"Before we get down to business I must apologise, Mr Snyder." The rotund Englishman said; placing his napkin on his lap and leaning back to allow the waitress to deliver his plate of eggs and bacon.

"Apologise?"

"Well, at the time of writing you that letter, I had no idea that you were already CEO of a large shipping conglomerate. At your age that's particularly impressive going. Had I known I would most likely not have insulted you by offering you a menial reporting position?"

Luke smiled at him, "Well, first of all it's Luke, and secondly, I'm no longer CEO of Grimaldi Shipping… I sold the company recently."

"Yes, I read about that too."

"And it's not like I worked my way up. My father left the company to me."

"But still, word is you ran an impressive ship. And I've also read up on your Foundation Mr… sorry," he smiled back, "Luke… The organisation does good work."

Mr Dimbleby took up the salt shaker and proceeded to dowse his food until Luke was sure it had turned white.

"Yes, yes it does," Luke agreed, "and I'm very proud of that, but… again… I don't have much involvement anymore. At least not since I moved to Los Angeles. I was considering expanding some of the Foundation works out into LA, but at the moment HQ is based in Oakdale, Illinois and pretty much runs itself so…"

"Why did you sell your company Luke? If you don't mind my asking?"

Luke paused and loosened his tie nervously, not sure how much to tell him, "Let's just say I was getting in deeper then I wanted to and felt it was time to move on."

"Ah, yes. These things can take over one's life. I understand from your writing that you have a young family to take care of. Well then! I take it you decided to turn your intelligence to writing a book instead? I must say you certainly have a talent for it!"

"Thank you Mr Dimbleby…"

"It's Jarvis."

"Thank you, Jarvis, it means a lot coming from you and you'd be right, I do want to finish this book, but truthfully, when I received your letter… I couldn't have been happier…"

"Sorry?" He seemed genuinely surprised.

"It's been my dream to write since I can remember, and to write as a reporter would give me the chance to deal with social issues that interest me."

"Ah… you mean similar to the work you did with your Foundation?"

"You could say that. I feel like it's a job where I could potentially make a difference, you know? Have some kind of impact on the world."

The man's belly wobbled as he laughed cordially, "Well! I don't know how much difference can be made but I do see your point."

"I have the desire to seek out the truth, Jarvis… It's inbuilt in me." Luke assured him, "I think this job would be a perfect outlet for me, and safer than becoming a police detective!" Luke laughed then, "I think Noah would just about kill me himself if I went and joined the academy!"

The round man eyed him critically for a moment and then, obviously deciding Luke was serious said, "Well! I must say I am pleased! It's not often I come across a unique style such as yours! I feel like I've claimed somewhat of a coup."

Luke laughed, "Um thanks! But I doubt that!"

"No, no, my dear boy! Don't put yourself down! You'll be a famous reporter in no time, you mark my words!"

...

Noah found Luke vacuuming the kids' bedroom to a Green Day album he hadn't listened to in a while.

At least Noah assumed it was Green Day because Luke was singing American Idiotat the top of his lungs. And badly too. Noah cringed even as he smiled, enjoying the way Luke bobbed to the music playing through his headphones.

Luke had obviously decided to give the room a complete seeing too, because the top drawer to the dresser was still open and all Nicholas's t-shirts were sprawled over the sheet-less bed. Noah could hear the washing machine whirring away in the kitchen and assumed Luke must have washed the bedding.

Luke wasn't exactly neat. Not to Noah's standards anyway. And Luke wasn't the clean as you go type of guy, always leaving his wet towels on the bathroom floor, or the peanut butter jar open on the counter. However, every now and then, Luke would get this strange urge to spring clean and then he'd go all out! Every corner, every drawer, ever piece of linen would received a once over.

Noah believed it helped some kind of thought process, because right afterward Luke would usually get a burst of creative energy and Noah would find him busy on his laptop.

As Luke bent low to skirt the vacuum's head under the dresser, Noah raised his eyebrows in appreciation of his firm backside. But as Luke came back up to standing he managed to knock his head on the underside of the open drawer with the quite malicious sound of a melon splitting.

The loud vacuuming came to an un-ceremonial conclusion and Luke's hand shot up to rub the now tender section of his head.

