here we are! the last chapter of The Most Room, but certainly not the last of this universe. thank you all for sticking with me through this universe and Anna's story, I've definitely enjoyed writing this and I look forward to writing the next installment with this little found family. - Dee
Jean eyed the empty seat at the head of the table throughout dinner - half-expecting her husband to show up part way through with a new breakthrough in the case or a new question to ante up to the table. She'd tried to get him to tone it down lately with talk of murder and cases delayed until Anna was safely ensconced in either her toys, books, or in bed, but Jean didn't always succeed. Like a child himself sometimes, Lucien's excitement preceded his tact most of the time - which led to interesting situations, but Jean didn't mind them.
But as the clock ticked further past seven, then eight, and then nearing nine as they cleared some of the plates for dessert, Jean knew it would be another late night of waiting for Lucien to return. Alice helped her clear away the dishes from dinner - Lucien's helping kept warm on the stove - as Anna pestered Rose with questions about photography and journalism over dessert; Matthew looked on in amusement while he doled out the sweets.
"Is it too late for tea, Jean?" Alice asked as she brought the last of the plates over to the sink - Jean caught Matthew sneaking Anna an extra biscuit when he thought neither of them were looking.
(She'd get him back for that later.)
"After dishes I think, just let me get the roast pan and I'll start on them."
"Nonsense," her friend tutted and took the gloves from Jean's hands. "I'll do the dishes since you and Matthew cooked."
"But, Alice-"
"You're injured, Jean, please let me help."
With a soft 'oh fine', Jean sighed and turned back for the roast pan on the table. Just as she lifted it, a sharp and deep pain pierced her left side. She didn't hear the pan drop to the floor - clanging as her friends shot up to help - nor did she hear their alarm as she clutched at her ribs and fought to breathe through the blinding sensation.
Her only thought was for Lucien.
Something was wrong, something was dreadfully wrong.
Hands - cool and calloused - wrapped around her upper arms, "Jean?"
"Ribs - hurt," she bit out and blinked back tears.
Alice's hands squeezed her arms as she teetered on her feet. Leaning against her friend, Jean let out a shaking breath as Alice coached her through the pain. Jean latched onto Alice's voice - collected and calm through the whirlwind of her worry for her husband and the haze from whatever he currently suffered. The only incidents from him that had been worse than this were Lucien's whipping and the time he got shot all those years ago.
"Jean, may I look?"
"Yes," Jean gasped out, letting Alice gingerly pull up her shirt and half-slip to look at her ribs.
Vaguely, she heard Anna ask a question and Matthew answered promptly as Rose called the station, "It's the echo, Anna, do you remember me and your mum telling you about it?"
"Is Uncle Lucien okay?"
"I don't know…"
Alice's fingers were gentle as she examined her ribs, "He's been stabbed."
She bit back a sarcastic response and sighed, "It's hard for him to breathe, Alice, and his heart… somehow it hurts."
"Yes, it's likely pierced the lung based on this placement and is putting too much pressure on his heart - tension pneumothorax - he'll need medical help as soon as they find-"
Jean cut her off with a cry as another sharp pain - this one less intense than the initial stabbing, it burned and throbbed for what felt like ages until the pressure surrounding her heart lessened and it got slightly easier to breathe.
"Did he just…?" Alice muttered. "Oh, I have so many questions."
"Alice."
"...Right."
Jean could practically hear Alice's brain churning and it almost made her laugh - instead she bit back more tears. "Any word?"
"Constable Simmons says they'd gotten reports of a disturbance at Vern Armstrong's house, Charlie and Hobart were sent out to investigate right as you felt the first pain, Jean."
"Oh, Lucien… what have you done?" Jean whispered as Alice tucked her slip and blouse back in.
"Ned said he'd call with more news."
"So, we have to wait."
"Unfortunately."
Jean sighed - the worry churning more once when the pain tapered off. "He's unconscious."
"They'll find him, Jean." Alice's hands smoothed over her upper arms, "Is there anything you want us to do while we wait?"
"I could use some help with the dishes," she tried to smile.
"I want to help too!" Anna bounded over (just bordering on running and this time Jean's smile stuck).
