Reid walked into Katie's apartment and slumped onto the couch. He then noticed Katie making coffee.
"Oh, thank god, I need a coffee – can you make me one?"
"Make your own Reid Oliver. I am quite pissed off with you."
Then she turned her back on him. He frowned about to ask what the hell he had done when she spun around and glared at him. He then got a little worried. She looked not quite, but very pissed.
"Katie, I haven't done anything, I have been at work all day."
"What did you say to Luke?"
"What? I didn't say anything, well nothing out of the ordinary. What did the sensitive little unit say?"
"Fine, what did you do then?"
Reid's eyes widened as he thought about the boardroom – surely Luke wouldn't have mentioned the non-kiss to Katie.
"Ha, I see the wheels turning! What are you thinking? You did do something."
He was very thankful she didn't actually know anything. "Don't be crazy Katie, I haven't done anything to precious baby Snyder."
"Bullshit Reid, and don't call him that. I saw him walk past the childcare centre today and he looked awful. I know you had a meeting today. He spent the afternoon with Tom playing chess. I told you to be gentle."
"Wait, why did he go past the centre? Who is Tom and what do you mean about chess?" Reid threw all these questions at her, but at the same time remembering the hours he had played chess with Luke. Reid always beat him. Slaughtered really. Who is he playing chess with now? I wonder if he is any better?
The door bell ringing brought Reid back to reality. He walked to the door, still frowning and thinking about chess.
"Doogie, why are you ringing the doorbell? You live here, or did you forget?"
"Shut up Reid, this is called romance."
"Whatever girls blouse." Not at all interested in what what going on with Doogie.
Reid turned and walked back to the kitchen realising Katie was not going to make him coffee, and he also wanted his questions answered.
"Katie, you didn't answer me before about" he cleared his throat, irked she was making him ask again, especially in front of Chris "Luke"
Out of the corner of his eye he watched Chris look at him sharply.
Katie strode out of the kitchen and took off her robe, to reveal quite a skimpy dress underneath. She looked quite stunning. As she got to the door she turned and spoke to Reid "I can't talk now Reid, I have a date with my husband. Jacob will be dropped back here is a few hours – I should be back by then. You will be at work anyway wont you?"
"No, I just got home. I am allowed some time off you know. Besides, I have to give the other Doctors a chance to stuff things up so I can fix it."
Katie grimaced and looked at Chris quickly, he had the same look in his eye.
Reid assumed it was cause of what he said. If only Reid knew why.
After he ate some food and abandoned the coffee for beer, he spent the next few hours either watching the baseball or flipping through cases files. In reality he spent the time thinking about one Luke Snyder. Which really bothered him. What bothered him the most was what Katie half told him. Mainly the part about Tom. Who is Tom, his boyfriend?
Jesus, quit acting like a teenager with a crush, next he would be driving past his house to see if he was home.
I need a new mantra he thought to himself. So he said it out loud "I do not give a shit about Luke Snyder."
He nearly jumped off the lounge when he heard the key in the door. Katie and Doogie must be home. He was glad he didn't have to wait up for the kid. He turned to say hi and took a quick sharp breath in at what he saw. Standing in the doorway holding a sleeping Jacob in his arms was Luke Snyder. Luke Snyder in his house holding a sleeping Jacob. Wearing very tight jeans.
Luke looked over to the lounge and had just the same startled look on his face that Reid did.
"Oh, I didn't know you would be here. Sorry I just came on in. I have a key and Katie said to. You weren't meant to be here."
Reid just stared at him, watching as his neck then cheeks turned the same red as his polo. "I live here Luke." He smirked watching Luke's blush intensify.
"Right, well I will just put him to bed."
Reid followed him into Jacobs's room, watching as he laid the sleeping boy into his bed and tucked him into his bed. He then rummaged through a stack of toys until he found what he was looking for. "Here you go buddy, here's Doofy." He softly spoke to the sleeping boy then gently kissed him on the top of his head. Reid just watched this entire scene leaning on the door frame. He didn't realise he was smiling until Luke turned and spoke to him.
