loved her for hugging Luke at the end of ATWT.
Warning: Angst
Rating: PG
a/n: I based the medical part on a magazine article that I read. Sadly, I also based it on a friend of mine who, while getting ready for an Aids race for charity, was a victim of a hit and run on his bike. I hope it is medically accurate, but I’m not a doctor so…Then again, if Noah can have a full head of hair and magic eye drops, I think my medical info is just as sound!
Part Two:
At the hospital, Luke and Reid found Lily a sobbing mess. Bob had just given her a shot of something to calm her, but she still blubbered all over Luke as he embraced her.
“My baby!” She cried, smearing her lipstick on Luke’s shirt. “My baby!”
“I know,” Luke hugged her.
“Why did she take out her bike? I was on my way home!”
Emma arrived and rushed over to Lily. She looked at Luke. “I can only stay a little- I am going to relieve the nanny and take care of Ethan. Keep him busy at the farm.” Emma bent down and squeezed Lily hard, “It will be alright, honey.”
Luke began to fall apart with Lily. He felt huge sobs starting inside of him. Reid took his hand and pulled him away.
“Stop this now,” he told Luke firmly. “You can’t lose it. Not like Lily.”
“But-“
“ Call Holden. Call Faith. Help with Ethan. Do what you need to do, Luke. “ He shook him. Now was not the time to coddle him, even though it pained Reid to be tough. Luke responded. He sniffled and stopped crying.
“You’re right, okay. I’m okay. I can do that.”
"You can,” Reid ran a finger down Luke’s cheek. “You can do it.”
Luke nodded bravely. They walked back to Lily.
“ Can I see her?” Luke asked. “ Where is she? Where is Natalie?”
Lily gestured wildly, “Back there,” she motioned to the ER. “I saw her already, but they asked me to step out. “
Bob hesitated. Lily had gone hysterical at the sight of Natalie. He wasn’t sure it was wise to let Luke see her either. He sighed .
“Come for just a moment, “ Bob told Luke. Then he nodded to Reid. “I think she is stable, but I need you.”
Reid nodded. Luke started to ask another question , but Reid and Bob were already going to the trauma room and Luke quickly followed.
Natalie was there. Her blond hair streaked with blood. Her eyes wide and frightened. Nurse were working furiously all around her.
Luke approached her slowly; he moved like he was walking in a fog. He was afraid of knocking into the machines and tubes all around him. He felt so clumsy suddenly. He was aware of Reid quickly putting on a white coat, barking a few orders at the staff, and turning into “Dr. Oliver” right before his eyes. He was aware of the strong odor in the room: astringent and bleach and the iron smell of blood. He was aware of the harsh bright quality of the lights. But mostly, he was aware of Natalie’s small body; her feet not even long enough to reach the edge of the exam table.
“Luke! Help me!” Natalie said, her gaze locking on her brother’s. Luke took her hand or tried to take it, but he did not want to pull at her IV drip. He tried to smile and his lips felt frozen. His sister’s face was a mass of bruises. Her left eyelid swollen shut. He touched her gently on her shoulder.
“Natalie! You scared me so much!” Luke managed to tell her. “ I’m here now. Reid too. “ Luke glanced at Reid and Bob who were studying her CT scans, “And you will be fine -“
As the words came out of Luke’s mouth, Natalie’s eyes suddenly rolled back in her head.
Her body seized. Nurses roughly pushed past Luke.
“Out, out, out,” Reid told him, shoving him away.
“What’s happening? What’s happening?” Luke shrieked at Reid.
Machines beeped. An intern flew into the room with a crash cart.
Reid turned his back to Luke and began to help Natalie. Luke felt a firm hand on his back. He tried to shake it off. He tried to get closer to Reid and Natalie.
“Let them work,” Bob told him. He grabbed at Luke again and forced him out. As he pushed
Luke through the door, Bob looked back to Reid. Their eyes met. Reid needed to stabilize Natalie and fast.
***
In the hallway, Luke wheezed in big gulps of air. He bent down a moment , feeling dizzy. Bile rose to the back of his throat and he swallowed it down. He tried to think of what Reid would want him to do. He would want him to calm down. Luke straighten up and took a few careful steps towards his family. They had not yet noticed him; they were distracted by a fight going on between Lucinda and Margo, who had both just arrived.
