Banned Pt. 04 - Final

Banned Part 4

The End.

Apologies for the delay in this final part, it was due to personal reasons. I hope you can enjoy the end of my little love story <3.

***

Luke

His father was suspicious. Despite the clinic stating that they were pleased enough with his progress to allow him to return home, his father didn't believe it.

He was right of course. The clinic and its treatments had done nothing except instil a lifelong fury and hatred for the new world order and his father along with it. Actually that's not true, they had given him a place to hone some excellent acting skills.

His work over the last few weeks was worthy of a damn Oscar. He had managed to convince them all, that their bogus treatments had done their job.

Now he just had to keep it together long enough to get out from under his father's thumb.

He had been taken home yesterday. Not that this new house and new town were any sort of home. He had never set foot in the building before.

They had moved suddenly when the scandal had broken out, his father managing to keep most of the gossip under wraps. Clara had told him with bitter amusement, that their new neighbours had been told that Luke was away at an elite sports camp.

Lying really was a family gift.

Clara's support was fierce and unwavering. He was grateful for it since he was still physically and emotionally weak returning from the clinic.

The first night, he tossed and turned into the early hours of the morning, unable to sleep with his constant ticks and shudders, and in the brief moments he did begin to doze off, he would instantly find himself back in that chair, strapped down as he was shocked, again and again. He'd awaken from the nightmares gasping, heart and head pounding as he groaned into his pillow.

At around 3am, his door opened and Clara came in. She rubbed her eyes sleepily, but without a word crawled into his bed. They hadn't done this since they had been young children.

She held out her arms and he leaned into her gratefully. She held him when the shakes got bad and held his hand when he cried. Eventually, perhaps from sheer exhaustion, he fell into uneasy sleep. He didn't think he could have done it without her.

The next morning, they sat at the breakfast table in cool silence. Luke had explained to Clara in soft whispers early that morning, that he must play the convincing role of meek and repentant son. His father had to believe he had crushed him entirely.

She had paled at his words but had accepted them with a sharp nod.

"Pass the milk please sweetheart," his mother asked Luke. He reached for the jug, wincing at the shaking that coursed through his fingers, a residual effect from the clinic. He could hear milk sloshing as he passed the jug to her, trying not to think about how heavy it felt, and how weak he was. She took the jug, eyeing him sadly before looking down at her food. Clara glanced up at him, concern lacing her expression, but she did not dare speak in front of their father.

He looked across the table at them both from above his newspaper, reaching to drink slowly from his coffee.

"Sleep well?" He asked Luke casually.

Luke kept his head bowed, "yes father."

"Good," he said, "we have a busy day ahead of us today."

Luke glanced up, surprised. His father looked smug, his gaze returning to his newspaper.

"We do, father?"

"Yes. I intend for you to start coming to work with me, it'll be good for you to get started shadowing sooner rather than later."

"But," he frowned, "I haven't finished school yet?"

His father scoffed, "a waste of time now surely, with all the catching up you'd have to do. No, no more school. It's the real world for you now. You'll find a suit and tie already in your wardrobe, go get yourself looking presentable."

Luke knew there was no arguing. Not anymore. So he decided to take a different route instead.

"You're right father. I hope this will be a fresh start for me to prove my worth to you."

And without looking at his father for his reaction, he stood and walked to the stairs and up to his room.

Game on, you bastard, he thought as he climbed the stairs. Game, fucking on.

*

It wasn't long later that he was in the car, on the way to his father's government building.

He had managed to get changed into the smart suit and tie fairly quickly, the struggle had been his hair. It had grown since the short shave it had been given at the clinic, but not enough to return to its old easy style. Instead, it stuck up in weird jagged spikes that he had managed to tame by coming it down and using thick hair gel and some of Clara's hairspray. It looked odd, but his father had been impressed by his effort to look smart.

His father now whistled cheerfully along with a song on the radio, his positive demeanour so at odds at what Luke had recently learned lived beneath.

So instead, he gazed out the window at his new hometown. Grey house after grey house, nothing remarkable about the town, nothing familiar. And for some, ridiculous reason, he couldn't help searching every face for him.

Since leaving the facility, Danny had been at the forefront of his mind. He wanted to know what had happened to him, where he was, what he was doing. But he knew that his father would predict this. That he would be watching for any behaviour like that, any excuse to throw him back into that evil place.

He had to play it smart.

"I imagine it is a given, but you will be on your best behaviour here, understood? This is my work. None of them know about your little... mishap, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Of course father," he replied smoothly, "I wouldn't want to damage your reputation. Nor sully the opportunities you have given me."

Another impressed nod from his father at that."I am pleased you seem to be making such an effort. It is high time you begin acting like a real man."

"I'm ready to be better and learn from you father," he agreed, hiding his white knuckles behind his back.

When they arrived, Luke couldn't help look around in wonder. The entrance hall was large and airy. A clean desk sat in front of a set of shining lift doors, with stairs leading up on either side disappearing up to the floors above. Sun streamed through the glass fronted building and onto the crowds of men in suits, conversing and milling around. It made Luke feel oddly small, and childlike.

He followed his father's confident stride at a slight jog, hastily flattening his hair again as he headed up the stairs. He led him silently into a large office on the second floor.

It was ridiculously large, with a view across a manicured garden. Leather seats sat before an austere desk. Upon entering, his father headed straight to it, sitting and beginning to pull things from the drawers beneath.

Luke couldn't help feel, with however much resentment, impressed.

His father glanced up at him with an eyebrow raised, "are you just going to stand there?"

"Um, right," he said, sitting hastily in one of the leather chairs across from his desk.

"I want you to read this, and then give me a summary of your thoughts," he said, handing Luke a heavy stack of papers.

He sighed, and began to read.

***

Daniel

It was hopeless. Truly and utterly hopeless.

He had been searching in vain for Luke for weeks. He had to know where he was, had to know that he was okay. But it was as if his entire family had just vanished from the earth.

Even his father, a government official, had been keeping a surprisingly low profile.

Clara and Luke's social media accounts were both silent and Daniel was running out of ideas.

The town had done little to welcome him back. Most awkward had been the church service, where they had practically barricaded the door as he approached.

"I'm sorry Mr Hughes, you and your son are not welcome here," the priest said firmly, giving Daniel a disgusted look.

"What?" His dad grunted. "But I thought you lot were big on repenting and ridding yourself of sin and all that moral bull crap?"

"There are some sins that are... unforgivable," he said in a grave voice, some of the congregation nodding along in agreement, where they stood in the doorway. Daniel felt sick as they all looked at him like he was dirty. Their hatred was palpable, hatred for him. Just for loving Luke. He felt himself shrink from the weight of all those narrowed eyes.

"So, you're telling me," his dad said with an incredulous voice, "that after all these years I've been coming to your 'mandatory' services, you're now saying we're banned?"

"I am sorry," the priest said, holding his head high, "but regretfully yes."

His dad broke into a grin as he put an arm around Daniel's shoulder, "did I tell you I bloody love you? Let's go home."

He turned and let out a pronounced cheer, fist bumping the air to the disgust of the townsfolk behind. Daniel couldn't help laughing as his father continued to cheer all the way to the road.

"They're only going to hate us more," Daniel half protested, though quietly grateful for his dad's open support.

He shrugged, "good. The ones whose opinion I care about will agree. The ones who don't," he pulled a face and then grinned, "fuck em all to hell."

He turned to the church, and yelled, "did you hear that?! I said 'fuck em all to hell' you self righteous bastards!" Before cheerfully climbing into the car, whistling delightedly.

Daniel was surprised to find out that there were others who did care. There were the odd half smiles when he passed in the street, a whispered word of support by a neighbour, an older woman he had never even spoken to before, winked as she flashed a rainbow pin badge at him from her palm.

Even his old classmate James Reeves slipped a note through the letterbox, that expressed his family's support of what he was going through.

"Good family the Reeves," his father had said when he had shown him, "they were one of the ones who helped with your bail."

"How many?"

"More than I could count, but most of the donations were made anonymously," he smiled sadly, "you have more support than you think, people are just... scared to be open about it. They're not as brave as you."

"I'm not brave," he argued.

"You are many things Daniel, and there are many things that you are not. But you are, without doubt, one brave kid."

