Fic: Fate (2/?)
Title: Fate
Author: SlayerKitty
Genre: Romance, Angst, AU
Rating: PG-13 for language (For now, rating may be upped later.)
Characters: Luke/Reid
Disclaimer: As the World Turns and it's characters are not mine, no matter how much I enjoy playing with them. :)
Summary: Luke is in car accident on the way home from a business trip. Reid saves him in more ways than one.
Author's Notes: So, this was sort of inspired by sripley's "It's the What If Factor." I was re-reading it, reveling in her ability to change up the story so awesomely and still keep it true to the characters, and thought to myself, I can do that. So this is me trying another take on the the Luke/Reid relationship with a different beginning, and we'll see where we end up. Story starts in January 2010. If it isn't said enough, the medical stuff I am making up as I go. Enjoy! :)
Prologue is here: community.livejournal.com/lure_atwt/500229.html
Chapter 1 is here: community.livejournal.com/lure_atwt/507184.html
The minute the ambulance doors opened to the emergency room of Oakdale Memorial Hospital, Reid followed the paramedics who were pushing Luke inside. He startled three nurses and an ER doctor by being the one to ramble off Luke's stats, what he thought needed to be done next and exactly how fast it ought to be done. The paramedics had already learned that arguing with Reid got them nowhere.
“Sir, who the hell are you?” The doctor demanded, as he and the nurses stared at him.
“I'm Dr. Reid Oliver.” He answered. “And if you don't move this man, he's going to die.” Reid snapped. He grabbed one of the nurses' arms to halt her as the now extremely flustered doctor took over, shouting his orders to the other nurses. “Idiot.” Reid rolled his eyes, and then looked down at the nurse he'd detained. “I'm going to need a shower, a change of clothes, and if you can get your head out of your ass long enough, a meeting with your chief of staff.”
*
The fifteen minutes Reid spent waiting for the hospital's chief of staff felt like the longest of his life. He had no idea what was making him feel this way. He'd done more operations, been part of some serious medical discoveries, and all it took was one man's life threatening injuries to rock his world. He had to get in there and help.
He felt responsible.
“Dr. Oliver?” A gentle voice said from the doorway. He looked up to see an older man, his lab coat identifying him as a doctor.
“It's about time.” Reid said. “Please tell me you're the chief of staff of this Godforsaken Hellhole you call a hospital.” If the older man was taken aback by Reid's attitude, he did a good job of hiding it.
“I am.” The doctor confirmed. “Bob Hughes.” Bob put his arm out for a handshake, which Reid ignored.
“Congratulations.” Reid replied dryly. “I came in here with a patient. I'd like to help oversee his care while I'm in town.”
“And how long are you planning on remaining 'in town', Dr. Oliver?” Bob asked.
“However long it takes me to fix what the quacks you call doctors at this hospital have done to my patient.”
“And which patient is that?”
“The MVA that just came in.” Reid answered. “All I know is his first name. Luke.”
“Snyder?”
Reid shot the Bob a look.
“I just said I don't know his last name.” He snapped. “Are you senile?”
“Now, you wait just a minute.” Bob was angry now. “You want something from me, Dr. Oliver. I'd choose your words a little more wisely.”
“Fine.” Reid paused. “Can you grant me privileges here or not?”
“You're lucky I looked you up before I came in here, otherwise I would have ended this conversation the moment it began.” Bob said. Reid glared. “But as it happens, I've seen your record. You are a gifted surgeon.”
“And?”
“And we'll work on your bedside manner later.” Bob replied. “I'll have a nurse bring you some scrubs and then we'll find your patient and see how he's doing.”
“Great.” Reid agreed. “Let's just hope your incompetent staff hasn't killed him first.”
*
Reid took the fastest shower of his life, changing into a pair of dark blue scrubs. Someone had also scrounged up a long sleeve shirt for him to wear underneath. The thought of wearing someone else's clothes kind of weirded him out, but until he could get back to his car and get his things, it would have to do.
Once he was dressed, he went searching for Bob Hughes. Reid found him sitting with a dark haired couple. The woman was crying, and the man looked like he'd been sucker punched.
Reid cleared his throat, getting their attention.
“Ah, Dr. Oliver.” Bob said, waving him over. Reid approached them slowly, assuming they were Luke's family. If there was one thing he hated about his job, it was this.
The families of his patients, with their wide eyed stares and their hopeful expressions. The ones who wanted him to promise them the world and the ones he disappointed if it didn't work out.
“Dr. Oliver, this is Holden Snyder and Lily Grimaldi, Luke's parents.” Bob introduced. The woman, Lily Grimaldi, stood up.
