Disclaimer: I don't own ATWT characters.
Notes: Written for Lure Reverse Bang at livejournal. Inspired by the art of soapie_nl.
Reid Oliver loosened his tie as he entered the apartment. Home – finally. It had been another in a seemingly perpetual series of endless days. He loved his job; there was no doubt about that.
But this week was Memorial's annual board review – the first in Reid's tenure as Chief of Staff. Naturally, he already felt he ran the show as efficiently and successfully as was humanly possible. Still, he'd spent the last few months combing through every department with a fine-toothed comb.
Reid would insure that his strategies were being carried out to the letter. If the board disagreed with some policy or other he'd instituted, he was more than prepared to stand his ground, and fight for his principles. If, however, there were errors in the implementation of his vision, the fault would lie on his shoulders.
There would be no mistakes on Reid Oliver's watch.
Thankfully, the review was nearly complete. All that remained was tomorrow's board meeting, where Reid would be given the board's findings. He couldn't imagine receiving anything less than astounded approval, but he also wouldn't put it past the suits in this backwater town of completely failing to appreciate his advancements.
At any rate, it was out of his hands now. He'd whipped the Memorial staff into the very model of proficiency and excellence. If the board wasn't pleased, Reid would cordially invite them to kiss his ass.
While he'd be loathe to leave the state-of-the-art neuro wing he'd designed, he had no doubt he could replicate the feat at any of the hundreds of hospitals who'd kill to have him on board. It was true that Oakdale had grown on Reid, but he wouldn't bend his standards to please Memorial's board. In fact, there'd be only one significant hitch if Reid had to seek greener pastures elsewhere.
Luke Snyder.
They'd been living together for a year, since shortly after Reid took over as Memorial's Chief of Staff last fall. Luke loved him – Reid knew that. But enough to leave behind everything else to be with Reid?
He couldn't be sure. They had assumed their lives would be in Oakdale, so it hadn't been an issue. Until this week, when Reid noticed the judgmental glares and under-the-breath mutterings from the yahoos on Memorial's board as they observed the changes he'd implemented.
For the first time in a long time, he realized his brightest professional future may not lie in Oakdale. And if that was the case, where the hell did that put his future with Luke? If Luke couldn't leave Oakdale for Reid's sake, could Reid stay for Luke's?
The answer came to Reid instantaneously, and knocked him for six.
Yes.
Suddenly, what would have been obvious if he'd been paying attention became shockingly clear to Reid. He wasn't just with someone; he was with the one. As much as it would gut him to make conciliations at Memorial, the only thing in his life on which he couldn't compromise was Luke.
He could never give up Luke.
That settled, Reid knew they'd need to talk tonight. He had to know what kind of leverage he'd have with the board tomorrow. If Luke was willing to relocate, Reid could stand his ground on everything, and get most of it just by threatening to leave.
If, however, Luke couldn't leave his family and friends behind, Reid would have to play it a little safer. He'd still fight for what he believed was needed. But if the board wouldn't support the majority of his agenda as Chief of Staff, the most Reid could threaten was to step down from that position, remaining on board to run the neuro wing alone.
It was unquestionably a sacrifice. Reid had worked his whole life to ascend to his current position. But he couldn't do it with his hands tied behind his back.
At least in his lengthy contract regarding the neuro wing, Reid enjoyed almost limitless autonomy. If he couldn't run the whole hospital as a beacon of innovation, he could certainly keep the neuro wing at that level. That would have to be enough – that, and Luke.
All in all, it wasn't a bad deal. Thinking of Luke, and the once unthinkable concessions Reid was now willing to make for him, a bemused smirk crept onto Reid's face. God, he had it bad.
Luke arrived home late that evening. He'd texted Reid, letting him know not to wait to have dinner. It was nearly nine o'clock when he walked through the front door.
Luke was exhausted, but satisfied. He'd worked into the evening to wrap up all his loose ends at the foundation. He'd been back full-time for ten months.
It had been one of the most rewarding times of his life. When Luke left the hospital board after the opening of the neuro wing, he'd felt a sense of accomplishment knowing that lives would be saved because of the facility. Still, although Luke had worked tirelessly to help it become a reality, that project had been Reid's vision.
With the foundation, Luke had finally achieved something on his own. When he'd begun the foundation, he'd had some good intentions. But there was no denying that his principle motivation then was giving his father, Damian, the proverbial middle finger.
As such, Luke had soon dumped much of the day-to-day running of things on others. He'd had ideas, but often lacked the follow-through to pursue them on his own. If his mom or grandmother or Noah or anybody else wasn't shouldering much of the burden, Luke lost interest quickly.
