Chapter 2
Title: Adjournment
Author: SarahSezLove
Rating: none at the moment
Word Count: 2628
Summary: The name of Noah’s new doctor evokes memories he thought he’d forgotten.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these people yada yada yada.
Artist: Nathan
Link to Chapter 1: http://sarahsezlove.livejournal.com/2207.html
Chapter 2
Dr Reid Oliver walked with the air of a man who had places to go and people to see. He didn’t speak as he passed colleagues in the corridors, although he nodded almost imperceptibly to one or two who merited some small regard. None took offence at what would most definitely be construed as bad manners in others. No, it hadn’t taken long for the entire workforce of Oakdale Memorial Hospital to realise their newest neurosurgical star didn’t do the social niceties. It wasn’t personal - he didn’t only single out the janitors, the gift-shop workers or the candy-stripers for his contempt - he treated everyone with the same level of disregard. This was who he was; he made no excuses; gave no explanations; offered no apologies. Dr Reid Oliver was an island and, ’though he knew the betting pool on who would be the first to break through his cold exterior was probably up to several hundred dollars by now - there was always a pool - he didn’t care. His patients were the only thing that mattered to him.
Today had started off much like any other; a 5 a.m. wake-up call, a lukewarm shower to blast the cobwebs away, two cups of double strength arabica coffee - fairtrade, naturally - and three slices of whole-wheat toast lathered in unsalted butter and seedless strawberry jam. The short drive to the hospital got him into his office by 6.15 a.m., where he caught up on paperwork and made sure he was prepped for the busy day ahead. No matter what was in his diary, at 8 a.m. every morning, Dr Reid Oliver could be found reacquainting himself with his in-house patients before being ready for his first appointment. Today had been no different - until 6.47 a.m., when he’d opened the file of one Noah Mayer.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Noah Mayer
The name literally jumped from the page and burned itself into Reid’s retinas. He closed his eyes, taking a steadying breath as he felt his heartbeat stutter, then speed up. Surely the world was full of Noah Mayers? It couldn’t possibly be the one he knew; what were the odds, for God’s sake? A hot flush fired through his body as that name - one he’d thought never to hear again - sparked the memories of a Noah Mayer he’d thought long buried…………
The first time Reid spotted the long-limbed teenager loping round the park, his easy stride eating up the distance, his eyes had lingered, impressed by the natural grace and agility on show. As always, he’d been sat at the games’ tables, his wits pitted against some random stranger under the watchful eye of his uncle. For a moment, he’d wished with all his might to be out there, running free, the wind in his hair. Of course, this was a joke. Anyone less athletic, Reid had yet to meet. Plus, his uncle would never let him take up anything that took him away from his main source of income; Reid’s phenomenal talent as a chess player. He had no idea how much money had been bet on him over the past few years, but he imagined it more than paid for the latest model car his uncle drove.
Over several weeks, Reid spotted the dark-haired boy most days. He’d begun to look forward to it, although he’d been careful not to pay too much attention. His uncle tended to move them on to different playing venues if he thought anyone was paying too much attention to his nephew - or to the money changing hands. Reid didn’t want him to decide they needed to be moved for different reasons entirely.
The day the boy noticed Reid back was one forever burned into his memory. As focused as he was on the game - his pride wouldn’t let him do anything else - Reid had felt the heaviness of the boy’s gaze on him. He’d been determined to ignore it, to continue the status quo. God knows what might happen if he finally got the chance to put a reality to his fantasy. And, yeah - fantasy was exactly what it was, late at night when the lights were out and he lay alone in his bed. Although Reid had no experience - where the fuck was he supposed to find the time and energy to get some, he wondered - it didn’t stop him from thinking about those long limbs wrapped round him; that dark head laying against his pale skin.
But he’d finally looked. And looked. It was like…he couldn’t describe it, even now. There was an instant…connection. That’s the only word that came anywhere close to explaining the feeling running through him. Even across the distance - the voices of spectators impinging on his subconscious, his uncle’s ever-present shadow looming over him - he’d felt an almost physical sensation; a pull towards those eyes that held him captive. More than anything, there’d been a feeling of recognition. This boy was as trapped as he was.