Later on when he was alone in bed, his mind wandered onto Luke. It always did. He would lie awake in bed night after night wondering where he was, wishing he could find him. He didn't even need to see him, he just needed to know he was safe. The memories of him telling him to run as the police charged at him were on a constant loop in his mind. The anguish, love and fear in his eyes as he told him that he loved him.

He pulled his laptop onto his lap with a sigh. His fingers tapped out their familiar routine, first checking Luke's social media accounts and then Clara's. He flicked back onto Luke's, gazing at his profile picture for a while. He looked happy, eyes alight with laughter at a long forgotten joke.

He flicked back to Google and searched up his father's name, Stephen Weston.

A new link popped up, and his chest lurched. The news article pinged up on his screen, the headline reading:

"WESTON SHOWS HIS SUPPORT FOR NEW TIGHTENED CONSTRICTIONS"

Daniel scrolled down and began to read on to the article beneath.

"Councillor Stephen Weston has come out in support of the newly released restrictions around traditional family values.

Recent legislation has made it legal for fathers to arrange marriages for their female children once they reach the age of 18, providing a financial reward to couples wedded from such arrangements.

The laws have also continued on recent trends against homosexuality, now making it a criminal offence to harbour known LGBT offenders, as well as enforce harder sentences on those charged. This will include jail time of up to 10 years and a life long record with certain career paths and public places being barred.

For a long time the councillor has made his opinion on the once called 'LGBT community' well known and has regularly encouraged the practice of 'traditional home values'."

Daniel felt the bile in his throat at the words, but his eyes narrowed as he saw the video clip appear.

"It's really great news for any family who respects the new world order and the traditional values it represents," Mr Weston spoke to the camera in his usual casually confident way. "I myself am pleased for the opportunities it brings for my children, and their futures."

Daniel sat bolt upright in bed as the camera zoomed out. His heart began to pound rapidly as he gazed at the screen, his emotions and thoughts suddenly a loud cacophony in his ears, drowning out Mr Weston's next words.

It was Luke. Stood slightly behind his father, Luke was dressed in a smart dark suit, looking slightly out of place amongst the older official men before him.

He looked different, his hair was short, and had been jelled and combed into an odd side parting that looked much more serious and official than his usual carefree golden locks. His face was pale and thinner than Daniel remembered it, and his eyes had distinct dark bags beneath them that were certainly new. It made him feel almost like a stranger.

A strange chill tickled down Daniel's spine. What was he doing there? Why was he standing behind his father like that, he had always said he hated him?

Daniel didn't hear the question that Luke was asked by the reporter, only aware that the camera had zoomed in on him. His dark eyes were now clearly on display, and Daniel wasn't sure if it was the camera or not, but they seemed to have lost their sparkling light that he always looked for.

"I am grateful for the work my father does to support me and my sister," Luke said, his voice sounding odd to Daniel. It wasn't the voice he loved, cheerful and boyish, the voice he heard every night in his dreams. This was the voice of a man, a man he didn't know.

"The new world order is a blessing to us all. I hope to be a part of its continued prosperity in the years to come."

***

Luke

"What the fuck was that?!" Clara hissed as she closed the door to his bedroom behind her, looking at him with wide eyes.

"What?" He asked, and she gave him an incredulous look.

"I'm grateful for what my father does for me and my sister? The new world is a blessing I hope to be a part of?" She quoted his words with venom in her voice. "What the fuck Luke? You know that Dad wants to marry me off in some arranged marriage thanks to these new laws?"

Luke moved to run his hand through his hair, but was met by thick sticky gel. He huffed and strugged instead.

"What was I supposed to say?! That reporter was in my face and father was right there! Did you expect me to turn around and say 'actually I disagree on everything my father says and does and oh, by the way I'm gay'?"

Clara gave him a pained expression, "You just- it didn't sound like you."

She looked down for a moment before glancing up at him with a dark expression.

"You sounded like father," she whispered.

That stung. He turned away from her clenching her jaw, trying to calm himself. He felt the jittering shake in his arm, and clenched and unclenched his fist for a moment.

"You're the one that told me to lie Clara, remember?" He said darkly, pulling at his tie and throwing it across a chair.

She sat on his bed and hugged a pillow to her chest, "I meant in that.... place. But you're out now so-"

"Am I?" He bit back, speaking softer as he glanced at the door, "I may not be getting tortured anymore Clara but father is watching us, he is waiting for me to fuck up. And I don't know what will happen if I do."

She was silent for a moment and then sighed, "I'm sorry. You're right. I just... I can't imagine what people will think if they see that, if Danny sees..."

"Maybe that's best," he said bitterly, pulling off his jacket and hanging it on the wardrobe door, "maybe it's best Danny stay far, far away from me."

"You don't mean that," she whispered and he felt tears spark in his eyes.

He glared at the wardrobe, not able to look at her as his most toxic thoughts poured from his body.

"It's my fault he went to prison. He probably hates me already, he should hate me. He had kept his secret for so long until me, and then I come along and fuck everything up. I was stupid. He should keep away from me, I'm nothing but a danger to him."

"I'm pretty sure Danny wouldn't see it that way," she whispered as he pulled off his shirt, swapping it for a T-shirt.

He continued to change in silence, and Clara let him. But when he turned to face her, she was still watching him closely.

He moved to sit next to her on his bed, and she lent her head against his shoulder.

They sat like that for a while before Clara lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes a mirror reflection of his own.

"You love him, don't you?" She asked softly.

Luke couldn't help the small smile as he sighed, "yeah, I do."

Clara's echoing smile was sweet, before she returned her head to his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly.

He returned the hug, pulling her close as he rested his cheek on her hair and closed his eyes.

***

Daniel

He slammed the kitchen cabinet, ignoring the shaking of the crockery inside. The toaster popped, and he swore under his breath at the blackened toast that sent curling spirals of smoke into the air.

He grabbed it, feeling the burn of his fingers, throwing it onto the plate with a wince, just as the fire alarm began to wail.

He audibly swore now, dragging a chair to stand on and reaching up to turn off the alarm. When it stopped, he jumped down, kicking the chair as he returned to his toast with an annoyed grumble.

"Someone's cheery this morning," his father's voice floated from the far side of the kitchen.

Daniel ignored him, scraping the worst of the blackened toast into the bin before adding butter.

"Is it about going back to school today?" His father asked when he sat at the table opposite him, biting into the hard, flavourless toast.

School was a frightening prospect. His dad had allowed him a few weeks of respite post returning home, but now he had to get back to school and try and catch up as best he could.

He shrugged, and his dad sighed.

"Look I'm not going to tell you it'll be fine, because it won't be. It's going to be fucking grim I'd imagine. But if anyone can get through it, it's you kid. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Daniel smiled slightly, grateful for the new connection with his father since everything that had happened. It seemed, the keeping of the secret had been a burden on his father as much as himself. Now that burden was gone, he was able to be a father again. It was a silver lining to the whole mess.

"It's not just about school," he sighed before pulling his phone from his pocket and pulling up the article that had dwelled at the forefront of his mind ever since he watched it. He heard as his father started the video, his mind knew the words by heart as they came from Luke's mouth.

His father watched the video silently, then put the phone down with a solemn expression.

"Why are you torturing yourself like this? You know you're not allowed to see him again."

"I know that," he said solemnly and his father sighed.

"Well, either way, I don't think this means what you think it means," he said.

"What do I think it means? Please tell me, because I don't know what to think anymore!"

"I see a scared kid who's doing what he can to survive," his father shrugged, "like someone else I know."

"But there's surviving and then there's that! Why is he there with those monsters? How could he say that he's grateful to his father after what he did to us?!"

Daniel felt the tears fill his eyes and brushed them away angrily. His father said nothing, just watching him with that grim expression.

"I can't tell you kid. You know him better than I do. But if you really do care for him as you say, I think you have to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Daniel nodded, gripping the table to try and fight the tears from falling further.

"Now eat your breakfast and let's get you to school," he said.

Walking through the school gates was the first time he was actually able to shake Luke's words from his mind. Glancing around, every look from his peers felt loaded. People whispered as he passed, and he gripped his bag tighter over his shoulder.

He had expected this, but it didn't make it any easier. He was used to being alone, but this was something new. He felt like a bug under a giant microscope.

His lessons were relatively painless. He was grateful that his teachers drew little attention to his return, acting as if he had never left. He ate lunch alone, sat on the toilet seat lid to avoid more stares and whispers.

