''Are you really leaving this time?'' Katie stood in the driveway, her son Jacob in her arms, silently watching as her friend threw his luggage into the trunk of the rented silver Ford.
''I most certainly am.'' Reid slammed the door with a precise, forceful move and turned around to place a kiss on Katie's forehead.
''The next time this town sees me will be for your graduation from med school.'' he bent slightly down to brush over the baby's head.
''You think so?'' Katie looked up smiling.
''I hope so. With me gone this town could really use some decent doctors.''
She smiled and leaned forward to hug him with her free arm. Reid petted her back and then pulled away from her with a tender smile on his face.
''Take good care of the both of you. And remember the business card.'' he added, already leaning on the open door.
As he sat down in the driver's seat and reached back for the seatbelt the smile vanished from his lips and made way for the frown that had wanted out all evening. He let the belt click into place and exhaled with a deep sigh shaking a part of the day's tension from his shoulders.
Without the rush of the daily crowd pushing through it the terminal looked unusually large and spacious.
Most shops were already closed or getting ready to. Dr. Oliver quickly moved across the hall to get rid of the rental car keys before he took the time to check in.
He walked slowly over to the only open counter in a row of twenty and was grateful for the tired women checking him in without any cheerful chatting.
After a few rounds around the terminal he finally found a coffee shop that was still open and sat down on one of the chairs that had not been lifted up on the table yet. How ironic he thought bitterly. During the last few month all he had wanted was to take a flight out of this town already and the events preventing him from doing so had kept happening. Now in less than thirty minutes he would finally get his way and it made him feel terrible.
Holding on to his coffee mug he leaned over to take a glance at the departure panel.
Dallas 21.35 on time the letters said before they were automatically flipped to announce another flight.
When he heard the first call to board he quickly downed the rest of his coffee and grabbed his jacket to get going.
The corridors leading to the gate were just as empty as the terminal and the only sound he could hear was the humming of the empty baggage belt. Through the dusty windows he could see the dark night sky sprinkled with glowing orange and white dots on the horizon.
Dr. Oliver pushed open the front door of his house with his hips and dropped the bags at the foot of the staircase. With a swift move he turned around the keys and left them stuck in the lock.
On the way to the kitchen he peeled out of his coat and threw it over a chair as he opened the fridge reaching for a cold beer. After a quick look through the kitchen he walked up the stairs heading for the bathroom. The last time he had been here had been during the hearing a few month ago and he did not like the thought of it for more than one reason. Thank god I didn't take him here he thought. The memory of him hanging around here in those rooms would really be the last thing he needed.
When he was done with his shower he just switched of the lights around the corridor and headed straight for the bedroom. The day had been incredibly long and a heavy tiredness was weighing on his shoulders leaving his only wish to be sleep.
When he finally placed the set alarm clock on the nightstand and pulled the covers over his body his eyes would just not fall shut. The weariness was gone and he was suddenly wide awake a mix of thoughts racing through his mind. With an annoyed sigh he turned his head to the side.
01.20. In only six hours he would have to get up again and get ready for his first day back at Parkland Memorial.
He stared at the red numbers for a while, watching them change. When he was sure that it took them at least 180 seconds to switch from one minute to the next he shifted over to his other side and tried staring at the white empty wall instead. God he was so angry with Luke. At the beginning he had wanted to keep their relationship a secret and he had not thought it a problem since it was true that it was a tricky situation for both of them. When Noah had finally found out he had not been thrilled and somehow Reid had suspected that it bothered Luke even more than it bothered his ex boyfriend.
At first Noah had reacted angry and aggressive towards both of them but somehow along the way he had managed to patch things up with Luke and finally he had openly tried to win him back.
Confident with the knowledge that Luke had moved on, after all there had been no reason not to trust his affirmations, Reid had not worried at all about this what he thought too late epiphany of a fool.
All the harder had it hit him when Luke had finally announced that he could not be with him anymore and that he had to give him and Noah another shot.
02.05
The red letters read as he got up to open the window. You unbelievable fool he whispered to himself as he shook his head over his own stupid behavior. Had he not seen this coming from a mile down the road? And had he not been stupid enough to do it anyway? To think he could be the one Luke really wanted to be with.
The signs had been there all along the road he had just brushed them away giving a foolish teenage heart way too much credit. And then he had to fall for him. Now that was really the stupidest of all the mistakes he had made. If it had only been to fool around or if he had allowed himself a short fling but no it had to be the whole nine yards.
In the distance he could hear the siren of an ambulance and the traffic was unusually busy for this time of the night, even for Dallas. With an annoyed sigh he got up and closed the window.
02.45.
Back under the warm covers he shifted on his back, fixing the ceiling with his gaze. He could really kill Noah. What was this guy thinking? Playing games with Luke and his affection during their whole relationship, pushing him away whenever it suited him and then when he was not available anymore he suddenly became interesting again. How could anyone be that selfish he thought cursing the three of them in turns until he finally fell asleep.
''I'll only be a few minutes I just have to pick up a few things for dinner.'' The blond women smiled as she held out her Chinese take away lunch bag.
Dr. Oliver grabbed it without a comment and opened the white box containing his lunch. The midday sun was filling the open air atrium of the mall with a radiating heat, a perfectly blue sky hanging over the scenery. He pushed around the steaming food with his plastic fork trying to cool it down. Occasionally he had to step aside to get out of the way of college kids or business people all rushing through their lunch break.
When he was done with his pasta he walked over to the dust bin and threw the empty box away.
