Luke wasn't sleeping when the phone rang. He knew that in 3 hours Noah would be going for surgery. His Mom had kept him up on all the details, so that even if he could'nt be with the love of his life, he would know what was going on. So when his cell phone started ringing, he heard it right away. He looked and saw that it was Maddie.
"Maddie, why are you calling me at 4 in the morning? What's wrong?" Luke rubbed his face. He was so tired.
"Luke? You gotta get to the hospital as soon as you can!" Luke jumped out of bed and started pulling on clothes. "What's going on Maddie?"
"Luke, it's Noah, somehow he barricaded his door shut and he is refusing to let anyone in. You have to get down here. He's not listening to anyone. They went in 20 minutes ago and gave him the first shot of sedatives and I was talking to Dr. Oliver outside the door. I heard a bang and tried to go in and it's stuck, or locked or something."
Luke grabbed a shirt, threw it on and was heading down the stairs in 2 seconds flat. "I'm on my way, Maddie." Luke hung up and slipped on his shoes. He grabbed his jacket, checked for his keys and was just getting into the car when his phone rang again. He knew who it was when it started playing True Colors.
"Noah?" He could hear something. Something that sounded like crying. "Noah, baby, can you hear me? Talk to me Noah." He could hear the other man take a deep breath to steady himself. And then it came. Just a whisper "Luke, I'm scared" Luke could hear the effects of the drugs in Noah's voice. He answered him quietly, trying not to spook him. "What are you scared of Noah?" He started the car and pulled out of the driveway. He set the phone into his hands-free so he could drive.
"I'm all alone Luke, and I can't see and I am just so scared." His voice broke on the last word, shredding Luke's heart. "You're not alone, Noah, Maddie's there and my Mom and Dad are on the way. They'll take care of you." Luke cursed everyone there for leaving him alone, especially after they gave him the drugs. Noah was so afraid of being alone.
"S'not the same." Noah was slurring some of his words now. "No one loves me now, not like you did. I mean, what's the point? If I can't see you, what's the point." His voice trailed off, full of despair.
"Noah, baby listen to me. I do love you. I have always loved you. I will always love you, don't you know that?" He was trying to hurry without killing himself. Noah needed him there in one piece. Good thing is was only 5 minutes to the hospital.
"Nope, Luke doesn't love me anymore. I made him go. I pushed him away. I'm so stupid" The effects of the drug were getting worse. If he passed out before they got the door open, they would be screwed.
"Noah, can you hear me?" He scrabble frantically for the right words to say. "Pay attention, sweetheart, I need you to hear me." He was pulling up to the parking lot of the hospital. "I'm coming Noah. I'm going to be there any minute. So open the door, and let them in, okay?"
"NO, can't do this alone. Need Luke, but I broke his heart. Blamed him. Not his fault. My fault, MASON"S fault. Not Luke's fault. Poor baby, I was so mean." And he started to sob, quietly, every one tearing into Luke like knives.
Luke hit the doors running, skipping the elevator and heading for the stairs. He burst out through the door to the fifth floor, almost knocked over an orderly and ran to Noah's room as fast as he could.
There stood Maddie, his parents, Dr. Hughes and Dr. Oliver with who he assumed was a service tech or maintenance guy.
They were all trying to talk to Noah through the door while the maintenance guy just shook his head. "He's got something blocking it, Dr. Hughes. I can't even take the door off because the hinges are on the inside. I'm sorry, but short of a battering ram, there is nothing I can do.
Luke walked to the door, ignoring everyone, holding his hand up for quiet. He turned and looked Dr. Oliver in the eyes as he spoke. "Noah, you are not alone. I'm right here, right outside the door. Come on, Noah let me in." He glared at Reid as he spoke and Reid looked ashamed. Rightfully so.
"You're not here, lying to me. You wouldn't come. Why would you? Don't deserve you. But please come Luke, please, need you here, please?" Noah was begging and it was killing Luke.
"Bubby, open the door, Hear that knocking? That's me! Open the door, so I can get to you. I need to hold you. Don't you want me too?" He heard a sob, louder this time. And movement. So he prayed, harder than he had ever prayed, that he was getting through. "Come on Noah, I miss you. Open the door, please? I need you too." He just kept talking, and pretty soon he could hear something moving on the other side of the door. The others surged forward but he motioned them back. He pushed on the door and it started to open.
