PRESENT TIME
CEDARS HOSPITAL
Reid Oliver was standing outside a exam room waiting on Noah Mayer to come for his last appointment before his surgery. "Dr, Oliver?" Noah asked.
"Yeah." Reid said.
"Sorry am I late?" Noah asked.
"No you're right on time. Come on in." Reid said opening the door for Noah.
"So have you been having anymore light flashes?" Reid asked pointing his pen light in Noah's eyes.
"Some but nothing to write home about. Is it normal to be nervous?" Noah asked.
"Yes it is. You'd be a fool not to be nervous." Reid said.
"I know." Noah said.
"Alright everything looks good for now. So if nothing comes up we'll have you on the OR table next week." Reid said writing in Noah's chart.
"Cool. Hey how's the new hospital Wing coming along?" Noah asked.
"Should be breaking ground soon." Reid said.
"Luke ain't causing you no problems is he?" Noah asked.
Reid found it disturbing that Noah would automatically think Luke was giving Reid problems. "No Noah. Luke has actually been really helpful. Surprisingly." Reid said opening the exam door.
"Ok. Just I know when Luke gets his mind on something he can be a bit..." Noah trailed off.
"Pushy? Over bearing? Yeah I got that." Reid said smirking.
"Well he does try to do good." Noah said laughing.
At that moment Lily Luke and Ethan came walking through. "Noah!!!!!" Ethan yelled.
"Hey little man." Noah said.
"Mr, Snyder come to check and make sure Noah got to his appointment on time?" Reid asked playfully to Luke.
"Kind of hard to do that Dr, Oliver when I don't know when his appointments are." Luke said.
"Look I don't know what your problem is. But stop being a jerk to my son." Lily said.
"Mom it's ok." Luke said.
"No it's not ok. You've done nothing but help Noah and he treats you like you're a criminal." Lily said.
Luke rubbed his face with his hand. "Mom. Not now." Luke pleaded.
Reid noticed Luke's face go pale. "What are you 3 doing here anyways?" Noah asked.
"I have a meeting with Bob Hughes." Luke said.
"Well we best be off." Lily said.
"Actually why don't you and Ethan stay here ok. I know Ethan don't wanna be in that room. It's boring." Luke said.
"Actually I could use some fresh air. Would you 2 mind accompanying me to the park for a while." Noah asked.
"That's sound like a fun idea." Luke said eyeing his mom.
"Alright. Sounds good to me. Call me when your meeting is over?" Lily asked.
"Yes I will. Have fun Ethan." Luke said. When the 3 walked away Reid turned to Luke and smiled. "I better go to my meeting." Luke said walking away but not before touching Reid.
PARK
Noah and Lily were sitting on a bench Lily watching Ethan play. "Lily how is Luke really doing?" Noah asked.
Lily sighed. "I honestly don't know Noah. With everything with Holden and now Faith it's just... I don't know." Lily said.
"What happened with Faith?" Noah asked.
"She's been doing drugs. Drinking. She got suspended from school. She's doing everything she can to defy me." Lily said.
"When did the drugs start?" Noah asked.
"I guess in boarding school. Oh Noah I failed as a mom. I brought the one man who at one point tricked me into thinking Luke needed to be changed back into our lives." Lily said sobbing.
Noah pulled her into a hug. "Luke can't be changed. Trust me I tried a few times." Noah said making Lily laughed.
"Noah I think Luke is running himself into the ground. With the foundation and Grimaldi. And now the new hospital Wing." Lily said.
"Yeah he seems so proud of it." Noah said thinking.
"He is. It's just I'm afraid he's gonna run himself all the way down." Lily said.
"The meeting with Dr, Hughes ain't a official meeting is it?" Noah asked.
"No. He said last night he noticed his ankles swelling and he was having lower back pain." Lily said.
"Which could mean something to do with his Kidneys." Noah said.
"Kidney. He had it removed about 7 years ago." Lily said.
"He never told me." Noah said.