The first time the boy spoke to him, Reid was at the park alone - something that didn’t happen very often. It was early morning - a summer Sunday - and he sat as far away from the chess tables as it was possible to get, yet still actually be in the small park. He was watching the newly-hatched ducklings follow their mother as she swam in a pattern he had yet to decipher, his knees tucked under his chin and his arms wrapped tightly around his shins. His shoes and socks lay scattered to one side and his toes flexed in the cool, dew-soaked grass. He didn’t care his feet were cold and wet. The moments he had to himself were precious and he wanted to experience as much external stimuli as possible. So much of his life took place inside his head.
These alone times were the times Reid allowed himself to dream; to believe he could have a life away from an uncle who saw him as a meal ticket and who just wouldn’t let go. If he hadn’t sneaked out before the sun had barely risen, he’d be looking forward to a day filled with chess, chess and more chess. The game that once brought him joy - the thrill of a challenge, the connection to his parents - was now the chain that bound him to a life he hated. When his parents died - hit by a drunk driver at an empty intersection - chess had been his lifeline; the one thing that allowed him to get through the dark and lonely days. He’d clung to the…order of it, allowing it to ground him in a world that had suddenly become an alien place. In many ways, he’d never been given the chance to move on from that young boy, as his barely-there uncle became his sole caregiver and educator. It hadn’t taken long for the man to realise what a prodigy his nephew was - and how he could be exploited - and five years later, things were no different.
Lost in his reverie, Reid hadn’t noticed sneaker-clad feet come to a stop next to where he sat. It was the soft “Hey,” interrupting his thoughts that made him look up, squinting into the early morning sun.
“D’you mind if I join you?” Reid had shaken his head, struck temporarily dumb at seeing the boy who’d invaded his dreams over the past few weeks. He looked back at the pond, trying to compose himself, wanting not to make a complete idiot of himself. He actually couldn’t remember the last time he’d spoken to anyone around his own age.
“Sure,” Reid replied, striving for casual, yet convinced the hitch in his voice screamed out his nervousness. He let the dark-haired boy lower himself to the ground, purposely maintaining attention on the still-circling ducks, his nerves taut as he waited for him to say something…anything. He hoped to God this boy was a natural talker, because he had absolutely no idea how to even start a conversation, let alone continue one.
Moments hung suspended between them. An almost physical sensation of being watched prickled against Reid’s skin and he was compelled to turn to meet that gaze. Anything he might have said never stood a chance as he fell into the warmest blue eyes he’d ever seen. He was lost.
He was found.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For Reid, that summer passed in a blur of Noah. They met as often as they could, which wasn’t as often as either of them would have liked. The park became their haven as they both sought to escape the reality of their everyday lives. Ironically - and this was something which hadn’t really occurred to Reid until much later - they didn’t talk about what was going on at home in any detail. He just had the sense that Noah’s home life sucked as much as his did; that Noah’s dad was hard to please and expected his son to be something he wasn’t. Reid was pretty sure he didn’t give much away about his own life, either. None of that seemed important, however, as he revelled in having someone to share a part of himself with that he’d never had before. He’d rediscovered his fire for chess, seeing it through Noah’s eyes as he taught him to play; he ran with Noah - slowly, admittedly - loping round the park, Noah usually jogging backwards so he could look at Reid while he talked to him.
They talked about everything; they talked about nothing. To Reid, the silences were as important as the words. For the first time in so long, he didn’t have to censor himself; didn’t have to think before he spoke; didn’t have to explain himself if he didn’t want to. And he’d thought it was the same for Noah. They’d seemed so in-tune, even though the almost two-year difference in their ages had worried him to start with. However, he didn’t think Noah had ever been a child in the full sense of the word, and neither had he.
What had begun so quietly on a warm, summer Sunday ended on a rainy, autumnal Saturday. Reid hadn’t cared about the weather. Now school was back in session, he saw Noah less than he’d done previously, so he wasn’t willing to give up any chance for them to get together. He’d sat waiting on the bench under their favourite tree, his head tipped back as the rain fell gently on his upturned face. He loved the rain.