"It's just me, Noah. Just me coming in. I'm hanging up the phone now, okay?" "S'okay" came the mumbled response.
The room was dark except for the light coming in through the small window in the door. He could see Noah, sitting on the floor up against the wall, knees drawn up to his chest, making himself as small as possible. He knelt down gently beside him. "Noah, baby, it's me, I'm here."
Noah's head came up. Luke could see the tears on his face and wanted badly to wipe them away, but he waited until he was sure Noah knew it was him.
"Luke?" Noah took a deep breath in through his nose and Luke realized he was trying to smell him. There was a small smile. "Luke, you really came?" and he reached out with one hand. Luke took it and put it up to his face. "Of course I came. I've been waiting for you to need me. I love you Noah. I need to be here with you." He hadn't realized that he had been crying until Noah's hand brushed his tears. Noah dropped his hand into his lap and started to cry again.
"I'm so sorry, Luke, so sorry. I'm so stupid. I wrecked it, wrecked us. I hurt you and pushed you away and I'm sorry." Luke couldn't take anymore. He scooted up to Noah's side as close as he could get and wrapped both arms around his shoulders and his legs around Noah's hips. He held him and rocked him all the while, whispering in his ear "It's okay, it's not wrecked. I love you, and need you and want you all the time. I'll help you and you'll help me and we'll take care of each other."
When the crying stopped, on both sides, he reached up and wiped Noah's face with his sleeve. "Come on, Noah, let's get you up, okay?" Noah nodded weakly. Luke let go and almost smiled at the small whimper from Noah. He grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet. He wrapped an arm around Noah's waist and helped him over to the bed. He helped him onto the bed and tucked him in.
His Mom, with perfect timing, stuck her head in the door. "Everything okay in here baby?" He smiled at her, then turned to look at Noah, clutching his hand like his life depended on it. Maybe it did? "I need you to tell everyone that Noah is almost ready to go. And tell Dr. Oliver I'm staying."
Lily smiled. "I think your father and Dr. Hughes are having a conversation with him about that as we speak. I have a feeling there won't be any more problems." She walked quickly into the room, kissed her son and then Noah. "We love you both and from now on, we are looking after you both!" And then she left to make her report to the others.
Luke turned back to Noah, and put his hand on his cheek. He leaned down and talked quietly in to Noah's ear. "Are you listening to me Noah? I'm right here and I'm going to stay right here. They're going to come in and take you to surgery." The hand clutching Luke's squeezed harder. "No, Luke, don't leave me." Luke kissed Noah gently. "I'm not leaving, I'm going to be right here, waiting for you to come back. And when you wake up, I will be the first person you hear and the first person you feel holding your hand." He started running his fingers through Noah's hair, as much to comfort himself as Noah. "And in a couple of days, when they take the bandages off, I'll be the first thing you see, because I am not leaving here until you do, do you hear me? I promise. I love you and I'm not letting you down again."
Noah smiled, and his eyes closed. Luke looked down and realized that the hand not holding his was fisted into his shirt. He just kept stroking Noah's hair and whispering how much he loved him, waiting for Noah to fall asleep. Just when he though he was, he heard a whisper. "Love you too, so much." And then he was out.
Luke gently put Noah's hand down and then untangled the one on his shirt. He leaned over, kissed Noah on the forehead, and then turned and walked to the door. He opened it and in walked Dr. Hughes and Dr. Oliver along with an orderly. "He's ready now, you can take him. But I'm not leaving this hospital until he does, Dr. Oliver and I'm really hoping you can live with that. He needs me here. And I intend to take care of him, from now on!" He spoke with defiance and love.
Reid looked at Luke and nodded. Then he turned back to Noah, checked his vitals and the orderly pushed the bed out. Luke stood there with fresh tears on his face and watched the person he loved more than his own life go. His parents and Maddie walked in. He looked at them and smiled. "Shall we go grab a coffee from the cafeteria? It's gonna be a long day." Maddie hugged him and his folks each wrapped an arm around him on opposite sides. Luke had a feeling that things were just going to get better from now on.