I do not own Professor Layton or any of it's characters

Chapter 4

Back to the good old times

Luke sat down in his old 'home' , a dark alley, where nobody would ever find him. He remembered the day after his his parents died. He sat exactly at the same place and then Céline brought him to the drug-store-hiding-place. Now he doubt that Céline would come to rescue him. He was a traitor after all. He had just left. without a word. To start a new life. She could never forgive him but then someone interrupted his thoughts.

:"Hey Lukey. Need some help?", said a female and friendly voice.

:"Céline?", he asked, like he couldn't believe what was happening.

Céline stepped forward into the light, to see her old best friend sitting down the street, crying, like he did all this long time ago. She leaned to him and brought him to his feet

:"It's okay Luke, You're never going to be alone. I'll always be there", she said with a caring voice, while hugging Luke. Then she led him back 'home' the drug-store-hiding-place.

When Céline and Luke entered the story, Luke felt home again. While walking through the hiding tunnel behind the store Luke met some faces, he actually wanted to forget in the past weeks, but there were also two he had terribly missed in the past.

Jacqueline and Philipp or better said Black-Pearl and Félippy, the most funniest, friendliest and also craziest addicted teenagers in America.

:"Lukey, is that really you?", said Black-Pearl's ever kind voice.

:"Yo Lukerooo... You're back!", screamed Félippy while running to Luke and give him a tight embrace. The same thing was made by Black-Pearl.

:"Hi guys. I've missed you",began Luke,"How have you been?"

:"Are you serious?", asked Black-Pearl and let Félippy go on.

:"You're asking us how we've been... Dude. Who has been gone for 3 months without a word.? We actually thought you were dead."

:"Me? Dead?. OH come on guys. You're talking with 'THE' Luke Triton."

:"Well, I guess you're right there.", answered Black-Pearl.

:"Yeah. Right. The Luke Triton I know can handle almost everything.", concluded Félippy

:"ALMOST ?!", asked Luke, with a angry voice.

:"Yes. Almost... You weren't that good at letting your family behind you.", answered Félippy

:"Yeah. Right. Especially this Prof. Layton-guy. Remember you have been talking about him for at least six months. And you had always this crazy idea, to visit him in London. Remember!?"

Black-Pearl and Félippy began to laugh. They couldn't stop. And Luke stood next to them and also started laughing but it was no real laughing it was fake. But Luke was sure, that no one would recognize that. Especially because the Professor was the only person on earth who would understand, why Luke was pretending to laugh if he actually felt like crying.

What Luke couldn't know, was that the Professor stood behind a wall, that separated the city-centre from their hiding-place. After Luke had ran away the Professor had followed him for a while and when he wanted to give up hope, he could hear Félippy greeting Luke, so he followed the noises and was now hiding from Luke, but what he heard nearly broke his heart. So Luke did thought about him a lot after his parents died. And now the Professor was sure, that Luke did thought about him as a father, or at least as an uncle or another family member. Also the Professor knew, like Luke thought to himself before, that Luke only pretended to have fun while laughing. Inside he cried.

:"Luke...", the Professor sighed, very quiet, so that no one would hear him. Now the Professor was terribly afraid. Maybe what he did had Luke make a bad decision. Maybe now Luke would want to take those drugs again. The Professor accused himself for not being a good guardian. He still couldn't believe what he had done to his own 'son'. But then the small group started talking again and the Professor listened carefully.

:"Oh boy... seriously man. Where have you been, all this time.", Félippy asked, finally being able to stop himself from laughing.

So what should Luke say now. These guys were his left family, should he tell them, that he tried to become one of 'those'... One of the persons they always hated... He decided not to.

:"Well, you see. I was just traveling around... There was nothing special. I just needed some time to find out that this place here is my real home... And that you guys are my true family."

Félippy couldn't help but let a small tear fall down his cheek. He has always been the sensitive kind of character and also Black-Pearl was about to look a little bit touched, just like Céline did, but of course there were to tough to show it.

Now Luke felt awful. He had just lied to his friends... his family ... and the Professor was hurt, did Luke really meant that... Did he really find out that he belonged in 'THIS' world, by living a few weeks with the Professor. This couldn't be... Luke was no one of them and the Professor 'and' Luke knew that. Luke just acted like this, because he was confused and angry. He didn't really want this .

