Sometime during the night Noah awoke to the feel of soft hands against the side of his face, gently pressing half moons into his cheek. His heavy eyes focused on Luke's features so close up to his own.

Noah lay silent and still, holding his breath as he allowed Luke to press a path down his cheekbone. They lay that way for some time only shifting position when Noah's right arm demanded release from where it was wedged between them on the sofa.

They both rolled over onto their backs, Luke half on top of Noah. Noah kissed the side of Luke's neck and Luke lifted Noah's left hand, examining it above them as though through wonderment.

The apartment's light was still on; and it was perhaps too bright; but neither of them dared move to turn it off. The connection was temporarily re-established. It was a miracle but it was fragile and neither would risk breaking it just yet.

Their hands toyed with one another; interlacing, stroking, massaging. Noah and Luke both watched their fingers play in perfect silence, soaking up the charge that ignited through their touching.

Luke's fingers were long, the nails flat and neatly clipped, but peeling slightly on the edges where he'd obviously chewed them out of anxiousness.

The sight stirred something deep inside of Noah. In the back of his head was a persistent voice he wasn't yet ready to deal with. He ignored it and increased his possessive hold on the other body.

After a while Luke pulled at Noah's hand in a downward motion; bringing Noah's arm around him. His breathing pattern changed and Noah knew he'd fallen back to sleep.

"Goodnight baby." He whispered, closing his own eyes at the quick stab of pain in his gut.

Again he pushed this to one side. For tonight at least Luke was his. He'd deal with everything else in the morning.

...

It was easy while caught within the grips of raw exhausted emotion and total love to forget, or choose to forget, all the reasons why you were so angry. It's easy when the outcome you really wish for seems just within your grasp; seems plausible.

But in the cold light of morning Noah could not ignore the ultimate truth; the ultimate betrayal.

And it all came back to Reid.

Noah could actually feel his body shaking in anger and pure dislike. He seethed at Dr Reid Oliver's complete disregard; at the way he continued their scheduled appointment as though nothing had happened at all; as though he hadn't set out to steal Luke away.

"You're continuing to show signs of improvement." Reid announced as he scribbled something on the paperwork attached to his clipboard. "I'm going to increase the dose of your prescription. Use those drops I gave you in each eye four times daily. You can… um… book another follow up appointment with the nurse outside for two weeks from now. Do you have any questions?"

Noah couldn't hold back anymore, nor could he continue to pretend that he was okay with everything when he definitely wasn't.

"Yeah," he asked, turning to face the doctor, "I was curious about when you started having feelings for my boyfriend?"

Without flinching Reid ripped Noah's subscription from his clipboard, handing it to Noah as he announced shamelessly, "Second or third time I laid eyes on him."

Noah jerked awake sitting upright and finding himself alone on the sofa. His thoughts flashed immediately back to the morning before and his heart stopped beating.

"Luke?" He asked the room.

"I'm in here." Luke responded from the kitchen.

Noah wiped the sweat from his brow and breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the kettle start to boil. Luke was making coffee.

The blonde appeared in the doorway already showered and dressed. A strange tension hung in the air.

"Morning." Luke said, looking unsure.

"Um… morning." Noah responded, running nervous fingers through his hair.

"I hope you don't mind," Luke continued, "But I borrowed one of your shirts."

Noah shook his head, recognising the green Quicksilver t-shirt, one of the first items of clothing he purchased on his arrival in Los Angeles.

Luke leaned against the door frame, "Are you okay?"

Noah wasn't sure. He stared down at the ugly coffee stain in his cream carpet and quickly decided to stall, "Yeah… um… I'm going to shower, okay?"

Luke's eyes clouded over with worry but he nodded and Noah left the room.

...

Luke was sitting at the breakfast bar with a bowl of cornflakes when Noah returned in a pair of black form-fitted jeans, a blue t-shirt with a regulatory red and white button-down flung over the top.

Luke flashed Noah a look of trepidation and Noah tried to smile, to reassure Luke in some way, but it came out weak.

Luke's eyes fell to the table. He pushed a couple of flakes around with his spoon but didn't appear to be eating any of them.

Saying nothing, mostly because he didn't even know where to start, Noah headed for the coffee. He took longer than was necessary to pour a mug.