Noah had arrived, out of breath as always, dumping his bag under the bench and throwing a long leg over so he was straddling the damp wood and facing Reid. Before Reid even had a chance to say anything, Noah was reaching out, his hand brushing through his wet hair, a leaf falling to the ground, unnoticed. Without thought, reacting instinctively to the bolt of feeling that zinged through him, Reid trapped that hand in his own before it could be pulled away. He held Noah’s gaze, sure there could be no feeling better than that hand in his. He was immediately wrong. With no thought - on either of their parts, it seemed - they were leaning into each other, caught and held in the gravity of their feelings.
Lips touched - barely brushing - pulling back slightly - moving in to touch again, longer this time - eyes closing - breath sighing. As first kisses go, it was as close to perfect as Reid could ever have wished for. Sitting there, cocooned under the branches of their tree, the sound of the rain drowning out the rest of the world, they’d spent an hour talking… laughing …touching …kissing … only parting when they both realised they’d be missed, a final kiss before they’d stepped out into the rain proper and gone their separate ways.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If Reid had known he’d never see Noah again…well, he didn’t really know what he’d have done differently. The following days and weeks were still a little hazy, if he were honest. He’d gone over and over that last hour, moment-by-moment and touch-by-touch, looking for any clue that Noah wasn’t happy or had felt forced into something he wasn’t ready for. At the time, however, the pain had been almost unbearable; the sense of betrayal a physical thing that threatened to drag him under. What the hell had he done wrong? How could Noah disappear like this; hurt him like this? Of course, the hurt had eventually turned to a burning anger that he sometimes felt had never really left him.
The only positive thing to come out of the whole mess was that he finally stood up to his uncle. In fact, he’d gone further than that, packing his belongings and presenting himself at the local police station. A statement detailing his uncle’s dubious earnings and proof of his tax evasion had resulted in Reid being taken immediately into foster care. Whilst that might have been a totally negative experience for anyone else, his anger and determination to succeed was what had brought him to the man he was today - one of the most respected and sought-after neurosurgeons in the country. And if his private life was non-existent? Well, he was nothing if not a fast learner
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
At 9.38 a.m., Dr Reid Oliver could not put off his only consultation of the morning any longer. The call to A&E had been a godsend, providing a legitimate excuse to stay away from his office, but now he was making his way there, actually hoping someone would stop him on the way. How was that for irony? As he marched through the hospital corridors, however, every step brought him closer to the possibility that his Noah Mayer was going to be waiting for him. He couldn’t decide how he felt about that, to be honest. Part of him - and he’d swear it was miniscule, if asked - was petrified, concerned about how he’d handle it. The larger part, however, was wondering if this was exactly what he needed to finally put this to rest; to finally feel like he could get on with his life. Reid was self-aware enough to know Noah’s betrayal had had a lasting effect, colouring every relationship he’d ever had - not that there’d been many. Maybe it was about time he put it behind him and moved on.
As he walked, Reid mentally reviewed Noah Mayer’s case file. There were several anomalies he wasn’t comfortable with and he needed to speak to his nursing assistant before the consultation. For some reason, the early medical records, which he assumed detailed the cause of blindness, were missing. The only allusion to it he could find was mention of a ‘domestic incident’, but there was no timescale. Although early x-rays and test results were present, Reid always preferred to work with a full history, often finding the key to the future treatment and cure hidden away in the past.
Still mulling over the possible reasons for the missing information - and desperately trying not to think about what he’d say if his patient turned out to be his Noah Mayer - Reid stepped into the elevator that would take him to his office. He stood, eyes closed, mentally shoring his defences in preparation for what was about to come. The ding of the arrival bell and soft swish of the opening doors were his cue and he stepped out into the short corridor that led to his office, his face a mask of professionalism. His gaze sought out the only person to sit in his small waiting area. Without realising it, he must have made a sound, as the dark-haired man’s head came up and he turned his unseeing eyes towards Reid.
Still warm, blue eyes.
