The Future Meets the Past...Part 5 (S10-E34)

Picking up where we left off...It has been 4 weeks since everything went down at the record shop. Luke has been burdened with taking the brunt of the punishment, despite doing everything he could to stay out of trouble. He willingly admitted to shooting Hayden, doing his best to keep Peter out of it, leaving him as just an innocent bystander in the entire situation. Luckily for Luke the cameras were "not working" that day so there is no footage for the police to review. This means that there is no concrete evidence of Margot and her men being there even though they all know she was in New Orleans at the time. 

Hayden has no memory of David or seeing Margot escape, the dispatch he sent out never was able to locate Margot until it was too late. The plane was in the air and off to Vegas in a flash. David laid low until it was safe to take off, and rendezvous with Baz and Eva.

So as far as Hayden knows, it was only Luke and Peter there that day he got shot. Luke claims that he was shaken up after a series of break ins happened at the shop, and that the cameras had been tampered with. As for the gun Luke reluctantly admits he acquired it through less scrupulous means knowing he did not have time to wait if he wanted to protect his shop. Hayden just happened to show up at the wrong time. So Luke is being charged with attempted manslaughter of a peace officer. 

Rufus of course is taking care of all of Luke's legal fees feeling a bit responsible for not getting further involved the first time to help him out. Instead she used it to get what she wanted. Now that she has it, Luke faces jail time, which means those are more years lost. 

Laura knows most of these details, but other than that she does not know the real truth. She understands Luke is doing this to protect her and their children, but at the same time she feels shut out. Luke has given up on life, ready to accept his fate. "Luke we need to talk.", she says firmly but lovingly.

As his eyes focus in on her he responds, "Laura go home. You shouldn't be here."

"Why?", she snaps. "You're the one who shouldn't be here. Come home!"

"This is home. It's not safe here...you need to go.", he says again his eyes darting side to side as he watches their surroundings. Luke is terrified that Margot will retaliate if he does not keep his mouth shut. Again lying to Laura is the only way he can protect her. The less she knows the better.

"No!", Laura blurts stepping forward and reaching for the door handle. "I'm not leaving. We need to talk."

Luke instantly clutches her by the waist stopping her from moving forward. "No. There is nothing to talk about. Go home. Take care of the boys."

"Luke, the boys miss you terribly...They need their father.", replies Laura tears beginning to blur her vision. "Please Luke, I'm begging you. Come home!"

 

"It's not that simple, Laura!", Luke's voice cracks hating that he has to break her heart. He wants nothing more than to go home and be with his family. He turns his head and looks away, the heartbreak in her eyes is killing him.

Laura's hands reach out attempting to set his gaze back on her. She knows he is holding back. She can sense it, "Luke I'm...", she starts to speak hoping to tell him about the pregnancy. Michelle is right, this may be the only thing that snaps him out of this. 

Suddenly though Luke snatches her hands as they are inches away from his face."Stop it!", he snaps. "It's over between us. Just go home!" he says very coldly. 

Laura blinks in sudden shock and yanks her hands out of his grasp, feeling very frustrated with his stubbornness, "You don't seriously mean that! It can't be over between us...We will get through this!"

"I mean every fucking word of it...", he says arms crossed over his chest as he stares down at Laura. He knows that even if he can make things work out between them after his trial chances are by then Laura's family will have come between them. It is no secret that Krystal continues to lack confidence in their marriage and to be honest Luke does not think she is  really wrong. Luke has always felt like he was living a life a was not meant to live with Laura even though every fiber in his being feels the opposite has he feels that gravitational pull towards her that he is fighting to resist in this moment. Knowing he has to protect his family at all costs.

"You.", he gestures..."And me.", pointing back to himself. "Are over.", says Luke as he stares right into her eyes. "Just let me go Laura and move on."

Laura's eyes flood with tears, "No, no, no! I will not let you just give up on everything! On our children! Luke I came here for a very specific reason! I'm..."

