Fic: Coming Home 38/?
Author: PABWECG (aka Patricia)
Title: Coming Home
Genre/Type: Romance
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Reid, Luke/Noah, Lily/Holden, Casey, Katie, Bob, assorted little people, possibly others
Warnings: None really, except some Nuke intimacy
Summary: Luke and Noah moved to L.A. in the Summer of 2009 for Noah to do his last year of school with an internship of sorts (no Mason, no blindness, etc. Everything else in their history has happened). Reid arrived, temporarily, at Memorial in August 2010.
It’s now the fall.
Thank you Slayerkitty for being my beta!!!
Previous Chapters: 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/ 17/ 18/ 19/ 20/ 21/ 22/ 23/ 24/ 25/ 26/ 27/ 28/ 29/ 30/ 31/ 32/ 33/ 34/ 35/ 36/ 37/
Chapter 38
Luke pushed the grocery cart across the parking lot and then stopped at Katie’s car. “I’m so glad I ran into you,” she said, placing Jacob in his car seat and buckling him up. “Will you come back to the apartment with me?” She beamed her brilliant smile at him. “Please. It’s been too long since we’ve talked, and I could really use an extra hand getting dinner ready.”
“Well, I’m already dressed, so I guess I could.” He tilted his head. “If I won’t be in the way.”
She waved a hand towards him and grabbed one of his. “Oh, don’t be silly. Of course you won’t be in the way. You’re great with Jacob, and this tends to be his cranky hour, so I can set you to chopping vegetables while I see if he might go to sleep…maybe.”
“Okay.” He said with a genuine smile.
They were quiet as they drove and Katie kept sneaking looks at him. Finally, she asked, “how are you, Luke? I mean, we haven’t really talked since you’ve been back from California. And a lot’s happened for you.”
“You can say that again, but yeah, I’m good.”
She smiled at him briefly before turning her eyes back to the road. “I’m glad. You seem good. And I don’t mean to pry but…you seem a lot happier now than when you first came back, before the wedding.”
“I am.” He breathed out a smile. “I’m happier than I’ve been in…I don’t know how long.”
“Oh, I’m so glad. And I’m so happy for you and Reid. He seems happy too, really happy.” Luke smiled to hear her say those words. But he had to admit, he was nervous about this dinner. He didn’t know what to expect. He was glad that Katie and Jacob would be there.
“So,” her voice broke in. “What’s up? You seem distracted.” She looked over at him, at his fidgeting hands. “Actually, to be honest, you seem nervous. Are you?”
His wide eyes looked back at her.
“You are. Why? I mean, I haven’t met Stephen yet, but if he’s Reid’s best friend he can’t be all that bad.”
“No, he’s seems like a very nice person.” Luke said.
“Oh, so you’ve met him.”
“Well no…not really.” He remembered the way the handsome man had smiled at Reid as Luke saw them in the hospital corridor yesterday - the kiss hello, the close embrace.
Katie responded to his very vague answer. “You haven’t met him, but he seems nice?”
“Reid’s told me a lot about him. He’s been a great friend to him, was there for him at some really difficult times…” again his mind wandered back to that intimate moment he’d witnessed yesterday, and he berated himself for feeling so petty. “They seem really close.”
“Well, he is his best friend.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, what’s going on, Luke?” She asked with genuine concern. “What happened to happy-Luke? I almost get the impression that you’d rather not be coming to this dinner tonight.”
He bit his lip and looked across at her. “No, I do. I just…well, is it weird that I’m afraid I’ll feel like a third wheel? I just know they’re very close, and Reid and I haven’t known each other very long…only a month and a half. They’ve known each other for, I think Reid said sixteen years.”
“It’s not a competition, Luke.” He looked over at her, feeling a bit like a heel again.
“I know, you’re right.”
“And even if it’s only been several weeks compared to many years, I think Reid really cares for you.”
Luke knew that was true. He took a deep breath and decided to concentrate on that thought, and tried to remind himself that this was his chance not to compete with Reid’s best friend, but to get to know him.
