Left and Right: Chapter Nine
Title: Left and Right (multi-chapter)
Author: dolce_amore
Summary: Reid injures himself in an accident six months after starting a relationship with Luke. This is the story of how Reid and Luke handle it.
Genre/Type: Romance/Drama/Future-Fic
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own As the World Turns, it’s characters, or it’s settings. Though if you know where I can buy a Reid, please let me know. ☺
Disclaimer #2: Chapter titles are all lyrics taken from songs. I take no credit for them. They are being used for entertainment purposes only. All rights go to the artists that first penned them. ☺
Characters/Pairings in this chapter: Luke/Reid
Author's Notes: This is my Big Bang fic for LROnline. It's 23 chapters, though, so I figured I'd break it up instead of posting all the chapters at once. Enjoy! Comments = love.
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Nine: Songs of Yesterday Now Live in the Underground
As soon as it seemed to be of an appropriate hour, Reid was sitting at the kitchen table, papers covered in names and phone numbers of his patients. One by one he called, delivering the news that he currently would be ‘unable perform their surgery, but would remain on their case and follow their progress’. For each person he delivered the exact same message. He didn’t know how to be personable and didn’t need to be, either. He didn’t want to start a conversation. He didn’t want them to start prying as Oakdalians were so prone to do, and he least of all wanted them to utter the words “I’m sorry”. It was ridiculous. It was because of his injury that they wouldn’t be getting the care they thought they signed on for, the best care possible, and they were sorry for him? He didn’t understand it.
Luke came stumbling out of the bedroom, rubbing his eyes. “Reid, what are you doing? You didn’t even sleep four hours and you’re working?”
Reid dialed another number. “I have a lot of stuff I have to take care of to make sure things run smoothly for these people now that I can’t operate on them,” he explained. Another patient, Denise Moore, answered the phone and he said the small speech dripping with far more emotion than intended, and hung up.
Luke sat at the table beside him. “You don’t have to do this on your own. I could help you. Somebody at the hospital could do it for you. Rest,” he said gently, reaching for Reid’s hand.
“They’re my patients. They’re my responsibility. I’m not going to have some random nurse call them and tell them I’m no longer their surgeon.”
Luke nodded. “Okay, fair enough. Coming back to bed when you’re finished?”
“No. I have to go into work,” Reid said distractedly, groaning as voicemail picked up on the other line.
Luke rose and stood behind Reid, messaging his shoulders. “Stay home,” Luke pleaded gently.
“I can’t just drop everything because I was injured. I have a shift today. I’m going in. I can’t just stay home just so you can hover and coddle me,” Reid said, professionalism completely overtaking his tone. He bit his lip. He wanted Luke around - always. If Luke hovered, Reid had never noticed nor minded.
Luke threw up his hands. “Fine. Have fun at work. I won’t coddle you. Clearly you’re fine at taking care of yourself. You don’t need me.”
Reid winced. “Luke, that’s not what I meant,” he pleaded to silence, realizing Luke had already retreated to the bedroom. He sighed and stood up, heading towards the bedroom.
“Luke, talk to me.”
Luke lie on the bed, facing the door. He let out a huff and rolled onto his other side.
“Oh my god! I’m trying to apologize and you’re seriously ignoring me? You’re being a drama queen!”
“I’m being a drama queen? Dr. ‘I’m the only person in the world who can save these people and it’s my duty to tell them I’m letting them down’?” Luke countered, still facing the other way.
Reid rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’m leaving. Be back in a while.”
“Be careful driving,” Luke let slip past his lips. He wasn’t good at arguing.
Reid couldn’t help but smirk as he walked out the door.
Author: dolce_amore
Summary: Reid injures himself in an accident six months after starting a relationship with Luke. This is the story of how Reid and Luke handle it.
Genre/Type: Romance/Drama/Future-Fic
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own As the World Turns, it’s characters, or it’s settings. Though if you know where I can buy a Reid, please let me know. ☺
Disclaimer #2: Chapter titles are all lyrics taken from songs. I take no credit for them. They are being used for entertainment purposes only. All rights go to the artists that first penned them. ☺
Characters/Pairings in this chapter: Luke/Reid
Author's Notes: This is my Big Bang fic for LROnline. It's 23 chapters, though, so I figured I'd break it up instead of posting all the chapters at once. Enjoy! Comments = love.
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Nine: Songs of Yesterday Now Live in the Underground
As soon as it seemed to be of an appropriate hour, Reid was sitting at the kitchen table, papers covered in names and phone numbers of his patients. One by one he called, delivering the news that he currently would be ‘unable perform their surgery, but would remain on their case and follow their progress’. For each person he delivered the exact same message. He didn’t know how to be personable and didn’t need to be, either. He didn’t want to start a conversation. He didn’t want them to start prying as Oakdalians were so prone to do, and he least of all wanted them to utter the words “I’m sorry”. It was ridiculous. It was because of his injury that they wouldn’t be getting the care they thought they signed on for, the best care possible, and they were sorry for him? He didn’t understand it.
Luke came stumbling out of the bedroom, rubbing his eyes. “Reid, what are you doing? You didn’t even sleep four hours and you’re working?”
Reid dialed another number. “I have a lot of stuff I have to take care of to make sure things run smoothly for these people now that I can’t operate on them,” he explained. Another patient, Denise Moore, answered the phone and he said the small speech dripping with far more emotion than intended, and hung up.
Luke sat at the table beside him. “You don’t have to do this on your own. I could help you. Somebody at the hospital could do it for you. Rest,” he said gently, reaching for Reid’s hand.
“They’re my patients. They’re my responsibility. I’m not going to have some random nurse call them and tell them I’m no longer their surgeon.”
Luke nodded. “Okay, fair enough. Coming back to bed when you’re finished?”
“No. I have to go into work,” Reid said distractedly, groaning as voicemail picked up on the other line.
Luke rose and stood behind Reid, messaging his shoulders. “Stay home,” Luke pleaded gently.
“I can’t just drop everything because I was injured. I have a shift today. I’m going in. I can’t just stay home just so you can hover and coddle me,” Reid said, professionalism completely overtaking his tone. He bit his lip. He wanted Luke around - always. If Luke hovered, Reid had never noticed nor minded.
Luke threw up his hands. “Fine. Have fun at work. I won’t coddle you. Clearly you’re fine at taking care of yourself. You don’t need me.”
Reid winced. “Luke, that’s not what I meant,” he pleaded to silence, realizing Luke had already retreated to the bedroom. He sighed and stood up, heading towards the bedroom.
“Luke, talk to me.”
Luke lie on the bed, facing the door. He let out a huff and rolled onto his other side.
“Oh my god! I’m trying to apologize and you’re seriously ignoring me? You’re being a drama queen!”
“I’m being a drama queen? Dr. ‘I’m the only person in the world who can save these people and it’s my duty to tell them I’m letting them down’?” Luke countered, still facing the other way.
Reid rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’m leaving. Be back in a while.”
“Be careful driving,” Luke let slip past his lips. He wasn’t good at arguing.
Reid couldn’t help but smirk as he walked out the door.