"Sh*t!" he exclaimed, staggering backward slightly, eyes squeezed shut with the stinging pain.

"Careful." Noah said laughing. "I'm not sure you can afford to loose any more brain cells, you know?"

Luke opened one eye and regarded Noah. "Oh, my head's just fine thanks for asking. I should get MY vision back sometime next week!"

"Now, now," Noah soothed, "It would take a sledgehammer to dent that skull of yours! Let me take a look."

Noah pushed Luke's fingers aside and pulled his head down, feeling gently through the thick hair. There was a small bruised and raised spot, but no blood.

Noah kissed the spot fleetingly and patted him on the head good-humouredly.

"You won't die." He told Luke. "Not from that, anyway!"

Luke smiled sideways at him out the corner of his mouth. "Are you trying to suggest that I have a habit of getting myself into trouble, Mayer?"

"It's Snyder. And that's not what I said at all." Noah grinned. "But just in case you don't have a whole lot of time left, I suggest you finish the cleanup! Then I don't have to do it after you've departed this world."

"Ha! Ha!" Luke mocked, "You'd miss me like hell and you know it!"

"Oh, I don't know." Noah released a fake yawn as though he were bored, "It could actually be nice not to have to listen to your snoring all night..."

"I do not snore!" Luke exclaimed indignantly; hands on his hips as he faked annoyance. "If anybody has bad bedroom habits it's you! Which one of us always hogs the comforter?"

Noah laughed, "Aw. Thing is Luke baby?" Noah moved in to encircle Luke in his arms, "You're so damn hot you don't need a comforter."

And he kissed Luke just as the blonde's lips began to curl up into a smile.

"Not that I'm complaining but what are you doing here anyway?" Luke asked as they broke from their leisurely kiss, but not from holding each other.

"I was missing you." Noah replied. "I thought I'd come home for lunch today. I didn't expect lunch to include a show and dance routine."

"Shut up!" Luke punched his shoulder.

"Well, why don't you finish up in here and I'll make you and the kids something to eat, okay? I have an hour before I have to be back at the studio."

"Sure." Luke grinned, "Sounds like a plan."

"Where are they anyway?" Noah asked him.

"Playing out back. That sandpit Dad set up for them works a treat! It gives me at least an hour and a half of peace during the day!"

Noah smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "You make such a good little house wife! Pity you'll soon be re-joining the rat race. I was enjoying domesticated Luke. Especially the apron!"

"You're cutting it really fine with the jokes today, Mayer!"

"It's Snyder! And how DID your meeting with Mr Dimbleby go this morning, anyway?"

"Real good," Luke told him, "I'll tell you all about it when we eat. Which reminds me…?"

Luke walked over to the closet, opened it, squatted down and drew out a wooden storage box located on the bottom shelf. Opening it revealed an array of different food stuffs, mostly harbouring various forms of hairy mould. The smell was seriously intense.

"Oh no!" Noah exclaimed frustrated, "Again?"

Luke sighed. "The thing is I don't think he does it because he's hungry; I think he does it out of habit."

They had discovered Nicholas's propensity for hiding food early on, immediately coming to understand it was a latent survival mechanism from his previous life. But for a while, the problem appeared to have been resolved.

Now it seemed Nicholas had started it up again.

Noah let out a breath of air. It always hurt to think of their little guy starving in that house, stealing food from wherever he could find it. So much so that even now, fully fed each day, Nicholas still felt the need to secure himself in this way. Just in case.

"What should we do?" Luke asked.

"Well," Noah suggested, "I know we spoke about it before, but maybe he does need therapy."

Luke nodded. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to that."

"Me too." Noah agreed sadly. "But nothing we've done seems to have helped so maybe we need to try plan B."

Luke placed the lid back on the box and stood up.

"I guess he's just been so much better since he first arrived, you know?" He said sadly, "Sometimes I just forget."

"Yeah… He is better Luke, but… There are things we still don't know…"

"Things we don't really want to know?"

Noah nodded. "But not wanting to know and needing to know are two different issues."

Luke hugged him in for a moment and then patted his back, "Come on you! Hop to it or you won't have enough time to eat lunch with us!"

