It's the Real Noah Mayer!

For the first time in a few months, I can say that there were some truly fantastic Luke & Noah scenes on As the World Turns today. In fact, today was probably the best Nuke episode since at least last summer.

Best of all, the real Noah Mayer has returned to Oakdale, and I'm hoping he's here to stay. Ever since the election fiasco, Noah has been written in a way that I just didn't feel was at all true to who the character has been. Today, though, it was as if a switch had been flipped and the guy who is one half of the hottest couple on daytime was finally acting like himself again.

Things started out when Noah showed up at Luke's place with Christmas presents for his family and the two had a chance to sit down and talk. Luke filled Noah in on the most recent developments with Brian and while I would have loved a moment where Noah said something along the lines of "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Luke" I was at least glad to see that Noah seemed to finally be on Luke's side again.

The magic moment, though, seemed to come when Luke told Noah about Jade's return and her trouble with the law. After Luke revealed how bad he feels that Jade will probably be spending Christmas in prison because he convinced her to turn herself in, Noah told him not to feel bad, that he'd done the right thing. In fact, it was "...the kind of thing that the guy I fell in love with would do."

Noah & Luke headed into town together to hang out and after Luke reminded Noah of how close they were at Christmas time last year and said he wanted to get back to that, Noah didn't pull out the old "We just can't!" routine that he'd inexplicably been favoring lately. Instead, he said that he wants the same thing, and that he'd spent the whole morning wrapping gifts just so he'd have an excuse to come over and see Luke.

Noah decided to give Luke his gift a bit early- a watch inscribed with 'Worth the Wait'. Awww! Okay, I know I'm a total sap, but that was really a sweet moment between these two star crossed lovers. It got even better right afterwards when, in what can only be called a nod to Christmas Past, Noah & Luke found themselves under the mistletoe and reminisced about kissing under it last year after Luke first told Noah he loved him.

Of course, last year the camera panned away from the kiss and up to the mistletoe before their lips ever met, outraging Nuke fans and confirming that there truly was a ban on kisses for the guys after their first two, months before that. This year, though, the kiss under the mistletoe was truly a gift to the fans. What a difference a year makes! Maybe by this time next year, they'll be having love scenes in the bedroom like the straight couples on the show?

That almost sounds like a whole episode worth of Nuke scenes right there, but there was still more to come. Right after their kiss, Noah & Luke spotted Noah's ex girlfriend Maddie, who'd just returned to town from college for Christmas break.

After a warm greeting in which Maddie congratulated them on being together (it was still up in the air when she left town), Luke clearly began to feel a bit jealous as he watched Noah & Maddie instantly connecting again over their shared love of old movies and as they finished each other's sentences.

Maddie told them about her recent break up with a guy at school and made it clear that Noah is not the ex she's hoping to get back together with. Maddie's feeling for her first love, Casey, were never resolved after he went to prison and broke up with her by letter. In fact, it was right after she got the Dear Maddie letter that she turned to Noah for comfort and jumped into that relationship. Now that Casey is out of prison, Maddie is hoping to rekindle their romance but their initial reunion didn't go well.

After hearing about this, Noah invited Maddie to spend New Year's Eve with him and Luke at the local nightclub, Metro (wait, when did he ask Luke to spend New Year's with him?).

After saying goodbye to Maddie, the boys went back to Luke's place, where Luke confessed that seeing Noah with Maddie brought up all the feelings he had back when he had to watch Noah & Maddie together all the time as a couple.

Noah: We're friends...

Luke: Noah, you're friends who used to sleep together.

Noah: Hey look, that part of my life is over. That's not me anymore.

Luke: You're not her lover.

Noah: No!

Luke: No, but you're not mine yet, either.

Noah: Hey, listen to me. Look at me. I love you. I want to be with you.

Luke: I want to be with you, too.

Noah: I know we have a lot to work out, but there is no way I could ever feel for Maddie what I feel for you. Not even close!

(They Kiss)

Noah: You believe me?

Luke: (kisses Noah again) I believe you.

Okay, after several weeks of Nuke scenes that made me want to throw something at the TV (and Noah, specifically) today we got to see the guys reunite, confirm their love, finally have their kiss under the mistletoe, and then end the episode with even more kissing. Talk about a present from Santa! Plus, Noah was himself again and I liked that Luke was upfront about his jealousy of Maddie instead of trying to hide it or worry over it in silence.

Of course, from tomorrow's previews it looks like things may not all be smooth sailing on the Maddie front where Luke is concerned, but just leaving it where it stands with today's show, I'm very happy!

I'm also really glad that they're having Luke address the fact that he & Noah have never made love. That's twice now in recent days (he mentioned it to Brian last week) and it's making me think that they're finally going to start leading up to the boys truly being together.

Overall, the only thing that would have made me happier today would have been if the show had brought Alexandra Chando, the original actress, back as Maddie. She was one of my favorites and this new actress just doesn't seem at all like Maddie to me. Hopefully she'll grow on me, though.

For now, all I can say is Nuke is back and I'm loving it.