Fic: Down the Rabbit Hole (41/?)
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 to NC-17
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. This story picks up right after Luke has promised Reid that his foundation will donate money to the new wing.
What's that you say? There's a lot of dialogue from the show in this chapter? Why yes, yes there is.
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/ 29/ 30/ 31/ 32/ 33/ 34/ 35/ 36/ 37/ 38/ 39/ 40
“How’s that patient?” Reid turned around at the sound of Luke’s voice.
“She’ll live.”
“That’s good.”
“I think so.” Reid gave him a long look, and as he suspected, there was a wealth of information in Luke’s eyes. Noah had not taken things very well. “How’s Noah?”
Luke let out a hard laugh.
“I didn’t have to tell him.” He told Reid. “He already knew.” Luke’s voice cracked on the last word.
“Come here.” Reid tugged on Luke’s hand, pulling him close. “Why don’t you go home, get Rosie, and meet me back here - we’ll go to lunch.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
They kissed a quick good-bye and Reid watched as Luke walked away, hands shoved in his pockets, his shoulders hunched.
He really, really hated Noah Mayer sometimes.
*
Reid opened the door to Noah’s room, seeing the younger man sitting in his chair, and staring out the window. He glanced at Reid as he walked in, a smirk crossing his face, before resuming his stare out the window.
“What do you want?”
“Just to check you out one last time before we kick you out of here.”
“You’re discharging me?”
“Unless you want to stay.”
“I’d like to be as far away from this hospital and you as I can get.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“That’s all you have to say?”
“Is there something you’re waiting to hear?” Reid set Noah’s chart down on the bed, pulling his penlight out of his lab coat. Noah let him check him over with a glare, and Reid had to fight the urge to laugh at absurdity of the situation. “You’re continuing to show signs of improvement.” Reid told him, going over to the bed and picking up his chart. He briefly ran down the medications he would be prescribing for Noah, and then glanced at him. The brunette was staring out the window again.
“Noah.” Reid said his name. Noah glanced in his direction. “Am I boring you?”
“Medication. Got it.” Noah replied.
“Any questions?” Noah was silent for a minute, then got up from the chair and turned to face Reid.
“Yeah.” Noah answered. “I was curious about when you started having feelings for my boyfriend.”
Reid stared at Noah for a long moment, and then tore the top page of the prescription pad and handed it to him. Noah took it with a reluctant look on his face.
“The second or third time I laid eyes on him.” Reid finally said. Noah seemed to process that for second as Reid turned away, intent on leaving the room. “You can book a follow up appointment in two weeks.”
“How many times have you done it?” Noah’s voice stopped him with his hand on the doorknob.
“I’ve done lots of things with lots of people.” Reid tried to keep from snapping at him. “You’re going to have to narrow it down.”
“How many times have you gone after your patient’s boyfriends…or girlfriends? Maybe you don’t discriminate as long as their vulnerable and in need of your medical help.”
“You can think what you want, Noah.” Reid attempted to leave again.
“Luke was just perfect, too, wasn’t he?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Reid wasn’t sure where this was going.
“He was so easy for you to manipulate.”
“What are you implying?” Now Reid was starting to get angry.
“You found out about Zoe, and about Rose, and you used it to your advantage.”
“Excuse me?” Reid exclaimed.
“There was Luke. All vulnerable and ripe for the picking.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Are you saying you didn’t take advantage of his mental or emotional state?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Reid snapped. “Luke is a grown man. He can make his own decisions, whether you like them or not.” Noah nodded, smirking again.
“Is that why you specialize in blind patients?” Noah asked. “Does it make it easier when they can’t see what’s going on right in front their noses?”
“If we’re going to continue our professional relationship, you need to drop this.” With that, Reid turned and walked out of the room.
*
He’d just finished with an ER consult when he caught sight of Noah headed his way.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Mayer?”
“I just wanted to let you know that we’re not going to be continuing our ‘professional relationship’.” Noah replied. Reid paused, staring at him.
“Is that official? Are we no longer doctor/patient?”
“That’s official.” Noah nodded.
“Thank you.” Reid replied. “I’ve been looking forward to this day.”
“So you don’t have to face me and feel guilty?”
“Nope.” Reid answered. “So I could tell how much I wished I’d been the blind one through this whole ordeal with you.”
“What?” Noah looked taken aback.
“That way I wouldn’t have to watch you treat Luke like dirt.”
“You don’t know anything about Luke and me.”
“Well, Luke’s filled in a few blanks.” Reid crossed his arms over his chest. “I’d say I know more than enough.” Surprise crossed Noah’s face. “Doesn’t matter that he blamed himself for what happened. Doesn’t matter that he bent over backwards to try and make it up to you.” Reid was on a roll now; all the things he’d been biting his tongue to keep from saying came flooding out.
