A/N: hello to those who have stuck with this story. I would like to start with an apology for how long it took me, but as I stated on nukefic I didn't think anyone was interested. I didn't really get a sense that anyone wanted me to continue with it. I am determined to finish this story, I adore Nuke and want those who were reading and enjoying the story to have a good ending. I really do hope that there are some out there who still want to read this, if not, I'll finish it anyways. I've given myself a goal and I hope to stick with it.
I will be attempting to update on the weekends. I say attempting, becaue sometimes life gets in the way and we can't always control what happens. I will try my best though.
I really hope those who are still interested will like this new chapter, I worked hard to get it done and hope I can live up to expectations.
Last but not least, please review and tell me what you think. It would mean the world to me if you let me know if I still have your interests peeked. Thank you.
The Search – Chapter 19
Reunion
Luke held onto his mother as if he were afraid that if he let go she would disappear and this reunion would have been a dream. He held onto Lily's small frame and cried as he hadn't cried since childhood. He remembered the last time his mother held him like this, and again it was due to something Damian had done to them. It seemed as if the man would always be there to hurt them in the name of his own warped sense of love. Luke could hear his mother's soothing voice and feel her small hands rubbing circles on his back and he began to feel better. That was until he felt another pair of hands on him.
Damian had silently walked up behind him and was now pulling Luke away from his mother's grasp. He knew it would be pointless to fight him but his reflexes automatically made him hold onto his mother tighter. Luke was scared that if he let go, he then would wake up. It wasn't until Lily whispered in his ear that he began to slacken his hold.
"Luke, baby…its okay, I'm not going anywhere. Remember the plan." Luke let himself be pulled away by his father. He looked into his mother's eyes and saw her usual determination and strength. Only when Damian had called his name three times did Luke break eye contact with his mother and looked up at his captor, trying his hardest to hide his hate for the man.
Damian stepped back from his son's initial look of hatred. He was shocked to see that instant of pure unadulterated hate cross over his son's features, only to be gone a second later. Perhaps he was just seeing things, he thought. Damian blinked and looked back down at his son, "Luciano, you need to be back in your chair. Remember what your therapist said about overdoing it, son."
Luke wanted to scream, punch and kick at this man. How dare he try and sound so concerned when it was him who put him in the chair in the first place. Lily still had a hold of her son's hand and could feel him clenching his hand into a fist. She knew Luke's temper and if she didn't interfere she knew Luke would do something he would regret.
Lily placed the hand that Luke wasn't holding on her son's back and could feel the tension building in his muscles, "Luke sweetie…listen to your fa..ther," her voice tripping over the last word, "he knows what's best for you right now." Luke turned his head away from Damian and looked into his mother's eyes, reading the true meaning behind her words in her eyes. They had always been able to communicate that way, which sometimes, as Luke recalled, freaked out Holden. It was as if they could read each other's minds.
Luke released his mother's hand and turned to stand up. Before he could fully raise himself from the bed, he was being lifted into the muscled arms of the orderly. He couldn't help but feel his body shudder at the other man's touch, which of course caused the orderly to smile. Luke fought against the muscled mass, "put me the fuck down…NOW." Luke struggled vainly in the arms of the orderly, it seemed the more he struggled the more the man tightened his hold. It became clear to Luke that the man/monster derived some sick pleasure from Luke's struggle. He could see it in his eyes.
As Luke looked into the man's eyes, trying his best to show him he wasn't afraid he saw something there that scared the shit out of him. Looking into this man's eyes was like looking into a soulless creature. He seemed to have no color but black in his eyes and Luke couldn't hold the gaze any longer and had to turn his head away. He was still in this monster's arms and could feel the chuckle rumbling through his chest. A chill ran down Luke spine and he couldn't stop his body from shivering, which in turn made the Hulk hold him closer to his chest. As the man holding Luke placed him back in his chair Luke had to fight the urge to jump out of the chair grab his mother and run.
