Return of the Sun - 26. Chapter 26

Gran placed the piping-hot cup of tea down on the breakfast bar in front of Luke, giving the distraught young man a compassionate smile as she went to the airing cupboard to find him a towel.

Scott was hovering protectively, his arms folded across his chest looking as if he wasn't quite sure what to do, which was pretty accurate for him at that moment. He was worried; Luke hadn't said a word, only cried on his shoulder in the rain until Gran had come out to usher them both inside. She was now trying to coax him into talking to her.

"What's wrong, Luke?" she asked as she peeled the yellow jacket off of him. He let her, on automatic, in no real condition to resist, and Gran looked over at Scott in concern as she handed him a towel, "Get him dry, Scott dear, I'm going to make a phone call."

Scott nodded as he accepted the towel and began to pat the water off of Luke's shirt. For a moment Luke just sat there mutely before turning to face Scott. Scott nodded and offered a weak smile as he began to towel off Luke's face, gentle strokes to wipe the tears and rain from his face. Staring into those eyes, and feeling forlorn and lost, tears of his own welling up inside him, as he fought them down. He needed to be strong for Luke at that moment, not an emotional wreck.

"You look like a drowned rat," Scott said with a half smile as he traced Luke's chin with the towel.

Before he knew it he was swept up into Luke's arms again, Luke burying his face into his chest and sobbing again. Helplessly, Scott let him hold on, running a hand through Luke's damp hair in an effort to comfort him. He needed to know what was going on if he was to help, but so far Luke hadn't said a word.

Gran returned a moment later, looking at Luke clinging on to Scott and she met Scott's eyes. There was no accusation there, only support, and Scott felt once again how lucky he was to have such an amazing woman looking after him.

"Luke, dear, I just called the police station. The Superintendent was relieved to find out you were all right. He is on his way over now..." She glanced at Scott, but Luke had made no move to acknowledge her, he simply held onto Scott for dear life.

Gran blew out a sigh and poured a couple more cups of tea; looking down at Luke she pushed one over to Scott. It was the instant remedy for the world's ills; the British answer to every crisis, have a cup of tea, calm down and think. Scott reached for it over Luke's tight embrace and he managed to get it and take a drink.

Luke released him after a minute or two, and Scott settled into the chair beside him, a hand on his back as if reluctant to let him go entirely. He was feeling fiercely protective, Luke needed him for a change and nothing was going to stand in the way of his being there for him.

"Do you want to talk about it, dear?" Gran pressed, leaning down a little so that she could look into Luke's eyes. "Perhaps if you get it out you'll feel a bit better."

He stared at her blankly, the fire in his eyes gone; there was nothing there at all that indicated life. It was like he was shutting down and retreating again. Gran flicked her gaze up to Scott, the only one who seemed to be able to reach Luke, and she made a small eye gesture indicating that he should try.

Scott exhaled heavily as he slipped from his stool and ducked his head a bit to look into Luke's eyes, "Hey," he said nervously, "I need to know you're okay, I'm scared I'm going to lose you..." He realized his voice was trembling and he looked over at Gran who nodded at him encouragingly, "Please..."

Luke lifted his heavy eyes and met Scott's, a flash of concern entering them as he tried to say something, but again nothing seemed to want to come out. And Scott wasn't sure what else he could do to reach him.

He leaned in and kissed him, purely on instinct; it was his last chance. Luke's lips were cold and empty, like his soul at that moment, and Scott held the kiss for a second hoping for some kind of magic. As if loving someone could actually...

"You're such a prat," Luke said, opening his mouth to speak around Scott's kiss.

Scott felt a warm burst inside him as relief washed through his system; he took a ragged breath and leaned back, "And you're still an asshole."

Luke's eyes warmed slightly, "Always you, isn't it; no matter how dark it gets you have to show up carrying a torch and shining it right where no one else..."

Scott shrugged, "Someone has to." He brushed Luke's fringe with his fingers rearranging the damp hair so it looked a little more normal. He realized how intimate they were being and he looked over to where Gran was sipping her tea pretending there was nothing untoward going on in her kitchen.

Luke lifted his arms to rest them around Scott's shoulders as he took a couple of heavy breaths. He still looked rattled, but with his eyes locked on Scott's drawing strength from the young man who had turned everything upside down with a few simple words...

"I love you..." Scott whispered, glancing up to make sure Gran hadn't heard. She looked particularly interested in the bottom of her teacup at that moment.

The doorbell ringing signalled the arrival of the Superintendent and Scott made to escape Luke's arms, but Luke refused to let him go. He wasn't ready yet to be without that loving presence... he had to hold on just awhile longer.

The Superintendent, a tall severe-looking man, marched into the kitchen following Gran and balked in surprise at his missing policeman and the young man wrapped in his arms. He took his cap off of his head, wiped his brow with a handkerchief and set both aside as he waited patiently.

"Tea, Superintendent?" Gran offered innocently as she lifted the teapot.

"I somehow think I'd better," the Superintendent said, blinking at her.

Scott, feeling extraordinarily self-conscious at that moment, wriggled out of Luke's grasp and stepped around to the back of the stool, resting a hand protectively on Luke's shoulder.

The Superintendent, sufficiently armed with a mug of Gran's finest sat down on the stool beside Luke and stared him evenly in the eyes, "You gave us all quite the scare, Constable."

Luke swallowed and nodded, glancing up at Scott who squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "I... I'm sorry, sir, I should have..."

