Fic: Life goes on(4/?)
Title: Life goes on (4/?)
Author: Karinskul
Summary: Luke's life after the stupi train
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me.
Chapter four
The next morning, Luke woke up with a big smile on his face.
As he turned around in the bed, he couldn't help but feel just slightly disappointed and surprised, even, to find himself alone.
He could have swore he could feel Reid's body curled up against his own just a few minutes ago, right before he woke up. The warm breath on his neck.........
Luke knew this would happen; of course Reid wouldn't be in his bed when he woke up, but still........
But the memory of last night was still fresh in his mind, and far too good to be ruined by this and the small voice that murmured in the back of his head.
As he got up and out of his bed, he realized he needed to take a shower, even if he had one before he went to bed last night.
Because wherever he was last night, somehow his mind was still connected to his body, in one way or the other. Something physical had definitely happen to him during the night. Luke hadn't woken up in this manner since he was in his teens.
After a long shower, where Luke relived some of the memories from the night, he went down to the kitchen. It was still early; no one else was up yet, so Luke decided to make breakfast for everyone to surprise them.
Being happier than he had been in a really long time, for the first time since Reid's death, he wanted to have a long family breakfast, and just hang out and spend time with them.
Ethan was the first to wake up, just a little later. He came tip toeing down to the kitchen, still in his pajamas, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Luke?" He said, clearly not expecting anyone to be up yet.
"Hey, there, buddy!" Luke answered.
"What are you doing?"
"I thought I'd make breakfast for all of you, care to help a little, maybe you could set the table?"
"Sure" Ethan responded, proud to be given such an important task.
"Luke? Can we have pancakes for breakfast??? Please, mom always says no"
"Sure, Eath! Just what I was thinking too!" He said with a smile.
"Good! Then we can tell mom it was your idea, and she won't be mad at me and tell me to eat real food for breakfast. She won't be mad at you!" He said matter of factly.
Luke chuckled, while he looked for all the ingredients he needed. He didn't notice it, but he was smiling slightly, and actually humming a little while he made the pancake batter.
"Luke?" Ethan asked again. He had a serious look on his face now, his eyebrows furrowed, as he just thought of something important he had to ask his older brother.
"Are you happy again now?"
Luke stopped what he was doing for a minute, and looked down at him.
"What do you mean, buddy?" Luke asked, tried to keep his voice neutral.
"I mean, you haven't smiled for no reason for a long time, like before......... not to me anyway. Maybe you do to the people at work?" he asked, his face looked too thoughtful for someone his age.
"I thought maybe you liked them better than us because you are always there. But mom says your just sad, but you don't look sad now" he finished.
"Oh, Ethan” Luke sighed. "Mom is right, I have been sad, and will probably still be sad sometimes, but don't ever think that I will like someone better than my favorite kid brother" Luke said, while picking the little boy up and tickling him.
"Luuuke, don't" He chuckled, trying to squirm his way out of Luke's arms.
"And..." he said after Luke put him back on the floor..." I'm your only kid brother!"
"Yes, you are, and I love you and love to spend time with you. Don't ever think otherwise" Luke said, while ruffling his little brother’s hair.
"Now, let’s make pancakes"
"Yeah"
"Mmmmm, something smells good in here" came a voice from the doorway.
Both boys looked up, to see their mother standing there, smiling at the sight in front of her.
"Luke is making pancakes, and I'm helping him!" Ethan explained. "But the pancakes was Luke's idea" he added quickly.
"Oh, really!?" she said with an amused smile, bending down to come to his level. "Well, I guess that lucky for all of us then. But, Ethan, baby, why don't you run upstairs and put some clothes on, and then you can wake up your sisters, telling them breakfast is ready?"
"Ok, mom" he replied, already on his way.
Lily, now standing up again, took a look at Luke, before she continued where Ethan had left off setting the table.
She didn't say anything, but Luke knew it was coming. Lily had tried to get him alone several time, she had something on her mind, he had seen it on her face for days now. After yesterday he thought maybe it was the news of their engagement, but he could tell now that wasn't the whole story. There was something else, and Luke had a feeling he might know what it could be and he wasn't sure if he wanted to have this conversation right now, not after last night. He just wanted to have a nice, relaxed morning, just be....ok for a little while.
Lily, continued to help Luke getting breakfast ready, and stole a glance at him from time to time when he wasn't looking. She could tell he was just waiting for her to say something.