"It's over Laura!", Luke interrupts her yet again. Further shredding her faith in him and in salvaging their marriage. 

"No Luke you don't understand...I'm...", Laura stutters she knows she needs to come out and say it but she is terrified he will still reject her.

"Leave.", he says suddenly opening the door and disappearing behind it. Luke stands there for a moment sensing her presence on the other side of the door. "Go home Laura!"

"Luke, don't do this! You can't protect us by lying to me! Please Luke!", she begs through the door. "I'm pregnant.", she mumbles finally mustering up strength to say it out loud, but it is not loud enough. Luke has gone silent on the other side of the door. "I'm pregnant and I can't do this without you." her voice low as she fights off more and more tears her throat feeling tight as she fights the sobs taking over her body.

With his head in his hands he sighs and walks away from the door, feeling like a piece of shit by the way he just treated her, but this is the only way he knows how to keep her safe from Margot. He has to take the fall, stay quiet, and do whatever time the judge determines he should be sentenced too. He cannot allow Laura be dragged into any of this. 

Laura too takes her leave, feeling sick to her stomach, she goes home and goes straight to bed. After everything that just took place, she regrets not trying harder to tell him about the pregnancy. Feeling like fate is forcefully tearing them apart when it should be bringing them together again. It just feels so very wrong. Laura already knows life will not be what it is for her without him. She does not care about what he has done, deep down she knows the truth, even though everyone around her stares in judgment at her poor choice in men.

A short while later back at the motel. Luke receives another visitor. She knocks hard on the door over the loud TV that is blaring inside the room. 

Rufus bangs hard on the door again, "Luke I know you're in there open up!" she shouts loud not caring who hears her at this hour.

Luke swings the door open and yanks her inside. He knows if he leaves her outside she will make a scene, "What are you doing here?"

"My band is on break again. So I decided to come and see you. Stay the weekend and make sure you are working with those expensive lawyers I hired.", she replies as she pushes the hoodie off her head, showing up completely covered from head to toe, not wanting anyone to recognize her.

 

Luke begins to pace the floor between the bed and dresser while Rufus settles in, "Of course I'm working with them, you think I want to do jail time?" Luke rambles. "Between you and my father I'm always getting dragged into someone else's nightmare!"

Rufus walks to meet him halfway, she definitely feels some guilt for not just directly paying Margot so none of this would have happened. "I know you don't, it's why I hired them, but I also know how stubborn you can be. They told me you have pretty much shut everyone out, even Laura and your sons?"  

"It's better this way.", Luke mutters. "I can't risk them finding themselves wrapped up in this or Margot hurting them. Luke then suddenly collapses on the edge of the bed clutching his head as he moans. "Ugh! This fucking headache...I need to get some sleep. You should go it's late."

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not going anywhere." Rufus plops down next to him, her phone to her ear, "Danielle, I need you to add some headache meds to that delivery you're bringing. Preferably one that is for sleeping."

Danielle replies with an "okay" and Rufus ends the call. A short while later two grocery bags are delivered to Luke's motel room. Rufus sits at the table with her food while Luke rummages through one of the bags looking for the meds. He has definitely not slept well lately worrying about what will happen in court. He already admitted to being guilty of shooting Hayden so now he awaits whatever judgment the judge chooses.

"Seriously?! What the fuck? You bought condoms?", Luke blurts as he rummages for the headache medicine.

Rufus shrugs her shoulders and smiles, "It's a long weekend and I just want to be prepared.", she says. 

Luke rolls his eyes, typical Rufus behavior right there...He walks over to the small dining table finding what he was looking for in the other bag. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed with a beer in hand about to take the meds, so he can hopefully sleep.

"You should not be drinking. No wonder you have a headache. When was the last time you had water?", Rufus scolds him. "You need to get a handle on this Luke. Take that with water." Luke sighs then gets up to head to the bathroom and swallow down the pills. "Hey Luke?", Rufus calls noticing a strange business card on the night table. "Where did you get this card?"