Returning to his foundation late last year, he found something he'd longed for – purpose. Seeing the neuro wing through from start to finish reminded Luke that anything worthwhile took dedication and perseverance. It was with that attitude he began several projects close to his heart, creating and implementing programs including counseling for addicts, and mentoring for LGBT youth.
Luke's initiatives were up and running, and most importantly, successful. Tonight, he'd reviewed some resumes to make his final hiring decision. Now, he could take some time off, and deal with some other, even bigger decisions that he'd made.
Luke was surprised to find Reid still awake, reclining in their bed with his open laptop. "I thought you'd be long gone by now," Luke remarked, fishing into the dresser for some sleepwear.
"I waited up for you," Reid replied, shutting down his laptop and placing it on the bedside stand. "How'd it go?"
"Good. Great, really," Luke answered as he pulled of his work attire. "I feel like we have the right team in place. It's incredible to think how something that didn't exist this time last year is doing so much to help people now. And that I created it, and made it work… it's unbelievably rewarding."
"Oh, I believe it," Reid countered. "Now you know how I feel every day. Constantly reminded how lucky the world is to have me."
"Reid!" Laughing, Luke finished pulling up his sleep pants, then launched an impromptu attack, throwing himself onto the bed, and landing against his boyfriend's chest.
"What? It's true, isn't it?"
"Mmm-hmm," Luke responded, dispensing a kiss to the lips beneath his own. "Speaking of luck, how's the big review going?"
"Besides having spectacularly unqualified pencil-pushers asking questions they don't understand the answers to, and offering idiotic suggestions that would make Memorial the laughing stock of medicine?"
"That good, huh?"
"Excruciating. And that's what I want to talk to you about," Reid began, winding his arms around Luke to hold him in place atop Reid's body. "I meet with the board tomorrow to get their findings. There's no doubt in my mind I've made Memorial the region's leading hospital. By any rational standard, the board should be thanking me. But from some of the comments they made, it seems like they can't grasp the procedures I've implemented."
"Are you kidding me? Everyone knows what you've accomplished. I mean, you tell them enough-"
A playful pinch to Luke's derriere ended the jibe in mid-sentence. "At the very least, they should comprehend basic math. We've set a record with donations to Memorial in the past year-"
"Don't you mean you?" Luke interjected jokingly.
"Of course," Reid readily agreed. "I was practicing modesty – in case I need to fake some tomorrow. People love it when you share credit with them that they deserve in no way, shape, or form whatsoever."
Luke snickered. "Your people skills floor me."
"I got most of them from you," Reid pointed out.
"Wow. I'm not sure if that's a bigger achievement than what I've accomplished at the foundation, or something I should be apologizing to the world at large for."
"The first," Reid deadpanned. "By the way, what you've done – what you're doing – it's helping a lot of people. And, I know you like that kinda thing," Reid added wryly, attempting to minimize the sappiness of his praise.
"Please. Don't pretend you don't. That may work with other people, but not with me. You don't devote your life to saving people if you don't want to help them."
Reid affected a scowl of distaste. "I simply enjoy displaying my unmatched skill and superior intellect through cutting-edge neurosurgery. It satisfies my God complex."
"Liar," Luke asserted.
"Think what you will. Anyway, you're missing the point."
"Which is?"
Reid understood he wouldn't be able to joke his way through this if he wanted Luke to know what he was really thinking. "I'm proud of you, you know. The work you do, the people you help – just, everything. That's all."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "That's all? The Great Reid Oliver-"
"Doctor Oliver."
Luke's mouth twisted in amusement. "My bad. Let's see if I have this right. The Great Doctor Oliver is complimenting my work? Am I dreaming?"
"What? I compliment you all the time," Reid contended.
"Yes, but it's usually to tell me how sexy I am, or how hot you are for me, or how good it feels when you're inside-"
"I don't only compliment you during sex!" Reid cut in. "I can't argue with your examples, but that's not the only time."
"For some reason, I remember those most."
"Maybe that's the only time you're paying attention," Reid charged. "Pervert."
"Hey!" Luke made a sudden grab for Reid's arms, pressing them against the headboard.
"You're only proving my point."
With that comment, a mock struggle ensued, ending quickly when Reid somehow flipped the larger man off himself, and pinned Luke beneath him. He suspected Luke wasn't trying very hard to win their scuffle.
"About tomorrow," Reid started again, needing to broach this subject before he met with the board. "If the board won't back the changes I've made, I can't continue as Memorial's Chief of Staff."
