Title-The Best Is Yet To Come
Characters-Luke,Noah,Jack,Aaron,Carl,others
Chapters-1/1
Rating-R
Genre-Drama,Fluff,Mild Angst,Romance
Style-One-shot
Warnings,Some OOC,Spousal abuse,violence
Song-The Best Is Yet To Come-Novastar
Disclaimer-Not mine,all characters belong to P&G and ATWT,with the exception of the characters I created



"No NO NO NO NO!" Luke shouted,waving his baton as he stopped the flow of notes in one swift movement."I said FORTE! THAT MEANS GET LOUDER! DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU LIKE YOUR ALL FIVE???????"

The orchastra stared at him,hanging there heads in shame as they shook them,staring at they're irritable crabby conductor

Luke shook his head and waved his baton in the air,stating the count off

"From measure 23 then, 1-2-3"

The music started up again with a hasty,renewed vigor as the band tried their hardest to please they're bitchy picky conductor

One of the flutes was out of tune,she was trying her hardest to retune herself before Luke noticed,but his sharp flawless ear picked up on it before she had the chance

"JANE GET THAT ******* THING WORKING OR DON'T PLAY!" Luke barked,waving an exasperated hand at the young 20 year old University student

Jane nodded and hastily adjusted herself,getting the flute intune before Luke could start steaming

As the music carried on,Luke just seemed to get more adgitated,but his band was used to his bitchy bitter attitude,he was always in a chronic bad mood,and his orchastra just put up with it.

He hadn't always been that way,Luke had been a conductor for ten years,the Chicago Orchastra's best and most popular conductor,he had lead them to many championships and had even prouced a few CD's

Then,four years ago,he went through a massive mood change,and the once happy,cheerful bright and energetic young man had turned into a bitter,nasty old goat.

He hadn't smiled once in those four years

One of the oldest members of his orchastra,Hank,a tuba player who'd been Luke's first player in his band,wondered what happened to the man who used to conduct them

This creature was not the Luke he knew

This creature was not the Luke that anyone knew.

The clock chimed 4 and the band finished there song and stopped playing,Luke put his baton away in his case and left,flying out that door as if his ass was on fire.

Luke's Home,Oakdale,4:23pm

"Your late" Carl sneered,cuffing his husband over the head with a particulary strong hand

Luke winced and looked at the clock

"I leave right at 4 everyday,but there was heavy traffic and........"

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses b*tch,on your knees."

Luke sighed,trying hard to swallow the tears as he bent down,lowering himself to his knees and unbuckling Carl's belt,sliding his pants down as he swallowed,tightening his lips to Carl's specific,demanding suction,if Luke was to weak or to strong,he'd whack him with the back of a shoe,leaving strange imprints in various parts of his body.

As Carl thrusted,Luke silently prayed,telling himself that he knew it wouldn't last forever,he knew that in a few moments it would all be over and Carl would leave him be until he was hard again.

There was just no escape from the hell he lived in

His own home.

Soon,after Carl got his relief,he shoved Luke away as he did his jeans up,slapping Luke across the face as he walked by.

"I'm hungry jerk,get me food"

Luke nodded weakly and rose to his feet,walking to the kitchen to prepare dinner for them

Carl threw himself on the sofa and opened a beer,chugging it as he turned on a Bulls game.

Luke worked furiously,trying to prepare the meal to perfection,knowing what the slightest mistake would lead to.

"Hurry up you motherf*cker I'm f*cking HUNGRY"

"The food has to cook Carl!"

"Why did I ever marry such a worthless piece of dung like you?" Carl muttered as he did every day

"Why don't you just leave me then?"

"Are you kidding? Who'd take care of me then?"

Luke just went back to the meal,trying to take deep breaths

Carl hadn't always been this way,when they first met he was charming and sweet and treated Luke like an angel,saying that his piano music was like the sound of heaven singing

Then they got married

At first things were great,however Carl's constant dominance was a little unnerving to Luke

The Luke discovered that Carl stripped cars and sold them for a living

When Luke confronted him about it,Carl had punched him until he blacked out.

Luke sometimes wondered why he stayed,he had stopped loving Carl years ago

But he just couldn't leave him

He was to scared of the outcome

"B*TCH WHERE'S MY DINNER?!"

"IT'S RIGHT HERE" Luke announced,carrying it out on a tray for him.

Carl took the food and sneered

'What the hell are you looking at?"

"Nothing'

"Got that right"

Luke nodded and ran into his studio,shutting the door as he sat down at his white grand piano

As he turned the pages of his scorebook,a single tear fell from his eye,shining like glass on the ivory key.

