dpracket

"Are we almost there?" Natalie asked from the back seat.

"Nat, we just left...we'll be at the Lakeview in about twenty minutes," Luke answered as he drove.

"I don't think that blonde woman really twisted her ankle.  I think she's faking it," Reid said, looking out the side window.

"Her name is Carly."

"Yeah.  Whatever.  I still think she's faking the messed up ankle."

Luke nodded.

"Is she a relative of yours?" Reid asked through a mouthful of food.

"Carly?"

"Yeah, her."

"Sort of...she's my cousin-in-law I guess?  You know who Jack is, right?"

"Yeah, the cop...the one at the farm.  He wasn't buying the ankle act either."

"He's my dad's cousin.  Hmm....though Carly and Jack aren't married anymore, so I guess technically that makes us ex cousins-in-law?  But they're together and will probably get married again, so that makes us.........Are you still eating cookies?"

"Who made these?  They're fucking heaven."

"REID!"

"You said the eff word," Ethan giggled.

"Shit, I'm sorry," Reid said, glancing back at the kids.

"REID!" Luke repeated.

Natalie and Ethan looked at each other and laughed.  "That's two bad words," Ethan said excitedly.  "You're gonna be in trouble."

"If you share those cookies with us, we won't tell mom," Natalie said, holding her hand out toward Reid.  "Right, Ethan?"

Ethan nodded excitedly, his brown eyes gleaming, and hell if he didn't remind Reid of Luke.

Reid picked up the Ziplock bag off his lap and reluctantly handed it back to Natalie.  "I see blackmail runs in the family."    He looked over at Luke and winked.  Luke reached over and intertwined his fingers with Reid's.  Reid looked down at their hands, ran his thumb over Luke's knuckles, and tried to ignore the warm feeling in his chest.

"Luke, why are you holding Doctaw Weid's hand?" Ethan asked around a mouthful of cookies.

"Please, don't talk with your mouth full,buddy" Luke said.

"Yeah, don't talk with your mouth full" Reid repeated, turning his head to Ethan and smiling.  "Where are your manners, young man?" he joked.  

Ethan giggled and then swallowed.  "Why are you holding hands?" he asked again.

"Uh...we...um..."

"They like each other, silly," Natalie said.  "And when grownups like each other, they want to touch each other and kiss and stuff."

"Ewwww," Ethan groused. 

I know...ewwwww," Natalie agreed.

"Yeah, ewww,' Reid echoed, smiling at Luke and squeezing his hand.

"Doctow Weid...you like boys?" Ethan continued his line of questioning.

"Um..."  Reid kept his eyes forward and tried to repress his smile.

"Because you think Luke is cute?"

Reid laughed.  "Yes.  I think Luke is very cute."   He looked over and caught Luke's amused expression.  "Eyes on the road, Snyder..."

"Luke thinks you're cute too," Natalie offered.  "I heard him tell Faith.  Actually, he told her you were hot, but mom doesn't like me to use that word that way..."

"Natalie..." Luke complained.

"I won't tell, if you don't," Reid looked back and smiled at Natalie.  "And give me a cookie...turnabout's fair play."  He turned and held his right hand out to Natalie, who put a cookie in it.

"Please, don't let this hot talk go to your head," Luke teased.  "Your ego is already over inflated."

Reid licked his lips and smiled again, before turning back around and stuffing the entire cookie in his mouth.

"Doctaw Weid, if  you are hot, you should open the window.  I'm hot too."  Ethan tugged at his clip-on tie.

Natalie rolled her eyes, "Not that kind of hot, stupid."

"Nat, be nice," Luke instructed.

"Luke, if you think Doctaw Weid is cute, and you want to kiss him, then you should get married like daddy and Molly."

Reid started coughing and let go of Luke's hand so that he could cover his mouth to keep the cookie he was chewing from ending up on the dashboard. 

Luke glanced sideways at him, the smile leaving his face.  "Don't choke," he said gruffly and pulled his waterbottle out of the cup holder and handed it to Reid. 

"Thanks," Reid said, unscrewing the cap and taking a long drink.  He cleared his throat. "Ethan, our state laws don't allow two men to get married." Reid explained.

