Disclaimer: I do not own ATWT or its characters.
Summary: Things come to a head between Luke and Chris; then, between Luke and Noah.
Thank you to Jessie33 and Wizard-Angst for your comments on previous chapters. :)
"Let's get our table. I don't think this is the relaxing dinner date you had planned," Katie joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"You go ahead," Chris answered. "I'll catch up after I make a quick call to check up on a patient."
Chris leaned down to give her a brief peck on the lips, then Katie disappeared through the restaurant. Luke didn't waste a second before stomping over to Chris, interrupting his phone call.
"What were you really doing in Reid's office?"
Chris' head jerked up, his expression equal parts angered, and caught red-handed. "Christ, Luke - do you always listen in on other people's conversations?"
"It's Oakdale," Luke snapped back dismissively. "What are you hiding? What do you know about Reid's murder?"
"Nothing!" Chris held his hands out to imply he was completely clueless, but Luke didn't believe a thing he said now. He felt everything the asshole did was just for show.
"Yeah right. That's why you don't want anyone to know you broke into his office! You know something, and you're letting Noah take the fall to keep the heat off yourself," Luke continued, his righteous anger building with every word. "I heard you trashing Reid at the hospital. Did you have something to do with his death? Is that why you're lying?"
Chris had the gall to look offended. "Is there a conversation you won't eavesdrop on? And do you seriously think I'd beat a man to death - even Reid?"
Stunned, Luke halted his tirade. No, he didn't honestly think Chris could beat someone to death. Finally, he answered quietly, "How do you know about that?"
"My sister-in-law's the Chief of Police; how do you think? You're not the only one who overhears things," Chris shot back. "Now get a fucking grip on yourself. I'm not gonna let you make Katie any more upset over Reid than she already is."
Luke detected the threatening tone in Chris' words, but wouldn't be silenced. "You can't expect me to just let Noah take the fall and not tell anyone you broke into Reid's office!"
"Since you were listening in you know that had nothing to do with Reid's death! Don't shoot your mouth off and ruin things for Katie and me just because you had a boner for the guy."
With that parting shot, Chris spun on his heel, and headed outside to make his call, leaving an infuriated Luke frozen in place. Not for long, though. Within a few seconds, Luke stalked through the door, following Chris. Spotting him on the phone, Luke stepped up behind him. He unceremoniously pushed the other man forward, sending Chris hurtling onto the pavement, his mobile breaking apart as it, too, connected with the hard surface.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" Chris rolled over to pick himself up from the ground. Fueled by fury, he was up so quickly that Luke didn't even see the punch coming. Luke's head snapped back, and it was his turn to fall towards the ground. He was surprised when the second painful impact never came.
Noah, who'd been waiting outside for Luke, had started running immediately when he saw Luke push Chris. He didn't make it there fast enough to stop the punch. He did, however, manage to both stop Luke's fall, then turn to level Chris with his patented right hook.
The resulting cracking sound was more satisfying than Noah would ever want to admit. But as Chris fell backwards, Noah was dealt a blow of his own; another flash of memory, this one more physically painful than the previous ones had been. In it, he could see himself at what he assumed must be Reid's home, and though the flash was brief, Noah was almost certain the memory was real.
The day Reid Oliver died, Noah had hit him. Hard.
Tuesday, November 9th - four days after Reid's death
The next morning, Luke drove Noah to Memorial to get checked out. Luke feared he must have suffered a concussion. So he was surprised when Bob told them that physically, Noah was fine.
Even Noah nearly scoffed at that. He sure as shit didn't feel fine. Bob explained that Noah was likely suffering from some sort of psychosomatic trauma related to the fire, and encouraged Noah to see a local therapist.
Noah thanked him and got the hell out of there, with Luke running to catch up to his exit. Before Luke could even argue that Noah take Bob's advice, Noah shocked him by pulling out his mobile to call the number on the card Bob had given him. He made an appointment on the spot.