"You can dry, my darling," Jean tucked a couple loose strands of hair behind Anna's ear. "Think you can do that?"
"If Mumma helps, yes!"
Alice grinned and kissed her daughter's forehead, "Of course, let's pull up the step stool and help Auntie Jean with the dishes."
The dishes were quickly dealt with - Anna proving to be the best little helper Jean could ever ask for (even with all of her questions, but she was used to them by now). The familiar task calmed her and being around Alice's little girl always brought laughter and warmth; she was worried about her husband - her ear trained on the phone behind her - but the familiar bustle of cleaning up after dinner and dessert while surrounded by her loved ones helped take the edge off of it.
The phone call finally came - first from Charlie and then one from the hospital telling Jean what she already knew. Fretting with the strap of her handbag - Alice's hand a comforting weight on her back as she, Alice, and Anna walked through the halls of the hospital to Lucien's recovery room - Jean fought the urge to run in demanding to see her husband. Matthew was not with them, he'd donned his uniform again and joined Charlie at the station instead.
Pausing before his door, Jean noted (with a bit of irony) that they'd put her husband in the same room as Matthew all those months ago. Lucien lay still - the stillest she'd seen in quite some time - nearly as white as the sheets he lay on. Covering her mouth with a shaking hand, Jean swallowed back her tears.
"Jean?" Alice squeezed her shoulder. "Do you want us to go?"
"No, no, please stay," Jean covered Alice's hand with her own. "You and Anna will keep me from worrying too much."
"We'll stay as long as you want," her friend promised.
"Thank you."
Jean pulled up a chair next to Lucien's bed and cradled his hand in both of hers; she barely registered Alice pulling up another chair next to her and lifting Anna up into her lap. The girl yawned and rubbed at her eyes - up way past her usual bedtime, but Anna wanted to make sure Uncle Lucien was alright and neither Alice nor Jean had the heart to leave her back at the house.
"Is he sleeping?" Anna whispered to her mother.
"Yes," Alice cradled her close.
"Because he's hurt?"
"Yes, sometimes when you get hurt severe enough your body needs time to heal and it does its best work while you're sleeping."
"Why?"
"Um…" Alice bit her lower lip as she thought, "I… it's like when you were trying to read and walk at the same time, do you remember?"
"It was hard."
"Yes, but it's much easier to read sitting still, right?"
"Right."
Alice smoothed Anna's hair back from her face with a smile, "When you're sleeping and hurt, your body can focus all of its energy into helping you heal instead of also having to concentrate on moving or reading or talking."
"Oh… so is he going to sleep for a long time?"
"We don't know, my dear girl," Alice kissed her daughter's forehead. "Each person is different, but Uncle Lucien is healthy so he should recover fairly quickly."
"Good."
"It is," Jean watched her kiss Anna's forehead again, "but now we've got to be quiet to let him sleep."
Anna brought her finger to her lips in a shushing motion and Jean had to smile. As Alice made herself comfortable in the chair next to her - Anna slowly drifting off as they kept vigil by Lucien's bedside - Jean trailed her fingertips up and down Lucien's forearm, thankful she wasn't alone at his bedside, and thankful that Lucien was alive.
Time passed slowly, each minute felt like an hour as she waited for Lucien to wake. Anna woke at one point and Alice whispered to Jean that they'd be right back and left for a bathroom break. She didn't know how long she sat there waiting - the Harveys returning just as Lucien stirred; a weight lifted off of her shoulders and heart when her husband groaned softly.
"Lucien?" Jean caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers and she gave him a shaky smile when his blue eyes opened.
"Ah…" his gaze trailed from her to Anna (clutching her beloved teddy bear) and then up to Alice standing at the foot of the bed behind Anna.
"I've missed dinner, haven't I?"
Trust him to make light of the situation, Jean mused as she let out a light laugh.
"It'll keep." She stroked his cheek again. "I'd ask how you're feeling, but I already have an inkling."
Lucien quirked a smile, "Yes… I imagine you do."
"Lucien, what on Earth were you thinking?"
"I was thinking I could talk my way out of it… clearly that didn't work."