It was when he headed to Geography in the afternoon that his stomach really began to twist. He sat in his usual seat, painfully aware of the vacant one beside him. Sat in this old classroom, Luke's absense was an unavoidable aching loss. He breathed in slowly, trying not to fall into the spiralling despair that he knew he was teetering on the edge of.

"Hey, this seat free?"

Daniel looked up to see James Reeves stood beside the desk, he gave him a meaningful look and Daniel blinked back in surprise.

"Um, yeah," he eventually said and James sat down, getting out his things. "Thanks for your note by the way," he added hastily, "it was really kind."

"No problem," he smiled. "You know, I was looking for you at lunch."

Daniel frowned.

"You were?"

"Yeah, I wanted to check you were alright, I imagine it's been a bit intense."

Daniel laughed slightly, "you have no idea."

"Well, I'm here if you need to talk about it," he said awkwardly, "you know, as a mate."

Daniel looked at the boy curiously. He had always seemed a good guy, although he had kept him at a distance like every other person he knew to keep his secret safe. Now, was there a reason to push away potential friends? Yet he felt a strange guilt, as if James' kindness would only end up with him getting hurt too.

"You know being mates with me is probably not going to do you any favours right?" Daniel said grimly and James rolled his eyes.

"I don't care about that, you're still the same guy I've known since we were what, four? And... I liked Luke. He was cool too. I don't see how you guys being gay is such a big deal..."

"Careful," Daniel warned, sitting straighter and glancing at the other students around them, "saying that sort of stuff might get you in trouble."

"It's not illegal to be friends with you," he said insistently, just as Mr Lowe coughed from the front of the class, ready to begin his lesson.

"Not yet," Daniel muttered softly to himself, but he couldn't help feeling a warmth inside at the knowledge he wasn't quite as alone as he thought.

***

Luke

Clara's voice rose up the stairs, leading Luke to bolt upright in bed. It was morning, and Clara was seriously angry about something.

He scrambled from his bed and down the stairs at a run.

"What's going on?" He asked, looking around the living room at the scene before him.

His mother was stood in the doorway, her hands over her mouth, she turned to look at him with a desperate sob before running from the room.

Clara stood with her back to him, but he could clearly see her shaking with fury, her fists clenched, glaring at their father who stood with his hands in his pockets, cool and calm.

But that smile was on his face, that smile that he had seen so many times at the clinic. The one that seemed to be more of a monsters leer than a smile.

"Father," Clara spat, her voice trembling with barely suppressed rage, "has decided I am to be wed."

His father laughed, turning to glance out the window, "you are always so dramatic my dear daughter. This is good news."

"Good news?!" She cried, and Luke could see tears on her cheeks now. "I don't want an arranged marriage. Especially to... to..."

"Mr Montague is an excellent man, you are extremely-"

"He's over twice my age!" She cried in disgust. "He's a creep! I don't want to marry him!"

"You don't get a say. Thanks to the new laws, I can dictate who you marry. Keep irritating me like this and I'll find someone four times your age instead."

Clara's angry eyes flashed to Luke, begging him silently to do something. But he was at a loss. He didn't know how to navigate the conflict without someone getting hurt.

"Father," he said as placidly as he could manage, "don't you think-"

"Luke, let's not go ruining your progress defending your spoilt brat of a sister," he said, turning that stern gaze on him.

"She's not a spoilt brat," Luke retorted, before he could stop himself.

"Pardon?"

His father's eyes were a warning sign, a flash of something that before would have silence him, had made him back off in fear. But now, it seemed to do the opposite, the pit of anger that had grown in his very soul day after day he spent at the clinic seemed to burn hotter. A wide, gaping black void that threatened to overwhelm him. Luke finally felt something inside him snap.

I won't break. But for Clara, I will fucking break him.

"She's not a spoilt brat." He said firmly, stepping forward to stand between him and his sister. He laughed bitterly, shaking his head at his father with all his disgust on display.

"You honestly think that I'll let you do this to her? Let you marry her off to one of your buddies, spend the rest of her life with a man like you?"

"Let me?" He scoffed, "you won't 'let me' do anything boy. Such a pity, I thought you were doing so well. Perhaps I need to let the clinic know there's been a relapse..."

"I will never go back there," he seethed but his father seemed to be emboldened by his fury. Even now, he was enjoying their pain.

"You will if I want you to. You both seem to be forgetting who's in charge here. Didn't you learn the last time? Maybe I should send that Hughes boy to the clinic this time too, let you watch as they strap him down, and send shock waves through his sick little brain. Maybe we could get you side by side treatments? How does that sound?"

Luke didn't remember moving. He didn't remember raising his fist. But he felt the impact as it slammed hard into his father's jaw.

"Luke!" Clara gasped. But it was like her voice was coming from the end of a long tunnel. The punch had opened up the floodgates of his rage, and now his body coursed with it as he shoved again, toppling his father to the floor punching him again. And again. And again.

His father's fingers clawed at him, and he felt a searing scratch across his cheek. But he pinned his father's arms down with ease. He was a weak old man, and Luke, even in his frail state, fuelled by adrenaline and rage was easily stronger than him. The power that thudded in his ears, through his body, and reverberated his very bones, was addictive. He could see how his father could live off this.

"Luke, stop!" Clara tried to pull him off his father, "this will only end badly!"

He didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore, but seeing the small man before him suffer. He was evil. He was not his father anymore, but a demon in human skin. He pressed into his body harder, gazing into those eyes that had pierced him all his life.

He felt an unfamiliar vicious pleasure as he saw fear in them for the first time. It felt good to see him in pain, felt good to return the weeks of torture he had put him through.

But as he raised his fist again, he paused. Just for a moment, he hesitated.

This dark, roiling pleasure that was pumping through him, it wasn't him. This was his father in him. That same vicious pleasure he had seen darkened his father's soul over the years, now was coursing through his own veins.

He could kill him if he wanted to, he knew that. But what would that achieve? It wouldn't help Clara or Danny or anyone. The monster in his gut, the monster his father created, whispered at him to keep going, to make him pay. But another small quiet voice planted a tiny seed of doubt, a seed that grew into a quiet, sunlit meadow.

He would not be like him.

He would be better.

He breathed out slowly, gritting his teeth as he stood, turning his back on his father, cradling his raw and bloody hand. He muttered a curse under his breath, breathing heavily.

The room around him was silent. For a moment, no one moved, no one spoke. Until his father laughed.

Luke turned to watch as his father sat up, his laughter broken by bloody gurgles. He staggered to his feet, wiping the blood that trickled from his lips, staining his teeth a dark red. He leaned one arm on the chair with a pained expression, before looking at him with unadulterated hate.

When he spoke, his voice was a low foreboding promise.

"You are done, boy."

Luke knew it was true. The moment he had punched his father was the point of no return. He would be imprisoned for life for this, his father would make sure of it.

Clara looked at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. She too, was out of ideas. There was nothing they could do now.

Maybe they could run, but with his father's resources it wouldn't take long for them to be captured. He couldn't do that to Clara, couldn't let her feel the terror of being chased by armed guards like he had felt.

They were fucked.

"No."

The voice surprised him, and he turned to the door. Clara too, turned, her mouth almost dropping open as she beheld who had spoken.

His father straightened at the words, and narrowed his eyes.

"Joanne, go back to the kitchen."

Luke's mother stood in the doorway, her eyes were frightened, yet she straightened herself taller, lifting her chin as she refused to break their father's stony glare.

"No," she repeated, more forcefully this time. "I wont."

"This does not involve you Joanne," he growled and his mother laughed.

Luke glanced at Clara who was instantly struck dumb by the sight of his mother laughing in the face of the monster. She had never, in all their lives, dared to step up to him, and yet at this final hour, here she was.

"They are my children Stephen, of course it involves me. I have let them suffer your tyrannous behaviour long enough don't you think?"

"You dare speak-"

"Shut up and listen to me for once in your goddammed life!" She cried, and Clara flinched, neither ever having heard their mother raise her voice at anyone, let alone at their father.

Her voice softened to a plea, "If you ever loved me, please listen."

To Luke's surprise, his father stayed silent, watching her with a grey stony face. His mother took that as her sign to speak, walking forward slightly as she did.

"You were a good man once. When we were first married, we were so happy," she said, smiling sadly at the memory. "The day Luke and Clara were born, you cried. You held them in your arms and said they were the most precious thing you'd ever held. You said they were your world. But you replaced them for this." She gestured at the house around them, the world around them.