Luke closed his eyes and thought about Noah, and their reunion. He couldn't stop the tears from running down his cheeks, as the feeling of utter happiness washed over him. Luke's reverie was broken by the sound of his father's concerned voice, "Luciano, son, are you in pain?" Luke opened his eyes and looked into Damian's eyes, for a minute getting lost in the true concern he saw there, only to be brought back to reality when movement behind Damian brought Luke crashing back to the here and now, as he looked into the soulless eyes of the monster standing behind him. Luke took a deep breath and tried his hardest to keep his voice steady has he answered Damian, "Yes, father, I'm fine. Just got lost in the happiness of the moment."
Damian took in his son's pale face and trembling form and wondered if he was being totally honest with him. For now, though, Damian decided to let it go. He knew that Luke had been through a lot in one day, and that probably had something to do with his jumpy state. Damian kneeled in front of his son, a sense of guilt coming over him at what he has done to his own flesh and blood. That guilt lasted but a few seconds, as he told himself that everything he's done was for his family's own good. No, Damian Grimaldi did not feel guilt.
"Luciano, perhaps this day has been too much. You can come back later and visit you mother." Luke's heart beat raced as he thought of something to say, something that would keep him there. "No, father, I'm fine, really. Please don't send me back to my room. It's been so long since we've seen each other, I need more time. Please." Luke held his breath as Damian looked into his eyes, searching for what Luke knew was lies. He did his best to smile at his father, oh how he hated using that word to describe him, he reached out and took Damian's hands in his and tried his best to sound sincere. "We're a family now. You and mom are all I have left, please let me stay a while longer. I need this more than you could know." Luke watched as Damian's face softened and he smiled at Luke's words about them being a family. Inside, though, Luke was screaming obscenities at the man in front of him.
Lily, sat on her bed, her right hand hidden under her covers was clenching and unclenching as she watched Damian kneel in front of her son. When Damian spoke of taking Luke back to his room, Lily was about to protest when Luke beat her to it. She had been so grateful that he had been the one to speak, since she was certain that her emotions would have given her away. She watched in fascination as Luke was able to smile and speak tenderly to the man who had taken them away from all they loved. Her son was truly a great actor. Though Lily could see the truth in her Luke's eyes, Damian seemed oblivious to the hate radiating from them, it seemed as if Damian was seeing only what he wanted to see, and Luke's hate was something he never wanted to see again.
Lily couldn't keep silent any longer; she had to speak with Luke without Damian listening in on their conversation. It was now her turn to test her acting skills, "Damian…my… love. Can I have a few minutes alone with our son? Please I promise that it won't take long." Lily, stumbled through the words 'my love,' but Damian again seemed to be hearing only what he wanted to hear. She watched as he stood from his kneeling position in front of Luke and walked over to her bed. Lily knew that whatever he was about to do, she would have to take it and pretend not to be repulsed by his touch.
Damian sat down on the bed next to Lily. He took her left hand in his, "Cara, I do not think it a good idea for the two of you to be left unattended."
Lily put on her best game face and smiled at the monster in front of her. She removed her right hand from below the duvet and cupped his cheek. It took all her will power to do what she did next, but she closed her eyes and thought about the love of her life, Holden. Lily slid her hand around Damian's head and around the back of his neck. She slowly brought Damian's face down to hers and pressed their lips together. She heard Damian gasp in surprise as his lips pressed more forcefully onto hers. It was not her intention to let this kiss go further than a small peck, but it seemed to be Damian's every intention to do so. She could feel his tongue pushing against her lips, trying to gain access into her mouth. She was not about to let that happen, though. Lily pulled away from Damian, seeing a flash of anger and confusion cross over his face; she quickly went to diffuse it, "Please, not in front of Luke and the orderly." Though she may hate the man, she once loved him, and knew his expressions. Before he could speak again, Lily tenderly touched his cheek once more and leaned over to whisper in his ear, "We have all of our future together for more intimate touches. For now, let me go slowly….please."
Luke watched as his mother talked lovingly to Damian. He could feel his blood boiling as he watched her bring Damian down for a kiss. He wanted nothing more than to turn away, but something kept his attention focused on the scene playing out in front of him. Luke watched as Lily seemed to be trying to push Damian away, only to have him tighten his hold on her. His mother's ability to diffuse a situation always amazed Luke. Though as he watched Damian tense when Lily was finally able to pull away, Luke feared maybe this time that skill would not work, only to have Lily whisper something into Damian's ear that seemed to calm him down instantly.
