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

Chapter 9

Magical Photo - Adventure

Luke's idea, with pretending to be unconscious was a brilliant plan, but he couldn't have thought about the fact that he had really fallen asleep.

When a few hours had passed, Luke woke up again and to his surprise he was back in the Professor's hotel room and he was not alone. Caty laid on the couch and the Professor in his chair. It seemed like they had stayed awake all night long. And luke ... he laid in the Professor's bed and when he turned of the blankets he could see that his leg had been getting bandaged. Slowly Luke stood up, taking a hold on the bed and tried to walk a few steps. Carefully he tried to reach the door, but when he was about to let go of the bed, he fell to the ground, waking Caty up.

:"Lukey... What are you doing?", Caty said in surprise hushing to Luke's side and helping him to stand up.

"I ... I just wanted to ... Ahh!", When his left foot touched the ground his leg hurt again... And so Luke was forced to yelp out of pain. And that noise was loud enough to wake the Professor.

"Gosh.. Lukey .. sit down. Otherwise you'll break the other leg, too.", Caty ordered

"I completely agree with her, my boy", the Professor answered out of nothing, what shocked both, Luke as well as Caty.

"Yeah .. Sorry. Guess I didn't see where I was walking to", Luke apologized. While the Professor took the boy carefully by his waist and his shoulder and sat him down on the chair.

"No need to worry my boy. But you shouldn't ran around outside when it is that rainy.", the Professor answered understandable, but worried.

"Why did you even ran away... YOU MORRON?!", Caty suddenly screamed

:"I .. I-I just need some time ... Sorry .. But I can't believe I did something like that ... And what I don't understand is ... why did I joined this drug group at all... I just don't have the feeling that I'm that kind of person...", Luke said questioning to himself.

Layton knew why this had happened. It happened because he had lost his temper before... So actually this was all HIS fault. But he couldn't admit this to Luke... Not now... it would scare the poor boy.

"Well my boy .. you see. This doesn't matter right now... All you need to know is that we'll take care of you... Until your memory comes back ... And like I know you my boy... It definitely will."

That gave Luke hope and for the first time since he had lost his memories he could finally smile again.

This brought hope to the professor's heart and so he had the most amazing idea, he ever had. Maybe it wouldn't work but at least it was worth a try.

"You know my boy, there is probably something we can do about your amnesia, but I don't know if it'll work.", When the Professor was about to continue, Luke interrupted him.

"Oh god... I would try everything ... Trust me. What is your idea?", he asked excited

"Maybe it'll help, when you take a look at old pictures... I usually take them with me."

"Yeah, that's sounds logically, but why on earth do you take photo books with you on vacation?"

Now the Professor was beaten. He didn't really know, why he did this every time he left for a longer vacation, but there was an idea on his mind.

"You know my boy. Sometimes when we went on longer vacations, I usually take some free time every evening to look through the past years, everything we've been through. It helps me to keep this memories, so maybe it'll help you to find your memories.", he said

Luke was stunned. There was this man, he didn't really know, who knew everything about him and his past. There was a person, who loved him, but Luke wasn't able to love him back. Well at least Luke felt something in his body that felt totally safe and pure... it was ... TRUST.

"All right then... Let's give it a try.", Luke said, while hoping that he had sound more enthusiastic, than he though he did.

Somehow Catherine felt like she should not be there anymore, so she slowly turned to the door and said:

"Well, I guess you two need some time to talk. I'll be off. See ya Lukey. By Professor.", with those words she left.

"Wow... That was odd.", Luke said and looked to the Professor.

"Why do think that?", He asked.

"Never mind... So let's start.", Luke said and took a seat at the bed.

The Professor took a seat right next to him and reached for the photo book which was directly next to the bed, on the small table. When he reached for the lamp to turn on the reading light, and passed Luke's face, the boy suddenly shrank together. Out of sudden he felt fear and almost felt out of the bed.

"Oops, sorry. I have no idea where that came from.", Luke said trying to laugh.

The Professor knew what that action meant. Luke hadn't forgotten about the slap. there was still something in his heas that remembered him of the fact, that the Professor himself had slapped him across the face. This made him feel guilty and terribly sorry.

Wordless the Professor opened the book and on the first page, there was Luke as a child with his real parents. The Professor stood next to them. So the Professor was a little afraid to answer the question, that Luke was about to ask.

"Who are those persons?", He asked normally and interested

The Professor thought a moment and then he proved courage and told the truth.

"Well my boy. To be honest. The little child is you and of course the man with the top hat is-"

"You... Yeah that was pretty obvious, but the others?" Luke interrupted

"Those ... are your real parents.", That definitely hurt the Professor to say and that was also recognizable in his voice. But to his surprise Luke didn't seem shocked at all.

"Okay... And how about those. on the other picture?", Luke pointed to the next page.

"Those ... are ... Barton and...-Wait a minute my boy. Why ... why .. are you ... why-"

"Why.. ain't I shocked... I kind of knew that we weren't biological related ... we don't look similar at all. But that's fine... But .. if you don't mind ... What happened to ... my parents?"