At the look of shock on Luke's face, Noah explained. "I already have a headache. I don't wanna make it worse by spending our whole lunch arguing about this." With that, he continued to the truck, leaving an amazed Luke to follow.
After lunch, Noah and Luke met with Lucinda's lawyer, Mr. Barrow. The man assured Noah that the police had no physical evidence against him thus far. Irritated, Luke snapped back that there wouldn't be any evidence to find, because Noah was innocent.
Noah laid a hand over Luke's, reminding him the man was just doing his job. Barrow went on to explain that in the absence of other suspects, the Oakdale PD would continue to look at Noah because of the statements he'd made against Reid both at the hospital and the police station. Noah reckoned while Casey wasn't renowned for his advice, he'd been right about one thing: Noah needed to start shutting the hell up.
While he didn't remember what he'd said at the hospital, it was clear he'd said it 1.) loudly, and 2.) in front of a fair number of people. If it was anything like he'd done at the station (and he suspected it was), Noah could hardly blame the cops for suspecting him. He needed to get a handle on his temper before he offered himself up on a platter to boost the Oakdale PD's conviction rate.
When Luke asked what else they could do to protect Noah, Barrow told him it would help if there were other suspects. Luke looked at Noah guiltily, and seemed like he might say something. Noah shook his head in silent veto.
Unbeknownst to Barrow, they'd come to an agreement of sorts with Chris Hughes. While Luke hated the guy, he knew the turd wasn't capable of beating a man to death. So when Chris threatened to press assault charges against both Luke and Noah, and Luke shot back that he couldn't wait to tell the police was Chris had been up to, it was Noah who'd brokered the deal. Each of them would stay silent about the other's transgressions, and everyone would stay out of jail.
Now, though, that meant they couldn't offer Chris as a potential suspect. Still, in the event the police came after Noah again, Luke was perfectly prepared to break the deal and throw Chris under the bus. If someone had to be wrongly charged, better that asshole than Noah.
Barrow questioned them about who might have motive to kill Reid. In truth, neither of them could offer a viable suspect. Luke knew Reid could be difficult, but he'd also saved lives. Who could possibly want him dead, and why?
Barrow shifted uncomfortably in his chair, and cleared his throat to speak. Both boys noticed the man regarding their joined hands. Luke began to feel very uncomfortable, and before the lawyer could talk, threw out the obvious question.
"Mr. Barrow, do you have a problem with us being gay?"
Barrow quickly shook his head. "No, not at all! It's just... a difficult subject..."
Noah felt something was off, now, too. "What?"
Barrow sighed, in the tentative way a father does when he has to tell his kids their goldfish died. Finally, he levelled with them. "Dr. Oliver was new in town. He had few friends, and no family to speak of. While you've explained he could rub some the wrong way, people don't plan someone's murder because of that.
With the level of violence you've described, coupled with the premeditation of this attack... well, it's an incredibly personal attack on a man who avoided personal entanglements," Barrow continued. "Mr. Snyder, you have to consider the possibility... that this was a hate crime," the man concluded.
They were silent on the ride home. If Luke hadn't been jarred enough by the meeting with Barrow, he was further agitated that Noah asked him to drive. Luke knew Noah must be enduring another painful headache, though of course he'd never complained.
Head resting against the passenger side window, Noah's eyes remained closed as he desperately tried to quiet his mind. For days, he'd been trying to remember, but now he just wanted to forget. The figments he garnered in these moments weren't worth the agony it took to get them.
"Mr. Mayer, I thought we had an understanding."
"No, you can't do that - that's not fair!"
"Extending a study for a procedure that's restored your sight, and could help thousands of others?" Reid stepped closer to impart his point. "It's just sound medicine."
"Go to hell."
Noah's eyes shot open. That memory was real; of that he was certain. He had been talking with Reid. When he'd arrived at the hospital, Reid wasn't in his office, and Noah had tracked him down in an exam room.
