Fic: Down the Rabbit Hole (8/?)
Title: Down the Rabbit Hole
Author: slayerkitty
Genre: Romance, Angst, AU
Warnings: Implied rape, Implied incest (I'm not sure I need this one, but Zoe and Luke are technically related)
Rating: R
Spoilers: None
Characters: Luke/Reid, Past Luke/Noah, Other Misc characters
Disclaimer: As the World Turns and it's characters are not mine, no matter how much I enjoy playing with them. :)
Summary: What if Zoe succeeded in her plans to have Luke's baby?
Author's Notes: Flashbacks are in italics, and there are several lines of dialogue from the show (flashbacks) in the first few chapters. This story picks up right after Luke has promised Reid that his foundation will donate money to the new wing. That means no elevator, no Dallas, etc. Baby Snyder is named in this chapter (finally!). Thank you to everyone who gave me suggestions for middle names gypsiesheart, used one of yours, and you'll laugh when you see her name. It was unintentional, I swear. I had her first name picked out before I started writing the story.
Previous Chapters: Prologue/ 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7
“Hi, honey.” Luke looked up to see his mom in the doorway. He was sitting in a nursing room, feeding the baby.
“Hi.” He said quietly. “The nurses thought I should get used to feeding her.” Lilly walked over to him, and knelt down.
“She’s beautiful.”
“I never thought this would happen.” Luke met his mother’s gaze. “That I’d be sitting here, rocking my daughter.” Luke cleared his throat. “The way she was conceived doesn’t matter. All that matters is her.”
Lily looked like she was going to cry, and she leaned up to kiss Luke’s cheek.
“I’m so proud of you.” She whispered. They sat in silence, watching the baby. “Does she have a name?” Lily asked, stroking the baby’s head lightly.
“She does.” Luke smiled. “Mom, this is Rose.” He patted the baby gently. “Rose Emerson Snyder. Rose, say hi to your Grandma.” Lily covered her mouth with her hand, a tear slipping down her cheek.
“Oh, Luke.” Lily managed. “Rose would be thrilled.”
“You like it?”
“Of course I do.” She smiled around her tears. “Hi, Rose.”
*
Reid walked into the exam room, glancing at the chart for his next appointment.
“Good Morning, Noah.” He said, looking at the man sitting on the exam table.
“Hi, Dr. Oliver.”
“Sorry we had to reschedule.”
“It’s okay.” Noah shrugged. “You had an emergency. How is Zoe?”
“I can’t tell you.” Reid answered. “It would be violating patient/doctor confidentiality.” He paused. “You should ask Detective Hughes.”
“I’ll do that.” Noah said. “Luke must be a wreck.”
“Oh?” Reid replied, keeping his answer non-committal. He started examining Noah while they talked, checking his eyes with a penlight.
“Yeah, Zoe and her boyfriend Zac did a real number on us.”
“I’ve been informed.” Reid clicked the light off, and put it in the pocket of his lab coat. “Maybe you should call him.”
“Call Luke?”
“No, the Pope.” Noah laughed. “I’ll have the nurse come in and hook up your IV for your treatment.” Reid said, writing on Noah’s chart. “I’ll come back and check on you in a little bit, and we can discuss your physical therapy.”
“Sounds good.”
Reid left the exam room, shutting the door behind him. He handed the chart to a passing nurse, after issuing his orders. As she walked away, he sighed.
“Hey.” Luke spoke up from behind him. Reid felt face break out into a smile as he turned around. Luke was standing there, a fussing bundle in his arms. He was bouncing her gently.
“Hey.”
“I wanted you to meet someone.” Luke said.
“So I see.”
“This is Rose.”
Reid glanced down at the baby.
“Are they letting you take her home today?” Luke nodded.
“You want to hold her?” Reid gave him a look. “Don’t give me that look. I’ve seen you with Jacob.”
Just then, the door to Noah’s exam room opened.
“Luke?”
“Noah.” Luke said, his mouth going dry. “Yeah, it’s me.”
“I thought I heard you and Dr. Oliver out here.” Noah replied, smiling a little. “Your ears must be burning. We were just talking about you.”
“You were?” Luke asked, still bouncing Rose gently.
“Yeah, all the stuff with Zoe.”
“What stuff?” Luke looked accusingly at Reid, who shook his head firmly. Just then, Rose spit out her pacifier and started to cry.
“Is that a baby?”
“Yeah.” Luke put the pacifier back in her mouth, and Rose stopped crying after a second.
“Oh, Luke, tell me you didn’t.”
“What?”
“That’s Zoe’s baby, isn’t it.”
“Yeah.” Luke answered, his voice soft.