"I don't mind at all, my boy. Well you see. Maybe I should start from the beginning.

When you were born I became sort of an uncle and so..."

The Professor went on for hours and hours. Sometimes Luke asked some questions and when Professor reached the part of the story, where Luke had began living with him in London. There started doing puzzles and other things that could remind Luke of his former life. Unfortunately Nothing rally helped. But at least when they went to bed, father and son had been reconnected a bit.

In the morning the Professor had been woken up by a wonderful smelling cup of tea. It was his absolutely favorite 'Earl Grey - No sugar, But milk'

And the only person who knew that.. was Luke. When the Professor had made himself ready for breakfast he ran into the kitchen to find a very upset Luke sitting at the table. And what a table

There was the most amazing breakfast the professor had ever seen... There was his favorite tea a pretty great number of fruits and pancakes.. It looked beautiful. But the only thing that didn't fit into this picture was the upset Luke.

"Good morning my boy. How are you? Did you had a nice sleep?", He asked friendly

That reaction made Luke looking very surprised.

"Y-Yeah ... s-sure. How about you?", He asked shrugging. he sounded scared of something.

"Wonderful my boy. Oh ... Earl Grey ... perfect. Where is the-", he couldn't finish that sentence

"Milk?... already inside. No sugar but milk. Like always dad.", Luke answered, even if he was afraid of speaking out the last word of his sentence.

"Of course. Well my boy I-", suddenly he stopped.

"Professor is everything alright... Professor ... Dad ?!... What is it?", Luke asked worried, rushing to his father's side.

When Luke remembered the Professor's favorite tea sort, did this also mean that he remember EVERYTHING ... And what had Luke just said.

"H-How did you call me, my boy." He looked at his son standing next to his chair.

"I ... I know I know... I messed up. And you were totally right by s-slapping me, but aren't I still your son?", Luke asked ... fearing the answer.

He did remember... Luke was back ... The Professor hadn't lost him ... He was back.

"Luke my boy!", The Professor stood up and gave his long missed son a big hug, almost sobbing," You're back. You're actually back. You remember!", he cried out

A very surprised Luke, lunged for air and tried to out his head over his father's shoulder. What had gotten into the professor. Luke still felt horrible for causing his mentor slapping him, but at least it felt great that his father seemed to have already forgiven him.

"I-Is everything alright ? I thought you were furious with me...", the now shivering boy asked. What if the Professor was still mad at him.

Slowly and carefully the professor let go of the boy and put his hand on his shoulders:

"My boy, Why should I be angry with you? Don't you know what happened to you?", the confused Professor looked at his son, who had definitely no idea, of what he had gone through in the past days.

"No... Why?... What do you mean?..", he asked hesitating

"Luke, you had lost your memories... When you woke up a few days ago, you had no idea of who I was...", he answered and looked into Luke's shocked eyes.

"WHAT!?... But .. I .. I do remember .. I came here yesterday evening and wanted to talk to you and then ... then .. I .. I... I don't know what happened next."

"Well you see. The evening you're talking about was about 3 days ago ... When you crossed the street, this other drag-gang attacked you. And well, when your friends found you they brought you to my hotel. Where we found out that you had amnesia." he hesitated for a moment and then again lunged forward to wrap his arms around his son." Oh my boy. I'm just so glad that you're finally back. I thought I lost you."

Luke didn't dare to move a muscle. Not that he didn't enjoy the hug, it was actually quite comfortable but still, his father should be mad at him... He did slap him and that did hurt. The fact that Luke still seemed to be afraid made the Professor letting go of Luke.

"Is everything alright, my boy? Is it that hard to believe that you had amnesia?", he asked

And again Luke didn't dare to respond. He was to afraid of feeling this pain again. not only the pain in his cheek also the pain in his heart, that told him how much he had disappointed his beloved professor.

"My boy, what is it? You're not running into a fever, are you?", With those words the Professor moved his hand to his son's forward, what made Luke wince out of terror. Now it was clear what had happen to Luke. He was scared of him.

"Luke... I'm so sorry.", the Professor said in his calm comforting voice." I shouldn't have done that. I never regretted anything more than this. Trust me my boy, I'll never ever hurt you again."

Slowly the Professor turned around, he wanted to give the poor boy some space until -

:"I'm sorry.", Luke said very quietly, what made Layton turn around again.

"What do you mean, my boy?", he asked confused

"I- I should have said, what.. I said. I didn't even mean it.", the disappointed boy said

Now the Professor remembered why he slapped his son anyway. It was because Luke had said, that the Professor wasn't his real father, and therefore should stay away from his life. So that was why Luke looked so depressed and hurt ... he was disappointed in himself.

"Oh my boy. You have nothing to feel sorry for. What happened - happened. It is in the past. And Luke, I just wish that you'll be able to forgive me someday.", the Professor said why lowering his head.

For a moment there was silence and Luke hesitated, but then he lunged to his father , threw his arms around him and began to sob.

"I love you dad.", Luke said, embarrassing himself but also finally feeling less lonely again.

The professor hugged his son in return and whispered, loud enough for Luke to hear:

" I love you, too."