As he started playing,he wondered if there would ever be an escape

Sometimes,music was his only escape

The songs could take him to another world,freeing him temporarily from life and letting him feel safe,secure and warm

"STOP THAT STUPID BANGING AND CLANGING I'M TRYING TO WATCH TV!" Carl bellowed

"SORRY!" Luke called back,sliding off the stool and grabbed his IPOD,laying on the couch as he closed his eyes;letting his favourite song fill his ears.

The Best Is Yet To Come,by Novastar,Luke always felt his heart expand just a little bit as he heard it,whenever he was feeling scared and alone,he would play the song and remind himself that one day he might just be saved

He could only hope,and dream

~~~~~

The next day,Luke noticed a new face in his band

A young man sitting holding an alto sax,staring at the celing and looking unsure of himself

Luke groaned

"Alright who are you?" Luke asked in his trademark bored I-don't-care voice

"Noah Mayer sir" The young man said shyly,fixing the most eletric blue eyes on Luke

Luke rubbed his temple,he HATED shy kids,they were a pain,always to scared to do things.

"Alright let's hear what you've got" Luke said,tapping his baton against his thigh

Noah nodded

"Play a major B flat scale" Luke said dryly,waving his baton.

"1-2-3-4"

Noah started,squeaky,high pitched notes coming out in rough airy bleeps

Luke dropped the baton

"You call THAT sh*t music?"

Noah shrugged

"I'm just a little rusty sir"

Luke sighed again,he had a half a mind to kick the kid out of his elite band,but the boy was awfully cute,and pretty sweet looking,Luke felt his heart soften unnaturally,even if it was just a little bit,it startled him.

"Well to be honest I've heard dying drain pipes that sound better than you,however according to this little piece of paper..." Luke held up the slip Noah had handed him when he first walked in. "I am to admit you so....you can sit right there and play 3rd sax"

"Thank you sir" Noah said eagerly,taking his place

Luke shook his head,knowing he was going to regret this.

Thirty minutes in Luke was regretting it more than he thought

"STOP!"Luke cried,waving his hands as the music ceased

"NOAH YOUR BEHIND BY AT LEAST THREE BARS,YOUR PLAYING THE WRONG NOTES AND YOUR NOT LISTENING TO THE OTHER PLAYERS,GET YOUR REAR IN GEAR!"

Noah shook a bit

"I'M TRYING SIR"

"TRY HARDER"

Forty minutes later Noah was still messing up,and Luke's patience was running thin

And it wasn't just Luke's either,the other band members weren't used to having so many wrong notes in their pieces,it was throwing them all off

"Noah come on man,if you can't play just fake it" Said Victoria,a violin player

"Yeah dude your screwing us up" Groaned Greg, a cello player

"I'm sorry" Noah said,hanging his head

Luke was exhausted,tired of having to stop every ten seconds to get Noah on track

"Alright guys 1 hour lunch break"

The band rose to their feet and made they're way out the door,shooting Noah irritable glances

"Noah stay behind"

Noah obliged and went to Luke

"I am a brutalyl honest man,Noah,and to be honest,you suck,how old are you?'

"31" Noah replied,staring at his feet

Luke was shocked

"Your the same age as me,now I don't have time to coddle my band members but you are going to spend every afternoon with me until you can play properly,understood?"

"You got it" Noah nodded eagerly

"We start tomorrow,for now your dismissed

After Noah left,Luke shook his head,wondering just what had happened,it wasn't like him to be so helpful and he NEVER gave private lessons

That afternoon,as Luke went home,he didn't notice a pair of steel blue eyes watching him

Tuesday,Lunch

"Noah for CHRIST sake man it's B! B! B! NOT G!"

Noah trembled as he struggled to get the fingering right

"I'm sorry"

Luke swallowed his coffee,wincing as he tried to ignore the pain shooting up his back from when Carl pushed him into the wall yesterday

Noah caught the wince

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" Luke said shortly,let's try this again,from the begining

Noah took the hint and tried again,horrible broken notes trembling from his sax

Luke shook his head

"My orchastra is only for talented,experienced players,how the f*ck did you slip past the radar?"

Noah hesitated

"My grandfather was a good musician,they though I might have inherited his talent" Noah lied

"Well clearly you didn't,let's try again-owww"

Luke hissed,drawing a hand to his back

"Don't worry about me just play!"

Noah nodded and played,the cracking notes filling the large room

"I need to get an asprin,keep playing until I get back"

"Alright"

Luke got up and went out of the room,going to his locker to get the meds when he came back he felt his ears cringe at the sharp,broken tune Noah was attempting to play

Luke couldn't help but admire the view,Noah's body was something to take into deep consideration,sculpted and firm,taught in all the right places,Noah certainly wasn't lacking in the looks department.

"Alright that's enough for today" Luke said,recovering himself as he came back into the room,for some reason,he almost wanted to smile,there was something about Noah that made him feel.......well he wasn't sure,but he was pretty sure he hadn't felt this way in a long time.

