Luke and Jonathan had long since fallen asleep in their various positions on the couches. Only Noah and Maddie stayed awake to watch the rest of "It Happened One Night", a classic they both enjoyed and often talked about.

Once the credits had finished rolling, Maddie, sitting on the floor in front of Noah, took his hand and kissed the palm before saying, "I'm so sorry Noah…" And she lifted her eyes to look into his, "… that it happened… that it happened to you…"

He leaned down and drew her into a hug, "Thanks Maddie. I'm fine. We're both going to be fine." He looked down at Luke's sleeping face as it rested on his stomach, and smiled softly.

She looked back up at him and, noticing his smile, said, "You guys have come such a long way, you know?"

"Oh I know! Believe me!" And as if to solidify that fact he ran his hand down Luke's arm, making Luke smile in his sleep. Some time passed in silence before he said, "I've never really thanked you properly for what you did for us last year. It really helped, you know?"

"I'm glad!"

"I'm going to miss you when you leave tomorrow. And Jonathan! He's a great guy…"

"Yes he is." She agreed looking over at the ginger curls as they fell over the arm of the single couch. "It was lovely of Luke to buy the plane tickets for us… and to arrange to have Jonathan's car shipped back… The thought of making THAT journey again… Oh my word!"

Noah laughed, "You have no idea how glad I am that you did!" and then more seriously, "I can't even think what would have happened if you guys hadn't shown up…"

She nodded and patted his knee.

Then after a few minutes Noah asked, "Maddie, you are happy, aren't you? With Bruce I mean?"

She waivered for a second and then said, "I love him."

Noah sighed at her, "That wasn't my question…" and he hesitated before saying, "He treats you right… right Maddie?"

She looked down sadly and fidgeted with the bottom of her nightshirt, "He does the best he can."

"Only, the other night I noticed that you have a nasty bruise…"

"Noah, it's not what you think… please… I don't want to talk about it okay?"

He didn't press any further. Something told him not to. But he knew one thing! He and Luke would be on a plane to Montana by the following weekend.

...

Greg was seated on the other side of Bruce's desk.

"Well Mr Wilson, congratulations! You scored perfectly on your paper…" And Bruce held up the paper where a large and circled red 'A' showed at the top of the page.

Greg was smug and said, "Well great!"

Bruce flung the paper at him, "You are a C minus student Mr Wilson! Do you think I don't know that? Who wrote this essay for you?"

"I didn't cheat! I studied!"

"Don't give me that bull! You are going to sit here right now and rewrite that paper! And then I can give you your well deserved 'F', which means probation and no more football!"

"You wouldn't dare flunk me!"

"Oh believe me! If you don't improve on your grades I will flunk you Mr Wilson!"

"Hey! I don't have to do anything you say! I'm number one on that team and there is no way the administration will let some stuck up Professor risk a winning team!

Bruce smiled at the confidence the kid had in himself, "Actually Mr Wilson, I've already had a word with the administration and they agreed that your academic level is more important than sport and they will stand by my decision if it comes to that…"

Greg's face fell and suddenly he was seething with anger, "You look here Professor! You will accept my 'A' graded paper!"

"Or what?"

"Or I will tell the Dean all about how you've been banging little miss perfect Maddie Coleman!"

Bruce felt his heart stop! This was his worst nightmare! He had spent an entire week of hell trying to stay away from her to protect her from just this! He had known it was wrong to start up the relationship but he had been powerless to stop it. He had fallen head over heals in love with Maddie from the moment she entered his lecture and tripped on the way up the stairs. She was so perfect and he would spend hours just dreaming about her.

So of course when she started to reciprocate his feelings he allowed the walls to come down and the two of them found themselves in a heated and forbidden affair, one he had thought only meant consequences for himself. However he had recently discovered that the penalty for a student and teacher relationship was far worse than just his getting fired… Maddie would be kicked out of school! And he couldn't risk that!

So, heartbroken, Bruce had begun to distance himself from Maddie. He knew he was hurting her and that she wouldn't understand, but it was the only way he could protect her. And NOW! Somehow this little snake had discovered the truth and was obviously more than ready to use it to blackmail his teacher.

Quickly Bruce stood up and opened his office door, indicating to Greg that he should leave.

But as Greg reached the door he beamed, "I saw you kiss her! So, what's my grade now professor?"

Bruce looked at him sternly, "Do you really think what you know will make any difference?"

Greg was just about to reply when Maddie appeared, "Can I talk to you now Professor Williams?"

"He's all yours" Greg smiled as he slid out the office and left.

"You promised you would call!" Maddie said and he pulled her into the office to shut the door.

"Maddie…" he looked at her sadly.

"Why are you doing this? I thought… I thought you liked me…"

"Oh Maddie I do like you… I love you…you know that..."

"Then what?" she whispered moving forward to put her arms around his neck.

"We have to end it." He said, pulling away from her.

She looked confused "Why?"

"Maddie, if this comes out. You and me? Then we are both finished! I'm out of a job and you'll be kicked out of school."

"But nobody will find out…" she began.

"Greg already knows!"

"What?"

"He saw me kiss you yesterday…"

"Shit! I'm so sorry! Has he said anything?"