“What are you doing about the driver? “ Lucinda was barking at her. “Who leaves a child by the side of the road?”
Margo’s face looked pinched. She had no evidence yet, except for some tire skid-marks. She busied herself with a notepad and pen and tried to look professional.
“Well?” Lucinda demanded.
“The driver might have been drunk or stoned.”
“At this hour?”
Margo shrugged, “It’s the holiday season. Maybe the driver has a record or -“
“Find him!” Lucinda ordered. “Or will the Oakdale Police be incompetent as usual?”
“We need to focus on Natalie, mother,” Lily looked up, “and get in touch with Holden.”
Holden and Molly were visiting Abigail in Los Angeles .
“Luke, can you try him again?” Lily was asking.
Luke did not respond. He kept seeing his baby sister’s face, her voice, when she had pleaded with him to help.
“Why isn’t Holden here?” Lucinda raged. “He is still in LA? Still off with Molly, that slut?”
“Please mother.”
“You should have gotten rid of her, darling, like I told you.”
“Lucinda!” Emma scolded, “None of this is helping. Holden’s cell phone is not picking up -we will call again.”
“Let me tell you about Holden - “ Lucinda was saying.
But Luke stopped listening to them. He watched the door for signs - for Reid.
***
Inside the room, Reid had managed to stabilize her -for the moment. Sweat coated Reid’s face and dripped down his forehead. He bent over Natalie.
“Where the hell was Chris?” Reid demanded to Bob.
Chris had been on call, but had not shown up. Natalie’s care had fallen into the hands of the nurses and young interns, until Bob had arrived.
Bob flinched. “I don’t know.”
Chris had been slipping as a doctor ever since his successful heart transplant. Thanks to
Reid finding a heart, Chris had made a full recovery. But instead of being grateful, Chris had, in Reid’s opinion, acted like a spoiled brat. He had decided he needed to “live,” and had proceeded to blow off work, sneak around on Katie, and try risky sports. He had been hanging out partying with Casey and not coming to work much. He was on the verge of suspension more than once.
Poor Katie had caught him cheating on her just weeks after his recovery. She and Reid had walked in on Chris fondling Nurse Gretchen, his hand yanking up her skirt and exposing her undies that had read “Happy Monday!” on them. Reid had yelled at him and Katie had cried. A humiliated Nurse Gretchen, jerking down her panties, had fled at the sight of Reid.
Since then, Chris had been making his way through the nurses. Katie had left for an extended “vacation”, taking Jacob to visit her mother Lila. Although she had promised Reid she would return for his wedding to Luke. Reid wished he’d ripped the donor heart out of Chris Hughes and given it to a better person . The bastard had the IQ of spam and the morals of an alley cat.
Bob had put off his retirement, due to all this business with Chris. Bob almost had given Reid the Chief job, but Kim had pleaded with him to wait, to give their son a chance to change. She’d pleaded that Chris was just going through a “tough time” adjusting. Reid had told Luke he did not even want to job now; it was a bunch of BS and paperwork. Reid preferred the operating room to the board room anyhow. The only part of being Chief that he would enjoy would be firing Doogie’s ass.
“She’s stable; you did it,” Bob said now, blowing out a huge breath.
“She’s stable so far,’ Reid cautioned. “But we need her to stabilize for 24 hours before we can operate.”
Bob nodded.
Natalie was now fully hooked up to machines; her body shrunken and pale.
Reid reached out a hand and touched a strand of Natalie’s blond hair. It was soft, like Luke’s, and only a few shades lighter. Reid imagined that Luke’s hair was this exact color as a young boy. He pictured the first time that he had met Natalie and she had given him a beautiful smile. She had just gotten past the last of her baby teeth. Her smile had been wide and trusting. Reid’s hand shook as her stroked the hair. There was matted blood on it.
Reid’s fingers trembled. Badly.
Bob saw and frowned in concern. “You know- you’re too close to this. You shouldn’t be the one to -“
“I know,” Reid said.
“You do?” Bob was surprised. It wasn’t like Reid to agree so fast.
Bob studied Reid. His skin was still sweaty. Reid was holding his hands together now, trying to stop his shaking.