“Bob says you're the one who brought him in.” She began. “What happened?”
Reid swallowed. The sight of Luke's car slipping over the embankment played over in his mind.
“Luke and I just happened to be driving on the freeway at the same time.” He answered. “My car...I hit some black ice and almost lost control on my car, and Luke swerved to go around me. He lost control of his car.”
“Oh, God.” Lily raised her hand to cover her mouth.
“Bob says you want consult on his case.” Holden finally spoke up. He fought the urge to snort. Of course they were on a first name basis with the chief of staff. It was clear this couple came from money.
“Well, I am the most qualified.” Reid tried to keep the snark down to a minimum. Done with the family stuff, Reid turned to Dr. Hughes. “Can you take me to my patient now?”
“He's still having some tests run.” Bob replied.
“What tests?” Reid asked impatiently. He nodded as Bob listed them off. “Good. You might actually have a doctor around here who knows what the hell they're doing.” He started to walk away, oblivious to the shocked faces of Lily Walsh and Holden Snyder. “By the way, what do I have to do to get my hands on Luke's medical records?”
*
“Is this for real?” Reid asked. He was thumbing through Luke's medical file. It read like a really bad soap opera. “Kidney transplant? Paralysis?” He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. Both incredibly serious injuries had happened about two years apart. “What the hell is up with this kid?”
He threw file down the on the table, and sighed, glancing around the empty staffroom. What had he gotten himself into?
He didn't have long to wonder. Dr. Hughes appeared in the doorway.
“Dr. Oliver?” Bob got his attention. “They're bringing Luke down now.”
“It's about damn time.” Reid replied, getting up. He walked into the hallway just in time to see Luke being pushed into a room across the hall. The young man was still unconscious, the side of his head bandaged. He was breathing on his own, a good sign. Reid tried not to let the sight of Luke affect him. Bob handed him the films and test results and they followed Luke into his hospital room.
He saw Lily and Holden standing in the hall, Luke's dad trying to comfort his mom. With a grimace, he turned put the first of the films on the light.
*
“There's no doubt about it.” Reid insisted, trying not to shout at Bob.
“I think we should run a few more tests, really see what we're dealing with.”
“Do you want this man to die, Dr. Hughes?” Reid demanded to know. “Because that's what's going to happen if you don't book me an OR right now.”
Author: SlayerKitty
Genre: Romance, Angst, AU
Rating: PG-13 for language (For now, rating may be upped later.)
Characters: Luke/Reid
Disclaimer: As the World Turns and it's characters are not mine, no matter how much I enjoy playing with them. :)
Summary: Luke is in car accident on the way home from a business trip. Reid saves him in more ways than one.
Author's Notes: So, this was sort of inspired by sripley's "It's the What If Factor." I was re-reading it, reveling in her ability to change up the story so awesomely and still keep it true to the characters, and thought to myself, I can do that. So this is me trying another take on the the Luke/Reid relationship with a different beginning, and we'll see where we end up. Story starts in January 2010. If it isn't said enough, the medical stuff I am making up as I go. Enjoy! :)
Prologue is here: community.livejournal.com/lure_atwt/500229.html
Chapter 1 is here: community.livejournal.com/lure_atwt/507184.html
The minute the ambulance doors opened to the emergency room of Oakdale Memorial Hospital, Reid followed the paramedics who were pushing Luke inside. He startled three nurses and an ER doctor by being the one to ramble off Luke's stats, what he thought needed to be done next and exactly how fast it ought to be done. The paramedics had already learned that arguing with Reid got them nowhere.
“Sir, who the hell are you?” The doctor demanded, as he and the nurses stared at him.
“I'm Dr. Reid Oliver.” He answered. “And if you don't move this man, he's going to die.” Reid snapped. He grabbed one of the nurses' arms to halt her as the now extremely flustered doctor took over, shouting his orders to the other nurses. “Idiot.” Reid rolled his eyes, and then looked down at the nurse he'd detained. “I'm going to need a shower, a change of clothes, and if you can get your head out of your ass long enough, a meeting with your chief of staff.”
*
The fifteen minutes Reid spent waiting for the hospital's chief of staff felt like the longest of his life. He had no idea what was making him feel this way. He'd done more operations, been part of some serious medical discoveries, and all it took was one man's life threatening injuries to rock his world. He had to get in there and help.
He felt responsible.
“Dr. Oliver?” A gentle voice said from the doorway. He looked up to see an older man, his lab coat identifying him as a doctor.
“It's about time.” Reid said. “Please tell me you're the chief of staff of this Godforsaken Hellhole you call a hospital.” If the older man was taken aback by Reid's attitude, he did a good job of hiding it.