"At the moment he's using the information to get a good grade on his paper!"

"Oh sweety! I'm really sorry! I never meant to get you into trouble."

"It's not your fault! It's mine! Maddie you are thirty years my junior! I have no idea what I was thinking allowing this to happen! I must be out of my mind!" and he rubbed a hand against the side of his slightly greying temples.

"We fell in love Bruce, that's all. You can't help who you love. And I want to be with you! Properly! So if this all comes out then… fine! Then it's just you and me against the world. And I'm good with that if you are…"

And she was so gorgeous he could do nothing but smile at her, before taking her in his arms and planting a kiss on her beautiful mouth. "Marry me!"

"What?"

"Marry me! No pomp and ceremony! Just you and me!"

She stared up into his green eyes, (THOSE green eyes... there was something about THOSE green eyes), and felt the usual glow of warmth and safety the man made her feel and she thought, "Why not?"

"Okay!" She said, deciding to be crazy and impulsive for once, "Let's do it!"

...

The police investigation of Oliver Deogostino was big news. Reporters clambered for information as more and more of his victims came forward, two of which worked with Noah at the studio. By tracking Oliver's movements over the past few years, the police had discovered two of the hidden bodies out of at least five murdered victims that they knew of. And the pressure was on.

Of course this made things extremely uncomfortable for Noah at the studio. Although details of the victims were never released by the police, it didn't take much for Noah's crew to put two and two together and he couldn't stand the way their eyes would follow him sympathetically around the studio, not to mention the way they spoke to him as though he were suddenly made of glass.

As a result Noah had a basic editing system set up at the dining table so that he could work from home, until the heat died down and people lost interest in the whole sordid story. And that was were he sat in complete concentration, earphones blocking out any sound but that of the scenes playing out on the screen, when Luke returned home from work.

Luke put his briefcase down by the door and moved around to the other end of the table. He stood there for quite some time before Noah looked up and jolted, surprised by the sight of him, a smile creeping across his face.

Quickly Luke put a finger to his lips and, with a mischievous grin, slowly started to remove his tie. Noah, earphones still on, raised one questioning eyebrow at him but didn't make any move to speak to him. Lifting the tie high for a few minutes, Luke threw it across the table and Noah caught it against his chest, laughing out loud in that cute way that drove Luke nuts.

Cocking his head shyly, Luke slowly began to unbutton his shirt and at the first sight of his chest hair Noah made a move to get up, but Luke quickly held up his hand to stop him. Smirking Noah sat back down, still listening to the music playing on his earphones… watchful.

Luke turned so that his back faced Noah, looked over his shoulder at him, and naughtily pulled the shirt down his back and then wiggled his hips seductively making Noah snort. The shirt fell to the floor.

Walking closer towards him, Luke locked bright eyes with Noah and started to undo the button and zip of his trousers. He could tell that Noah was fighting to keep the eye contact, even though his eyes were dying to look down. Eventually, as Luke bent back up from pulling the trousers off his legs, Noah could no longer help himself and he eyed out Luke's lower torso before following the swell of his chest and back up to his eyes. By now the want was written all over Noah's face and his chest heaved with desire.

Luke almost melted as Noah licked his lips and then bit his lower lip and Luke made a move to walk closer, exciting Noah even more and then, when just outside the range of his grasp, disappointing him by turning around and heading towards the passageway. Just before he left he room he removed his underwear, giving Noah the perfect view of his firm backside before disappearing down the passage.

Noah ripped off the earphones and flew down the passageway after him.

...

Maddie was nervous as hell hosting this dinner! She really wanted to make a good impression. She and Bruce had only recently moved to Montana after he officially resigned from the university, before Greg could turn them in.

Maddie knew she would lose her school credits, but she figured she could find another school who would take her, even if she had to repeat some of the courses a second time. She had finally found safety and warmth and home with a man who was mature and could take care of her.

She expected to be edgy when she first opened the door to their tiny apartment, but, at the sight of the man standing on the other side, the two empty wine glasses she held entwined upside down in her hand dropped to the floor and shattered loudly. She froze and gasped, "Oh my god!"

She was dreaming! She was sure she must be, because standing at her front door was a man she had spent days, weeks, months trying to forget. A man she didn't even know, but one that had entered her phsyci in a way no other ever had before.

She had been so shocked that night… the night she had woken up half naked on the floor of a train, wrapped in the arms of this striking man who had literally swept her off her feet in a matter of a few hours. So she had run… She had left the train as soon as it pulled into the final stop. She realised too late that she had made a huge mistake. But she had no idea who the man was or how to find him.

For weeks she had spent every spare moment she had sitting at the main university entrance, hoping to find him there. She had asked around, describing his distinctive look to fellow students, but nothing every came of it! He was lost to her forever! Or so she thought…

It was obvious that he too was shocked. He stood staring at her, his green eyes as large as saucers and neither of them could speak.

Oblivious to the charge running between the couple, Bruce appeared from the bedroom and marched excitedly over to the door, "Jonathan!" and he flung his arms around the stunned younger man, squeezing him tight for a few minutes before pulling back to say, "I see you've met my lovely wife! Maddie, this is Jonathan, my son!"

Maddie fainted.