"More?" he asked, holding up the jug.

Luke nodded without looking up and as Noah leant over the bar to refill Luke's mug, Luke attempted to eat a small spoonful of cereal. He grimaced; dropping the spoon and pushing the bowl way from him.

Noah ignored the gesture. He returned the jug to the countertop and sipped at his own coffee, pretending not to watch Luke. Clearing his throat he asked, "How did you get in here anyway?"

Knowing this was merely Noah's attempt to make conversation Luke shifted on the stool, "I had a meeting early yesterday morning. I didn't think you'd go to work after… everything." Their eyes met for a moment before Luke's questioning glare became too intense and Noah turned to open a top cupboard and remove a breakfast bowl. "I expected you to still be here when I got back but I was locked out. So I took the elevator down to find the supervisor."

"Mr. Bennett let you in?" Noah asked turning back to Luke with surprise. He felt somewhat dismayed by that.

"Well, not at first." Luke replied, "That guys a real dickhead by the way!"

Noah laughed bitterly, shaking his head, "Yeah, don't I know it!" He leaned back against the counter and folded his arms, "So, how much did it cost ya?"

Luke smiled, "Fifty bucks."

"That's it?" Noah scoffed. "That's all it takes for him to let some stranger into a tenant's apartment?"

"Well, that and because I promised to repair your broken faucet for free so long as he loaned me the tools." Luke gestured with a nod toward the red toolbox now sitting closed and out of the way on the floor against the kitchen wall.

"Shit," Noah complained, "that guy is such a fucking cheapskate! He'd sell his own mother if he thought she was worth some cash!"

Luke laughed, "Yeah I bet! He kept muttering about how if he left things long enough you'd eventually pay to have them fixed yourself. That's how I found out about the fire escape. Anyway he saw me with you the day before so I guess he thought it would be pretty safe letting me up."

"I doubt he cares one way or the other. Saw an opportunity and ran with it."

"You're probably right."

Noah turned his back to Luke once more and set to work shaking cereal into the bowl, "So, what was the meeting about?"

Noah bit his lip the moment he asked the question. He'd almost forgotten… almost…

There was a lengthy silence and he was afraid to turn. Eventually, when he did, it was to find Luke standing right behind him; eyes wide with apprehension.

Luke bounced nervously, reaching out to just lightly brush his fingers against Noah's chest, afraid Noah might bat him away at any moment.

Instead Noah pulled Luke into a hug; pressing the blonde's head against his chest and raising his eyes to the ceiling before dropping his nose into Luke's shower damp hair. He knew what had to happen and he wished he could spare Luke the pain, but he didn't see how it was possible.

"You're never going to let it go," Luke whispered, voicing aloud what they both knew to be true; his breath permeating the cotton of Noah's shirt and heating the skin beneath it, "are you?"

Noah pushed him back gently by his shoulders and hooked a finger under his chin, shaking his head and maintaining eye contact, "No. I don't think I can. I'm sorry."

Luke nodded in acceptance. His forehead dropped to Noah's chest and Noah kissed the top of his head.

"Do you hate me for it?" Luke asked without moving from his current position.

Noah broke from their embrace and turned to the counter to hide his face from Luke, "I guess that's one of the hardest things about all of this… that I can actually hate something you did."

"You hate me for loving him?"

"No. I hate that he set out to destroy us and worse that you let him." Noah moved into the centre of the room, suddenly needing to put space between them. He could hear the volume in his voice elevating and it wasn't what he wanted.

"I know that's what you think, Noah, but really… he didn't deliberately set out to…"

"Yes he did!" Noah yelled, accentuating each word; turning suddenly on Luke, eyes blazing. "He as much as told me so himself!"

"What are you talking about?"

"The day of my last eye appointment with him. That's why I punched him later at the Lakeview. He had this smug look on his face like… like life to him was one big game of chess and he'd just won. And he had, I guess."

"Noah we were already broken way before Reid even showed up!"

"Yes! But any and every chance we might have had to fix it he was there manipulating us; messing with our emotions."

"I can't believe that."

Noah sighed, reigning in the anger he'd lived with for two years. It wouldn't help so he softened his voice, "I know. I know you can't Luke. Because you always want to see the best in people. You even did the same thing with my dad. A man who put you in a wheelchair for months! And that's just it. I mean you're even out here promoting his work."