Lily patted his hand. "He didn't tell me you guys had broken up til I badgered him about it." Lily said.
"He knew you had enough on your plate." Noah said.
'That's the thing I want him to come to me. Not hide stuff from me." Lily said tears running down her face.
"I can't lose him Noah." Lily said crying. Noah hugged her and sighed.
MEANWHILE
CEDARS HOSPITAL
Luke came out of an examination room just as Reid was rounding the corner. "I thought you had a meeting with Bob Hughes." Reid said.
"I did." Luke said.
"In an exam room? Kinda informal ain't it?" Reid asked.
"Not a ususal business meeting." Luke said as a nurse came up.
"Mr, Snyder. Here is your lab orders and a pamphlet on the procedure. Dr, Hughes wanted me to remind you not to eat or drink anything 12 hours before the labs and procedure and you'll need a driver." She said.
"I know I've gone through this before. Thank you." Luke said. Reid watched the nurse walk away.
"Procedure?" Reid asked.
"Yeah. Only after they get my uranalysis back." Luke said.
"Wanna talk about it." Reid asked.
Luke snorted. "Talk with you?" Luke asked.
"What? I can listen." Reid said.
"When I was in my teens I drank I got a bad kidney infection and had to have one of my kidney's removed. Dr, Hughes told me that if nothing happened I could live with one kidney." Luke said.
"And now?" Reid asked.
"Now I am having lower back pain. Not to mention I'm in pain when I go to the bathroom." Luke said.
"Could be any number of things. Not necessarily your kidney going." Reid said.
"I know. Dr, Hughes ordered a Uranalysis and is gonna see what it says." Luke said.
"So what the pamphlet?" Reid asked.
"A procedure that I know all about. A kidney biopsy." Luke said.
"Can't say I've ever had the pleasure of having one done." Reid said.
"Lucky you." Luke said looking down.
"You going to the Lab now?" Reid asked.
"Yeah. Get it over with." Luke said.
"Mind if I walk down with ya?" Reid asked.
Luke raised a eyebrow. "What no big surgery you gotta rush off to?" Luke asked.
"Well if you don't want company I can just continue my rounds. I'm sure Mrs Geraldine's arm needs recasting." Reid said sarcastically.
"Actually I am gonna go do it and then meet up with mom and Ethan. Save Noah from Mom's mothering." Luke said.
"Oh yes Noah can't stand the mother hen mode." Reid said.
Luke smirked. "Yeah. I think it was more my mother hen mode he was irritated with." Luke said.
"Luke you did everything to help him. If he don't appreciate it then it's his problem. Sounds like to me you have your own health issues to deal with." Reid said walking off.
5 HOURS LATER
LILY'S HOUSE
Luke came in surprised to find Reid and Lily sitting laughing. "Luke what did Bob say?" Lily asked getting up.
"That the uranalysis showed some blood in the urine." Luke said.
"Which means...." Lily prompted.
"A kidney Biopsy." Luke said.,
"Oh Luke." Lily said succumbing to tears.
Luke hugged her. "It's ok mom. It'll be fine. Cedars has some pretty amazing doctors." Luke said.
"Yeah I know. Have you told your dad?" Lily asked.
"No. I figured he was with Molly. I like Molly but I don't want my business aired on WOAK." Luke said.
"I'm gonna go and check on the kids." Lily said.
"Ok." Luke said.
Reid who was sitting stood up after Lily left. "That was a pretty convincing speech you gave your mom." Reid said.
Luke just glared at him. "Wasn't a speech." Luke said.
"Oh right cause you believe in all the doctors at Cedars." Reid said.
'I believe in one." Luke said.
"Luke I can't perform a surgery on you." Reid said.
"I know. Trust me I know." Luke said.
"But I can see if I can be in the room when they do the Kidney Biopsy." Reid said. "You can do that?" Luke asked.
"Didn't you hear Bob Hughes will do anything to keep me in Oakdale." Reid said.