Luke's surprise was evident. He moved out from under Reid, and into a sitting position to continue the discussion. "You would just step down? Where would you go from there?"
"I can concentrate all of my energy on heading the neuro wing. I have the kind of autonomy there I need, and I don't want to see someone else screwing up what I've built."
"All right," Luke said, taking it all in. "But, after heading up the whole hospital – would that be enough for you?"
"I think it could be, if it comes to that. I hope it doesn't. I'd hate watching some moron reverse the progress I've brought to the rest of Memorial, too."
"I don't think you're gonna have to worry about that. One thing I know from my time on the board is, as long as the place is making money – and not getting sued – everyone's happy," Luke reassured.
"Let's hope so. The alternatives aren't appealing."
"Wait, what? What do you mean by 'alternatives'?"
Something in the slightly worried tone of Luke's voice pulled Reid up short. He had meant to broach the last-resort possibility of their leaving Oakdale. Observing the concern in Luke's eyes, however, Reid began to hear a tiny voice of uncertainty in his head.
One that said, if you go, he may not go with you.
"What I said – watching clueless fools run Memorial into mediocrity," Reid improvised, reaching to turn off the lamp. "Anyway, I'll know where I stand soon enough. It's late, and we've both had a long day. Let's get some sleep, and deal with tomorrow… tomorrow."
"Reid, you have nothing to worry about. The board is more likely to name the hospital after you than anything else," Luke teased, snuggling into Reid's arms for the night.
"That's true. As well they should," Reid added, though the quip felt hollow in his heart. He tightened his grip around Luke, while realizing he didn't care so much where he stood with Memorial.
It was where he stood with Luke that mattered.
The next day, Reid sauntered through Old Town, buoyed by the exuberance of his triumph. All his tortured musings of the previous day had been wholly unneeded. Luke was right.
The board didn't understand all the innovations Reid had made, but they did understand one thing with crystal clarity – profitability. The suits around the table had preened and postured and asked questions meant to affect insight, but the bottom line was simple. Memorial was the prosperous, re-invented darling of Midwest medicine, and Reid Oliver was the cause.
Not only had Reid's innovations been approved, his contract had been unexpectedly revisited. He had originally signed on for three years as Chief of Staff – long enough to make a real impact, but short enough to be in a position to negotiate more favorable terms at the end of his first tenure. To his surprise, Memorial's board astonished Reid by offering a five-year extension and a generous raise.
It worked out that Reid hadn't brought up the possibility of moving with Luke, because he hadn't had to worry him with unnecessary what-ifs. Reid would be pursuing his professional future in Oakdale, which worked out perfectly for his personal one. Everything had turned out flawlessly.
Apart from the small, nagging feeling that he didn't know if Luke would have left Oakdale with him.
Other than that, things were perfect. There would be no purpose served by bringing up that "what if" scenario now. They were staying in Oakdale, so it was pointless.
If Reid wanted the reassurance that Luke would have at least considered making that sacrifice for him – well, that was his own weakness. There was no reason to bother Luke with it. Reid had everything he wanted, and he wasn't about to rock the boat now by asking a question he may not want the answer to.
Unfortunately, he received an answer without asking when he rounded a corner to find Luke sitting outside Java with Noah Mayer.
Reid stopped short, his brain processing the image. It wasn't that he didn't know Noah was back in town. Luke had mentioned he was flying in from New York to visit the Snyder family.
Reid knew Luke had repaired things with Noah enough that the two were friends again. Reid wasn't a jealous man; he had no reason to be. Luke had chosen him.
What troubled Reid (and caused him to conceal himself behind a corner, where he could observe the conversation without attracting notice) was that Luke had lied to him. This morning, he'd asked Luke to meet him for lunch when Reid's meeting was finished. Luke had declined apologetically, explaining that he had to meet with his newest hire, and spend the day showing her the ropes.
So what was Luke doing here with Noah Mayer? More importantly, why had he lied about it? Feeling like he'd well and truly become an Oakdalian, Reid edged closer to eavesdrop on what was clearly an intense conversation, if Noah's incredulous look and Luke's pleading expression were anything to go by.
"You're springing this on me now?"
"I know. I'm sorry," Luke apologized. "I've been thinking about it for awhile, but I didn't know how you'd feel about it. I thought you might not come home this morning if I said anything before."
"Well, I wouldn't have minded some time to… I don't know, prepare myself. Are you sure about this?"
Luke nodded. "Completely sure. Noah, if we've learned anything, it's that we can't wait for everything to be perfect to live our lives. I don't want to wait; this is what I want."
