Chapter 3

"I don't understand Luke," Lily said as she watched her son pack some cloths into a duffel bag. "Why do you want to stay at the Lakeview?"

"Because I don't want to stay at the house by myself." Luke replied, wishing his Mother would stop questioning him. "Faith and the kids are on that ski trip with Grand Mother and John; and you and Dad are going away to that cabin for the weekend."

"But my Mother wanted you to go with them," Lily reminded. "You said you didn't want to, that you couldn't remember the last time you had a weekend to yourself and that's what you wanted. If you changed your mind, you can always come with me and your Father."

"No thanks," Luke smiled. "You and Dad need some alone time and so do I. Just not here."

"But why the Lakeview?" Lily continued to prod.

"I just want to see how I would like it there." Luke said. "Maybe I'll stay. It's time I moved out, don't you think? No living with a boyfriend or a roommate, just a place that's mine. I've never had that."

Lily watched him for a few moments. She was happy to see Luke smile and actually look forward to something. A smile was so rare since Reid had died. She knew he still grieved Reid's tragic death and wanted to respect the fact that he needed time alone. She just didn't realize he'd been contemplating moving out.

"I'd hate to see you move." Lily said. "You know you can stay here as long as you want. I love having you here. But whatever you do, your Father and I are always here for you."

"I know Mom and I love you," Luke gave her a hug, "right now, this is what I want to do. And I don't want you calling and checking up on me. Just let me have this weekend, okay?"

"Okay Baby," Lily said "But you know if you need anything while you're there—"

"You're part owner of the hotel," Luke said, "they'll give me whatever I want whenever I want. So don't worry. All I want you to think about is being with Dad."

(Later)

Luke unlocked the back door and stepped inside a small kitchen. He left two sacks of food on the counter and carried his duffel bag into the living quarters. "Reid?"

Reid opened the double-doors that led into the bedroom and stepped out. "Bout time you got here. I was starting to wonder."

"Sorry, I had things to do," Luke absently replied as he looked at Reid. Reid was now clean-shaven. "I thought you were suppose to be in disguise?"

Reid rubbed his smooth chin. "It was getting a little scraggily. Though I'd start over. You like it?"

Luke smiled, wondering if Reid had shaved for him. "I like it. You look handsome." Reid gave a casual shrug, but Luke could tell he liked the compliment.

"Looks like you've been busy." Reid studied Luke's hair.

"Oh, I did it after I checked into the Lakeview." Luke ran his fingers through his freshly bleached hair. After he'd checked in, he'd paid an impromptu visit to the salon. He didn't know what possessed him to do it. But the way Reid was looking at him, he was glad he did. "Like it?"

"You look like you did the day we first met." Reid said.

"You mean the day you told me… what was it?" Luke pretended to think. "You hoped I choked on the big fat silver spoon in my mouth?"

Reid chuckled. "That would be the day."

Luke cocked his head to the side. "So what are you saying? You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that. It actually looks hot. Like I said, reminds me of when we met."

Luke tried to will away the blush he could feel coming on. The salon had definitely been worth the trip. "Wait, when we met, you made it very clear you didn't like me, but you thought I looked hot?"

Reid just smiled. "Why were you checking in at the Lakeview?"

"I told my Mom I was going to stay there." Luke answered. "I made her promise not to bother me this weekend, but you know my Mom. She'll check the front desk to make sure I'm there and being taken care of."

"So where exactly am I?" Reid looked around. "You never told me. Last night was like a drive-by, you barley slowed down before shoving me out of the car."

"That's not true." Luke said. "I'm sorry, but you didn't want to draw any attention, right? I didn't want anyone to notice me out here and mention it to my Grand-Mother Lucinda. This is her cottage."

"You brought me to your Grand-Mother's cottage?" Reid asked. "Was that wise?"

"Don't worry, nobody ever comes here." Luke assured. "My car's parked in the garage; nobody will suspect we're here. The last people who lived here were Noah and Ameera and that was a few years ago."