Bob patted Reid’s back. “I’ll call over to Bay City and get somebody.”
“No!” Reid snapped. “I’m not turning Natalie over to some neurosurgeon from nowhere-land who got his license in a cereal box. No, “Reid drew in his breath. “I know somebody in Boston. She’s good. “
“Who?”
“Dr. Alexa Jones.”
“Dr. Jones?” Bob echoed. “ I have heard of her. “But will she come tonight? She has a huge practice.”
“She’ll come for me,” Reid said with a hint of his normal arrogance. He walked over to the ER phone. “I will get her.”
He dialed the number for Boston General. They had gone through Harvard together and had once accidentally dated the same boyfriend. Reid had not known the guy was pretending to be straight and Alexa had not known he was secretly gay. They both kicked the guy to the curb and had remained friends.
***
Reid had managed to avoid telling Luke that particular story, not that Luke hadn’t tried to dig up everything he could about Reid’s past. Sometimes, Luke’s attacks for information could be downright sneaky. Once, just a few days after they’d moved in together, he’d cornered Reid after his shower, while he was shaving. Reid had been concentrating on the slightly foggy mirror, his face already full of lather.
“So,” Luke had said, slipping up behind him. “Did you miss me last night?”
“Hmm,” Reid had answered as he pursed his lips and slid the razor down his chin. Luke had been out with Casey. Watching the way the razor moved along Reid’s skin, Luke had licked his lips at Reid and smiled innocently.
“We had fun. Casey got to telling me stories of some of his ex-girlfriends.”
Reid’s eyes had met Luke’s in the mirror, dreading what was coming.
“How about you -ever think about your ex- boyfriends?”
“No,” Reid had made a face, “don’t be a moron.”
Luke had shifted around. “I just want to know more about you. I told you my entire sexual history!”
Bits of shaving cream had fallen into the sink while Reid had laughed.
“I doubt one ex-boyfriend could be defined as a sexual history, Luke.”
Reid made another clean swipe with the razor and then tapped it against the sink impatiently to wash out the foam.
“Maybe it qualifies as a small skirmish. And from what you told me about Mayer, “ Reid couldn’t help adding, “his soldier could barely stand at attention.”
“Very funny.” Luke took the razor from Reid’s hand and washed it out a little more. Then he handed it back . Reid began to shave the other side of his face.
“I could go on with the great battle of Noah,” Reid had grinned as he shaved. “Small sword, jammed gun? “
“Fine, be obnoxious,” Luke had said. Coming up behind Reid, Luke had pressed himself into Reid’s naked back. “I have ways of making you talk.”
“Why do you need to know these stories?” Reid had asked. “I love you. The end.”
Luke had shrugged. “ I know, but…”
Reid had dropped the razor and turned. He’d given him a firm kiss, getting lather on the side of Luke’s face.
At Reid’s kiss, Luke had smiled. Sliding one hand into Reid’s hair, Luke had just tilted his face close to Reid’s. Luke inhaled the scent of shaving cream and man. Reid reached out a finger and wiped the spot on Luke’s cheek. Luke had shot him his ridiculously, charming smile. He’d placed both palms against Reid’s bare chest. Keeping his eyes glued to Reid’s, Luke slowly worked his hands down to rest on the towel slung over Reid’s hips.
“Just tell me the number. “ Luke had whispered sweetly. “How many?”
Flexing his muscles, Reid had pulled away. “Well, I am a damn fine specimen.” He preened around the bathroom a bit. “But I don’t know if you can count that high, Einstein. The number is so large.”
“Shut up!”
“It’s bigger than all the grains of sand in the ocean,” Reid had said with mocking poetry, “Than all the stars in the sky.”
Luke had grabbed the can of shaving cream and blasted him with it. Foam had dripped down Reid’s face and chest.
“Hey!”
“You never learn when to stop ,” Luke had laughed. Reid wrestled the can away from him and squirted Luke back. In just moments, they had covered each other in lather.
They had not made it to the bedroom. Things had turned heavy and hot right on the bathroom rug. And Luke had dropped his interrogation - for the time being. Reid knew it had been just a reprieve.
That was the tricky part about being involved with one Luke Snyder. He appeared blithely sweet and all that on the surface, but underneath he was the most stubborn, single-minded person on the planet.