"Look at yourself Stephen! This new world order that you love so much, has destroyed the man I loved. I stayed, hoping you were still in there deep down. I stayed when you hit me, when you made me give up working to become a housewife," she began to cry, "I even stayed when you betrayed your only son and...."

Her lips trembled, "and hit your daughter right in front of me."

"But I see now, that the man I loved is gone. You would condemn our children, our beautiful children to miserable lives. I thought the whole reason you got into the government was for them? For protecting their futures?!"

"I am trying to protect their futures!" His father cried, finally breaking his facade. "This has all been for them!"

"Look at them, my love," she whispered, "look at what you've done."

His father glanced between Clara and Luke, his face struggling to conceal his emotions as he shook his head. "Our children are wild, you see what he did to me? His own father?" He said gesturing to his face. "You don't understand, Joanne. It will seem cruel now, but when the world order-"

"You want to marry our daughter to a repulsive man," she interrupted, her voice had never been so sure, so confident. Luke gazed at her in awe and a new found respect. This was not the mother he knew, but one he hoped he would get the chance to.

"Repulsive? He is one of the richest men in the country, she would be lucky to-"

"You tortured your son!" she cried, her voice breaking slightly on the words. She glanced to Luke then, her face imploring forgiveness, before looking back at his father. And now, the hate in her face was fierce, repulsion filling her eyes.

"I never knew what happened in that clinic, you never let me see. And my own children didn't trust me enough to tell me. But I always suspected. The way Luke looked when I..." she put her hand over her mouth as the sob broke off her words for a moment. She lowered her trembling fingers, "and now... you just admitted it! You threw it in his face like it was nothing!"

"It wasn't torture per se," his father muttered.

His mother shook her head slowly. "You are insane. Or worse, you truly believe this to be right. Either way, it is over, Stephen."

"No. It's not over unless I say it's over," he snarled.

"It's over," she said firmly. "I have made plans to find my sister over the border. We are leaving this godforsaken country and you will not stop us."

"Like hell I won't! "He moved towards her with a furious expression, and Luke stepped forward at the same moment Clara did, stopping him from reaching her.

"You want to go for round two?" Luke growled and his father glared at him. The small height difference between himself and his father had never felt so large as he looked down at him, returning the glare.

His mother pushed them both aside gently, her hand resting on Luke's arm.

"You don't need to fight him, he will let us go,"

She said softly.

"I will do no such thing!" He cried, looking at the three of them in fury. "Let my entire family walk out on me! The dishonour! The family name ruined!"

"You have two choices," his mother said, her voice still soft and sad. "You either let us go, and we will go quietly. No one has to know, you can make up whatever story you want to spin as to where we are. I know you like doing that."

"Or, you can try and stop us, and we will tell everyone, everything. The press wouldn't resist if I told them I had a juicy scandalous story about one of the countries top government officials. Luke can confess his sexuality that you are so ashamed of, Clara can be as bratty as she wants, as long as it makes you look as bad as possible. And I, my dear Stephen. I will tell them how we met."

He glared at her, but his mother just smiled a small smile.

"What would the people think if they knew you married a stripper, a sex worker? I have photos to prove it too, although my moves would probably be truth enough. I reckon I could still put on a good show."

"You would destroy our entire family," he hissed.

"No. You destroyed our entire family. But you can chose to do the right thing now, and let us go, or you can go down with us."

She lifted her hands then to his face, and Luke was shocked to see tears form in his eyes. For a moment there was a glimpse of the father he could have been as he pressed his own hand over hers, closing his eyes. When they reopened, they were full of agonised love. A look that unnerved Luke with its unfamiliarity.

"I love you Joanne, don't... don't leave me this way," he whispered.

"I love the man I married. If you are in there at all, you will do the right thing."

He stared into her eyes, as she smiled sadly at him. He gazed back at her, and then his eyes turned to Luke. There was a strange look in them, emotions and thoughts he didn't fully understand or recognise were clearly battling inside him. He looked back down at his wife with an agonised expression. Slowly, he closed his eyes and pulled out of her grip, brushing the tears from his cheeks roughly. He opened his eyes, and they were resolute. He gave one curt nod.

"Now," he whispered. "Before I change my mind."

***

Daniel

He yawned, glancing at his phone to the check the time.

"It's getting late," he said and his dad murmured something in agreement.

He looked back at the tv show they were supposed to be watching, despite the fact that Daniel had been on his phone and his dad was reading a book.

He turned off the tv, and without its light it grew dark in the living room.

"I should probably go to bed, I've got school tomorrow," he said, heading to the kitchen to tidy away the dishes from dinner. When he was done, he was about to head upstairs when he saw headlights pull up on the drive.

Instantly he felt fear pound through his veins. His mind began replaying when the police had come for him, he remembered their black uniforms, the guns. He looked to his father for support, but he too had got to his feet looking pale.

There was a slam of car doors, indistinguishable voices and Daniel froze. His father moved to the window, looking out of the blinds. He frowned and then he too froze.

"Oh my god," he whispered, just as there was a resounding, loud knock on the door.

***

Luke

"We're close," he said, leaning forward in his seat to look through the windscreen at the increasingly familiar streets.

He bounced his leg in anticipation and pent up adrenaline, his heart aching to burst.

The last few hours had been a whirlwind. His mother had stood up to their father, and had won. When he had agreed, they immediately began to pack their most precious belongings into bags.

There had been no goodbyes, but his father had watched from the front door, as they drove away.

His mother had begun crying as she drove, but quickly stifled her tears, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

Clara had sat in the front seat, and rested her hand on her mother's leg.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She shook her head, "no, not yet. Let's wait until we're safely over the border for that. Now Luke, I'll need you to help me find where Daniel lives."

"Really?" He said, feeling relief fill him.

"Of course, darling. Did you think I expected you to go without him? Your mother is not as blind as you think."

He wanted to hug her, tell her how grateful he was, but he knew that would only make her cry again. When they were safe, there would be time for that. A whole future of freedom and possibilities. He shook his head, now was not the time to daydream about what ifs.

He reached from the seat behind to rest a hand on his mother's shoulder, a silent message. She touched his hand, gently, squeezing his fingers, before returning to the steering wheel.

It was a long journey back to their old home, but once they reached the town, it became easy to recall the old routes.

By the time they turned onto his street it had grown late, each set of headlights coming towards them had set him on edge. What if his father changed his mind? At any moment, this brief taste of freedom could be ripped away forever. But when he saw his Danny's house, that fear melted away into something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. A pure, warmth blossomed in his chest, so different from the fierce boiling rage that he had felt filling him only hours ago.

"Here," he whispered.

Silently, his mother pulled onto the drive, and then turned to face him. She smiled, and stroked his cheek affectionately.

"Ready?" She asked.

He nodded, and stepped out of the car.

His legs felt shaky as he stood, gazing at his door. Clara got out the car and walked to him, holding his hand.

"You okay?" She asked.

"What do I even say?" He replied helplessly.

"Just focus on the small steps. First, knock on the door. Then worry about the next thing after that."

He felt his mother on his other side, both of them speaking words of encouragement that he couldn't quite make out through the ringing his ears.

This was a dream, it wasn't real. He would wake up back that clinic, he knew it. But at least, he would be able to see him again, even if it was only in his head. He would see that perfect face, his shocking blue eyes, maybe he'd even be lucky enough to see him smile again. He ached with longing for how much he had missed that smile.

He took a deep breath, and approached the door. With a shaking hand, he knocked.

***

- [ ]

Daniel

"Danny?"

The voice. His voice. He would know it anywhere.

He must be imagining it. He had wished for the sound of that voice, imagined it saying his name so many times that it didn't sound real. It couldn't be real. Luke couldn't be here. Could he?

"Danny? It's me," the voice said again.

He looked to his father, to see if he had heard it too. If he could hear it then maybe, maybe he wasn't going mad and it really was real. Maybe he could be real. He couldn't bear the hope that began constricting his chest.

His father's reluctant smile, accompanied with a small amused eye roll, felt like a punch to the gut. It was real.

"Danny? Are you home? Please god be home," the voice said again. Luke said. It was Luke.

He suddenly seemed to be in control of his limbs again, all at once realising that Luke was at his door. Luke was mere meters away on the other side of that thin bit of wood. His face broke into a grin as he ran for the door and wrenched it open.