Oh, fuck!
Author: SarahSezLove
Rating: none at the moment
Word Count: 2628
Summary: The name of Noah’s new doctor evokes memories he thought he’d forgotten.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these people yada yada yada.
Artist: Nathan
Link to Chapter 1: http://sarahsezlove.livejournal.com/2207.html
Chapter 2
Dr Reid Oliver walked with the air of a man who had places to go and people to see. He didn’t speak as he passed colleagues in the corridors, although he nodded almost imperceptibly to one or two who merited some small regard. None took offence at what would most definitely be construed as bad manners in others. No, it hadn’t taken long for the entire workforce of Oakdale Memorial Hospital to realise their newest neurosurgical star didn’t do the social niceties. It wasn’t personal - he didn’t only single out the janitors, the gift-shop workers or the candy-stripers for his contempt - he treated everyone with the same level of disregard. This was who he was; he made no excuses; gave no explanations; offered no apologies. Dr Reid Oliver was an island and, ’though he knew the betting pool on who would be the first to break through his cold exterior was probably up to several hundred dollars by now - there was always a pool - he didn’t care. His patients were the only thing that mattered to him.
Today had started off much like any other; a 5 a.m. wake-up call, a lukewarm shower to blast the cobwebs away, two cups of double strength arabica coffee - fairtrade, naturally - and three slices of whole-wheat toast lathered in unsalted butter and seedless strawberry jam. The short drive to the hospital got him into his office by 6.15 a.m., where he caught up on paperwork and made sure he was prepped for the busy day ahead. No matter what was in his diary, at 8 a.m. every morning, Dr Reid Oliver could be found reacquainting himself with his in-house patients before being ready for his first appointment. Today had been no different - until 6.47 a.m., when he’d opened the file of one Noah Mayer.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Noah Mayer
The name literally jumped from the page and burned itself into Reid’s retinas. He closed his eyes, taking a steadying breath as he felt his heartbeat stutter, then speed up. Surely the world was full of Noah Mayers? It couldn’t possibly be the one he knew; what were the odds, for God’s sake? A hot flush fired through his body as that name - one he’d thought never to hear again - sparked the memories of a Noah Mayer he’d thought long buried…………
The first time Reid spotted the long-limbed teenager loping round the park, his easy stride eating up the distance, his eyes had lingered, impressed by the natural grace and agility on show. As always, he’d been sat at the games’ tables, his wits pitted against some random stranger under the watchful eye of his uncle. For a moment, he’d wished with all his might to be out there, running free, the wind in his hair. Of course, this was a joke. Anyone less athletic, Reid had yet to meet. Plus, his uncle would never let him take up anything that took him away from his main source of income; Reid’s phenomenal talent as a chess player. He had no idea how much money had been bet on him over the past few years, but he imagined it more than paid for the latest model car his uncle drove.
Over several weeks, Reid spotted the dark-haired boy most days. He’d begun to look forward to it, although he’d been careful not to pay too much attention. His uncle tended to move them on to different playing venues if he thought anyone was paying too much attention to his nephew - or to the money changing hands. Reid didn’t want him to decide they needed to be moved for different reasons entirely.
The day the boy noticed Reid back was one forever burned into his memory. As focused as he was on the game - his pride wouldn’t let him do anything else - Reid had felt the heaviness of the boy’s gaze on him. He’d been determined to ignore it, to continue the status quo. God knows what might happen if he finally got the chance to put a reality to his fantasy. And, yeah - fantasy was exactly what it was, late at night when the lights were out and he lay alone in his bed. Although Reid had no experience - where the fuck was he supposed to find the time and energy to get some, he wondered - it didn’t stop him from thinking about those long limbs wrapped round him; that dark head laying against his pale skin.
But he’d finally looked. And looked. It was like…he couldn’t describe it, even now. There was an instant…connection. That’s the only word that came anywhere close to explaining the feeling running through him. Even across the distance - the voices of spectators impinging on his subconscious, his uncle’s ever-present shadow looming over him - he’d felt an almost physical sensation; a pull towards those eyes that held him captive. More than anything, there’d been a feeling of recognition. This boy was as trapped as he was.