"That's not fair..." Ethan said sadly.

Reid shrugged.  "No, I guess it's not..."  He looked over at Luke who was now staring intently at the road.  He reached over and tugged Luke's earlobe gently before returning his hand to his own lap. 

"Grandmother can get that law changed," Natalie said confidently.

Luke chuckled.

 "I don't think your grandmother has that kind of power," Reid said.

"You clearly have not met Lucinda Walsh," Luke anwered, laughing again.

"Some day, I'll run for boss, and I'll change the law," Ethan said innocently.  "And then you can marry Luke and always love him and live at our house with us."  He giggled.  "And kiss."

Reid nodded and looked out the side window.   He thought about kissing Luke and decided that there were definitely worse ways he could spend the rest of his life.  And then he mentally kicked himself in the ass for even thinking such a thing.  

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the Lakeview.  Faith and Parker met them in the parking lot.   "I'll take the kids inside...do you need help carrying that stuff in?  Parker can help, right Parker?"

"Yeah, of course," Parker said, heading to the back of Luke's car.

"No, there's not much...I think Reid and I can handle it.  You guys go inside; we'll be right in."

Luke watched the two teens walk away with his young siblings and then made for the rear of the car.  Before he could get there, Reid grabbed his hand and pulled Luke's body against his.  He moved his hand to the back of Luke's neck and pulled their mouths together.  Luke met his lips with an open mouth, and their tongues slowly slid against and around each other as the kiss deepened.  

Reid broke the kiss and then turned them around so that Luke's back was against the car.  He pressed himself against Luke's body and kissed his jaw.  He ran his right thumb along Luke's left eyebrow and then down his cheek and across his lips. 

Luke sighed and pressed his face into Reid's neck, and Reid brought his hand up to tug at Luke's hair.

Reid pulled back and cupped Luke's neck.  "Someday, when your little brother rules the world...if the rules change...ya know...we can...uh...we can...maybe talk about it...maybe..."  His eyes dropped to Luke's lips.   

"Just this morning, you were calling the whole idea archaic."

Reid shrugged. "It's different in the context of you..."

Luke smiled and pressed a light kiss to Reid's lips.  "This discussion's a little premature, don't you think?"

"Yes.  Definitely.  But...I just...if that's something you expect to have in your life...if it's something you want...someday...ya know...I don't want you to assume that you can't have that with me...if and when we get to that point...maybe we can consider it...i mean, if you want...

Luke laughed and brought his hands up to either side of Reid's face.  "God, I love it when Nerd Science Guy comes out to play."

Reid rolled his eyes and tried to pull away, but Luke held him tighter and brought Reid's mouth to his.  He kissed him lightly and then wrapped his arms around Reid's shoulders.

"I like you a lot, Mr. Snyder," Reid said softly against the side of Luke's head.

"I like you too, Dr. Oliver."

 

"Okay," Reid said, turning away from Luke.  He had just tried to kiss Luke, and Luke  had awkwardly pulled away.  "Well, tell me what you want to pack up."

"Reid..." Luke tried to interrupt.

"I'll help you get it down to the car, and then I've got to get back...home."

"Look, Reid, don't do this," Luke said, shaking his head and walking toward his boyfriend.

"Do what?  Back away?  Isn't that what you just did?" Reid replied, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice.

"Yeah," Luke said, reaching forward and puttiing his hands on Reid's arms, "But not because you did anything wrong.  Look...you are doing everything right."

"And that's a problem?"  Luke dropped his head and sighed.  "Because with very little provocation, I can screw things up again," Reid said, unable to keep a faint smile from playing on his lips as he looked at Luke.

Luke rolled his eyes slightly.  He looked Reid in the eyes.  "I have never been with anyone but Noah."

"I know that."  Why did he have to bring up Noah AGAIN?

"And in my head, I associate all of this with Noah."

Reid shook his head in disbelief.  "So it's hard to what?  Change gears?"  He narrowed his eyes at Luke.  "Give me an hour, and I'll give you a whole new set of associations to ponder."

"See...you say things like that, and..." Luke trailed off.

"And what?"

"And you seem so confident."

"Have you ever known me not to be confident?  About anything?"