And there he was.

Luke stood before him, as skinny as he had looked in the news video, dark circles under his eyes, and his hair short and spiky, as it grew unevenly. But otherwise he was still Luke. His Luke. The boy he was helplessly, head over heels in love with.

He gazed at his face, his long nose, his mouth that seemed to be frozen in a shocked open mouthed 'oh' and his eyes. His warm, brown beautiful eyes were fixed on him, and they reflected back every emotion that Daniel felt coursing through his own. Fear, pain, sadness, and excitement, and love. So much love that it hurt. As if it wasn't possible to contain it in a simple human body.

Every doubt and worry he had possessed disappeared as he threw himself at Luke. He wrapped his arms around Luke's shoulders and buried his face into his neck, feeling as Luke's arms closed tightly around his back, lifting him briefly off the floor with the intensity of his hug.

"You're okay, you're okay," Luke was murmuring into his hair, seemingly reassuring himself more than anything.

Daniel lifted his head to look at him, and could see hot tears streaming down his face thick and fast. His own face too was already wet with tears he didn't remember shedding.

They kissed then, their lips pressing together in hungry, desperate love. It didn't matter who was watching, who might see, not anymore.

"You're here," he said thickly when they broke apart, "how are you here?"

"It's a long story," Luke said, moving his hands to cup his face, "but we're getting out Danny. Right now. We're going far far away, somewhere we can be together. Please say you'll come."

Danny didn't hesitate, "of course I'll come.

I'll follow you anywhere you know that."

Luke smiled, a smile filled with pain and love. So much pain circled in his eyes, and Daniel ached to know but also feared knowing what had caused it. He stoked his cheek gently, and Daniel leaned into his warm touch, desperate to remember the feel of it, to imprint it forever on his cheek.

"I don't want to ruin the moment, but maybe we should go inside?" Luke's mother suggested, glancing around at the quiet street beyond.

"Right," Danny said, not questioning her presence. If Luke trusted her enough to be here then that's good enough for him. He pulled Luke inside and shut the door once Clara and his mother had followed.

"What's the plan?" He asked once they were all safely inside.

"It's too long to explain how, and we are on a time limit. Simply, we are driving north to cross at a remote part of the border, to where my sister will vouch for us to cross and into her care. She says they have a refugee system, and that if we explain how you were both treated because of your sexuality that will be enough to grant asylum for us all."

"Even without a passport?" Daniel winces.

"It was taken away as a condition of his bail, along with not leaving this house and keeping far away from your family," his dad explained. "Although I feel like you guys coming to our doorstep invalidates that a bit."

"That should all be okay once we reach the border, since you're seeking asylum under grounds of persecution. But we need to be careful on our way there, any police we encounter may not be so understanding. If you have another form of identification for the border, bring it."

"I'll find his birth certificate," his father agreed and Mrs Weston smiled.

"That's perfect. Now quick Daniel, go get yourself packed quickly, we have no time to waste."

"I'll help," Luke said, squeezing his hand. Daniel knew that Luke shared his desire to stay together, and not let the other out of their sight.

***

Luke

As soon as the door closed to his bedroom, his hands were immediately on Danny. He pulled him close, feeling his body everywhere, the warmth of him, the intoxicating smell of him. They kissed deeply, and he tasted so familiar, so right that he couldn't help but sigh into him. He felt like the shattered pieces of his soul were already beginning move back into place. When he was with Danny, he knew who he was again. Felt alive again. He hadn't realised quite how far he had drifted from himself.

The moment he had opened that door, he reminisced back to when he had first discovered that Danny was gay. Danny had ran away from him, and he had followed. He hadn't known why he had been pulled to this boy so strongly, but he knew he had to follow, to make things right.

He remembered him standing in the doorway, looking so broken at his discovery. Little did he, or Luke know then that it was the start of something much bigger.

When the door opened this time, Danny's face was already spread into a wide grin. He had dazzled him, looking at him like that. And he knew in the moment that this had to be real, because his imagination couldn't have conjured up anything this perfect.

His smile lit up his face, his bright eyes sparkling with so many emotions it looked like he'd explode. So when he jumped into his arms, he was ready. He held him close, burying his face in his black hair, wishing never to let go.

"I missed you," Danny whispered now as they leaned, entwined together against his bedroom door.

"I missed you too, so much," Luke replied, lifting his face again to gaze at it. He could never get enough of looking at him. He wanted to commit every inch of his perfect face to his memory.

Danny's hand reached up to touch his spiky hair with a frown.

"Where were you?" Danny asked. "I looked for you at the prison, and after but-"

Luke winced, gently guiding Danny's hand away from his hair, aware of the tick that spasmed in his neck as he did so. They were less frequent than they had been, but the damage caused by the clinic still came out on occasion, particularly when he thought about the place. He saw Danny notice the reaction, concern rippling across that perfect face.

"I will... tell you everything. And I want to hear everything that happened to you too, but not yet. Not now. Now, I just want to feel you in my arms, and convince myself this is real."

Danny's arms wrapped back around him again, squeezing him tightly, and he rested his head against his chest, his hair tickling Luke's chin.

"This is real, Luke," he whispered. "We're okay."

At some point they must have started kissing again, because when the knock sounded on the bedroom door, they broke apart guiltily.

Clara's head peeked round the corner with a skeptical look.

"Yeah, as expected, we're not exactly helping are we Luke. There'll be plenty of time for that once we get out of here, come on!"

Luke knew she was right, but still couldn't help feeling annoyed at the interruption. At the sight of Danny's pink cheeks however, he felt his annoyance be replaced by amused happiness. He grinned stupidly. He could never stay angry at anyone with him around.

"Jeez you are like a puppy dog," Clara rolled her eyes at him but he could see that she was smiling too.

"Okay, okay fine. Let's pack your stuff," he agreed, giving Danny a meaningful look. He grinned mischievously in response, before turning to grab some clothes from his wardrobe.

Later, they would continue what they started, and he would ensure that they were not interrupted.

***

Daniel

Once packed, he, Luke and Clara headed downstairs. Luke's mother was sat perched on the edge of the sofa, looking uncomfortably out of place, but trying her best not to.

His Dad leaned over the kitchen, gazing out of the window into the dark night.

"Dad, where's your stuff?"

He turned to look at him and smiled sadly, "I'm not coming with you kiddo."

He looked from his dad to Mrs Weston, "but why?"

She stood up and walked towards them both, shaking her head. "I told him he could, but..."

"I can't leave this place Daniel," he said, looking at his feet. Daniel stared at him in confusion, he had never looked so small.

"But, I don't understand," he whispered, "I don't want to lose you. Not now."

Not now. For his father had been more of a father to him in these last few weeks than any of his ninteen years prior. He had gone sober, had visited him in prison, had done everything he could to get his bail. He had finally opened up to him, and they had just begun to have a relationship. Why did it have to end when it had only just begun?

"I can't leave... her," he said gruffly, "your mother. This house, the meadow... she's part of this place, whether I like it or not."

He gripped the kitchen counters, shaking his head as he gazed out the window.

"You go kid, she'd want you to be happy."

"She'd want you to be happy too, Dad," he replied, but he just smiled grimly.

"Daniel, go put your things in the car," Mrs Weston said softly and Daniel shook his head.

"No! Dad, you can't do this! You have to come with us!"

"Dan-"

"No! I won't leave you. They'll punish you for this, you know they will."

"I know," he said softly. "I just can't leave her here alone."

A silent resolute stubbornness was in the air, but his father's eyes were filled with sorrow.

"I know how it feels," Mrs Weston said then, breaking the silence. "In my own way, I feel like my husband, the husband I love, died a long time ago. But... your wife, she isn't in a building or a meadow..." she said, walking towards where Daniel stood, still hand in hand with Luke.

She touched Luke's arm for a moment with a small smile, before looking at Daniel. Her eyes were warm as she looked at him.

"Your wife, is here," she said, touching Daniel's chest gently. "In your son."

His Dad gazed at him, his eyes sparkling with grief as his knuckles whitened on the counter tops.

He gently broke free of Luke's hand, walking towards his father, so they stood eye to eye.

"Dad, please," he said softly.

He could see the moment he broke. He nodded rapidly, before putting his arms around him. Daniel could count on one hand the amount of times his father had hugged him, let alone shown this emotion. He let him hold him tightly, feeling his torn heart.

