Reid could practically see the cloud of perfume coming from Katie's bedroom door as he sat in the lounge with a mug of tea. He wasn't a big tea drinker but after being in surgery for hours and feeling every joint ache like hell, he was grateful for its soothing qualities. With the night he had ahead of him, he was sure he needed to be prepared.
"Katie I'm choking out here! You already look great, why are you still in there?"
Katie, pulling on a pair of black stilettos to match her figure hugging black dress, smiled sarcastically at her roommate tossing him staples sheets of paper.
"What the hell is this?" Reid asked, flicking through each page trying to makes sense of the hundreds of numbers and arrows and instructions.
"You're the genius, you work it out," she retorted, flashing her sweetest smile as she fluffed her hair in the mirror next to the door.
"Katie this is the cell for every member of this godforsaken town. Why didn't you just give me the phonebook?"
"Because, Reeeiiiddd, I wanted to make sure I was organised. I promised Chris I'd do everything I could to make sure this night went without a hitch."
"Oh I should have known he was behind this," Reid snapped, "bet he practically salivated at the thought of me being left holding the baby...literally."
Katie shook her head and smiled. She adored Reid honestly and truly but he was one hell of an ass sometimes.
"Reid... please? Just follow the instructions. I trust you. You're a world renowned neurosurgeon. Jacob's a baby. You can look after him for one night. He loves you and secretly I know you love him too."
"Only when he doesn't screech at 3am when I'm trying to sleep off a night shift," Reid replied with a wrinkle of his nose.
With an exhausted sigh she was so used to making, Katie leaned over the back of the couch and kissed Reid cheek.
"Call me if you need me," she added softly.
"I need you," Reid replied with a smirk.
"Goodnight Reid. Have ffuuuunnnn!" she shouted over her shoulder as the door slammed.
Reid sighed heavily in the manner of a petulant teenager and yanked himself off the sofa, his limbs aching and weary. Why the hell did I agree to this?, he asked himself.
"Ok Mr Perretti-Snyder or whatever your actual name is," Reid stated, standing over Jacob's crib, the baby smiling googly eyed at him, "what are we going to do with you?"
He reached down to unhook Jacob's blanket from around his foot, the baby's wide eyes staring up at him with expectancy.
"What?" Reid asked, sticking out his chin and raising his eyebrows, "No sorry kid, there's just no way," he continued, creating a make believe conversation as he straightened the blanket further, "I told you last week, I'm not singing to you anymore, I have a reputation to keep."
Jacob was drooling and smiling widely as he squirmed around Reid's hands. The kid wanted to play.
"Uh huh." Reid muttered in answer to a silent question.
The baby was making gurgling sounds as he reached out his hands to grab Reid's fingers. This kid was going to be the death of him.
"Oh no you don't," Reid warned with a smile, "these babies save lives. We don't want you drooling all over them do we?" He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head as if to make a point but this only made the baby squeal a little and giggle.
Reid laughed softly and shook his head. A few months ago, if someone had told him he'd be in this very position he'd have told them to get lost. Now, standing in Jacob's little haven of blue, holding a squishy cream rabbit toy in one hand and his other ticking Jacob's chin, he was kinda glad that this was his reality.
Reid returned to the kitchen, after Jacob's eyes had become heavy, to wash his hands. He may have chubby cheeks and a cheeky grin but he's a little germ breeder, Reid thought to himself. He felt pride wash over him as he dried his hands then plonked himself on the sofa to watch some TV. This isn't so hard, he thought.
An hour and a half later, Reid was mid way through a movie and felt good. It was the first night he'd had to himself in a long time and he reminisced about his time in Dallas. Although it allowed him plenty of time to do whatever he pleased, he couldn't help frowning as he thought of just how many nights were spent alone.
He didn't have long to dwell as Jacob's screams flew through the walls. Reid jumped up immediately.
As he entered the baby's room he winced as the piercing noise stung his ears.
"Hey hey hey keep that noise down. The neighbours don't like me as it is, never mind if they start thinking I'm a baby killer."
He reached down and grasped Jacob by his under arms and pulled him to his chest. It felt awkward to begin with as he realised he'd never actually held the baby properly before. He fidgeted to find a comfortable resting spot but the kid was having none of it.
"You were all cute before, laughing and drooling, now look at you. Spawn of satan," he shouted over the squawks, trying to look Jacob in the eye. He walked out into the lounge and paced the length of the room, trying to imitate mothers in films and on TV. He bopped up and down and then tried side to side, all the while the screams grew louder and Jacob's chubby hands grabbed and pushed at Reid's chest.