He shook his wrist to take a glance at his watch and started to walk up and down waiting for his colleague to show up again. Somewhere across the atrium a kid was screaming and he grimaced at the shrill sudden noise. He leaned back to scan the queues in front of the cash desk and when there was no sign of her he walked over to the nearby coffee shop.
''Are you making fun of me?'' Dr. Oliver held out the take away carton with the coffee to his friend. ''This was everything but quick.'' he said with a tense and angry voice as he took out the larger one of the two paper mugs.
''Sorry I know it took longer than I said.''
''What the hell is it with people always telling you what you want to hear well knowing it's not true. That's disrespectful and selfish.''
''Reid it just took me a few minutes more what's the matter with you.'' Sofia held her steps and turned around to scan him with a skeptical look on her face.
''I was waiting here for ages. If you had told me how long it would really take I could at least have sat down for my coffee.''
''Since when do you sit down for your coffee?''
''That's not what it's about.''
''What is it about?''
''Forget it.'' he shook his head as they stepped onto the crosswalk.
''I'm just not in a good mood today ok?''
''You're a pain in the back. And I mean more than usual.'' Sofia smiled to herself well knowing that her usual cheerful, light hearted way would only unnerved him even more.
Dr. Oliver ripped off the one way lab coat and aimed it at the rubbish bin. With a skilled, well known move he pushed open the door of the ICU with his shoulder and squeezed through it.
''You have got to be kidding me.'' his face changed into a grimace as he saw the young blond man getting up from a chair in the waiting area.
''Please tell me you're here to fundraise for a new coffee machine for the break room.'' he said approaching him with an aggressive pace.
Luke just remained glued to where he had been waiting, an earnest look on his face.
''That's not funny.'' he said shaking his head. ''I think it's pretty obvious why I came.''
''Why did you come?'' Dr. Oliver asked emphasizing the cold and defensive tone in his voice by crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Luke waited a few seconds searching Reid's face for the hint of a reaction but there was still the same cold unconcerned expression on his face.
''Could we go some place quiet to talk?''
''We don't have to we're finished. You came here in vain.''
Dr. Oliver turned away picking up his steps again when Luke grabbed his arm and turned him around to face him.
''You're going to hear me out! You owe me that.''
''Owe you.'' The coldness had gone from his voice and features and he was now yelling, raw anger flashing in his eyes.
''And what exactly do I owe you for, Luke.''
Luke flinched at the way he spit out the last word. It had nothing to do with the many ways of tender, playful or craving Luke had heard him say it in the past weeks.
''If you're talking about the money, that's not my field of duty anymore. I have nothing to do with the new wing in Oakdale. Ok I do owe you for my career and I acknowledge that but that's where it stops.''
''You know exactly what I'm trying to say. I meant you owe us.''
''Us.'' Dr. Oliver laughed half bitter but still with a trace of authentic surprise.
''The only us you ever knew was Noah and you and that will never change. No matter how wrong that is for you.'' Dr. Oliver shook his head as his voice slowly calmed down again.
''Now leave me alone. Go mess up your life whatever you want. I don't care just leave me out of it ok.''
''I know you do care.'' Luke hoped it was not too forward at this point but at least his remark made Dr. Oliver turn around and hold his steps again.
''All I ask is that you hear me out. I made a mistake. For god's sake Reid have you never made a mistake before?''
Hearing his own words Luke lifted his hand and shook his head. ''You know what don't answer that one.''
''You shouldn't have come here.'' Dr. Oliver was still standing where he had turned around seconds before and was now looking at Luke with less anger and more sadness and regret in his eyes.
''Just hear me out alright?'' Luke stepped closer carefully his voice pleading now and with nothing of the ordering tone from earlier left.
''Just let me talk. I promise to go away when I'm finished. Please.''
Dr. Oliver just shrugged giving Luke as sign with his hand to go ahead.
''I really wanted to be with Noah. He was my first love, my first … everything. I thought it would last forever. I wanted it to. For such a long time I waited for Noah to commit to me, it was the most ardent wish in my life. Can you really blame me for totally losing it when it finally happened? The only thing I could think of when he told me all those things he said last week … I just thought it's finally happening, the last years were not in vain. I thought that now he said he had changed everything was going to be the way I always dreamt it to be.
But he will never change and I won't. We're just not right for each other. Maybe we really wanted to be with each other but the way we both are that would make us suffer for the rest of our lives. I don't want any of that anymore not after I've seen how natural and easy it can be with you. I have never with anyone in the world felt the way I feel with you. Noah and I would both have to change for each other that is not love. With you I never felt sorry for who I am or what I feel. I was a fool not to know that but I know it now. All I'm asking is a second chance. I broke up with Noah.''
''I've heard that a few times before.'' His voice was a bit shaky he noticed and it was obviously harder than he'd thought not to show how much Luke's words had moved him.
''But none of those times I was in love with you.''
Dr. Oliver needed a few seconds to process what Luke had just said and even though his brain alerted him that words were easily bent they had an effect on him he had not seen coming.
He reached out and grabbed Luke by the arm pulling him around the corner with him into his office.
Luke let his eyes travel over Reid's face trying to figure out what he was thinking.
''Do you really mean what you just said?'' he asked finally, holding Luke's gaze.
Luke just nodded ready for whatever reaction would come.
''Say it again.''
''I am in love with you.'' Luke repeated the words calmly without any drama just wanting them to be heard and believed.
Dr. Oliver leaned in for the hint of a kiss, just briefly capturing Luke's bottom lips between his own and then pulled away again to step back.
''I am still unbelievably angry with you.'' He said calmly, not looking away.
''But if you want to wait here till my shift ends we can go have diner and then you tell me why I should give you a second chance.''