"I guess not," Luke admitted.  "But this..." he said , gesturing between himself and Reid.  "...you probably have a lot of experience, and I..."

"...have only been with one person." Reid refused to say his name.

Luke sighed and looked at the floor.  "Yeah...ya know...what if I suck at it?"

Reid closed his eyes at the absurdity of Luke's worry.  "Impossible."  He looked for words to alleviate Luke's fears.  "Listen, Luke...believe me, you can't do anything wrong here...it's just sex...it's not like it's..."

"Brain surgery?" Luke interrupted, smiling, still not able to look at Reid.

"I was going to say 'rocket science,' but yeah...brain surgery fits too."  He reached out and held onto Luke's hand, and Luke finally raised his eyes.  "Do you like sex?"

Luke laughed nervously.  "Of course I like it."

"Do you like me?"  Reid moved his hand to Luke's hip.

"You know I do," Luke said, looking seriously into his eyes.

"That's good because I'm crazy about you," Reid admitted, which made Luke smile brightly and toe at the carpet with his shoe.  "Do you think about it?"

"Sex?" Luke asked.

"Sex with me."

Luke looked away and said softly, "All the time."

"Me too." Reid smiled at Luke's embarrassment.

Luke raised his head.  "Really?  You think about sex with yourself all the time?" he joked playfully.

"No...I think about sex with YOU all the time," Reid answerd and then added sexily, "...especially when I'm having sex with myself."

Luke ran his hand over his face and tried to ignore the heat that suddenly surged through his lower abdomen because of the image that Reid had just put in his head.  "Is it getting warm in here?" he asked , as he tugged on the knot of his tie.

Reid leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Luke's lips.  "I want you, Luke."  He put his hand over Luke's, moving it away, and pulling the knot loose before easily unbuttoning only the top button of Luke's shirt with one hand.  He kissed Luke's jaw.  "I want to undress you, feel your body against mine."  He ran his thumb over Luke's adam's apple and felt it bounce as Luke swallowed.  Reid moved over to the other side of Luke's head and brushed his lips across Luke's temple and ear.  "I want to taste your skin," he murmurred softly, his breathe against Luke's ear causing goosebumps to rise all over his body.  Luke pressed his head against Reid's lips.  Reid moved to the other side again and sighed against Luke's cheek, "I want to know what you sound like when you come."  Luke stifled a moan as Reid dragged his nose lightly across Luke's cheek and down over his jaw until his mouth hovered over Luke's.  "I want to be inside of you."  He kissed Luke, letting his toungue slide slowly over Luke's bottom lip.  "I want to feel you inside of me."

Luke gasped and pulled back, staring at Reid's mouth before lifting his eyes to meet Reid's.  "You'd let me do that?" he asked shyly. 

"Absolutely," he answered, "Anything, Luke....anything you want."

"But I've never..." Luke said, unable to continue.

Reid closed his eyes against the increased desire Luke's words were causing within him.  "All the better," he barely whispered, "I'll be your first."  Reid encircled Luke's waist with his arms and pulled him close and buried his face in Luke's neck, kissing the soft skin there.  "Let me love you."  Luke moved his head to the side to give Reid better access, his breath coming out in ragged puffs, as he struggled to remember why he'd been resisting this.  "Want you so bad," Reid said between kisses and nips at Luke's neck.  "Need you."

Luke pulled back and held both sides of Reid's head, letting his thumbs travel across his cheekbones and parted lips.  He looked into Reid's eyes, which were a darker blue than he'd ever seen them, before Reid pressed his forehead against Luke's and closed his eyes, his hands toying with the hem of Luke's sportscoat.

"I want you too," Luke whispered, all hesitancy disappearing,  and then repeated with more conviction, "I want you."  He pushed Reid's coat off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor as he ran his hands down his muscular back.  His hands went up to Reid's tie and tugged until it was loose, letting it drop to the floor as well.  He pulled his own tie up over his head and dropped it next to Reid's.  He then started to unbutton his own shirt, but Reid gently pulled his hands away.  "Let me," he said, as he brought his lips to Luke's and deftly worked the buttons on Luke's shirt.  When he reached  the last button he pulled back and trailed his hand from Luke's neck, down over his left nipple, over his ribs, along his side, and to the waistband of Luke's dress pants. 

