musicandme | fic: A Beautiful Mess, 16/22

Fic: A Beautiful Mess, 16/?
Summary: Luke is a pediatrician! He is officially Dr. Luke Snyder.
Spoilers: References to Luke's past from canon and that's about it.
Disclaimer: Wish they were mine but they're not.
Note: This was inspired by this entry in lure_prompts by the brill _alicesprings. Feedback, concrit, etc. welcome! ♥

AND HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO MS. _alicesprings!

It's still your birthday here for another 20ish minutes so here I am making it under the wire. Hope you have a good time with your celebration and I'm so, so glad that a little couple by the name of Luke and Reid brought us together this year. ♥!

Five months pass with a few notable incidents. Luke’s completely moved in by the beginning of January and that is the beginning of their life together. Sometimes they see each other and sometimes they don’t but they end up in the same bed almost every night, save those days when Reid’s in long surgeries. Those days and nights, Luke makes sure the fridge is well stocked for sandwich making purposes. After the surgeries, Reid always sleeps for several hours and he wakes up to everything he needs in the fridge.

Luke is starting on a 9-5 schedule. He cuts down on the hours that he’s available outside of work and he’s actually delegated some work to other pediatricians on staff. Reid doesn’t have the luxury of that kind of schedule but he’s glad to see Luke isn’t the workaholic he once was. Running on that kind of steam, running himself ragged had been affecting his health. He had been too busy taking care of everyone else to realize he had been run-down. It took one hospitalization to get him to slow down. That had been the most terrifying 48 hours of Reid’s life. He hopes to never relive it.

It’s March and Oakdale is mostly peaceful. There had been an incident with a kidnapping had everyone in town involved somehow, even Reid. But, he supposes that’s par for the course when it comes to living in Crazy Town, USA.

Katie had stopped seeing Chris Hughes but she started seeing another doctor in the hospital so she still hangs around and even managed to talk her way into Reid’s life. They’re meeting for lunch and she’s already there when he arrives.

“About time,” she says when she sees him.

“I am on time. You’re the one who always gets everywhere obnoxiously early.”

“I’m a reporter. I need to be everywhere before anyone else.”

He just raises his eyebrows and takes a seat across from her, glancing down at the menu. He already knows what he wants but he checks the menu anyway.

“So, Luke doing okay?” The hospitalization happened fairly recently and news travels at the speed of light around these parts.

“Back at work this week already,” he tells her. “Couldn’t keep him away from the tikes.” He smiles a little thinking about all the get well cards the little smurfs made for him. The nurses helped to tape all of them into his office so he’d be surrounded them when he came back. Luke’s smile was so bright it busted a few of the surrounding lights.

“And you’re happy he’s working again because that means that he’s better. Look at you smiling. You’re so obvious, Dr. Oliver.”

“You need to stop living in a gay romance novel.”

The waitress comes around to take their orders and Reid gets his usual while Katie gets her usual tasteless meal.

“But, seriously, are you okay, Reid?” She puts on her concerned face. It’s one he remembers well when Luke was in the hospital bed. He’d stayed there all night, refusing to allow anyone to send him home. Luke was just sleeping and not in critical condition but he felt better just being in the same room with him. Katie had come in to talk to him and he admits it made him feel a little better at the time.

“Fine,” he responds after a moment. “I’m sending him home at 5 on the dot. A minute later and who knows what kind of emergency this town can come up with to keep him at work. After 5, Dr. Henson is the attending pediatrician and Luke just has to deal with it.”

“How is he dealing with it?”

Reid knows Luke’s dealing with it as best as he can, putting on a brave face for everyone he encounters but that isn’t the Luke has at home. There are a lot of insecurities running through him, afraid another hospitalization will happen, afraid his kidney may not last, worried people may not trust a sick doctor with their sick child. No matter what Reid says, he can see the worry on Luke’s face. But, Luke doesn’t let those worries stop him. He was up this morning and at work before 9.

“I’ll find out this afternoon.”

To distract him, Katie starts to talk about something else while they eat their lunch. Reid’s due back at the hospital in an hour so they just finish their meals and part ways, heading back to work.

Reid tries to pretend he’s heading toward the pediatric ward for some real, legitimate reason but he really has no reason other than to check on Luke. There are some kids out in the waiting room with their parents, a full waiting room. Well, at least Luke’s fears about not taking their kids to a sick doctor can be assuaged.

Luke comes out into the waiting room to speak to a parent and he’s smiling. That’s a good sign. The other parents in the room are eager to greet him, shaking his hand, smiling when they see him. Reid smiles a little too and then he turns around to head back to his own side of the hospital.

Three patients later, he sees Luke rounding the corner into his office. Reid looks down at his watch, almost 5. Right on time.

“Dr. Snyder, do you have an appointment?” Reid asks seriously.

“Har har,” Luke replies, walking past him, and into the office. Reid closes the door behind him and pulls him toward the couch, taking a seat beside him. “Saw you checking up on me today.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“So, that wasn’t you standing in the hallway watching me talk to those parents? Oh, well, in that case, you have a very hot clone wandering around the hallway. Let’s have a threesome.”

