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SERENDIPITY - CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
After talking with Jason, Luke left for work and spent the rest of his day in meetings. Finishing work, he’d tried calling Reid to invite him to dinner, but the call went straight to voicemail. Luke went home and reheated leftover lasagna that Emma had sent home with him two days ago. Channel-surfing as he ate, he came across a station airing The Godfather. Thinking of Reid, he got comfortable and was watching the movie when his phone rang.
Without looking at the caller id, Luke answered distractedly, “Yeah.”
“Luke…”
“Reid?”
“I…I’m sorry I shouldn’t have called. Sorry to bother you.”
“NO! Reid! No wait…please don’t hang up.”
“Okay…”
“Why did you call?”
“What are you doing?”
“Uh just watching a movie. Why?”
“I…umm…I just…Damn! This was a stupid idea.”
“I doubt that. Since when does the Great Dr. Oliver do anything stupid? C’mon Reid I’m sure you had a reason for calling.”
“Yeah, I thought I did…” Reid said more to himself than to Luke. “Uh…I was walking through Old Town and I was passing that old looking theater there, not that megaplex place but you know the one that looks like it was built in the 50’s?”
“Oh yeah, the Regency Theater. Actually I think it was built before the 50’s.” Luke laughs.
“Well I…I saw this place and thought maybe…umm…Oh what the hell! Do you want to see a movie?” Reid said in a rush of words.
“Luke? Are you still there.”
“OH! Yeah…I’m here…a movie? Sure…when does it start?” Luke was already grabbing his jacket and keys.
“In about thirty minutes. Sorry, I know it’s last minute and you’re probably busy. Uh don’t worry about it, just forget I called.”
“No! Reid, I’m walking out the door now. I can be there in fifteen minutes or so…I’m on my way…I’ll be there.”
Luke chuckles as he sees Reid pacing the sidewalk in front of the theater. His black jeans looked even hotter than the scrubs from earlier. His leather jacket hung open revealing a burgundy sweater.
“Reid.”
He looked up to see Luke standing before him in blue jeans, a dark blue t-shirt and a black pea coat.
“Luke…hey…you made it.”
“Of course.” Luke smiles at him. “So…what movie are we watching?”
Reid turns and points at the movie poster hanging on the wall by the entrance. Luke’s gaze follows, his immediate reaction is surprise but then he starts to laugh.
“Cool Hand Luke? Really? You remembered?” Luke beams his brightest smile.
“I remember everything.” Reid said with a shrug.
“Want to hear something funny?”
“What’s that?”
“When you called, I was watching The Godfather.” They both laughed.
“Want to share some popcorn?” Reid asked.
“Oh yeah, what’s a movie without popcorn?”
After a quick stop at the concession stand for a large popcorn and two Cokes, Luke and Reid find two seats near the back of the nearly empty theater. They settle in just as the house lights dim.
*******
“Thank you Reid, that was great. What did you think? Did you like it?” Luke asks as they walk out of the theater.
“Yeah it was good. I can see why your grandma likes Paul Newman. He was a handsome man, though I’m more partial to brown eyes than blue.”
Luke beams at him, and pulls him into an embrace as he begins kissing him deeply.
“Luke? Is that you?”
Startled, Luke pulls back slightly, looks to the side and sees Noah watching them with a shocked expression on his face.
Luke steps out of Reid’s embrace, keeping one arm around Reid’s waist, holding him close.
“Noah.”
“Dr. Oliver?” Noah asks stunned.
“Mr. Mayer.” Reid says coldly.
“Luke? What? I don’t understand…You and Dr. Oliver? Are you on a date?” He asks incredulously.
“Yes, we are. Actually, Reid and I are…” Luke pauses a moment to look at Reid, who nods once. “Together.”
Luke smiles and turns to face Noah.
Reid feels Luke tighten his hold around his waist.
“Together? What could he possibly want with you?”
“Noah!” Luke exclaimed.
“Mr. Mayer, just to be clear, Luke has quite a lot of great qualities that I admire and I happen to care about him.”
“What the hell? How long have you had feelings for my boyfriend?” Noah asks angrily.
“Second or third time I laid eyes on him.” Reid calmly replies.
Luke stares at Reid, his mind thinking back, realization slowly taking hold.
“Really?” Luke softly asks.
Reid gives a small smile and nods. Luke blushes as he softly kisses Reid.
“Luke?” Noah demands his attention.
“Noah, did you lose your memory when you got your sight back? I am not your boyfriend. We broke up, remember? All or nothing? You chose nothing. And for your information, Reid never made a move on me until after you and I had broken up.”