"Oh yes, the wife you told me about." Reid looked inside the bedroom and made a disgusted face. "Please don't tell me I just slept in the same bed they did."

"You didn't." Luke went inside the bedroom and sat his bag on the end of the bed. "My Grand-Mother re-furnished the entire place. Everything is new. Or was new. She wanted to update it and start renting it out, but she never got around to it. She's pretty much forgotten all about this place. I'm surprised the water and electricity are still on."

"I didn't use any of the lights." Reid said. "I used candles."

"Good," Luke unzipped his bag, "I brought more candles. And these." He handed Reid a cell phone. "These phones are pay as you go. Think of them as our alternate phones. Only you and I will have these numbers. I already put my number in yours."

Reid raised his eyebrows. "You've thought of everything, haven't you?"

"Think about it Reid," Luke smiled, "This way we can still stay in touch after you leave."

"I can't be calling you after I leave." Reid said. "Even on our secret little spy phones."

Luke lost his smile. "Who would know but us?"

"Luke," Reid sighed, "me being here doesn't mean I've returned to the world of the living. I shouldn't be here. When I leave I'm not coming back."

Luke quietly returned the cell phone to his bag. "Reid, I don't want to talk about that now. Right now we're together. Lets just focus on that, okay?"

"Okay," Reid resigned for now. The last thing he wanted to see was disappointment on Luke's face so he placed the cell phone in his own small bag.

"You must be hungry." Luke said, changing the subject.

"I'm fucking starving," Reid exclaimed. "Please tell me you brought food."

Luke pulled off his jacket. "Follow me."

Reid followed Luke into the kitchen and was over joyed to see groceries. Luke unloaded bread, deli meats, and all the proper condiments. There were a couple of thick steaks, potatoes, eggs, sausage… everything to get them by for a few days.

Reid stood behind him, examining all the food. "You're amazing."

Luke turned, facing Reid. "You're just now figuring that out?"

"No," Reid stepped close to Luke. "I figured that out a long time ago." He placed his hands on Luke's waist, then his brows came together. "Whoa, you've lost weight."

"No I haven't." Luke quickly stepped away from Reid to get some plates out of the cabinet.

Reid looked Luke over. "Yes you have. You're thin. I mean, you've always been thin, but—"

"I'll take that as a compliment." Luke said. "Go in the other room and sit. I'll make you a sandwich."

Reid did as told and a few minutes later, Luke entered the room with two sandwiches and a bottle of beer that he placed in front of Reid.

"Thank you!" Reid took a gulp of his beer then picked up the sandwich, taking a large bite. "You're not going to be waiting on me hand and foot," Reid said, barely understandable with his mouth full. "I'll make dinner tonight."

"Wow, you've never made me dinner before." Luke mused, while picking at his own sandwich. He tore off a small piece of bread and stuck it in his mouth. "Can you cook?"

"I've paid attention to Katie. I'm sure I can figure it out." Reid was quiet for a moment. "How is she, by the way?"

"She's doing good." Luke answered. "She misses you. I don't think you realize what you meant to her."

Reid faintly smiled. "I miss her too. She was one of the very few people in my entire life I genuinely considered a friend."

"Her and Chris are engaged, now."

"Mrs. Doogie Hughes?" Reid rolled his eyes. "He'd better take damn good care of her and Jacob or I'll haunt his ass."

Luke chuckled. It felt so good to sit across the small table and talk to Reid, like nothing was out of the ordinary. He picked up Reid's beer and absently took a drink.

"Holy!" Reid quickly sat down his sandwich and snatched the bottle out of Luke's hand. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What?" Luke looked at Reid, confused, then realized what he'd done. "Oh, I didn't mean to do that. It was an accident. I forgot what you were drinking."

"Right, because this bottle of beer can accidentally be mistaken for anything." Reid stood and went into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he returned to the table. "I dumped all the beers."