Katie needn’t have worried about Jacob’s fussiness, as it turned out, since he fell asleep on the drive home. She carried him up the stairs to her front door, with Luke behind her, the groceries in his arms. They entered the apartment quietly, and Luke froze and took in the sight on the couch. There was Reid, his hair wet from the shower, with his head in Stephen’s lap, both of them sound asleep. As Katie gave him a wary look and walked towards her bedroom with Jacob, Luke’s eyes traveled over them; the way Stephen’s hand rested in Reid’s hair, the way Reid’s head was turned slightly towards Stephen’s stomach. Stephen’s other hand rested limply on the cushions and his head fell back against the top of the couch. Reid’s legs were slightly bent, leaning against the couch back, and his own hands rested on his stomach. They looked, to Luke, like they’d done this a million times before.
Again, it wasn’t jealousy he was feeling, not really. Unless it was jealousy of all the years Stephen had known Reid, had been the closest person to him. How could Luke compete with this? He almost turned around and walked out when he remembered the bags in his arms. Just then Katie came back in the room and she removed one of them, and took his hand, pulling him towards the kitchen, as if she could read his mind.
He put the bags on the counter and stood still, simply feeling a mass of emotions. Katie came up behind him and put an arm around his back. “Hey,” she said quietly. He turned and tried to smile, because that’s what Luke did. “Do you wanna talk?”
“No. Not really. I’m not sure what…what I’m feeling.” He made eye contact with her. “That’s his best friend…and they’re close…and I’m glad, I am.” She gave him a gentle, disbelieving look. He closed his eyes and exhaled, and then turned around so she could wrap her arms around him before the tears fell. “I’m scared, Katie.” He said in a whisper as a few tears did fall. “I’ve fallen for him, Katie…really fallen.” And he lifted his head and wiped away the tears, shaking his head. “No, I’m not going to do this; I’m not going to let fear ruin whatever it is that we have.” And he took a deep breath and let it out. “Now. What can I chop?”
She held his chin in her hand and smiled at his oh-so-generous heart. And then she handed him some carrots and a peeler. “We’ll start with scrubbing and peeling. See if we can work you up to a knife, all right?” And he smiled back at her, taking the vegetables over to the sink.
Reid slowly woke to sounds of preparations in the kitchen. Turning his head towards the coffee table, he saw the plates and the two empty beer bottles. Turning the other way, he saw that Stephen had also fallen asleep. Just like old times, he thought. God, how many times had they fallen asleep together - after a good run, a good sandwich, a good talk - and other good things, but they wouldn’t be going down thatroad anymore. In the early years of their friendship, before things had gotten weird, Reid had been surprised by how easy it was to sleep beside this man. The last five years had been so awkward, so strained - it had been painful. Amazingly, in just twenty-four hours, they’ve found a good place again. He’d found his best friend again. He smiled, feeling well rested, and sat up, swatting Stephen on the knee. “Hey. Sleeping Beauty, wake up. It’s almost time for dinner.” He stood and stretched out his muscles. “I can hear…and smell, Katie’s cooking.” And then he smiled as he added, “Luke will be here soon.”
“Um-hm” Stephen yawned. “And which are you more looking forward to…food or Luke?” Reid felt himself blush. “Jesus, you’ve got it bad.”
“I’m not the only one.” And he pointed a finger at the redhead still seated on his couch. “Just remember, I know your secret now.”
Stephen stood up and looked at Reid more seriously. “I’m glad we talked.”
“Me too,” Reid said. “I’ve missed you.”
“No more walls? No more holding back?”
“Are you kidding me? I just fell asleep in your lap.” And then he added more seriously, “I think we’re okay now. Come here.” And he pulled Stephen in for a hug. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them Luke was standing there on the other side of the couch, with a million emotions written on his face. Over Stephen’s shoulder, he smiled at his young love, and Stephen turned his head to look as well.
Stepping out of Stephen’s arms, he walked over to Luke, and smiling warmly at him, he touched his face and laid a soft, slow kiss on his lips. “Hello, you,” he said gently.
Luke smiled shyly back at him, catching his breath. “Hi.” And he peeked over at Stephen, drawing Reid’s attention back to his best friend.