“Is that why you made me break up with Luke, so you could have him?”
“Noah I told you to keep Luke away from me. I didn’t tell you to break up with him.”
“Yeah just cuz you wanted him.” Noah says accusingly.
“Yes I did. I’ve always wanted him, but I was trying to let him go. Let the two of you be happy together. I just needed to not see him.”
“Noah, Reid didn’t force you to break up with me. I’m surprised we lasted as long as we did this time around.”
“But…we always get back together.”
“What? Did you think that we’d be getting back together, once you got your sight back?”
“Well…yeah. It’s what we do.”
“And how sad it that? Noah, let’s face it, you and I have never been very good as a couple. I’m sorry, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m not in love with you.”
“Yes you are. You’re just confused. He’s confusing you.” He argues.
“No I’m not. I know exactly what I’m doing and who I’m doing it with. For the first time in a long while, I’m happy. Being with Reid makes me happy.”
“It won’t last. He’s just using you while he’s in town. You don’t even know him. He’s going to break your heart.”
“Mr. Mayer-”
“Reid, no.” Luke interrupts, laying a finger over Reid’s lips. Looking into Reid’s eyes, he continues. “I may not know everything about him but, I know the important parts. I know he’s not going to hurt me.”
“He doesn’t live here. He’s going to leave you.” Noah insists.
Luke looks back at Noah.
“Maybe he will leave. I don’t know. I do know that Bob really wants him to head the neuro wing that we’re building. If Reid accepts the job, I’ll be thrilled for him…but if he doesn’t want it and decides to return to Dallas, that’s okay too. I can accept that.”
“You will?” Reid asks so quietly that only Luke hears.
“You’d be okay with him leaving Oakdale?” Noah asks.
“Yes, because if he leaves, I’ll be leaving with him.” Luke looks at Reid. “That is if he wants me.”
“Always.” Reid kisses Luke’s temple.
“Noah, you need to accept that I‘m with Reid. It’s time for each of us to move on. I want you to be happy and I know that I can’t be the person that makes you happy.”
“But you do, being with you makes me happy.” Noah says sadly.
“That’s not true and you know it. We haven’t been happy together for a long time.”
“We could be. All I want is to be with you. I love you.”
“You love me? Really? Is that why you slept with Mason? Why you’ve never touched me intimately? Why you live with Ally, your ex-girlfriend? Is that why you wouldn’t let me help and support you while you were injured? Why you couldn’t stand to let me even hug you?” Luke starts to get angry, his voice raising a bit with each question. He takes a calming breath when he feels Reid’s arm tighten around him.
“We can get past all of that. We love each other, I know we do.” he says desperately.
“You only think that you love me, because that’s what we’ve been telling each other for the last couple of years. We keep trying and nothing ever changes, we just keep hurting each other. We both deserve better than that. I don’t think we’re meant to be boyfriends. I will always care about you-”
“No! You know what? I don’t want you to care about me. I deserve so much better than you. When he breaks your heart, don’t come running back to me. I’m done with you.” Noah replied bitterly before stalking away.
“Noah…” Luke calls after him sadly.
“Luke. Let him go.”
“I-I never wanted to hurt him.”
“I know. Give him some time, maybe when he’ll understand that when he’s not hurting so much.”
“You’re right.” Luke seeks comfort in Reid’s hug.
“Luke…maybe we should go home now.”
“Okay. Did you drive here?”
“No, I left my car at the hospital. I walked over here after my shift.”
“Oh. Do you want me to drive you over to pick it up?”
“We can get it tomorrow. Let’s just go home tonight.”
“Yeah, okay. I can take you to Katie’s. I’ll just pick you up in time for work in the morning. Maybe we can get some breakfast first.”
“Luke.” Reid stares at him intently. “I’m not going to Katie’s. I want you to take me home, our home.”
“Our? Are you sure?” Luke asks hesitantly, not daring to hope.
“Yes. Are you okay with that?”
“What? Yeah. Of course. All I want is to be with you.”
“Let’s go then. I believe we have some things we need to discuss and I really do not want to have this conversation in public.”
********
They were both silent during the drive back to Luke’s apartment.
Once they entered the apartment, they took off their coats and sat on the sofa. Luke was curled up to Reid’s side, with his arms wrapped around him in a hug. Reid’s hands were caressing his back, comforting him.
“Reid?”
“Yeah.”
“Second or third time you laid eyes on me? That would have been in the elevator.”
“Correct.”
“You had feelings for me back then?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Me too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, in the elevator, I kept thinking about how hot you were. I was nervous, so worried that I was attracted to another straight guy.”
