Chapter Text
THE AFTERMATH
PART ONE
In the parking lot at Oakdale Memorial, Luke Snyder was chasing Dr Reid Oliver to his car.
"Reid, Reid wait!", Cried Luke.
Reid shook his head as he reached the parked car, "Quit trying to stop me, I'm going"
Luke shook his head, "I know you are. I'm coming with you, just to make sure you aren't arrested or something, is that alright?"
Reid could see the hope glimmer in the younger guy's eyes, but he shook his head, knowing he was going to disappoint, "You can't..."
Luke was in question, "Why not?"
"This has to be handled doctor to doctor, right? Let me do what I do best...make trouble"
Luke watched Reid open the drivers door and threw his jacket to the passengers seat, "Admit it Reid, You're not angry because some surgeon is pulling rank...you are fighting for Chris because you give a damn, about him and his family"
Reid exhaled, "Fine. I have to do this for Bob, and for Kim, even though she cannot stand me, and for Katie and for Chris too, even if he shouldn't be chief of staff, because that's my job..but not because he crokes it at the finish line"
"and now you are spoiling it"
"Look, don't get any ideas about me...I'm still the selfish jerk I've always been...I've spent my entire life going up against with people with money and power that they didn't do a damned thing to earn...I have...I've earned the right to throw my weight around, I've got a great reason, I'm not going to pass up that opportunity"
Luke was now understanding, "Okay, just don't go punching anybody's lights out"
Reid chuckled, "I'm not making any promises...hey, do me a favour and not tell anyone where I am going, okay? Chris will go all brave and noble, Bob will default to protocol and procedure and Katie and Kim will chew their fingers off with worry, I have enough pressure as it is..."
Reid turned back to the car and dithered, he in-took a breath and turned again to face Luke,
"I love you", Luke looked back at him in total surprise, "There I said it"
Reid then got hold of Luke and kissed him full on the lips, before pulling away and giving him a playful tap on the cheek as he jumped into the car. Luke, over whelmed in the realisation Reid loved him, smiled like a Cheshire cat and stood back to let Reid reverse the car out of the parking bay and speed along to get the life saving donor heart for Chris.
L&R
Luke came back inside and saw Casey and Alison in reception looking quite worried and in conversation, "What's wrong? Is Chris alright?"
Casey turned to him, revealing what's gone on since he saw Reid off from the parking lot, "Dr Dixon just told Ali that they can't perform the surgery to insert the heart pump"
Luke was bursting to tell what Reid was up too, even though he shouldn't, "Well, that's alright...he won't need it, Reid's got a plan"
"What kinda plan? Where is he?" frowned Alison glancing at Casey.
Luke couldn't hold in his excitement has he told them, "He doesn't want anyone to know, but he's on his way to Bay city to pick up that Heart for Chris, and I'm sure he won't be back without it"
Alison was shocked, "What? Is he just gonna take it away from them?"
"Can he do that?", queried Casey.
Luke shrugged, "Probably not...but I've never seen Reid not get what he wants, he's amazing", and he couldn't hide his proud smile.
This didn't go unnoticed by Alison, "You sound really crazy about him, I didn't realise you two were that serious"
Luke realised that himself, "Neither did I..."
L&R
On his way to Bay city, Reid had one hand on the steer wheel and one hand holding his cell phone to his ear, "...yeah that heart belongs to my patient...his family thinks he's going into surgery in a few hours, you can't get their hopes up then take it away on a whim, I mean, what kind of surgeon are you? You know what, I'm gonna get there in ten minutes, so don't even think about giving that heart to anyone else"
He hung up and focused forward to the road ahead to see the railroad crossing looming. The warning lights were flashing and the gentle tolling of the bell heralded the cross barriers coming down, blocking his route to Bay city.
"Agh"
Reid glancing into his rear view mirror and knowing that time was at the essence as far as Chris' health was concerned, jerk reaction forced him to put his foot on the gas.
Just as the car hit the tracks the car stalled and stopped. Reid was frustrated as he turned the ignition over and over ten times, the car refused to start he banged the steer wheel in sheer frustration.
He then heard it, the horn of the train.
He turned the engine over again. Nothing.
He turned his head and saw the train. It was heading towards him at speed.
His hand went to the seat belt to unfasten it, but that jammed, he wriggled it around. The train was getting nearer, horn blaring out again. Never mind Chris's heart, his own heart was beating out of his chest as the shadow of the train loomed larger...and larger.
Until...
TO BE CONTINUED