He reached out to him and drew him close by. “Stephen, this is Luke. Luke, Stephen.” And when Luke and Stephen met each other’s gaze and clasped each other’s hands, Reid smiled, feeling like a kid on Christmas. But not just any kid, the luckiest kid on Earth, the one who’d gotten everything he’d ever wanted, plus the thing he hadn’t even known he’d wanted.
next part/
Title: Coming Home
Genre/Type: Romance
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Reid, Luke/Noah, Lily/Holden, Casey, Katie, Bob, assorted little people, possibly others
Warnings: None really, except some Nuke intimacy
Summary: Luke and Noah moved to L.A. in the Summer of 2009 for Noah to do his last year of school with an internship of sorts (no Mason, no blindness, etc. Everything else in their history has happened). Reid arrived, temporarily, at Memorial in August 2010.
It’s now the fall.
Thank you Slayerkitty for being my beta!!!
Previous Chapters: 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/ 17/ 18/ 19/ 20/ 21/ 22/ 23/ 24/ 25/ 26/ 27/ 28/ 29/ 30/ 31/ 32/ 33/ 34/ 35/ 36/ 37/
Chapter 38
Luke pushed the grocery cart across the parking lot and then stopped at Katie’s car. “I’m so glad I ran into you,” she said, placing Jacob in his car seat and buckling him up. “Will you come back to the apartment with me?” She beamed her brilliant smile at him. “Please. It’s been too long since we’ve talked, and I could really use an extra hand getting dinner ready.”
“Well, I’m already dressed, so I guess I could.” He tilted his head. “If I won’t be in the way.”
She waved a hand towards him and grabbed one of his. “Oh, don’t be silly. Of course you won’t be in the way. You’re great with Jacob, and this tends to be his cranky hour, so I can set you to chopping vegetables while I see if he might go to sleep…maybe.”
“Okay.” He said with a genuine smile.
They were quiet as they drove and Katie kept sneaking looks at him. Finally, she asked, “how are you, Luke? I mean, we haven’t really talked since you’ve been back from California. And a lot’s happened for you.”
“You can say that again, but yeah, I’m good.”
She smiled at him briefly before turning her eyes back to the road. “I’m glad. You seem good. And I don’t mean to pry but…you seem a lot happier now than when you first came back, before the wedding.”
“I am.” He breathed out a smile. “I’m happier than I’ve been in…I don’t know how long.”
“Oh, I’m so glad. And I’m so happy for you and Reid. He seems happy too, really happy.” Luke smiled to hear her say those words. But he had to admit, he was nervous about this dinner. He didn’t know what to expect. He was glad that Katie and Jacob would be there.
“So,” her voice broke in. “What’s up? You seem distracted.” She looked over at him, at his fidgeting hands. “Actually, to be honest, you seem nervous. Are you?”
His wide eyes looked back at her.
“You are. Why? I mean, I haven’t met Stephen yet, but if he’s Reid’s best friend he can’t be all that bad.”
“No, he’s seems like a very nice person.” Luke said.
“Oh, so you’ve met him.”
“Well no…not really.” He remembered the way the handsome man had smiled at Reid as Luke saw them in the hospital corridor yesterday - the kiss hello, the close embrace.
Katie responded to his very vague answer. “You haven’t met him, but he seems nice?”
“Reid’s told me a lot about him. He’s been a great friend to him, was there for him at some really difficult times…” again his mind wandered back to that intimate moment he’d witnessed yesterday, and he berated himself for feeling so petty. “They seem really close.”
“Well, he is his best friend.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, what’s going on, Luke?” She asked with genuine concern. “What happened to happy-Luke? I almost get the impression that you’d rather not be coming to this dinner tonight.”
He bit his lip and looked across at her. “No, I do. I just…well, is it weird that I’m afraid I’ll feel like a third wheel? I just know they’re very close, and Reid and I haven’t known each other very long…only a month and a half. They’ve known each other for, I think Reid said sixteen years.”
“It’s not a competition, Luke.” He looked over at her, feeling a bit like a heel again.
“I know, you’re right.”
“And even if it’s only been several weeks compared to many years, I think Reid really cares for you.”
Luke knew that was true. He took a deep breath and decided to concentrate on that thought, and tried to remind himself that this was his chance not to compete with Reid’s best friend, but to get to know him.