"Ok...right... stories. Kids like stories," he attempted, trying to convince himself this was going to work, "ok, I've got one. How about ...once Upon a time there was this really loud baby called Jac- No?" Jacob's screams hit decibels Reid didn't even think existed so he changed tact.
"Ok. No stories. How about singing...yea you like the singing and I'll even pretend this isn't you manipulating me out of a promise!"
Reid hummed a few bars of 'Like I love you' by Justin Timberlake and he knew then that Jacob hated him. He felt like his ears were going to bleed if the kid didn't stop.
Holding Jacob in front of him and letting his feet dangle ridiculously, Reid looked at his face hoping to spot sign.
"Come on, give me something to go off here," Reid pleaded but all he got was a screwed up red face and more screeches. He'd checked to see if he needed changing and he knew Katie had fed him before she left. He was all out of options. With the time pushing 10pm, Reid considered calling Katie but knew she'd never speak to him again. Come on you can do this, he's a baby for christ's sake, how complicated are they?
Fifteen minutes later, Reid was ready to join the kid and scream himself. Jacob's noises, now not so high pitched, were laboured and drawn out. Reid had tried everything. He'd given the rabbit a voice and made walk along the edge of the sofa (loosing about 10 IQ points in the process), he'd even talked Jacob through a complex neurosurgical procedure in a last ditch attempt then as his mind allowed him to consider calling Hank, of all people, he knew something had to give.
Reid placed Jacob carefully on the couch beside him and reached for his mobile phone. There was only one person he would call at a time like this and I knew he'd be making up for this for a long time.
...
"That's extremely kind of you Mr Austen, I'll be sure to remember your company when we draw up our next term proposals. Thank you so much for your time."
Luke watched as the esteemed gentleman retreated back to his gaggle of billionaires and secretly thanked his lucky stars that he wasn't that kind of rich. He twitched uncomfortably in his suit as Lily sidled up beside him in a stunning red gown.
"So, any luck?" she whispered, trying to hide the fact she was talking, a large smile still plastered on her face for show.
"They're interested. That's all I got. Seems to me he's reluctant because of some of our aims. I think the foundation's innovative goals scared him a bit."
"Well sweetie, you can't win them all," she patted his arm lovingly as his pocket started to vibrate.
Luke reached for his phone and let a smile spread across his face when he saw who it was from.
"Would you excuse me for a bit mom?" he asked politely as she nodded and patted him in the direction of the lobby.
"Of course sweetie."
Luke, now in the near silence of the reception area of the Lakeview, pulled open his phone.
"You saved me from a pretty hideous re-encounter with one of Oakdale's flesh pressers. You have incredible timing Doctor Oliver." Luke smiled into his phone, his shoulders swaying playfully even though Reid wasn't there.
"Well it's hardly news that I'm incredible but that's a different matter. I need help," Reid pleaded.
Luke stifled a laugh as he heard Jacob's shrieks echoing down the phone.
"Well, actually, I am kind of busy right so I'm really sorry but I can't help you right now," Luke teased, knowing he'd do anything for Reid but enjoying hearing Reid's desperation far much more than he should.
"Luke, I swear, you have no idea, this kid is possessed."
Luke bit his knuckle to stop himself from dissolving into giggles and stayed silent.
"Luke!"
"Oh sorry, Reid was there something you wanted?" Luke asked, feigning oblivion.
"Oh two can play at that game Snyder," Reid warned.
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Luke's smile was hard to control at this point and he had tiny butterflies in his stomach. This kind of thing was what he loved about their relationship best.
"You know that thing you like so much, the one you begged me to do about a hundred times last night?"
Luke blushed and looked around the reception area, sure that someone could hear what Reid was saying.
"No. I still don't have a clue what you're talking about," he whispered, a little coyly.
"Well, Mr Snyder, if you don't help me right now I swear it'll never happen again."
Luke considered this for a second, smiled and whispered, "Give me ten minutes," before snapping his phone closed and heading to find Lily.
...
Reid threw his phone onto the sofa beside him dramatically. With great satisfaction and feeling rather cocky now, he turned to a still bawling Jacob and said, "You better be on your best behaviour because your Uncle Luke's on his way!"
He prodded Jacob lovingly knowing all the while that he was never ever going to live this down.
