Four hours later, Reid entered his apartment. Between his lunch with Luke and two emergency surgeries afterwards, he was exhausted and starving. He dropped his keys and his medical bag on the table that sat just behind the door, went into the kitchen, and started making himself an enormous sandwich.

I wanted to see how you were doing…I'm glad you didn't lose that human side of you…

Luke's words resounded in Reid's head as he ate his dinner. Why the hell had he ever agreed to meet the younger man for lunch?

"What a stupid thing to do," Reid mumbled, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

When he had finished his food and put the dishes in the sink, Reid went over to his computer and turned it on. He needed to talk to someone desperately and he knew who that person needed to be. As soon as his computer had warmed up, Reid logged on to Skype and hoped beyond hope that Katie Snyder was on hers.

He sighed in relief as he saw her name and immediately connected to her.

"Reid! Hi," Katie said, through the screen, surprised to see her friend. Despite the years that Reid had been gone from Oakdale, the former roommates had remained best friends and kept in touch almost daily.

"Katie, thank goodness you're on," Reid said.

"Why? What's going on?" Katie asked, concerned.

"Luke's here," Reid said, a hint of panic in his voice.

"What do you mean? He's in your apartment? Then why are you talking to me?"

"No. He's not in my apartment, Katie. He's in Dallas."

"Why?"

"He's here with Noah for a film festival," Reid said, betraying his hurt in his voice. A shadow crossed the woman's face.

"How did you know that?" Katie asked, furrowing her brows.

"He came and found me at the hospital."

"He sought you out?" Katie said, interest clear in her voice.

Reid's eyes narrowed at the sound of his friend's voice. "Yes. Why?"

"Well. That's good. He wanted to see you," Katie said, smiling.

"We had lunch today," Reid blurted out. He couldn't hold it in any longer.

"You WHAT?" Katie said, excited. "Why didn't you say that sooner? Did you ask him or did he ask you?"

"He asked me," Reid said. Katie broke into a huge smile.

"What?" Reid asked, confused at why Katie was smiling.

"He still likes you," Katie said. Reid frowned. "Why are you glaring at me?"

"You know why I'm glaring at you," Reid said.

"Why? Because I tell you that the man you've remained in love with and pined for for the last three years still likes you?" Katie asked, raising an eyebrow.

Reid opened his mouth to speak but closed it again without saying anything. Instead, he clenched his teeth and ran his fingers through his hair.

"How was the lunch?" Katie asked, seeing that her friend was distressed.

"Painful," Reid said. He couldn't lie and say it was fun; Katie could read him like a book.

"Why?" Katie asked, sadness in her voice.

"Because he was there. And he was kind. And it was like we had never been apart," Reid said, his voice cracking uncharacteristically. "He had no right to do that!" Reid said loudly and angrily.

"To do what?" Katie asked, confused, but happy at the emotion her friend was showing.

"To come down here after all these years, after he dumped me, and find me and make me feel all over again everything I've worked so hard to stop feeling." Reid was near hysterics now. All the feelings he had kept bottled up inside of him over the last three years came spilling out.

"Reid! Relax," Katie said, though she relished the fact that the doctor was reacting from his heart. "You're having an anxiety attack. That's only going to make things worse."

At her words, Reid had a fleeting memory from long ago of having been in an elevator with Luke the last time he had had an anxiety attack. Immediately, he thought of a brain and his breathing eased. "I'm sorry. I haven't lost control like that in a long time."

"It's okay. You haven't seen Luke in three years. Your emotions are bound to be out of whack." Katie smiled at him. "Do you feel better?"

"No," Reid said. "A little. Thanks for the talk, Katie." Just then, his doorbell rang. "Someone's at the door. I have to go."

"Okay. Call me, if you need to talk some more."

Reid nodded, logged off and went to the door. He opened it and found himself face-to-face with Luke.