Damian stood from the bed and looked down at Lily, his eyes full of lust. Luke watched as Damian took a couple of calming breaths before he turned to him, "Luciano, your mother is right. The two of you need some time to talk. I will be right outside the door and will give you 15 minutes to reminisce."
Luke watched as Damian and the Hulk walked out of the room. He was ready to leap out of the chair and run to his mother's bed when she stopped him with a hidden message in her next sentence, "Luke, sweetie, why don't you roll your chair closer to me. I don't want you to have to strain your legs any more then you need to." Luke looked over at his mother and again they spoke to each other through a look. He could see her warning in her eyes. He nodded and did as he was told, and wheeled himself towards her bed. Once there though, Luke stood up and sat down on her bed beside her. He couldn't help but fall into her waiting arms and let the tears he's been holding in out once he felt her soothing hands rubbing circles on his back, just like she used to do when he was a little boy and scared of the monsters under his bed. Only this time, the monster was right outside the door.
Lily tried to soothe her son the best she could. She could feel his body shaking as he silently cried into her shoulder. She knew how hard this had been for Luke. To wake up and once again have your worst fears realized. Damian had been merciless by taking Luke's fear of losing the ability to walk and using it to try to control him. She couldn't imagine the terror that must have gone through him when he realized that once again he couldn't use his legs. God, how she hated that man for putting Luke through that torture. The thoughts of what Luke must have endured with whatever that man Krieger made her want to scream. How was Luke going to get over this betrayal? She knew that Luke had to release the emotions he'd been bottling up, but they didn't have the time for it, so as hard as it was for her to do she began to push Luke out of her embrace, "Luke, I know this is hard, but we have to talk before he returns. Please, baby, I know how difficult it has been for you, but I need you to keep your emotions in check and not let him know how much you hate him."
She watched as her son's tear stained face clouded over with hate at the mention of the man who did this to them. Then she watched as her son took a deep calming breath, closed his eyes and put on what she liked to call his 'game face.' It amazed her how much like Holden he could be at times, with his kind loving heart, but times like these she saw herself in him. She also saw much of Lucinda's influence as well, when he turned from sweet loving Luke, to boardroom Luke, where he took no prisoners. Lily couldn't help but smile as her son wiped away his tears, opened his eyes and showed her that he could do as she asked and not let Damian know that they were onto him. "Good. Now, we only have a few minutes, so tell me what you know."
Luke leaned into his mother, getting as close as possible in case someone was listening by the door, "Noah came to me last night." Lily smiled as a blush took over her son's face and he looked down at his hands and avoided looking her in the eye. Now as she looked closer she could see an almost glow radiating from him, that she hadn't seen in a long time. Lily cupped Luke's chin and raised his face to look at her, "Luke, I'm so happy for you. Please never be embarrassed to show me your love for that wonderful boy…no man." Lily laughed as Luke's eyes widened in understanding, "Sweetheart, it's written all over your face. You just mention his name and you seem to glow. I'm so happy that you two have a second chance."
Luke smiled at his mother, getting over his embarrassment quickly. He couldn't help but hug her once more. This woman always seemed to amaze him. As he pulled away he knew time was running out, so he whispered again, "Mom, Noah said there's a plan in the works. Something about a banquet and some explosives." Lily nodded, she had received more details from Maria early that morning and had to tell Luke before Damian returned. "Yes. Damian is having a party in a few days." She rolled her eyes and had to swallow the bile rising in her throat as she spoke the next words, "to reintroduce us to the 'important' people here as well as the family. He wants everyone to see his 'perfect' little family, and to know that the Grimaldi heir is back to 'reclaim the throne,' as it would be." Luke couldn't help the hatred that showed up on his face. He wanted to strangle Damian and send the rest of the Grimaldi's to hell. "Is he out of his mind? Really? Does he think that I'm just going to play good little son and take my place by his side?" Lily could feel Luke's body trembling with anger; she had to calm him down before Damian came in and found him in a moment of weakness that would have Luke exploding in anger.
