Title: (Never) without you
Chapter: 2
Characters: Luke, Noah, Damian
Rating: PG-13 ?
Word Count: 1,715
Beta: Sue (geezlouise) , thank you!
Disclaimer: This is just for fun. I don’t own, characters belong to ATWT, CBS, P&G, etc.
Author's Notes: Sequel to the real me. Comments are very welcome.



Getting up the next morning to work the early shift at Java was pure torture for Noah. How he longed just to stay where he had awakened...under the outstretched arm belonging to his naked boyfriend.

A broad broke across Noah's face as he recalled their unbelieveable first night in the new apartment. And now right beside him lying on his stomach was Luke...his Luke. Noah gazed upon the mophead of dark blonde hair snoring softly into the other bed pillow. Such noise was music to Noah's ears.

But the dream-like setting dissolved with the annoying buzz of the snooze alarm. Noah turned to slam the button on his clock radio causing Luke to stir slightly and then nuzzle ever closer to his loving companion. Resigned to having to get up, Noah gently lifted Luke's arm and slid out of bed. He grab his clothes and trudged off to the bathroom.

After quickly showering and dressing for work, Noah walked back into the bedroom. Luke was still asleep with the sheet bunched up around his waist. How Noah wished he could just crawl back into bed with Luke. But he had to open Java for the morning rush.

Grabbing a pad and pencil from the nightstand, Noah scribbled a note and placed the pad against Luke's cell phone charger. "Bye, my love," Noah whispered and quietly left for work.

*************

Business was steady but lighter than usual that morning at Java. The breaks in between customers gave Noah a chance to clear the counter of dirty coffee mugs and dishes. His back was turned, when a new customer took a seat at the counter. Turning around, he found the strangerwith light brown hair and dressed in black staring at him.

"Good morning, sir. What can I get you?" Noah asked.

"Espresso," the customer requested.

"Comin' right up." Less than a minute later, Noah placed the steaming cup in front of the
customer. "Here you go."

”Grazie," replied the man lifting the beverage to his lips. "Oakdale's a nice little town, isn't it?"

"Yes sir, it is. Is this your first visit here?"

"No. I have been here several times. But it's been a while since my last visit. I'm here to see my son."

"I'm sure he's happy about that."

"Well...that remains to be seen."

At that moment, Luke walked into the coffee shop, stopping dead in his tracks. There sitting at the counter talking with his boyfriend was Damian Grimaldi, his birth father, the man who sent him off to camp.

Noah looked up and started walking toward Luke."Hey, there you are. Did you... Luke?" Noah said, grabbing his boyfriend's wrist and watching Luke's face turn a deep red. "What's
wrong?"

With clenched teeth, Luke turned to Noah. "Why are you talking to him?"

"Uhm..because he's a customer?"

Clearing his throat, Damian moved from the stool to the edge of the counter. Only Noah stood between him and his son. "Luciano. It's so good to see you again, son."

"OK....what's going on here?"

Neither Luke nor Damian answered Noah's question.

"I have nothing to say to you, Damian. Just leave and never come back," yelled Luke as he stormed out of Java.

Damian? Damian Grimaldi? Luke's father! Noah's mind quickly processed the information. He had been talking with the man that sent Luke off to that deprogramming camp. Noah ran after his boyfriend, catching up with him at the far edge of the court yard outside Java.

"Luke...wait," Noah said, pulling on his boyfriend's arm. "I had no idea that guy was your fath...er...Damian."

Luke turned and fell into Noah's arms. With eyes glistening, Luke looked up at his boyfriend."Why is he here? What does he want, Noah?"

Noah placed one hand on Luke's hip and the other under his boyfriend's chin. "Honestly, Luke I didn't know he was Damian Grimaldi. We had only been talking for a couple of minutes when you walked in. But you're safe with me. You're not alone anymore, remember?"

A bit less tense, Luke shook his head. "Yeah, I know. I'm OK as long as you're by my side. I had come by to walk with you to class," Luke smirked. "or....perhaps skip class and go back home."

Luke leaned forward and whispered in his boyfriend's ear. "You do have a way with notes, Mr. Mayer. You promised me another blow job among other activities tonight. I got so horny just reading that note, I jerked off in the shower."

Noah felt his heart beat quicken. "Thanks, Luke for planting that image in my mind."

"Ha! Well now I'm not the only one," laughed Luke, giving Noah a quick peck on the cheek. "Gotta run to class. Meet you back later home?"