"Lucien, I have to ask," Alice spoke up - her hands on Anna's shoulders. "You knew you'd suffered a tension pneumothorax, but you released the pressure on your heart using your own pen as a chest drain tube."
Lucien gave her a wry smile. "I had to improvise, Alice."
She laughed; her eyes lit up in that now familiar thirst for knowledge that normally Jean indulged, but once Alice got started it was hard to get her to stop and Jean wanted Lucien to rest.
"Well, I have a lot of questions!"
Jean whirled around and gave her friend the firmest look - the look that even Jack listened to - and when Alice deflated a bit, Jean felt satisfied that it still worked. She loved Alice and that inquisitive mind of hers, but now was not the time.
"...which can wait," Alice finished meekly. Reaching down to grasp Anna's hand, Alice bit her lower lip and cleared her throat, "Feel better, Lucien."
"Wait, Mumma!" Anna pulled on Alice's hand as the pathologist tried to beat a hasty retreat from the hospital room.
Alice leaned down so her daughter could whisper a question in her ear, nodding as the girl finished, "Ask Auntie Jean."
Jean raised an eyebrow when the girl walked over to her side, "Yes, Anna?"
"May I say goodnight to Uncle Lucien?"
Anna flashed those big blue eyes of hers at Jean and she relented with a smile, "Yes, of course."
Lifting the girl up onto Lucien's bed, Jean's smile widened when Anna gently wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. "Goodnight, Uncle Lucien."
"Goodnight, Anna, be good for your mum, alright?"
Anna nodded and kissed his cheek as neatly as a five year old could. She handed him her bear, "Goose can stay with you so you don't get scared."
Lucien smiled and hugged her one more time - her bear firmly tucked under his elbow, "Thank you, Anna, I'll make sure Goose comes back to you."
Anna smiled back and hopped down from the bed with help from Jean. Practically skipping to her mother's side, Lucien and Jean waved goodbye to the Harveys as they left.
They'd barely left the doorway when Lucien and Jean heard Anna's high-pitched voice, "Mumma, what's a 'tension new-mo-thor-ix'?"
Lucien chuckled and winced as they heard Alice gently correct her daughter before she dove into a detailed description - her voice fading as they walked further away from the hospital room.
"She's never satisfied."
"Anna? Or Alice?" Lucien suggested with a cheeky grin.
"Both, honestly." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You scared me, Lucien."
"I know… and I'm sorry, my darling."
"Are you, Lucien, are you really?"
Jean didn't want to be sharp with him - she knew her husband, knew the kind of man he was, and this wouldn't be the last time she'd be at his bedside or feel the sharp slice of a stabbing or see bruises appear on her own skin. But this time had truly scared her, this time she wondered if it would be the last time she felt his mark.
He had the decency to look ashamed even as he grasped her hand tightly. "Jean… I really truly am sorry for causing you pain. I didn't… I just didn't think it would get that far."
"I know you, Lucien, I know what you're like. I understand that you have to do what you do in order to find answers and seek justice for the victims - I get that. All I am asking you is for you to be careful and to think."
"I promise to try."
"You'd better," she kissed his forehead. "Or I'll finish you off myself next time."
Alice slowed down to accommodate Anna's smaller stride as she answered all of her daughter's questions.
"Tired?" she asked when Anna yawned mid-question.
"Nuh-uh," Anna insisted - even as she yawned again.
Alice hummed disbelievingly with a fond smile and stopped to pick up her daughter into her arms. "Let's go find Matthew and then go home to bed, hm?"
"Okay, Mumma."
"That was very nice of you to let Uncle Lucien have Goose, Anna."
"I don't want him to be scared, Mumma. A tension pneumothorax sounds scary."
Alice smiled into Anna's hair as her daughter eagerly used the new words she'd learned, as well as the generosity of her daughter's heart. Though she still had doubts about being what Anna needed, Alice knew both of them were on the right track. Holding her close, Alice looked up to see Charlie walking towards them.
"Doc," he touched the brim of his hat with a smile. "Miss Anna."
"Hi, Charlie," Anna waved sleepily as her mother smiled.
"Good evening, Charlie. Is the Superintendent here with you?" Alice asked.