"You're right, you should have stayed on the scene," the Superintendent said sternly, "Sergeant Taylor had half the station out looking for you." He sighed as he crossed his arms and settled back into his chair, "I suppose you think what happened this morning was your fault."

Luke shuddered, "I..."

"A seasoned officer would have known when to back off of a chase like that, but given the circumstances you did what you had to do, what you were trained to do." The Superintendent sighed again heavily, "What you need to get through that thick head of yours, Sunshine, is that not only were you well trained, but you think on your feet and that makes you a good constable." His eyes flicked up to Scott, and back to Luke, "All things considered you're going to have a hard time of it the next little while till you find your footing again, and there are going to be some adjustments we're all going to have to make. But I need you in that uniform doing what you do best."

Luke blinked a few times at him, "I don't understand."

The Superintendent rolled his eyes before squinting at Luke, "Are you sure you didn't hit your head earlier? I'm saying that I'm not about to lose a man because he made a mistake. Or because you," he glanced up at Scott again, "think other things might get in the way. You're a police constable and you took an oath, and to me that's all that matters." He coughed as he stood back up and re-seated his cap on his head, "Take the next few days off, clear your head and sort out what you want. Then I want you to talk to me before you make any decisions." He nodded firmly, setting that in stone. "Mrs Walker," he said, bowing in thanks to her.

She smiled at him, "Superintendent."

"Mister Walker," the Superintendent nodded again, slightly embarrassed by his sudden discomfort, and marched from the kitchen.

Luke shakily got to his feet, "I should go home..."

"Not before you've gotten a warm meal into you," Gran declared forcibly. "Once you've settled and found your head then you can go. I'm not about to have one of my boys wandering around town in the rain, cold and hungry."

Luke sank back into his seat, "Yes, Mrs Walker..."

"Gran," she admonished, "I think, under the circumstances." She glanced meaningfully at Scott, who was getting rather disturbed at the fact that nodding at him seemed to be a good way of describing something everyone else was uncomfortable with saying.

"Gran," Luke nodded, tasting the word for the first time.

"Good, now Scott dear, I need you to give me a hand."

* * *

It was later, after Luke had finally been permitted by Gran to go home that Scott had found himself alone with Gran, seated finishing her latest pot of tea, quiet in the kitchen. He swallowed, standing in the doorway, and she looked up at him.

"Luke's gone home?" she asked.

Scott nodded as he shifted on his feet, wanting to sit down and talk to her, explain everything to her though she would never ask. It just wasn't fair, after the last few days, not to somehow come out and say something. But he was nervous.

She was giving him a look that said she understood what was going through his head. "We were always worried about you when you were younger," she said after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

"How so?" He swallowed.

"You were such a pretty boy," she said reluctantly. "We were afraid you were going to get picked on in school. I think you gave your father more grey hairs than your sister did. But you grew up into a strong boy and when you turned up on my doorstep I wondered what it meant. But you worked hard and you are finally standing on your own." She shook her head, "You're all grown up now, Scotty..."

He felt tears welling up into his eyes as he crossed to her and threw his arms around her neck, drawing her close to him. He swallowed trying to find some words, but there was nothing to say when someone officially declared your childhood was over. He suddenly felt very small.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Scott asked, thinking about Luke.

"You love him very much, don't you?" Gran observed. "He's always been such a reclusive young man, hardly the type to go sneaking out of my house late at night with a smile on his face." She smiled as Scott realized her window was right above the back door; despite Uncle Nigel's warning, she'd seen. Nothing got past the old woman.

Scott crossed the kitchen to sit down at the table, "I've never felt this way before, about anyone."

* * *

"Married?" Scott looked incredulous, "To Fleur?"

"Yes," Serena said as she bounced a little closer to Darren on the bench seat of the Golden Martlet, "apparently he said 'yes'."

It was later that evening and Darren had wanted to finish the day off right, dragging Scott along with his new girlfriend for a couple of pints to while away the evening. Scott was worried about Luke, and at first had been reluctant; that was until the word 'girlfriend' had sunk in.

He was sitting beside her grinning the kind of grin reserved for Lewis Carol felines, his arm around her waist and looking altogether entirely too pleased with himself. Scott was happy for him; Darren had pined after Serena for months, and all it had taken to get them together was the melee lists at a medieval festival. Not exactly Scott's idea of romance, but whatever worked.

"Married?" Scott repeated. "And he said "yes'?"

"That's what I said," Serena repeated exasperatedly. "She wants to get married before the baby comes, and she didn't give him much choice."

"Right," Scott said; now there was a happy marriage in the making. Fleur would have her claws into a man who would jump the back fence the first opportunity he got. He shook his head. "Well, if ever two people deserved one another," he remarked.

Luke slid into the booth beside Scott; he looked tired, but he still spared him a smile. Scott was surprised to see him, and Serena rolled her eyes. "They're gonna snog," she said, scrunching up her face in disgust.

Luke gaped at her a moment. "That was not what I was thinking," he said firmly, turning to Scott. "Hey," he said warmly, and Scott felt the familiar three nudges under the table.

"You survived," Scott observed.

Luke shrugged, "My mum's got to learn to live with it or I move out. When I put it into those terms I think she realized how... important you are..."

Darren smirked, "I'm sorry, I am never going to get used to the two of you..."

Luke looked at Darren and shrugged, leaning in to kiss Scott gently. There was a moment of shocked silence from the bar and Luke looked about at them. "Get used to it," he said quietly.

"Well I guess that proves it," Serena said, sounding disappointed.

THE END