Luke's breath hitched in his throat.  "Reid..."

"Shh..." Reid commanded, as he pushed Luke's tan colored coat off his shoulders, Luke's shirt partially coming off in the process.   Reid leaned down and kissed Luke's chest before returning his hands to his neck and then running them over Luke's strong shoulders. 

Luke's hands went to Reid's gray shirt and fumbled with the buttons, his hands shaking with desire.  After each button, he moved his hand inside Reid's shirt, anxious to feel each newly revealed piece of skin, before moving on to the next button.   When he reached the bottom button, he went to work on the cuffs of Reid's shirt, dislodging the buttons there.  He then loosened his own cuffs before shucking his shirt the rest of the way.  Reid let out a small groan at the sight before him and let his hands travel over Luke's torso lightly. 

Luke pushed Reid's shirt off his shoulders and let it fall near the other clothes that were pooling on the floor.  He then leaned forward and put his mouth on Reid's neck, kissing and sucking, and running his hand into Reid's hair.  After a few moments, Reid's arms encircled Luke, and Luke hugged Reid back tightly, their bare chests and stomachs lining up perfectly with each other.  Reid shivered and hugged Luke closer.  "Luke...I"ve wanted this for so long..."  His hands roamed over Luke's back, shoulders, and neck.  "...just to feel your skin."  He kissed Luke's neck., followed by his shoulder.  "I can't believe I'm saying this, but if you're not ready for anything else, this is good.  It's perfect actually, and I'd be happy just holding you all night."

Luke pulled back and looked into Reid's eyes before capturing his mouth in a deep, passionate kiss.  As they kissed, he turned Reid around and walked him backwards until the back of his legs hit the bed.  "Maybe you didn't hear me," Luke panted as he broke the kiss.  He pushed Reid hard enough so that he fell back onto the bed.  He toed off his own shoes as he lifted each of Reid's feet, removing his shoes and socks.  He lowered himself over Reid, pressing their groins together.  "I said I wanted you."  Reid smiled and pulled Luke's mouth to his.

They then proceeded to make love all night long.  There was no train.  And they lived happily ever after.

The end.

Water laps at the dock that juts out into the pond, making gentle splashing sounds.  The leaves all around rustle in the gentle breeze.  Birds and locusts sing their very different songs from the trees.  A dog barks in the distance. 

Sunlight plays upon the water, shifting diamonds and stars.  Trees line the pond on all sides, healthy, nourished, green.  The sky spreads endlessly up, away, out, a brilliant blue, not a cloud in sight. 

Pine fills the warm air; the scent of fresh cut grass lingers, familiar, comforting.

The sunlight warms Luke's arms, legs, shoulders,  making his skin tingle.  The dock lies hot beneath Reid's back.

Luke sits on the edge of the dock, swinging his legs in the cool water like a little boy, leaning forward to dip his hands in the pond, letting it waterfall from one hand to the other, mesmerized.

Reid lies next to him, eyes closed against the bright sun, legs hanging over the side of the dock, toes just barely in the water, relaxed.

Luke brushes a soaked hand across Reid's forehead, over his face, along his neck, cooling his skin.  Reid licks the water from his lips, sighs his appreciation.  Luke leans down and kisses Reid.  His tongue tastes like lemonade.

Luke sits up, resumes his delight in the fresh water.  Eyes still closed, Reid rests his hand against the small of Luke's back, making Luke's skin tingle more than the sunlight. 

Luke smiles.

Reid breathes.

It's a nice freaking day. 

I'm so bummed that this soap is ending and we're not going to ever see Reid getting to know Luke's friends.

Comments are encouraged and appreciated.  :)

*****************************************************


Casey walked down the long, yet unused corridor leading to the new wing, which was underconstruction.  The floor was still concrete, and the walls were spackled drywall.  Boxes of unlayed tile lined the hallway.  Casey looked into each room, as he moved forward, looking for the room that had the new gurneys in it, as two were needed in the E.R.  He was almost to the neuro wing when he heard laughter coming from one of the rooms up ahead.  He heard voices also but couldn't make out what they were saying.  He approached the room, looked inside, and immediately jumped back.  Two men were inside the room, one in a white lab coat, and they had their arms wrapped around each other.  Not wanting to disturb them, mostly because it would be completely awkward, Casey walked briskly past the opening and continued looking for the gurneys.  Just past the doorway, he realized that he recognized one of the voices as Luke's.  He backed up quietly and discreetly looked back inside.

