This one is for Gnesd1, who requested a follow-up to 'Missing'.

Jean awoke from a restless night. Out of habit, she reached over to the other side of the bed, what had always been Lucien's side, and smoothed her palm over the sheet. She sat up quickly and ran her hand over it again. The sheet felt warm!

She did it one more time and also peered closely at the sheet. It was wrinkled, creased as though someone had lain there. What was going on?

It was only then that she realized the en suite shower was running. She could clearly hear the water splashing against the tiles. Someone was definitely in the bathroom, someone who had been in bed with her! Why couldn't she remember?

She stood up slowly and wrapped her dressing gown around her. Slowly she started toward the bathroom, wondering if she should look for a weapon.

That's when the door opened. Out stepped Lucien, wearing only a towel and a delighted smile.

"Good morning, my darling," he said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

Tentatively she reached out a hand to rest against the muscles on his chest. It was solid, just as solid as it had always been.

Maybe it was a dream. A wonderful dream, but it couldn't be real.

"Jean? What's wrong?" he asked, his brow creased with worry at her reaction.

"You can't be real," she murmured, shaking her head.

With concern, he put a hand under her elbow and walked her slowly back to sit on the edge of the bed. "Now, tell me," he said gently.

"Where have you been?" she began.

"Er, in the shower?"

She couldn't prevent a snort of laughter, but quickly became serious. "I mean for the last ten months. Where were you?" she demanded

He cocked his head to one side, clearly confused. "Is this because you don't want me to go to Sydney for that job?"

She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

"If you feel that strongly about it, I won't go," he told her. "I'll call and cancel it. You'll always be the most important thing in the world to me, Jean."

"No, don't go," she begged him. She grabbed him behind the neck, pulling him closer. "It must have been a dream. It was all a dream, wasn't it?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

If she told him would it be more real? Could it be any more real?

"I dreamed you went to Sydney and you didn't come back!" she told him. "It felt absolutely real, Lucien. You were gone."

He pulled her into his embrace, wrapping her securely in his strong arms. She had been sure she would never feel this safe, this loved, ever again. She kissed his neck and shoulders, anywhere she could reach.

"It was all a dream," she sighed. "You're really here."

"I'm here," he confirmed. "Maybe this will prove it to you."

He kissed her deeply and slowly until she was breathless and holding him tightly.

"Do you believe it now?" he asked.

"I think I need more convincing," she told him.

And he took his time to "convince" her thoroughly.

A/N: For those of you who are not of a certain age, the show "Dallas" was infamous for its reboot when the character of Bobby Ewing was killed off, but when the actor wanted to return, Bobby emerged from the shower and his wife realized his death and all subsequent events had been a dream.