Just Sandwiches
Story Summary: Story picks up 17 months after The Final 3 Scenes leaves off.
Chapter Summary: What will happen now that Casey knows about them?
Chapter 3
DECEMBER 2012
‘Maybe an embolism, or an aneurism’ he thought ‘any kind of major brain emergency right about now would do’ Reid repeated over and over in his head. If he heard jingle bells played one more time while trudging through the Galleria Mall he was going to end someone. It didn’t really matter who the receptor of said wrath would be, but he knew with absolute certainty it would happen. He still could not figure out how his mental faculties had escaped him long enough to let Luke talk him into spending his hard earned Saturday off fighting through crowds looking for that perfect Christmas gift. He knew there was no such thing after all. He knew more likely what happened was said perfect gift would be returned by whatever poor sap ended up with whatever it was they never wanted in the first place. Looking around he just shook his head. Don’t these people realize there is a blizzard outside he marveled to himself. Well actually about an inch of snow had fallen, but who was counting. It was more than enough that he reasoned they should all be at home, cuddled up with a good book or a hot guy. Crap he thought, mentally shaking himself, now I want to have sex with Luke in the damn mall. Where is the closest clothing store? Maybe we can find a dressing room…. Luke meanwhile was just happily wandering along, smile plastered to his face, completely oblivious to the inner dialogue playing out in Reid’s head, window shopping even though he could not have possibly carried anything else if his life depended on it.
“Hey Snyder” Luke turned around and looked at Reid. “You do realize that everything you buy for Ethan, Natalie and Faith will just end up being stuffed under our bed just like last year right? We are running out of room under there.”
Luke sighed “yeah, I know, but I just can’t help myself.” He looked at Reid with his soft brown puppy dog eyes “I can’t bring myself not to.”
Reid reached out, running his hand up Luke’s arm and pulled him in close “I have an idea of what we might do with them if you think you might be open to it.”
A slow easy smile spread across Luke’s face “what did you have in mind?”
“Let’s take everything you bought today, and everything else you have gotten for them over that last 2 years and give them away to toys for tots. That way, you get to have the joy I know you can’t resist from the buying part and some kid somewhere will get the joy for the actual playing part.”
Luke contemplated the idea for a minute, his head trying to reason with his heart. The realization setting in that he had gotten so lucky to find a guy that just….got him… and understood that the Holiday’s would always be tough on him no matter what. And that made everything so much easier “You know what Reid that is a great idea. See this is why you are the brain surgeon.” Luke’s left hand came up and gave him a light tap on his cheek. “Sooooo smart” Luke gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Ok, I think I’m done. We just have one more stop to make.”
____
Luke was still shaking his head when they climbed back in the car. “I cannot believe you went off on that poor girl like that.”
Reid put the key in the ignition of their Ford Escape Hybrid and turned it to start. “What?” Reid said pleading his innocence. “It wasn’t my fault. She was doing it wrong and besides, that damn jingle bells started and I just could not contain myself any longer.”
Ignoring the jingle bells crack Luke countered “You went behind the counter like a crazy man. I thought she was going to call mall security.”
“Ah, but she didn’t now did she? I simply showed her the correct procedure and let her go back to doing the half-assed job she had started.
“Reid” Luke let out in a frustrated huff “I’m sure she has cleaned plenty of rings before today. She was doing fine.”
Reid turned to look at Luke’s face, that beautiful face. He reached down cradling Luke’s left hand in his rubbing his thumb slowly over the platinum band that glistened on Luke’s ring finger. “As you are well aware, I have done many and I do mean many important things in my life, I am after all a lifesaver… literally.”
Luke rolled his eyes and tilted his head to the side “your point, oh brilliant doctor?”
“The most important thing I have done or will ever do in this lifetime is to put this ring on your finger” he replied, tapping it slightly. “I don’t want some part-time Christmas help wanna be punk rocker high school kid doing anything to ruin it.”
That effectively took all the wind out of Luke’s sails, which the more cynical part of his brain knew was precisely the reason Reid had said what he did, but he played along anyway “I love you. You’re an ass, like a lot of the time, but I love you.
Reid smiled, nodded and turned back to the front “good, now let’s get home before we are snowed into this damn place.”
----
Reid parked the car in the garage. Getting out he opened the back to start grabbing all the packages Luke had accumulated. “I’ve got these, you go grab the mail.” It took him two trips to get everything inside. He didn’t know how Luke had managed to carry all of it around with him when they were in the damn mall. Letting the remaining bags drop in the entry he looked around for where Luke had gone. “Hey, should we just leave these here or do you want them under the bed with the rest of it for now? Hey where’d you go? Snyder?” Still not getting an answer he walked into the living room where Luke was standing like he was in his own little universe, an eight inch by eight inch box wrapped with in a brown paper bag in his hand. “What’s that?” Still no response came from Luke. He just turned the box over, examining it from all angles. Reid leaned over a bit to get into Luke’s line of sight “hey, what ya got there? “
Startled, Luke noticed Reid suddenly standing next to him. Reid used his fingers to pull Luke’s chin upward still waiting for some sort of verbal acknowledgement. “Oh, sorry… I’m not sure what it is actually. It doesn’t have any return address.”