"Nah, he's busy with paperwork at the station, Doc. I'm just on my way to the inform the Blakes that Percy Walker confessed to everything."
"That's good," Alice nodded. "Will you go back home afterwards, or…?"
"I'll return to the station, see if the Boss has anything he wants me to do."
"I'll try to make sure he doesn't keep all of you too late."
Charlie smiled, "Thanks for that, Doc. Have a good night and I'll make sure to be quiet when I come in later."
"Thank you, Charlie. Goodnight."
Anna mumbled her own goodbye as Alice continued on her way out of the hospital. It wasn't a long walk from the hospital to the station - even with a tuckered out five year old in her arms (Anna was almost getting too big for this) - and the weather was nice, so Alice didn't mind the bit of exercise.
Not many people were in the police station when she entered; Constable Simmons nodded with a smile as she passed the front desk and headed to the bullpen. Matthew sat at his desk, bathed in the golden light of his desk lamp as he whiled away at the paperwork in front of him; she smiled and approached slowly - her smile widening when he looked up at her footsteps.
"Ah," he set down his pen and stood, rounding the desk as she slowed to a stop. "You're out late."
"I wanted to check in with you before I put Anna to bed."
"I'm fine," Matthew's familiar frown softened as he tucked Anna's hair behind her ear - soothing the girl when she stirred in Alice's arms. "Just finishing up some paperwork with the Armstrong case. You?"
"Lucien's awake, he'll be in the hospital for a bit before Jean can bring him home. Anna was getting tired so I left."
He smiled and gave her a knowing look, "She wouldn't let you ask questions about the pen and chest drain tube, would she?"
Alice felt her cheeks grow warm as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "No, she wouldn't. It's alright, Lucien does need to rest."
"Yeah, you can always write them down and ask later, sweetheart."
She chuckled, "Now that's an idea. I'm going home, and putting Anna to bed. Don't stay up too late."
"I won't."
"And don't make the rest of them stay too late either."
Matthew smiled and tilted her chin up for a soft kiss, "I won't, I promise."
"Good. I love you."
"Love you too, sweetheart," he kissed her again and then pressed a kiss to the side of Anna's head as the girl slept. "Sergeant Hobart."
"Yes, Boss?" the man asked as he entered the bullpen - shifting from foot to foot as he realized the intimate scene he'd walked into.
"Could you drive Dr. Harvey and her daughter home? I know you can walk there, Alice, I'd just…"
She patted his cheek with a smile, "I know. My arms are getting tired anyways, so I'll be thankful for the ride."
"Good. I'll be quiet when I come in," Matthew kissed her one last time, smiling when she pulled back.
Alice smiled back and followed Hobart out of the station - soothing Anna whenever she stirred on the way back home. The sergeant helped her through the front door and bid her goodnight once she cleared the threshold. It was odd to be in the Blakes' house alone - the house seemingly so much bigger when empty - and Alice caught herself jumping at odd sounds while she woke Anna up enough to change and get ready for bed. Her daughter was back asleep before Alice even finished tucking her in.
Pressing a kiss to Anna's forehead, she smiled. "Sweet dreams, my dear girl. I love you."
Quietly, Alice crept from the room (leaving the door open by just a crack, and the hallway light on as well) and went through her bedtime routine. Her makeup gone, face washed, and teeth brushed, she settled on the couch in her pajamas and robe with a book as she waited for the rest of the household to return.
"Good night, Charlie, splendid work today," Matthew patted his second in command on the shoulder as they both entered 7 Mycroft Avenue a couple hours after Lucien woke up in the hospital.
"Thanks, Boss."
"Take the morning tomorrow… or today, I guess. You've earned it."
Charlie smiled and nodded, "Thanks, Boss. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Matthew smiled back as Charlie crept down the hall and up the stairs. The lights were still on downstairs and Matthew turned them off as he walked towards his room - keen on changing out of his uniform and trying to sleep for a few hours before he returned to the station. He paused in the doorway to the parlor when he saw Alice curled up on the couch in her pajamas - her head in one hand, a book in the other.
"I thought you'd be sleeping," he called out to her softly, smiling when she jumped a bit.