“You were amazing then. Even though I had been a jerk, you distracted me and kept me calm. I’d never known anyone as nice as you. That was one of the best nights of my life.”
“Really? Even though nothing happened?”
“Oh I wouldn’t say nothing happened…I started to fall for you…and I got to experience your first kiss. I’d say that’s pretty remarkable.”
“You were my first everything…first kiss, first lover, well only lover-”
“Wait, what? Only lover?” Reid asks shocked.
“Yeah, you’re the only person I’ve had sex with.”
“Noah?”
“No. Never. When we got back together, I wasn’t interested in being with him like that. Whenever I thought of sex, I thought of you. Not that he was ever interested in having sex with me. Then he had his affair with Mason and then the accident, so we never had sex.”
“Damn Luke, can I say that I’m glad you were never with him? I feel so possessive when it comes to you. I don’t want to share you with anyone.”
“Oh I know the feeling. When I thought that you and Jason were together, I freaked out. It literally hurt to think of you being with someone else.”
“Luke, I have to tell you…after I returned to Dallas and waiting for you to call…When you didn’t, I believed that you didn’t want me. I-I wasn’t celibate, there were men, not many, but still. I was trying to forget you.”
“I understand. I know I’m not the only guy you’ve been with.”
“I promise, you never need to worry about me wanting anyone else, ever. You are it for me. I love you.”
“I love you too. Only you.”
“New York, Boston, Chicago, during all those moments we shared, somehow you became a part of me. I’ve waited for you, now I’m never letting you go.”
“I loved you in Boston, that’s why it hurt so much to see you leave and why I denied it in Chicago, I was still hurt. I think that I started to fall for you in New York when you were telling me about the brain. You were so passionate about your work, I wished that you would feel that passionate about me.”
“I do. Never doubt it Luke, nothing is more important to me than you. Nothing, not even the brain.”
“You are the most amazing person I’ve ever met. When I’m with you, I feel wanted, needed, appreciated, desired and most importantly loved. I can only hope that I make you feel the same.
“Luke, knowing that you love me is all I need to be happy. I am so grateful to have you in my life. You are the best thing to ever happen to me. I intend to spend the rest of my life proving that to you. I love you. Thank you for loving me.”
NEXT
After talking with Jason, Luke left for work and spent the rest of his day in meetings. Finishing work, he’d tried calling Reid to invite him to dinner, but the call went straight to voicemail. Luke went home and reheated leftover lasagna that Emma had sent home with him two days ago. Channel-surfing as he ate, he came across a station airing The Godfather. Thinking of Reid, he got comfortable and was watching the movie when his phone rang.
Without looking at the caller id, Luke answered distractedly, “Yeah.”
“Luke…”
“Reid?”
“I…I’m sorry I shouldn’t have called. Sorry to bother you.”
“NO! Reid! No wait…please don’t hang up.”
“Okay…”
“Why did you call?”
“What are you doing?”
“Uh just watching a movie. Why?”
“I…umm…I just…Damn! This was a stupid idea.”
“I doubt that. Since when does the Great Dr. Oliver do anything stupid? C’mon Reid I’m sure you had a reason for calling.”
“Yeah, I thought I did…” Reid said more to himself than to Luke. “Uh…I was walking through Old Town and I was passing that old looking theater there, not that megaplex place but you know the one that looks like it was built in the 50’s?”
“Oh yeah, the Regency Theater. Actually I think it was built before the 50’s.” Luke laughs.
“Well I…I saw this place and thought maybe…umm…Oh what the hell! Do you want to see a movie?” Reid said in a rush of words.
“Luke? Are you still there.”
“OH! Yeah…I’m here…a movie? Sure…when does it start?” Luke was already grabbing his jacket and keys.
“In about thirty minutes. Sorry, I know it’s last minute and you’re probably busy. Uh don’t worry about it, just forget I called.”
“No! Reid, I’m walking out the door now. I can be there in fifteen minutes or so…I’m on my way…I’ll be there.”
Luke chuckles as he sees Reid pacing the sidewalk in front of the theater. His black jeans looked even hotter than the scrubs from earlier. His leather jacket hung open revealing a burgundy sweater.
“Reid.”
He looked up to see Luke standing before him in blue jeans, a dark blue t-shirt and a black pea coat.
“Luke…hey…you made it.”
“Of course.” Luke smiles at him. “So…what movie are we watching?”
Reid turns and points at the movie poster hanging on the wall by the entrance. Luke’s gaze follows, his immediate reaction is surprise but then he starts to laugh.