“Ooh. Count me in.” Luke playfully hits Reid’s chest with his free hand, the other still holding on to Reid’s hand. “I just wanted to see whether or not you were milking the sympathy of those parents or not. You could make anyone do anything with those big, brown eyes of yours.”

“I convinced them I was okay with my big, brown eyes. I hate that they look at me like that. That … you’re going to be okay, buck up, kind of look.”

“So, you want them to wish you harm?”

“Reid,” Luke scolds quickly but then he goes on. “I just thought I was in the clear from those looks. People used to look at me like that all the time. This town is so small that people just knew when something was wrong. It was like everyone knew my mom was getting married to Keith because he was the guy that got me my kidney. It was like everyone knew Damian wanted to send me away to make me straight. It was like everyone knew I was stuck in a dead-end relationship with Noah. It's like they know, just like they think I'm sick now because I was in the hospital."

"Luke, you were there because you passed out in the hallway. You were dehydrated, you were dizzy, and you needed rest." Reid says all of this as if it didn't worry the hell out of him when it was all happening. "If anyone begrudges you that then you can let them know they're morons."

Reid separates from him, standing up to walk over to his desk. He gathers some files together to put into his briefcase. He doesn't like thinking about these things. It puts him right back into that hospital room, worrying about Luke, having the same worries and fears Luke has now.

Luke comes up behind him and places his hand against Reid's shoulder. Reid turns to look at him, Luke giving him a small smile. "Well, that's what I have you for, right? You can tell everyone they're idiots so I don't have to do it."

"And I will," Reid points a finger, tapping Luke's chest a couple times with it.

"I know you will," Luke makes no attempt to hide his amused grin.

"Go home. Rest."

"Come with me."

Reid entertains the idea, briefly. But, he has some work to catch up on. He doesn't have anything scheduled for the rest of the day but he really shouldn't leave. "I don't think I can." He's looking at Luke and he knows Luke's about to allow him to stay here when Reid opens his mouth to speak. "Let me just talk to Bob for a minute. Stay in here. I'll be back."

Luke nods and Reid walks off in search of Bob Hughes. The man usually wanders around at this time of day, checking on the different departments unless he has something more pressing to do. He finds him walking toward the double doors that lead to surgery when he turns. Reid catches his attention.

"Dr. Oliver. May I help you with something?"

"Yeah, I need to take off today. I was supposed to have those papers signed and ready for you but I --"

"Reid," Bob comes closer and clasps Reid's shoulder, one of those firm, fatherly grips. Well, Reid thinks it's fatherly. He really doesn't remember how fatherly grips go. "Go home and take care of Luke."

"I'd get him a nurse if he needed to be taken care of. I just wanna go home and kick back with a beer. Thanks, boss." Reid flashes him a smile and then he heads back to his office. He doesn't turn around but he knows there's a ... fond smile on Bob's face. Bob's just let him go for the night so he doesn't both rolling his eyes in front of the man in charge.

When he returns to his office, Luke's sitting on the edge of Reid's desk, and all ready to go. "Let's go, Dr. Snyder. I've been relieved of all duties."

"Except your duty to me," Luke says confidently. Reid gives him his best glare and Luke kisses him sweetly. Okay, that's just playing dirty.

Reid just groans and starts to gather his things. Luke looks satisfied all the way back to their place.

---

Several days later, and for the first time in weeks, Reid beats Luke home. He has some articles he's working on and he needs some time to work on them. Doing it in a busy hospital won't help. So, he's at home, sitting at the table, and typing on his laptop.

When he hears his phone ring, he sighs, and he considers not answering it. When he glances at the screen, he sees it's Luke, and picks it up on the third ring. "Hey," he answers, still typing away, not wanting to lose his train of thought.

"Hi, can you come back to the hospital?"

"Are you okay?" Reid's thoughts first go to Luke.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's Matt. His vision's problems have recurred. It's worse than it was before. I didn't want to contact anyone without contacting you first so you can call the rest of the team." The rest of the team have already gone back to their respective places of business, their own clinics, their own hospitals. There are only so many times he can call in favors.

"I'll be right there."

"Okay, thanks."

"Luke," he quickly says his name before he hangs up.

"Yeah?"

"Stay relaxed. I don't want you getting worked up about this. It could be nothing. Just finish your rounds and wait for me, okay?"

"I'll be all right," Luke sighs. "Just get here soon, please." To Reid, Luke already sounds tired. He's probably overexerting himself.

"All right."

They hang up and Reid grabs his things, getting into his car, and driving straight to the hospital. He pushes on the pedal a little harder and he knows it's worry for Luke and not Matthew that drives the action.

When Reid arrives, he doesn't stop into the locker area. He walks into his office and pulls on his lab coat, taking his stethoscope, cell phone in pocket, Matthew's old files, and he goes to find Luke. He asks a nurse where he can find Matthew Hilts and walks down the hallway.