But she also noticed that he was acting different, in a way. Something had changed, she suspected something, but she couldn't be sure.
"You're in a good mood today...” she pointed out.
"I guess so" He started, looking up at his mother. She gave him a look, like she expected him to continue, but didn't say anything. "I'm happy for you guys, your engagement and all" Luke answered, maybe a little too cheerful.
"I'm sorry I didn't go out with the rest of the family for dinner, so I just thought I'd make you all breakfast"
"That's all?" Lily asked, not looking like she completely bought it.
"Well, I guess it didn't hurt to have an early evening for once. Work has been crazy lately" He said, shuffling the pancakes over to the plate, all the while he tried not to look back up at his mother.
He knew what to come next;
"You have been working a lot lately, and we have been kind of worried. Don't forget that you have to live a little to."
Luke flinched a little at that, but just continued what he was doing.
"I'm sorry baby, you know what I mean, don't you? We're here for you, and I don't mean that you should forget everything, but....." she paused and looked at her son. She drew a deep breath before continuing;
"I've been meaning to tell you this, but the time for it never seemed right and... I don't know if it is now either, but....I heard ......"
"Moooom, Faith won't come down...." Ethan's voice interrupted. As he ran back to the kitchen, he was followed by Holden, and a sleepy Natalie.
"It's ok, she can sleep, we'll save some for her later" Luke started, but his mother interrupted;
"Well, you go up there and tell her that her brothers made breakfast for ALL of us, and she will come down, if not........you can wake her up in your own special way" Lily told him, giving him a wink.
"Okay, mom" Ethan said with a wide grin on his face, again answering while running out of the kitchen.
"Mom!" Luke said, but he was too grinning.
"Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! You little........" They heard a few minutes later, followed by the sound of Ethan’s small feet running down the stairs.
"Faith's up I guess" Natalie said, with a shrug, before slumping down in her seat, starting to fill her plate. The rest of the family followed.
The rest of the day, he relaxed. Well, at least more than he had been in months. Since it was Sunday, he had decided to take it easy. Just to spend about an hour or two at his foundation. He actually did have a board meeting to prepare for, but not before the next morning. But after the first hour, he really couldn't concentrate anymore. The thoughts of last night still fresh in his mind, and he really hoped to see Reid again this night.
But then again,there was that voice in the back of his head......
He sighed while he started to collect all the papers in front of him trying to ignore it, not completely successful.
But it still wasn't going to ruin his good day, so he decided to take the rest of it off, and go back home. Maybe he could take his siblings to a movie or bowling or something, and just hang out, not thinking about anything in particular.
It felt good to be in this state of mind, like it was ok for him to just having a nice day, without having to drown himself in work to avoid feeling anything, or needing it to simply bee able to keep going. He could actually stop for a moment, take a break, and look up from what he was doing without falling apart.
They all did both go to a movie and went bowling afterwards. In the afternoon they ended up at the farm, where Grandma Emma had prepared a delicious dinner for them.
Luke hadn't spent much time at the farm lately, and being there made him realize just how much he had missed hanging out there. His parents along with Jack and Carly had also joined them for dinner, so it had been a full house, lot of talking and laughing. Luke actually enejoyed himself and laughed at all the stories Jack and Holden told about all the stuff they'd been up to in their younger days at the farm.
When it was close to bed time for Ethan and Natalie, his parents took them back to the house, leaving Luke to get back on his own. He appreciated that, and wanted to take a walk home, stopping by the Snyder Pond for a moment.
Once he got close, he stopped walking and looked around the place he always used to go to when he needed comfort or just to get away from all. His safe place. The last time he was there it was the end of the summer, still warm, the trees where still green. Now it was winter, cold air and the ground were covered wiyh snow, the branches of the trees were black and naked against the white sky.
But it was still just as beautiful!
"I don't know if you can hear me now, or if it's only in my sleep" Luke said softly "but, you said you tuned in to me from time to time, and I just feel so close to you here........ Although we almost never spent time here. Only that one time. I told you I wanted us to go swimming here, Remember?
You just looked at me like I were crazy" He smiled slightly at the memory. "But I did convince you, if I promised you to go skinny dipping........... but, like all these other things, we never got around to it"
"I thought....., I mean I don't know if it's possible or anything, but....please just find me again tonight?"
"I just need to see you again"
With that, he pulled his coat a little closer to his body, took one last look over the clear water of the pond, before turning away, heading home.
