"Hold still," I murmur as Luke flinches away from the cold washcloth I am holding to his face.
"I'm trying," he whines.
"Do you want to tell me what happened?" I ask him.
"Nope."
"Luke," I say sternly.
"I really want to get out of here before Michael shows up, actually," he says.
"Not happening," I tell him.
"What? Me leaving or Michael coming here?"
"You leaving."
"Kate," he whines again. I ignore him and finish wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Did he hit you?" I ask. Luke looks away. I grab his chin and force him to look at me. "Luke. Did he hit you?"
Luke sighs. "Kate, it's not-"
He is interrupted by a knock at the door and he gives me a pointed look. "Told you," he mutters. I roll my eyes.
"Stay here," I tell him. I shut Luke in the bathroom and take a deep breath, steeling myself before opening the door.
Michael looks so wary of me, as if I was the one throwing punches. "Kate," he breathes. I inadvertently step back from him as he takes a step forward, and his face falls even further. "Please," he whispers. He looks so lost, so tired.
I want answers, and I want them now. But more than that, I want that pathetic look of sadness and terror to leave his face. I step forward, albeit cautiously, and wrap my arms around his waist. I feel his entire body relax into mine as he hugs me back, practically collapsing on top of me from relief.
"Let me explain," he pleads. I nod my head against his chest and pull him backwards, into the apartment.
"Kate, I-"
"Luke is here," I cut him off. Michael's body goes rigid against mine and I release him. "He's here and if you want to stay, you have to deal with that," I tell him sternly. Michael seems to weigh his options before giving a slight jerk of his head and pushing past me. He goes to his barstool and I open the bathroom door, letting Luke out.
Once all three of us are in the same room, the air is more awkward than tense. I find that I really don't want them both to be here, I just want Michael to be okay with the idea.
"I should go," Luke says. "Can I use your phone?" He asks.
"What for?"
"I rode here with Michael," Luke says, as if pretending that Michael is not in the room. I almost make Michael drive Luke home, but that would be pushing him farther than I am willing.
"I'll drive you," I say, reaching for my keys. Michael stands as if to object but I throw him a look. "Not today," I warn him. I swear Michael almost smiles as he sits back down and holds up his hands in surrender. "Stay here," I tell him sternly. "I'll be right back."
"Okay," Michael murmurs.
Luke looks extremely uncomfortable, shuffling his feet around.
"Let's go," I tell him. He follows me without a word, or even a glance at Michael.
Luke and I leave the building in silence, but it is not uncomfortable. I sense that he is trying to collect his thoughts so that he has something to tell me. That's probably more than what Michael is doing.
Luke takes a deep breath as we get into the car, and he starts talking the minute that I turn the key.
"I hit him first," he says quietly.