Noah smiled, "You okay?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

They kissed and Noah left toward the kitchen, promptly finding himself bombarded by two tiny bodies arriving all sandy from the outside.

"Hey you two!" Noah chastised, "What have I told you about trekking sand into the house? You need to make sure it's all gone before you come inside, okay?"

"We wanted to see you!" Mia smiled and Noah just shook his head. He was such a weakling!

He lifted Mia into his arms and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

"Come on troops! I'm making lunch!" Noah announced.

"Can we have waffles?" Ask Nicholas hopefully.

"I don't think so buddy! We definitely need to eat something healthier than waffles for lunch, okay?"

"Okay." Nicholas sang, slightly disappointed.

But Noah already knew that Nicholas would happily tuck into anything he was given.

...

Josh's best friend Benoit had been living in Los Angeles for a year, after his father was transferred from Paris, where Benoit was born.

Benoit spoke with a soft, silky accent; graveling his r's, sustaining his e's and morphing his i's; that drove Josh crazy from the very first day they met. Unfortunately for Josh, it also drove the girls crazy and made Benoit into quite the ladies' man.

On more than a few occasions, Josh had been roped into keeping watch while Benoit got off with some or other girl behind the gym.

Amazingly, the girls didn't seem to mind that Benoit wasn't exclusive, they still wanted his attentions; drawn to him like pretty butterflies to a blazing flame. In fact, being European seemed to give him some kind of licence to ignore the usual socially acceptable etiquette.

Benoit also had a way of speaking to elders, especially teachers, with an indescribable pretentiousness that never failed to have Josh in stitches, but which consequently landed Benoit in detention pretty much every Friday afternoon; the threat of expulsion the only thing that ensured Benoit attend. It was Benoit's opinion that the American schooling system was far too strict and held students back from their own self discovery and expression.

"Répressif!" he'd mutter occasionally under his breath.

And Benoit liked to smoke. Or more exactly, Benoit liked to smoke weed.

And Josh liked to smoke weed with him, even though the last time he got caught with the stuff on him he'd been threatened with suspension from school. And it had cost him his yearly trip to camp! The only time he got to escape the confines of his parent's strict expectations.

Josh was willing to take that risk because, the thing was, whenever Benoit got high he also got friendly and; although it was clear he much preferred the female sex; he wasn't one to sniff at the occasional kiss from his best friend.

The first time it happened Benoit took Josh totally by surprise. They'd lit a small fire on the beach one night, smoked a couple of joints, and ended up in the water; playfully dunking each other and chasing each other through the surf.

Josh couldn't help but notice how smooth and well toned his body was. Benoit played tennis for three hours nearly every day to achieve that. The salt water adorned their bodies like jewels as they glistened in the firelight.

They reached their towels and collapsed out of breath and laughing. Weed always made them giggle like two school girls.

"Hey?" Benoit said pointing up at the stars, "That ghroup of stargrs, they look like pénis!"

Josh twisted the angle of his head to stare up at them and then bust out laughing until his stomach hurt. When he turned his head to the side he drew breath; his face was only a few inches from Benoit's. Benoit smiled and then leaned forward and kissed Josh.

There was no tongue or anything, and for all Josh knew these occasional kisses were just friendly pecks of affection from Benoit's uninhibited point of view. But Josh didn't care. As far as he was concerned Benoit was pure perfection. And he searched for those soft kisses like he would search for water in the desert, if he were ever stuck in one.

And it was for this reason that Josh, emotions all over the place where this boy was concerned, never questioned it.

When Benoit suggested they move on from weed to trying a couple of ecstasy pills, Josh, a bubbling coldren couldn't think of a reason not to agree.

...

"Still not back?" A sleepy Noah enquired as he entered the sitting room to find Luke worriedly pushing back the curtain; checking out the window and twisting his cell in his hand.

Luke sighed through his nose, "No. Look baby, you have to be up for work in the morning. Go back to sleep! I'll sort this."

Noah would have done if he could, but the tight knot he felt in his gut and the look of worry mirrored in Luke's amber eyes made sleep unlikely.

Ignoring Luke's comment he asked, "Did you try calling him again?"

"Yes. I've called a hundred times and he's still not picked up. I hate to say it Noah, but I'm getting really worried."