“I am.” The doctor confirmed. “Bob Hughes.” Bob put his arm out for a handshake, which Reid ignored.
“Congratulations.” Reid replied dryly. “I came in here with a patient. I'd like to help oversee his care while I'm in town.”
“And how long are you planning on remaining 'in town', Dr. Oliver?” Bob asked.
“However long it takes me to fix what the quacks you call doctors at this hospital have done to my patient.”
“And which patient is that?”
“The MVA that just came in.” Reid answered. “All I know is his first name. Luke.”
“Snyder?”
Reid shot the Bob a look.
“I just said I don't know his last name.” He snapped. “Are you senile?”
“Now, you wait just a minute.” Bob was angry now. “You want something from me, Dr. Oliver. I'd choose your words a little more wisely.”
“Fine.” Reid paused. “Can you grant me privileges here or not?”
“You're lucky I looked you up before I came in here, otherwise I would have ended this conversation the moment it began.” Bob said. Reid glared. “But as it happens, I've seen your record. You are a gifted surgeon.”
“And?”
“And we'll work on your bedside manner later.” Bob replied. “I'll have a nurse bring you some scrubs and then we'll find your patient and see how he's doing.”
“Great.” Reid agreed. “Let's just hope your incompetent staff hasn't killed him first.”
*
Reid took the fastest shower of his life, changing into a pair of dark blue scrubs. Someone had also scrounged up a long sleeve shirt for him to wear underneath. The thought of wearing someone else's clothes kind of weirded him out, but until he could get back to his car and get his things, it would have to do.
Once he was dressed, he went searching for Bob Hughes. Reid found him sitting with a dark haired couple. The woman was crying, and the man looked like he'd been sucker punched.
Reid cleared his throat, getting their attention.
“Ah, Dr. Oliver.” Bob said, waving him over. Reid approached them slowly, assuming they were Luke's family. If there was one thing he hated about his job, it was this.
The families of his patients, with their wide eyed stares and their hopeful expressions. The ones who wanted him to promise them the world and the ones he disappointed if it didn't work out.
“Dr. Oliver, this is Holden Snyder and Lily Grimaldi, Luke's parents.” Bob introduced. The woman, Lily Grimaldi, stood up.
“Bob says you're the one who brought him in.” She began. “What happened?”
Reid swallowed. The sight of Luke's car slipping over the embankment played over in his mind.
“Luke and I just happened to be driving on the freeway at the same time.” He answered. “My car...I hit some black ice and almost lost control on my car, and Luke swerved to go around me. He lost control of his car.”
“Oh, God.” Lily raised her hand to cover her mouth.
“Bob says you want consult on his case.” Holden finally spoke up. He fought the urge to snort. Of course they were on a first name basis with the chief of staff. It was clear this couple came from money.
“Well, I am the most qualified.” Reid tried to keep the snark down to a minimum. Done with the family stuff, Reid turned to Dr. Hughes. “Can you take me to my patient now?”
“He's still having some tests run.” Bob replied.
“What tests?” Reid asked impatiently. He nodded as Bob listed them off. “Good. You might actually have a doctor around here who knows what the hell they're doing.” He started to walk away, oblivious to the shocked faces of Lily Walsh and Holden Snyder. “By the way, what do I have to do to get my hands on Luke's medical records?”
*
“Is this for real?” Reid asked. He was thumbing through Luke's medical file. It read like a really bad soap opera. “Kidney transplant? Paralysis?” He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. Both incredibly serious injuries had happened about two years apart. “What the hell is up with this kid?”
He threw file down the on the table, and sighed, glancing around the empty staffroom. What had he gotten himself into?
He didn't have long to wonder. Dr. Hughes appeared in the doorway.
“Dr. Oliver?” Bob got his attention. “They're bringing Luke down now.”
“It's about damn time.” Reid replied, getting up. He walked into the hallway just in time to see Luke being pushed into a room across the hall. The young man was still unconscious, the side of his head bandaged. He was breathing on his own, a good sign. Reid tried not to let the sight of Luke affect him. Bob handed him the films and test results and they followed Luke into his hospital room.
He saw Lily and Holden standing in the hall, Luke's dad trying to comfort his mom. With a grimace, he turned put the first of the films on the light.
*
“There's no doubt about it.” Reid insisted, trying not to shout at Bob.
“I think we should run a few more tests, really see what we're dealing with.”
“Do you want this man to die, Dr. Hughes?” Reid demanded to know. “Because that's what's going to happen if you don't book me an OR right now.”