Noah couldn't fail to note the determination in Luke's voice. "And what about Reid? How did he react when you… ," Noah broke off, expertly reading the guilty expression before him. "You didn't tell him? Are you serious, Luke?"
"I didn't tell anyone. Look, I know how it sounds," Luke conceded.
"It sounds crazy," Noah confirmed. "You want to fly out of here in two hours and you haven't even told the guy who's… well, technically still your boyfriend."
"I know what I'm doing," Luke insisted. "It's the best way. People in this town always make plans, and they almost always fall apart. Something gets in the way. I don't want that. The sooner we do this, the less likely anything can stop us."
"I get what you're saying. But doing it like this – are you sure that's what you want?"
"Yes. One hundred percent," Luke affirmed. "And Noah, I know what I'm asking. After everything we've been through, I don't blame you if you say no. But I really hope you won't."
Noah's eyes closed momentarily as he drew in a deep breath. Of all the things he'd envisioned in his visit back home, this wasn't among them. Still, it was Luke. There was only one answer to give.
"All right."
"That's a yes?" Luke questioned.
"It's a yes. I'm in."
Reid's heart plummeted watching Luke's face light up as he bounded into Noah's arms.
"You won't be sorry," Luke enthused. "Okay, I have to pack. And… talk to Reid."
"Yeah. You should probably do that. Alone."
"Definitely," Luke agreed, with no upset that Reid could discern. "So, it's ten after one now. Can you meet me at the airport at three?"
"I'll be there," Noah promised.
Overcome with disgust, Reid turned and walked away. He couldn't believe it. No wonder he'd felt something wasn't quite right last night. He just hadn't expected it to be this.
Luke was leaving him. To go live in New York. With Noah Fucking Mayer.
Reid found that instead of confronting them, he just wanted to get away. He needed to get away. He couldn't talk to Luke right now.
He couldn't even look at Luke. With that thought, Reid realized he couldn't go home. Luke was heading there, planning to break the news of his betrayal.
Not only did Reid have no interest in hearing what he already knew, he had no desire to make it easier for Luke to run off with Noah by being available to be broken up with. No – if Luke was going to pull this, Reid sure as hell wasn't going to help him. At least he could deny Luke the satisfaction of neatly wrapping their relationship in a tidy little box marked "disposable" before he left. It was better to let Luke leave knowing he'd failed to tell Reid the truth to his face. If there was any justice, whatever was left of Luke's conscience would trouble him as he began his new life with Noah.
It was cold comfort, to say the least.
It was two-forty. Twenty minutes until Luke would leave Oakdale – and Reid's life – for good. That was that, then.
The irony couldn't escape Reid. Yesterday, he'd made the colossal decision to sacrifice his professional ambitions in the event that Luke couldn't leave Oakdale. Today, it was clear Luke could leave Oakdale for love; just not Reid's love.
In nineteen minutes, Luke would be sitting on a plane with Noah Fucking Mayer. Probably holding hands; probably worse. How the hell had this happened?
The past year had been the best of Reid's life. He'd never felt so alive, so… happy. And dammit, Luke had been happy, too. Reid knewit. So what went wrong?
In eighteen minutes, it wouldn't matter. It would all be over, anyway. And Reid would be stuck in this goddamned backwater town without the very reason he'd stayed here in the first place – Luke.
Reid racked his brain, trying to unearth some red flag that he'd missed; some glaring sign of trouble that he'd overlooked. He found none. His life with Luke had been spectacular, for both of them.
He was sure of it. So what in the hell was he doing? In seventeen minutes, Luke would be gone, and Reid would have hidden out in Al's doing nothing to stop it.
Unacceptable.
Yes, his ego had taken a hit, and his heart, a bigger one. But this wasn't the end. This couldn't be the end.
With sudden clarity, Reid knew what he had to do. He would fight for them. What they had was worth fighting for; it was everything.
Jumping into his sedan, Reid tore out of the parking lot, knowing he had fifteen minutes to make the normally ten-minute drive and locate Luke at the airport. Thinking it through, he felt his best bet was the private gates, where the Worldwide Jet would take off. It was how Luke preferred to travel anytime they had gone away together.
With eight minutes to go, Reid barely parked the car outside the terminal before barreling out of it, ignoring the aggravated scolding about what zone he'd illegally stopped in. For once, he thanked the gods for how backwater this town really was. His ID to access the Worldwide Jet was still accepted, and he breezed through the otherwise empty security checkpoint in record time.
