Forever Is Not Enough

"So, any news?" Tom greeted him in the foyer with the same question he'd asked all week. Now Luke was in a dilemma. Lie to Tom and incur that steely wrath again, with possibly physical consequences this time, or betray Sandy and possibly lose her trust forever. He shook his head, then stopped.

"If I tell you, you HAVE to promise me to stay here, you CANNOT go charging off on a crusade?" he looked at Tom, who stared, then nodded.

"She phoned me this morning and before you ask, no, I don't know where she is other than in London." Luke took a breath and waited for the reaction. He was not disappointed.

"Thank God for that" Tom breathed, eyes closed almost in fear of what had been coming. "At least we know she's safe." He seemed genuinely relieved and Luke nodded.

"Yeah, but she doesn't sound like her. There's something more to this Tom, more than just a lapse of judgement. More than just a fight with me." he looked around, making sure there were no eavesdroppers. "One of her first questions was were you angry with her. I don't know what you two did, or didn't do and quite frankly as you pointed out, it's none of my business. The only reason I mention it is I think it has something to do with her reaction. Over-reaction to be truthful."

"Oh God. " Tom blanched "I promise I didn't hurt her, I didn't Luke, I SWEAR." he looked panicked now and Luke immediately put a hand on his arm.

"Calm down mate, it's ok it never crossed my mind that you did. There's something she wants to tell me - alone - so we're meeting tonight after this. And no, you can't come. She specifically said not to let you see her. I'm sorry, there isn't a pretty way to say it."

Tom looked devastated but he nodded silently. "Ok, but you HAVE to promise me you'll call me - no matter WHAT the time is ok? Even better, just get a cab to mine. I'll pay. I just want to know what's going on, if I can do ANYTHING to help ok? If she won't let me see her, at least tell her I... I'm thinking about her?" he looked at his friend, the unspoken emotion showing in his eyes.

Luke nodded and smiled. "You're a good man Thomas Hiddleston, you just need to be a bit less bloody handsome! Gets you into all sorts of trouble!" he slapped Tom on the shoulder and they turned to go into the reception. "Come on, time for Tom Mode... Sooner we get this night over the better - for both of us."

Sandy looked out the Cafe window at the rain. It was gone 1am and still no sign of Luke. She sipped her fifth coffee of the night. Even if she'd wanted to sleep, after all this caffeine she'd be lucky to sleep before Christmas. Blowing gently on the cup, she looked down as her phone pinged a message alert at her. Luke. Opening it, it said he was finally on his way and he was alone. He was telling her not to worry - or run.

She smiled, he knew her best of all didn't he? Probably more than she knew herself. She typed in "xx" in reply and waited. About ten minutes later, the door opened, the bell above it jangling harshly in the quiet night. A radio played some cheesy midnight love songs somewhere in the kitchen and, as it floated through, it could almost have been a scene from some Hallmark Romance. The couple, meeting in the cafe in secret, away from prying eyes. As she stood crying and he gathered her into a bear hug, kissing her cheek, it would have done nothing to dispel the image.

"Sandy" Luke sat down in the booth and she slid back into her seat opposite him. The waitress came across and he ordered a coffee. He wasn't going to sleep much either it seemed.

"Luke" she answered and waited. He looked at her, staring determinedly at her, assessing her.

"You look like hell. You slept?" he asked finally as his coffee arrived and he took a tentative sip. Wiping the froth from his top lip, he put the cup down and reached for her hand. "Tom knows I'm here." She glared at him and he shook his head "I HAD to tell him Sandy. He's been worried - we both have. He said he totally respects your request but he wants you to know he's thinking about you." A little embellishment on the truth wasn't going to hurt.

She took a sip from her own caffeine supply and nodded. "Not much and I expected you would if I'm truly honest. I'm surprised he let you away with coming alone though. " she sounded almost disappointed he thought, almost. "I suppose you want to know what this is all about then?" she put her cup down and picked at her fingernails, avoiding his gaze.

"Yes, please?."

"It sounds stupid now I say it out loud, but I was ashamed and embarrassed and angry."

"Is that ALL?" Luke couldn't stop himself. If THAT was all it was...

"No. You DON'T - CAN'T - understand. I was all of those things multiplied by almost twenty -five years of hiding it. Every single day." Luke was dumbstruck. She was one of the most "together" people he'd ever known. Now she was saying it was all an act?

"I don't understand. Please, help me understand?" he said softly, grasping her hands, making her stop fidgeting. She continued to stare down, tears dripping onto the table.

She nodded silently and told him the whole sorry tale, from A to Z, a potted history of her time at school. When she was done, she looked up at him, her eyes red rimmed and raw. "You see how messed up I am? Trust issues doesn't come close. And when you actually said I'd abused my position of trust....." she shrugged "I'm not blaming you Luke, I'm just explaining." now she pulled her hand free and put them both over her eyes, the sobs beginning to bite just a little harder.

Luke's heart broke for her. She was truly broken. He slid into the seat next to her and put his arms around her. "Oh my god, I had NO idea. My poor little Cuz. You kept this bottled up for so long. I would have understood you know. I could have helped. I'm sorry I let you down."

"H-how? Nobody could sort it - or me. You d-did nothing wrong L-Luke." she sobbed and he shook his head even if she couldn't see it.

"You didn't feel you could trust even me, with this." he kissed the top of her head as he held her tightly. "I will never let you down like that again, if you'll let me have a second chance?"

She pulled away slightly and looked at him "It's me that needs the second chance Luke, not you." she pushed him out of the seat and stood up. "but I can't ask for that yet. Forgive me, please. I'll promise I'll be in touch." she pushed past him, leaving the laptop on the seat and walked out into the night.

As Luke watched her walk away, he desperately hoped this wouldn't be the last time he ever saw her. He ran to the door, shouting after her but she was already gone. Into the warren of dark streets that was London at night.

"Be safe love" he said softly. "Come back to us." he paid for his coffee and left. As he did so, he flagged down a black cab from the station and gave Tom's address. Sitting in the back, he sent a text for the second time that night, identical to the first bar the last three words.

"Am on my way and I'm alone. She's broken Tom."