Luke was up against the wall, and the man in the lab coat had his face nuzzled into Luke's neck.  Luke was squirming, and both of them were laughing quietly.  "Why are you so ticklish?" the other man remarked, as he moved his mouth from Luke's neck, up to his ear. The lab coat obscured things, but Casey's cheeks flushed as he realized that the two men  were clearly rocking against each other.   As the other man moved away from Luke's face, Casey caught a glimpse of his smiling profile.  Holy shit; that's Dr. Oliver!   Casey suppressed a gasp.

"This is hot.  YOU'RE hot, but I've gotta get back," Dr. Oliver said, placing a kiss on Luke's lips.

"Yeah, me too," Luke sighed.  "I have a phone conference with a client in thirty minutes.  I need to hightail it back to the office."

"You're such a fucking distraction," Reid teased.  "I have lives to save here, and then you show up looking the way you look, and..."

"And what?"

"And all I want to do is makeout with you."

"And this is bad, why?" Luke smiled.

Reid pulled at Luke's hand and backed up toward the doorway, as Casey skuttled down the hallway and into the next room.  Only after their footsteps were clearly a good distance down the hall, did Casey peek out of the room.  He watched the two men walking away from him, Luke's arm around Dr. Oliver's shoulder and Dr. Oliver's arm around Luke's waist.  As they approached the end of the hallway, at the point where it joined the main part of the hospital, they separated and turned the corner, out of Casey's sight.

Damn thought Casey.  

*****************************

Allison was enjoying a cup of soup on her break when Casey sat down across from her.  

"Is Dr. Oliver gay?" he asked in a low voice.

"Hi to you too," Allison answered. 

"Yeah, hi.  So, really...is he gay?"

"How should I know?  I can barely get the guy to acknowledge me when I pass him in the hall, let alone have a personal conversation.  I  don't know him at all.  Why are you asking?"

"Because I just saw him and Luke dry humping each other over by the new wing."

"Gross, Casey.  Cut it out.  I'm trying to eat here."

"I'm serious, Allie.  I saw them in an empty room, and they were kissing and laughing."

"Well, then I'm sure you were mistaken.  Dr. Oliver doesn't laugh.  I don't think I've ever even seen him smile because, ya know, that would make him human.  Plus, Luke has way better taste than that."

"It was him, Allison."

"Well, if it was, then clearly he IS gay.  But, ick.  I'm a little disappointed in Luke.  Poor Noah.  I wonder if he knows."

"Weird.  He doesn't ping," Casey pondered, not really hearing the last part of what Allison said.

"Ping?"

"Yeah, on my gaydar."

"You know, a guy with two very close friends who are gay shouldn't be so quick to stereotype people."

"Maybe, but for instance, Noah doesn't ping.  Luke does."

"You're ridiculous, Casey."

"You know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah, I guess I do, but I still don't like sterotypes.  You know...like me being blonde (sometimes).  I like to think I don't fit the blonde stereotype."

Casey playfully cocked an eyebrow at her and smiled.

"Shut up.  So, are you going to ask Luke about it?" Allison asked.

"I'm not sure.  It was so weird, and I really would just like to erase it from my memory."  Casey mock shivered.

"Yes, and THANK YOU for putting the image into my head too.  Dr. Oliver...I just don't see the attraction."

"What?  Casey asked, "Dr. Oliver's sorta hot, don't you think?"

"You make me wonder sometimes, Casey...but yeah, physically...yes, he's attractive.  But it's completely cancelled out by the fact that he's an asshole."

"But he was laughing and being flirty with Luke.  They seemed totally into each other, like really, really into each other, if you know what I mean.  He even told Luke he was hot."

