The stew and chocolate were just what the doctor ordered. Stew and potatoes were easy to eat one handed, as was the cake, and Alice was extremely grateful for that.

"Thank you for the meal, Jean. The food at the hospital hasn't been great: it was even worse than my cooking!" announced Alice.

"Maybe we could get some lessons in, when you're feeling a bit better?"

Alice looked over to Jean and said, "that would be lovely. Thank you." She sounded a bit done in, and when Lucien looked at her, he saw she was rather pale.

"Alice? You feeling alright? You don't have much colour in your cheeks right now."

"I feel a bit sick…I…the pain is…I…" Alice went to try and stand up, but she felt dizzy and held the table with her one hand. Matthew noticed that she had white knuckles trying to hold onto the edge of the table and he got up and guided her back into the chair she had just tried to vacate.

"I'm sorry…so sorry" Alice said through tears. "I don't feel…I feel…I'm such a mess…I can't even put myself in a bath…I…I'm so sorry." Matthew pulled his chair closer to Alice's and wrapped his arms around her.

"Listen love, don't you dare apologise. We've all been there. We all know the struggle when you come out of hospital, the struggle to do things again and…" he lifted Alice's chin until she was looking at him, "the tiredness that it all brings. Don't be so harsh on yourself. Give yourself some time. No one is judging you. Well, except you and you're probably your own worst critic!" he smiled down at Alice and she looked around at Jean and Lucien: she saw nothing but looks of love and care. She had never felt so cared for and safe in her whole life.

"Why do you all do this? Why?" Alice asked but she hoped she knew what the answer was.

"Alice, you're our friend and we love you." Jean responded.

Matthew looked down at Alice and whispered, "we love you very much" and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you. I've never had any of this before. It's all a bit overwhelming."

"You better get used to it, Alice" offered Lucien, "we're not letting you go until you're ready and you need anything, you stay here as long as you want to. This is your home now, just like it's home for me and Jean and Matthew."
Lucien got up from the other end of the table and bent down and kissed the top of Alice's head then put his hand on Matthew's shoulder.

"Let Jean and I tidy up and you two go into the living room; we'll join you when we're done?"

"I'll help Jean" offered Matthew, "maybe you could get some painkillers for Alice?"

Alice looked over to Jean and said, "I don't think I'll make the bath tonight: could we do it tomorrow please."

Jean just smiled at Alice and told her that was just fine. Matthew washed and Jean dried and put the dishes away as Lucien helped Alice to the sofa and gave her some painkillers. Lucien sat down next to Alice and took her hand; he turned to her and said "Alice, you don't need to apologise, and I want you to feel safe here. Treat this like your own place. I know you haven't had it great, but this is the start of only good things for you." He smiled at her and kissed the side of her cheek.

"Matthew is a good man Alice. He'd never do anything to hurt you intentionally and I'm certain he loves you. It was him who had a bad feeling about something. It was Matthew who had Jean call your house and the morgue and it was him who made me drive us to the morgue to check on you If it wasn't for Matthew that night, I hate to think what might have happened to you. I don't even want to imagine it."

"I didn't know that. I didn't know it was Matthew who…I know he loves me Lucien. I think I love him too but I…"

"Don't be afraid to let us, and especially Matthew, in. We all want you to be happy. Matthew had it tough when he was young; not on the same scale as you but it wasn't great. He understands Alice. That first night you were in the hospital, Matthew refused to leave your side because he didn't want you to wake up alone: in case you thought that you were still in the morgue or woke up with worse thoughts. Let him love you Alice: all I ask is that you don't hurt him."

She looks over to Lucien as if you respond but Lucien holds up him hand and said, "I know you won't Alice."

In the kitchen, Mathew and Jean were finishing up with the dishes and tidying up.

"Matthew? I know you've been over at the hospital every night that Alice has been there. Lucien and I were talking and you know…if you want to…I mean it would be alright if you want to stay until Alice falls asleep or…if you want to…stay with her…we won't…it's fine."