"Oh that...I got it from some creole fella, that day everything went down. He said I had to make a choice or choose my path. Some weird shit like that. He was probably just looking for easy money to make...It's nothing.", he says forgetting he still had that card after he had emptied his pants pockets.

Rufus continues to stare at it with fascination, "Boisseau?...", she mumbles as she reads the card. "You know I went to see someone called Madame Boisseau years ago."

"What the fuck are you talking about?", Luke asks not following where she is going with this. "Did you send that guy and his sister to my shop?"

"What? No...I dunno who you're talking about. Madame Boisseau is a psychic. I went to see her right before Cade took me." Rufus turns, sets the card down, and grabs the sliver cross chain off the night table holding it up for Luke to see it. "I had this chain with me, after you had thrown it away. Remember?"

Luke walks over to the other side of the bed setting down the beer he was still holding and grabs a pillow. "Uh huh...", replies Luke as he starts to fluff the pillow hoping he can finally sleep now with the meds Rufus requested.

"She told me that you still loved me but I that I need to protect what was mine. At the time I did not understand what she meant. I was supposed to  protect my unborn child.

Luke sighs feeling pain and guilt for his part in all of this too, "Ru, none of that was your fault...She is just a business woman she told you things you wanted to hear. That's all. She can't really predict the future." Then he climbs into the bed "I need to sleep...". Rufus follows cuddling up in the bed beside him clutching the chain against her chest. 

Rufus  continues to lounge on the bed next to Luke as they both lay there in silence. She goes back in time to a place where things were perfect. Her and Luke were perfect together and at the time nothing could ever seem to stand in their way. She was on top of the world. Rufus and the band were on fire. They spent the better part of the year touring the country promoting their multiplatinum album, and Luke was right there alongside her. Even though they had yet to put a label on their relationship the rumors were already spreading. The couple got very close, very fast. During a short break from the tour Rufus recalls a very specific night at home with Luke.

 

The pocket door slowly slides open, and Luke steps inside from the hallway of the old mid century modern home. Rufus and Shaun still bunk together in this old home enjoying the feeling the space evokes for inspiration. "Hey, there you are. I was beginning to worry you wouldn't show." Rufus says as she leans over the couch.

"Traffic was a bitch to get through...", Luke explains still sharing an apartment with Peter in another part of L.A.

Rufus smirks up at him, "I told you...You should just move in here with me when we're not on tour."

Luke steps in and leans over the couch to kiss her his guitar strap slung over his shoulder, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" The two planned to hang out, maybe work on the song they have been writing together since the tour began, and of course stay the night together.

Rufus reaches up, her fingers sliding along the back of his neck as she presses her lips to his. A soft, sensual kiss that feels familiar, yet invigorating and exciting at the same time. Their relationship is still very new, but Rufus wants more. Luke tries to pull back, demanding more Rufus opens her mouth taking the kiss deeper as she flicks her tongue out softly tasting him. 

Luke immediately responds back to her advances. It's been nearly three days since they have seen each other since getting settled back into town after the tour. Very soon they'll be heading out again to tour overseas as the band continues to promote their album. Luke then suddenly pulls away, "Where's everyone else?".

"Shaun is out with the rest of the band. They'll be home later. Right now it's just you and me baby...And no more bumpy tour bus.", she says in a sultry tone. Their relationship essentially took off over the length of the tour. This is the first time they have been home since, and Rufus cannot stand the distance. Luke has quickly become her new obsession as Shaun likes to put it. Everyone else just laughs it off as well as Luke, right now he does not mind it, he likes that she is into him. He feels the same way too.

Luke smirks recalling their very intimate moments on that small and not so private tour bus, "I thought you liked the bumpy tour bus?"

"I liked having my man fuck me on that bumpy tour bus.", she purrs her big blue eyes staring up at him. "But I think I'd like it better if you took me down the hall to my bedroom."

