Title: I'll be there for you
Chapter: 2
Characters: Luke, Noah, Ethan
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~ 1700
Beta: geezlouise
Disclaimer: This is just for fun. I don’t own, characters belong to ATWT, CBS, P&G, etc.
Summary: Luke and a 10-year old Ethan move to New York together. Noah is a writer.




Luke suffered from a major case of first-day blues when he started his new job at Bank of America. How he had wished he could have just stayed in bed that morning; hiding under the covers until Ethan came home from school.

There were as many as 100 new co-workers to meet and memorize their names in just his department along with new procedures and protocols to learn; and to act as if he was thrilled by all of it.

At least that's the face he had shown Ethan. On the walk that morning from the apartment to the subway and the Manhattan Charter School for Math and Science, Luke acted as head cheerleader trying to get his little brother to think positive about the new school and making new friends.

Luke could have used a cheering section himself when he entered the bank's headquarters near Wall Street. His hands were sweaty and he felt sick. His new small and dark office just added to his anxiety. But he tried to make the most of it. The job would provide him with more money than Chicago and that would go a long way in making his and Ethan's lives a little bit easier.

More than once that day, Luke found himself drifting back to the previous evening and meeting the strange, attractive new neighbor. Noah Mayer totally surprised Luke. He just casually walked into their apartment, stayed for the supper he provided; and wonder of wonders, Ethan really seemed to like Noah.

Luke wasn't accustomed to people charging into his life like that. Yet he couldn't deny the thrilling sensation he felt from just being in Noah's presence even for a short time.


* **** * * ****

One week later ...

Sometimes when he needed a break from writing, Noah would sit on the window seat in his home office and engage in people watching. His view from the window located slightly left of the building's main entrance was of the park and the street below. This particular late October afternoon offered Noah and his dog, Giro, a front row seat to the whirlwind of activity in front of the building at East 87th and York End Avenue.

Noah had lived in the Metropolitan Towers for five years. He didn't have any family and his last real boyfriend had been a college romance; ending with graduation. Since then, it had been just Noah, Giro and their neighbors in the Towers.

Neighbors like Marjorie and Charles Barnes, an elderly couple, who had lived in Apt. 710 for nearly 50 years. Noah watched as the pair waited patiently while Tom, the building's doorman, hailed a cab for them. Noah could set his watch by observing the Barnes. Every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. sharp, he would spot them just in front of the green and black canopy covering the building's main entrance.

"Their destination is always the same," Noah smiled as he scratched Giro under the ear. "McDougal's Pub down on East 72nd and Second for the early bird dinner special."

Just before he followed his wife into the cab, Mr. Barnes waved to Theresa Hopkins and her 3-year-old daughter, Simone, from Apt. 205. They were returning home from Simone's ballet class at the nearby community center. Noah giggled as the little girl, dressed in her pink two-two, ballet flats and ski jacket, struggled to show her mother her latest dance move.

"Hey dude. How'd the game go?" Noah yelled, cranking open the window and waving to Jamie Crosby, who twirled a football in his hands while jogging across the street from the park. The 17-year-old high school senior was heading inside and Apt. 312.


"We creamed Xavier Tech, Noah. 37 to 3. Ya gotta come to another game, man."

"You can bet on it! See you later."

Noah started to close the window but not before spotting Luke and Ethan Snyder nearly two city blocks away. They were on their way home from the subway. Even from that distance, Noah could see that Ethan, dressed in his heavy navy school sweater, white shirt and grey pants, was talking a mile a minute pausing perhaps for a moment or two to adjust his backpack.

Taking in every word of Ethan's monologue was Luke wearing a camel's hair coat and black scarf while carrying a plastic bag of groceries along with his briefcase.

Shortly before they reached the building, Luke burst out laughing and shook his head in response to something Ethan said. Noah wished that he could been right there with him to hear Luke's laugh and to gaze upon those adorable dimples.

Seconds later, Luke and his brother disappeared under the canopy and into the building.
"Wish I had a camera phone, Giro." Noah rubbed his dog's neck. "I'd take a picture of Luke's smiling face and look at it again and again."

Noah became desperate to see Luke. Besides, he really did like Ethan. But he couldn't pull the old wrong delivery pizza routine. The Snyders would never buy that.

