The Final 3 Scenes
Story Summary: It takes place one day 8 months after Reid’s Death.
A/N: This is how I would have ended the show..... here are my final 3 scenes....
EIGHT MONTHS LATER - APRIL 2011
SCENE 1
Luke looked at his watch again. He was standing outside of Jerry’s Deli in West Hollywood waiting for some editor from Simon & Schuster. The phone inside his favorite brown sports coat vibrates. He pulled it out hoping it was the editor, but it wasn’t. Instead it’s Noah. He is texting Luke yet again. ‘Where are you? Do I need to be worried?’ Luke, not wanting to deal with another one of Noah’s meltdowns slid the phone back into his jacket pocket. After looking around to see if anyone is coming he debates for the 3rd time in the last 10 minutes just leaving, but he hears Katie’s voice in his head, ‘you want people to read it right? Well I took the time to set this meeting up so you better do whatever she says.’ Just then he sees a tall brunette in a black tailored power suit walking toward him out of the corner of his eye.
“You must be Luke,” the woman holds out her perfectly manicured hand. “Katie was right. You are adorable.”
Luke nods, blushing a little bit. “I… um… Hi, you must be Sasha. Are you ready to go in and sit down?”
“Sure” Sasha replied “lead the way.” After the two have been seated at a small booth and Sasha took a quick look around the place she turned back to Luke. “So being a New York girl I love a good deli, is that why you wanted to meet here?”
“No, actually…… I come here whenever I want to feel close to Reid.” Luke couldn’t help but start blushing again. He couldn’t believe he was being so honest with a complete stranger. “You see, he was a big sandwich guy and they make the most amazing sandwiches here….. so.”
“Awww, that is so sweet. I think I might enjoy being your editor.” Luke wasn’t sure if she is being sincere or making fun of him.
“So anyway,” Luke said, circling his hand and trying to get back on track, “Thanks for meeting me out here so I didn’t have to fly all the way to New York.”
“It worked out great actually,” Sasha replied. “I had another writer I had to come out here to see so it was no trouble at all. I have to tell you I was really excited when Katie gave me a call, I mean I hadn’t heard from her since I edited her book Oakdale Confidential five years ago. And when she told me there was this amazing young author with a heartbreaking love story he had to tell, I was intrigued.”
“Well, how did you feel after you had read the chapters I have done so far?” Luke held his breath, both eager and nervous for the answer.
“I’m here am I not?” Luke sighed in relief. His hopeful expression was quickly erased when the next word he heard was, “But….. There is definitely some work to be done.”
“Of course,” Luke jumped in. “I will work on whatever you think.”
“First,” Sasha says, “Let’s talk about some of the good stuff. I want you to read the opening paragraph for me.”
“Why?” Luke asks.
“I like to get a feel for a writer’s mood, expression and feeling. The best way for me to do that is to have them read the beginning of their book. It sets the tone for the entire novel in my opinion.”
“Ok.” Self-consciously Luke pulls out his laptop. Although he has the first pages completely committed to memory, he wanted to busy himself for a minute to settle his nerves. He is about to read the beginning of his book for the first time to someone who didn’t know Reid. Someone who didn’t love him like he and Katie did.
‘Dr. Reid Oliver, world famous neurosurgeon was cold…. and rude… and obnoxious… and full of himself…. and, I loved him. He was not my first, but he will be my last. In the short time I had with him I grew into the person I never really thought I could be. You see, while Dr. Reid Oliver was all the things I’ve already said, he was also kind, he was caring, he was unsure of himself, he was fiercely protective, he was patient, he was understanding, and most importantly, he was mine and he loved me back. “Luke looked up at Sasha as a single tear trailed down his cheek.
“Whew” Sasha said after just staring at Luke for what seemed like forever. “This is what I’m talking about. The personal stuff absolutely pulls me in. I get your thoughts, and I sure get your feelings. In later chapters I feel like I get a good sense of Reid’s thoughts and feelings as well… Now, time for what needs work. I think where the book needs help right now are the chapters around Noah’s surgery, the medical stuff that only Reid would know. For the sake of authenticity, I think it would help to meet with a neurosurgeon and get some specifics about a procedure like Noah had. I need to get into Reid’s head better professionally during this time since you write how much his career meant to him. Having said that, I have made some calls to hospitals in the LA area to try and set something up. I hope I will hear back from one sometime within the next few weeks. When I do, I will pass their whereabouts on to you.”
Luke was stunned. First because he hadn’t thought of the idea himself, she was right after all. Reid’s career had been important to him. He had defined his very existence for most of the time he’d known him by what he did in the operating room, making the memory of him quitting just to be with him bring a slight smile to his face. And second, but more astoundingly, because that was the only criticism she had. “Is that really the only thing?”