"What? Why?" I just bought those."

"I'd hate for you to accidentally make the same mistake twice." Reid sarcastically replied. "After all, you wouldn't intentionally jeopardize your heath by drinking, right? But you've been doing it anyway, haven't you?"

Luke lowered his head and scratched below his ear. Something he unconsciously did when he was uncomfortable, and Reid knew it.

"How much have you been drinking?" Reid persisted.

"Look, it's no big deal." Luke said

Reid shook his head. "What the hell is wrong with you? You obviously haven't been taking care of yourself. You've lost weight because you're not eating properly and now you're drinking—"

"It's only been a couple of times, that's all!" Luke suddenly snapped. "I'm not your fucking patient, I didn't bring you here to analyze my health." He stood and stormed away from the table. This wasn't the way the weekend was suppose to start. He went to the window and crossed his arms, moodily staring outside. A dark blue car with black tinted windows was slowly moving down the road. Much slower than warranted. It seemed to be creeping past the cottage. Luke frowned. Maybe the driver was lost.

"I'm sorry." Reid's voice was behind him.

Forgetting the strange car, Luke turned to face Reid. "No, I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You're angry." Reid replied.

"Maybe I am," Luke heavily sighed. "Life is so unfair, you know. And I'm not some naïve kid who's just now realizing that. I've had more than my share of experiences to have learned that lesson a long time ago. But this… this is different. It's like, what did we do to deserve this? Everybody we know gets to have these fucking fairy-tale happy endings and what do we get?"

"I know." Reid quietly agreed.

Luke sadly smiled. "You know, I used to wake up every morning and think to myself 'how the hell am I going to deal with this pompous ass-hole today?' Then one morning I woke up and for some reason I was actually looking forward to seeing you. I'm not sure how it happened, but I kept wanting to see you more and more. It didn't matter what we did, just as long as I was with you. Even after you died, I would wake up and think about being with you, then I would remember…"

Reid brought his hand to Luke's cheek. "Don't think I haven't felt the same about you."

Luke closed his eyes, taking in the feel of Reid's touch. The gruff, rude, pompous ass-hole had the softest touch he had ever known. And the fact that the Doctor would never willingly allow anyone to know how gentle he was, but him…

Luke cupped Reid's face in his hands and kissed him. Reid's arms circled around his waist and Luke melted against him, wanting the heat of Reid's body to over take him. He opened his mouth, wanting Reid to consume him.

Reid held Luke tight, returning Luke's hungry, needy kiss. He moved his hands beneath Luke's shirt, caressing Luke's back and slowly moving the shirt up. Luke didn't stop him. Instead Luke raised his arms, allowing him to pull the shirt off over his head.

Suddenly, Luke pushed Reid back. "Wait!"

"Sorry," Reid took a step back, angry with himself for so quickly loosing his head. "I didn't mean—"

"Shut up, you idiot.'' Luke grabbed Reid's arm and rushed him into the bedroom. Once inside, he slammed Reid against the wall and ripped open the Doctor's shirt, causing buttons to fly in every direction.

Reid looked down at his shirt then back up at Luke, surprised. "Uh, that was my favorite shirt."

"I'll buy you another." Luke promised as he pulled Reid's shirt off. Reid spun them around, pressing Luke to the wall once again, but Luke didn't protest. He more than reciprocated to Reid's forceful kiss. He liked the feel of the Doctor taking charge and being in control. He wanted Reid to do with him whatever Reid wanted.

Reid moved his kiss from Luke's mouth to his neck, and Luke let his head fall back as Reid's lips sucked against his throat and bit on his skin. Reid's mouth was as talented as his hands. Reid's delicate hands slid down his back, sending an electrical current down his spine and straight to his groin. He so badly needed the Doctor. As Reid held him to he wall, he could feel Reid's hardness against his own and knew Reid needed him too.