“You didn’t do something crazy like agree to take care of her baby, did you?” Noah kept talking, not letting Luke answer. “Because that’s not a good idea, Luke.”
“Noah...” Luke tried to interrupt. Reid wanted to step in then, say something to Noah to get him to back off. He didn't. This was Luke's battle, Luke's ex.
Let Noah Mayer dig his own grave.
“Why don't I let you two talk?” Reid suggested. “The nurse should be by in a minute anyway.”
“Can you - Can you take Rose back to the nursery for me?” Luke asked Reid, sounding nervous and upset.
“Sure.” Reid agreed, sighing a little. Reid tried not to feel anything as Luke brushed against him and set Rose in his arms. “Remember what I said.”
Luke nodded.
Reid walked away, cradling Rose in his arms. As he moved towards the elevator, he heard Noah exclaim loudly.
“You named her?”
The elevator dinged after second, and Reid got on. He stared down at the baby in his arms as the doors closed.
“Well, Rosie. Your dad is all messed up right now.” She blinked at him, opening her eyes. They were the same color as Luke's and that startled him for a moment. “That's right. He's going to need you.”
Reid stepped off the elevator on the maternity floor, and nearly ran into Katie. Literally. He barely managed to side step her, a squirming Jacob in her arms.
“Reid, hi!” She exclaimed, trying to get a better grip on Jacob.
“Katie, what...”
“I'm sorry, I'm late.” She said, moving to hit the elevator button again. She turned around and looked at Reid. “Why are you holding someone's baby?”
*
“You named her?” Noah exclaimed loudly.
“Yes.” Luke hissed. “Please keep your voice down.”
“I'm sorry.” Noah sighed. “I just...I worry about you.”
“I know.” Luke replied. “You don't have to worry. I'm fine.”
“You're not fine, Luke.”
“Noah, I mean it.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I'm okay.”
“Luke, what did Zoe say to you to get you to take her baby?”
“It is determined that sample A is a genetic match to the child in question…”
“She didn't say anything, Noah. Zoe's dead.” Noah's face turned from concerned anger to one of shock.
“She's dead?”
“Aneurism.” Luke told him quietly. “She never made it out of the operating room.”
“I didn't know.”
“Well, now you do.”
“But, Luke. Raising her baby?” Luke could hear the disbelief in his voice. “How is that a good idea?”
“Noah, please.” Luke protested. “I can't just leave Rose to fend for herself.”
“Luke, do you really think you're qualified to take care of her?”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you're a twenty-two year old college drop out who alternates between running a charitable foundation and a shipping company owned by the same family that killed her mother. You’re not father material.”
It was like someone punched him in the stomach.
“I can't believe you just said that to me.” Luke whispered, hurt showing on his face. “Don’t forget that I’m gay, Noah. God forbid that keep me from being a good father.”
“I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“Could have fooled me.” Luke snapped. “I’m just doing something stupid, as usual, right?”
“Luke, stop it.” Noah moved towards him. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Noah.” Luke nearly growled. “Seriously, I can’t deal with you right now.”
“Luke, I…”
“Don’t, Noah.” He said. “Just…don’t.”
“Hi, Noah.” A perky looking nurse approached them. “You ready for your treatment?
“Yeah.” Noah answered, after a long pause. “Luke, think about what I said.”
“Bye, Noah.” Luke muttered, walking away.
*
Reid paused a second before answering Katie.
“Reid, whose baby is that?” She asked again.
“Aren’t you late?” Reid avoided the question.
“Not that late.” Kate stopped him as he tried to step around her. “And you didn’t answer me.”
“Katie…” He started to say, and the elevator dinged behind them. Luke stepped out, his face lighting up as he saw them standing there.
“You didn’t get far.” Luke said. “Hi, Katie.”
“Hi, Luke.” She greeted, moving Jacob so he was sitting on her hip. “Reid, are you going to answer me?”
“What’s the question?” Luke asked.
“He won’t tell me whose baby that is, and since he won’t tell me, it has to be a big deal.” Luke laughed and leaned forward, taking Rose out of Reid’s arms.
“She’s mine.” Luke cradled the baby against his chest. “Aren’t you Rose?”
“Yours?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ll bet.”
“I should take her back now.” Luke said, and then looked at Reid. “Oh, before I forget. We should set up a meeting with the architect for the new wing next week.”
“I’ll get back to you.” Luke nodded.
“Bye Katie.” He ruffled Jacob’s hair, and headed for the nursery.
“We are having a serious discussion tonight.” Katie glared at Reid, and he did his best to look innocent.
“Don’t you have to go?” He replied.
“Crap!” She exclaimed, punching the elevator button again. “This conversation is not over.”