Noah nodded and gathered his stuff

"See you tomorrow"

"Bye"

After Noah left,Luke took his shirt off,examining his back in the mirror on the back of the door

"Shi*" He muttered,taking in the series of bruises the wall had left on his pale skin

Sighing,Luke pulled his shirt back on,looking at the clock and gasping as he saw the time

6:17pm,he hadn't told Carl he was giving lessons

He was in for it,big time

Luke's House,6:43pm

"WHERE THE F*CK HAVE YOU BEEN,I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE HUNGRY AS A STARVED PIG SINCE 4!"

Luke winced and cringed as Carl bellowed in his ear

"I'M SORRY I HAVE LESSONS TO GIVE AFTER THE DAY IS OVER NOW CARL,PLEASE FORGIVE ME"Luke felt tears hitting his eyes as he fought to save himself

"FORGIVE YOU? HOW CAN I FORGIVE YOU WHEN I AM THIS HUNGRY?"

"I don't know" Luke mumbled

Carl turned him around;pushing him to the kitchen with a kick in the rear

"MAKE MY DINNER RIGHT THIS MINUTE"

"What about mine?"

"You can go hungry,since you left me hungry,now COOK"

Luke nodded,trying not to cry out from his growling stomach,empty and cold as he turned the stove on

"Oh by the way,the guy's are coming over,you'd better be ready to give them a show"

Luke all but vomited on the burner,he HATED performing for Carl's "friends"

It was torture,torture in the guise of entertainment

"Alright hon" Luke agreed

"Good"

Later that evening,the sounds of jeering and wolf whistles filled the shrouded living room as Luke moved his hips against the pole,feeling the cold metal of it against his silk clad erection,brought on involuntarily by the constant friction he was forced to generate,the sting of whips hitting his shoulders as he was enticed further into the degrading dance.

"That's it Luke,lets see that sexy body" One of the guys called out

Luke forced his tears down with determined swallows,increasing the pace of his dance,waiting for the climax he desperately wanted,and needed,it was the only thing that would end the dance.

"C'mon Luke,give it all ya got" Called out another guy

One guy had his hand firmly shoved down his pant's panting at Luke

Luke closed his eyes and pictured Noah's face,groaning as he pushed himself flush against the pole and felt the warmth of freedom gush forth.

"Alright wow look at it go!' Said the masturbator,groaning as he watched the liquid pool in a spot on Luke's thong

Carl grinned like a mad man,pickng Luke up in his arms and nuzzling him close

"You did so good didn't you doll?"

Luke smiled,thrilled that he had made Carl happy,when Carl was happy he was nice and sweet and made Luke happy.

Luke shuddered when he remembered what had happened the one time Luke threatened to leave him

Carl had grabbed a trick off the street,a small teen with pale skin,brown eyes and long,dirty blonde hair,he forced the kid to suck him off and then put a bullet in his brain the minute he came,the kid didn't even see it.

Luke had been forced to watch,and Carl had assured him that the same thing would happen to Luke if he even THOUGHT about leaving him,he kept the gun fully loaded in a safe beside his side of the bed just to remind Luke of that.

Since then,Luke remained Carl's slave and punching bag,just living life the way he had to,praying everyday for his escape

Tuesday

"Are you alright sir,you look terrible" Noah said,taking in Luke's harried apperance

"Oh I'm fine Noah really,now lets hear you play" Luke said,smiling suddenly

But Noah didn't play,instead he stared at Luke

"When did you come to Chicago?" He asked

Startled,Luke stared at him,yet he trusted Noah,and he kinda liked him to

"When I was 21,I came out here to start my career,then I met my husband,Carl"

"That's nice"Noah said

"It is" Luke lied

Noah gave him a small grin

"So why are you so bitter all the time?"

"I just have high expectations and get irritable when people don't live up to them,now can we get started?" Luke lied again

Noah didn't look entirely convinced but he dropped the questions and began to play in his choppy format.

Luke found that he couldn't tear his eyes off of the man,watching his concentration as he fought to get the notes to sound the way they were supposed to and match his clumsy fingering to the keys

Still,Luke had to admit that as impatient and tough a man as he was,the effort was clearly there

Noah was really trying

Even if Luke didn't want to be patient he knew he had to be

Luke's House,after the lesson

"Who followed you home?" Carl asked,shoving Luke out of the way as he looked at the black sedan parked across the street.

"No one honey"

"That black car was behind you when you pulled in,are you cheating on me"

"Of course not Carl,I love you so much"

"Then don't let creepy black cars follow you home god damnit!" Carl said,smacking Luke hard across the face

Luke winced and felt tears fall

"Are you crying?" Carl hufffed, "man up you *****"

Luke nodded and wiped them away

"Now clean the bathroom,it smells like sex"

Luke nodded and went to go scrub the bathroom till it sparkled

