Customer Satisfaction [COMPLETE]

Role Reversal

"You look like crap."

Luke slid in the limousine that had come to pick him up, ignoring Will who entered after him, studying Luke in surprise. "Wasn't there something called sleep in Louisiana?"

"Shut it." Luke leaned back, closing his eyes as the limo lurched forward. He could feel Will watching him and tried to block him out. It had been a hellish last month, and God, what he would give for some rest and peace. Every time he closed his eyes, however, were the images of waking up to find Kate missing. Terror crashing over him at what could have happened to her. Reading that ridiculous message requesting him to bring the cops--he had been choked with dread, convinced she would be dead by the time he reached her, and he would have to find her lifeless body and face the prospect of going on without her.

Kate, bleeding out on the gurney, her lower body flooded with thick red blood, her eyes hazy and unfocused. Kate being wheeled away from him, and him not knowing if he would see her alive again. Kate whispering her love to him as if it was the last thing she would ever say.

He couldn't look at her without thinking about it. He couldn't close his eyes without obsessing over it. He was going mad.

His eyes flew open, and he growled, leaning forward to the cabinet in the limo.

"What'cha looking for?"

"I need a drink."

"It looks like you already had several in the plane." Will observed. He was dressed in a suit for the event, looking clean cut and sharp. The role reversal wasn't lost on Luke.

While just as affected by the events of that day, Will had recovered and managed to move on as he healed, his mind diverted by his strengthening bond with his sister, and with time the effect on him was remarkable. While he would never go back to the carefree happiness of childhood--a long time had passed by, after all, his personality molded by years of mental suffering--Will definitely appeared a healthier, more peaceful version of himself.

Luke felt like a nightmare. He hadn't shaved in days, and his eyes felt scratchy with the lack of sleep. On top of which, every moment he wasn't occupied with his work, effectively distracting himself from his personal thoughts, he felt irritable and prickly as a porcupine.

"You need a shave." Will said, voicing his thoughts, "I was thinking we'd go to the meeting immediately, but you will scare the living daylights out of all of the tight assed pricks awaiting you."

"I don't give a damn."

"Well, aren't we lucky I have a few extra ones to spare today."

Luke wanted to get his talk done with and get some restless sleep, but Will forced him up his apartment and fixed him with a testy look until, annoyed, Luke slammed into his bathroom for a shower and a shave. Will called to have fresh clothes pressed for him meanwhile, and when Luke was dressed and had slapped on some aftershave, Will held up the cologne on his vanity with raised brows. Annoyed, Luke snatched it from him, dowsing himself with a few customary splashes, glaring.

"What're you, my nanny?" Luke grumbled.

"Now if only we could wash away that scowl." Will said dryly while Luke moodily strapped his watch, "I would have told you to get some, but...considering the weirdness you have going on with my little sister, I won't."

Luke shot him a warning look. He went to grab his briefcase, opening it to sort through some papers, while Will watched him with compassion in his bright blue eyes.

"What's up with you, man?" he said quietly, "I thought we were done with the awfulness. We got Kate back. The Smiths are silent...at least for now. No one died and our businesses weren't affected too much. And we got Kate back." Will let out a relaxed exhale, "Life is good now...isn't it?"

Luke studied his papers, ignoring Will.

Will sucked in a breath of realization, "Are you over her? Is that why you've been acting so odd, lately?"

Luke looked up, taken aback, "What?"

Will looked tense, "I'm not sure what to say, especially because I think she's not over you...But if you're over her...maybe you should just try coming clean and putting both of you out of your misery. It'll be awful, though. You should have never looked at her like that in the first place!" he glared accusingly at Luke.

"Will, you aren't making sense."

"I've noticed that you looked weird at her before you left. All tense and angry looking. I would rather you let her go neatly than make her miserable. I...I get it, I suppose." Will shook his head, looking sad, "Going through a trauma, it can change a person, alter perspectives. If you don't feel interested anymore--"

Luke slammed his briefcase shut pointedly, shoving the papers he had extracted in a file and exiting his apartment. Will followed.

"And anyways," Will said mildly, "I think a man at her work was interested, when I last went to visit her. I would actually prefer she not be tangled with someone with lives as messy as ours and instead go for someone more--aaargh!"

Luke had slammed him against a wall, growling in his face. "She's mine."

Will stared at him, wide eyed.

Angry with himself for losing control, Luke pulled back, straightening his suit. Embarrassed, he mumbled, "Sorry."

"So you still like her." Will said, an annoying smile starting on his lips, "I knew it! Luke and Kate, sitting in a tree..." he stopped, pulling a face, "Bit weird if it's my sister."

Luke glowered at him.

"What's the problem then?!" Will threw up his hands, "Luke, I'm sure she likes you, too! You both like each other--why the hell have you developed this stick up your ass? It doesn't make sense." Will was shaking his head.

"Will, if you don't stop hounding me about this--"

"I just don't understand. You've pressed me for years to get her back, working your ass off, and now that we have her, you look like hell's frozen over--"

"Damn it, I can't get the image of her bleeding out of my head!" Luke bellowed, stopping Will in his tracks, "I fell asleep with her in my arms, Will. You know how terrified I was when I woke up to find her missing, thinking I wouldn't be able to reach her in time? I should have been there for her, me, but when I got there it was too late. It twists my insides, thinking of what could have happened if we didn't get her to the hospital fast enough. I can't breathe, I can't sleep...It's driving me insane. So shut up about how good life is because I'm this close to kicking your ass!"

Luke shut up, breathing heavily, his body radiating fury. Will watched him, thunderstruck.

"You love her--" Will breathed.

"Of course I love her." Luke snapped, "I just can't stand...to look at her. When I can do that without picturing losing her forever--then you can tell me how good life is. Until then, just keep your mouth shut about this."

Will looked pale, and when Luke turned to stride to the meeting, he followed him quietly.