"Sounds like a plan," Noah said, holding onto his boyfriend's waist and closing in for a goodbye kiss. "Love you."

"Love you too."

When Noah returned to the counter at Java, he found a cooling cup of expresso sitting on top of a 10-dollar bill; and no sign of Damian Grimaldi.

*********

Damian's back in Oakdale. I saw him and Noah talking at Java.
I yelled at him and then dashed out with Noah close behind.
He quickly explained what had happened. I am kind of glad that this is happening now. After all, I knew he would come back one day. But I'm stronger now. I'm not living a lie pretending to be someone I'm not.
Thank God I have Noah. I don't have to go through this alone.
I need to continue trusting in his love for me and in and his protection against Damian and company. I don't see or talk to bio-dad ever again. But if I don't....too many questions will be left unanswered.
(Luke)

*********

Luke grew impatient waiting for Noah back at the apartment. With at least another hour or so before his boyfriend was home from school, Luke grabbed his jacket and keys and headed out to the farm.

"Luke! What? Did you miss us already?" said Lily, smiling as she held open the screen door for her son.

Rolling his eyes, Luke hugged his mom and thought how thankful he was that they had accepted him and had made Noah feel like a member of the family."No, things are going really well with Noah and the apartment. But I was wondering...uhmm...is Dad around?"

"Sure. He's just out in the barn, looking after the horses. Let me tell him that you're here." Moments later Lily with Holden returned to the Snyder kitchen.

"Hey Luke. How's it going? Everything alright with Noah?" asked Holden as the three gathered around the kitchen island.

"Yeah Dad, Noah's great," Luke replied nervously. "Ummm. It's Damian. He's here... in Oakdale. I saw him this morning at Java."

Lily's jaw dropped while Holden moved closer to Luke.

"Oh my God, are you alright? Did he hurt you? What did Damian want?"

"I don't know, Mom," answered Luke shrugging his shoulders and then moving to a seat at the kitchen table. "I didn't give him the chance to tell me. What do you think he wants?"

Lily sat down next to her son and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh honey, I have no idea."

"I think he just can't deal with the fact that his great plan to save me from being gay failed. Guess he figures he has to save me again," said Luke.

"No way in hell," Holden sought to reassure his son. "There's no way we'll let that happen."

"But what can we do about Damian, Holden? How do we keep Luke safe," asked Lily looking at her husband.

Before Holden had a chance to answer, Luke spoke up. "If he tries to straighten me out again, I promise there'll be a real battle and I won't be responsible for the fallout."

"Holden, there's got to be something we can do."

"I could go to court to get a restraining order to keep Damian away," Luke shrugged. "But when did a little thing call the law ever stop Damian Grimaldi from getting what he wants or what he thinks other people should want? But never again will I live my life dancing to his tune."

Luke shook his head and then glanced at the kitchen clock. He grabbed his keys off the table as he stood up to leave."Look, I just wanted you both to know that Damian's here in Oakdale
before you ran into him or something."

"Is there anything we can for you Luke," asked Holden, determined to somehow keep his son safe from Damian Grimaldi.

"I know Dad. But let's be honest. It's not going to be easy living my life the way I think I should with the likes of Damian Grimali aka Macho Man lurking around," Luke told his father. "But one thing I absolutely refuse to do is surrender my identity as a gay man. I wasted too much of my life denying that and being unhappy."

An ackward silence filled the kitchen as Luke's parents soaked in their son's resolve.

"Uhmmm...look Noah's going to be home soon and I want to be there when he walks in the door," Luke explained. For the first time during the conversation with his parents, Luke smiled...thinking about Noah's promise left in the note. "We have plans for this evening."

Luke started toward the back door and then turned to Lily and Holden; kissing his mom and hugging his dad.

"Call us when you get home, Luke, OK?"

"I will."

A short time later, Luke turned into the parking lot in front of the apartment building in Old Town. He parked his car and headed toward the building's front door. He figured Noah would be home in a matter of minutes. How he longed to feel safe wrapped in his boyfriend's long, loving arms. Things had changed so much since he met Noah while the two were interns at WOAK and soon became boyfriends.

"Who knew that Noah's simple gesture could make me feel so good," Luke thought. "So safe. So loved."

Just steps aways from the door, Luke's thoughts were interrupted by the feel of a cold hand on his shoulder. The young man turned around to be confronted by the person he hated most in this world.

"Damian!"