Jean sat at the kitchen table drinking tea. She had risen at her customary time, still the crack of dawn. She vaguely recollected Alice bringing her home from the hospital and drinking hot chocolate laced with whisky. Lucien had obviously put her to bed, but at what time she had no idea, or what had happened to Alice.

'Any tea going?' Lucien had somehow entered the kitchen without her noticing. She looked up and smiled.

'Mmm...it's just been made. I thought I'd let you sleep.' She accepted and returned the kiss he gave her. 'Where's Alice? Did she go home?'

'She's in the guest room.' Lucien sat next to her. 'I gave her one of my pyjama tops and my other robe.' He looked to her for reassurance he had done the right thing.

'Oh, good.' Jean smiled. 'Were you very late?'

'Rather. I had to wait for Michael to come round.' Lucien thought back to the hours he had spent in the operating theatre with two other orthopaedic surgeons, straightening Michael's bones, piecing together the mess, repairing the muscle damage..

'How is he?' Jean had taken a deep breath before asking the question.

'He'll walk again. Probably with a limp, but he will walk. It's going to take time, his legs were a mess.' Lucien wondered if he should tell her the additional information that had come to mind during the operation, then decided he'd better. 'He's not the only one to suffer at the hands of a motorist lately.'

'Really?' She turned and looked at him.

'No. We did an autopsy last week on a young man who had been knocked off his bike and left in a ditch near the lake.' He was sure he'd told her about it.

'Oh, yes I remember.' Jean put her cup down and got up to start breakfast, 'if I recall you thought it was an accident, given that it happened at night.'

'Yes, but now I'm not so sure.' Lucien started to lay the table. 'Did Will say anything in the car? We left him to sleep last night.'

'He said the car had turned into them.' Jean recalled the poor boy's tearful tale. 'He must have seen them, it was a bright day. They were on the right side of the road because they passed me.' Jean smiled at the memory of the happy voices that had called out to her.

'That's interesting.' Alice wandered into the kitchen.

'Good morning, Alice.' Lucien greeted his colleague, 'sleep well?'

'Yes thanks. ...and thanks for the loan of the nightwear.' She grinned, wondering how Jean would feel about her wearing her husband's clothes.

'Thank you for yesterday, Alice.' Jean smiled, colouring a little, 'I'm sorry I was such a wet rag.'

'You were strong when you needed to be.' Alice replied, 'it's understandable, after seeing what you saw.'

'I kept thinking it could have been one of my boys, when they were young.' Jean tried to explain, 'they were daredevils. Jack especially.'

Lucien squeezed her shoulder on his way to the refrigerator.

'We can't wrap them in cotton wool.' Lucien said, 'children have to learn about danger, otherwise they don't recognise risk.'

Jean sighed and turned her attention to her cooking as Charlie came downstairs to join them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucien had to see patients that morning so Jean drove Alice home and, after she had changed, not wanting to appear at work in the same clothes she had worn the previous day, she dropped her off at the morgue. Jean carried on into town and picked up some comics for the boys and some sweets. She planned to visit later, if Lucien thought it was a good idea.

The talk in the shops was about the accident, but Jean would not be drawn. She didn't want to discuss it, she just admitted she had been there and yes, it had been awful. She was glad to get home for a cup of tea and to at least see the patients out, even if she hadn't greeted them as was the norm.

She made tea for them both and took it into the living room.

'There was a lot of talk in town, Lucien.' She said, as she poured his drink, 'I just said it was awful. Is that alright?'

'Perfectly. As it's an ongoing investigation that's about all you can say.' He sat back and looked at her, she was a little paler than usual but otherwise seemed alright. He'd keep an eye on her for nightmares or episodes of tearfulness. She was such an empathic soul and being a mother felt these things more than many.

'Do you think it would be alright if I went to see them?' She felt she should ask first, in case they needed rest and complete quiet. 'I picked up some comics and sweets in town.'