Sasha nods, “There are some minor fixes I think we can make along the way, but yes, that is the only major adjustment I think the book needs. Luke, the story you have written, while being heart wrenching, is also one of the most uplifting love stories I have gotten my hands on in a very long time.”
“Amazing… amazing!” Luke couldn’t keep the smile off his face any longer. He shook his head a little. “Do you hear that Reid? I guess my Victorian romance heroin personality has finally paid off.”
Sasha lets out a short laugh while standing up for the table. “We will talk again soon Luke”
Luke bypassed the extended hand and enveloped her in a big hug instead. “Thank you so much! You won’t regret this.”
SCENE 2
Luke practically floated back to the apartment he has been sharing with Noah for the last six months or so not far from the UCLA campus. It was nice being in an area that was filled with college age kids. He liked that he blended in and no one knew all that he had been through the last eighteen months. He had to call Katie. He wanted to give her the great news about his meeting with Sasha. ‘His editor’ he thought, and still couldn’t believe his book was going to be published. He knew Katie would be so happy for him…. and Reid. He was glad he had her to talk to. He could use a good girly giggly talk about Reid. There had been so much anger and sadness between the two of them for the first few months after Reid’s death. He was glad he had gotten past it, for the most part. He was glad that he had even started talking to Chris again. Even if it was just a little bit at a time. Baby steps he reminded himself. He was still lost in thought when he walked in the door and was immediately confronted by an irate Noah.
“Do you know how many messages I have left for you? I was getting ready to call your parents… again. Did you go out drinking again? Why didn’t you respond to any of my texts? How am I going to get any work done on my film when I am constantly worried you are going to go off the deep end?”
So happy with how things went with Sasha, not even Noah’s rant can bring his mood down. “yes, no, didn’t wanna, not really my problem” was his reply.
“What? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I was answering your questions Noah. Keep up.” Luke kind of chuckled, knowing Reid would have appreciated that.
“I’m just worried about you Luke.”
“Why would you be worried about me? It was just a meeting.”
“Yeah, a meeting about a book I know you shouldn’t have written. I knew that this book was a bad idea. It’s not healthy for you. When you get rejected I’m the one who will have to pick up the pieces.”
Luke just sighed “Noah, it’s all going to be ok.”
“No it’s not Luke. The sooner you realize that, the sooner we can start getting back to the way we were before.”
Hating to have this conversation for what seemed like the 100th time, especially today Luke jumped in anyway. “Noah, I love you, I will always love you. There was a time that you were everything to me. You were there for me at the time in my life when I was trying to figure out who I was and I will always appreciate that but I just don’t feel that way about you anymore. Our time is over, and it has been for a really long time.”
Feeling like he really needed to break through to Noah he tried a new path. “The thing is… I don’t think you really feel that way anymore either. Having me in this apartment with you was probably a mistake.” Noah started to interrupt but Luke held up his hand. “Just let me finish. I’m too convenient for you. It just means you don’t have to try with anyone else. I know you are scared, but I don’t really think it’s because of me and having to pick up any ‘pieces’ as you say. I think it is because you don’t know how to be with someone who isn’t me. I get that. I really do. I felt the same way when Reid and I….” hearing Noah let out a frustrated sigh Luke continued “I know it’s hard for you to hear this Noah, and I’m truly sorry for that because I never want to hurt you, but you have to really listen to what I am trying to say. I never would have imagined that what happened would. You know that. It started out as adversarial at best with Reid and I. But when I let myself open up it turned into something, well, intriguing to explore. I never thought I would love anyone but you, let alone someone like Reid. For a long time I didn’t want to let myself be in love with Reid, but it happened regardless. The heart wants what the heart wants. If it could happen for me, it will happen for you too Noah. You can find someone who will give you what Reid gave me.”
Noah just shook his head not bothering now to respond to anything Luke had said. ‘He always closes himself off when I talk about Reid’ Luke thought, ‘In complete denial’. Reid had been right. Noah would never be able to stand on his own two feet with me here. Damn that man for being right…. yet again. Dead for eight months and he is still teaching me things.
“We weren’t talking about me anyway” Noah let out in a monotone voice. “I am just trying to look out for you. I wasn’t sure what you would do after your meeting if it didn’t go well today. If you went out drinking again I needed to know about it.”
“That was one time Noah… on Reid’s birthday. I’m ok. I promise.”
“Why can’t you just forget about him? Just let it go. Get over it…. Get over him.”
“Get over it. That’s almost funny. You’re standing there telling me to get over the man I love who is dead and you won’t get over a man you haven’t dated in over a year who is standing right here still trying to be your friend.” Letting his frustration get the best of him he added “I’m done Noah. I just cannot keep having this conversation with you.” Luke started to walk past him when Noah grabbed his arm.
“I’m sorry ok. I just… I… let’s just forget about it.” Sighing heavily Noah continued. “Do you want to tell me how your meeting went?”