Author: Karinskul
Summary: Luke's life after the stupi train
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me.
Chapter four
The next morning, Luke woke up with a big smile on his face.
As he turned around in the bed, he couldn't help but feel just slightly disappointed and surprised, even, to find himself alone.
He could have swore he could feel Reid's body curled up against his own just a few minutes ago, right before he woke up. The warm breath on his neck.........
Luke knew this would happen; of course Reid wouldn't be in his bed when he woke up, but still........
But the memory of last night was still fresh in his mind, and far too good to be ruined by this and the small voice that murmured in the back of his head.
As he got up and out of his bed, he realized he needed to take a shower, even if he had one before he went to bed last night.
Because wherever he was last night, somehow his mind was still connected to his body, in one way or the other. Something physical had definitely happen to him during the night. Luke hadn't woken up in this manner since he was in his teens.
After a long shower, where Luke relived some of the memories from the night, he went down to the kitchen. It was still early; no one else was up yet, so Luke decided to make breakfast for everyone to surprise them.
Being happier than he had been in a really long time, for the first time since Reid's death, he wanted to have a long family breakfast, and just hang out and spend time with them.
Ethan was the first to wake up, just a little later. He came tip toeing down to the kitchen, still in his pajamas, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Luke?" He said, clearly not expecting anyone to be up yet.
"Hey, there, buddy!" Luke answered.
"What are you doing?"
"I thought I'd make breakfast for all of you, care to help a little, maybe you could set the table?"
"Sure" Ethan responded, proud to be given such an important task.
"Luke? Can we have pancakes for breakfast??? Please, mom always says no"
"Sure, Eath! Just what I was thinking too!" He said with a smile.
"Good! Then we can tell mom it was your idea, and she won't be mad at me and tell me to eat real food for breakfast. She won't be mad at you!" He said matter of factly.
Luke chuckled, while he looked for all the ingredients he needed. He didn't notice it, but he was smiling slightly, and actually humming a little while he made the pancake batter.
"Luke?" Ethan asked again. He had a serious look on his face now, his eyebrows furrowed, as he just thought of something important he had to ask his older brother.
"Are you happy again now?"
Luke stopped what he was doing for a minute, and looked down at him.
"What do you mean, buddy?" Luke asked, tried to keep his voice neutral.
"I mean, you haven't smiled for no reason for a long time, like before......... not to me anyway. Maybe you do to the people at work?" he asked, his face looked too thoughtful for someone his age.
"I thought maybe you liked them better than us because you are always there. But mom says your just sad, but you don't look sad now" he finished.
"Oh, Ethan” Luke sighed. "Mom is right, I have been sad, and will probably still be sad sometimes, but don't ever think that I will like someone better than my favorite kid brother" Luke said, while picking the little boy up and tickling him.
"Luuuke, don't" He chuckled, trying to squirm his way out of Luke's arms.
"And..." he said after Luke put him back on the floor..." I'm your only kid brother!"
"Yes, you are, and I love you and love to spend time with you. Don't ever think otherwise" Luke said, while ruffling his little brother’s hair.
"Now, let’s make pancakes"
"Yeah"
"Mmmmm, something smells good in here" came a voice from the doorway.
Both boys looked up, to see their mother standing there, smiling at the sight in front of her.
"Luke is making pancakes, and I'm helping him!" Ethan explained. "But the pancakes was Luke's idea" he added quickly.
"Oh, really!?" she said with an amused smile, bending down to come to his level. "Well, I guess that lucky for all of us then. But, Ethan, baby, why don't you run upstairs and put some clothes on, and then you can wake up your sisters, telling them breakfast is ready?"
"Ok, mom" he replied, already on his way.
Lily, now standing up again, took a look at Luke, before she continued where Ethan had left off setting the table.
She didn't say anything, but Luke knew it was coming. Lily had tried to get him alone several time, she had something on her mind, he had seen it on her face for days now. After yesterday he thought maybe it was the news of their engagement, but he could tell now that wasn't the whole story. There was something else, and Luke had a feeling he might know what it could be and he wasn't sure if he wanted to have this conversation right now, not after last night. He just wanted to have a nice, relaxed morning, just be....ok for a little while.
Lily, continued to help Luke getting breakfast ready, and stole a glance at him from time to time when he wasn't looking. She could tell he was just waiting for her to say something.