“You still found ways to hurt him, to make him feel guilty and responsible, and in the end, you left him anyway.”
“And when I came back, you made sure it was too late.” Noah’s face twisted with anger. “I mean, actually telling us to stay apart during my treatments? I should have known something was up with you then.”
“You can’t pin that on me. I was trying to help you.” Reid denied. “Besides, I only asked that you keep Luke away from me. I didn’t tell you to drop him like a bad habit. That was all you. I was the excuse you needed to shove him out the door.”
“And you just helped yourself.”
“You have yourself to blame.” Reid had had enough. This conversation needed to end before he did something he would regret. “You acted like a spoiled brat every time the guy tried to do something to help the one he loved.”
“Are we done?” Noah glared.
“Yeah.” Reid answered. “Thanks to me, you can now see the door.” He pointed to the ER exit. “Use it.” Noah swallowed hard and then moved around Reid, headed for the door.
“What the…” Noah uttered, trailing off. Reid turned around at his words. Luke was walking towards the ER doors, except, he wasn’t walking right. He was stumbling, his hand to his side. Reid was out the door before he could think, Noah on his heels. He reached Luke in seconds.
“Luke?!” Reid tried to grab him as Luke fell forward.
“Reid?” He gasped out, as Reid lowered him to the ground. Reid saw Luke’s hand holding the left side of his stomach, blood staining his shirt.
“Luke, what happened?”
“Shot.” He wheezed.
“I see that.” Reid tried to switch off his feelings, tried to find his professional detachment, but it was hard, because this was Luke, this was his life. “Noah, go in and tell them we need a gurney. We’ve got to move him inside.” Noah ran back in.
“Who shot you, Luke?” Reid asked, slipping his lab coat off and using it to apply pressure to the wound. Luke groaned, and then coughed, arching his back. Noah was back, the ER team following him with the gurney.
“He took her.”
“Who took who?” Noah asked. Luke turned his head.
“Noah.” Noah took his hand, holding it tightly.
“Yeah.” Luke coughed again.
“He took Rose.”
“Someone took Rose?” Noah repeated. Luke nodded.
“Who, Luke?” Reid tried not to let his panic show.
“Zac.” He gasped again. “Zac took Rose.”
Luke’s eyes rolled up into his head, and then he was unconscious.
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 to NC-17
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. This story picks up right after Luke has promised Reid that his foundation will donate money to the new wing.
What's that you say? There's a lot of dialogue from the show in this chapter? Why yes, yes there is.
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/ 29/ 30/ 31/ 32/ 33/ 34/ 35/ 36/ 37/ 38/ 39/ 40
“How’s that patient?” Reid turned around at the sound of Luke’s voice.
“She’ll live.”
“That’s good.”
“I think so.” Reid gave him a long look, and as he suspected, there was a wealth of information in Luke’s eyes. Noah had not taken things very well. “How’s Noah?”
Luke let out a hard laugh.
“I didn’t have to tell him.” He told Reid. “He already knew.” Luke’s voice cracked on the last word.
“Come here.” Reid tugged on Luke’s hand, pulling him close. “Why don’t you go home, get Rosie, and meet me back here - we’ll go to lunch.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
They kissed a quick good-bye and Reid watched as Luke walked away, hands shoved in his pockets, his shoulders hunched.
He really, really hated Noah Mayer sometimes.
*
Reid opened the door to Noah’s room, seeing the younger man sitting in his chair, and staring out the window. He glanced at Reid as he walked in, a smirk crossing his face, before resuming his stare out the window.
“What do you want?”
“Just to check you out one last time before we kick you out of here.”
“You’re discharging me?”
“Unless you want to stay.”
“I’d like to be as far away from this hospital and you as I can get.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“That’s all you have to say?”
“Is there something you’re waiting to hear?” Reid set Noah’s chart down on the bed, pulling his penlight out of his lab coat. Noah let him check him over with a glare, and Reid had to fight the urge to laugh at absurdity of the situation. “You’re continuing to show signs of improvement.” Reid told him, going over to the bed and picking up his chart. He briefly ran down the medications he would be prescribing for Noah, and then glanced at him. The brunette was staring out the window again.
“Noah.” Reid said his name. Noah glanced in his direction. “Am I boring you?”
“Medication. Got it.” Noah replied.
“Any questions?” Noah was silent for a minute, then got up from the chair and turned to face Reid.
“Yeah.” Noah answered. “I was curious about when you started having feelings for my boyfriend.”
Reid stared at Noah for a long moment, and then tore the top page of the prescription pad and handed it to him. Noah took it with a reluctant look on his face.
