The nurses had been in to check on Jean quite a few times, they were still sleeping. At this point the entire hospital staff was aware of the love birds, snuggled up on the tiny bed in room 204. You could feel the love so deeply in that room, the whole floor was full of it actually, as the nurses went about their day carrying on about them in the halls. It was an energy that touched them all.
It would be Dr. Reynolds who finally broke the spell, waking them to get a real check on how she was, fully expecting to discharge her that night. After a small shake of Lucien's shoulder, he stirred, turning to look at the doctor. He extended apologies quietly and slipped out of the bed. Jean stirred but did not wake, the two men went out into the hall.
"What time is it?" Lucien asked, truly confused as to how long they had slept there.
"It's coming on five in the evening. You two must have really needed some sleep." He gave Lucien a strange smile. It was after all, quite odd to him, for two people of their stage in life to be carrying on like a couple of lovesick teenagers, in a hospital no less. "If you would like to perhaps get a tea, I'd like to have a proper check of her. If nothing is awry, I don't see why you shouldn't be taking her home shortly." Lucien thanked him, and was off to find that tea.
When Dr. Reynolds went in, she was sitting up. Looking a bit groggy, but much better. He took her vitals and keeping it professional, asked her a few questions about how she came to be there. He was also interested if she felt she needed any additional support. After Jean told him a brief version of the story and assured him that she would be fine now, they exchanged relaxed smiles. He had to admit, there was something special about this woman.
"Well, this was a first for me. I've never treated a broken heart before." He gave her a wink. "Not that I know of anyway. Guess I can't take credit for the cure." He shrugged his shoulders and she gave a weak laugh.
With that he went to the hall to retrieve Lucien and gave them a few instructions for the next couple of days. He wanted her resting and getting plenty of fluids for the next 48 hours. "It's just a precaution, to be safe. I know you are in good hands and I expect no further problems, but your body was put through quite a lot, and you need to give it the time to recover properly." He asked that they give them thirty minutes to process her out, then they would be able to go home. And with a shake of hands, he left them.
She looked at Lucien with shy eyes, and he went to sit with her on the bed. Their hands instinctively reached for each other, "Well... I tried." She gave him an impossibly adorable smile.
"Promise me you will never ever try that again." He said with a soft look, but firm tone.
"Never." She promised as he kissed her hands.
They discussed going "home" to Christopher's, but agreed that in their current state, they did not have it in them to put on airs, not even with family. Lucien did not have the long drive in him, and so, he went to inquire among the staff where the best accommodations would be for them, as near as possible. While he did that, Jean used the phone in her room to call Christopher and let him know what was going on.
"I'm glad to hear you're feeling better mom. You two do what you need to, but you are welcome here of course. At the very least, I would like to see you before you head back to Ballarat." There was an honest joy in his voice. His mother deserved all the happiness the world, and he had no doubt that Lucien Blake would give her exactly that for the rest of her life.
She assured him that she would ring tomorrow and come for a better visit before they left. As she hung up the phone Lucien came back in. He let her know he had found a hotel nearby, and a cab was on the way. All that was left for her was to sign some papers, and they would be on their way. He would ring Christopher back and ask him to bring her bags by the hotel.
They were huddled in the back seat for the short ride to the hotel, both still tired to the bone. Upon arrival, they headed straight to the hotels front desk and Lucien gave his name reiterating that he would like the two rooms together if possible. Jean shot him a look. He shot her a look back. Four eyebrows raised, giving looks and the clerk was confused.
"My husband is being a bit too cautious." She explained with her tired eyes. "I'm just out of the hospital, nothing serious, and he is insisting I need my own room for recovery. But it's fine, one room will do." Then her tired eyes leveled at Lucien, who was trying to keep his jaw from the floor.
As they approached the room, his sense of confusion grew. He opened the door, let her in and followed asking if she was hungry. She asked if they could just share some room service in a bit. She needed a bath, then yes, she would like a bite to eat.
Her bag had not arrived yet, so she asked Lucien for a shirt. She asked like it was the most normal thing in the world, like asking for the milk to be passed. Like they had been married for twenty years. He was frozen, wide eyed and processing the intimacy of the request, when she finally went to his bag, opened it and retrieved one herself. As she closed the bathroom door she gave Lucien a sweet smile, he began thawing.
He heard the water running, looked from side to side, not knowing what to do with himself when it hit him, Charlie! He called the house, very briefly explained what had happened and informed him that he didn't know when they would be back, but they were together. The young officer smiled to himself and tried to ask for more information, but Lucien explained that he needed to go as there was a knock at the door, her bags. He hung up and went to get them, tipped the bellboy and closed the door. The water had stopped running and Lucien couldn't get the image of Jean leaning back in the tub out of his mind. He could hear her moving, the water splashing, he had stirrings. He tried to shake that off, the last thing she needed was to fight off is advances just an hour out of hospital. Duty, Major Blake. "Jean? I'm going to call down for some sandwiches, would you like anything else?"
"No, that sounds fine. I'm not really hungry, but I know I should eat something." She spoke through the closed door.