Luke frowned, "Yes I am Noah. And I'm not ashamed of that! More than a hundred people can see now because of him! Including you!"

Noah slowly and loudly clapped his hands, "Well congratulations Dr. Oliver. Let us all bow down and praise you! It doesn't matter that you're a complete asshole. You're so brilliant that you can feel free to do whatever the hell you like. You can take whatever you want!"

Luke's face froze in shock. It was clear he didn't know how to handle this sarcastic version of Noah, "Noah, Reid was the one trying to help me locate you when you left! He was there for me!"

"That just makes it worse Luke!"

"How so?"

"Because it proves that he knew you loved me all along! But he tried to take you for himself anyway! Because that's what he is Luke! Arrogant and Selfish!"

Luke was still shaking his head and that just infuriated Noah even further.

"It was only when he couldn't get what he wanted from you that he changed his tune. Frankly I'm surprised he even bothered to help you at all."

"Noah…"

But Noah wasn't listening, "What he did wasn't just wrong morally Luke, it was also unethical. He used his position as my doctor; he used our emotional distress to get closer to you. I mean I trusted him!"

Luke's shoulders slumped.

"I wasn't perfect. I accept I made mistakes. But I'll never forgive him for that Luke. He gave me my sight back, yes. But the cost was too high! It was too high, Luke! And it can't be undone. Not ever. And I'll be damned if I'm going to direct some homage to his brilliance!"

Luke's eyes grew wide, "You? Mr. Khan asked you to direct?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"No. He said he had a person in mind but he never mentioned your name."

"Yeah, well. I wouldn't get too excited. My own breed of brilliance will be reserved for far more worthy causes."

Luke took a few steps closer to Noah, "This isn't just about Reid, you know? This is about Memorial and the new wing. The hospital is in a position to help a lot of people, Noah. People who are in the same boat you once were; blind and desperate! Not to mention the jobs it creates in the community."

Luke's passion was one of the main things that Noah loved about him. He marvelled at how Luke put his whole heart and soul into his projects; how he lived to help others. And it was this that caused Noah to relent slightly, "Look I know. I get that okay? But the documentary will just have to be made by somebody else. I can't be objective enough. I'm sorry."

Luke nodded and then folded his elbows considering something for a moment. When he finally spoke Noah knew this was a last ditch attempt to save them, "Noah? When I say I love Reid…"

"Please Luke, it's enough. Let's not keep going over this because it's never going to change anything and it just hurts."

"I know. But I need you to understand that… that I've never been in love with Reid. I thought I was for a moment, yes. He made me feel wanted at a time when I really needed that. And I know how he seems on the outside to other people. I guess…" Luke stared at the floor, "I guess I just see something in him nobody else can. At least nobody else but Katie."

"I'm not blaming you Luke. I want you to know that. I made plenty of mistakes myself. I should have fought harder for you. I should have made my position clear to him before he really got his claws into you. Most of all I should have made you see what he was doing. But I was such a fucking mess!" He sat down on the edge of the kitchen table and whispered, "It was such a shock…"

Every cell in Noah's body shook; images of watching Reid kiss Luke through the window of the Snyder house assaulting him after years of burying them deep in his subconscious. They tore at him; chocked him. All that time he'd spent in darkness desperate to see Luke again. And that was what greeted him!

But the greatest hurt wasn't so much Reid kissing Luke as the undeniable fact that Luke kissed Reid back; that Luke enjoyed it.

"You lied to me Luke." he said; fingers fiddling together; head bowed, "Day after day you lied."

"I didn't want to hurt you…"

Noah roughly wiped the tears from his face. The last thing he wanted was for this discussion to descend into the madness of the past few days. They would only end up back in each other's arms, desperate for comfort but having solved nothing.

"I know why you did it." Noah replied, looking up and almost sobbing at the look on Luke's face. It felt like their breakup all over again. "It just doesn't change anything. As much as I love you… We are over, Luke. At least for now."

"Just," Luke moved forward, body language screaming to be held, "please Noah… If you don't want to be with me any more then I'll handle that… I'll find a way somehow. But please promise not to cut me out again… okay?"