I do not own Professor Layton!

Chapter 2

The next morning:

:" well my boy, how long are you going to stay here in London?" the professor asked after taking a slip of his tea, sitting opposite of his former apprentice.
That question surprised Luke. He actually didn't though about that before…. And maybe the answer "forever" would shock the Professor… So he said something very stupid:
"One month, in 30 days you'll have shaken me off." Luke answered smiling
"Luke," the Professor began, "I would never try to shake you off. You're always welcome and of course you can stay as long as you want. But I think you have to return to school, so you can't stay too long." the professor said with a slight smile, but noticing that Luke's smile faded and that he began to look out of the window, in the sky and suddenly Luke looked very sadly. Unsure of what to do now, the professor asked some questions and the first one was not that good.
:"Luke my boy, I haven't heard from you in the past months, how has the time treated you?"
"Well…," Luke had no idea, what he should do now… telling the truth could make the professor loosing all his respect for Luke, but lying would do that as well. So Luke told the truth, but only a little bit,"…You won't like it." He said warning.
"Oh come on my boy, I don't think you can shock me…. You gave me already a big shock by visiting me, but now there's nothing could do or say that could do that again." the Professor said still smiling. Luke really wished he would be right…..
"You have no idea." Luke began but he was still scared of his mentor's reaction so he just changed the subject. "I—I was-… I don't wanna talk about it anymore", he snapped, surprising the professor with his loud and ungentlemanly voice.
"Luke, watch your language, where did you learned to speak like this?" the Professor asked
'on the street, because I had to live there, the past 9 months', Luke though that wouldn't be a good answer, so here he began to lie:" In school."
"You cannot tell me, your classmates, from a highly regarded private school are talking like this." the Professor said, not believing in Luke's words
:"Can't we just talk about something else." Luke said annoyed
:"Of course my boy, we could talk about your reason for being here", Layton said
Luke swallowed…' How can he know it already?' Luke thought.
:" You said that you need my help?" the professor asked.
"Well… Yes . Well... No." he finally said" I do not need your help."
"You don't? But why did you tell me that you need my help if you truly do not." the Professor asked, knowing that Luke was lying.
"I just don't, all right!? Is it really that hard, to get this in your big head?!" Luke snapped.
Even before the Professor realized, what Luke had just said, Luke apologized.
:"I-..I'm sorry…I didn't mean to say that …. I-I was just…. I'm really sorry." Luke said ashamed. To be honest Luke had no idea, why he was doing that. Being unfriendly to the only person in the world, who did not hate him, well until now. Luke felt like crying again. He already lost his parents, if the professor would kick him out now he would all alone in the whole world.
But the professor raised his hand:" It's no problem Luke, I just need some time to find out how to handle and almost adult young man. This is more difficult than handling a little boy."
Both smiled, until Luke stood up to take a shower.
While was in the shower, Layton sat in the kitchen…thinking. What could have happen to Luke, that he acts so different? Of course it's typical for a teenager to act ridicules, but this was not normal. Luke had almost freaked out, because of a simple question and the way he winced when the Professor touched his shoulder, this was not Luke. The professor knew that something must have happened in the last year, he was sure that he would call Clark to ask him about this. But what he didn't know was that Clark was not able to answer a phone call.
After half an hour the Professor went upstairs to look after Luke, because he heard noises from upstairs, maybe he had finished his shower already. Just when the Professor passed the bathroom door, it suddenly opened and the Professor stood in front of Luke, who was wrapped in a towel. The professor was about to greet him, but then he noticed something on Luke's arms. His smile faded. Luke arms and legs where covered with scars, scratches and wounds. Of course living on the American streets was not that easy so Luke couldn't live that comfortable.
:"Luke..."The Professor said worriedly "What happened?"
Unsure of what to do now, Luke turned around and wanted to close the bathroom door again but then he felt a hand on his shoulder, which made him wince again but thankfully he stopped and turned to the Professor again.
:"W-What do you mean?" Luke asked, knowing exactly what the Professor meant.
"Your arms…."
"What's the problem with them?"
"Luke!" the Professor began threatening "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"Well…. I- I- I'm not a child anymore. I got into a few fights in school, that's all"
"I would believe that, but what about those scars here?" the Professor said while gripping Luke's left arm and pulling it close. And making Luke feeling uncomfortable again: "This looks like you-you- scratched yourself." And of course he was right. Luke hesitated. He opened and closed his mouth for several times until he finally spoke:" It's nothing, really, I just fell very unfavorable, nothing else. All right?!" He said, finally getting free from Layton's grip but feeling awful for lying to his mentor.
"Excuse me Luke, but I do not believe you. So would you probably give me Clark's phone number? I would like to talk to him." The Professor said firmly
The thought of Luke's father made him feel even more awful. And what should say now. He still did not want to tell the Professor the truth. He wiped away the tear, which was about to cross his left cheek and said:" I'm sorry professor but…..b-but my parents are not home yet"
"They are not?" Layton said questioning and somehow he knew, that this sentence was the truth "Very well, then, please promise me to talk to your father about this, even if this is 'nothing', as you call it, but I'm concerned about your health my boy."
:"I know you are" Luke said smiling a little "And Thank you Professor"
:" What for, my boy?" Layton asked
:"Just for everything"
:" Well…. You're welcome, I guess."
With these words Luke went to his room, while a very confused professor stood in front of the bathroom door.