"Wait a minute...." Noah walked over to his desk and started rummaging through the pile of correspondence from his publisher. "I know there's got to be at least one copy left." He found what he was looking for near the bottom of the stack.

It was an advance copy of Noah's latest book "Where Are We Going Now?" about an 11-year-old boy who moves around quite a bit with the rest of his military family. Noah ran his finger over the face of the central character printed on the book's front cover. Ethan might enjoy reading this since he just recently moved.

After making sure Giro had food and water, Noah grabbed the book along with his keys and headed for Apt. 304.

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

"I'll get it," Ethan yelled rushing to answer the knock at the door.

"Make sure you ask who it is before opening the door, OK?" Luke instructed from his bedroom where he was changing.

Ethan wasn't tall enough to use the peep hole. So he shouted into the door jam. "Who is it?"

"Hi, it's Noah."

"It's Noah, Luke," Ethan said cheerfully and opened the door. Luke rolled his eyes while pulling down his sweater.

"Hi Ethan. How are you?"

"Great. I don't have any homework." He grabbed Noah's hand and led him into the apartment. "I wanted to visit you in your apartment. But Luke said it wasn't a good idea because you'd probably be busy with something."

"...with something." Noah repeated the phrase. "Ethan, you can visit me anytime you like?"

"Really? Cool."

Noah run his fingers playfully through Ethan's hair. "Here," Noah pulled out the book from behind his back. "I thought you might enjoy reading this."

"A book?" A puzzled Ethan took the gift from Noah.

"Yeah, I know you probably like to read comics more." Noah grinned. "But I wrote this book about a boy named Nathan who's around the same age as you. I thought you might like it."

Ethan stared at the book cover showing a less than happy blonde-haired boy sitting atop a pile of suitcases.

"Where Are We Going Now by Noah Mayer." He looked up. "You really wrote this?"

Noah nodded.

"That's so cool. Wait 'til Luke sees this.” He turned and started walking toward the hallway just as Luke entered. "Look what Noah gave me." Ethan waved the book in front of his big brother.

"Great," Luke said with a small frown.

"That's really nice of you," Luke said somewhat half-heartedly. Noah was doing what Luke wanted to do. He had wanted to be a writer ever since he was Ethan's age. But the fire and the loss of his parents put that dream job on permanent hold.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me for that. Ethan's a nice kid and I thought maybe he'd enjoy the book."

"Do you want to stay for dinner, Noah? Luke's making fried chicken," Ethan glanced over to Luke. "You don't mind if he stays, right Luke?"

Uh-huh. Here we go again. Another supper shared with Noah Mayer. How could he say no? Luke could tell Noah was amused by the whole situation.

"Ah. Yeah. Sure."

"Cool. I'm going to my room for a bit and start reading your book. "Ethan started to walk away and then suddenly turned. "Thanks Noah for the book. Call me when dinner's ready, Luke."

Great. Now I have to be alone with him again. "That was really nice of you. Wait. Didn't I just say that?" There is no reason why Noah should make me nervous. But why is he making me feel that way?

Pleased that he was spending another supper with Luke and Ethan, Noah shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and looked around the living room. Not a moving box in sight.

"Your apartment looks really nice," he said.

Luke didn't respond. So Noah walked toward him. "You're not really talkative, are you?"

Luke backed up. Noah was getting too close -- close enough to touch him. And Luke wasn't sure how he would react to that.

"Do you need some help?"

"With what?" asked Luke, raising an eyebrow. This time he didn't move fast enough and Noah gently put his hand on Luke's shoulder and smiled.

"With dinner?"

It had been a long time since Luke had felt another guy's touch. It caused his heart to jump from his chest into his throat. Luke had tried dating a couple of years ago. But it never worked out. He never had enough time and finding someone to baby-sit Ethan wasn't all that easy.

Besides as soon as they'd learn about Ethan and the brothers' situation, all prospective boyfriends seem to lose interest.

"You can cook?" Luke asked.

What incredible eyes he has. "Well I do make excellent sandwiches," Noah chuckled.

Luke grabbed Noah's wrist, with the intent of pushing it away from his shoulder. But he let his fingers linger atop Noah's hand for a moment.

"What about cutting and slicing up vegetables?"

"I think I can manage that," said Noah, following Luke into the kitchen.