The bottom line was that Reid wanted to do Noah's surgery as quickly as possible so that he could get the hell out of town. I figured that the show would treat brain surgery as casually as, say, a fake green card marriage, so I have to admit that I was completely surprised when Luke got all logical, pointing out that Noah had already had something to eat and couldn't go under anesthesia for twenty four hours, not to mention the fact that Dr. Oliver didn't even know anyone at the hospital yet.
Reid's view was that a brain was a brain and the rest didn't matter. Yeah, that's the attitude I'd want from my brain surgeon! Luke told Reid that Noah wasn't ready, but Noah declared that he was calling the shots and had been ready since the day of his accident.
So much for logic. Reid found the Chief of Staff, Dr. Bob Hughes, and filled him in on his needs ("You! You look important. I need...") Bob was understandably nonplussed by this, but Luke quickly introduced the two, leading to Reid snarking at Luke "Of course you're on a first name basis." Love it!
Luke wanted Noah to think about things a bit more before rushing into the surgery and was not pleased with Reid for pressuring Noah because of his own time constraints. Dr. Oliver pointed out that Luke had certainly been in a hurry when he'd 'kidnapped' him and forced him to come to Oakdale.
Bob, overhearing this confrontation, took Reid aside and told him that his Chief in Dallas might put up with his arrogance, but that he wasn't about to sign off on the surgery until Noah had thought all the consequences through. Reid accused Bob of coming to this decision because Noah's boyfriend was a family friend,"Or maybe a donor?"
Bob told Reid that both 'the patient and his partner' were under informed and scared to death, and that Dr. Oliver was going to have to take the time to reassure them before he had Noah sign the consent.
Don't mess with Dr. Bob! Reid went back in to see Noah and Luke and informed Noah that there were serious risks, including death as Luke pointed out, and nothing could be guaranteed, but that if Noah wanted his sight back, Dr. Oliver was the best man for the job.
Noah said that he wanted to have the surgery and when Luke pointed out again that he didn't have to do it that very day, Noah said he needed to get his life back. Luke told him that he had his life, but Noah said that it was A life, not His life and Luke reluctantly helped Noah sign the form.
After Reid left to get things prepared, Luke and Noah had a heart to heart talk that felt more like the real Luke & Noah than anything we've seen for ages.
Luke: How scared are you?
Noah: Very. Not as scared as I am of being blind the rest of my life.
Luke: Well I'm not going to let that happen. You believe me don't you?
Noah (actually touching Luke for a change): I'm starting to.
Noah: Very. Not as scared as I am of being blind the rest of my life.
Luke: Well I'm not going to let that happen. You believe me don't you?
Noah (actually touching Luke for a change): I'm starting to.
At that point, Luke and Noah shared their first kiss in some time, which was sweet and yet awkward since it was Noah's first kiss as a blind man. It was interrupted by Reid's return to take Noah off for surgery.
Luke was nervously pacing in the hospital hallway a short time later when Bob and Kim Hughes suggested that he take a walk with them, since there wouldn't be any news for hours. Luke had just agreed when Reid came out of the O.R. and informed him that there was bad news. I thought the half sick, half terror stricken look on Luke's face as they faded to commercial was a nice touch on the part of Van Hansis.
Reid informed Luke that he'd checked out Noah's latest scans as he was scrubbing in and realized that there was more vascular involvement than he'd thought. Noah would need multiple surgeries with IV drug therapy in between, and that was more of a commitment than Dr. Oliver was willing to make. On top of all that, he informed Luke that he'd have his office bill him for his time that day.
Luke protested that Dr. Oliver hadn't done anything and Reid reminded him that he'd been forced to come and that his time was valuable: just ask any of his many patients waiting for him back in Dallas.
Luke didn't know how he was going to tell Noah about this, since he'd been counting on the surgery. Bob and Kim suggested that it would at least be easier for Noah to hear it from Luke. Uh, have they met the new Noah? Or heard that expression about killing the messenger? After Bob and Kim left, Reid returned to ask if Luke had got him a car for the airport yet.
Luke was suddenly in Dr. Oliver's face, telling him that he wasn't going anywhere until he'd helped Noah. Reid told Luke that he'd only give Noah a 20% chance of getting off the table if he did operate since he needed months of surgery.
Luke snapped that Reid that he wasn't using the Grimaldi jet and could find his own way back to Dallas. Reid sneered that Luke was taking his toys and going home since he didn't get what he wanted and told him to have a nice life. The pissed off look on Luke's face was priceless, not to mention hot! These two have intense chemistry together. I love it.
We didn't see Luke actually tell Noah the bad news. Instead, we arrived in the middle of the conversation, with Luke urging Noah not to give up hope just because Dr. Oliver couldn't operate. As expected, Noah lashed out at Luke and blamed him for blackmailing Reid, saying that it wasn't that he couldn't operate, it was that he didn't want to because of Luke.
It's funny how Mr. Morality, who had such a problem with Luke after he stole the election, had no qualms about threats and blackmail the other day when it seemed to have benefited him! His tune has certainly changed now.
Luke said that this wasn't over, but Noah ordered him out of his room. To his credit, the way that Jake Silbermann sort of curled into something resembling the fetal position after he told Luke to go away was a nice touch and did make me feel bad for him.
Out in the hall, Luke discovered that Reid was unable to get a commercial flight to Dallas due to bad weather. Luke asked him to at least stay and explain to him and Noah what they could do to make this better, even saying that they could get a place in Dallas.
Reid: I don't know how to make this clear to you. I'm not taking your boyfriend's case. I'm done. So quit ordering me around like I'm one of your servants. I don't need your money, it doesn't impress me.
Luke: Well then what will?!
Reid: Your car.
Luke: What?
Reid: You're driving me to the airport. Come on.
Luke: Well then what will?!
Reid: Your car.
Luke: What?
Reid: You're driving me to the airport. Come on.
Was I the only one who thought, just for a second, that Reid was going to make Luke an indecent proposal? Something like "Be my love slave and I'll help your boyfriend." Their chemistry was off the charts in this scene.
In the oddly empty parking garage, Luke (who looked really cute; Van always looks great all bundled up in winter outdoor scenes, like those he had last year on the hospital roof between Luke and Noah) told Reid that he wasn't driving him anywhere, that he had to stay and help Noah.
Reid said that he was tired of Luke's command performance and that no matter how rich Luke was or how used to getting his way, it wasn't happening this time. He took Luke's keys and told him that he could pick up his car at the airport.
All during this scene, too, I kept waiting for Reid to kiss Luke or something. There's just this strong vibe between them.
Luke jumped in front of the car, leaning against the hood, but Dr. Oliver wasn't about to let that stop him. He started forward anyway, making Luke jump aside, and causing Reid to miss the fact that Kim Hughes was backing out of her own parking spot. Fender bender!
Both parties seemed fine, but clearly Dr. Oliver's trip back to Dallas is going to be delayed. That was all for Friday's show, but I have to say that for the first time in quite awhile, I pretty much enjoyed all of the Nuke scenes. Or, maybe I should say the LuReid scenes? Oluke? Luliver?
The chemistry between Van Hansis and Eric Sheffer Stevens has me on the edge of my seat in a way that I haven't been with this show for a long time. More please!
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