“Well actually, I…” just then Luke’s phone rang. He looked at the number displayed on it. It was Sasha. Worried she might have changed her mind he panicked. “Sorry Noah, I really have to answer this. It might be important.”
“Fine” Noah said waving him off with his arm. “I’ll give you some privacy” he said sarcastically and walked off into his bedroom.
“Sasha… hi… what’s up? Something wrong with the book?”
“No, just the opposite actually. I got a call back already from some neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai, Name is Dr. Shakhy. He said he would be more than happy to meet with you and sounded extremely eager.”
“How eager?”
“Like you had to be over there within the hour… that eager.”
“Wow” was all Luke could think to say. “Great… thank you… I will grab my notes and get right over there.” He hung up his cell and ran into his room to grab what he needed. When he walked back out he paused at Noah’s room, looking at the closed door. He knocked softly.
“What?”
“Listen, I need to run out for a little while. I should be back in a couple hours, three at the most. I just didn’t want you to worry.”
Noah opened his door “about the book of course.”
“Please don’t start Noah. You need to concentrate on your film. I have told you and will continue to tell you I really am ok. But, I think it might be time for me to move out. I need you to be my friend and I think the only way you can learn how to do that is for us not to be living under the same roof.” With that, Luke turned and walked out the door content with the decision he had just made.
SCENE 3
Luke made his way to the neurology specialty wing at Cedars-Sinai Hospital looking at the scratch paper he had with him. Walking up to the receptionist Luke smiled “hi, sorry to bother you. My name is Luke Snyder. I’m supposed to have an appointment with Dr. Shakhy”
After typing his name into the desktop computer the receptionist looked back up at him “sure, you can go right in. Go thru the door on the left over there” pointing in that direction. “It’s going to be the 4th door down on the left.”
“Thanks so much” Luke replied and headed in to meet the neurosurgeon and get the much need information his editor was looking for.
When Luke reached the door he was looking for he knocked. All he got from the individual on the other side was a grunt to acknowledge that he was heard. Luke tentatively opened the door and stepped inside, re-closing the door behind him. When he turned back around he stopped dead in his tracks. He blinked. Blinked hard. There standing in front of him was Reid. The only thing he heard was “Hello…. Luke” in that amazing way Reid had always said his name, before he passed out.
Reid lunged forward to catch Luke before he hit the floor. Cradling him gently he moved over to the couch. ‘Well, that could have gone worse I guess’ Reid thought to himself. He sat. Laying Luke down next to him, he placed Luke’s head in his lap and just breathed him in. He knew this was obviously a bad idea, but after the most agonizing eight months of his entire life, he felt like this was fate. He hadn’t approached Luke. Luke had come looking for him…. Well, not him exactly but who was keeping score right? He started gently stroking Luke’s cheek, brushing back a few stray strands of hair from Luke’s forehead. “Hey…. Wake up. You know I’m not any good with damsels in distress. Luke…. Come on. Come on back to me now.”
After a few more seconds Luke opened his eyes and was staring straight up into Reid’s smiling face. Luke bolted upright. He jumped off the couch practically running to the other side of the room. He opened his mouth to say something then closed it again. Luke just stood there staring. Reid stayed seated on the couch, worrying Luke would completely bolt if he moved at all. Reid managed to produce a half smirk.
“I…. You’re….. What the hell?” was all Luke could get to come out as his mouth stayed open in shock.
“Well that was coherent” was Reid’s reply. Luke just continued to stare. Reid quickly realized that he would have to be the one to start a conversation just to snap Luke out of it if nothing else. “So… a book huh? Really? Like a love story? About us?” Reid tilted his head sideways a little. “I’m sure that must have made Noah happy?”
Luke frowned but he finally found his voice as his brain function began to return slowly. “I didn’t write the book for Noah. I wrote it for you” he replied softly.
“For me? I’m dead, remember.”
“Are you making fun of me?” he practically cried. Luke turned away from Reid. Half talking to himself, he spoke again. “I wrote it so other people would get to meet you…. The real you, the one you only showed me and maybe Katie. The person I fell in love with and fell in love with me. The brilliant neurosurgeon…. But more importantly the guy who cared more about the people around him than he was ever willing to admit.”
As Luke began talking, Reid had gotten up off of the couch and slowly moved up behind him. Hearing the things Luke was saying made the last eight hellish months for him dissolve into nothing. He reached out and tentatively put his right hand on Luke’s forearm. Luke slowly turned back around unable to look at Reid, his eyes on the floor. Reid, trying to take some of the tension out of the room replied in his best snarky voice “yeah, I decided that guy wasn’t much fun, all needy and sappy, so I decided to kill him off.”
That made Luke look him straight in the eye. “Reid” Luke humphed out. Noticing a two inch scar above Reid’s left eye Luke’s right hand starts to reach up slowly wanting to touch it. He stopped himself. “I want to know exactly what happened, and I want to know now.”