He gave her a little wave as she got on the elevator and the doors closed.
Author: slayerkitty
Genre: Romance, Angst, AU
Warnings: Implied rape, Implied incest (I'm not sure I need this one, but Zoe and Luke are technically related)
Rating: R
Spoilers: None
Characters: Luke/Reid, Past Luke/Noah, Other Misc characters
Disclaimer: As the World Turns and it's characters are not mine, no matter how much I enjoy playing with them. :)
Summary: What if Zoe succeeded in her plans to have Luke's baby?
Author's Notes: Flashbacks are in italics, and there are several lines of dialogue from the show (flashbacks) in the first few chapters. This story picks up right after Luke has promised Reid that his foundation will donate money to the new wing. That means no elevator, no Dallas, etc. Baby Snyder is named in this chapter (finally!). Thank you to everyone who gave me suggestions for middle names gypsiesheart, used one of yours, and you'll laugh when you see her name. It was unintentional, I swear. I had her first name picked out before I started writing the story.
Previous Chapters: Prologue/ 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7
“Hi, honey.” Luke looked up to see his mom in the doorway. He was sitting in a nursing room, feeding the baby.
“Hi.” He said quietly. “The nurses thought I should get used to feeding her.” Lilly walked over to him, and knelt down.
“She’s beautiful.”
“I never thought this would happen.” Luke met his mother’s gaze. “That I’d be sitting here, rocking my daughter.” Luke cleared his throat. “The way she was conceived doesn’t matter. All that matters is her.”
Lily looked like she was going to cry, and she leaned up to kiss Luke’s cheek.
“I’m so proud of you.” She whispered. They sat in silence, watching the baby. “Does she have a name?” Lily asked, stroking the baby’s head lightly.
“She does.” Luke smiled. “Mom, this is Rose.” He patted the baby gently. “Rose Emerson Snyder. Rose, say hi to your Grandma.” Lily covered her mouth with her hand, a tear slipping down her cheek.
“Oh, Luke.” Lily managed. “Rose would be thrilled.”
“You like it?”
“Of course I do.” She smiled around her tears. “Hi, Rose.”
*
Reid walked into the exam room, glancing at the chart for his next appointment.
“Good Morning, Noah.” He said, looking at the man sitting on the exam table.
“Hi, Dr. Oliver.”
“Sorry we had to reschedule.”
“It’s okay.” Noah shrugged. “You had an emergency. How is Zoe?”
“I can’t tell you.” Reid answered. “It would be violating patient/doctor confidentiality.” He paused. “You should ask Detective Hughes.”
“I’ll do that.” Noah said. “Luke must be a wreck.”
“Oh?” Reid replied, keeping his answer non-committal. He started examining Noah while they talked, checking his eyes with a penlight.
“Yeah, Zoe and her boyfriend Zac did a real number on us.”
“I’ve been informed.” Reid clicked the light off, and put it in the pocket of his lab coat. “Maybe you should call him.”
“Call Luke?”
“No, the Pope.” Noah laughed. “I’ll have the nurse come in and hook up your IV for your treatment.” Reid said, writing on Noah’s chart. “I’ll come back and check on you in a little bit, and we can discuss your physical therapy.”
“Sounds good.”
Reid left the exam room, shutting the door behind him. He handed the chart to a passing nurse, after issuing his orders. As she walked away, he sighed.
“Hey.” Luke spoke up from behind him. Reid felt face break out into a smile as he turned around. Luke was standing there, a fussing bundle in his arms. He was bouncing her gently.
“Hey.”
“I wanted you to meet someone.” Luke said.
“So I see.”
“This is Rose.”
Reid glanced down at the baby.
“Are they letting you take her home today?” Luke nodded.
“You want to hold her?” Reid gave him a look. “Don’t give me that look. I’ve seen you with Jacob.”
Just then, the door to Noah’s exam room opened.
“Luke?”
“Noah.” Luke said, his mouth going dry. “Yeah, it’s me.”
“I thought I heard you and Dr. Oliver out here.” Noah replied, smiling a little. “Your ears must be burning. We were just talking about you.”
“You were?” Luke asked, still bouncing Rose gently.
“Yeah, all the stuff with Zoe.”
“What stuff?” Luke looked accusingly at Reid, who shook his head firmly. Just then, Rose spit out her pacifier and started to cry.
“Is that a baby?”
“Yeah.” Luke put the pacifier back in her mouth, and Rose stopped crying after a second.
“Oh, Luke, tell me you didn’t.”
“What?”
“That’s Zoe’s baby, isn’t it.”
“Yeah.” Luke answered, his voice soft.