"Are you finally putting a label on what this is, Ru?", Luke asks,

"I am.", she nods. "I just want you close to me Cooper. You can bend me over, and fuck me right here for all I care. We got the whole place to ourselves. I want you, all over me.", she purrs. "Don't you want me?"

"Fuck yeah I want you...", Luke replies as the two collide again for a kiss. Luke's hand sliding up her t-shirt cupping his hand around her braless breast. "I want every fucking inch of you baby."

Rufus moans reacting to his touch, "Don't ever leave me for three days again Cooper." she demands as they continue to kiss. Then she pulls away abruptly, "Oh! I almost forgot! I bought you something yesterday to celebrate."

Luke stutters a bit, "Celebrate? Wha...what? Why?"

"To celebrate us, and how much you mean to me. When I saw it I knew I had to buy it for you. You'll see why.", Rufus replies leaving Luke even more stunned.

"Oh...Ru...", he pauses. "You really didn't have to, being with you is all I need.", says Luke.

"If I can afford to spoil you then I will." She says as she pulls away, and grabs a Tiffany blue box from the coffee table. "Come here and sit down.", she demands. "Open it!" placing it on his lap, a big happy grin across her face her blue eyes twinkling with excitement.

Luke sits with the box in his lap as he looks over at Rufus, "Ru, you really didn't have to do this."

"I know, but I wanted to...Now open it.", she demands again. "Just trust me Cooper. It's the perfect gift to show the world you are my man now." Rufus says making this relationship of theirs officially official. 

Judging from the box Luke can tell it is probably some kind of expensive jewelry. He slowly lifts the lid. Never in his life has he had someone gift him something so expensive. Rufus gasps as she watches him pull open the box revealing a large silver cross with a chain. "You've never struck me as the very religious type...", he says as he observes the shiny silver cross. It definitely looks expensive. "Is this to protect me from Vampires?", he says jokingly.

Rufus sits there in suspense, "You don't like it?" she mutters sadly feeling like he is making jokes to hide that fact. 

"I do...It's just...", Luke does not know what to say. He feels a little awkward in this moment. 

"It reminds me of the song we've been writing together." Placing her hands on his knee she leans in. "That song is about you, you know." She says with a big smile her excitement is off the charts, but Luke can tell she is trying to keep it under wraps.

Luke nods, "Oh, and how do you know that?", He continues to tease. "What if it's about you saving me?", He adds knowing he was close to giving up on any musical career because things have just not worked out that way. Meeting Rufus has made him feel that maybe things could turn around now.

She twitches a little at the thought of it, "Um...Maybe...Maybe we saved each other?" Rufus grabs the box and gets up. "Let's try this on see how it looks." The chain is long enough to slide right over his head. "Perfect." she says as she stares down at him. "Promise me you always wear it."

"I promise. No one has ever made me feel the way you do. I think fate fucking finally gave me a break this time.", Luke says as he looks up at her while she continues to play with the chain around his neck. He truly does appreciate her sweet generosity he is just not used to it.

Rufus's hands slide up to cup his face. "I'm falling for you hard Cooper. So don't ever break my fucking heart."

"Never baby...", Luke shakes his head, and smiles his dark eyes locking onto hers. He slides his hand up the back of her thigh as she leans in. "I'm all yours."

Rufus sits straddling his lap leaning down to kiss him softly then pull away. "I love you so much Cooper...Don't you ever forget that."

"How can I?", Luke says with a smile. "I love you too baby..." his voice low and coarse as he begins to sing their song.

🎼In the shadows I was lost..

But then you came, a shining light...

Your music touched me to my core...

And pulled me from the endless night...🎼

Rufus swings her legs over his lap and starts the chorus of their song with him...

🎼You're my savior, my guiding star...

You've saved me from the dark...

