"Natalie!" Luke screamed, running desperately towards the car. But they could already tell she wasn't hurt as she stumbled out of the driver's seat looking extremely horrified. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I'm sorry!" she cried. She had a small bleeding cut below her hairline, but was otherwise just shocked. "I'm so sorry, Luke! I was so mad! And I wanted to go out so badly!"
Luke grabbed her elbow roughly, "Are you out of your MIND! You could have killed yourself! Or even worse… somebody else!"
"Luke!" Noah put his hands on Luke's shoulders and pulled him back. "She's in shock. Calm down." Luke's anger dissipated slightly and he pulled the sobbing Natalie into a relieved hug.
"It doesn't look like anyone saw anything and there's just a slight dent on the bumper." Noah said, "I'll drive the car back into the garage and then we won't have any issues with her driving underage, Okay?" Luke nodded and walked the sobbing child back to the house. A few minutes Later Noah found them waiting in silence in the kitchen. It was obvious they'd had words. Luke was leaning up against the counter with his arms folded and Natalie sat slouched at the breakfast bar, sniffing back tiny weeps but looking just as defiant. Noah silently indicated to Luke to stay where he was and held out his hand for Natalie. She looked up at him and eventually took it shakily, allowing Noah to lead her into the bathroom. Wordlessly he sat her on the toilet, grabbing cotton wool buds from the cupboard and gently lifting her chin, pushing her hair back so that he could set to work cleaning the cut on her head.
"You're not mad at me?" Natalie asked finally.
"I am angry Natalie. What you did was very dangerous."
"Then why don't you yell at me like Luke did?"
Noah dumped the dirty bud into the bin and grabbed another, dipping it in antiseptic before continuing his ministrations. "Let's just say I've had some experience with overly impulsive Snyder's…" Noah smiled knowingly, releasing some of the tension, and Natalie laughed wetly.
"If there's one thing I've learned from dealing with your brother, it's that yelling doesn't help! It just makes you Snyder's all the more determined!" Noah applied a band-aide to her cut and then kissed her forehead.
"There." He said. "I'm sorry, Noah." she whispered, staring at her hands.
"I'm just glad you're okay."
"Do you think Luke will forgive me?"
Noah Smiled, "Get out there and apologise for the damage you did to his car. That would be a good place to start." ...
Natalie was the victim of a hit and run.
Despite numerous police appeals for information and although a number of drivers reported seeing a car parked in the vicinity where she was found, it had rained torrentially that night and visibility had been next to nothing. Nobody was able to give a vivid enough description of the vehicle. Some drivers had seen a biker that night but nobody had seen Natalie go down. The police had nothing to go on.
Of course this sent Luke on one of his crusades. He was furious and spat about his dissatisfaction for the law that always seemed to give criminals the upper hand. In an attempt to placate him somewhat, Noah had spent hours with him combing the area of the incident in the hopes they'd find something the police might have missed. But the rain had washed away any evidence of tire tracks or skid marks. The case was getting colder with each passing day.
To say Noah was worried about Luke was an understatement. The man would one minute be in complete denial about the seriousness of the situation; like today when he'd insisted on attending the meeting at Grimaldi Shipping; and in another minute he'd be in pieces, clinging onto Noah and tearing himself up with the guilt he felt for not paying more attention the night Natalie had sipped out the house.
He seemed to be suffering from an acute kind of nausea and so he ate almost nothing; and what he did eat seldom stayed down. He grew paler and more listless with each passing day, showing little interest in anything. He slept very little too, afraid to dream.
Sometimes it felt like Luke wanted to pretend it hadn't happened. Pretend and go on with life as per normal. But that was impossible, Noah knew.
"Noah!" Ellie was obviously more than relieved to see him, "Thank god! I didn't know what to do!"
Luke was at his desk when Noah entered the office with Nicholas.
"Luke?" He called softly.
There was no response from him.
...
Natalie didn't dare try to phone Josh. She knew he was grounded so the only why she was going to see him was by directly visiting his house, hoping she could sweet talk his mother into letting her in.
Her biggest problem was Luke! He was being so unfair! Treating her like some little kid! She couldn't believe it! Of course there was no way in hell she was going to tell Luke about Josh! How embarrassing would THAT be! And she just knew he's tease her for all eternity.