'I think that would be lovely.' He smiled, only Jean would break her rules about sweets in bulk for two boys who had been hurt. 'I'm going after lunch to check on them, so you can come with me.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jean tucked her hand into the crook of Lucien's arm as they entered the hospital.

'Why don't you go and see Michael while I look at Will.' Lucien suggested. He was hopeful Will could be discharged fairly soon if his fractured skull was stable, but Michael would be in for a long stay. 'Then we can swap.'

'Alright,' she lifted her head and kissed his cheek before heading off to see the more seriously hurt boy.

She pushed to door to his room open quietly. He was propped up in bed, both legs heavily bandaged and in traction. His face was bruised and one hand was bandaged, too.

'Hello, Michael,' she said softly.

The boy looked up and attempted a lopsided smile.

'Mrs Blake...' then he didn't know what to say. 'I thought it would be mum and dad, but I'm rather glad it's you.'

'Oh, I'm honoured, I think.' Jean went and sat on a chair by the bed. 'How are you?'

'Rotten.' He admitted. 'Mum keeps crying and dad just stands there. Anybody'd think I'd died.'

'Well, you didn't, but you are in a bit of a bad way.' Jean told him, thinking he sounded quite philosophical for one so young.

'Yeah, but it ...' and the poor lad burst into tears. Tears he felt he had to keep in so as not to upset his mum and appear a 'man' for his dad.

Jean got up and sat on the bed, all the better to hold him so gently and give him the comfort he needed, not the 'oh woe is me' he was obviously getting from his mother or the 'man up, son' he was getting from his father.

'I'm sorry, Mrs Blake.' He sniffed and she passed him her handkerchief. 'You were great yesterday. They brought Will in to see me, thanks for everything.'

'Don't worry, Michael,' she smiled, 'and between you and me I was okay until you went into theatre. Dr Harvey had to take me home and give me hot chocolate and a hug.' She wasn't sure Alice would be too happy at being seen to be giving hugs.

She heard Lucien's familiar footsteps outside the room, 'I'm going to go and see Will now, while Dr Blake has a look at you, but, to keep you going, here.' She passed him the sweets and half the comics.

'Oh, great, thanks.' Michael's smile broadened, 'and the new editions, too. Mrs Blake you're marvellous!'

'That she is, son, that she is.' Lucien agreed as he entered the room.

Jean kissed the boys cheek and waved goodbye as she left the room.

Will was just as happy see her. His parents were less dramatic than Michael's but then he was not as seriously hurt. He too thanked her for her help the previous day and was as delighted as Michael for the comics and sweets. He did voice his worry for his friend, though.

'Michael's in a bad way, Mrs Blake, isn't he?' Will looked up at her.

'Dr Blake tells me he will be able to walk, but he has got a long battle ahead.' Jean sat and took the boy's hand, 'he's going to need a very special friend, Will. Someone who'll put up with his bad temper, his tears and be there to help him when it all gets too much.'

Will looked at her, Mrs Blake always made you feel better when you were in a state, but she didn't stand any nonsense. You knew where you were with Mrs Blake.

'He's my best mate, I'll do my best.' Will said quietly, taking in all she had said. 'I've heard his mum and dad. They've been talking about putting him a special place, for convales...' Will couldn't quite remember the word.

'Convalescence.' Jean supplied. 'Have they?'

'Yeah. I heard his mum say she couldn't manage a cripple in the house.' Will tried very hard to stop any tears. 'He's not a cripple though, is he? He's just a bit crook at the moment.'

Jean put her arms round him. 'You can cry with me if you like, Will. There's no shame in crying for a friend.'

'Thanks,' he hiccupped, 'dad says real men don't cry.'

'I would say, real men do cry, Will.' She thought of the times she had caught Lucien shedding tears, when he found out the truth about Genevieve's death, when he thought he'd lost Li as well as Mei Lin. To her he was a real man, and one she was enormously proud of.

Will decided against asking her if the doctor cried, even for a young lad that was a step too far.

