We reached Lukas' apartment and everyone was so thrilled to see him back and well, except his uncle who, in short hand, looked pissed. He glanced at Lukas and I when we walked in, smiled briefly to me, gave a deathly look towards Lukas and had been giving him the cold shoulder since, doing everything else around the house to avoid him, which consisted mostly of staying in his room doing "work". Lukas had seemed to just accept the fact that his uncle wasn't going to talk to him and so carried on the day as usual, as if nothing had ever happened. Of course, the children were oblivious as to what had happened too.

"So, you've known Lukas for a long time?" A calm collected voice said to me and I glanced across the kitchen to his aunt Julia who was standing by the sink, washing up dishes whilst I cut carrots at the desktop.

"Yes ma'am." I said, brushing the peelings to the end of the chopping board so I had more room to cut the carrots into thin round circles before chucking them into the saucepan.

"You can call me Julia you know." She laughed, shaking her head slightly. "Where did you and him meet?"

"Just the usual, my mum knew his and so on." Although this Julia lady was a lovely person, I had no desire to discuss the history and depth of mine and Lukas' friendship. So I kept it short and simple, leaving no real questions for her to ask about it in the hopes that she would move on.

"So, are you two together?" Except that one. I froze, the knife half way through the carrot and looked up at the wall in front of me.

"Urm, no... No.... No, we're just friends." I managed to choke out, my mind becoming full of thoughts which ranged from even the idea being completely an utterly ridiculous, to 'why not?'. I couldn't think straight and shook my head. She laughed once again.

"Sorry for making things awkward. I just don't know much about him. I would like to get to know him better. And you better, if you're his friend." She seemed to put quotation marks around 'friend' in her speech, though whether intended or not, I wasn't sure. But then it struck me. How long did they think we were staying here for? Surely, since I have Lukas back, me and him would be making our way back home. Somehow. I would save the how for another time. Right now, it was the issue of the when. I made a mental note to speak to Lukas about it later, preferably once everyone else couldn't hear. I glanced over to her expecting look and just nodded and smiled, no ideas of responses forming in my mouth.

**************************

Later that evening, I sat on Lukas' bed after having a huge discussion over sleeping arrangements and, much to my dismay, he had won and I would be getting his bed whilst he would make a makeshift bed out of blankets on the floor. I shook my head.

"Come on, take your bed back. It's yours."

"Well, actually it's not since I don't officially live here." He said matter-of-factly. To which, he chuckled at my groan as I let myself fall to my side on the bed, closing my eyes. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Though I was just as bad to be honest. But this bed was reasonably comfortable, so...

"You and Julia were getting on well, weren't you m'dear?" I opened my eyes to see him sitting right in front of my face, his eyebrow raised, just like the corner of his lips, the little twinkle in his eyes shining more than ever.

"So what?" I replied simply.

"So, what were you talking about?"

"Not much." To which his eyebrow raised higher and I sighed. "Just how I know you and stuff." Her question lay on the tip of my tongue and demanded to be let out but I refused, he would just tease me otherwise and I wouldn't be able to get him off the subject for the next forever.

"Stuff?" He inquired, shifting forwards a bit to lean his crossed arms on the edge of the bed and laying his chin down. His face was only a few inches away from mine now. I didn't know how I felt about it. Uncomfortable? Relaxed? Dazed? My cheeks became flustered and I lay on my back, looking to the ceiling to hide my reaction.

"She asked if we were together." I blurted out and instantly regretted it, dreading his reaction. But only silence followed. I waited a few more moments for him to come out with his sarcastic comments but nothing happened. Furrowing my brow, I tilted my head to lay my cheek on the bed, studying his expression. But I got nothing. It was yet another completely new expression I couldn't work out. His eyes were on the bed, not looking me in the eyes as if he were sad.

"Well, are we?" He questioned, though unexpectedly, his tone was not mocking me. It sounded as if he was genuinely asking me. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. Nothing was in my mouth or in my brain. I couldn't think. Lukas lifted his gaze back to meet my eyes, frowning slightly in a confused or sad way as he waited for the answer. Were we? We had been friends for years. Years and years. But never more... I loved him, but did I love him in that way? Or was he just my best friend? What about Friedrich? I didn't know.

But before I could answer, his hand drifted to my cheek, his fingers working their way up into my hair, moving around my ear and tugging my head towards his gently. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. My eyes closed instinctively as his smooth soft lips caressed mine. My mind began spinning more than ever and my heart beat faster and faster, I could just feel my cheeks blush, and probably my whole body blush if it could. Tingles like little sparks of electricity came from his lips and kissed every nerve in my body, sending them all crazy for more. My hands moved up to hold his face, feel his soft skin and hair between my fingertips. I felt him smile as he kissed me and slowly he pulled away. Opening my eyes, I stared up at him, he reached for my hands, pulling them down from his face and engulfing them in his, kissing my knuckles.

I shuffled backwards on the bed so I had my back against the wall, pulling him towards me and he soon got the picture to stand up and shimmy onto the bed beside me. I didn't want to talk about this. I didn't know what this was. I just knew I wanted to lie next to him. Feel his warm touch. He lay back, putting one arm behind his head for support, and lifted his other arm around my shoulders as I lay on his chest. With my ear just a t-shirt away from his skin, I could hear his heart beating away regularly. I felt a light kiss on my forehead before I closed my eyes. I didn't want to leave him, but at the same time, I was so confused that I just wanted today to be over and tomorrow to come. He could sense something different was up, at least I thought so, because he didn't say another word. Instead, he let me slip off into a deep dark slumber.