Together we'll face the world...

with music as our spark...🎼

Rufus then picks up the heavy, sliver cross around his neck, "You are my savior. You make me believe in love again Cooper, after everything I have been through." She says alluding to her abusive past, and how she escaped it to become a musician.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Luke?", Rufus says breaking out of her daydream. Luke turns to look at her, the soft glow of the TV bouncing off her face. "I think we should call Madame Boisseau this has to be a sign. She must know something."

"You're still thinking about that?", Luke says. 

"I was thinking about how in love we once were, remembering that night I gave you this chain. All of this means something.", she replies. "It was the first time you told me you loved me."

"Ru, let it go no one can see into the future.", feeling very skeptical about the whole idea of any of this. "They're just running a business. It's not real..."

"Do you still love me?, she asks feeling like her and Luke have a chance at happiness again, or whatever their version of happiness is.

"Of course.", he says more matter of factly. "I always will, but you have to understand I'm not in love with you Ru. You know that right?"

"But you could be...", she presses.

Luke sighs turning to look back up towards the ceiling. "No. You know we are too much alike we just end up clashing all the time. It will never fucking work. At this point I think I'm just doomed to end up alone like my father, I have to protect them, and I don't know any other way."

"You love her that much?", Rufus asks she does not quite understand the connection Luke has with Laura, not having found true love herself even though for years she was so sure that her true love was supposed to be Luke.

"Yes, but it doesn't fucking matter anymore. I have done too much damage to ever win her back, and my kids are probably better off without me too. I'm a fuck up just like my own parents. If I stick around they'll just end up like me. So you're probably better off staying away from me...Don't worry either your secret about Ruby is safe with me."

"You're not a fuck up, everything will get better...And maybe then we can work on being a family.", Rufus says trying to stay positive. "Trust me I know what it means to fuck up, you know the shit I've been through, the abuse from my father, dealing with a mental disorder, and let's not forget the cliche drug abuse that goes along with being a musician. I've had some really shitty moments in my life, but I'm still here. Just get some sleep. You'll feel better once you've rested. I'm definitely feeling that jet lag now.", she yawns. The two of them drifting off to sleep.

Rufus turns her head still clutching the silver cross as she drifts off to sleep. She is beginning to realize that Luke is right about them and that her wish to be a family just might not work out the way she wants it to. As much as she denies it, always feeling the pull towards him, that sexual attraction that brought them together the very first time they met. In the end though it has always leads to heartache. 

Minutes turn to hours as the two lay there and hopefully find peace in their sleep as their tormented souls dread the tortured lives they lead. Suddenly there is a loud knock at the door that oddly enough instantly wakes Luke up. He stumbles across the small motel room feeling very groggy from the meds, and answers the door sight unseen. "You again?", Luke says as Lucien appears in the doorway. "How did you find me? Did Rufus call you?"

"Nay...sha...", shaking his head. "Come and see. I come for you not for her.", says Lucien as he gestures towards the bed where Rufus is sleeping.

Luke slowly turns his head and looks over to where Lucien is pointing, "What the fuck?!" he shouts as he sees himself lying there in the bed next to Rufus "What the fuck is this some sick joke?!".

"Nay...it is no joke. You see?...I come for you sha...no one else.", Lucien says again. "Remember I said if you let her go it will be your undoing?"

"My undoing?! What the fuck? Did I die? What the fuck is going on man? What the fuck?!", Luke begins to cry as he panics hunching over and catching himself on the dresser while the soft glow of the TV illuminates the room allowing him to see himself there in the bed. His breaths shallow and fast as he continues to panic.

Luke stumbles back landing against the door still clutching his abdomen as he feels the rooms spin and his legs buckle from underneath him. "Breathe sha...breathe! You are not dead.", Lucien tries to tell him. You are having a panic attack."

"What the fuck man?!" Luke cries out in sheer panic while this strange creole man stands here and acts like all of this is normal. "What did you do to me?!"

"Breathe...sha...breathe.", Lucien repeats as he gestures with his hand for Luke to take long inhales and exhales. "Mais...I will explain everything, but first you need ta calm down sha."

To Be Continued!

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