Characters: Luke/Reid, Katie, mentions of Bob, Kim and Nuke.
Disclaimer: As the World Turns and it's characters are not mine, no matter how much I enjoy playing with them. :)
Author's Note: So far, what I have been spoiled for is on accident, so please keep your comments as spoiler free as possible! :)
Summary: Katie decides to play matchmaker one last time. My take on two spoilers for this coming week: Reid misinterprets a moment between Luke and Noah, and Reid's grand romantic gesture. Come on now. Are we supposed to believe that matchmaking Katie isn't going to be involved in the grand gesture at all? Companion piece to Matchmaker. Reid POV.
Chapter 2: Gesture
If there was anything he wanted to do less right now, it was this. How Katie had convinced him that this is the right thing to do, he had no idea. Some where between her winning smile, twirling her hair, and dropping the fact and Luke and Noah had not gotten back together, Reid had let her talk him into this.
He can feel her gaze on him, and he fights to keep his expression in check.
"I don't see them yet." She says, peering around the corner. He feels so stupid, standing there, Katie pulling a mission impossible impersonation, and he almost calls it off. He chose to roll his eyes instead. "Didn't anyone ever tell you if you keep repeating the same expressions, your face will get stuck that way?"
Reid smirks and snarks back at her, trying to keep his mind off what he's about to do. She slaps him playfully and peers around the corner again. He knows she's seen Luke by the way her back stiffens up.
They are both startled by a voice behind them. He let's Katie get distracted by her conversation with Doogie Hughes and worries instead about what he's going to say. When Chris asks why they are standing there, he glances uncomfortably at Katie. He doesn't want to share this with anyone. It's bad enough what he has to do.
Doogie, of course, is irate.
When he asks if Katie is trying to get Luke back together with Noah, he bristles, but holds his tongue. This won't work if he flies off the handle at the idiot in front of him. It times like this he wonders how the doctor even made it through medical school.
And then Doogie drops a bomb. Noah Mayer is here for a check up.
Reid feels his chest clench painfully at the news, and he looks at Katie to see her biting her lip. He can see from her expression that time is up. It's now or never.
She peeks around the corner again, and then backs up suddenly.
"Damn!" She swears. "Luke saw me." Katie pokes Reid in the arm, and hands him an envelope. His entire future is in his hands, literally.
Terrified and trying not to show it, he slowly bends down and picks up the box at his feet. He and Katie have already cleaned out his office and he knows if she hadn't been there, he wouldn't have been able to go through with it.
"I don't know how I let you talk me into this." He mumbles at her. Reid is surprised when she leans up and kisses him on the cheek.
"For luck." She replies with a smile at his look. He takes a deep breath and then lets it out, walking around the corner towards Bob and Luke. Luke sees him first, and looks confused. Bob greets him as he walks closer.
"Dr. Oliver!" He exclaims. "You're not on the schedule today."
"I know." Reid replies, his throat constricting so much he can barely speak. "I just came to give you this." Shifting the box of his stuff, he hands Bob the envelope. Luke won't even look at him. He's standing with his arms crossed over his chest.
"What's this?" Bob asks, opening it.
"My resignation." Reid answers. They both look shocked, and it gives him a little thrill to do something so unexpected. Luke is staring at him now. "You told me I had to choose." He says, looking right at Luke and smiling. "So I did."
Reid turns and walks away. The ball is in Luke's court now.
He sees Noah come out of an exam room.
"Did you, uh, finally manage to get yourself fired?" Noah asks, and Reid resists the urge to pay him back for punching him.
"I resigned." Reid answers, holding himself in check. "I hope that doesn't ruin the thrill of my leaving for you." He snaps, and then turns to keep walking.
He makes it to nearly the elevator before he hears his name. He realizes that with every step he was mentally begging Luke to come after him. This, giving up his career, can't be for nothing.
"Reid!" He hears Luke call, and he pauses. He turns back around to see Noah try and stop Luke. Luke says something to Noah, and to Reid's shock, keeps going until he's standing in front of him.
"Did you really just do that?" He says like he can't believe it.
"I should be asking you that." Reid tips his head in Noah's direction.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Luke asks, moving a little closer.
"I want you." Reid replies, keeping it simple. Luke's eyes are searching his face.
"This is insane." Luke whispers, and that's when Reid knows it's going to be okay. He smiles, and holds his hand out to Luke, who takes it.
"Let's go." He pulls him into the elevator, and sees Noah staring after them, Katie and Chris standing beside him.
He flashes Katie a smile as the elevator doors close, leaving him alone inside with Luke.