Reid caressed Luke's lower back, always finding that particular curve in Luke's body incredibly sexy. His hands dipped inside the back of Luke's jeans, feeling and squeezing his soft warm flesh. He pulled Luke away from the wall and steered him to the bed.

Luke lay across the bed and Reid crawled over him, licking a wet trail from Luke's stomach to his pecks. He kissed Luke's nipple then without warning, bit down hard. Luke gasped, but he could tell Luke liked it. Luke arched up wanting more and Reid kissed his way to the other nipple, giving it the same treatment. At the same time, he unfastened Luke's jeans and began to work them down. Luke lifted his hips, allowing him to remove the rest of his cloths.

"Did you bring anything?" Reid asked. "Because I didn't."

"You mean condoms?" Luke shook his head. "But I brought something else. It's in the side pocket of my duffel bag."

Reid reached towards the end of the bed, stuck his hand inside the pocket and pulled out a small bottle of lube. He regarded the lube, contemplating.

"Reid, you know I've never been with anyone other than… I've only been with one other person." Luke said, sensing Reid's hesitation. It surprised him. "Trust me that's been a long time ago."

"It's not that," Reid said. "I'm tested all the time, I know we're okay."

"Than what?"

"I want you to be sure, you're ready," Reid said carefully. "I want this to be only about you and me. I don't want you to associate this with anyone else."

"I don't. Not anymore." Luke cupped Reid's face. "All I want is to be with you."

Reid looked into Luke's dark brown eyes and knew he was telling the truth. Luke still loved him. That was all he needed to know. He kissed Luke, soft and slow, putting as much meaning as he could behind it. He wanted Luke to understand this wasn't just sex, he was going to make love to him.

Luke rolled Reid onto his back and sat up, unfastening Reid's dark jeans. "Have I ever told you how good your ass looks in these jeans." He commented as he slowly slid them off the doctor's legs.

Reid raised his eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah." Luke pulled off Reid's boxer-briefs and raised his own eyebrows. This was definitely one of the Doctor's best kept secrets.

"Think you can handle it?" Reid proudly asked.

"You're so damn arrogant."

"Can you really blame me?"

Luke smiled and straddled Reid's thighs. Picking up the bottle of lube, he poured some into his palm and rubbed his hands together. He then smoothed the liquid onto Reid's cock.

Reid tried to lie still as Luke's hands slowly circled and stroked him. He rubbed his hands along Luke's naked thighs, touching as much of him as he could, and marveling at how beautiful Luke truly was. Something Reid had always known, but had never fully seen until now. And unlike some, Luke's beauty went way beyond physical. He pulled Luke against him, rolling them over, and took the bottle of lube. He poured some of the fluid between Luke's legs and slowly began to rub it on him.

Luke closed his eyes as Reid's talented fingers passed over him. He bit his lip when Reid's fingers carefully worked their way inside. He needed more than just Reid's fingers.

However, Reid took his time preparing Luke. He took his time, watching Luke's face heat and flush with desire. A side of Luke he'd never seen before. Luke's full lips were even more full and swollen from the intensity of their kissing, and Reid kissed them again, always loving the soft feel.

"Reid, come on." Luke breathed against Reid's mouth. He wrapped his legs around Reid and hotly whispered into Reid's ear. "I need you."

Reid needed no more encouragement as Luke impatiently bit and sucked on his ear. He removed his fingers, positioned himself at Luke's entrance and slowly moved inside. Luke's body was so warm and tight, it took nearly all of Reid's self-control not to thrust into him, but he held himself in check when Luke sharply sucked in his breath. "Are you okay?"

Luke nodded, momentarily unable to speak. He wasn't nervous. He wanted Reid so badly, he literally ached for him. But it truly had been a long time and he had to will his body to relax.

"Do you want me to stop?" Reid asked.

"No, God no. Just go slow."

