Hi! This was originally a one-shot and has been that way for a very long time, but I got a lot of reviews asking me to continue with it. I wasn't going to, but I had a sudden urge to write this, so this story is now a two-shot. I hope it's satisfactory; I would love to hear what you think!
Thank you to all the wonderful people that reviewed this story when I first wrote it, this ending is for you 3
Dusty Stars
Five months had passed. Five months of the same four walls, walls for which he was only allowed respite from for half an hour a day, when he was able to stretch his legs in the small shadowy courtyard around the back of the prison. Five months of watching the world go by through the tiny window set into the top of his cell. Five months of feeling his life flow through his hands, wasted. He felt as though he was stood on a precipice above a great dark abyss, one wrong move, one bad thought would send him tumbling down into the blackness, never to return.
His life had shrunk to this one small cell, his entire being centred round the meagre furnishings of solitary confinement. He didn't even know how he had made it this far. No, that was a lie. He knew why he had made it this far.
Luke hadn't broken his promise. Instead of five months of slowly going mad, Clive had been able to remain sane thanks to the patience and persistence of that one small boy. Every day, as the sun began to head towards the horizon, Clive would hear the now-familiar sound of the door opening, and the boy in the blue sweater would appear, a smile on his face that became less tentative and more eager as time went on. Luke's visits were the only thing that kept Clive tethered to this world, for Luke kept him up to date with the events going on outside his little cell, from global events to smaller things such as the professor earning a promotion at his university.
In return for the information, Clive shared stories about his past. He told Luke the full extent of why he had tried to destroy London, detailing everything he could think of, trying to get it all out in the open as though it would help him. Luke would listen intently, and sometimes they would find themselves separated by the guards instead of by choice as they would lose track of time.
They would chat animatedly for an hour a day, occasionally sharing puzzles as well as information. It was a breath of fresh air for Clive in the otherwise stifling confinement.
The one thing they never spoke about was how long Clive was to be kept in prison. Clive had asked Luke a couple of times, but on both occasions Luke had remained silent on the topic and refused to divulge any information. Clive could only assume that the silence meant he would be remaining here forever.
Despite Luke being as good as his word, Clive always feared that there would be a day when the boy wouldn't come back. His own self-hatred hadn't diminished in the long months of his imprisonment, and his self-worth was through the floor. What was a bright boy like Luke doing wasting time on a criminal like himself? There was nothing he could give him, in fact all he was doing was reminding Luke of how he was lied to.
It was a mystery to him.
The door at the end of the corridor opened with a slight squeak, and Clive let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in. It was ok. Luke had come back.
'Afternoon, Clive!' Luke said brightly as he shook out an umbrella onto the floor; clearly it was raining again.
'Hi, Luke,' Clive smiled, pushing himself off the bed and going to sit by the bars as per usual. 'How are things in the real world?'
Luke finished shaking the umbrella and propped it against the wall before grabbing a chair. 'They're pretty good, thanks,' he said, a large smile on his face. 'Just business as usual really.'
There was an odd bright glint in Luke's eyes that Clive had never seen before, and he was instantly suspicious.
'You seem awfully happy to say things are normal,' he observed, and he could have sworn he saw a flicker of worry across the young boy's face before it returned to its trademark smile.
'Not at all,' Luke chirped, shifting slightly in his chair. 'I'm just in a good mood, that's all.'
'You're always in a good mood, Luke,' Clive laughed, letting the matter drop.
They chatted for an hour as usual, until Luke looked at his watch and said he had to leave. As he was sliding the chair back to his original position, Clive said, 'Aren't you worried about the professor getting suspicious, Luke?'
The boy's back was towards him, but Clive didn't miss the way Luke stiffened and seemed to hold his breath before replying.
'N-no.'
Luke turned and Clive was sure he saw traces of fear leaving his face. Surprised, Clive raised an eyebrow, not having expected that reaction.
'Well, if you're sure,' he said uncertainly. Clearly it was something Luke didn't want to talk about, so perhaps it was best left alone.
They said their goodbyes and far too soon Clive was left to his own thoughts once again. He already found himself counting down the time until Luke came again, though always with the sickening fear in his stomach that he would be forgotten about and left to go mad. He did wonder about Luke's strange behaviour today though. He had the funny feeling that there was something the boy wasn't sharing with him.
The next day the door opened as usual, but this time something was different. Clive could hear voices coming down the hall. The guards never spoke to Luke though. Clive was instantly alert, pushing himself off the bed and standing away from the bars.
Then the voices ceased, and Luke appeared, smiling as though all his birthdays had come at once.
'Luke, what's going on? I heard voices.' Clive was crouched against the wall, warily eyeing Luke.
'It's going to be alright, Clive. It's all going to be okay!' Luke sounded as though he was about to pass out from excitement.
'What is? What's alright, Luke?' Clive was starting to panic slightly. Had Luke gone delusional?
His questions were soon forgotten as another person came into view.
The professor.
'P-professor Layton?'
So many thoughts were rushing through Clive's head at the sight of the man in his signature top hat, brown coat and a small smile on his face.
'Hello, Clive. It is good to see you again.'
Clive couldn't bring himself to speak. What was Layton doing here? Did he know Luke had been visiting and had come to express his disagreement? Did he want to stop the boy from seeing him? What was going on?
'I know you must have a lot of questions, Clive,' – ha! He had that right! Clive thought, -'but al you need to know is that you're going to be ok.'
Hmm, that was what Luke had said. Clive remained crouched against the wall and watched as the professor turned to Luke and nodded at him slightly.
The boy wasted no time in pulling something out of his satchel and, smiling broadly, showed Clive.
It was a key.
'You're free, Clive. You can get out of here,' Luke said, his voice trembling with barely concealed emotion. 'The professor has been arguing your case for weeks, and I've been talking to you and getting the information needed for him to build enough of a defence for you. You can come home with us! You're free!'
It had to be a dream, Clive thought. Just a cruel dream and he would wake up to find Luke had left him and the professor would be nowhere in sight. There was no way this was happening. He had tried to destroy London after all!
'How?' he managed to choke out, now fully leaning on the wall for support.
'We were able to get extenuating circumstances following the traumas you faced earlier in your life, causing you to act as though you weren't in control of yourself,' the professor said in that calm voice of his. 'You will be placed under surveillance for a month, and if at the end you are deemed fit to be safe in society, then you will be truly free.'
'B-but,' Clive was going into shock. 'But I have nowhere to go. I have no family.'
'You'll stay with us,' Layton said firmly, with Luke nodding enthusiastically. Flora has left us to visit her hometown of St Mystere so we have a spare room in our house for you.'
'Are you sure?'
'I wouldn't have it any other way.'
Clive was in a daze. For the second time, his whole life had changed in a single moment. He dimly registered Luke unlocking the door, and a guard being summoned to check through his things that he would be taking with him. He walked down the corridor as though in a dream, sinking into a chair as the professor signed some forms, presumably for his release. Then he was out. He was on the streets of London and free, breathing in the smell of fresh air and drinking in the sky. It had stopped raining, and the sun was trying to make an appearance from behind the clouds.
He stood for a moment, the professor on his left and Luke on his right, and finally felt at peace with the world. He placed the faded blue hat on his head, and smiled. He was finally able to start the next chapter of his life.