Matthew looked to Jean and touched her arm and said, "thank you Jean. I understand how much that probably pained you to say." He chuckled and continued, "nothing has happened between Alice and I and I don't want to push her into anything that she might regret later."

"Matthew. You are a good man and I know you would never do anything to hurt her but don't be so harsh on yourself either. Come on, let's get into the living room; we don't want those to coming up with any weird plans while we're not there!"

That evening, Jean helped Alice to wash, get into her nightdress and get her into bed.

"I'll send Matthew in with cocoa in a bit." She leaned down and kissed the top of Alice's head and said, "if you need anything during the night, don't hesitate to come and get me…or Matthew." Alice blushed at the last comment but just hung her head and said, "thank you."

"One cocoa for the lady" said Matthew handing Alice a mug and taking a seat in a chair next to her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore. Tired. Useless."

Matthew leaned over and reached out his hand for her to take. Alice held his hand for a minute before focussing on the mug and its' warm contents.

"Would you like me to stay until you fall asleep, Alice or will you be ok on your own? I've been there every night for the last few weeks and seem a bit strange to leave you but..." Matthew chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Alice drank her cocoa in silence and wouldn't look at Matthew.

"Are you working tomorrow?" she asked.

"No, I'm off duty this weekend. Two days of nothing at all. We could maybe take a walk round the block to get some fresh air, if you feel up to it."

Matthew finished his cocoa and got up to leave and looked over to Alice to see if she had finished with her mug. She handed him her empty mug and looked up at him, trying to decide what to say.

"Will you come back when you've washed the cups? Will you stay for a while please?"

"Of course I will Alice."

Matthew returned to Alice's room in his pyjamas and dressing gown: Alice looked at him and smiled.

"Green dressing gown, Chief Superintendent? I would have thought you might be more of a dark blue man?" she chuckled softly and continued, "you know? It's more in keeping with the policeman look."

"You really are rather cheeky, Dr Harvey. Do you know that?"

Alice smiled again and whispered, "Only with you Matthew."

Matthew blushed and looked around the room.

"Where do you want me Alice?"

Alice raised her eyebrows and said, rather suggestively, "Well…" then burst out laughing.

"Oh, please don't, my ribs and shoulder are still causing me pain."

"It wasn't me who started it Dr Harvey!"

Alice reached out her right hand, mirroring Matthew's move from earlier. "You could lie here, next to me." She looked at Matthew's face and said, "if you want to that is." Alice thought about what she had just asked of Matthew.

"I'm sorry, I know we are under Lucien's roof and I don't want Jean to think badly of us but…you did say you love me."
Matthew looked at Alice and said, "Jean spoke to me earlier and said that her and Lucien had spoken about it and told me it was just fine, if I happened to come out of your room in the morning." Matthew winked at Alice and Alice blushed profusely.

"Stop embarrassing me and get into bed! Will you sleep on the right-hand side of me? It'll be fine for your leg too. How is your leg Matthew?"

"The leg is the same as usual, but I'm knackered. All the to-ing and fro-ing this last few weeks has taken it out of me." As he settled himself in the bed, he turned around to look at Alice and continued, "you are worth it Alice but I'm not a young man anymore. It takes it out of me!" Slice smiled at him and settled herself down into the covers; Matthew reached over Alice to switch off the bedside lamp then settled himself next to her. "I do love you Alice. I wasn't just saying that. I'm also in love with you but I know you'll need to think about it."

Alice turned around, harrumphing at the pain as she moved but she saw Matthew lying on his back; he moved his head to look at her in the dark. Alice moved herself so that her left arm was lying over Matthew's chest and she cuddled her head into his shoulder.

"Don't move my arm Matthew, it's the broken side." She giggled nervously but continued, "I don't need to think about it Matthew. I know you love me and…I think I love you too. I…I'm not going to lie to you: I've been with other men, but I suppose it was curiosity. I didn't…it wasn't what I thought it would be and I never loved them. I…I 've never been in love with anyone Matthew. I know I don't really have to ask but will you be patient with me, please?"

Matthew wrapped his arm around her shoulders to pull her closer and kissed her forehead. "Always, love. Always."