A few days after Meghan's confession, Luke decided to stop in at the saloon after closing the barbershop. It was like walking on eggshells when he was at home, he thought. He and Meg were on speaking terms, but she still hadn�t made her decision.

While it would kill him if she decided that she didn�t want the marriage to work, he wanted her to stay because she loved him. He didn�t want her to feel trapped into this marriage because of the children or because of guilt.

When he walked into the saloon, he ordered a beer and sat down. He saw a few people that he knew, so he stayed and had a few more. It was about 10 PM when he walked outside and stared at the bordello. He didn�t want to go in, but he and Meg hadn�t shared a bed in a few days. Yes, she was still healing from the birth of the twins, it wasn�t the lovemaking he missed, so much as he missed holding her. No, he wouldn�t go in there. He wouldn�t slap Meg in the face like that. He would wait for Meg�s decision.

As Charlie was closing up the restaurant, he saw Luke standing on the boardwalk just staring out into space. He imagined he was off in dreamland cause when he looked over to see what Luke was looking at, he saw the bordello. No, Luke wasn�t that kind of man. He loved his wife. He must be thinking about something.

"Come on, Luke, let�s go in and have a drink, I�m buying." Charlie said as he clapped Luke on the back then turned him around and led him back into the saloon.

Luke sat at the table listening to Charlie talk about Grace Hunter all night. The man was in love�even if he didn�t know it. Then Simon came in and joined them. Simon talked about Javier and Lilly and the upcoming wedding, this depressed Luke even more. He was so drunk that he didn't even know who suggested that they get a fourth to play poker, but he joined in, keeping his troubled marriage to himself and kept drinking. Tyson joined them and they were so wrapped up in the game, that at closing time Tyson told the men that if they wanted to stay and finish playing that they could. Besides, he wanted to win his money back from Luke.

It was dawn before they knew it and Luke had lost and won back his money so many times that he didn�t know how much money he'd actually won. "Oh man, your wife is going to kill us Luke. You better go on home. Hope she doesn�t think that you were at the bordello all night." One of the men was saying. Luke was drunk and he couldn�t walk straight so Charlie helped him up onto Silver Tide and the ever faithful horse walked slowly so as not to lose his rider, all the way to Willow Manor.

When Luke walked in the house, he heard Liz crying. As he passed the master bedroom, he saw Meg nursing their daughter. A million thoughts ran through his mind. Oh how I want her right now. But she doesn�t know if she wants me. Better not go in there. She�s so beautiful feeding our baby like that. No, I�d better just go on to the spare room and go to bed.

Meg saw Luke at the doorway, "What are you doing up so early?" She asked. Then she passed him to go get Grant who was crying. It was then that she smelled him. "Luke, you�re drunk!" She exclaimed in shock.

"Yeah I guess I am." He said as he stumbled towards the spare bedroom, leaving Meg to stare speechless at his retreating back.

A few hours later, Luke came down more sober, but with a splitting headache. "Luke, I don�t blame you for spending the night with Elena. After what I did to you, I guess I deserve it." Meg said dully as she fixed Luke something to eat, it broke her heart to say the words but she really couldn't blame him, she really did deserved it.

Luke was shocked. "You really think that? Meghan, I was at the saloon all night. You can ask Tyson, Charlie, and Simon. We played poker all night long. I�m not even sure if I lost money or if I won. I think I won a little bit but I�m not sure. I would never go see Elena � at all!! Even if you do decide that you don�t want to be married to me anymore, I won�t go see her."

Meg could tell by the tone of his voice that he was sincere. At this time he had no intention to go see that whore and she was relieved.

A few days later, after a check up with Serena, Meg was pronounced healed. It should have made her glad, but she knew that Luke wouldn't want to share their bed that night because she still hadn�t figured out what she wanted.

However, that night Meg woke up with a scream. Luke heard her and ran into their room, "What�s wrong? You okay?" He asked nervously as he looked around the room for an intruder.

Meg was sitting up in the bed, her skin was pale and she was breathing heavily. Luke knew then what was wrong. She'd had a nightmare, the first in a long time. "I�ll be fine, I just had a nightmare is all."

"Okay." Luke said as he turned away.

"Luke, will you hold me?"

There was nothing that he wanted more than to hold her. But he knew if he did, he might not be able to control himself. He missed her touches, her kisses, her body and her soul. He missed his wife. "I�d better not, Meg."

"Please? I can�t sleep after a nightmare like that without you holding me." She looked at Luke with pleading eyes. Those eyes that he could never say no to.

"Alright. But after you fall asleep, I�m going back in the guestroom." Meg just nodded in response, and he made his way into the bed and lay carefully beside her. "Do you want to talk about it? Was it about Simon?"

"No." She replied softly. "Not Simon."

"Then what?"

Meg took a deep breath. "You weren't here, and I was alone with the babies. All of a sudden the front door burst open and three men came in . . . they attacked me . . . they hurt me." Her voice broke and Luke held her trembling body close to his.

"It'd never happen Meghan. I don't want you to worry about things like that."

"I know." She replied softly and snuggled in closer to him.

After a few more minutes of holding his wife in the dark silence of the night, smelling the scent of her hair, feeling her body close to his, he had to have more. He had to be closer to her. She turned her head to say something more, but Luke took the opportunity to kiss her. He kissed her with all the passion he had. And she returned his kiss just as passionately. Luke and Meg gave into their desires and made love to each other. This was like it was on their wedding night. It had been so long and had so much passion in it. It did answer one question that Meghan had though, Luke still loved her after everything that had gone on these last few weeks.

Meg woke up in Luke�s arms the following morning. Luke realized what he had done. Did he regret it? Not really. He only regretted that he might have confused her further. "Meg, we can�t let this happen again not until you find out what and who you want."

"Luke what are you saying? Do you think that last night was a mistake? Are you saying you don�t love me?"

"Meg, I�m saying that what we did could have confused you even worse than you already are. Honey, I love you with all my heart and soul. Your happiness comes first. I don�t want to influence you in any way. If this marriage is going to work, it will take the both of us. I cannot � will not stay married to someone who wants to be with someone else. Your happiness comes before mine. If you're happy, then I�ll be okay."

"What about the children?"

Luke sighed. "I don�t know yet. But I do know one thing, I won�t let you take them away from me, and I won�t take them away from you. They need us both. We�ll work out something don�t worry about that. Your problem is that your head is telling you one thing, and your heart is telling you another, and you don�t which is saying what. You need to find out what your heart is saying and follow your heart. If you want this marriage to work, then I will do everything in my power to make it work, but Meg, you have to work at it too. It can�t be just me, it takes two to make a marriage work."