"Noah, just -- just answer me one thing. Do you love me?" His eyes were watery as he tried not to let them fall. Noah wanted to marry her and he was with Maddie in the past, did he want a girl again? Was he just--

"I love you more than you'll ever know and nothing will change that, not this marriage, not anything else."

"That's all I needed to know."

Luke laid in bed thinking about the last three weeks-- meeting Ameera, the drunken frat guys, the ordeal with the INS and the marriage that almost happened. Lucinda had found out Ameera's true parentage just in time.

He found it ironic that in more than one way something the Colonel did helped him and Noah.

He could hear Ameera walking around in Aaron's old room, now hers, next door. He noticed she seemed to be up very late at night and sleep later in the afternoon and wondered if she had trouble sleeping.

The last few weeks he'd be up just as late and thought about going and talking to her but he didn't want to offend her beliefs and he still didn't know them all. Plus, now he had Noah with him, in hi--their room.

After almost marrying Ameera, Emma said she wouldn't feel right keeping them apart after what they went through, from being prepared to not act like a couple to at one point coming very close to not being a couple. Luke didn't think he'd ever been so grateful.

Tonight though, Noah was on the couch where he left him. Luke smiled thinking about how tired Noah was and how he stayed up with Luke anyway.

He closed his eyes hoping he'd drift off soon. He'd probably have to wake Noah in the morning 'More like in a few hours,' he thought.

--

"Noah," Luke whispered, stepping around the board that always creaked, shaking his boyfriend's sleeping form on the couch. "Noah, wake up."

Noah's leg were tangled in the blanket, pajama pants low on his hips, shirt riding up from twisting in his sleep. He blinked rapidly, trying to understand what was going on. "Luke--whaa?"

Luke smiled, thinking Noah was adorable when he was waking up. He tugged on his hand, trying to get him to sit up, his pants slipped lower, Luke's eyes tracing his hipbones. "C'mon sleepy-head. We have to go to class."

Noah shook his head, laying back down, trying to pull Luke with him. "Five more minutes." He pulled insistently at Luke's hand. He nuzzled his head against the pillow, closing his eyes, his body softening as he started to fall back asleep.

Luke gave in, squeezing himself next to Noah on the couch, resting his head on his shoulder. "I'm assuming you'll have no protests to skipping class then…"

"I'm ashamed I didn't think of it first," Noah mumbled sleepily.

"Lazy," Luke teased.

"No," Noah said after a yawn, "Just tired. I certain blonde kept me up watching movies all night."

"Well, that certain blonde is fine, so it must be your old age," Luke said, eyes sparkling.

Noah laughed. "We're two months apart, Luke."

"Might as well be two years, Mayer."

"Whatever. I want to go back to sleep," Noah stated, snaking an arm around Luke, tugging him firmly against him.

Luke yawned against his free hand. "So sleep, I'll be here when you get up."

Noah swiveled his head around, seeking Luke's lips, lazily delving deeper into his mouth, thinking maybe this was better than sleep.

Luke groaned, pulling back, talking against his lips, "I thought you wanted to sleep."

Noah gave him a lingering kiss. "I can't think of a better send off into sleep."

"Neither can I, " he said, pushing his lips back to Noah's, tangling his hands in his hair, shifting to lay half on top of him.

Noah's tongue prodded at Luke's lips, waiting for them, to part, slipping through when Luke let out a sigh of contentment, tangling with his…

They kissed for a few minutes before Noah yawned into the kiss. He put his head back on the pillow, eyes closing, a small smile on his face.

Luke's kiss was warm on his jaw. "Am I boring you?" He teased.

His voice was rough as sleep started to set in again. "Never.

--His head rested on Noah's chest, rising and falling with each breath, Noah's arm curled around his body, the blanket half on them.

Luke woke up first, peppering Noah's face with kisses, trying to get him awake. Noah swatted at him, mumbling, "Knock it off, Faith."

Luke laughed against the back of hand wondering what his sister did to poor Noah. "I'm not Faith, Noah," he whispered in his ear, nipping at the lobe. Noah moved into the touch stuttering Luke's name under his breath.

"That's better."

He put his head back on Noah's chest, giving up on waking him. Noah's hand ran up and down his back. When his fingers started to play with the hair at the nape of his neck, Luke knew Noah was awake.

"Hey," Luke said, softly, kissing all over Noah's face again.

Noah yawned, stretching his free arm. "Hi."

"Bout time you woke up," Luke teased, trying to sit up. Noah's insistent hands pulled him back down, laying on top of him.

Noah kissed him sleepily, winding a hand in his hair, sighing against his lips as they parted.

"I guess we have to get up," Noah mumbled, not really wanting to get up. He wanted the world to fade away and stay on this couch with Luke forever.

--

Luke leaned against the counter, lifting his cup of orange juice to his mouth. Noah had gone to shower, claiming he'd go back to sleep if he didn't get up.

Ameera walked into the kitchen. "Hello Luke."

Luke smiled warmly at the girl he'd finally come to see as a friend. "Hey, sleep well? I know you're stilling getting used to the guest room."

"Yes, thank you again for letting me stay."

"You're Noah's sister and my friend, we couldn't kick you out."

"I know but still, I am very grateful. Some nights I wake up waiting for a bomb to go off, being in a house full of people helps me remember where I am."

Luke frowned. "Is there anything--"

"No, it will just take time for me to adjust."

"Well, if you ever need anything…" he trailed off.

"I know. Thank you," she said. "Where is Noah? Lately I haven't seen one of you without the other."

Luke blushed. "He's upstairs. I kept him up most of the night."

Ameera blushed and looked away. "Oh."

"We were watching movies!" he added quickly more loudly than he meant to in his fluster.

The blush lingered on her cheeks but her eyes were misted with laughter. In the last few weeks she'd really come out of her shell.

Foot steps could be heard coming down the staircase and Noah walked into the kitchen, drying his hair with a towel.

"Speak of the devil…" Luke said to Ameera.

Noah walked directly to Luke, wrapping an arm around his waist, an action so natural Luke was still amazed by it. "Mmm, hi."

Luke looked up, smiling. "Hi."

"Hello Noah," Ameera chimed in, happy to see her brother so happy.

Noah grinned. "Hey, sorry. I guess I have tunnel vision for Luke."

Ameera smiled kindly. " After all that happened I can see why," she said, excusing herself back to her room.

"You know Casey pretty well right?" Noah asked, when Ameera had gone back to her room.

Luke looked at him curiously, "Yeah, why?"

"Is he--I know he was with Maddie--and then jail but--"

"He's not going to hurt Ameera. He's a good guy."

Noah looked sheepish, "You don't think it's weird that I'm so protective of her?"

"You were before you ever knew she was your sister, it doesn't surprise me. You want to protect the ones you love, nothing wrong with that."

Noah's face darkened with the guilt that sometimes he thought would never leave him. "I still wish I could have protected you from my father," Noah said.

"Hey, none of that. You didn't know what he was going to do and if you did, you would have protected me."

"Still, I don't know what I would have done if I lost you."

"You really are a closet romantic," Luke teased, lightening the mood.

"I love you." He spoke softly, as if he was worried if he said it too loud Luke would fade away.

The teasing light in Luke's eyes faded replaced with love. "I love you too."