"Excuse me, but what in the name of hell do you think you're doing here?"

Dr Carter stared in amazement at the figure who had just burst through his doorway.

Upon closer inspection he realised that he knew the man's face.

"Reid?" he gasped.

"Yep" came Reid's distinctively abrupt voice. "You remember me don't you, Carter? I thought fifty was a little young to be going senile…"

"Well, I… I'm actually forty eight…"

Carter put down his medical notes and tried to figure out what was different about Reid. He seemed altogether completely changed… Ruffled somehow. There was a mad look in his eyes and his hair was on end and his shirt… His shirt wasn't tucked in. Small details perhaps but in Carter's thirteen years of knowing Reid he had never seen him looking less than immaculate, with an arrogant smirk to match.

"What's happened to you, Reid? That town looks like its defeated you."

Reid's eyes darted to the floor and then back to Carter's concerned face.

"Well… it has… But it turns out I like it that way. Carter I want your heart."

Carter felt the bottom of his stomach drop.

"Now, Reid I'm flattered but I have a wife and-"

"-Oh hell no I did not mean that. I'm sorry but senile old crones are really not my type. I need the heart that was promised to Chris Hughes."

Relieved but confused, Carter tried to make sense of what Reid was saying.

"Chris Hughes… Reid you do know that there's a year long waiting list for heart transplants. We cant just give them out like candy."

Reid came closer to Carter, eyes blazing.

" I don't care. There's a man dying right now and its going to devastate a whole group of people if he does."

Carter didn't think he'd ever seen Reid so emotional. In fact he didn't think he'd ever seen Reid show any emotion at all.

"Reid, you're not in love with this Chris are you? If you are then I sympathise but even so…"

Reid looked momentarily as though he might vomit but it appeared to pass.

"Let me tell you something about Chris Hughes. He's an idiot. He's the biggest idiot I've ever laid eyes on. If the idiots were ever to form their own country he would be elected president straight away-"

"-and you feel the need to help him, why?"

Reid closed his eyes and looked as though what he was saying was paining him very much.

"Because… I care about the people who care about him, alright?"

Carter smiled at the scowling Reid. So he had fallen in love with somebody. The change was astonishing.

"Reid… if I give you this heart there's a very likely chance I could loose my medical license."

"I'll tell them I just took it. You wont be involved at all."

Carter looked Reid straight in the eye.

"And then there's the reality that you'll loose your job. Is it really worth it?"

Reid stared back at him for a few seconds before answering determinedly.

"Yes. Give it to me."