“Cool Hand Luke? Really? You remembered?” Luke beams his brightest smile.
“I remember everything.” Reid said with a shrug.
“Want to hear something funny?”
“What’s that?”
“When you called, I was watching The Godfather.” They both laughed.
“Want to share some popcorn?” Reid asked.
“Oh yeah, what’s a movie without popcorn?”
After a quick stop at the concession stand for a large popcorn and two Cokes, Luke and Reid find two seats near the back of the nearly empty theater. They settle in just as the house lights dim.
*******
“Thank you Reid, that was great. What did you think? Did you like it?” Luke asks as they walk out of the theater.
“Yeah it was good. I can see why your grandma likes Paul Newman. He was a handsome man, though I’m more partial to brown eyes than blue.”
Luke beams at him, and pulls him into an embrace as he begins kissing him deeply.
“Luke? Is that you?”
Startled, Luke pulls back slightly, looks to the side and sees Noah watching them with a shocked expression on his face.
Luke steps out of Reid’s embrace, keeping one arm around Reid’s waist, holding him close.
“Noah.”
“Dr. Oliver?” Noah asks stunned.
“Mr. Mayer.” Reid says coldly.
“Luke? What? I don’t understand…You and Dr. Oliver? Are you on a date?” He asks incredulously.
“Yes, we are. Actually, Reid and I are…” Luke pauses a moment to look at Reid, who nods once. “Together.”
Luke smiles and turns to face Noah.
Reid feels Luke tighten his hold around his waist.
“Together? What could he possibly want with you?”
“Noah!” Luke exclaimed.
“Mr. Mayer, just to be clear, Luke has quite a lot of great qualities that I admire and I happen to care about him.”
“What the hell? How long have you had feelings for my boyfriend?” Noah asks angrily.
“Second or third time I laid eyes on him.” Reid calmly replies.
Luke stares at Reid, his mind thinking back, realization slowly taking hold.
“Really?” Luke softly asks.
Reid gives a small smile and nods. Luke blushes as he softly kisses Reid.
“Luke?” Noah demands his attention.
“Noah, did you lose your memory when you got your sight back? I am not your boyfriend. We broke up, remember? All or nothing? You chose nothing. And for your information, Reid never made a move on me until after you and I had broken up.”
“Is that why you made me break up with Luke, so you could have him?”
“Noah I told you to keep Luke away from me. I didn’t tell you to break up with him.”
“Yeah just cuz you wanted him.” Noah says accusingly.
“Yes I did. I’ve always wanted him, but I was trying to let him go. Let the two of you be happy together. I just needed to not see him.”
“Noah, Reid didn’t force you to break up with me. I’m surprised we lasted as long as we did this time around.”
“But…we always get back together.”
“What? Did you think that we’d be getting back together, once you got your sight back?”
“Well…yeah. It’s what we do.”
“And how sad it that? Noah, let’s face it, you and I have never been very good as a couple. I’m sorry, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m not in love with you.”
“Yes you are. You’re just confused. He’s confusing you.” He argues.
“No I’m not. I know exactly what I’m doing and who I’m doing it with. For the first time in a long while, I’m happy. Being with Reid makes me happy.”
“It won’t last. He’s just using you while he’s in town. You don’t even know him. He’s going to break your heart.”
“Mr. Mayer-”
“Reid, no.” Luke interrupts, laying a finger over Reid’s lips. Looking into Reid’s eyes, he continues. “I may not know everything about him but, I know the important parts. I know he’s not going to hurt me.”
“He doesn’t live here. He’s going to leave you.” Noah insists.
Luke looks back at Noah.
“Maybe he will leave. I don’t know. I do know that Bob really wants him to head the neuro wing that we’re building. If Reid accepts the job, I’ll be thrilled for him…but if he doesn’t want it and decides to return to Dallas, that’s okay too. I can accept that.”
“You will?” Reid asks so quietly that only Luke hears.
“You’d be okay with him leaving Oakdale?” Noah asks.
“Yes, because if he leaves, I’ll be leaving with him.” Luke looks at Reid. “That is if he wants me.”
“Always.” Reid kisses Luke’s temple.
“Noah, you need to accept that I‘m with Reid. It’s time for each of us to move on. I want you to be happy and I know that I can’t be the person that makes you happy.”
“But you do, being with you makes me happy.” Noah says sadly.
“That’s not true and you know it. We haven’t been happy together for a long time.”
“We could be. All I want is to be with you. I love you.”
