Chapter 11- Panic and Relief

"I thought you were in LA!" gasped Luke.

"Change of plans." muttered Noah. He looked vaguely panicky and Luke momentarily wondered if he was about to hit Reid again. This time he instinctively moved his hand so that it was touching Reid's. Taking Luke's signal, Reid held onto his reaching hand.

"Luke, I need to talk to you. Its urgent." said Noah.

"Look, Noah, I'm sorry but I cant keep having this conversation. I'm with Reid now and you just have to-"

"-No, no its not about that! Its something else!" said Noah desperately. He looked at Reid, willing him to understand.

"I'm sorry… about your accident. I'm sorry… about a lot of things but I need to talk to Luke!"

Reid stared at Noah for a moment before nodding silently but Luke still looked unconvinced. He was looking at Noah with an expression close to pity.

"Luke… please." he whispered.

Reid turned to face Luke.

"I think the guy really wants to talk to you." he said.

"But what about you?"

"Its OK. I'll be fine. I think he needs you right now."

Reid squeezed his hand and Luke relented.

"Alright."

"Thank you" said Noah to Reid who nodded at him.

"See you tomorrow, Luke." said Reid. But Luke suddenly didn't want to let go of his warm hand.

"See you… It'll all be OK" he muttered.

"If you say so." smiled Reid. Forgetting for a moment that Noah was there, Luke instinctively leaned forwards to give him a quick kiss. Then Reid waved his fingers at him and turned around to walk off into the night.

Luke watched until he faded into the darkness.

"Luke?" prompted Noah.

"Oh, sorry." said Luke, remembering his presence and trying to turn his mind away from Reid's current situation.

"You don't need to be sorry" said Noah, although he looked deeply hurt.

"Noah, honestly if you're here to try and get back together-"

"-Its my dad!" cut in Noah.

"What?"

"Luke, you need to get out of here.," said Noah, trying to convey with widened eyes the enormity of the situation.

"My dad came to my apartment. He's escaped from prison. I think he's coming for you."

"Noah, Noah slow down" said Luke, putting a steadying hand on Noah's arm. Noah was grateful that Luke was finally listening to him but he still half expected his dad to appear from nowhere with a gun in his hands.

"We have to get out of here!" he yelled, dragging Luke by the arm. "He'll know where to find you."

"Noah, wait. Calm down! Have you phoned the police?"

"I… No… I didn't think… I just had to come and find you…"

Luke started to dial the number for the police.

"Wait! We need to get out of here first!" said Noah, pulling Luke along the path.

"I'm coming, but the sooner we let them know, the better… Hello? Yes I'm calling to report an escaped prisoner… Yes..."

Noah listened to Luke's conversation as they hurried through the streets. Luke didn't seem nearly as perturbed as Noah, but then, Luke hadn't seen the terrible expression on Colonel Mayer's face.

"They said we've to come into the police station. We'll be safe there. They already knew your dad had escaped. Margo's going to question you about him."

Noah looked at Luke's worried frown. Just ten minutes ago he had worn a blissful expression as he kissed Reid.

"I'm sorry, Luke." he sighed.

"Its not your fault."

They walked in worried silence.

"Why didn't you go to LA?" asked Luke to break the awkwardness which had sprung up between them.

"I just… couldn't go. My heart wasn't in it anymore."

Luke nodded.

"I get it."

When they finally reached the bright lights of the police station, Noah breathed a sigh of relief. They were safe. And he was with Luke. If it wasn't such a terrible situation he might have begun to feel cheerful.