***
Reid was abruptly pulled out of the rest of the memory at the sound of the nurse connecting him through.
“Reid!” Alexa’s rich voice came over the phone, “What a long time it’s been.”
“I have a problem,’ Reid said.
“What no hello first? Am I no longer your favorite fag hag?” She laughed at her own joke.
After simultaneously dumping their shared man, Alexa and Reid had bonded over drinks in the various gay bars around Boston, earning her Reid’s nickname.
Normally, Reid would have been snarky to her and they’d have bantered back and forth. But this was not a normal time.
“I need help,” Reid said simply.”Please. “
In her office, Dr. Jones almost fell out of her chair. She knew that if those words were coming from Reid’s mouth it must be serious.
“Tell me,” she said.
***
When waiting for a loved one in a hospital, the whole world quickens to white. Time does not stretch itself out in a smooth line anymore; it shatters and falls down hard as a storm.
The family was waiting now. Emma had left to care for Ethan, but the rest of them huddled together. Luke held his mother’s hand and tried to rub at her cold fingers. Lucinda paced up and down the hallway, looking for anybody to abuse.
Suddenly, Casey and Ali showed up. They hurried over to Luke.
“How is she?” Casey embraced Luke in a bear hug.
Luke’s eyes welled up and he shook his head. “We’re waiting.”
Ali hugged him too. “I’m on my shift -sorry! I gotta go now.” She kissed him. “We would have been here sooner, but my car is in the shop.”
Casey hugged Luke once more. He smelled a little of smoke.
“Where have you been?” Luke asked Casey.
“Nowhere - just hanging,” Casey’s eyes filled with tears of his own, “I’m so sad about Natalie. “ He hugged Luke some more.
“Thanks.”
Casey nodded. “You need anything, Luke? Coffee or food?”
Luke smiled at his friend. “Just need to know how she is.”
Jack Snyder hurried up to them. “Sorry! I wanted to come with Margo. “ Jack’s eyes slid away, “But I had Carly issues.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Lily said. “Have you heard from Holden?”
“No,” Jack shook his head. “Luke, can I get you a sandwich? Lily?”
They both refused it. Everybody seemed to want to feed them now.
“Not hungry, Uncle Jack.”
Before Jack could reply, Chris Hughes came into the hallway. He went over too and patted Luke. He gave him a big smile, “Don’t worry. Really. I have heard of worse, seen worse.”
Chris’s eyes darted all around. His face had stubble, his shirt was undone. He spied Nurse Gretchen and gave her a leer. She stuck out her chest and angrily walked past him.
“She’ll be fine,” Chris said. He smiled over to Lily to comfort her now.
“Thank you.” Lily said, but she continued to cry.
Everybody jumped up then, because Reid and Bob were coming out of the ER.
Bob Hughes looked at his son. “Where have you been?”
“I- er- forgot the pager and -“ Chris stammered. He tried to give his father a hound-dog face.
“In my office! Now!” He looked at the Snyders. “Be right back.” Bob took Chris away.
Casey let out a low whistle.
“Listen,” Jack said. “Let us go and get some coffee,” he nodded to Casey. Who looked puzzled and then realized that Jack thought they should give Reid a private moment with the immediate
family.
“Right. Back soon, guy,” He tapped Luke on the shoulder.
But Luke was watching Reid.
Reid came over to the family. His family.
Lucinda grabbed Reid’s hand. “Thank God, finally a competent face! How is she?”
Reid cleared his throat. His voice was still hoarse from his cold.
“Natalie has suffered a traumatic brain injury. A brain shear has occurred, “ At their blank faces, Reid hesitated, “It’s a shifting inside of her skull. The brain is bruised and -“
“Oh God,” Lily moaned, sinking back into her chair, her knees buckling.
“But you can operate and fix it, right? “ Luke said. His hand gripped Reid’s .
“We can operate,” Reid answered, “once she is stable enough. “ He did not add that she might not become stable enough; Reid pushed that thought away. “But Natalie has suffered a complication already -a mini stroke.”
“Stroke? “ Lucinda parroted. “What? She’s a child!”
“I know. But it’s not an uncommon side effect of brain trauma. Our next CT scan will show more, but I expect there has been tissue damage .”