“You didn’t do something crazy like agree to take care of her baby, did you?” Noah kept talking, not letting Luke answer. “Because that’s not a good idea, Luke.”
“Noah...” Luke tried to interrupt. Reid wanted to step in then, say something to Noah to get him to back off. He didn't. This was Luke's battle, Luke's ex.
Let Noah Mayer dig his own grave.
“Why don't I let you two talk?” Reid suggested. “The nurse should be by in a minute anyway.”
“Can you - Can you take Rose back to the nursery for me?” Luke asked Reid, sounding nervous and upset.
“Sure.” Reid agreed, sighing a little. Reid tried not to feel anything as Luke brushed against him and set Rose in his arms. “Remember what I said.”
Luke nodded.
Reid walked away, cradling Rose in his arms. As he moved towards the elevator, he heard Noah exclaim loudly.
“You named her?”
The elevator dinged after second, and Reid got on. He stared down at the baby in his arms as the doors closed.
“Well, Rosie. Your dad is all messed up right now.” She blinked at him, opening her eyes. They were the same color as Luke's and that startled him for a moment. “That's right. He's going to need you.”
Reid stepped off the elevator on the maternity floor, and nearly ran into Katie. Literally. He barely managed to side step her, a squirming Jacob in her arms.
“Reid, hi!” She exclaimed, trying to get a better grip on Jacob.
“Katie, what...”
“I'm sorry, I'm late.” She said, moving to hit the elevator button again. She turned around and looked at Reid. “Why are you holding someone's baby?”
*
“You named her?” Noah exclaimed loudly.
“Yes.” Luke hissed. “Please keep your voice down.”
“I'm sorry.” Noah sighed. “I just...I worry about you.”
“I know.” Luke replied. “You don't have to worry. I'm fine.”
“You're not fine, Luke.”
“Noah, I mean it.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I'm okay.”
“Luke, what did Zoe say to you to get you to take her baby?”
“It is determined that sample A is a genetic match to the child in question…”
“She didn't say anything, Noah. Zoe's dead.” Noah's face turned from concerned anger to one of shock.
“She's dead?”
“Aneurism.” Luke told him quietly. “She never made it out of the operating room.”
“I didn't know.”
“Well, now you do.”
“But, Luke. Raising her baby?” Luke could hear the disbelief in his voice. “How is that a good idea?”
“Noah, please.” Luke protested. “I can't just leave Rose to fend for herself.”
“Luke, do you really think you're qualified to take care of her?”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you're a twenty-two year old college drop out who alternates between running a charitable foundation and a shipping company owned by the same family that killed her mother. You’re not father material.”
It was like someone punched him in the stomach.
“I can't believe you just said that to me.” Luke whispered, hurt showing on his face. “Don’t forget that I’m gay, Noah. God forbid that keep me from being a good father.”
“I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“Could have fooled me.” Luke snapped. “I’m just doing something stupid, as usual, right?”
“Luke, stop it.” Noah moved towards him. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Noah.” Luke nearly growled. “Seriously, I can’t deal with you right now.”
“Luke, I…”
“Don’t, Noah.” He said. “Just…don’t.”
“Hi, Noah.” A perky looking nurse approached them. “You ready for your treatment?
“Yeah.” Noah answered, after a long pause. “Luke, think about what I said.”
“Bye, Noah.” Luke muttered, walking away.
*
Reid paused a second before answering Katie.
“Reid, whose baby is that?” She asked again.
“Aren’t you late?” Reid avoided the question.
“Not that late.” Kate stopped him as he tried to step around her. “And you didn’t answer me.”
“Katie…” He started to say, and the elevator dinged behind them. Luke stepped out, his face lighting up as he saw them standing there.
“You didn’t get far.” Luke said. “Hi, Katie.”
“Hi, Luke.” She greeted, moving Jacob so he was sitting on her hip. “Reid, are you going to answer me?”
“What’s the question?” Luke asked.
“He won’t tell me whose baby that is, and since he won’t tell me, it has to be a big deal.” Luke laughed and leaned forward, taking Rose out of Reid’s arms.
“She’s mine.” Luke cradled the baby against his chest. “Aren’t you Rose?”
“Yours?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ll bet.”
“I should take her back now.” Luke said, and then looked at Reid. “Oh, before I forget. We should set up a meeting with the architect for the new wing next week.”
“I’ll get back to you.” Luke nodded.
“Bye Katie.” He ruffled Jacob’s hair, and headed for the nursery.
“We are having a serious discussion tonight.” Katie glared at Reid, and he did his best to look innocent.
“Don’t you have to go?” He replied.
“Crap!” She exclaimed, punching the elevator button again. “This conversation is not over.”
He gave her a little wave as she got on the elevator and the doors closed.