A/N: Sorry that it's been such a long pause between postings, but my muse went walkabout. This one is in the same AU as Chapters 15, 35, and 39, in which Lucien and Jean meet when Jean is in her late teens and Lucien is about to start medical school. It fits in the timeline between 35 and 39.


It had been a long day for Lucien, made longer by the fact that he hadn't seen much more than a glimpse of Jean. Yes, it was Christmas, a day for family, and Jean was not his family. Not yet, that was. If he had his way, it would only be a matter of time. He probably needed to finish medical school first so he would have the means to support her, but nearly four more years seemed an eternity, and no matter how diligently he applied himself, he couldn't finish in any less than three.

They'd caught a brief glimpse of each other at Mass that morning, but Jean's family had whisked her away immediately after the service, and Lucien was left to spend the day with his father and the Clasby ladies. Thankfully, after dinner Matthew Lawson had arrived to take him out for a night of drinking.

It was past midnight when he got back to his father's house, much the worse for drink. As he let himself in, Lucien did his best not to stumble or fall, which would surely wake his father and provoke yet another stern lecture.

He managed to ease the front door closed and was heading toward the kitchen for a much needed glass of water when he heard the first moan. "Hush!" he hissed, not wanting his father to wake.

But there it was again, a bit louder. Shocked, he listened more closely. It sounded like... well, like the sounds Jean made in the throes of passion.

He shook his head in disbelief, and rather than heading for the kitchen, he went toward the sideboard where the alcohol was kept and poured himself a bit of his father's scotch, tossing it back in one go. Then, as he lit up a cigarette, he noticed his hands were trembling just a bit. He decided he'd better sit down before he fell down.

A few deep puffs on his cigarette seemed to calm him down, but when he stood to head for the kitchen once more the moaning began again. It seemed to be coming from upstairs!

He quickly stubbed out his cigarette and bounded up the stairs. The throw rug at the top went sliding out from under him, and only a hand braced against the wall stopped him from falling. Heart racing, he paused, listening once more, and the sound came yet again. From his bedroom.

With some uncertainty now, he walked quietly toward the bedroom door, even though he knew that whoever (or whatever) was inside would certainly have heard him coming up the stairs.

He eased the door open slowly. There, lying across his bed, wearing nothing but one of his shirts, was his beautiful Jean, grinning at him as she pretended to moan.

He tried to be casual about it, despite the fluttering in his heart and parts south at the sight of her. "Well, I see you've made yourself at home. Good evening, Miss Ghost. I was expecting Jacob Marley, but you're so much lovelier."

She laughed. "Don't you recognize me? I'm the Ghost of Christmases Present."

"You're certainly the best present I've received this Christmas," he growled, moving toward her.

They shared a long, passionate kiss.

"Happy Christmas, Lucien," she whispered.

He pulled back to gaze at her. They'd been apart less than a day, and he could hardly bear to be away from her for that long. How would he endure the months until he could come home again?

He made a decision. "How would you like to be the Ghost of Christmases Future?" he asked her.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "What are you asking me, Lucien?"

"Come with me, back to Edinburgh," he told her. "My flat is tiny, but not too small to fit both of us. What do you say, Jean?"

"You're drunk," she said, not unkindly.

"Yes, I am, but it doesn't change the way I feel about you. I love you, Jean. The thought of being away from you for months is more than I can bear."

"You're serious? You want me to live with you while you're at school?"

"I want you to live with me for the rest of our lives, but to start with, yes, I want you to live with me while I'm at school," he confirmed.

"What will my parents say? What will your father say? This is madness."

"Love is always a little mad. Jean, we can work out all the details as we go, but for now, I just need you to say yes." It was his turn to arch an eyebrow.

She stared at him, probably trying to decide just how drunk he was, and if he might feel differently in the morning.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I'm sure I love you, and I'm sure I don't want to be apart from you," he insisted.

Slowly she nodded. "Then, yes. I don't want to be apart from you either, Lucien. I love you, too. So much."

They sealed it with a kiss. It would be a memorable Boxing Day as they dealt with their parents and all the details that needed to be worked out, but the thought that they would be together was enough to see them through it all.


I lit up a cigarette and I poured a good, stiff drink.

You see, I needed to compose myself, I needed time to think.

No sooner had I settled down the moaning came again,

Drifting through the silence like some otherworldly violin.

I bounced up the staircase, I went slipping and sliding down the hall.

You know I've been around the whole, wide world, but I was not prepared at all.

Uninvited visitor, unsuspecting host.

"Well, I see you've made yourself at home. Good evening, Miss Ghost."