"Luke, please you need to calm down. I can feel the hate and anger radiating off of you. If Damian comes in and finds you in this state he's going to get suspicious." Lily watched again as her son took a calming breath. His face took on a look of serenity and she wondered what it was that could make him go from explosive to calm in a few seconds. Then she watched as a small smiled formed on his lips and she knew, he was thinking of Noah. That young man was the only person that could bring Luke down from one of his anger fits. Sometimes she watched as a simple touch on his shoulder from Noah could instantly calm her son. It was an amazing trick, she thought at the time, and wished she'd had Noah around years ago when Luke was a child and was throwing a tantrum.
Luke opened his eyes and saw that his mother was knowingly smiling at him. It seemed he'd been caught thinking about the love of his life. He couldn't help but smile back at her, communicating again without words. Thinking about Noah to help calm him down was a trick he'd learned during one of his meetings at the foundation when he was dealing with a potential contributor who did not like the idea of funding gay rights. He was just about to lay into the homophobic prick when he closed his eyes, much to the consternation of said prick, and instead of counting to ten thousand, since 10 just would not be enough; he thought about his wonderful boyfriend who had just brought him lunch and some 'afternoon delight' in his office right before his meeting. Luke found that just thinking about those eyes and that smile calmed him down enough to send the man to hell, but in a professional manner, of course.
Luke couldn't help but chuckle at the look his mother was giving him, "You can always see right through me, can't you?" Lily laughed too, "Well you did get this goofy smile on your face, so I figured only one person has ever made you smile like that. I'm your mother; I know all your looks, and that one I like to call the 'Noah smile'. It was always my favorite."
Luke looked over at his mother and couldn't help the blush that took over his face. He couldn't help but look away, but as he did he noticed the clock on her bedside table. It seems there time was almost up and they had so much more to talk about. In a rush of breath he asked his mother, "Mom, the party, are there any specific instructions that we need to know?" Lily looked at what Luke was staring at while he was talking to her, and her it felt like her heart dropped. She had noticed the time that Damian had left the room, and it seemed as if Luke had also. She gripped her sons hand and brought his attention back to her, "Luke, get back in your chair. Nothing can seem out of place."
Luke leaned in one more time to give his mother another hug before he moved from her bed to the chair. Lily still had his left hand in hers as he sat down, she realized she did not want to let go. Luke looked at her, begging for an answer to his last question, knowing they only had a few minutes before they were interrupted again. Lily looked at the door then to her son, she leaned over as much as she could and whispered, "Your father will send word on what time the people that are helping him are going to set off the explosives and where we should be. This is going to happen fast and we need to be prepared to run and get out of the mansion before all hell breaks loose."
They both sat up straight as they heard the door handle being turned. Fortunately this was a very old house, built by the first Grimaldi's generations ago, and the humid Mediterranean air made the doors a bit noisy. Damian, walked in to find his son and wife holding hands and just looking at each other. There seemed to be sadness in each of their eyes, but he just attributed it to them knowing they would be parting again.
Luke felt a chill run down his back as he felt the orderly come in and stand behind him. It was as if the man radiated a cold wave of evil whenever he walked into a room, especially one that Luke was in. He had not told his mother about what he knew this man wanted from him. He didn't want to worry her. But as an uncontrolled shiver ran through his body and he could almost feel the blood drain from his face, he couldn't help but close his eyes and try to imagine it was Noah standing behind him. When he opened his eyes he could see a look of worry on his mother's face as she looked at him then up to the man who was openly leering at her son. There was something terrifying in the way he was watching Luke, and it only took her a moment to realize what it was, lust, unbridled lust, and it made her want to scratch his eyes out of his head. She looked back at Luke and could see that he knew, and that something had already happened to make him afraid of this man. Lily was not about to let this man touch her child in any way, and just as she was about to inform Damian of this fact she felt Luke squeeze her hand. She looked at Luke and saw him pleading for her not to say anything, with his eyes. She squeezed back and gave him a look that asked if he was sure, and with just a slight nod of his head, one that no one but she noticed he said, 'yes.'