The first time the boy spoke to him, Reid was at the park alone - something that didn’t happen very often. It was early morning - a summer Sunday - and he sat as far away from the chess tables as it was possible to get, yet still actually be in the small park. He was watching the newly-hatched ducklings follow their mother as she swam in a pattern he had yet to decipher, his knees tucked under his chin and his arms wrapped tightly around his shins. His shoes and socks lay scattered to one side and his toes flexed in the cool, dew-soaked grass. He didn’t care his feet were cold and wet. The moments he had to himself were precious and he wanted to experience as much external stimuli as possible. So much of his life took place inside his head.
These alone times were the times Reid allowed himself to dream; to believe he could have a life away from an uncle who saw him as a meal ticket and who just wouldn’t let go. If he hadn’t sneaked out before the sun had barely risen, he’d be looking forward to a day filled with chess, chess and more chess. The game that once brought him joy - the thrill of a challenge, the connection to his parents - was now the chain that bound him to a life he hated. When his parents died - hit by a drunk driver at an empty intersection - chess had been his lifeline; the one thing that allowed him to get through the dark and lonely days. He’d clung to the…order of it, allowing it to ground him in a world that had suddenly become an alien place. In many ways, he’d never been given the chance to move on from that young boy, as his barely-there uncle became his sole caregiver and educator. It hadn’t taken long for the man to realise what a prodigy his nephew was - and how he could be exploited - and five years later, things were no different.
Lost in his reverie, Reid hadn’t noticed sneaker-clad feet come to a stop next to where he sat. It was the soft “Hey,” interrupting his thoughts that made him look up, squinting into the early morning sun.
“D’you mind if I join you?” Reid had shaken his head, struck temporarily dumb at seeing the boy who’d invaded his dreams over the past few weeks. He looked back at the pond, trying to compose himself, wanting not to make a complete idiot of himself. He actually couldn’t remember the last time he’d spoken to anyone around his own age.
“Sure,” Reid replied, striving for casual, yet convinced the hitch in his voice screamed out his nervousness. He let the dark-haired boy lower himself to the ground, purposely maintaining attention on the still-circling ducks, his nerves taut as he waited for him to say something…anything. He hoped to God this boy was a natural talker, because he had absolutely no idea how to even start a conversation, let alone continue one.
Moments hung suspended between them. An almost physical sensation of being watched prickled against Reid’s skin and he was compelled to turn to meet that gaze. Anything he might have said never stood a chance as he fell into the warmest blue eyes he’d ever seen. He was lost.
He was found.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For Reid, that summer passed in a blur of Noah. They met as often as they could, which wasn’t as often as either of them would have liked. The park became their haven as they both sought to escape the reality of their everyday lives. Ironically - and this was something which hadn’t really occurred to Reid until much later - they didn’t talk about what was going on at home in any detail. He just had the sense that Noah’s home life sucked as much as his did; that Noah’s dad was hard to please and expected his son to be something he wasn’t. Reid was pretty sure he didn’t give much away about his own life, either. None of that seemed important, however, as he revelled in having someone to share a part of himself with that he’d never had before. He’d rediscovered his fire for chess, seeing it through Noah’s eyes as he taught him to play; he ran with Noah - slowly, admittedly - loping round the park, Noah usually jogging backwards so he could look at Reid while he talked to him.
They talked about everything; they talked about nothing. To Reid, the silences were as important as the words. For the first time in so long, he didn’t have to censor himself; didn’t have to think before he spoke; didn’t have to explain himself if he didn’t want to. And he’d thought it was the same for Noah. They’d seemed so in-tune, even though the almost two-year difference in their ages had worried him to start with. However, he didn’t think Noah had ever been a child in the full sense of the word, and neither had he.
What had begun so quietly on a warm, summer Sunday ended on a rainy, autumnal Saturday. Reid hadn’t cared about the weather. Now school was back in session, he saw Noah less than he’d done previously, so he wasn’t willing to give up any chance for them to get together. He’d sat waiting on the bench under their favourite tree, his head tipped back as the rain fell gently on his upturned face. He loved the rain.
