Starting Over
by Mike Douglas
Special thanks to nezabudka1 for help with editing the story.
Rating: NC-17 (Adult Language, Sexual Situations – gay sex)
Disclaimer: Luke, Noah, and all related characters, plots, and locations are property of As the World Turns, Telenext Media, and CBS Television. No profit is made from this fan creation. No copyright infringement is intended!
-P-
It's been six months since Noah's move to Los Angeles. He's settled down pretty quickly in a nice apartment with a gym on the same block, all close to his office where he is working on his film. Every day, he wakes up thinking about Luke. He's always wondering what Luke is doing and how he's feeling. They've kept in touch for the five of the six months that he's been in Los Angeles but for the last month, frankly Noah hasn't heard anything from Luke.
Then one day Noah's cell phone started ringing. It was Lily. It would be Noah's first conversation with Lily in two months as he's been too busy working on his film to talk to anyone.
"Hi, Lily." answered Noah.
"Oh good, I'm so glad you answered." Lily sounded relieved.
"What's wrong?"
"It's Luke." She paused for a minute and then continued. "He's drinking again."
Noah was stunned. "Are you sure?"
"Of course we are sure." Lily snapped at Noah.
Noah could almost feel the glare through the phone. "Sorry, Lily, you wouldn't be calling me if he wasn't."
"It's been two weeks now and we can't get him to stop him." Trying not to cry. "We need your help."
"My help? What can I do?"
"We would like you to come to Oakdale to talk with him." To Lily, Noah was that one last chance, the last hope to save her son.
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Lily"
"I know things were left wide open between you and Luke and you both are hurting because of it but, Noah, I'm asking you because we don't know what else to do." pleaded Lily. "If he doesn't stop, he will die."
"Lily, it's not that I don't want to…" Noah's mind drifted back to two conversations he had with Luke.
"Since when? Whatever happened to standing up for each other no matter what? I really believed in that but I guess all bets are off when the going gets tough." said Luke. (flashback Video – after election scandal when Noah packed his stuff and moved out of the Snyder farm.– LukeVanFan part 218 1:22)
"You know, no matter what happens we are always going to be friends." said Noah. (flashback Video – when Luke told Noah that Brian kissed him. – LukeVanFan part 228 1:00)
"Noah, are you there?" Lily was concerned when Noah stopped talking during mid-sentence.
"Yes, I'm here, sorry. I'll come to Oakdale. How fast can Lucinda get her jet here?"
"It's already on its way. We knew you would say yes."
"Great. I'm predictable, aren't I." laughed Noah as Lily joined in.
-P-
Noah's flight to Oakdale was a quiet one as he knew that in a matter of hours he'd come face-to-face with Luke. His first boyfriend, his first love, first everything. Noah just hoped that he'd arrive in time to help Luke face whatever demons still haunted his soul.
Noah stopped his rental car in front of Lily's house and slowly exited it while taking in the scenery, remembering the happier times. He made his way to the open front door of the house with Lily and Holden waiting for him.
"Noah, we are so glad you could make it." said Holden as he pulled Noah into a quick hug before they shuffled him into the house.
"I'm glad I could help. You know I could make things worse?"
"I'm not sure you could." said Lily sadly.
Noah was shocked by her response and by her emotions that she wore so openly on her face.
"He's that bad?" Noah was shocked. He knew from experience that Luke turned to alcohol to hide his pain but even he didn't expect Luke to have such a setback and drown his pain in liquor.
"Yes." Lily said sadly.
"Luke has been putting all this time into the new surgical wing. It opened three weeks ago…"
"That explains it." Noah said offhand. Seeing Lily and Holden's expressions he continued. "Luke and I were emailing, calling, texting since I left but he stopped about a month ago."
"He put all his effort and feelings into the new wing but now it's over. He's thinking what now? He used the new wing as a distraction from his problems." Lily provided some insight as to what Luke has been feeling.
Noah just sat there, not knowing what to say. He felt a little awkward.
"We know this is hard for you, Noah but we just don't know who else can help him, like you can." Holden was being honest. "I don't think this is only about Reid and the wing being finished. He's been hiding from his feelings about you too."
"What about Grimaldi Shipping and the foundation?" Noah asked curiously.
"Lucinda is running Grimaldi now. Luke wanted to spend all his time working to make the new wing the best it could be." replied Lily. "I'm running World Wide and the foundation."
"I didn't know that." Noah processed the new information for a minute as he finally came to terms that Luke was spinning out of control. Noah looked solemnly at Lily and Holden. "Okay, let's go find him."
-P-
They made their plan to look for Luke and then split up. Lily went to check the hospital, Holden went to check the pond and the farm and Noah went to Al's, Yo's and the bars in town.
Noah was lucky and found Luke at Yo's. As Noah entered the bar, his attention focused on some guy who was standing real close to Luke and talking to him.
"What are you doing here drinking, Luke? Noah asked Luke in a stern voice.
"Hey, Noah." smirked a slightly drunken Luke, "I'm just here to whistle my wet." He immediately realized he said it backwards and started laughing.
"Who are you?" inquired Ben, the guy who was chatting up Luke.
"I'm his ex and he's leaving with me." Noah replied a firm voice.
"Oh no, I've been buying his drinks for a hour." Ben was annoyed, "He's coming home with me."
Noah wasn't in the mood to listen to some guy who just wanted to have Luke for sex, he pulled out his wallet, threw a $20 bill on the bar. "Here... for your trouble."
"We are leaving." said Noah as he helped Luke off the bar stool. Ben was persistent. He stepped in front of the front door and would not let them leave the bar.
Everyone in the bar soon noticed the confrontation at the front door of the bar and came over to watch.
Noah was starting to get mad now. He took off his jacket and gave it to Luke. "Stay here." Since Noah's been in Los Angeles, he's been working out regularly and put on ten pounds of muscle.
"I have no problem going through you." said Noah in a threatening voice as he started to crack his knuckles.
Ben threw the first punch. Noah blocked it with his left hand and threw a right cross to Ben's nose so hard that you could hear the bones cracking.
"Son of a bitch!" yelled Ben out in pain. "You broke my nose!"
Noah didn't care. He just wanted to get Luke home and away from the bar. Noah grabbed Luke, pushed Ben out of the way and walked out of Yo's without any more trouble.
"Why did you do that?" yelled Luke. "He's not going to want to buy me drinks anymore."
"Good. You shouldn't be drinking in the first place." Noah was blunt.
As they approached the car, Noah pulled out his phone and called Holden. "I've got him, Holden. We are on our way to Lily's house." he spoke into the phone. "Can you call Jack and tell him to take the call at Yo's, if they receive one. I had to punch someone to get Luke out of there… Yeah, I think I broke his nose… He was blocking the door; I didn't have a choice… See you at the house. Bye." Noah hung up the phone.
"What are you doing here anyway?" asked an annoyed Luke.
"Your parents flew me in to talk some sense into you."
"There's nothing wrong with me." Luke was slurring his words.
"Yeah, right." replied a disgusted Noah.
The rest of the trip to Lily's house was quiet. Noah got out of the car and helped get Luke into the house. He sat Luke down in the kitchen chair and put on a pot of coffee as he pulled a container of water out of the refrigerator.
"Drink this until the coffee's ready." said Noah as he put down an unopened bottle of water in front of Luke. He turned his back just for a second to check on the coffee and Luke took advantage of it by sneaking out of the kitchen. Noah turned around and Luke was gone.