Prologue

Reid, ever the hero and always so serious about his work was determined to get this chief of staff position because he deserved it and not because his only competition died from stupidity. He may not have liked Chris most of time but that didn't mean that he wanted to see him die. So he made his choice. He would go to Bay City and get that heart so that Chris could get better and he could beat him fair and square as he knew he would.

Reid sped towards the hospital in Bay City arguing with some idiot on the phone. When he got there he screeched to a stop outside of the ER doors and ran inside. He found this idiot doctor that he had been talking to on the phone and let him have it…But before he could finish the doctor interrupted him and told him that the patient he was taking the heart for had come down with an infection and it wasn't safe to do the surgery at that time. Relieved Reid asked "So where's my heart, I need to get it back right away!"

"I'll have someone bring it down"

"Thank you. Sorry about before…"

"It's fine, I'm a doctor too and I know what it's like to be that passionate about my patient's care"

Just then a nurse rushed up to them with a cooler in her hand and handed it to the doctor. The doctor turned to look at Reid and said "Hope it all works out"

"Thanks, me too!"

With that Reid rushed back to his car and got back on the road. Time was running out and he needed to get the heart back to Memorial before it was too late. As he drove towards the railroad crossing he could see and hear the train coming but he knew he could make it. He stepped on the gas but as he was crossing over the tracks the car stalled. Desperately trying to start the car again he realized it was no use. The train was coming at full speed blowing its horn to warn him and he had no time to waste. He quickly unbuckled his seatbelt, grabbed the cooler with the heart in it, opened the car door and leapt from the car as fast as he could. As he lay on the ground in pain from the fall it was all he could do not to pass out as he watched in horror as his car was mangled by the oncoming train. His heart was racing and all he could think of was that it could have been him in that car.

He reached into his pocket to find his cell phone and dialed the number that he knew by heart. Luke picked up on the other end glad that those awful feelings he had been having were just that. "Where are you?... Chris is not doing well, you need to get back here as soon as possible"

"well that may be a problem as my car was just smashed by a train"

"What! Are you OK? Where are you?"

"Ya, I'm fine. Thankfully I was able to get out of the car in time. I'm at the train tracks just outside of Bay City"

"I'm coming to get you; I'll be there as soon as I can"

Knowing that Luke was on his way made him feel better.

By the time Luke got there the area was crowded with police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks. He desperately scanned the scene looking for that familiar face that he had grown to love. As soon as he saw Reid a calm washed over him. He didn't want to think about what could have happened. As he neared Reid he could hear him arguing with the paramedic that he was fine and that he just needed to get to Memorial hospital as soon as possible. Luke smiled, same old Reid. He rushed up to him and wrapped his arms around him holding him more tightly than he had ever done before. With his lips next to Reid's ear he whispered "I am so glad that you are ok. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't gotten out of that car"

"I'm sure you would have been fine without me"

"Don't even talk like that"

"Sorry"

"We need to get back right now, are you ok to walk?"

"Yea I'm fine let's go. I can't have people thinking that I killed off my competition"

Even in the time of crisis Reid was still Reid and Luke loved that about him. As they rushed back to Oakdale they were both silent. Both thinking about what could have happened and both not wanting to admit how scared they were from such a close call.

When they got back to Memorial Chris was rushed into surgery.

Later Luke watched Katie sitting at Chris's bedside through the window and couldn't help but smile. Chris was ok. Reid was ok. Of all the horrible things that could have happened they were all ok. He felt a hand on his waste as Reid came up behind him. Luke leaned back into Reid and his heart raced from the closeness.

"I'm beat, ready to go home?"

"Definitely"

They walked out of the hospital and towards the parking lot hand in hand just grateful that was even possible after the day they had.

Once they were back at Reid's place the emotions of everything that had happened that day took over and it was all they could do to get inside before they lost all control. Their lips moved urgently and passionately over each other and their hands caressed and clutched. They stumbled into Reid's bedroom kissing all the while. Reid stopped to close the door behind him and then turned to look at Luke. He could see the want and desire in his eyes and this made him feel alive. To know that this amazing, caring, beautiful boy loved him was more than he could ever have dreamed possible. He slowly walked towards him taking in every inch of his body and when he was so close to him that he could feel his breath he grabbed him and kissed him like he had never done before. They fell to the bed still kissing, hands roaming, and losing articles of clothing along the way. As Reid looked down into Luke's eyes he had never been happier to be alive. "I Love you" he whispered. "I love you so much…"

"I love you too"

There was nothing left to hold them back as they gave into each other completely.

