It was madness, what she was about to do, but Jean'd had enough.
Trapping Matthew and Alice in the study together wasn't the most… mature way of doing things, but it got them both where she wanted them: in the same room and incapable of leaving.
"Jean!"
She locked the door and ignored the outraged cry of her name from Alice as she jiggled the doorknob.
"Jean, what the hell is going on?"
"Putting an end to this, that's what!" Jean stepped back, her hands on her hips. "You two have danced around each other long enough. I'm not letting you two out of there until you get a grip!"
"But, Jean!"
"No buts, you're staying in there until you've come to a decision about your relationship, Alice. I know you're concerned about talk, but bugger the lot of them. They always talk about something. You two deserve to be happy."
She heard Matthew sigh on the other side of the door and he soft way he said Alice's name. Alice's footsteps receded from the door and Jean could barely make out Matthew talking.
He talked a lot, more than Jean had heard him talk in a long time. Matthew wasn't prone to monopolizing the conversation, regardless of how comfortable he was around people. Alice didn't push him to speak like Lucien had in the past - she'd let him talk when he felt like it, appreciating his quiet nature for what it was, Jean noticed. Matthew loved her for it, and often Jean caught Matthew watching Alice with a fond look whenever the pathologist rambled on about the latest scientific theory she'd read about, or her observations about people, or the latest book she'd found - never expecting him to talk until he felt comfortable enough. Around Alice, Matthew talked more - asked more questions, made more comments, more observations. Alice unintentionally had brought Matthew out of his shell.
Alice and Matthew spoke quietly, Alice's voice raising a few times as they hashed out everything - and really hash it out, Jean mused. She had a feeling Alice had been the one to bring a halt to their fledgling relationship after Lucien's disappearance - the lengthy discussion inside all but affirmed it.
"I just want you, Alice, that's it." she heard Matthew say inside, his voice louder than before. "To hell with everyone else."
"I don't want this to reflect badly on you, Matthew."
"There's always going to be talk, sweetheart. About me, about you, about us. Why should we let that define how we live our lives?"
Alice sniffled and fabric rustled behind the door, "I'm sorry, Matthew."
"You don't need to apologize, sweetheart."
Jean silently unlocked the door and swung it open slowly to see Alice wrapped up in Matthew's embrace. Her oldest friend gently cradled Alice's face in his hands with a smile.
"What say you, Alice? Can I take you out on a date?"
Jean couldn't see Alice's face, but she saw the nod. "Let them talk, Matthew… I want to be happy and I want you."
Matthew grinned and leaned in to kiss Alice softly and held her close. Alice buried her face in the crook of his neck and Jean caught the smile on her face. Jean watched them fondly before she turned on her heel and left them alone.
Her actions might have been impulsive and emotionally immature - more like something Lucien would do, but Jean was happy for her friends. As she tackled the dirty dishes in the sink, Jean hummed to herself with a smile. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel Lucien's warm hands squeezing her shoulders and pressing a kiss to her cheek, his voice in her ear. "Well done, Jeannie."
Well done indeed.