He ordered the room service and was retrieving the toiletry bag for his own bath when the door opened. His breath caught in his throat, and every nerve in his body came to attention as she stood in nothing but his shirt, sleeves rolled up and bare legs, which he had ever seen before. And they were gorgeous. Tiny, delicate, feminine and gorgeous. They looked like soft milk and Lucien's fingers were tingling.
"I left the water for you." She tilted her head to the side, appearing to be confused by the look on his face. "I assumed you would want a bath too." She smiled.
Again, this sudden familiarity was putting him a bit off center. He felt like an awkward twelve-year-old. "Yes of course, thank you. Your bag is here if you want to change while I'm bathing. And there is some change there if the food comes." She nodded in understanding as he closed the door. He turned and stood staring at the bathtub, with her water in it, hoping it would be ice cold by now.
She stood, looking at the closed bathroom door, in the room they were sharing, with one bed, unmarried. Jean had surprised herself when she spoke up at the front desk, but she just knew in that instant, she could not be separated from him so soon. Or ever. She had an urge to climb into his skin, safe and as close to his heart as possible. She walked over to the bathroom door, hand on the door knob, prepared to enter and let things happen as they may, when there was a knock at the door. Room service. She snapped out of the daze that had almost taken her into the bath with him and grabbed Lucien's coat. Holding it closed she let the bellboy place the tray on the table, tipped him, then started laying out the meal.
He came out from bath in his pajamas to find Jean, still in his shirt, placing the sandwiches out on the coffee table in front of the settee. And just like that, all the cold from the bath left his body as a wave of warmth washed over him. They ate mostly in a comfortable silence, exchanged loving glances and a few words. Their next real conversation about what had happened over the last few days was too big to have now. Maybe too big to have ever. And perhaps unnecessary. When Jean placed her napkin on the table, Lucien grabbed her and leaned them back. She turned and snuggled sleepily into his side.
"I could stay like this forever." She lifted her eyes to meet his and he kissed the tip of her nose. "But I'm exhausted, let's get to bed."
He felt like he was one blink from sleep himself, so he stood, took her hand and led her to the bed. She moved the covers back as he extinguished the lights, then got in, instinctively turning her back to him signaling that sleep was all she wanted, and that she wanted him to encircle her. He understood all of that as she glanced over her shoulder with a shy smile to him in the darkness. Sleep took them almost immediately.
He woke to her stroking the arm he had wrapped around her, smiled to himself then heard a hitched breath. She was crying. "Jean?" He moved his arm so that she could turn to him, but she didn't so he made his way over her to lay facing her.
"What is it?" He asked placing his hand on her face. She couldn't answer as a sob claimed her and she scooted closer, burying her face in his chest. He held her, rubbing her back, trying to smooth away the pain.
Later, after the tears had slowed to a trickle, she moved back to look at him. "I woke thinking about how scared I was when I thought I would never see you again. The pain was..." she closed her eyes tight as if she could erase the memory.
"I know. I felt the same pain or worse. I prayed for death." He grabbed her hands between them. "I didn't know what I was going to do, or where I was going to go, but I knew I would never live in that house again without you." She brushed the side of his face with her hand, "I'm sorry" and leaned in to kiss him. He met her halfway, pulled her closer then lifted himself over her, his elbows at her sides, the bulk of his weight on her, below her chest. He wanted as much of him touching as much of her as possible, but didn't want to crush her. And they stared at each other, with more love than either of them ever thought possible for two such wounded souls.
He was lightly kissing her collarbone when he felt her hands move from his shoulders to his chest, reaching for buttons. Eyes locked, he lifted to his hands, allowing her better access. When she brushed the open top over his shoulders, he sat up on his knees to remove it entirely, not losing eye contact for a moment. He stayed where he was, sitting back on his feet between her legs, waiting for a sign. She was enamored at the sight in front of her. She knew he was strong, but this was a sight she was not prepared for. A beautiful tan physique, with a light sprinkling of blonde hair and... scars. He wasn't covered in them, but they were there telling a story she had known for years, he was a survivor. She reached up and pulled him down into a deep kiss that seemed to go on forever, neither of them wanting to break it. Lips, noses, breaths, bites, sweeping tongues... a deliciously dizzying push and pull.
Lucien would finally be the one to come up for air, staring into her, breathless. He moved off her to the side and they lay again staring at each other, touching faces, hands on arms, her hand on his chest then around his ribs to pull him in for another slow deep kiss of longing. This time legs moving, touching, grabbing, wrapping. If it were possible for them to become one body, they would have. It broke this time with her hand resting on his chest between them and he pulled her closer again, just holding her and taking in the scent and feel of her, legs wrapped, her feet moving up and down his calves, his hands brushing her thighs. He would have been happy staying right where he was for a lifetime, but that changed with one word from Jean, lips brushing his ear… "Yes."
And with the look in her eyes and that one word, he understood. She was answering a hundred questions all at once... Yes, I love you. Yes, I will do so forever. Yes, I will stay for the rest of my life. Yes, I will save you from yourself. Yes, I will defend you. Yes, I will look after you. Yes, I will lift you up. Yes, I will marry you. Yes, I will have your children if that is what's to be. Yes, I love you more than any God. Yes, I want you. Yes, I want to give myself to you. Yes, to all of it. Just, yes.