A/N: I guess I was inspired by today's episode :P

Who's Luke?

Chapter Four - The Party

Reid's flight was delayed. He was stuck in the Dallas airport, staring at a couple across from him. The man had his arm around the woman's waist, and was whispering things in her ear. The cold, cynical side of Reid wanted to dismiss them straight away and get back to more pressing thoughts, like the food that waited for him in Oakdale. But something made him pause. That could have been him, really. He could have been the one with a partner, the one smiling. The one holding Luke… he broke off. Not going there. He reminded himself sharply. He looked up at the flight board and groaned slightly under his breath; it was going to be quite a while before he got back to Illinois.

When he eventually landed in Oakdale, it was Katie who greeted him at the airport. Reid barely had time to register her presence, before he was enveloped in her embrace. His arms hung limply at this sides for a few moments, before her gave in and hugged Katie tightly to him. She smelled like lavender and baby milk, and Reid closed his eyes, surprised at how much he had missed her. They stood like that for several minutes, uncaring about the looks they were receiving from other passengers, who clearly thought them to be a young couple. When they finally pulled apart, Katie grinned and Reid smiled weakly back.

"Good to see you again, Reid." She said, still smiling.

"I'm just here for the food." Reid replied.

"Sure you are, sweetie." Reid rolled his eyes, but didn't answer as he picked up his bag. They made their way out of the airport in comfortable silence.

The ride home took longer than usual, and Reid was wondering why, until Katie started asking him questions.

"So, how was your flight?"

"Awful. There were lots of screaming babies, and the air stewardesses kept on asking me if I was "happy with the service." Idiots." Reid said, looking over at Katie.

"Still got great people skills then." She commented, smirking slightly.

"The best." Reid agreed.


When they arrived at the front door of their – Katie's – apartment, Reid felt an odd ache in his chest. However irritating Oakdale could be, he had enjoyed living here with Katie and the kid. He almost missed it. Almost. Katie pulled out a set of keys from her pocket and put one in the lock. She turned it, and they entered the apartment.

"Mummy! I made a pretty picture!" Jacob came toddling up to them as soon as they walked in through the front door Katie immediately scooped him up into her arms, and tickled his belly slightly before kissing him softly on the nose.

"Did you, Jacob? What of?" She asked, smiling down at her son.

"A dinosaur eating Uncle Henry." Jacob said proudly, while Reid did his best to stifle his laughter behind them. He knew there was a reason he liked this kid, and Jacob had just confirmed that. Katie smiled, and carried Jacob through into the kitchen.

"Hey, Hank." Reid smirked as he looked at Henry Coleman. He looked the same as he always had done, just with slightly longer hair and older eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Henry asked, looking disgruntled.

"Katie invited me." Henry was just about to reply, when Katie cut in.

"Play nice, boys. Chris will be here in a minute." Reid groaned melodramatically and flopped himself down onto the couch.

"Oh great, Doogie Hughes is coming." Reid rolled his eyes, and mentally prepared himself for an awful afternoon.

Reid had to admit, things hadn't been as bad as he had thought they would be. Henry and Chris had been civil, and he in return had kept the snark to a minimum. Well, he had tried to anyway; Henry still looked offended every time the doctor opened his mouth. Reid had given Jacob his birthday present ("A toy doctor's kit, Reid? Isn't he a bit young?" "You're never too young.") and they were all settled in the living room eating birthday cake.

"What this?" Jacob asked, picking up an object from the box that Reid had given him. In spite of himself, Reid smiled slightly and crouched down next to Katie's son so that they were eye to eye.

"That's a stethoscope, buddy." Reid answered, watching Jacob picked it up and examine it with almost comical concentration.

"What does it do?" He said as he prodded it lightly with one of his small fingers.

"It's used for auscultation, so that doctors can monitor a patient's heart and lungs…" Reid broke off as he took in Jacob's confused expression.

"He's three, Reid." Katie reminded him gently.

"Oh, right." Reid turned to face Jacob again, and took the small stethoscope in his hands.

"You see this bit," he asked, pointing to the round part. Jacob nodded. "Well, that gets put on your chest, and it means you can hear your heart beat. Like this," He said, placing the end on his chest.

"Put those in your ears." He instructed, and Jacob did so.

"Can you hear it?" Reid asked, smiling.

"No…" Jacob replied.

"Don't worry, Jacob. Reid doesn't have a heart." Chris called from across the room. Jacob's eyes widened, and he gasped slightly.

"Really?" He asked. Reid nodded solemnly.

"Yes, really. So go try it on your mum." Jacob stood up unsteadily, and made his way over to Katie on the sofa. Grinning, she picked him up and let him try it on her.

"I can hear it!" He yelled, squirming excitably in Katie's lap.

The door bell rung twenty minutes later, when Henry and Katie were chatting, Chris was explaining the reflex hammer in Jacob's kit to him ("You hit your knee, like that… no, more gently than that… ouch.") and Reid was on his second helping of birthday cake.

"I'll get it." Reid said, standing up and reluctantly putting his plate down. Katie had an odd expression on her face as he made his way over to the door, but Reid decided to ignore her. Grasping the handle, he pulled the door open to reveal Luke Snyder