Katie needn’t have worried about Jacob’s fussiness, as it turned out, since he fell asleep on the drive home. She carried him up the stairs to her front door, with Luke behind her, the groceries in his arms. They entered the apartment quietly, and Luke froze and took in the sight on the couch. There was Reid, his hair wet from the shower, with his head in Stephen’s lap, both of them sound asleep. As Katie gave him a wary look and walked towards her bedroom with Jacob, Luke’s eyes traveled over them; the way Stephen’s hand rested in Reid’s hair, the way Reid’s head was turned slightly towards Stephen’s stomach. Stephen’s other hand rested limply on the cushions and his head fell back against the top of the couch. Reid’s legs were slightly bent, leaning against the couch back, and his own hands rested on his stomach. They looked, to Luke, like they’d done this a million times before.
Again, it wasn’t jealousy he was feeling, not really. Unless it was jealousy of all the years Stephen had known Reid, had been the closest person to him. How could Luke compete with this? He almost turned around and walked out when he remembered the bags in his arms. Just then Katie came back in the room and she removed one of them, and took his hand, pulling him towards the kitchen, as if she could read his mind.
He put the bags on the counter and stood still, simply feeling a mass of emotions. Katie came up behind him and put an arm around his back. “Hey,” she said quietly. He turned and tried to smile, because that’s what Luke did. “Do you wanna talk?”
“No. Not really. I’m not sure what…what I’m feeling.” He made eye contact with her. “That’s his best friend…and they’re close…and I’m glad, I am.” She gave him a gentle, disbelieving look. He closed his eyes and exhaled, and then turned around so she could wrap her arms around him before the tears fell. “I’m scared, Katie.” He said in a whisper as a few tears did fall. “I’ve fallen for him, Katie…really fallen.” And he lifted his head and wiped away the tears, shaking his head. “No, I’m not going to do this; I’m not going to let fear ruin whatever it is that we have.” And he took a deep breath and let it out. “Now. What can I chop?”
She held his chin in her hand and smiled at his oh-so-generous heart. And then she handed him some carrots and a peeler. “We’ll start with scrubbing and peeling. See if we can work you up to a knife, all right?” And he smiled back at her, taking the vegetables over to the sink.
Reid slowly woke to sounds of preparations in the kitchen. Turning his head towards the coffee table, he saw the plates and the two empty beer bottles. Turning the other way, he saw that Stephen had also fallen asleep. Just like old times, he thought. God, how many times had they fallen asleep together - after a good run, a good sandwich, a good talk - and other good things, but they wouldn’t be going down thatroad anymore. In the early years of their friendship, before things had gotten weird, Reid had been surprised by how easy it was to sleep beside this man. The last five years had been so awkward, so strained - it had been painful. Amazingly, in just twenty-four hours, they’ve found a good place again. He’d found his best friend again. He smiled, feeling well rested, and sat up, swatting Stephen on the knee. “Hey. Sleeping Beauty, wake up. It’s almost time for dinner.” He stood and stretched out his muscles. “I can hear…and smell, Katie’s cooking.” And then he smiled as he added, “Luke will be here soon.”
“Um-hm” Stephen yawned. “And which are you more looking forward to…food or Luke?” Reid felt himself blush. “Jesus, you’ve got it bad.”
“I’m not the only one.” And he pointed a finger at the redhead still seated on his couch. “Just remember, I know your secret now.”
Stephen stood up and looked at Reid more seriously. “I’m glad we talked.”
“Me too,” Reid said. “I’ve missed you.”
“No more walls? No more holding back?”
“Are you kidding me? I just fell asleep in your lap.” And then he added more seriously, “I think we’re okay now. Come here.” And he pulled Stephen in for a hug. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them Luke was standing there on the other side of the couch, with a million emotions written on his face. Over Stephen’s shoulder, he smiled at his young love, and Stephen turned his head to look as well.
Stepping out of Stephen’s arms, he walked over to Luke, and smiling warmly at him, he touched his face and laid a soft, slow kiss on his lips. “Hello, you,” he said gently.
Luke smiled shyly back at him, catching his breath. “Hi.” And he peeked over at Stephen, drawing Reid’s attention back to his best friend.
He reached out to him and drew him close by. “Stephen, this is Luke. Luke, Stephen.” And when Luke and Stephen met each other’s gaze and clasped each other’s hands, Reid smiled, feeling like a kid on Christmas. But not just any kid, the luckiest kid on Earth, the one who’d gotten everything he’d ever wanted, plus the thing he hadn’t even known he’d wanted.
next part/