"I love you Dad," he said and he heard his father's breathing catch. He realised that recently his father had told him so many times that he loved him, but he had never once returned the words. Subconsciously he had not been ready, but he had no idea the power they held over his father.

When he pulled away, he saw him smile, actually smile at him, a lightness spreading across his face that he had never seen before.

"Okay. Come on kid, let's get out of here."

***

Clara

They drove north. Mr Hughes had offered to do the driving, and her mother had accepted, sitting in the passenger seat in front of Clara. She watched her turn to look back at Luke more than once, a small smile on her lips.

Luke sat on the right side of the car, oblivious to her glances. Danny had fallen asleep on his shoulder, and he looked like he couldn't be happier, as he gently stroked his hair.

It had been odd for a brief moment when she had watched them on the doorstep. However much she knew about what had been going on between them, it was still a surprise to watch their clear display of love so openly.

But when they kissed, she was struck by how right it felt. Their happiness was infectious, oozing from them in waves. She even felt a little jealous. She didn't think she had ever seen what true love was until that moment. She knew then, that whatever happened. This was worth fighting for, and not just for Luke's happiness, but her own happy after too.

When they went inside, Luke could barely keep his eyes off Danny for more than a few seconds. It seemed like he couldn't bear look away, in case he might disappear if he looked away for too long.

Danny had given her a small smile at one point, a friendly olive branch that she returned. He had always been kind to her, and she was glad to know he was safe, and have him back in their lives. They would talk, properly, once they were safe.

"How far to the border?" She asked, leaning forward between the two front seats.

"Probably 40 minutes or so now, definitely less than an hour," Mr Hughes said firmly, his grip on the steering wheel tight as he glanced into the mirror behind them.

An hour. If they could get to the border safely then they would be safe. If they were stopped before then... she didn't even want to think about it. Mother had directed them to a place that was supposedly safest to cross, that should have minimal patrols. She wasn't quite sure how her mother knew, but no one had questioned it.

When she had been awoken by her father, telling her this morning of her impending nuptials, she had no idea that by the days end, she would be here. So close to escaping it all.

She pulled at her sleeve, the bruises on her forearm beginning to peek out of the bottom. There would be time to fill Luke in on all that father had done, somewhere safe, but not yet.

She looked over at him, and saw that his eyelids too had now fluttered shut, a small smile on his lips, his hand limp in Danny's hair.

She hadn't seen him fall asleep so soundly since before the clinic. Every night she had gone to him, and held him as he was plagued by nightmares and shakes, trying desperately to soothe him as he moaned and sobbed. It was a relief to see him so peaceful.

Clara gazed out of the window, watching the trees race by. She tried to focus on them, rather than the raging anxiety that circled in her mind over and over. No, she would not let herself dwell, instead she began to count the trees.

It was many minutes later and over three hundred trees, that she saw Mr Hughes sit straighter in his seat, and her mother gasp.

"Shit," Mr Hughes muttered, and Clara saw why. The flashing blue lights shone across all their faces as they approached the parked police car blocking the road ahead.

"Wake the boys," her mother said sharply and she did, shaking both Luke and Danny awake. They immediately saw the lights too and she watched as the blood drained from Luke's face, and his lips tightened.

"It'll be fine," she said, knowing that she could be very very wrong, "it's going to be okay."

"Dad, what do we do?" Daniel whispered, and Luke tightened his grip around him.

"Do we go on foot?" Luke suggested hesitantly, as if he knew the idea was fruitless even as it came out of his mouth.

"No, pretend to be asleep all of you," Mr Hughes said sharply.

"But-" Daniel tried to say but his father interrupted him.

"We don't have time, now!"

Clara exchanged worried glances with Luke and Danny, before doing what she was told. She leant against the cool glass of the window, feeling the damp condensation against her cheek. Her heart beat was loud in her ears as she felt the car steadily slowing.

This is the end, a dreaded voice whispered in her mind. How foolish she had been to think they could get away with this. There would never be an escaping this life.

***

Luke

He watched as Clara closed her eyes, quickly lying against the window. His gaze darted back to the police car, it was so close they only had moments until they would be rolling to a stop.

He gazed into Danny's frightened face for a heartbeat, before he too closed his eyes and leant back against his shoulder.

Luke reached for his hand, and squeezed it once, before letting go and leaning his head back against the headrest in faux sleep.

The car stopped, and he heard as Mr Hughes pulled on the handbrake and opened the window.

"Evening officers," he said in a convincingly calm voice.

"Good evening," an unfamiliar male voice said and Luke saw the flash of a torch through his eyelids. He tried to focus on the feel of Danny's head on his shoulder. The comforting weight, the subtle fresh woodland smell of his hair.

"Identification if you will."

"Of course," Mother said, rustling in what Luke assumed was her bag. "Here's mine, and my daughter..."

"My drivers licence," Mr Hughes said.

His mother seemed to continue the rustling as if searching her bag, "oh goodness, the boys' seem to be in my other bag!"

"Ah, Mrs Weston, yes we were informed you were travelling with a small party tonight."

Luke's heart skipped a beat. His father had changed his mind after all then. It was all over.

After all this, they would be captured mere miles from the border. He felt bitter fury and sorrow build in him, making his heart race faster, his breathing quicken. He felt Danny's leg press deliberately against his, his finger brush his thigh softly, so gently no one would see in the darkness. He forced himself to keep control, to breathe slowly and convincingly for deep sleep.

"I recognise your son now, yes quite right. You've come a long way, no wonder they're all asleep back there," the officer chuckled lightly. "We were informed by your husband that you would be crossing the border to visit your sister and to let you through. But why are you so far East of the checkpoint?"

Let us through? Father had said to let us through?

"Are we?" Mr Hughes said in convincing surprise, "gosh, I'm sorry I had no idea. I could have sworn we were going the right way."

"It's easily done in the dark," the officer said cheerfully. "If you head north of here and then take the first sharp left in about five minutes or so then that should get you back on course soon enough."

"Thank you officer, you are most kind," his mother said, and he could hear from the tone of her voice that she was flashing her wide smile.

"No problem, ma'am. It's a shame young Master Weston is asleep. Please tell him I was really impressed to hear him speak the other day. So many in the younger generation don't appreciate what it is we have created here. Please pass on my best. Here's your identification back."

"We would be honoured, and thank you again officer. You are doing gods work," his mother said in her sweetest voice.

There was the sound of footsteps and the window rolled up.

"No one move," Mr Hughes hissed, as the car began to roll forward slowly. Luke heard the police car engine roar, and suddenly they were moving.

Danny's little finger wrapped around his own, holding it tightly as he kept his eyelids locked closed. He listened carefully as the engine revved and they sped up further still.

"Okay, we're clear," Mr Hughes said, heaving a heavy sigh. "Fucking hell that could have been the end of all of us."

"It would have been," Clara said, her eyes wide, "if Dad hadn't... did he really do that to help us?"

"Yes," their mother said sadly, "I believe that is your father, the father who loves you deep down, giving you his blessing."

Luke didn't speak, he didn't know what he could say. He couldn't feel grateful for what his father had done, not yet. Not after everything he had done to him, to Clara, to Danny, and even his mother. But it was a significant message of acceptance, that he couldn't ignore. Sometime in the future, he may be able to be grateful for this. For now, he just felt relief.

"I take it we won't be following their directions to the checkpoint?" He asked instead, changing the subject from his father.

"No, we will continue on course," Mr Hughes said, "I doubt there will be anymore police, since those cops were already blocking the road back there and there's no other access other than the route that leads directly to the checkpoint," he said, gesturing on his sat nav to the road markings ahead, "so people won't be coming that way either. We can't be more than fifteen minutes away from the border now."

Fifteen minutes doesn't usually seem like long. But when you're desperately aware of each passing second, it seemed to go agonisingly slowly.

Five minutes passed. The road began to be surrounded by denser tree cover, as they headed into the woodland.

Eight minutes. Danny was gripping his hand tight now, gazing out the window for any sign of blue lights or movement.

Ten minutes. The moon had disappeared behind thick tree branches and leaves. They were now in the woodland proper. The road began to turn into bumpy forest track.

Twelve minutes. He reached his free hand behind Danny's head towards Clara. She held it, and gave him a small, frightened smile as they jostled between potholes and puddles.