“How much?” Luke asked.
Reid opened his mouth to answer, but looking into Luke’s worried face, the words would not come out.
“We can’t tell until we look inside, “ Reid finally admitted.
Bob came back over. He had suspended Chris. He did not relish the idea of telling Kim, but it had to be done.
Now Bob wanted to help Reid.
“Listen,” Bob told the Snyder family what Reid could not voice. “Prepare yourselves. There could be memory loss , speech impairment, walking problems or worse.”
“Worse?” Lucinda asked.
“Cognitive damage. Mild or severe. We have no way of knowing.”
Reid felt his body shake again and inhaled sharply. “We don’t know yet. ” He tried to offer Luke a reassuring smile. “She could be lucky.”
Bob raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. It just confirmed for him that Reid was way too involved to be objective.
Luke had heard enough. He grabbed at Reid and burst into tears. Sobs wracked his body. Reid gently took Luke down the hall and into the break room.
“Just take a breath, sweetie. “ Reid murmured, he never called Luke any endearments. Today, he had called Luke both babe and sweetie. Normally, this would have thrilled Luke, but he was in a world of fear and grief.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Luke said. “I know you told me not to cry.”
Reid did not answer; he just held Luke and rocked him.
After a few moments, Luke pulled himself together. At the same moment, Bob opened the door to the break room.
“Look, I’ve talked with Lily now. We think it would be wise to have the family stay in shifts. Nothing can happen until the morning.”
“I want to stay.”
“No,” Lily said ,following Bob into the break room. “I’m taking the first shift.”
“Mom-“
“She’s my baby.” Lily went over to Luke and stroked his tear-filled face. “You both are. Please go and rest, hon. I will need you here in a few hours to relieve me. “
Lily glanced at Reid. “Will you please drive Luke home?” she asked.
Reid and Lily did not like each other much, but they both loved Luke.
Reid nodded.
Lucinda came into the room now. “I plan to hire nurses round the clock. Real ones.”
“Alison will take care of Natalie tonight,” Bob told her.
“An ex-porn star? Ex-junkie? I don’t think so!” Lucinda huffed. “Luke and I are both on the
hospital board and that is the best nurse you offer?”
“Don’t worry, grandma,” Reid said. He always called her that to tease her. Usually, Lucinda and Reid could spend hours busted each other’s balls. Lucinda, Reid often liked to tell Luke, had a rock hard pair of cohunes.
But now, he could see the fear behind Lucinda’s tough, condescending tone.
“I will drop Luke home and come right back. I’ll stay with her.”
Lucinda grabbed Reid’s face and pinched his cheeks. “Fresh.” But she was reassured.
Luke smiled at them. He liked how cute and easy Reid and Lucinda were together.
***
But in the car ride home, Luke cried again softly. He had just hung up the phone with Holden, finally reaching him in Los Angeles.
“Dad is flying in. He was hiking with Molly and Abigail and did not have reception before.”
Reid nodded. They pulled up to their house. It was a cozy, three bedroom house that suited them perfectly. Natalie and Ethan had slept over a number of times. That had been one of Luke’s reasons for wanting a house and not an apartment.
For Reid, it was his first home. Ever. He had moved a lot as a kid. And his parents had not seen the point of owning a home. Later, when his Uncle Angus had taken him in, they had lived in a cramped apartment by the park. Reid was terribly proud of his house with Luke, and that they had purchased it together.
Luke opened the door and they went in. Both men were exhausted. Luke tossed the keys on the coffee table. Normally, Reid would scold him for that and neatly hang them on their designated hook by the front door. Tonight, he barely noticed it.
Luke sat down heavily on the nearby couch and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand like a tired child.
“The only thing giving me courage in this whole nightmare, “ he told Reid, “Is that Natalie will be in your hands. “
Reid faltered and nearly tripped. He sat down next to Luke, slowly sinking his weight down into the soft leather.
“I won’t be,” he said.
Luke looked at him, ”Won’t be what?”
“Operating on Natalie,” Reid said softly. “It’s a conflict of interest.”
Luke stared at him dumbly.
Reid sucked in a ragged breath.
“I just can’t operate,” he repeated.
Luke felt like his heart was being cracked-open and a huge, cold space poured in.