Reid pulled back a little and slowly moved back in. He kissed Luke's lips, face, and neck and whispered things into his ear, but Luke couldn't concentrate on Reid's words. All he could concentrate on was the feel of Reid inside him; the feel of Reid's body moving over his; and the feel of Reid's abs gliding over his cock. Every sensation was incredible. The erotic sound of Reid's husky, desire-filled voice against his ear was almost enough to bring him off. He vaguely became aware that Reid wasn't the only one making noise.

Reid moved inside Luke's body, deeper and faster, stimulated by every hot moan Luke gave him. Luke reached under Reid's arms and clutched the back of his shoulders, almost painfully, yet it was the sweetest pain Reid could possibly feel. He kept up the momentum as long as he could, but could eventually feel himself teetering on the edge. He quickly reached between them, taking Luke's cock in his hand.

Reid's touch was all Luke needed. He thrust into Reid's hand and a wave of pleasure crashed over his entire body with mind-numbing intensity. He could feel nearly every muscle in Reid's body contract as Reid reached his own orgasm. Reid buried his face in Luke's neck, collapsing over him. Luke held Reid close, not wanting him to move. He stroked the Doctor's sweat slicked back, enjoying the feel of Reid's dead weight on top of him.

They lay quietly for several minutes, catching their breath and relishing in the feel of being in each other's arms.

Reid raised is head and smoothed back Luke's damp blonde hair. "Are you okay?"

Luke nodded. "Trust me, I'm okay. God, that was amazing."

Reid propped his head up on his elbow. "I told you, I'm the best."

Luke laughed. "You say the most romantic things. You should write a book."

Reid laughed with him. "I am what I am. But seriously, I wanted this to be special for you."

"It was Reid," Luke said seriously. "I can't even describe how it feels to be with you."

Reid smiled; the feeling was mutual. "Just think, it's only Friday. We have all weekend."

"I hope you're up for it," Luke said, "because we are just getting started."

"If that's the case, I need to re-fuel." Reid held a hand over his stomach. "I am sooo hungry right now."

"Are you serious?"

"I only had two bites of that sandwich." Reid whined. "I'm sorry, but I can't remember the last time I ate."

"Ah, poor baby, " Luke kissed Reid, "I'll get your sandwich." He climbed off the bed and kicked a few cloths aside which had spilled from his bag when it fell off the bed. He then noticed a small gift-wrapped box lying on the floor. "I forgot about this." Luke picked up the box.

"What is it?" Reid scooted up against the headboard.

Luke sat beside him and handed him the box. "I know it's still a few weeks away, but Merry Christmas."

"Seriously?" Reid looked at the box, surprised.

"Open it."

Reid tore off the paper, opened the box and pulled out a black knight chess piece. He looked a Luke, a little confused.

"That's yours," Luke explained. "Your Uncle Angus gave it to me. It's the piece you'd sent to him when you graduated med-school."

"You're kidding?" Reid held up the knight, examining it. "I can't believe he kept this." He looked at Luke. "He gave it to you? When did you met him?"

"I didn't, my Mom and Dad did," Luke answered, "even though you gave me power of attorney, I couldn't make any decisions about your remains, or what I thought was your remains. A family member had to make those decisions. My parents flew to Brooklyn and found your Uncle. He signed legal documents which gave me permission to take care of everything."

Reid shook his head, amazed. "My Uncle and I haven't talked in… I don't know how long."

"From what my parents told me, he cared a lot about you." Luke said. "The news of your death wasn't easy for him to take. Anyway, he asked my parents to give that to me as a reminder of you. But I don't need it anymore, because now I have you."

Reid caressed Luke's cheek. "Thank you. I wish I would have brought you a gift, but I didn't."

Luke covered Reid's hand with his own. "You already gave me your gift, Reid," He brushed his lips over Reid's. "Thank you."

Reid smiled. "If you liked that, wait until you see what I give you next."

Luke returned his smile. "If that's the case, I'd better get your sandwich. Because trust me, you'll need to keep up your energy."

TBC…