Noah approached him and hugged him close from behind.

"Hey…" he said, planting a kiss on the side of Luke's neck. "I'm sure he's fine."

"I wish you sounded more confident!" Luke replied. "Noah, we really have to set some ground rules for this kid. So far we've just let him do his own thing and, I guess, I don't want him…"

"…thinking he can do what he likes." Noah finished.

"Yeah. I mean, he's a really good kid. He's responsible and bright. I don't think we have to worry, but, if he doesn't know what the boundaries are he might try testing them."

"Like tonight..."

Luke nodded and swayed into Noah's embrace.

...

Josh was really trying to be quiet, he really was! But he had the distinct feeling that he was making one hell of a noise.

He struggled with his key in the lock and then stumbled back into the door so that it slammed shut.

"Shhh!" he exclaimed at the guilty block of wood, "Be quiet!"

And then he giggled a little at the idea of having a conversation with a door.

He took a moment to gather himself, and left the relative stability of the door to move his unsteady legs forward and toward the guest bedroom; which had since become his.

Everything was going just great, minus the spinning, when the pesky rug jumped out in front of him and tripped him up. He went flying forward and fell bent over the back of the couch.

It was only then that he noticed the small lamp on the side table was on. He blinked at it for a second and when he turned his head jerked quickly back up to standing.

He wobbled.

Luke and Noah were fast asleep on the couch, all curled up together and holding on so that neither of them fell off. Luke's head looked kind of funny. It was bent at a strange angle against the armrest and Josh released a snort of laughter before he could stop himself.

The force of that snort sent him off balance and he would have fallen over had his left hand not already been gripping the top of the couch for stability.

"Oops!" he exclaimed loudly and then his right hand few up to cover his big mouth. But it was too late; Luke stirred and opened his eyes.

"Josh?" he croakily asked, sitting up slightly and rubbing the back of his sore neck.

"Sorry." Josh expressed guiltily.

Josh watched as Luke carefully pulled himself free from Noah's embrace; Noah shifted in his sleep but he didn't wake up. Luke stood and gently lifted Noah's head so that he could push a cushion under it and make Noah more comfortable.

Then Luke rubbed his face firmly in both hands and lifted his eyes to regard the state Josh was in.

He sighed deeply before whispering, "Come with me."

Josh followed Luke into the kitchen, where Luke indicated he should take a seat. Then, as Josh settled himself on a stool, Luke withdrew the cold water bottle from the fridge and proceeded to pour Josh a large glass of it.

"Drink this." Luke instructed.

Josh shook his head. He felt decidedly ill and didn't particularly want anything.

"I'm not asking you." Luke said firmly and Josh saw then how angry he was.

Deciding it was safer to follow orders at this point, Josh took a few swigs.

"All of it." Luke insisted.

"I can't!" Josh moaned.

"Josh, if you don't drink that, you're going to wake up tomorrow and wish you were dead. That's if you make it that long, because I could just about kill you myself right now!"

"Luke…"

"Do you have any idea how worried we've been? It's 4am Josh! Noah has work tomorrow and he's been up half the night with me!"

"I'm sorry," Josh insisted through a slur, "I didn't think you would…"

"What?" Luke asked him, "Care?"

Josh hung his head and swayed.

Luke folded his arms and sighed. "Look… there's no point trying to talk about this now. Get to bed. But tomorrow you and me are going to be having a very long discussion, okay?"

Josh nodded, and just to show his cooperation struggled to finish the last few drops of water out the glass.

As Josh reached the passage on his way to bed, he turned just in time to catch sight of Luke kissing Noah awake.

"Baby?" Luke whispered gently.

"Hmm? Josh?" Noah asked urgently.

Josh heard the note of concern in Noah's voice and guilt crept up his neck.

"He's back and very drunk." Luke informed him.

"What?" Noah asked.

"Don't worry, he's fine." Luke assured him, "I sent him to bed. Do you want to stay sleeping here or do you want to come with me?"

"Go with you of course."

And despite felling terrible, Josh couldn't help but smile when Luke did and he turned to leave before Luke and Noah noticed he was there.

...

Chapter 2 coming soon...

Please comment! Thanks! :-)