"Josh and Nat, sitting in a tree, blah!"
She'd thought about telling Noah but then changed her mind when she realised he'd just tell Luke. She knew they didn't keep secrets from each other. And besides, what if Josh rejected her? It would be the worst thing if Josh rejected her and they both got to know about it!
NO! She was keeping this to herself. Then when she and Josh were an official couple, she could announce the happy news and surprise everybody. And everybody would realise how grown up she was.
Just then Luke knocked on the door.
"Go away!" she yelled at him.
Jeez! Why did he have to pry so much into her life? Why couldn't they just LEAVE HER ALONE!
Then a thought came to her. Earlier that day she'd taken Nicholas for a ride on Luke's bike…
Luke's bike!
...
Luke had drawn into himself, the skin tightening across his cheekbones. He was completely drained of colour. But this wasn't the first time Noah had found him this way. It was becoming more and more frequent. Noah's heart went cold. It was almost routine now.
A few days before, Noah had received a phone call from a security officer in the mall to say he'd found his number on an emergency card inside of Luke's wallet and could he come quickly.
Noah had arrived frantically to find Luke in a complete stupor, sitting on the side of an indoor fountain, Nicholas at his feet. A shop owner explained how he'd noticed Luke sitting there, unmoving, for more than half an hour and he'd eventually become concerned for the child. On approaching Luke he had received no reaction from him whatsoever. He'd questioned Nicholas, who of course was terrified, sitting on the floor clinging to Luke's leg. A few of the other shop owners and customer's tried to help, but Luke didn't budge. Thinking quickly the security guard had searched Luke's pockets, finding his wallet.
Bending down Noah had gripped Luke's shoulders, shaking him slightly, calling his name and eventually Luke had noticed him.
"Noah?" he'd said frowning, "What are you doing here?"
"Luke, baby…" Noah had replied holding back tears, "You've been sitting here for an hour."
Of course Luke had been horrified. "Oh my god! Nicholas! I'm so sorry!"
They had since sadly agreed that for the time being he would not be left alone with Nicholas.
Now Noah studied Luke carefully. He sat Nicholas in the visitor chair, grateful the child had sensed the need to remain silent and edged his way around the desk, dropping to one knee beside Luke and lifting his hand to pull Luke's face to look at him.
Luke stared straight through him for a moment and then blinked, once, twice, then rapidly, shaking off whatever feeling had gripped him in that trance. As though Noah's touch, his presence, was all he needed to wake.
"Hi." He said with a loving smile, like everything was normal and he hadn't just left the world for a while.
"Hey." replied Noah, trying to keep the concern from his voice. He swallowed hard and asked, "You ready to go home?"
Luke looked around the office looking lost but then he seemed to remember where he was and nodded, standing to follow Noah.
Noah lifted Nicholas in his arms and held Luke's hand as the three of them headed for the exit, thanking a concerned Ellie on the way.
...
"Hello? Are you on the information desk? I'm trying to locate my sister? I believe she may have been run down tonight on a bicycle?" His voice was cracking and Noah leaned over from the driver's side to squeeze his knee as he drove as fast as he could towards the East Los Angeles Doctor's Hospital. A place where they'd both been treated before. It was the closest and they felt sure the ambulance would head there first. He was grateful for the break in the rain. By the time they'd passed the accident spot most of the cleanup crew had left and those that remained had no information about the victim. Noah had left them his card so that the police working on the case could contact him. "Hello? No! Please don't put me on hold!" Luke slammed his hand into the dash and Noah's eyes lifted to the rear-view mirror, where he saw Nicholas jump in his car seat in the back.
"It's okay Nicky." He said. "Luke's just worried about Natalie, okay?" Luke looked back and saw the fearful expression, "Sorry baby!" he said before turning back to Noah, "They sound really busy! What do we do?" he faced the road ahead, "What do we do?" and then "She's dead isn't she?" Noah looked at him and decided to pull over for a moment.
"What are you doing?" Luke yelled hysterical now, "Why are you stopping?"