But she also noticed that he was acting different, in a way. Something had changed, she suspected something, but she couldn't be sure.
"You're in a good mood today...” she pointed out.
"I guess so" He started, looking up at his mother. She gave him a look, like she expected him to continue, but didn't say anything. "I'm happy for you guys, your engagement and all" Luke answered, maybe a little too cheerful.
"I'm sorry I didn't go out with the rest of the family for dinner, so I just thought I'd make you all breakfast"
"That's all?" Lily asked, not looking like she completely bought it.
"Well, I guess it didn't hurt to have an early evening for once. Work has been crazy lately" He said, shuffling the pancakes over to the plate, all the while he tried not to look back up at his mother.
He knew what to come next;
"You have been working a lot lately, and we have been kind of worried. Don't forget that you have to live a little to."
Luke flinched a little at that, but just continued what he was doing.
"I'm sorry baby, you know what I mean, don't you? We're here for you, and I don't mean that you should forget everything, but....." she paused and looked at her son. She drew a deep breath before continuing;
"I've been meaning to tell you this, but the time for it never seemed right and... I don't know if it is now either, but....I heard ......"
"Moooom, Faith won't come down...." Ethan's voice interrupted. As he ran back to the kitchen, he was followed by Holden, and a sleepy Natalie.
"It's ok, she can sleep, we'll save some for her later" Luke started, but his mother interrupted;
"Well, you go up there and tell her that her brothers made breakfast for ALL of us, and she will come down, if not........you can wake her up in your own special way" Lily told him, giving him a wink.
"Okay, mom" Ethan said with a wide grin on his face, again answering while running out of the kitchen.
"Mom!" Luke said, but he was too grinning.
"Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! You little........" They heard a few minutes later, followed by the sound of Ethan’s small feet running down the stairs.
"Faith's up I guess" Natalie said, with a shrug, before slumping down in her seat, starting to fill her plate. The rest of the family followed.
The rest of the day, he relaxed. Well, at least more than he had been in months. Since it was Sunday, he had decided to take it easy. Just to spend about an hour or two at his foundation. He actually did have a board meeting to prepare for, but not before the next morning. But after the first hour, he really couldn't concentrate anymore. The thoughts of last night still fresh in his mind, and he really hoped to see Reid again this night.
But then again,there was that voice in the back of his head......
He sighed while he started to collect all the papers in front of him trying to ignore it, not completely successful.
But it still wasn't going to ruin his good day, so he decided to take the rest of it off, and go back home. Maybe he could take his siblings to a movie or bowling or something, and just hang out, not thinking about anything in particular.
It felt good to be in this state of mind, like it was ok for him to just having a nice day, without having to drown himself in work to avoid feeling anything, or needing it to simply bee able to keep going. He could actually stop for a moment, take a break, and look up from what he was doing without falling apart.
They all did both go to a movie and went bowling afterwards. In the afternoon they ended up at the farm, where Grandma Emma had prepared a delicious dinner for them.
Luke hadn't spent much time at the farm lately, and being there made him realize just how much he had missed hanging out there. His parents along with Jack and Carly had also joined them for dinner, so it had been a full house, lot of talking and laughing. Luke actually enejoyed himself and laughed at all the stories Jack and Holden told about all the stuff they'd been up to in their younger days at the farm.
When it was close to bed time for Ethan and Natalie, his parents took them back to the house, leaving Luke to get back on his own. He appreciated that, and wanted to take a walk home, stopping by the Snyder Pond for a moment.
Once he got close, he stopped walking and looked around the place he always used to go to when he needed comfort or just to get away from all. His safe place. The last time he was there it was the end of the summer, still warm, the trees where still green. Now it was winter, cold air and the ground were covered wiyh snow, the branches of the trees were black and naked against the white sky.
But it was still just as beautiful!
"I don't know if you can hear me now, or if it's only in my sleep" Luke said softly "but, you said you tuned in to me from time to time, and I just feel so close to you here........ Although we almost never spent time here. Only that one time. I told you I wanted us to go swimming here, Remember?
You just looked at me like I were crazy" He smiled slightly at the memory. "But I did convince you, if I promised you to go skinny dipping........... but, like all these other things, we never got around to it"
"I thought....., I mean I don't know if it's possible or anything, but....please just find me again tonight?"
"I just need to see you again"
With that, he pulled his coat a little closer to his body, took one last look over the clear water of the pond, before turning away, heading home.