"What are you smiling at Reid? Doofy is his favourite. He sleeps with him every night. Well everywhere really."
"I'm not surprised it's his favourite, I gave it to him."
Luke looked up with wide eyes, surprise written all over his face. "Well, I have to go."
"Luke, wait."
Luke kept walking ignoring Reid. Reid caught up to him near the front door and grabbed his wrist. "Luke! Stay and watch the game with me. Have a coffee."
Reid watched Luke look down at his wrist that he was holding. He then firmly pulled out of Reid's grasp. "No I have to go."
"Or maybe we can talk about earlier today after the board meeting. Come on Luke, for old times sake. Lets catch up."
Reid saw a flash of anger in Luke's eyes. He often got fired up but rarely angry. He was angry now.
"Lets catch up? Don't speak to me as if we were just friends or acquaintances Reid. That's bullshit." With that he turned sharply and left the apartment.
Luke nearly ran down the stairs. He could see his hands shaking as he pushed the door open out of the foyer. he was torn between intense anger that Reid treated him like a stranger and that intense niggling excitement he always gets near Reid. He nearly ran straight into Katie and Chris on their way in. He then remembered he was pissed that they said Reid was not going to be there when he was. Totally set up. He wished Katie would stop trying to force them together.
"Luke, how was he. I hope he behaved himself."
His face softened immediately. "Oh Katie, he was an angel. He always is. I swear, nothing makes me laugh the way Jacob does. He says the funniest things. Never has a tantrum."
Katie stepped close and reached up to touch his cheek. "You will make an amazing father one day Luke."
"Please, I am a mess. I need to sort my life out first before I ruin another persons life."
Katie stepped forward and hugged him tight. She whispered in his ear. "I am sorry about tonight. He was meant to be at work."
He gently pushed her away. "Don't worry. Its just today was a less than average day, but at least Jacob brightened it a little."
"But then Reid obviously said something tonight."
"Chris, nothing happened-"
"Luke stop. I want to say something. Katie has told me about you and Reid. I didn't realise you and he had a history. If I did I wouldn't have given him the position. Regardless of what he can bring to Memorial. You are family, and that is so much more important. What you went through with Noah also. I just wish Reid wasn't here if he was going to make you more unhappy.
"I am not unhappy guys. I am fine."
Katie stepped forward again whilst she pushed Chris further back at the same time. "I don't know what you are at cause you don't talk to anyone about what you are feeling. You used to. People just want you to be happy because all you do is try to make others happy. I know what its like to lose a soul mate. I know how hard it is to move on. Cause I have." She squeezed Chris' hand.
"Katie, Reid wasn't my soul mate. We were teenagers who thought they were in love."
There was a significant silence as Katie looked shocked for some reason.
"Luke, I didn't mean Reid. I meant Noah."
Luke just sighed. More Noah. "Look Katie, maybe I have shut people out. But I just have never wanted to talk about Noah. But you have it wrong. You always have. Same with my parents and Maddie and Casey. Everyone. Noah was my best friend. Nothing more. Before I met Reid I thought it was more with Noah. but he never made me feel what I felt with Reid. Noah and I were confused back then. Him more so. But through all of it we were best friends. I would have done anything for him and he would have done the same for me. We weren't lovers, boyfriends or soul mates."
"Oh Luke, we all must have made everything so much worse with our constant pressuring."
He signed again but felt resigned to get this over with. "Not really. I could have talked about it. I could have corrected you all. I just wanted to keep Noah to myself. It's what he wanted. He wasn't like me, he was a very private person."
Katie reached up and wiped his tears away. "We love you Luke. Call me anytime if you ever need anything. Promise."
He laughed. "I promise."
As he got into his car he looked up to Katie's apartment and stopped dead for a moment. Reid was standing in the window staring down at him.