Fic: Fate (29/?)
Title: Fate
Author: slayerkitty
Genre: Romance, Angst, AU
Rating: R
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.
You guys....I just love you guys. All of your comments are awesome!
Previous Chapters: Prologue/ 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
If living with Luke was living in a dream world, then living without him was like a black and white movie without sound.
Nothing mattered anymore, except Katie and Jacob and his work.
He started avoiding sleeping in his bed.
He didn’t want to sleep in it alone.
Life was routine. Dull. Time passed and he only noticed when he had to schedule a consult or surgery. The only time he ever felt alive was when he had someone’s brain in his hands…because it was the only thing that could distract him from the mess he’d made of his life.
He should have known better than to get involved with Luke Snyder. There were reasons Reid hadn’t wanted to act on his attraction to the younger man, reasons he’d spelled out to Luke in clear detail. And then Luke had kissed him, and every one of those reasons had gone out the window.
It was for the best.
So why did he feel so awful?
*
Katie fancied herself an expert on the subject. Almost nightly now, she encouraged him to call Luke, tell him the truth and beg forgiveness.
He didn’t have the heart to tell her that Luke would never forgive him. Not after that.
“That’s it.” Katie snapped. He looked up from his spot on the couch, where he was hugging her throw pillow and pretending to watch a Cubs game.
“Hmm?”
“I can’t take this.” Katie said, walking over and sitting next to him. She pried the pillow out of his grasp. “The constant moping, the biting comments. Your refusal to leave this house. It’s been weeks, Reid.”
“What are you talking about?” Reid asked, glaring at her.
“You’re miserable, Reid, I get that.” She told him gently. “But you can’t keep this up.”
“Says you.” Reid replied, turning his attention back to the screen long enough to note the Cubs were losing. Figured.
“I mean it.” Katie was insistent. “You can’t live like this.”
“I’ve done just fine my whole life, Katie.” Reid glanced at her again. “I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”
“But you’re not.”
“What am I doing that’s so wrong?”
“You’re moping!”
“So?”
“Call Luke.”
“Let it go, Katie.” He sighed. “It’s not going to happen. Even if he didn’t hate me, it’s not…it’s not a good idea.”
It sounded like a great idea. That’s why he couldn’t do it.
“Oh my God.” Katie leaned back against the couch, a knowing look in her eye.
“What?” He asked, looking confused.
“I don’t know how I missed it.”
“Missed what?”
“I knew you had feelings for him, but…” She paused, waiting for him to meet her gaze. “Reid, you’re in love with Luke, aren’t you?”
He stared at her for a moment, emotions playing across his face, beyond his control.
“What kind of question is that, Katie?” Reid’s voice was thick and hoarse.
“One that you’re clearly uncomfortable answering.”
“I…” He started to speak. “I’m a doctor, Katie. I don’t know how to be anything else.”
“That’s not what I asked you.” She looked at him. “It’s just a job. Luke is a person. And I’m pretty sure he’s in love with you too.” Reid looked startled.
“What? No, we were just…”
“A fling? Something to pass the time? Don’t give me that. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.” Reid was silent. “It’s the way Brad looked at me.” She paused. “And if you’re willing to throw away a chance at real happiness, at a love like that, then go ahead.” Her voice was thick, like she was trying not to cry.
“Katie, it’s not that simple.”
“It could be, if you wanted it to be.”
“What are you suggesting I do?”
“Follow your heart.” Reid scoffed. “I know you have one.” She smiled at the horrified expression on his face. “Fight for what you want.”
“And how do I do that?”
“You could start with telling Luke the truth.”
*
“You got me out of the house, Katie, what more do you want?” Reid asked as they wandered aimlessly through Old Town. A few days had passed since his talk with Katie and her words kept replaying over in his head.
“For you to actually want to be here?” She answered. He glared. “Fine.”
“Can we just get the cup of coffee you dragged me here for?” She sighed.
“Yeah, let’s go.” Reid followed her into Java, hands in his pockets. He leaned up against the counter, grateful Noah wasn’t working. He tuned Katie out while she ordered, and it was then that he felt it.
Eyes.
Turning around, he saw Luke sitting in a corner table, with Noah and the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Hughes. The rest of the table was laughing and talking, but Luke was just staring at him.
Unable to look away, he stared back.
It was inevitable that one of them would notice that Luke was no longer paying attention to the conversation, and suddenly the entire table was staring at him now.
He nudged Katie.