Damian seemed oblivious to all that was happening around him. It was as if he was looking through a warped glass that only allowed him to see what he wanted to see, his perfect, beautiful family. He shook himself out of his reverie and knew that what he had to say next would not go over well with either Luke or Lily, "I am afraid it's time for you to go back to your room, Luciano. It has been a long day and you need your rest." The moment the words came out of his mouth Luke began to shake his head, "No, please father, just a little longer. Please." He could hear the tears in his son's voice as well as see his eyes begin to water, but he had to take control, they could not see any weakness in him, or he would lose the fearful respect they have for him. Damian looked at his son and wife, who had yet to let go of each other's hands and spoke again in a firmer voice, "NO! It is time for you to go. I gave you your time together without me, now you must do as I say, or I will not allow you to visit again."
Lily could feel her son's hand clench painfully on hers but she didn't show it. She squeezed his hand back and decided to speak before Luke's anger got the best of him, "Luke, sweetie, it's alright. We'll see each other again tomorrow. Right Damian…my...love?" Again she could feel the bile rise in her throat as the man looked at her with lust in his eyes. She knew that she had promised him that she would cooperate, and she knew what it was he wanted from her. What he didn't know what that she had stashed away some of the sleeping pills he had given her and she planned to take one as soon as he left. She knew he had business to attend to before he came back to her, and hopefully she would be knocked out by then.
Lily felt Luke's hand pulling away from hers as his chair began to be pulled back. They each held on as long as they could before only their fingertips touched and then nothing but air was between them. She watched with tearful eyes as her son was wheeled out of her room. She looked up at the man who had done this to them and couldn't help but show her hatred of him. To her surprise, Damian smiled as he leaned in closer to her and whispered, "I have fulfilled my part of our deal, Cara, tonight will be your turn." With that he stood up straight and turned away from her as he walked out of the room. Lily couldn't help but grab the nearest object by her, the dreaded clock, stood up from her bed and threw it against the door he had just closed. She dropped back onto her bed and screamed into the pillow.
Luke's room later that evening
Luke paced back and forth in his room, hoping that his mother would find a way to thwart off Damian's advances tonight. He was neither stupid nor blind and he could see clearly the look of want in Damian's eyes when he looked at his mother. He could only hope that she had come up with a way to get away from him, at least for the next few days. It was late and he knew he should be in bed asleep, he had been given a sleeping pill by Damian, but as soon as he had left the room, Luke ran into the bathroom and threw it up. Luke felt as if he was going to go crazy if something didn't happen soon. He was standing by the windows that led out to the terrace when he heard the lock clicking open. He was rooted to the spot, afraid that the orderly had once and for all decided not to wait, when the figure that came through the door was instantly familiar to him, even in shadow. Luke couldn't help but run and jump into Noah's arms, his body trembling with the fear he had just moments ago.
Noah caught Luke in his arms with a hrrumph, not expecting the blonde to just leap onto him. He couldn't help but smile; that is until he felt his boyfriend shaking in his arms. Noah wrapped his arms tighter around Luke's back as Luke wrapped his legs around his boyfriend's waist. Noah knew what had scarred Luke and he wanted nothing more than to take that fear away. Noah walked them the short distance to Luke's bed and gently laid Luke down on top of the duvet as he unwrapped his boyfriend's arms from around his neck and raised his shirt over his head, all the while never taking his eyes off of Luke's. He watched as the fear in Luke's eyes was replaced by desire, as Luke watched him strip, knowing it was one of Luke's favorite things to do.
Luke felt his body shiver, but unlike earlier, this shiver was very welcomed. Watching Noah undressing always made Luke hornier then he'd ever been, and Noah knew that. Luke couldn't help but voice his feeling for this man who knew just what to do to make Luke feel safe again, "God I love you…so much."
Noah couldn't help but smile at his boyfriend, knowing that he would love this man for the rest of his days. At least Luke if allowed it. They still had a lot to talk about, but for now, Luke seemed a little overdressed for the occasion, and Noah made sure to point that out to his leering boyfriend, "So, is this a team sport or am I the only one that's going to be naked here?" He watched as Luke came out of whatever fantasy he was currently in involving a naked Noah and realize what Noah had just said. It seemed faster then he'd ever think possible, but Luke was naked before Noah even saw him move. Noah couldn't help the look of want that came over his features as his eyes raked over Luke's naked body. He had learned from an inside source that Damian had left in a huff and wouldn't be back for hours, seemed as if Lily's plan worked. So he and Luke had hours of lovemaking and good old fashioned fucking ahead of them.