“You love me? Really? Is that why you slept with Mason? Why you’ve never touched me intimately? Why you live with Ally, your ex-girlfriend? Is that why you wouldn’t let me help and support you while you were injured? Why you couldn’t stand to let me even hug you?” Luke starts to get angry, his voice raising a bit with each question. He takes a calming breath when he feels Reid’s arm tighten around him.
“We can get past all of that. We love each other, I know we do.” he says desperately.
“You only think that you love me, because that’s what we’ve been telling each other for the last couple of years. We keep trying and nothing ever changes, we just keep hurting each other. We both deserve better than that. I don’t think we’re meant to be boyfriends. I will always care about you-”
“No! You know what? I don’t want you to care about me. I deserve so much better than you. When he breaks your heart, don’t come running back to me. I’m done with you.” Noah replied bitterly before stalking away.
“Noah…” Luke calls after him sadly.
“Luke. Let him go.”
“I-I never wanted to hurt him.”
“I know. Give him some time, maybe when he’ll understand that when he’s not hurting so much.”
“You’re right.” Luke seeks comfort in Reid’s hug.
“Luke…maybe we should go home now.”
“Okay. Did you drive here?”
“No, I left my car at the hospital. I walked over here after my shift.”
“Oh. Do you want me to drive you over to pick it up?”
“We can get it tomorrow. Let’s just go home tonight.”
“Yeah, okay. I can take you to Katie’s. I’ll just pick you up in time for work in the morning. Maybe we can get some breakfast first.”
“Luke.” Reid stares at him intently. “I’m not going to Katie’s. I want you to take me home, our home.”
“Our? Are you sure?” Luke asks hesitantly, not daring to hope.
“Yes. Are you okay with that?”
“What? Yeah. Of course. All I want is to be with you.”
“Let’s go then. I believe we have some things we need to discuss and I really do not want to have this conversation in public.”
********
They were both silent during the drive back to Luke’s apartment.
Once they entered the apartment, they took off their coats and sat on the sofa. Luke was curled up to Reid’s side, with his arms wrapped around him in a hug. Reid’s hands were caressing his back, comforting him.
“Reid?”
“Yeah.”
“Second or third time you laid eyes on me? That would have been in the elevator.”
“Correct.”
“You had feelings for me back then?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Me too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, in the elevator, I kept thinking about how hot you were. I was nervous, so worried that I was attracted to another straight guy.”
“You were amazing then. Even though I had been a jerk, you distracted me and kept me calm. I’d never known anyone as nice as you. That was one of the best nights of my life.”
“Really? Even though nothing happened?”
“Oh I wouldn’t say nothing happened…I started to fall for you…and I got to experience your first kiss. I’d say that’s pretty remarkable.”
“You were my first everything…first kiss, first lover, well only lover-”
“Wait, what? Only lover?” Reid asks shocked.
“Yeah, you’re the only person I’ve had sex with.”
“Noah?”
“No. Never. When we got back together, I wasn’t interested in being with him like that. Whenever I thought of sex, I thought of you. Not that he was ever interested in having sex with me. Then he had his affair with Mason and then the accident, so we never had sex.”
“Damn Luke, can I say that I’m glad you were never with him? I feel so possessive when it comes to you. I don’t want to share you with anyone.”
“Oh I know the feeling. When I thought that you and Jason were together, I freaked out. It literally hurt to think of you being with someone else.”
“Luke, I have to tell you…after I returned to Dallas and waiting for you to call…When you didn’t, I believed that you didn’t want me. I-I wasn’t celibate, there were men, not many, but still. I was trying to forget you.”
“I understand. I know I’m not the only guy you’ve been with.”
“I promise, you never need to worry about me wanting anyone else, ever. You are it for me. I love you.”
“I love you too. Only you.”
“New York, Boston, Chicago, during all those moments we shared, somehow you became a part of me. I’ve waited for you, now I’m never letting you go.”
“I loved you in Boston, that’s why it hurt so much to see you leave and why I denied it in Chicago, I was still hurt. I think that I started to fall for you in New York when you were telling me about the brain. You were so passionate about your work, I wished that you would feel that passionate about me.”
“I do. Never doubt it Luke, nothing is more important to me than you. Nothing, not even the brain.”
“You are the most amazing person I’ve ever met. When I’m with you, I feel wanted, needed, appreciated, desired and most importantly loved. I can only hope that I make you feel the same.
“Luke, knowing that you love me is all I need to be happy. I am so grateful to have you in my life. You are the best thing to ever happen to me. I intend to spend the rest of my life proving that to you. I love you. Thank you for loving me.”
NEXT