"May I step in?"

Ben asked politely from the kitchen, not wanting to disturb Remi, who was topless. Immediately she grabbed a white shirt, which Hershel possessed and wrapped it around her feminine chest. Pressing her eyes closed, cause of the pain, she replied:

"Ben? Just come in..."

She was quiet relieved that he wasn't the culprit: Ben just seemed so nice, friendly and.. charming? Yes, that was the word and on top he would be too old for Flora. With his twenty-four years it would be kinda creepy.. she just turned nineteen! But Don manipulated him, so that his feelings could also be planned or controlled by the tick. Who knows, maybe they could vanish with time..

'I don't know what to feel or think right now.. his story's just unbelievable and.. sweet. The way he confessed his emotions for me was... Flora! What are you thinking, gosh, I never should of kissed him. Even though it was a soft, very good kiss. Get out of my head Ben!... Wait, what about Luke? Is he alright?'

Her thoughts spun madly in her head, reconsidering her love life and ended with a weird mix of feelings in her stomach.

"Remi? I think I'm gonna throw up... I.."

Running to the little bathroom she leaved the two adults alone in the living room.

"But.. I need to take the bandages out of the.. too late."

Ben said, slightly smiling and walked over to Remi, sitting down right next to her:

"Sorry, she's only concerned about her boyfriend, I guess."

She really didn't knew why.. it happened too much in the last time, so that Remi wasn't certain. Then she got a bit uncomfortable around him, being nearly naked didn't made it any easier as well! Touching her Hand, Ben returned:

"I bet you're right. But I don't think there is anything to worry about. He is in company, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. I think so too and .."

She moaned as she accidentally leaned back on the couch, making contact with the rough fabric. Reacting quickly, Ben pulled her back up in her sitting position. Then frowning

"Please, be careful."

Staring in her deep eyes, Remi got more insecure with every second that past by.

"You know what, I'm going to look after Flora..."

Escaping from the awkward situation, she stood up, showing her injured but beautiful back. Ben only watched after her, not taking her eyes off her.
Finally standing at the Bathroom, Remi knocked loudly towards the door.

"Dear? Is everything okay?"

No sign... strange. For the second time, she knocked on the wooden door.
No comment. What was happening in there?

"Sorry, but I have to come in now.. "

Entering the room, she merely found the chamber empty. No one could be found.. only the window above the toilet stood open and the curtains flew in the cold evening breeze...

"Professor? This Puzzle just hasn't an answer.."

Luke was trying to get the solution... but nothing fitted perfectly to his informations nor to his last sentence: What/Who is it.. Couldn't it just be a thing or someone? How could it be both at the same time?

"Critical thinking is the key to success.. and I've found the right key to unlock the lock, which leads us to the solution.. Would you please fallow me.."

Hershel went out of the shop, right to the meadow were all got started.. The lanterns still shinned and broke the darkness they were surrounded. The rain was still pouring, what didn't detained Hershel at all, to keep going.. Now the group and Paolo thought they were alone... wrong in this case. Claire stood behind Luke, searching secureness as she got weaker and weaker. The weather just pressed her health more down and her temperature rose up. Luke held her Hand and nodded at Hershel, while many raindrops landed on his dark blond hair...

"Now Layton... tell me. What do you think is the correct answer?"

"Your feelings that pushed you to do such things to us was love and jealousy... The person you meant was none other than.. Claire..."
Silence... after the she heard her name, she inhaled a deep breath and didn't continued to respire along...

'Me? But.. I, I don't know him... he doesn't knows me. Why?...'

Claire thought, when she made a shocked expression. Every single glimpse was directed towards her, making her even more nervous than she already was. Don Paolo showed nothing else than a poker face?...

"Good guess, Layton. Actually..."

He started to walk around the group in circular movements, while he added:

"...you aren't right about it all. I only wanted to..."

After his last word he arrived Luke... and drew a long, sharp knife out of his coat and threw it in the direction of Luke. Don scored: The knife stuck deep in his thigh, causing him to crash down on the wet grass. He took Claire with him, when she grabbed his arms to absorb his fall. Screaming, Luke held his leg and bend his torso over to cover his wound from the rain, but It didn't helped.. The drops on his front and hair rolled down, mixed with a few tears, he shed.

"Luke!"

A voice yelled from behind, sounding broken and terrified at once. Hershel only recognized the silhouette of a young woman.. holding out her arm, while she was trembling extremely hard.

"Don... I've a weapon.. And I'm not afraid to use it!"

Flora, she was completely overwhelmed by her feelings and lost her mind totally. The only thing she wanted to do with the gun was to protect her beloved ones.. And now she's near to kill a person! Claire looked away from the bleeding boy and spoke:

"Dear, please.. do nothing stupid! This won't help us!"

With all his strength, Luke tried to stand up.. tried to stop her.. but when he made contact with the slippery ground, Luke immediately broke down completely.

"Flora! I need help!"