Reid took it from Luke and examined it himself. There wasn’t anything that could make it identifiable. The outside, simply written in block lettering with a black marker said:
Snyder Shakhy
845 Delaware St
Lawrence, KS 66045
Reid handed the box back to Luke “well, it’s addressed to you, open it up and let’s find out.”
Luke sat down on the couch putting the box on their coffee table. He slowly pulled the tape off of each side of the brown paper bag revealing an equally non-descript box inside. He let out a long breath, not realizing it until just then that he had been holding it in. When he opened the box it revealed a DVD and a white piece of paper folded up. He handed the plain disk over to Reid and picked up the paper unfolding it. He read out loud
Dear Snyder Shakhy (cool name by the way dude….. what the heck does it mean anyway?)
Please play the DVD. Glad you are ok… and happy….
Wanted you to know I love you man… well you know…. not like that…
Case
Reid put the DVD in the player and they sat together, legs touching in silence as he hit play.
“Good afternoon and welcome back to the show this is Katie Hughes. It’s not often I get out into the field to cover special events anymore but this is one that I couldn’t pass up. Last night I attended a Gala held by Oakdale’s own Lucinda Walsh and Worldwide Incorporated in conjunction with The Child Neurology Society based out of St. Paul Minnesota. The event was in honor of the pledged funds provided by both groups needed to make a very happy holiday possible for a couple of kids in need, Zachary Malone from Duluth Minnesota and Samantha Carter from Indianapolis Indiana. Both of their families were told by their insurance companies the procedures they need would not be covered. Now, thanks to the generosity of these two organizations both families have been told that a Santa of a different type would be taking care of it. “
The screen cut to a shot of Lucinda. “Well, what can I say except that I loved my grandson, he loved Dr. Reid Oliver and Dr. Oliver loved to heal people. I think that says it all.”
Luke grabbed Reid’s arm speaking for the first time “play that part again… play it again.” Hearing Lucinda’s words a second time Luke couldn’t help but tear up. ‘Softie’ Reid thought trying very hard not to be moved by what he was seeing in front of him…. It made his heart so full to see Katie though, not that he would ever admit it.
The report continued with Katie “The Snyder-Oliver Pavilion has gained national recognition for attracting many of the top neurosurgeons from around the county in each specialty to perform procedures at the state of the art facility. The wing having taken on cases few other hospitals have deemed worthwhile. Chief of staff at Memorial Dr. Christopher Hughes remains humble. “We here at Memorial are just continuing the legacy that was created by Dr. Oliver and Mr. Snyder. I hope they would be proud.” With that Reid let out a half snort/grunt and replied “give that guy my heart and suddenly Doogie thinks he knows me.”
“Well, you didn’t actually give him your heart…. so” Luke snarked back.
“This is Katie Hughes reporting. Good night everyone” and with that, the screen went black.
Neither spoke for a couple of minutes both trying to digest what they had just watched.
Reid was the first to break the silence. “Do we need to worry that CASEY HUGHES of all people has somehow figured out we are both alive and well and living in Kansas?” he asked with genuine concern in his voice.
“I think…. No, I know he would never do anything that could put us in jeopardy. He’s smarter than he looks.”
“Please” Reid scoffed disbelieving of Luke’s reply.
“I’m serious” Luke replied sincerely.
“Yeah, well he doesn’t LOOK that smart…. So… he doesn’t have anywhere to go but up right?” Luke just glared up at him. Reid put his hand up in surrender “fine” Reid consented “we’ll just wait and see.”
---
Reid spent the next five days a bit on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop, the wrath of Damian’s men to suddenly fall upon him and Luke from out of nowhere. When he walked in the door the Friday before Christmas there was a package sitting on the kitchen table that looked eerily similar to what had been waiting for them last Saturday. The exception being the size to the package had more than doubled, and the fact that this one was addressed to one Dr. Shakhy. Luke sat at the table staring at it. It looked like he had been that way for several hours.
“Ok, how long have you been sitting there staring? Wishing you had x-ray vision about now aren’t you?”
“Thank god your home” was Luke only reply. “You have to open this….open it now!”
“I am overwhelmed, shocked and impressed by you self control. But why on earth would he be sending something to me?”
“I have NO IDEA Reid. That is why you need to open it now!”
“Yeah, yeah, ok. Give it here.” Reid unceremoniously ripped the paper bag wrapping and tore open the lid of the box. He went for the note first.
Hey Doc,
Emma was happy to supply me with holiday treats… since Luke (crap I mean Snyder)
isn’t around for her to bake for anymore.
I wanted to pass them along to you.
Luke (crap did it again) always said food was your soft spot.
Have the happiest holiday ever….
FYI I kept a dozen for myself…..just call it a carrier fee….
Case
Reid handed the note over for Luke to read and took a good whiff. Snicker Doodle, Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Chip…. Holy crap he was in heaven. All it took was one bite, a massive one in which over half the cookie disappeared, and Reid was sold and his mouth was shut. These little packages from Casey Hughes would not be getting reported to the FBI, at least not by him.
And so it went for the next several months. Sometimes they would go seven or eight weeks without hearing from him. Sometimes it would just be a note or newspaper article about an Oakdale birth or marriage…. Anything one or both of them might be interested in. Then one day there was a knock on the door and an FBI agent, long since forgotten stood on their stoop.