~~~~

"Hi it's me"

"How is it going"

"Great,just waiting for the right moment"

"But it's a definite"

"Oh yeah"

"Great makes this easier"

"Definetly"

~~~~~~~~

Wednesday

"Did you fall Luke?" Noah asked during their lesson that evening,looking at Luke's obvious red rash on his face and the brusing on his cheek.

"Yeah,I slipped on the wet floor and took a head dive" Luke said,chuckling

"That sucks" Noah said

"It does,so what have you got today"

"I've been practicing the scale"

"Well let's hear it"

Noah nodded and played,this time the notes actually had the start of some rythmn

"That's the best you've sounded" Luke said,smiling as he congratulated Noah

"Hey Luke your smiling"

"I know"

"It's nice"

"Thank you" Luke had to admit,it felt good to smile for once.

Because Luke was in a better mood than usual(he figured Noah had most to do with that) he worked with Noah a lot longer than normal

By the time they were about to leave,it was after nine pm and Noah was actually begining to sound somewhat decent

"Thank's for all the help Luke" Noah said

"Don't mention it" Luke beamed,looking into those eyes

Just then Noah leaned forward,embracing Luke warmly

Luke didn't even fight,didn't want to as he hugged him back,releasing him with a slight feeling of disappointment

Luke's House,10pm

"CARL PLEASE PLEASE FORGIVE ME, I DIDN'T KNOW THE LESSON WOULD RUN SO LATE"

Carl growled as he chased Luke around the house with a belt,trying to catch his lean husband so he could give him a good licking or two

"STAND STILL YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHI*!"

"CARL DON'T DO THIS!" Luke cried out as Carl grabbed the back of his shirt,yanking him towards him and letting the belt sting the skin of his knee

Luke cried out in pain as Carl sniffed his hair and threw him to the hardwood floor,not even flinching as Luke landed in a heap on the mahogany.

"WHAT'S THAT I SMELL,YOU'VE BEEN SLEEPING AROUND ON ME HAVEN'T YOU?"

Luke curled up and tried to scoot his way back,but Carl grabbed him again and lifted him and shook him like a leaf

"TELL ME WHO IT WAS! TELL ME YOU ******!" Carl growled

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING CARL,PLEASE HONEY PLEASE"

"TELL ME!"

"I DID NOTHING WRONG"

"YOUR CHEATING ON ME!"

"NO!"

"YOUR LYING"

"I'M NOT!"

Carl threw Luke to the ground and pinned him,ripping his clothes off in one motion as he straddled his waist to hold him down.

"I guess there's only one way to find out then"

Luke thrashed,Carl wasn't going to win THIS time,no way in hell

"GET OFF ME"

Carl slapped him

"Shut up I call the shots around here"

Luke bucked his hips wildly,trying to unseat Carl,but Carl had at least 50 lbs on him and it was pretty impossible.

Just as Carl was about to remove his own clothes,the door burst open with a crash,landing on the ground.

"HANDS IN THE AIR AND STEP AWAY FROM HIM NOW" A large voice boomed,filling Luke's ears

Carl jumped as he sprung up off of Luke,frowning as two police officers cuffed him

"What the hell is this,I am allowed to have sex with my husband" Carl sneered

"Not in that way you aren't" Said the cop

Luke blinked as he looked at the suddenly lit room,

"Hey are you alright?"

Luke jumped at the familiar voice,feeling shock and relief overcome him when he noticed those eyes

"Noah....what the...."

Noah grinned and reached into his pocket,pulling out an ID card

"Agent Mayer,Private Detective Chicago PD at your service" He said,helping Luke to stand as he wrapped him in a blanket

"How....I mean....what"

"Your brother Aaron was getting worried about how battered you had been looking lately,so he called the agency and asked if someone would look into it.

Luke was shocked

"So YOU were the black sedan yesterday"

Noah nodded and held out his arms,holding Luke's stunned and shaky body as Carl was hauled away

"You won't have to worry about him anymore Luke,your safe now"

Luke looked into Noah's eyes

"Are you an angel"

"I'll be anything you want me to be" Noah murmured,leaning down

Luke caught him before he leaned to far,matching his lips with his own,and Luke finally knew what he felt three days ago

He felt loved

And he felt free.