In the midst of that conversation, Reid simply turned and walked out, letting Noah know the doctor found it unnecessary to give him the time of day while ruining his life. Noah was infuriated, and followed the man to his office, and tried once more to reason with him. And then... nothing.
"You had a memory in the truck, didn't you?"
Noah closed the front door behind them as they entered the living room. Luke had phrased his query as a question, but they both knew the answer.
"Yeah," came the quiet reply as he stood facing the other man.
"Wanna talk about it?"
Noah tipped his head back, as if looking for an escape hatch in the ceiling.
"Not really," he answered. Luke nodded in understanding, but Noah continued. "I have to, though. It affects you."
Luke waited. If Noah was on the cusp of sharing something with him, the surest way to make him clam up was to push. So, he didn't push. He would listen when there was something to listen to.
"I argued with him, at the hospital. I asked him why... told him we could work something out... that I could see any doctor he chose in L.A. to keep him updated. But he wouldn't budge, Luke. And I don't know... it didn't really seem like he was trying to stick it to me so much as trying to get rid of me. Which I know, doesn't make sense; he was trying to keep me in town. But that day it was like I was keeping him from something else, and he couldn't be bothered with me."
Noah realized what he'd said. "I know, he was like that all the time, but this was different. I can't explain it. He made a shitty comment here or there, but he wasn't like, him. He didn't fight back or call me an idiot. He just seemed tired."
Luke agreed the behavior didn't sound like Reid. He didn't give as good as he got - he gave better. For him to disengage before insulting an opponent's parentage, intelligence, and/or hygiene was unprecedented.
Luke understood what Noah was trying to tell him; Reid wasn't himself on the day he died. Luke wondered what could have been bothering Reid. It was nothing they'd talked about.
Maybe Reid suspected that someone was after him? Could he have even known someone wanted him dead? What if Reid had received a threat, but hadn't told Luke in some misguided effort not to worry him?
Luke relayed these thoughts to Noah. Noah listened, admitting it was possible. Still, there was another flashback he needed to tell Luke about.
"Yesterday, at the Lakeview... when I hit Chris," Noah began. "I remembered something else. I wanted to be sure it was real before I told you - not make the same mistake I did at Java, and freak you out for no reason. But I think it was real."
Noah's tone sounded ominous to Luke. "All right. What is it?"
Taking a deep breath, Noah confessed. "The day he died... I hit Reid. I think it was at his house. I mean, I don't know, I didn't recognize the place but it must've been. I don't remember going there, Luke. I don't even know why I hit him, just that in that moment I was so angry... I'm so sorry-"
"Okay," Luke said, nodding.
"Okay?" Noah did a double-take. "What do you mean, okay?"
"Well, I'm not happy about it, obviously. But it's not unprecedented, either. He did seem to push all the wrong buttons with you-"
"Luke, you're not listening! I hit him hard. What if I snapped or something, and kept hitting him? What if that's why I can't remember?"
"You wouldn't do that, Noah. You wouldn't hurt someone like that, not even Reid."
"Luke I don't know! When I got my sight back...when I saw him kissing you? I coulda killed him."
Shaking his head vehemently, Luke nixed the idea out of hand. "There's no way, Noah. I don't care how angry you were. You may have lost your temper and punched him, but you'd never go farther than that. I know you. You aren't capable of that-"
"I'm Winston Mayer's son!"
"NO!" Luke shouted with such volume, Noah balked. Luke calmed himself, then went on. "We are not entertaining this as a possibility, do you hear me? Because it's not possible - end of story. I believe that with everything in me, and I need you to believe it, too. Deal?"
Noah wanted to agree. He wanted to tell Luke he was sure he couldn't have done this. But with each day that passed, Noah knew his own mind - and himself - less and less. Unable to give Luke the answer he wanted, Noah suddenly stalked out of the room.