"Right. I forget you're the famous Dr, Reid Oliver." Luke said.
Reid laughed and leaned over and kissed him. "I gotta get back. Maybe after shift you can come by Katie's?" Reid asked hopeful.
"Yeah. Call me." Luke said.
"Ok." Reid said and left. Luke watched for a few minutes then eased down onto the couch. Lily came out and sat down beside him.
"Dr, Oliver leave?" Lily asked.
"Yes. He needed to get back to the hospital." Luke said.
"Under all that macho crap he seems like a decent guy." Lily said.
"He is. Some times." Luke said.
"Well all men can be pigheaded. Yes even you." Lily said at Luke's hurt look.
"So what did you and Reid talk about?" Luke asked adjusting on the couch.
"Just how Noah is doing." Lily said.
Luke noticed her being evasive. "Mom?" Luke prompted.
"Ok Dr, Oliver confessed his feeling for you to me,. Luke why didn't you tell me you and Noah broke up?" Lily asked.
"Cause you and Dad are having enough issues with Faith. Besides we all knew it was coming." Luke said.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
"Noah was pushing me away after the uh ..." Luke faltered.
"Accident. That's what it was." Lily said.
"According to Noah it was all my fault. And to extent it was." Luke said.
"Luke you had no way of knowing that the Fireworks were faulty." Lily said.
Luke shrugged. "I just can't keep going back to something or someone who is gonna push me away every time something goes wrong." Luke said.
"Are you happy?" Lily asked.
"Right now? No I'm in pain and wanna be out of it." Luke said.
Lily laughed. "No I mean do you think you can be happy with Dr. I mean Reid?" Lily asked.
"I don't know. I hope I can. I'm willing to give it a shot." Luke said.
'Then that's all that counts. You have to do what's right for you. If it's just this one time. Stop worrying about everyone else and worry about Luke." Lily said.
"Thanks Mom." Luke said quietly. Lily patted his leg.
"Let me call your dad and we can tell him this situation together ok?" Lily asked.
"Yeah." Luke said.
FEW HOURS LATER
Luke was laid out on the couch resting when his phone rang. "Hello?" He said.
"Well you finally acknowledge me." Reid teased.
"Funny I didn't know you called earlier." Luke said.
"I didn't I was referring to the email I sent you." Reid said.
"Oh sorry haven't been on a computer today. I was sore and after you left me and mom talked for a while. Then my dad came over and we talked some more. And now I'm trying to ease the achiness." Luke said.
"If that gets worse you really need to come to the ER." Reid said.
"Yeah trust me I will." Luke said getting his email account up and running.
"Ahh yeah there is an email from you. These the latest adjustments to the plans?" Luke asked.
"Yeah." Reid said.
"Ok. I'll go over it later. Listen I know you asked me to come over. But could we maybe see each other in the morning?" Luke asked.
"Yeah I was actually gonna suggest that. You're appointment is at 12:30 right?" Reid asked.
"Yeah." Luke said.
"Well how bout we meet in my office bout 10 that sound ok?" Reid asked.
"Yeah." Luke said distracted.
"Ok. Luke? Get some rest. Doctor's orders." Reid said.
"Yes Dr. Want me to take 2 advil and call ya in the morning?" Luke asked.
"If you like." Reid said and hung up on a laughing Luke.
2 AM
KATIE'S APARTMENT
Reid was woken by his cell phone. "Dr, Oliver." He said.
"Oh Dr, Oliver I'm so glad I got you. It's Lily Snyder." The voice said.
"Lily what is wrong?" Reid asked sitting up.
"We're at Cedars. We had to bring Luke in he started having severe pains in his back and oh god now they're talking bout a transplant list." Lily said crying.
"Lily calm down let me get dressed and I'll be there in 15 minutes." Reid said.
"Ok." Lily said. When Reid hung up he dressed in scrubs quickly and grabbed his keys and left the house. He didn't know what he would do. But he knew he had to help Luke some how.
TBC