His shout was so weak that she barely heard it.. fortunately she recognized his voice. Running to her boyfriend, she cried bitterly, making her blue bandage dirty and soaking wet with mud. One problem still stuck in her thoughts.. Paolo. He was only standing there, laughing devilish.

"Where are you going.. little girl?"

Outstretching his long arm, he caught the petite woman and stopped her promptly.

"NO! Let me go!.. Please!"

Hysterically punching his arm, Flora cried and yelled at him, wanting that he just leaves them all alone. Then Layton jumped in... distracting Don:

"Paul.. I know you."

His head spun around, then he started at him.. loosening his grip on Floras arm. She ran away from Don and reached out for Luke, longing for him as if he was her dead mother, who just rose up from her beautiful grave.

"I'm not Paul!"

The villain said, rather angry and losing his control over himself.

"Yes, you are. I remember you now.. Claire, you and I were together at the same
university. Already there you wanted to be with her... and I was only a good friend of her. It tore your heart apart, since you loved her so much. But we weren't meant for each other back then. Now we're happy and you found us after long research. You took your revenge on us, by hurting everyone, including my apprentice and Flora."

This is it... Don was leaked out. But still something was missing. Who killed Mr. Burwell? And was this actually the truth? After all... he was mad in many ways and everything could be possible...
Meanwhile Flora replaced Claire, who now took her mobile phone and called the police plus the ambulance. Fortunately she had mains in the early morning but bad connection as she heard a manly voice on the other line.

"Hershel! They're on the way..."

He nodded back at him and focused his thoughts back at Paul.

"This isn't true! I.. I .. LAYTON!"

Paul walked closer to him... lifted his hands and put them roughly around Hershel's neck. He choked him so hard that he barely could breathe, as he tried to fight back. Suddenly, a shooting sound appeared in the background, shortly before a bullet stuck in Paul's upper arm. Flora managed to score from such a distance.. but she had no choice.. would she rather let him choke her father substitute? Hershel looked shocked to young woman, who had Luke's head on her lap.

"Flora? Are you okay?"

Forgetting Paul and the murderous attack, he ran to his three beloved ones. Claire bowed down to Flora and Luke, while the Professor arrived them. Now, they sat around Luke, blocking him off the rain that still poured down, furiously.

"Luke! Please.. stay with me..!"

She was totally out of her mind, when she turned around and grabbed him by his blue jacket. Touching his hot cheeks, she realized that he hadn't much time left.. His wound was just too big and gave a lot of blood away mixed with the salty raindrops. Luke tried to respond:

"Flora.. I'm.. OK.."

His deep voice broke off, as his hand crashed back down to his brown vest.

"No! Open your eyes, dear.. please. Stay awake!"

Softly patting him... Luke blinked a few times, which made the whole group relieved. She stroke his wet hair away from his front, when Flora spoke:

"Luke...be strong. The ambulance's coming soon..No"

In that moment she saw that Luke's brown slacks weren't just soaking wet from the rain, no, they discolored themselves in dark red. Panic broke out again, when she looked up to Claire.. then to Hershel. Only seeing that they were as helpless as she was.
Finally the sound of the Police siren was audible. It howled so loud that the melody the horn made, harmed their ears, while the car stopped right next to the meadow.

"Where's a certain Hershel Layton?"

A man in uniform asked... In return Claire and the Professor stood up, leaving the pair alone. Politely tipping his Top hat, Layton said:

"I'm here. Now we have someone to arrest for you. The man over there.. He's also injured, so make sure that he'll gets some bandages for his arm.."

The policeman raised an eyebrow.. He never witnessed that a villain was treated so nice. As response he merely nodded and went over to Paul. Roughly wrenching him up, the man showed no mercy, as he guided Don to the little car.

"IT ISN'T OVER YET, LAYTON!"

He yelled with his last powers he had over. His wet head disappeared in the automobile and drove away...

"Luke... persevere! Just a few seconds and you'll be fine."

Slightly smiling, he reached for her hand, telling her that she hopefully is right. A tear suddenly rolled down her pale cheek and landed on Luke's lips..

"I'm so sorry."

Carefully, wiping her tear away, she felt that he already was subcooled and paler than she ordinary was, what made her even more concerned about the situation. But as he felt her warm forefinger on his blue lips, he closed his eyes, enjoying every second of her proximity.

"Flora, they're here... make space."

Hershel said from the far north of the meadow. Two men in orange vests fallowed him and his girlfriend Claire. The couple smiled from the sight of help, as she moved to the side, letting the men do what they had to:

"Grit your teeth, young man.",

One of the sanitarian said, ripping his pants apart, so that he could see his injury. Luke moaned out of pain, not looking on his wound. A wonder that Flora was still consciousness after seeing so much blood... perhaps because she wanted to be unconditionally by his side.

"Careful!"
She said quietly, distracting the men and caused them to stop taking the knife out of his thigh.

"Flora!"

Hershel said and hushed her completely with that. After that, a sanitarian cautiously yet fast took the knife out of his injury. Luke held his breath, while he did it.. then a huge sigh of relieve came out of his trembling mouth.