“I think I’ll wait outside.” He said quietly, and she glanced at him. Following his gaze, she turned and saw Luke and his friends.
“You could talk to him.”
“Not happening, Katie.” Reid said, heading for the door.
“Noah!” He heard Luke exclaim, and then a hand was jerking his arm roughly and whirling him around. Noah grabbed him by the collar.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t just rip your head off.”
“Because I happen to like it where it is.” Reid managed.
“God, you don’t even care, do you?” Noah snapped, letting go of Reid so fast that he fell back against the wall. Pushing himself up, he glared at Noah.
“You don’t know anything about me.” His voice was hard, even toned.
“Noah, stop.” Luke pleaded, moving so he was in front of Noah. “Just let him go.”
“Luke, he can’t get away with what he did to you.”
“I didn’t do anything he didn’t want.” Reid sneered, unable to stop himself. Luke looked horrified, but that was all took to send Noah over the edge. Reid didn’t even see it coming.
Noah punched like a boxer.
Heavy and hard and right in the nose.
Reid dropped to the floor, and he heard others around him shouting.
“Reid?” He tried to focus on the person speaking. Katie. “
“I’m fine.” He managed to get out. Someone held out a handkerchief and he took it, looking up to see Luke’s face. He lifted the cloth to his nose to stop the blood flow and got to his feet. “I’ll be outside. Get your coffee.”
He stumbled outside and sat down on the bench across from Java. Reid let his head hang down, his elbows resting on his knees. One hand was holding the handkerchief to his face and the other was pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Reid?” He heard Luke whisper.
“Damn it, Luke, I said I was fine.” Reid snapped.
“You don’t look fine.” Luke sat down next to him. “In fact you look as bad as I feel.”
“Yeah, well, your boyfriend has a hell of a right hook.”
“He’s not…” Luke started to say. “You know what, never mind.”
“Great.” Reid sighed. “Go away, Luke.”
“Right.” Luke said, anger in his voice. “I forgot for a second. What does someone like you know about feelings anyway.” Luke stalked off, and Reid watched him head back into the coffee shop. Katie came out a moment later, two cups in her hands.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked, handing him a cup.
“I said I was.” Reid took the cup. “Can we go now?”
“Yeah.” She agreed as he got up. “I can’t believe Noah hit you.”
“And you wonder why I never want to go out.”
Author: slayerkitty
Genre: Romance, Angst, AU
Rating: R
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.
You guys....I just love you guys. All of your comments are awesome!
Previous Chapters: Prologue/ 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
If living with Luke was living in a dream world, then living without him was like a black and white movie without sound.
Nothing mattered anymore, except Katie and Jacob and his work.
He started avoiding sleeping in his bed.
He didn’t want to sleep in it alone.
Life was routine. Dull. Time passed and he only noticed when he had to schedule a consult or surgery. The only time he ever felt alive was when he had someone’s brain in his hands…because it was the only thing that could distract him from the mess he’d made of his life.
He should have known better than to get involved with Luke Snyder. There were reasons Reid hadn’t wanted to act on his attraction to the younger man, reasons he’d spelled out to Luke in clear detail. And then Luke had kissed him, and every one of those reasons had gone out the window.
It was for the best.
So why did he feel so awful?
*
Katie fancied herself an expert on the subject. Almost nightly now, she encouraged him to call Luke, tell him the truth and beg forgiveness.
He didn’t have the heart to tell her that Luke would never forgive him. Not after that.
“That’s it.” Katie snapped. He looked up from his spot on the couch, where he was hugging her throw pillow and pretending to watch a Cubs game.
“Hmm?”
“I can’t take this.” Katie said, walking over and sitting next to him. She pried the pillow out of his grasp. “The constant moping, the biting comments. Your refusal to leave this house. It’s been weeks, Reid.”
“What are you talking about?” Reid asked, glaring at her.
“You’re miserable, Reid, I get that.” She told him gently. “But you can’t keep this up.”
“Says you.” Reid replied, turning his attention back to the screen long enough to note the Cubs were losing. Figured.
“I mean it.” Katie was insistent. “You can’t live like this.”
“I’ve done just fine my whole life, Katie.” Reid glanced at her again. “I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”
“But you’re not.”
“What am I doing that’s so wrong?”
“You’re moping!”
“So?”
“Call Luke.”
“Let it go, Katie.” He sighed. “It’s not going to happen. Even if he didn’t hate me, it’s not…it’s not a good idea.”
It sounded like a great idea. That’s why he couldn’t do it.