"Flirty?  Dr. Oliver. I seriously cannot even imagine that.  Okay, enough.  I need to keep my lunch down.  Let's change the subject..."

******************************

Three days later, Casey entered Al's Diner to pick up some take out and spied Dr. Oliver sitting at a booth.  He was dressed in scrubs, reading a magazine as he ate his lunch.  Casey paid for his food at the counter and turned to leave but at the last minute he decided to approach Dr. Oliver's table.

"Hey, Dr. Oliver."

"Mr. Hughes," Reid said, never taking his eyes off his magazine.

"You can call me Casey.  Mr. Hughes is my dad," Casey laughed nervously.

Reid looked up and narrowed his gaze on Casey.  "What can I do for you, Mr. Hughes?"

Casey sighed.  What a dick.  "Mind if I sit down?"

Reid pointed at the chair opposite him with his fork.

Casey sat down and put his takeout bag on the table.  "What did you have?" he asked, gesturing at Reid's mostly empty plate.

"Meatloaf."

"The gravy's good," Casey commented awkwardly, knowing that Dr. Oliver wasn't one for small talk.

"It's fucking heaven.  What do you want, Mr. Hughes?"

Casey cleared his throat.  "I know you're seeing Luke."

Reid stopped chewing and stared at Casey, expressionless.

"Dr. Oliver?"

"It's no secret."

"Really?  Because he's one of my best friends, and he hasn't told me that he's sleeping with you."

"Not that it's any of your business, but we're not sleeping together.  Believe me, I wish I could say otherwise..."

"Gross, dude..."

"Don't call me dude.  You're the one who brought it up.  Why are you having this conversation with me, rather than Luke? Please don't tell me you're trying to bond with me."

"Listen, Reid...can I call you Reid?"

"No...."

"Reid, you might be seeing Luke, but I've known him for a really long time...our whole lives actually..."

"Isn't that special?" Reid said sarcastically.

"...and you've gotta know something about Luke.  He's a NICE guy.  I mean, really nice.  And kind, and completely loyal.  And he's trusting, and he doesn't do anything half way."

Reid sipped his Coke, staring at Casey.

"...And, well, he's been through a lot in his short life, and I don't want to see him get hurt."

"You think I'm going to hurt him?"

"No.  Well, I don't know.  Shit, you are just the exact opposite of Luke.  And you're ambitious and driven...and a lot older than us..."

"Not A LOT, thank you."

"...and if you're just after Luke because you're looking for a piece of young ass---and Luke does have a nice ass..."

"Agreed," Reid said, "It's a little weird that you said that, but...agreed."

"And," Casey sighed, "I just wanted you to know that Luke could easily be hurt, and I want you to seriously consider that before you try some kind of love-em-and-leave-em bullshit."

This kid has some fucking nerve, Reid thought.  But he also kind of liked him for clearly caring about Luke and having his back.  How could he fault anyone for being protective of Luke?

"I love him," Reid said, looking straight into Casey's eyes, unsmiling.

"Oh..." Casey looked away.

"Head over fucking heels and all that shit," Reid said, reaching over to grab his wallet out of his lab coat pocket, which was lying on the bench next to him.

Casey didn't know what to say.  Reid threw some bills on the table and started gathering his things.

"And if I was just looking for a young piece of ass, I would have been gone months ago.  Patience is not my best event, if you know what I mean."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Don't worry about it.  I can sort of get where you are coming from, and as surprising as it is to you I'm sure, I can appreciate your concern for Luke.  Just know that I don't want to see him hurt either."

Casey nodded and picked up his take out bag.

"And for what it's worth," Reid continued, "I know that Luke is loyal and kind and trusting...and I know that he's all or nothing...I know all of that, and quite frankly, it's what attracted me to him in the first place.  That and those damn lips of his.  Jesus.  And if you get back to work and start spreading it around that I said any of this, I'll have to fucking kill you.  I have a reputation to protect.  I'm very skilled with sharp instruments.  Remember that."

"Got it, doc," Casey laughed, mostly knowing that Reid was joking.  Mostly.

"How did you get here?" Reid asked.

"I walked."

"Want a ride back?" Reid offered.

Casey smiled, "Yeah.  Thanks, bro."

"Don't call me bro."