Noah had arrived, out of breath as always, dumping his bag under the bench and throwing a long leg over so he was straddling the damp wood and facing Reid. Before Reid even had a chance to say anything, Noah was reaching out, his hand brushing through his wet hair, a leaf falling to the ground, unnoticed. Without thought, reacting instinctively to the bolt of feeling that zinged through him, Reid trapped that hand in his own before it could be pulled away. He held Noah’s gaze, sure there could be no feeling better than that hand in his. He was immediately wrong. With no thought - on either of their parts, it seemed - they were leaning into each other, caught and held in the gravity of their feelings.
Lips touched - barely brushing - pulling back slightly - moving in to touch again, longer this time - eyes closing - breath sighing. As first kisses go, it was as close to perfect as Reid could ever have wished for. Sitting there, cocooned under the branches of their tree, the sound of the rain drowning out the rest of the world, they’d spent an hour talking… laughing …touching …kissing … only parting when they both realised they’d be missed, a final kiss before they’d stepped out into the rain proper and gone their separate ways.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If Reid had known he’d never see Noah again…well, he didn’t really know what he’d have done differently. The following days and weeks were still a little hazy, if he were honest. He’d gone over and over that last hour, moment-by-moment and touch-by-touch, looking for any clue that Noah wasn’t happy or had felt forced into something he wasn’t ready for. At the time, however, the pain had been almost unbearable; the sense of betrayal a physical thing that threatened to drag him under. What the hell had he done wrong? How could Noah disappear like this; hurt him like this? Of course, the hurt had eventually turned to a burning anger that he sometimes felt had never really left him.
The only positive thing to come out of the whole mess was that he finally stood up to his uncle. In fact, he’d gone further than that, packing his belongings and presenting himself at the local police station. A statement detailing his uncle’s dubious earnings and proof of his tax evasion had resulted in Reid being taken immediately into foster care. Whilst that might have been a totally negative experience for anyone else, his anger and determination to succeed was what had brought him to the man he was today - one of the most respected and sought-after neurosurgeons in the country. And if his private life was non-existent? Well, he was nothing if not a fast learner
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
At 9.38 a.m., Dr Reid Oliver could not put off his only consultation of the morning any longer. The call to A&E had been a godsend, providing a legitimate excuse to stay away from his office, but now he was making his way there, actually hoping someone would stop him on the way. How was that for irony? As he marched through the hospital corridors, however, every step brought him closer to the possibility that his Noah Mayer was going to be waiting for him. He couldn’t decide how he felt about that, to be honest. Part of him - and he’d swear it was miniscule, if asked - was petrified, concerned about how he’d handle it. The larger part, however, was wondering if this was exactly what he needed to finally put this to rest; to finally feel like he could get on with his life. Reid was self-aware enough to know Noah’s betrayal had had a lasting effect, colouring every relationship he’d ever had - not that there’d been many. Maybe it was about time he put it behind him and moved on.
As he walked, Reid mentally reviewed Noah Mayer’s case file. There were several anomalies he wasn’t comfortable with and he needed to speak to his nursing assistant before the consultation. For some reason, the early medical records, which he assumed detailed the cause of blindness, were missing. The only allusion to it he could find was mention of a ‘domestic incident’, but there was no timescale. Although early x-rays and test results were present, Reid always preferred to work with a full history, often finding the key to the future treatment and cure hidden away in the past.
Still mulling over the possible reasons for the missing information - and desperately trying not to think about what he’d say if his patient turned out to be his Noah Mayer - Reid stepped into the elevator that would take him to his office. He stood, eyes closed, mentally shoring his defences in preparation for what was about to come. The ding of the arrival bell and soft swish of the opening doors were his cue and he stepped out into the short corridor that led to his office, his face a mask of professionalism. His gaze sought out the only person to sit in his small waiting area. Without realising it, he must have made a sound, as the dark-haired man’s head came up and he turned his unseeing eyes towards Reid.
Still warm, blue eyes.
Oh, fuck!