“The second or third time I laid eyes on him.” Reid finally said. Noah seemed to process that for second as Reid turned away, intent on leaving the room. “You can book a follow up appointment in two weeks.”
“How many times have you done it?” Noah’s voice stopped him with his hand on the doorknob.
“I’ve done lots of things with lots of people.” Reid tried to keep from snapping at him. “You’re going to have to narrow it down.”
“How many times have you gone after your patient’s boyfriends…or girlfriends? Maybe you don’t discriminate as long as their vulnerable and in need of your medical help.”
“You can think what you want, Noah.” Reid attempted to leave again.
“Luke was just perfect, too, wasn’t he?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Reid wasn’t sure where this was going.
“He was so easy for you to manipulate.”
“What are you implying?” Now Reid was starting to get angry.
“You found out about Zoe, and about Rose, and you used it to your advantage.”
“Excuse me?” Reid exclaimed.
“There was Luke. All vulnerable and ripe for the picking.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Are you saying you didn’t take advantage of his mental or emotional state?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Reid snapped. “Luke is a grown man. He can make his own decisions, whether you like them or not.” Noah nodded, smirking again.
“Is that why you specialize in blind patients?” Noah asked. “Does it make it easier when they can’t see what’s going on right in front their noses?”
“If we’re going to continue our professional relationship, you need to drop this.” With that, Reid turned and walked out of the room.
*
He’d just finished with an ER consult when he caught sight of Noah headed his way.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Mayer?”
“I just wanted to let you know that we’re not going to be continuing our ‘professional relationship’.” Noah replied. Reid paused, staring at him.
“Is that official? Are we no longer doctor/patient?”
“That’s official.” Noah nodded.
“Thank you.” Reid replied. “I’ve been looking forward to this day.”
“So you don’t have to face me and feel guilty?”
“Nope.” Reid answered. “So I could tell how much I wished I’d been the blind one through this whole ordeal with you.”
“What?” Noah looked taken aback.
“That way I wouldn’t have to watch you treat Luke like dirt.”
“You don’t know anything about Luke and me.”
“Well, Luke’s filled in a few blanks.” Reid crossed his arms over his chest. “I’d say I know more than enough.” Surprise crossed Noah’s face. “Doesn’t matter that he blamed himself for what happened. Doesn’t matter that he bent over backwards to try and make it up to you.” Reid was on a roll now; all the things he’d been biting his tongue to keep from saying came flooding out.
“You still found ways to hurt him, to make him feel guilty and responsible, and in the end, you left him anyway.”
“And when I came back, you made sure it was too late.” Noah’s face twisted with anger. “I mean, actually telling us to stay apart during my treatments? I should have known something was up with you then.”
“You can’t pin that on me. I was trying to help you.” Reid denied. “Besides, I only asked that you keep Luke away from me. I didn’t tell you to drop him like a bad habit. That was all you. I was the excuse you needed to shove him out the door.”
“And you just helped yourself.”
“You have yourself to blame.” Reid had had enough. This conversation needed to end before he did something he would regret. “You acted like a spoiled brat every time the guy tried to do something to help the one he loved.”
“Are we done?” Noah glared.
“Yeah.” Reid answered. “Thanks to me, you can now see the door.” He pointed to the ER exit. “Use it.” Noah swallowed hard and then moved around Reid, headed for the door.
“What the…” Noah uttered, trailing off. Reid turned around at his words. Luke was walking towards the ER doors, except, he wasn’t walking right. He was stumbling, his hand to his side. Reid was out the door before he could think, Noah on his heels. He reached Luke in seconds.
“Luke?!” Reid tried to grab him as Luke fell forward.
“Reid?” He gasped out, as Reid lowered him to the ground. Reid saw Luke’s hand holding the left side of his stomach, blood staining his shirt.
“Luke, what happened?”
“Shot.” He wheezed.
“I see that.” Reid tried to switch off his feelings, tried to find his professional detachment, but it was hard, because this was Luke, this was his life. “Noah, go in and tell them we need a gurney. We’ve got to move him inside.” Noah ran back in.
“Who shot you, Luke?” Reid asked, slipping his lab coat off and using it to apply pressure to the wound. Luke groaned, and then coughed, arching his back. Noah was back, the ER team following him with the gurney.
“He took her.”
“Who took who?” Noah asked. Luke turned his head.
“Noah.” Noah took his hand, holding it tightly.
“Yeah.” Luke coughed again.
“He took Rose.”
“Someone took Rose?” Noah repeated. Luke nodded.
“Who, Luke?” Reid tried not to let his panic show.
“Zac.” He gasped again. “Zac took Rose.”
Luke’s eyes rolled up into his head, and then he was unconscious.