Fifteen minutes. The car was silent. No one dared suggest that they may be safe, that they may have crossed the border. There was no big red finish line to cross, no sign that told them if they had escaped.

They drove on, and as the they did, the tree cover began to thin.

"We're nearly out of the woodland," his mother whispered. "The far side of this wood is definitely over the border. If we are out of the trees then..."

"We're free," Danny whispered, as the trees fell away into crisp dark night.

"Oh my god," Clara whispered, turning to Luke, her face beginning to break into a look of relieved joy. He felt the own look reflected on his own face as he looked back at her and grinned.

Danny put his hands over his mouth, his face pure shock. When he withdrew them and turned to Luke, he began to laugh. Hysterical hiccuping laughs of relief bubbled out of him. He heard his mother echoing them, and then Mr Hughes made a whooping sound. Soon the car was full of laughing and cheering.

He grabbed Danny tightly and kissed his forehead. It was a strange feeling, knowing that it wasn't taboo anymore, not here. Here they could actually be together, they could have a life. The endless possibilities that suddenly began to stretch before him were overwhelming and he covered his face as the tears began to fall.

Danny gently peeled his damp fingers away, and held them tightly. He said nothing of his tears, understanding that there were no words for this moment. He just leaned up and planted a soft kiss on his lips before giving him that warm, beautiful smile that he had longed for for months.

"I love you, Luke," he whispered.

"I love you too Danny, so fucking much," he replied.

***

Daniel

It felt strange as he stepped out of the car, holding Luke's hand. They had driven to the check point on their side of the border, and parked up near an official building.

People in hi-vis approached, and he felt the surge of initial panic that he had to let go of Luke's hand. But Luke's grip was tight, reminding him that this was okay here, normal even.

The workers asked their names and where the came from, before launching into a rather official protocol. Following Mrs Weston's instructions, they were all marked as asylum seekers and guided inside.

Daniel felt a little nervous as he surveyed the tiled floor and plastic seats, reminding him of when he had been arrested all those months ago.

"Good evening, or perhaps I should say good morning," a woman said as she approached. She had a friendly demeanor and held a clipboard under one arm. "I'm Sara, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm here to do a brief interview with each of you if that is okay, it's part of the process of anyone seeking refuge across the border, to ensure that you are rightfully here and also to understand what we are dealing with over there. We get some of our best intel from refugees, so please, be honest and thorough as you can."

Daniel glanced uneasily at Luke, at the word 'refugees'. It felt bizarre to be referred to as such, and yet he guessed that's what they were.

He watched as both his father and Mrs Weston went with the lady one by one, returning with solemn expressions, but no signs of alarm or warning. Daniel guessed it really was best to just be honest.

"Luke Weston?" She said, reading from the clipboard.

"Here," Luke said, rising from his seat, his hand still tightly gripped with Daniel's.

"This way," Sara smiled but Luke hesitated.

"Can- can Danny come too?"

She looked between them both, and then at their hands before smiling.

"Yes, that's fine. I can conduct your interviews together."

They walked into the interview room together, Luke's hand was tight around his. The tension was also evident on his face, and Daniel notice again that odd ticking motion he did with his neck.

The interviewer began first by asking fairly standard questions about their identity, and basic medical and educational history, but soon she turned onto more recent events.

"Now having already spoken to each of your respective parents, I am already aware that you both were in a relationship that was subsequently reported to the police by Mr Weston, correct?"

"Yes," Luke said, and Daniel nodded, his mouth dry.

"And, could you fill me in on what happened after that? Daniel, your father said you went to prison?"

"Yes, I... I was there for a few months until Dad could arrange bail," he said quietly.

"And did anything untoward happen to you during or after this experience?"

"No, I mean... nothing unusual. Homophobic stuff, the church didn't let us back in when I was back."

She smiled softly, "thank you Daniel. Your father has filled me in a lot already, so I won't make you relive your experience."

She turned with an apologetic look to Luke, "unfortunately, your mother was kept mostly in the dark regarding your experience Luke, but what she told me is quite serious and important for us to know. Would you be able to tell us a little about what happened at the clinic?"

Clinic? His eyes darted to Luke who had paled, his hand gripping the side of his chair tightly. Daniel squeezed his hand, and Luke glanced at him, his eyes distant. He ran his free hand through his short hair and breathed heavily.

"Yeah, yeah if it helps. Of course I will," he said.

Sara didnt speak, allowing him space to think. He leant forward and cleared his throat.

He began speaking in halting sentences, describing waking up at the clinic and the early days of therapy and treatments. Daniel felt his chest hurt when he began to describe the more intense practices that he was put through, but it was when Luke stopped and looked at him that he felt the dread fill his stomach. He knew that look, something worse was coming, whatever it was that was still affecting him now.

"It's okay," he encouraged, "you're safe."

"I er-" he said, looking down at the floor swallowing, "one day they decided to try shock therapy, from like 1900 and something my father said, I don't know." He took a deep shaking breath, "they strapped me down, and put these wires everywhere, and- and they-" he was gulping now.

Daniel gritted his teeth as he gazed at Luke. His father had let this happen, had let these strangers hurt him like this? He felt disgusted and angry, but more than anything pity and love for Luke for persevering through all that and still making his way back to him.

"It's okay Luke, you don't need to say more," Sara said gently.

Luke nodded, shaking slightly at the mere memory, "they did it... a lot of times, I lost count around twenty something. It hurt so much, and I got so weak that I couldn't even stand by myself. I still feel aftershocks sometimes, like a residual buzz I guess."

Daniel leant his forehead against Luke's arm in silent support, and Luke squeezed his hand looking down at him with a sad yet relieved expression, as if telling Danny had been weighing on him.

There were no words strong enough to express his feelings in that moment, but he knew that Luke didn't need words. Their bond was closer than that. So he gave him a small smile and Luke returned it, putting his arm around him and pulling him close.

Daniel realised, they had barely had a second without touching each other in some way since Luke had knocked on his door. He needed Luke's touch, and apparently the feeling was mutual.

No problem, he didn't intend to ever let him go again.

***

Luke

Once the interview was concluded, they were taken back to the foyer where Sara told them that they were free to go with their host sponsor.

When they left the building they were greeted by a woman with short cropped hair with pink streaks, wearing paint splattered jeans.

On seeing her, his mother let out a choked sob and ran into her arms.

"Oh, Jo! I missed you my little sister," the woman cried.

Luke and Clara exchanged glances, they knew their mother had a sister, but this was not what they expected.

When their mother finally collected herself, she turned gulping to introduce them all.

"My god, I've waited so long, hoping one day I'd get to meet you both. You must be my dashing nephew Luke, blimey you're tall!" she laughed, and as she approached Luke for a hug, he began to see the resemblance between them. Their eyes, their smiles, the same round cheeks that he recognised in Clara's face too.

"I'm sorry I don't even know your name," Luke said apologetically as she pulled away to get a better look at him.

She sighed, "Frankie, gee couldn't even tell them my name Jo?"

Their mother's cheeks went pink at that, but Frankie didn't seem to mind, as she hugged Danny next.

"You must be Danny. My nephew's got good taste," she teased and Danny smiled sheepishly.

He grinned. "Yep, totally out of my league,"he whispered to Danny who scoffed and barged him with his shoulder.

"Idiot," he heard him mutter, which only made him grin wider.

Lastly she turned to Clara, "wow, you look just like your mum did when she was your age. My beautiful Clara," she said hugging her tightly before standing back to look at them.

"I'm so glad you're all finally here," she said sincerely. "And thank you," she said, turning to Danny's dad, "for helping her get here."

"No problem," he said gruffly.

"How come you both were separated?" Clara asked curiously.

Their mother sighed, "it's a long story."

"It's not actually," Frankie shrugged, "I'm a lesbian, so I got out before things got real bad. Your mum was supposed to come with me, but she was in love so refused. But I always waited for you to come back to me, sister," she said with a sad smile.

Their mother began to tear up again, "I'm sorry."

"Rubbish! Nothing to be sorry for Jo, and besides, you're here now, you're safe, and that's all that matters. Come on, let's get you all home. It'll be cosy, but it'll do just fine."

They walked towards the car, hand in hand. His mother's arms wrapped around her sister on one side and Clara on the other. Daniel's dad trailed behind them, a small smile on his lips as he glanced up at the sky.

The stars were beginning to fade as dawn light began to appear on the horizon. The dark trees rustling peacefully in the breeze.