Even within the depths of this mess, Luke couldn't help but smile just a little. Only a few days ago, it had all been too much for him, and he'd run upstairs to hide. Now it was Noah's turn, and he was certainly entitled.
Luke headed up to his own room to change out of the suit he'd worn for the lawyer's appointment, then returned to the living room to await Noah's reappearance. He mused that even with his head all over the place, Noah was probably still more level-headed than himself. He figured it would be nowhere near ten hours before Noah reemerged.
Closer to ten minutes after Luke had gone downstairs, Noah joined him, standing across the room from Luke, almost as if afraid to approach him.
"I'm sorry."
Luke nodded negligibly in understanding. "You're not your father, Noah. You would never take someone's life."
"How can you be so sure when I'm not? How can you still want me around?"
"All I know... is this: I'm not ready for you to leave my life." He stepped closer to Noah, staring intently at him - through him - with teary eyes. "I'll never be ready for that."
Noah raised a hand, softly touching the visible bruise Chris had gifted Luke with the day before. He needed to touch Luke; he needed that physical link to safety Luke had always provided. Noah didn't mean to lean in, but before he even realized he'd done it, both men collided in a kiss that burned with all the history, love, and longing between them.
Noah knew he should pull away. He knew Luke was still mourning his boyfriend. He made exactly one half-hearted attempt to pull back, which was easily thwarted by Luke's responding tug on his suit jacket, bringing Noah right back to his lips.
As they fumbled, grasped, and groped their way up the stairs together, both of them knew neither would be calling a halt. They were too tired of fighting what they wanted, and even if they hadn't been, their need was too great. Noah didn't leave an article of clothing undamaged as he pulled at the fabric of Luke's shirt and pants, divesting him of all barriers as quickly as possible.
Luke answered in kind, ripping at Noah's shirt, sending buttons flying that no one would care to sew back on. God, he needed Noah. Not just now. This was the culmination of a battle he'd been losing for months, but stubbornly kept fighting in a futile effort to shield his heart.
It all seemed rather stupid, now. How the hell could Luke protect his heart from Noah, when Noah was his heart? What lunacy had convinced him he could do this - he could live the rest of his life without Noah?
Fuck that. Fuck his stubbornness, his pride, and even that little part of him that had wanted payback. That wanted Noah to know how Luke had felt - alone, abandoned, and adrift without him.
Noah didn't ask if Luke had been with Reid. Luke's refusal of the condom has been answer enough. He knew Luke would've insisted if he'd been with someone else.
Noah sank into Luke for the first time in a year. Each subsequent plunge seemed not only to take them both to the height of pleasure, but push out all the hurt and regret between them. They both felt it, and each clawed the other tighter still, willing all the bad to be driven out by the blinding bliss that was them. They soared together, then fell together, until each man lay contented and boneless in the other's arms.
Tuesday, November 16th - Eleven days after Reid's death
Dr. Chris Hughes opened his cell phone, answering its chime. He listened to the caller, before asking, "Is it done?" Upon receiving his answer, he nodded - satisfied.
Acting on an anonymous tip, Margo watched as her detectives search Noah Mayer's truck as it sat outside of Java. Upon showing Noah her search warrant, the young man willingly complied, seemingly confident he had no cause for concern. As an officer pulled out a packet from underneath the driver's seat, however, Noah's confidence turned to confusion.
Margo inspected the papers, disturbed by what they'd found. Turning to a seemingly perplexed Noah, she was determined not to let her affinity for the boy affect her job. Finally, she spoke.
"Read him his rights, and book him."
Luke arrived in Old Town only in time to see Noah being placed into the back of a police van. Rushing to the vehicle, he slammed his hands on the window, ineffectually trying to stop the arrest. "Noah!"
Noah looked at Luke, trying to give him a half-smile. But it failed to form. Instead, all Luke could see was the fear in the other man's eyes.
