Life After the Crash (If I Stay#2) ~ON HOLD~

Chapter 5

Luke^^^^
~Reid's POV~

"Oh my god, hey Luke!" I say, shaking my old friend's hand, then going back to holding Jane. "It's been forever!"

"Hey man! And who is this lovely lady?" Luke gestures to Jane.

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm sorry! Luke, this is Jane, and Jane, this is Luke." I shout over the noise of the parade and I step away so they can shake hands.

"It's nice to see one of Reid's friends!" Jane says, grabbing onto my left hand again.

"Wait until you meet my girlfriend! She's wild, man! Her name is Taylor." Luke searches the parade crowd for a bit, then turns disappointingly. "Actually, I can't find her." His face lightens up and he looks at Jane. "You know, Jane could come with me to help find her! That would help us to get to know each other better so our conversations aren't as awkward..."

I turn to Jane and shrug my shoulders. "I don't know, do you want to go? You don't have to. You can always stay with me." I smile.

"No, I think I'll go with Luke. It is pretty cold and I should stretch my legs anyways." We kiss and she runs off with Luke.

~Jane's POV~

"Luke, where are we going?" I ask as we pass by the crowd and are away from the parade.

"You'll see." He smirks.

I stop in my tracks, making him do the same. "No. No 'you'll see'. I want to know where we're going!" I don't want to leav-"

He answers with a kiss.

I push him off me but he's too strong and comes back for more. I try to wiggle out of his tight grasp, but he won't let go! I reach for my phone in my back pocket. I need to call Reid. I can almost reach it. Our lips break free, but he still holds me.

"I'm in love with Reid! And, don't you have a girlfriend?!" I interrogate him.

He chuckles. "No!"

Wow. I cannot believe this guy. But, I can feel my phone now, and since Reid is on speed dial, I get him on the phone without having to look at it.

"Hello, beautiful?" A small voice -Reid's- comes from my back pocket and I shout, before Luke tackles me, "Reid! Help! Luke took me to the end of the parade and he's hurting me!"

Luke punches my stomach and I fall onto the ground with a loud thump. I can barely breath as he starts to kick me. Tears are pouring out of my eyes and I can't feel a thing. After what seems like hours, Luke pauses.

"Jane!" A seemingly distant voice that I hope to god is Reid's, yells. I brace for another kick when I see Luke run away.

I see Reid sprint after him, then come back to me. "I couldn't catch him." He whispers. "We need to get you to a hospital, now." I think he's crying; even in a time like this, he makes me laugh.

"What's so funny?" He asks as he literally carries me into the sunset to find his car.

"It's just," I pause to take a breath because it's hard to breath between the laughing, talking and attempt to inhale oxygen. "You're so cute when you cry!"

"What? Me? Crying?" He lets out a sarcastic laugh as he lays me down in the back seat of his truck.

"Oh, sure." I whisper before I start to black out a bit. Reid hops in the driver's seat and speeds down the road to the nearby hospital.

"I love you," I say as loud as I can to Reid, although it was probably a whisper. Then there was shouting. My guess, from Reid telling me to hold on, but I pass out.

~

I wake in a hospital bed -this wouldn't be the first time- and am immediately frightened when I remember what happened. I look around and spot Reid. He's sitting on an uncomfortable-looking chair; a lot like the one I was once in, watching my own body.

"You just can't stay out of hospitals, can you?" Reid asks with a wink.

"I guess not." I smile. "But Luke, he's-"

"In custody of the police, don't worry. You are completely safe. You know, unless you decide to pass out again. Then we would have some issues." Reid walks over and holds me.

"On the bright side of this whole situation," He continues, "It's the twentieth, and there isn't that much more time to get ready for Jenny's Christmas party tomorrow, so, we'll be going shopping today!"

"Really?" I ask out of disbelief. Reid almost never goes shopping because he can't stand it.

"Yes, really. Not that you need a dress or any other accessory, considering you are already completely stunning." I kiss him, then smile.

"Thank you, and not just for the shopping spree." I rub my fingers through his soft brown hair. "What you did last night was brave; chasing after your frie-"

"Ex-friend." He corrects me.

"Exactly. You gave up your friend for my safety and That is one of the many reasons I love you." I hug him and the doctor comes in, telling us that I'm fine. I may have a few headaches, but I can leave.

We thank her and head for Reid's parent's house.

"Don't scare me like that again." Reid says and smiles when we are almost at the house.

"I won't." I hope that I don't break this promise. Because, I am starting to hate being in a hospital for the night, it's really uncomfortable in those beds, I think to myself.