Without speaking, Noah climbed out of the car and walked around to the passenger door, opening it, leaning over Luke to unclip his seatbelt, and pulling him up out the seat and into a standing hug. Luke broke down instantly, "What do I tell Mom and Dad?" His tears soaked through Noah's shirt as Noah kept an eye on Nicholas through the car window. The child was obviously confused, having been ripped out of bed in the middle of the night, but Noah thought he was handling things okay. He wished he could say the same for himself. He was holding on only because Luke needed him to. He was still recovering from the look on Luke's face when he'd revealed what he knew. "God, Noah! What if she's…?" "Luke, we don't know anything yet baby, okay? Let's not think the worst until we have more information."
The air smelled of the storm and cars rushed past them. Luke pulled back, "But I can't GET any information!" he shook his head at Noah, "Shit! Shit! Why would she do this, hey? Dammit! Why would she sneak out like that?" Noah held him again and they stood that way for a few minutes while he waited for Luke to calm down some. At least as much as he could under the circumstances. "Come." Noah said, hand on his cheek "Let's get to the hospital. We'll have more luck there I'm sure! Maybe Nurse Maggie or June are on duty? They'll help!"Luke nodded and Noah kissed his forehead before returning to the driver's seat and starting the car.It started to rain again....
The sound of something banging woke Noah from his sleep.
"Wow!" he exclaimed softly as he watched the rivers of water running down the glass of the window, as the rain pelted against it. He and Luke had covered the day shift and were exhausted by the time they'd turned in. It was an early night for them, around seven PM. Checking the clock now revealed it to be just after ten-thirty. He rolled over to cuddle Luke and then jerked fully awake when his arm landed on sheet instead of body. Luke was gone.
"Luke?" he called, in case he was in the bathroom.
It was then that he became aware of the banging that had originally woken him. He stood up and walked down the passage, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. All was dark and quiet, except…
The front door was wide open and flinging back and forth in the wind.
Noah's instincts immediately went on high alert.
"Luke!" he called out of the door and into the rainy night. It was really pouring outside. It was the same as THAT night. Noah felt that familiar stab of anguish in the pit of his stomach and had to shake it off to continue his search for Luke.
Luke's coat and shoes were still by the door and a second check on the bedroom convinced Noah that Luke hadn't changed his clothes.
Had he just walked out into the night?
Noah felt all the blood draining from his body and his muscles knot together.
How long ago was that?
Alarm bells were ringing loudly in his head, demanding urgent action and he lurched quickly into panic, his hands and stomach clenching as he fought to control rational thought. He needed the ability to think. He had to hold onto that at all costs.
Following instinct alone he rushed to pull on his jeans. He ran into Nicholas's room, and gently as possible lifted him up.
Nicholas let out a groan of complaint.
"I'm sorry baby. Shh. Shh."
He threw a raincoat over the child and ran through the rain to the garage, gently securing Nicholas in his car seat, where he promptly fell back to sleep.
As Noah reversed onto the road he paused before driving forward.
"Relax." He said to himself, "Clam down!"
He had Nicholas in the car. He couldn't afford to allow his worry over Luke cause him to drive like a maniac.
He had a feeling about where he would find Luke and sure enough as he drove up to the spot where Natalie had been run down, his lights illuminated the white of Luke's sleep shirt and shorts.
Noah left on the headlights before quickly reaching Luke's side.
"Oh my god! Luke?"
No response.
Luke stood rigid in one spot, drenched by the rain, shivering. His feet were bleeding from the long shoeless walk. His eyes held a look of abject horror, wide and unseeing. His cracked lips were muttering something over and over. It was clear he was somewhere between sleep and wakefulness.
Very slowly, very gently, Noah placed a hand on his shoulder, "Baby?"
Suddenly and unexpectedly Luke sank his head in his hands, fingers digging hard into his temples and he let out a wail of pain so loud that it pierced the night just as it pierced Noah's heart. His strength seemed to wane and Noah caught him so that they both fell to their knees on the sodden grass.
Luke cried, he sobbed as Noah held him on the side of the road, crying harder than Noah had even known him too. Noah cried along with him until eventually Luke gripped his arms and pushed him back. Now wide awake and eyes as clear as glass, he breathed in short, sharp gasps. He said something but no sound came out.
"What baby?" Noah asked, "What is it?"
The next words Luke spoke came out in a strangled whisper.
"It was me… Noah! It was me…"
...
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