"I'm tired, but my brain isn't," she smiled as he joined her on the couch. "How are you feeling, dearest?"
"Fine."
Alice gave him a disbelieving look as she moved closer to him, "You weren't at the hospital."
"Lucien didn't need me hovering, and I needed to go do my job."
"Matthew…"
"I just…" he sighed. "I can't… I can't see him like that, Alice."
"Like how?"
"In that bed like I was after my accident. I… hospitals and I don't really get along that well anymore. I just… I know how hard it was for him after my accident and I don't think I could have handled it the way he did. Jean doesn't need me blubbering over her husband anyways."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh that died fairly quickly in his throat at the mixture of sadness and understanding on Alice's face. Matthew rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh, "I couldn't go back there, sweetheart. I didn't want to go see Lucien at the hospital because I felt sick to my stomach over what happened and being there… with all the smells and the sounds and the uncertainty… it'd be too much for me."
Alice leaned in and kissed his cheek, "Okay." she kissed it again and pulled him into her arms. "Okay."
"Okay?"
She nodded, "I understand, Matthew."
Matthew sagged against her as she held him tight, "What's the world coming to, Alice? I mean, yes, Lucien's reckless, but it just… everything seems rougher somehow. Is it me just getting old or is the world actually going mad?"
"If you're old, then I am too," Alice teased a snort of laughter out of him. "I don't know, Matthew."
"Why even bother then?"
Alice's arms slid from his shoulders and she reached down for his hand; kissing the back of it, she stood and pulled him up from the couch. Matthew followed her as she led him to the stairs and slowly, quietly they ascended to the second floor, down the hall to Anna's room. Pushing the door open so he could look in, Alice pulled him close.
"This, Matthew," Alice nodded to her sleeping daughter - the girl he loved like she was his own child. "This is why we bother, this is why we go on, why we take risks - so she won't have to in the future."
He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to him for a kiss, "I don't know what I'd do without you, Alice Harvey."
"Be a bigger grump," Alice kissed him as he laughed softly. "I'm always going to be here for you, Matthew Lawson."
"Good."
Alice kissed him again and led him back downstairs after he'd whispered a goodnight to Anna - kissing her forehead and pulling her covers back up over her. As he changed into his own pajamas, she sat on his bed and fiddled with the belt of her robe.
"Something on your mind?" He asked as he hung up his uniform for tomorrow.
"I have some good news, I think, I was going to tell you after dinner tonight, but…"
"Yeah," he nodded. "What is it?"
Pulling on his hand so he sat next to her on the bed, Alice dug into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a sheet of paper. She bit her lip and handed it over to him.
"It's… it's a house," Alice explained as he read it over. "With enough room for me to have an office and library, for Anna to have her own room and to grow up in… it's got a wonderful yard for her to play in and a garden to grow, and it's not that far from here. I put in an offer this morning."
"That's wonderful, sweetheart," Matthew smiled. "You've found your home."
She nodded, still biting her lip and he felt that familiar hotspot flare up on the inside of his mouth.
"Alice."
"What?"
"Stop worrying," Matthew trailed his thumb across her bottom lip and grinned when she ducked her head with a smile. "What is it?"
"It just… it almost seems too good to be true. I want this house, Matthew. I want it for me, for Anna… I want a home that I haven't had… in my entire life, I think."
"You've found it, it's right here, Alice," he lifted the advertisement up. "If it's financial difficulties you're worried about, I'll be willing to help. Or the Blakes would."
"Money's not an issue," she smiled, "it's more the worry that the rug will be pulled out from under me about all of it, but… since I was hoping you'd… eventually come stay with us at the house, it makes sense for you to help out financially."
He blinked and looked at her in surprise, "You want me to move into your house?"
"Our house, Matthew, our home…" Alice grasped his hands in hers, "If you'll have me and Anna, that is?"
He grinned and pulled her in for a kiss, "Oh, always, Alice. Always."
Alice smiled against his lips as she twined her arms around his neck and kissed him back; joy fizzed in his veins like tiny bubbles of champagne as Matthew softly pushed her down onto the bed while they traded soft kisses and conversation about the plans for the house - their home.
Fin