“Oh my God.” Katie leaned back against the couch, a knowing look in her eye.
“What?” He asked, looking confused.
“I don’t know how I missed it.”
“Missed what?”
“I knew you had feelings for him, but…” She paused, waiting for him to meet her gaze. “Reid, you’re in love with Luke, aren’t you?”
He stared at her for a moment, emotions playing across his face, beyond his control.
“What kind of question is that, Katie?” Reid’s voice was thick and hoarse.
“One that you’re clearly uncomfortable answering.”
“I…” He started to speak. “I’m a doctor, Katie. I don’t know how to be anything else.”
“That’s not what I asked you.” She looked at him. “It’s just a job. Luke is a person. And I’m pretty sure he’s in love with you too.” Reid looked startled.
“What? No, we were just…”
“A fling? Something to pass the time? Don’t give me that. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.” Reid was silent. “It’s the way Brad looked at me.” She paused. “And if you’re willing to throw away a chance at real happiness, at a love like that, then go ahead.” Her voice was thick, like she was trying not to cry.
“Katie, it’s not that simple.”
“It could be, if you wanted it to be.”
“What are you suggesting I do?”
“Follow your heart.” Reid scoffed. “I know you have one.” She smiled at the horrified expression on his face. “Fight for what you want.”
“And how do I do that?”
“You could start with telling Luke the truth.”
*
“You got me out of the house, Katie, what more do you want?” Reid asked as they wandered aimlessly through Old Town. A few days had passed since his talk with Katie and her words kept replaying over in his head.
“For you to actually want to be here?” She answered. He glared. “Fine.”
“Can we just get the cup of coffee you dragged me here for?” She sighed.
“Yeah, let’s go.” Reid followed her into Java, hands in his pockets. He leaned up against the counter, grateful Noah wasn’t working. He tuned Katie out while she ordered, and it was then that he felt it.
Eyes.
Turning around, he saw Luke sitting in a corner table, with Noah and the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Hughes. The rest of the table was laughing and talking, but Luke was just staring at him.
Unable to look away, he stared back.
It was inevitable that one of them would notice that Luke was no longer paying attention to the conversation, and suddenly the entire table was staring at him now.
He nudged Katie.
“I think I’ll wait outside.” He said quietly, and she glanced at him. Following his gaze, she turned and saw Luke and his friends.
“You could talk to him.”
“Not happening, Katie.” Reid said, heading for the door.
“Noah!” He heard Luke exclaim, and then a hand was jerking his arm roughly and whirling him around. Noah grabbed him by the collar.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t just rip your head off.”
“Because I happen to like it where it is.” Reid managed.
“God, you don’t even care, do you?” Noah snapped, letting go of Reid so fast that he fell back against the wall. Pushing himself up, he glared at Noah.
“You don’t know anything about me.” His voice was hard, even toned.
“Noah, stop.” Luke pleaded, moving so he was in front of Noah. “Just let him go.”
“Luke, he can’t get away with what he did to you.”
“I didn’t do anything he didn’t want.” Reid sneered, unable to stop himself. Luke looked horrified, but that was all took to send Noah over the edge. Reid didn’t even see it coming.
Noah punched like a boxer.
Heavy and hard and right in the nose.
Reid dropped to the floor, and he heard others around him shouting.
“Reid?” He tried to focus on the person speaking. Katie. “
“I’m fine.” He managed to get out. Someone held out a handkerchief and he took it, looking up to see Luke’s face. He lifted the cloth to his nose to stop the blood flow and got to his feet. “I’ll be outside. Get your coffee.”
He stumbled outside and sat down on the bench across from Java. Reid let his head hang down, his elbows resting on his knees. One hand was holding the handkerchief to his face and the other was pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Reid?” He heard Luke whisper.
“Damn it, Luke, I said I was fine.” Reid snapped.
“You don’t look fine.” Luke sat down next to him. “In fact you look as bad as I feel.”
“Yeah, well, your boyfriend has a hell of a right hook.”
“He’s not…” Luke started to say. “You know what, never mind.”
“Great.” Reid sighed. “Go away, Luke.”
“Right.” Luke said, anger in his voice. “I forgot for a second. What does someone like you know about feelings anyway.” Luke stalked off, and Reid watched him head back into the coffee shop. Katie came out a moment later, two cups in her hands.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked, handing him a cup.
“I said I was.” Reid took the cup. “Can we go now?”
“Yeah.” She agreed as he got up. “I can’t believe Noah hit you.”
“And you wonder why I never want to go out.”