Pulling on his shoes, Reid took off in an all-out sprint, praying these three minutes would be the longest of his life. He emerged from the escalator leading to the correct gate with thirty seconds to spare. The sight that greeted him was anything but encouraging.
Reid had expected to discover the loading door already closed. While running, he multi-tasked by preparing a cock-and-bull story about a medical emergency to gain access to the aircraft. Instead, what he found was Luke and Noah standing outside the door, preparing to board.
Locked within an embrace.
Still, Reid hadn't come this far just to lose everything now. He stalked towards the door, and Luke finally caught sight of him. There was no mistaking the surprise on his face.
"Reid!"
"Luke… Noah." The second name was uttered in Reid's most distasteful voice.
"Reid, I've been trying to reach you for two hours! Why didn't you answer my texts?"
"Probably because I didn't read them. I already knew everything I needed to," Reid answered, in a voice that sounded devoid of emotion to even his own ears. His instinct to shut down in the face of this turmoil was kicking in, and Reid knew he had to fight it. It was his only chance to win Luke back.
"How? Katie said she couldn't find you," Luke replied, as if that made an iota of sense in this moment.
"What the hell does Katie have to do with anything?" Reid was instantly torn between anger and confusion. Anger, for obvious reasons. And confusion, because the other two men didn't look remotely guilty – just utterly perplexed. "What is going on?"
"You'd know if you answered your phone. If you didn't talk to Katie, how did you find me?"
"I was in Old Town and overheard the two of you talking. You told Noah to meet you here at three."
"Oh, crap," Luke replied. "How much did you hear?"
Reid's anger returned with that question. "All of it. I know everything, Luke."
"I didn't want you to find out like that," Luke bemoaned, then was struck by a thought. "Reid, were you listening in on our conversation? Why didn't you say anything?"
"What was I supposed to say? You make this big decision without even talking to me, and to top it off, you go to Noah with it first. Were you hedging your bets?"
Luke and Noah shared a look that somehow managed to be more pitiably clueless than their earlier expressions.
"Reid, what the hell are you talking about?"
Simultaneously, Reid's gut dropped while his heart soared. It was evident he didn't have the first idea what was happening, but one thing was certain. It wasn't what he'd thought.
"I… made a mistake," Reid offered grudgingly, humiliated beyond anything in his experience. "I thought... something incredibly stupid."
At that, Noah did a double-take. "Reid Oliver admitting to stupidity? Can you write that down so I can hang it on my wall?"
"No," Reid answered, feigning annoyance he couldn't possibly feel – not now. "Aren't you supposed to be visiting Snyder Farm or something?"
"Actually, yes," Noah surprisingly agreed. "And Ethan's waiting to kick my ass in one-on-one, so I better head out. Have a good trip, Luke."
"Noah – thank you. For everything."
Noah nodded to both men, then walked away as if everything made sense.
Luke turned to Reid, taking his hand to lead him to some nearby chairs. Sitting them down, he got straight to the point. "I know I didn't go about this in the most conventional way," he explained. "I'm sorry for hiding this from you. But I'm not sorry for what I'm about to say."
"Which is what? Why was Noah here?"
"He lent me his best videocamera," Luke answered, holding up a large bag. "And arranged to have his boyfriend at our disposal tomorrow, to film us. You remember John, the DP on Noah's project?"
Reid nodded, and voiced the obvious question. "Why do we need someone to film us?"
Luke smiled tentatively. "Well, I hope we do..." Reid read the sincerity in Luke's eyes as his boyfriend continued. "I know that I'm kind of springing this on you, and I wish that I'd pulled it off better. When I couldn't get in touch with you, I asked Katie to help me find you, in case you didn't get my texts asking you to meet me here."
When Luke, still clasping Reid's hand, dropped down to one knee, the significance of what was happening hit home immediately.
"We've talked about our future, and about getting married when it becomes legal here. But, I've realized something important. When you find the person you're meant to spend your life with, you don't want to wait. You're that person for me, Reid – and I don't want to wait. I love you – for keeps. So Doctor Reid Oliver, will you fly to New York with me so we can get married tomorrow?"
By the end of Luke's proposal, it was taking everything in Reid to will down the massive lump forming in his throat. Still, he wanted to be sure this was right for both of them.
"What about your family?"
"I didn't tell them anything yet – in case there was nothing to tell. I'm sure Grandmother won't mind flying everyone out tomorrow – if there's a reason to. Is there?"
Reid committed this moment to memory – this vision of Luke kneeling before him, asking to marry Reid as if he'd be doing Luke a favor. He followed his answer with an impassioned kiss.
"Yes," Reid whispered. "There's most definitely a reason."