Luke thought he heard him whisper as he passed, so soft that he felt like wasn't supposed to have heard him at all. A private vow between him and the sky.

"My promise has been kept, my love. You can rest now."

Luke tightened his grip on Danny's hand, as they walked into forever.

***

Epilogue

*One Year Later*

Daniel

"Ok so my Dad, your Mum, Aunt Frankie, Clara..." Daniel said, counting the names on his fingers as he spoke

"Your Dad isn't bringing Lois?" Luke asked as he grabbed the plates from the cupboard beside where he sat on the kitchen counter.

The kitchen was small, in the little flat, but it was theirs. Their home together, and as long as Luke was in it, Daniel would live in a shack for all he cared.

"No she's working today, down at the border," he added, smiling even now at the thought of his Dad's girlfriend. She was kind, beautiful and made his Dad happier than he had been in years. Although he missed his Mum, and his Dad did too, he knew that she wouldn't have wanted them to grieve her loss so rawly forever.

"So... that makes six," Daniel said, and Luke grinned, brandishing seven plates before beginning to place them on the table.

"Actually, seven," he said, "Clara's bringing a plus one."

"Oh is she now?" Daniel grinned, hopping from the counter to retrieve the cutlery. "Tell me more."

"I don't know much, but his name is Tom and she sounded very gushy," Luke replied and they both laughed, continuing to set the table.

The smell of dinner cooking in the oven had grown by the time they had finished and Daniel shamelessly watched as Luke lifted the large dishes from the oven, a tea towel draped over one shoulder, and a focused expression on his face as he examined the dishes.

After a moment, Luke glanced up, his furrowed eyebrows parting slightly as he half smiled, "what?"

"Nothing," Daniel said, smiling back at him with a shrug. "Just checking you out."

Luke chuckled, returning the dishes to the oven, and then turning slowly towards him. He looked so healthy and alive. Over the last year, the shadows under his eyes had gone, his hair had grown back into the messy golden locks that he adored, and he had even bulked out a little, the muscles of his arms defined in a way that made Daniel's mouth water unashamedly.

But it was the look in his eyes, twinkling at him with a knowing look, that made Daniel's breath hitch. Bright, and full of love, for him.

Luke approached, bracing both hands on the counter either side of Daniel, and brushed his lips against Daniel's neck, making him gasp softly.

"We've got half an hour before everyone gets here..." he mumbled into his neck and Daniel laughed softly, wrapping his arms around his neck tightly.

Luke lifted his head with a smirk, before bending and grabbing his legs and pulling him up onto his hips. Daniel giggled like a child, before kissing him firmly, his fingers sinking into his hair.

Luke walked slowly, carrying him straight towards the bedroom, only breaking the kiss when he dropped him onto the bed. Daniel noticed the light through their bedroom curtains landing in Luke's beautiful hair, just like that first day at the church, and the many days after in the meadow. But now, they were safe, they were free and they had eternity to be together. It still somehow didn't seem enough time.

Luke pulled his clothes off quickly, and Daniel copied, pulling off his shirt, and unbuckling his jeans. Luke's hands took his, and without a word, he took over, undressing Daniel where he lay before him. When they were both naked, he prowled onto the bed above him, kissing him again. His mouth was warm and hot, and Daniel moaned as he felt his hands exploring his body.

His breathing laboured as Luke's hands closed on his cock, and began to pump slowly and firmly. Daniel closed his eyes, the feel of Luke, the smell and weight of him making him sigh in pleasure, along with the teasing pleasure of his cock. Luke's mouth moved down his neck and then to his midriff, but even with knowing what was coming next, the feeling of his hot tongue on the head of his cock still made his back arch in pleasure.

His tongue swirled, and he opened his eyes to look down at Luke, his tongue, his mouth, his eyes firmly fixed on his own. A small smirk formed in the corner of his mouth, which only made him shudder in pleasure again.

Luke. Perfect, handsome, sex god. His. How was he so lucky?

There was a knock from through the door. Luke instantly froze, as did Daniel, turning at the sound.

"Hello?!" Clara's voice was muffled, but it was definitely Clara. Then the sound of the front door being opened. "Can I come in?"

"Shit!" Luke hissed, grabbing his clothes off the floor, and throwing Daniel's trousers at him. Daniel's cock quickly began to deflate as he shrugged back on his shirt, fumbling the buttons.

"Guys? Where are you? I wanted to-"

Luke, dressed first, ran out of the bedroom, Daniel following close behind. He skidded to a halt beside Luke, panting in front of Clara. She paused, a slow smile spreading across her face as she observed them both.

"Did I... interrupt something?" She grinned.

Daniel looked at Luke, who was red faced, his hair disheveled and his shirt only half buttoned up. He considered making up some excuse about getting changed but Luke just scowled at his twin sister.

"Who just lets themselves in like that, and what are you doing here so early?" He grumbled, beginning to button up the rest of his shirt.

"I came early to make sure you were on your best behaviour with Tom coming! I told you, remember?" She said, unfazed by her brother's sour expression.

Luke glanced at Daniel with a sheepish expression, "oh... yeah. I forgot."

Daniel rolled his eyes at him with a grin, before turning to Clara. "It's no bother, do you want a drink Clara?" He asked, moving to the kitchen, trying to straighten his hair a little as he went.

Soon after, his Dad arrived, as did Luke's mother and aunt. Finally Clara's Tom arrived, a handsome man with dark tanned skin and a wide smile that Daniel couldn't help double taking at. Even Luke seemed slightly taken aback by his looks, his mouth dropping open slightly as he blinked at him, before looking to Danny with that mischievous twinkle that he got in his eyes. He loved that look. Danny rolled his eyes at him, but couldn't help grinning and laughing softly.

They had both taken a few minutes to straighten themselves out before they arrived, so none, other than Clara, knew what they had been up to. Although Luke's desire for Daniel was clearly not curbed, as he took any opportunity he could to brush up against Daniel in the kitchen, or touch him casually as they sat on the sofa.

When it came time for everyone to sit down, Daniel looked around the table. Everyone was happily chatting. His Dad was smiling widely, his eyes bright, his non- alcoholic drink in his hand, tee total life suiting him well, having lost the beer belly weight. Luke's Mum had become more chatty and open with her sister's help, and laughed with Clara and Tom cheerfully. Clara was beaming from ear to ear, gazing at Tom with a doting look that he had never seen her with before. It was a perfect scene.

Luke's arms wrapped around him from behind, making him start slightly. Luke nestled his head into his shoulder, looking at the table too.

"They look happy," he said, reading Daniel's mind.

"Yeah, they really do. One year free huh? It feels like yesterday and yet forever all at once."

"I know. I'm so glad we did it, Luke. That all of us did it, together."

"And, father..." Luke said, his voice halting slightly, as if always did when he spoke about his father. "He did the right thing... in the end."

Daniel turned to look at him, "he did. But it's okay not to forgive him yet, if you never forgive him for what he did to you."

Over the last year, they had heard very little from Luke's father. It seemed that not long after the family's exit, he disappeared from government into a quieter life. He hoped that maybe he had changed his ways, was trying to be better, but they would never know for sure.

Luke nodded and then sighed heavily, "I don't want to think about him. I want to celebrate with a nice dinner, and then throw our family out of here so we can get back to what we were doing earlier."

Daniel feigned a confused expression, "hmm what was that? I can't-"

Luke interrupted him with a kiss, and Daniel laughed against his mouth as they swayed slightly on the spot.

There was a wolf whistle behind them, and Daniel's Dad shouted, "get a room!"

Frankie's loud laughter echoed the statement before she too heckled them, "where's our dinner? We're starving!"

Reluctantly they broke apart, both glancing back at the table with light hearted annoyance before turning to the kitchen to get dinner.

Luke gave Daniel one last squeeze of his hand, and a long look.

There in that moment, Luke so healthy and happy, with the future ahead of them, their family safe and laughing behind him at the kitchen table... he couldn't think of anything more perfect.

Luke seemed to be thinking the same thing, his lips barely moving as he spoke, gazing at Danny.

"You and me," he whispered. "Forever."

"Forever," he replied, and let Luke tug him forward into a bright and beautiful future.

The End

Wow, if you got this far, thank you. I hope you enjoyed the story of Luke and Danny, my star crossed boys <3

Please drop a comment below, id love to hear your thoughts.. or just say hello :) Daisy x