The next morning Reid awoke bright and early as usual. He rolled over and gazed at Luke as he slept. What had he done to deserve him? Whatever it was he definitely wasn't going to let him go now. As he lay there thinking about all his insecurities and fears of love and relationships and commitment he could no longer remember why they were even there in the first place. He had the love of this beautiful boy lying next to him and there was nothing scary about that. It was amazing and made him feel like anything was possible. It was then that Reid got the idea. All of those years that he devoted to his schooling and his career seemed like nothing compared to what he had with Luke and he wasn't going to let his fears get in the way of his happiness anymore. He gently slipped out of the bed as not to wake his love. He bent down and picked up his clothes off the floor and put them on and then quietly opened and shut the bedroom door behind him.

It was early and he knew that the shop wouldn't be open yet but he didn't mind waiting. He sat on a bench in Oldtown sipping the hot coffee that he had just gotten from Java and waited for the Jewelry store to open. About twenty minutes later he saw the owner of shop approaching and he sprung up from the bench.

"Hi I know it's early but I need to buy a ring, right now!"

"Well then you have come to the right place"

Reid didn't even know how he was supposed to do this. He couldn't give Luke an engagement ring like he was a girl could he? But he also couldn't go empty handed. As he followed the shop owner inside his heart was racing but it was different than anything he had ever felt before. It was racing with excitement, not fear.

"So what kind of ring are you looking for?

"I'm not sure. I want to ask my boyfriend to marry me but I'm not quite sure how to go about that"

"Don't worry; I have just the thing you need." The man pulled out a ring from the display and held it out to Reid and when he saw it he knew it was perfect.

"I'll take it"

Reid walked out of the Jewelry store with a smile on his face. Now all he needed to do was get back home before Luke woke up and realized he was gone.

He opened the front door quietly and closed it and then went to his room. As he peaked in he was relieved to see that Luke was still sleeping. He went in, slipped off his clothes and climbed back into bed as if he had been there the whole time. Luke stirred from his movement and opened his eyes slowly. He smiled as if he just remembered what had happened the night before. "Good morning" he said.

"Great morning"

Reid leaned over and kissed Luke gently. They both smiled and looked lovingly into each other's eyes.

"I have something for you" Reid said.

Luke's eyes lit up "What is it?"

Reid sat up and faced Luke and handed him the little black box. Luke had a look of shock on his face as he took it from him. "What is this?"

"Open it and see…"

Luke opened the box slowly as his heart was racing. This couldn't be what he thought it was. Reid didn't believe in marriage or weddings….His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the simple but beautiful platinum band inside. He looked up at Reid and then back at the ring. Was this really happening? Then Reid got up and knelt beside the bed. Luke couldn't believe this was happening. Reid spoke.

"Mr. Snyder….Luke…" he paused and looked at him with such love in his eyes. "You don't know how close I was to never seeing that smile again" he stroked Luke's lips with his fingertip.

"Don't even say that. I don't want to think about what could have happened."

"Well it happened and it made me realize that I can't run from love anymore" again he paused. "When you blackmailed me into coming here I hated you but it turned out to be the best thing that has ever happened to me. If you hadn't I would still be back in Texas in my old life. I wouldn't have known any better but it would have been empty" Luke just stared at him unable to speak. "I tried my best and we all know that my best is a hundred times better than anyone else's but you got to me. I'm different now because of you….Better. I was always so sure of myself. I was so sure of what I was supposed to do with my life. And then I met you and I realized that everything I had done led me to this…to you. "

Luke was holding his breath and he didn't even know it. Still unable to speak he waited for Reid to go on…

"I'm not fooling myself into thinking that we will live happily ever after…that's not real life. I know there are going to be times when I make you angry and in those times I'm sure you will overact…I know there will be tough times and that at some point we might just want to give up on this…but I also know that you have made me happier than I have ever been and that if I don't hold on to you and never let go I will regret it. I love you more than my own life….and I love myself a great deal…" Luke chuckled. "I have never been a romantic. I have never believed in marriage or love…until now… and I would be the luckiest man alive if you would agree to marry me"

A million thoughts were spinning around in Luke's head but only one mattered in that moment… "yes" he said smiling. Just then Reid got up off of the floor, sat down on the bed and pulled Luke into his arms. They kissed and laughed and smiled thinking about the many years ahead of them that they would now be spending together…