“Ok. Ask away”
Luke wasn’t sure exactly where to start. He had so many questions. His brain was just starting to wrap itself around the fact he was actually standing in front of Reid. Having a conversation with the one person he never would have dreamed of being able to talk to again.
“Who else knows you’re not…. That you’re walking around upright? Your uncle? Is that why he didn’t come to the funeral?”
Reid sighed. “No, he doesn’t know. The only people who know are Dr. John Dixon, that nurse friend of yours - what’s her name, and the Hughes cop woman. John had to bring the heart we found for Chris into the OR to do the transplant. And…”
Luke cut him off “Oh Reid, I’m so sorry.” Overwhelming sadness mixed with anger about Reid’s family shown on Luke’s face.
Reid found it to be a really good sign Luke was more interested in his uncle than the fact three people he was close to in Oakdale know he’s alive. “Why? I’m not sorry. He hasn’t mattered to me in a very long time. Why do you think the only place I would allow them to send me to was LA? To work on my tan?”
Luke is confused… “What? What do you mean? Who are we talking about now?”
“Federal witness protection. The accident was…. Well not that. It was intentional Luke. There was a contract out on me by someone. My car was tampered with.”
Luke went from confused back to shocked again, his emotions going on a crazy rollercoaster ride. “You’re joking right? I don’t understand. Who would want to……?”
“Doesn’t matter” Reid said matter-of-factly. Luke narrowed his eyes as a realization set in. “It was Damian wasn’t it?”
Reid knew Luke needed the truth from him and that it would be hard for him to hear. He took a deep breath, “Well, I don’t call him bad dad for nothing” trying to make light of the situation. Reid put his hands out, grabbing onto Luke’s shoulders “And before you start blaming yourself like I know you love to do, don’t. I don’t want you to feel guilty about it. You are nothing like your father, and I’m a big boy. I make my own decisions. Anyway, I told them the only way I would agree to the whole ‘protection’ thing was to be in LA close to you even if I couldn’t be with you. I knew once I was gone you would go to be with Noah.”
“I’m not WITH Noah” Luke spat out incredulously, breaking free of Reid’s hold. “And, I left Oakdale because everything there reminded me of you.”
Reid asked the question he feared most. “All this time, you haven’t?”
Luke shook his head. “I told you I loved you. I chose you. I meant it.” Starting to show real anger for the first time he pointed his finger at Reid. “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on? You should have known I would go with you.”
Furrowed brow, for the first time Reid started questioning himself and the decision he had made. “I was doing what was best for you.”
Luke laughed cynically. “And you’re an idiot. You’re what’s best for me.”
“But I know how much your family means to you” including Noah he thought but didn’t say out loud. Could he really have been wrong that Luke would eventually go back to Noah, and that they would have the fairy tale love everyone else in Oakhell but Katie thought they should have. Reid desperately needed Luke to understand he had been trying to be selfless. “I would never expect you to give them up just for… well… me.”
And then, Reid saw what he thought was the most miraculous thing, happen in front of him. A slight smile started to show on Luke’s face and his eyes began to sparkle. “Again…. Idiot, you’re my family.”
Reid felt a 1,000 pound weight being lifted from his chest. He allowed himself to hope, for the first time in, well forever. “If you do this, you can never go back. We can never see any of them again. We would have to find some other Oakhell in God knows where, maybe even Minnesota. No money, no foundation, no shipping company.” He’s crestfallen as Luke gets a worried look on his face.
“See” Reid nods knowingly. “I told you I did what was best for you.”
Shaking his head Luke replies “no, not about me. I don’t care about that” waving it off. Reid looked at him, questioning. “What about you?” Luke states. “I don’t want you to have to give up being a doctor. What if you couldn’t be ‘the world’s greatest all knowing brain surgeon’ anymore?”
Reid looked right at him, into those beautiful brown eyes. “I know who I am without that now…. Yours.”
Luke started to really smile for the first time, dimples showing. Reid reaches out his right hand placing his palm on Luke’s cheek, Luke leaning into it. Luke’s eyes looked back and forth between Reid’s eyes and his mouth, his tongue slowly licking the top of his lip nervously. That is all the invitation Reid needed. He leaned in and they began to kiss. Reid knew that his life had finally begun. They kissed each other with months of pent up passion and regret. Luke grabbing onto the back of Reid’s head entwining his fingers in Reid’s hair. Reid grabbing onto Luke’s hips molding their bodies together. Luke was the first one who needed to come up for air. “Does your door lock?”
“ Why?” Reid asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Because” Luke says as a lazy sigh, “something I figured out in the last eight months. For you, I don’t even need a bed, and I only need a little bit of privacy.” With undeniable lust in his eyes, Reid walked over and locked the door. Then they set about finishing something they had started a long time ago.