Reid stepped into the shower and felt the heat and tiny pricks on his skin. He stood there letting the stress and tensions fade away. He had just done a eight hour surgery with no breaks and felt the exhaustion to his bones.

He stepped out, dressed, and headed back to his office to grab his laptop.

Luke was standing at his window peering out.

"What are you doing here, Luke?"

"Why didn't you fight for me?"

"Luke, now is really not the time for this conversation. I haven't eaten in eight hours, haven't slept in nearly thirty-six, and I have a migraine."

"Well, eventually you are going to have talk to me, you can't avoid me forever."

"I haven't been avoiding you. I've been doing this little thing called my job."

"Oh, don't remind me. Your job, the one you chose instead of having a relationship with me. Believe me I know."

Reid sighed and brought his hand to his neck. He could feel the tension and stress building again in his shoulders.

"Seriously, Luke. Shut up. Go home and whine to hot mom. I am going home and sleeping."

Reid grabbed his things, took one look back at Luke who was still fuming and left.

Sixteen hours later Reid walked into Javas from coffee. He got his usual and was reading the paper in the corner.

"Reid, thank God. I've been looking all over for you."

Reid looked up to see Katie pushing Jacob in his stroller.

Reid looked at her warily.

"You have? Why?"

"I need someone to watch Jacob for a few hours. We had a huge mix-up with some tapes at the station and I have to go there, like yesterday to help fix it. Please, Reid. I know today is your first day off in months, but please I'm begging you."

"Okay, Katie. First of all, remember we talked about breathing when we speak more than a sentence at a time. Secondly, of course I'll watch him."

Katie squealed then and hugged him.

"Thank you so much, I promise I'll make it up to you. "

Reid just shooed her away and wheeled Jacob to his table.

Katie beamed at him one last time before she bounced out of Javas.

"You're mom is one crazy lady, Jacob."

Jacob just gurgled and smiled back at him,

"Yeah, I love her too, regardless."

"Wow, the great Reid Oliver actually has a good relationship?"

Reid looked up to see Dr. Bob Hughes smiling at him.

"Don't let it get out, Bob. We can't have that kind of scandal at the hospital."

Kim walked in behind Bob and smiled at Reid who immediately did a double take.

"Hello, Dr. Oliver."

"Hello… Mrs. Hughes."

Kim nudged Bob rather forcefully then and headed to the counter to order their drinks.

"Is there something you needed Bob?"

"Actually, yes. It seems my wife found out about the ultimatum I gave you and she is under the impression it may have been wrong of me to do so."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means that according to her, "He needs all the help he can get in the social department and to take away the one place where he is getting it, is not only cruel, it's also a disservice to all his patients at the hospital."

"So let me get this straight, the only reason I would be allowed to have a relationship with Luke Snyder is to help improve my social skills so that my bedside manner got better?"

Reid laughed incredulously.

"Well would rather continue not seeing him?"

"Well, Bob. Even if I did want to see him, I don't think we are even in a place anymore, where we would work. So if it's all the same to you, I'd rather just do my job and be left the hell alone."

Reid picked up his coffee cup, threw it away and wheeled Jacob out of Javas. He took Jacob to the park and sat on a bench.

"You know Jacob, adults really are screwed up. You should stay as little as possible for as long as you can."

"Talking to yourself, Reid?"

Reid looked up to see Luke smiling at him with that brighter than sunshine smile.

Every time Luke smiled and flashed him those dimples, Reid felt his heart constrict a little.

"Just doing a little babysitting for Katie."

Luke shuffled closer and Reid could see a little dark haired boy hiding behind his leg.

"Did you steal one from the pediatric ward, Luke?"

"Very funny, Reid. This is my brother, Ethan." Luke moved to unpin Ethan's arms from around his leg.

"Can you say hi to Reid, Ethan?"

Ethan shook his head and tried to hide again.

"Come on, I promise he doesn't bite."

Ethan raised his head and looked at Reid with the same deep brown eyes as Luke.

"I have a pony. His name is Pancho Villa."

"Why in the world did you name your pony Pancho Villa?"

"I didn't. Luke did. It was his pony first."

"How old is this pony?"

"Seventeen."

Reid turned to look at Luke who was grinning.

"Why in the world did you name your pony Pancho Villa?"

"Because I was watching The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles one day and they mentioned his name. And it stuck with me."

Reid just shook his head.

"Will you push me on the swings?"

"You don't want your brother to do it?"

"No, he never pushes high enough."
"I guess that means I have to then."

Luke just smiled and waved them off and sat down beside Jacob's stroller.

"So Ethan, how old are you?"

"Four and a half."

"Wow, you're going to be driving soon."

"No. My mom told me I had to wait for like twelve years to drive. That's forever."

"Well it will come sooner than you realize."

Reid started pushing Ethan then who was swinging his legs and giggling.

He looked over to see Luke who had taken Jacob out of his stroller and was walking with him bouncing him up and down.

Damn he looked good with a baby. Wait, what? Reid shook his head to clear his mind of the unwanted thoughts that seemed to creep up on him whenever he watched Luke.

Twenty minutes later, Reid and Ethan were both wiped out after Reid felt like he had run the gauntlet.

Reid walked back over to the bench and sat down beside Luke who watched Ethan playing in the sandbox.

They sat in comfortable silence, until Luke reached his hand out, grabbed Reid's hand, and gently caressed the back of it with his thumb.

Reid removed his hand and put it in his lap.

"Are you ever going to talk to me, Reid?"

"I don't know what you want me to say. I think it's pretty self explanatory."

"Really? The reason why you decided you would rather keep your job than be with me is self explanatory? Well I'm having a hard time explaining it to myself, so maybe you should try."

"I don't think the most appropriate time to have this is right now, Luke."

"When would you prefer we have it? You won't return my phone calls or see me when I ask you."

"Just give me some time, Luke. I need time to sort out everything that has happened over the past few weeks. That's the best I can do."

Luke sighed and got up.

"Come on Ethan, it's time to go home."

"Okay! Bye Reid!"

"Bye, kiddo."

Luke looked took one last look back at Reid with sad eyes and then turned and left.

Reid's heart felt heavy and as he and Jacob walked back to Katie's he couldn't help but wonder if he had made a huge mistake.