Before entering the room, he pauses to look through the glass window, and he sees Luke sitting with Mrs. Hilts, Matthew's already been admitted, and he's in the hospital bed. There's no doubt in Reid's mind Luke's already checked him out himself to the best of his abilities.

Reid walks in and sighs heavily, "You again? Didn't we fix you?"

"Hey, Dr. Oliver," Matt smiles in his direction but it's obvious he can't really see he's there. He's sort of squinting and trying to make him out.

"Hey, so, someone clue me in."

Luke hands him a new chart. He's done all the basics and they're waiting for the blood results. Reid wants to do another scan immediately. In the meantime, he does a few tests to check his reflexes to see how his brain is coordinating with the rest of him. The initial exam worries Reid but he tries not to let it show.

Luke's there for the whole thing and he knows he's worried enough for the both of them.

After the initial tests, Reid pulls Luke outside to talk to him. "I can see it in your face," Luke says.

"I don't really know anything until I get those tests back but yeah. There's something going on and if it is what I think it is then it ..." he looks through the glass to see Matthew speaking to his mother. "It isn't good," Reid concludes. "We don't know anything until we get the tests back. Now, I'm going to stay here and wait for them but it's past 5, you're done with your rounds, and I want you to go home."

"Reid --"

"Luke, it wasn't too long ago you were here too. I know you think you're Superman and you can get out of bed and be back up to speed because you want to keep working but you need to take it easy. It's your first week back."

Luke looks like he's ready to argue but he holds himself back. That must take some effort. "Okay but you call me or text me with the results. I want to know. I'm his primary physician and if anything happens then I want to be the one to contact the different pediatric specialists."

Luke's really hot when he's using his hierarchy for good. But he keeps the thought to himself because he knows Luke will find it wildly inappropriate. "You'll be the first call I make."

"Thanks," Luke gives him another little smile and then turns around to go back to his office.

After watching him leave, making sure he's heading in the direction of his office, he gets back to work on Matt. He takes him for a scan and then awaits the results. He takes the x-rays and looks at them under better light. When he sees the small growth, he sighs. It's what he expected but seeing it here in front of him gives him a different feeling.

It feels a hell of a lot like failure and disappointment. After all the time and effort he and his team put into Matthew Hilts, they still managed to fail him. Reid's admired the brain for so long. He loves everything about it, the mysteries, the complexities, the way it creates and controls. But, there are flaws because nothing is perfect and sometimes the brain does things no one can understand. No one can predict diseases and illnesses in the body or recurring cancers in kids that should never occur in the first place.

They do the tests late into the night and the results come even later. Matthew and his mother are asleep by the time he goes into the room to check on them so he decides to go home.

Reid's quiet when he walks into the apartment, taking off his shoes, and putting his briefcase down without making a sound. Luke nearly gives him a heart attack when he sees him sitting on the couch. Reid would be worried if he were still dressed but Luke's in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt.

"Jesus, Luke," he briefly closes his eyes, rubbing a finger over the bridge of his nose before walking toward the couch.

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep."

"You are entitled to one lecture-free evening from me because it's so late and I'm tired," he removes his jacket and hangs it up before he goes to sit down next to Luke.

Luke's looking at him like he's waiting for the news. Reid can't spend that much time in the hospital and not have anything to tell him. After all the worrying and caution Reid's thrown at him lately, he really shouldn't add to it. But, this is Luke's profession and Reid has to think of him as a colleague even when they live underneath the same roof.

"His cancer's returned and it's more aggressive than before. It's attacked and it's attacked quickly."

Luke has the worst poker face and Reid can see the emotions take over.

"The chances of this happening are extremely rare. To have it come back and come back this quickly and it's already done some damage."

"Wha ... what's going to happen to him?" Luke asks, clearing his throat but speaking quietly.

"I don't know yet. I don't know what the best course of action is," Reid rubs the back of his neck as he looks down at their coffee table. "We can contact his specialists and discuss the options."

"Reid." The way Luke says his name makes him pay attention and he turns to meet his gaze. "Be honest with me." Reid can't remember a time he hasn't been honest with Luke. "What are his chances of getting through this?"

Reid considers what to say, actually taking the time to think about it first before he says it. He rarely does it and he knows he wouldn't do it for everyone. Luke's the exception. Right now, he can't think of him as a colleague or a medical professional. He's speaking to Luke.

"I'm not sure if he's going to make it through this, Luke."

"Oh," Luke releases a breath and nods. "I mean, I thought so. You weren't saying anything and you wouldn't tell me much and you've been -- you've been away all night."

"Luke, shh," Reid makes a grab for him before he starts to lose it. He wraps his arms around him and holds him tightly. Reid hears him take in a quick breath and then release a quiet, shaky one. Reid's hand presses firmly to Luke's back, keeping him steady, and making him feel as safe as he can.

To no one's surprise, Reid isn't a hugger. He can probably count the number of times he's willingly hugged anyone and even with Luke, they don't do it often or at all. Tonight, Reid will hug Luke, hold on to him, and comfort him for as long as he wants.

Next.