"We bring him quickly to the hospital. All of you. Everyone seems to be weak. But not for long.. you can go after we treated your."

Claire and Hershel nodded as answer and with him. Flora waited and assisted the other sanitarian with bringing Luke to the grand car.

"Luke? Doctor, may I come in?"

Flora knocked on the door of the room, where Hershel and Claire also were. They already were treated: Claire became an order to take strict bedrest and Hershel received a crutch to avoid to walk on his injured foot. The doc. said that he lost much blood and needed much rest as well, but the gentleman he was, he of course wanted to take care of Claire at first. His hands were alright, Layton only had to wear a bandage on each of them. But Luke had by far the biggest lesion: Maybe he became a scar forever.. that didn't bothered him though.. the only thing that fret him was the fact that he had to stay at the hospital for 3 days. But that wasn't sure yet...

"Please."

The old man said, who watched over Luke. He looked very happy.. nearly too happy in her option.

"I've great news to tell you. Your boy can go with you. I'll give him two crutches on his way and he'll be fine. Just look that he won't do anything that has to do with sports or anything like that..."

Flora smiled all over her face as she said:

"Of course doc. With me he'll be fine sooner than he thinks.."

'That's my real Flora',

He thought smiling, as he grasped for the crutches and immediately 'walked' to her. She gave him a little peck on his cheek and went out to Hershel and Claire.

"We can leave! He released Luke from the Hospital!"

Layton stood up with Claire's hand in his:

"Splendid. Lets pick out the right bus..."

At Layton's Apartment:

"Ben? I think someone's coming..."

He took his hands off her back and reached for the white bandages in tranquility.

"Relax, dear. I bet it's the whole crew happy and unharmed.. hopefully."

Remi lifted up her arms, so that he could go around her back and her chest with the bandages. After he was done, Hershel already stepped in with his crutch... shocking Remi slightly:

"What happen? Luke why are you so pale? Hershel?"

Flora giggled, while Claire and the men followed her on the couch and finally replied:

"We're all fine. Just a bit groggy."

"A bit more than that.. a few minutes ago I had a knife sticking in my thigh and flora shoot in Don Paolo's arm.. but otherwise nothing really happened.."

Remi's jaw dropped to the ground... Why did she just missed that? Her face showed nothing that disbelieve, which made Hershel chuckle:

"Yes.. really, we're okay. All what we need now is sleep and a hot cup of tea."

"You're so addicted. I'll make some."

Claire said, smiling fondly, when she disappeared in the kitchen.

"I see you found out that Ben was controlled by Don, haven't you?"

The professor said:

"Umm.. actually yes. He's pretty nice, but why do you know that?"

Ben wanted to know as well! Luke forced himself after all this pain to smile and continued:

"He's the famous Professor Layton. Don't you think that he's the first one who got the right solution?"

Shaking her head in all directions Remi said:

"Of course I knew. What a stupid question."

"A round tea everybody?"

Claire spoke from the Kitchen, while she walked towards the group, holding a tray full of cups in her hands. She carefully placed the tablet on the table, so that the six of them could grab a cup. Now everyone was cuddled up on one couch, sipping their hot teas and watching out of the little balcony.

"It's snowing...How romantic"

Flora said into the beautiful silence, while she dropped her head on Luke's shoulder.

"Good, good morning."

Hershel said, when the clock in London ringed at six a.m. It really was.. a good morning.

Two hours later they've all fell asleep: Claire and Hershel's temples touched... Flora right next to Hershel, kept her position on Luke's shoulder. Remi sat next to Claire and held hands with Ben, who was now a good friend of the crew.
Suddenly, something knocked on the door, what caused Hershel to wake up. He looked around: seeing his 'family' like this made him smile and all happy inside. Slowly removing his head from Claire's he went to the door and opened it: The newspapers. Quickly glancing over it Hershel whispered to himself:

"I knew it..."

The Article:

Professor Layton solves another Case:

'The brilliant villain, Don Paolo, was arrested yesterday and admitted that he killed a certain Mr. Burwell, to distract Hershel Layton from his current Girlfriend. He said, that he loved her so much, that he would of done everything to get any closer to her. So he killed this man, to give Layton another mysterious case for him to solve. After his speech, we know that he dressed up as a man, known as Ben and flirted massively with Flora. A girl that Layton adopted since his last case in st. mystere. With that he wanted to make more problems for the Professor, so he had even fewer time to spend time with his Girlfriend. All escalated a few hours ago, after Don Paolo kidnapped Layton including Claire ( his GF). Showdown: Here near to the secondhand shop everything happened. Flora shoot on Paolo, scoring his left, upper arm. With that she saved the whole town and Hershel himself, who was about to getting choked. Now we see what the man has driven: Love... and all goes back to Jealousy.'

Author's Note: This is it... I'm done :) Hope you've liked it. Please Review and tell me what you think about my first fanfic... and of course about this chapter (Don's story, the ending and so on) I would really appreciate it. And Thank you so much for reading my whole story.. means alot to me :) 3