Jean found a spare clean handkerchief in her handbag and handed it to him. She could hear his parent's voices outside and knew it was time for her to go.

'I'd best be off now, Will. Perhaps your parents will let me come and see you when you're back at home.' She smiled as she got off the bed.

'Ok, and thanks for the comics and sweets.' He slipped the sweets under his pillow and winked at her. She grinned as she left him. Will's parents smiled and thanked her for her help with the boys. Jean smiled,

'Would you mind if I popped in to see Will, while he's recovering at home?' She thought she'd better ask. She didn't know them well, just in passing. It was Will she knew because she saw him out with Michael, whose family she did know well.

Mrs Wright smiled, condescendingly. She knew Jean Blake and she also knew she had lived with Dr Blake before they married. She wasn't sure if the gossip was true but didn't really want her son associating with that kind of person.

'Oh that's kind of you, but I'm sure it won't be necessary.' A gentle brush off, but Jean heard it for what it was. No wonder Will had hidden the sweets. She just smiled and then, seeing Lucien leave Michael's room, joined him.

'Do you have anyone else to see?' She asked, linking arms with him.

'No, it was just the boys.' He smiled at her. 'You alright?'

'Yes, fine.' She returned the smile, 'shall we go?'

In the car she was quiet. Lucien felt she had something on her mind, she'd tell him when she was ready.

'Did the boys like the comics and sweets?' He thought he start a conversation with something ordinary.

'Yes, they were delighted.' She smiled, especially at Michael's delight she had got the latest, 'Will hid his sweets under the pillow. I think his mother might be a little unhappy about him having sweets.'

'She's a little strict with him.' Lucien said, 'I've heard her telling him he should take more care on his bike, and what was he doing out with 'that Michael Abrahams'.'

'Do I detect some anti-Semitism?' Jean asked.

'Possibly.' Lucien agreed. 'But it doesn't seem to make any difference. Those two are always together, some bonds can't be broken.'

'Will says Michael's mum wants him to go to a convalescent home, because, and these were his words, 'she can't cope with a cripple at home'. He's worried for his friend.' Jean got out of the car and went to unlock the door. Inside Lucien helped her with her coat and she went to put the kettle on.

Lucien sat and rubbed his hand over his head. There was a convalescent home in Ballarat but it wasn't the kind of place he'd put a son of his. It was a good place but rather full of 'mature' women recovering from operations. Michael would need intensive physiotherapy and somewhere where he would be encouraged not fawned over by protective, motherly types.

'If that's what they want I can't stop them, but it would have to be out of town.' He took a cup off Jean, 'he would be better at home, so his friends could visit. I'll see if they'd accept the district nurse coming in to help him.' He tried to remember the layout of the house from his calls there. If he recalled it was a bungalow, so stairs were not an issue, he checked with Jean, Mrs Abrahams was a friend of hers of sorts. That is, she wasn't one of those who listened to the gossip before he married Jean.

'Yes, it's quite a light roomy place.' Jean had taken tea there. Mrs Abrahams had passed a comment about one of Jean's begonias at the annual festival and Jean had offered a cutting. They weren't close friends but bonded over the begonias and formed a united front against the Susan Tynemans of this world when necessary.

'So he'd be alright with a wheelchair then?' Lucien asked.

'I should think so.' Jean sipped her tea. 'I asked if I could visit Will when he is discharged.'

Lucien thought it was a strange thing to tell him. He was happy for her to visit whomsoever she wanted to.

'And...'

'Apparently it won't be necessary.' She put her cup down.

Lucien grunted, ungrateful woman. 'I won't be surprised to see Will visit you, though.' He grinned, he'd have done so, if it was him in that position. 'I'd keep some extra shortbread in, if I were you.' There was a hopeful tone to his voice, if she kept shortbread in for the possible visit of the boy, he might be lucky!

She grinned, 'Oh really.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So, will Will visit, or will his mum ban him from seeing Jean? Will Michael go out of town? And who is running down cyclists, and why?