:"You're great man... you know that.. You're so fucking great.. Come 'ere Bro." said Félippy , when he stepped forward to give Luke a very... very... very strong hug.

To his own surprise, Luke let himself completely relax in this hug, like it was the only thing he needed to understand that 'this' was his home, and that it'll always be. Even if Luke himself didn't really believed it... He still wanted to be with the Professor right now, but if course he was still angry at him.

:"Welcome home Luke!", interrupted Céline in the hug and gave Luke a soft kiss on his cheek.

:"Yeah ... Finally home again.", said Luke with a slight smile, while blushing

:"Don't you dare leaving again! All right ?!.", said Black-Pearl, with her angry accent, even if she was totally lucky to have Lukey back.

This was the point where the Professor couldn't help it anymore he took a step forward, to be recognizable in front of the wall and made Céline, Black-Pearl, Félippy and of course Luke wince together.

:"Luke, pull yourself together. We're going home. Immediately.", ordered the Professor with a kind of regret in his voice.

Luke looked away, ashamed and still hurt.

:"He's going nowhere.. He stays... Do you understand, Butthead!" screamed Black-Pearl.

:"Pearl!.. Don't be so harsh", said Félippy, until he turned to the Professor," So Minster... Top-Hat... Who are you? And why do you want to take Luke?. See the last time an old man took him he had been rape-"

Félippy couldn't finish that sentence, because Luke shot Félippy's mouth with his hand.

:"What was that?!", began the Professor," Luke why didn't you tell me about this."

Luke looked him straight in the eye to show him finally all of his anger, weather he felt terrible about saying, that the Professor was not his real father, or not.

:"Never mind. We can talk about this later,"went the Professor on while turning to Félippy," May I introduce myself. My name is Professor Hershel Layton. I am Professor of archeology in London and-"

But he was interrupted by Black-Pearl

:"What the ... Are you serious. You are this guy!?,"then she turned to Luke"Luke is this the guy you told us about. The one who didn't help you, when your parents died?"

:"Oh oh.. And the one, who has been in your nightmares, after you took drugs for the first time." continued Félippy

Now Layton was stunned. Luke really had thought a lot about him. Maybe he was sorry about taking the drugs. Sure this should actually be understandable, but it was not understandable that the Professor had slapped him. Now he felt awful.

:"Luke," the Professor began and he really sounded regretting," I'm so sorry my boy."

Luke looked away and just hoped that his friends wouldn't kick him out.

:"Luke... So you actually were... with him... all this time. You're such a traitor.. you know that!", this broke out of Black-Pearl's mouth.

Luke felt like crying again, but what could he do... He felt so alone again until...

:"No he's not!,"screamed Céline suddenly,"Just because he missed his family, doesn't make him a traitor, it only makes him human. And that's what connects us. We became a family because we had been left alone by everyone else. And Luke wanted to find out if he was really all alone in the world, except for us... And he knows that he belongs to us. And not to this guy. He knows who he truly is. Don't you Luke?"

Luke didn't know what to say. This was his last chance... to be a part of the family again. To be with Pearl, Félippy, Céline, Catherine and all the others. And what was the opportunity a life with a persons, who doesn't even care about him. Someone who couldn't accept him, someone who... who was his father. but right now Luke felt too down to be able to make such an important decision so he did something that was very stupid.

:"Y-Yes exactly. I do belong here guys... with you. Sorry I forgot that for a while, but now I know better. Please guys. You're the only family I have left. Give me another chance.", Luke plead

That broke Layton's heart. He Luke just said, that these guys.. this drug-group was his family... the only family he has left !?... The Professor totally regret that he had made his 'son' run away. But when he was about to say Luke how sorry he really was. The group disappeared in a big cloud of fog. Everything the Professor could understand was

:"Don't ever blow this chance. Understand?!"

With these words everything was gone. The Professor couldn't see anything. And when the fog was finally gone, He was alone. And went back to the city-centre to search there.

The Professor accused himself. If Luke would happen something he would never be able to forgive himself.