Chapter 22 A Time for Healing

Lucas laid there for several minutes groaning in pain. He knew he had been losing a lot of blood and he needed to get to a Dr. The room was spinning and driving a car was in no way going to happen. He could feel his body going into shock and thoughts of Elizabeth and Jack was keeping him semi conscious.

Nathan, Bill and Elizabeth followed the tracks and realized they were heading to a cabin in the woods. They rode up to the cabin where they spotted Spurlock's body laying in the open doorway.

Both men grabbed their weapons. "Elizabeth wait here!" They said simultaneously.

Nathan stooped to check for a pulse on Spurlock not finding one. Nathan just shook his head at Bill.

Bill carefully stepped in through the door spotting Walden unconscious tied to a table and Lucas lying on the floor drenched in blood. "Lucas! Wake up!" He started tapping his face looking for signs of consciousness.

Lucas raised his head just enough to say. "Bill, Elizabeth before drifting off again.

"Nathan I need to get him back to Faith as quick as possible. Can you take care of everything here?" Bill asked.

"I'll take care of it Bill."

Nathan helped carry Lucas out of the cabin just as Elizabeth spotted the trio. "Lucas, No!" she screamed running to him. Fear filled her eyes and her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest.

"I'm okay Elizabeth!" Lucas groaned as he drifted out of consciousness again.

"Elizabeth we have to hurry, we need to get him to the infirmary, and he seems to have lost a lot of blood!" Bill told her.

Bill and Nathan carefully put Lucas up on Sargent with Elizabeth. They took off riding back to town as fast as they could. Elizabeth was crying and praying the whole ride to town. They stopped in front of the infirmary. "Faith!" Elizabeth screamed crying hysterically.

Faith came running out, "Oh my! Let's get him inside." Bill, Faith, Molly, and Elizabeth helped to get Lucas inside.

"Elizabeth please wait over there while I have a look at Lucas?" Faith asked. "Bill will you cut his shirt off so I can take a closer look at his shoulder?"

Faith cleaned up his shoulder and examined it. The bullet had passed straight through hitting no major arteries or blood vessels. Once the shirt was off and the blood was washed away, she gave a sigh of relief.

"Elizabeth, Lucas is going to be fine. He lost a lot of blood which caused him to go in and out of consciousness, but it has clotted and he should heal fine. I gave him some antibiotics and morphine for pain and have dressed his wound. He will be fine. He will just be in and out because of the morphine." Faith told her. "We will give you some privacy!"

Elizabeth went to the side of the bed, pulling up a chair she sat and took Lucas hand,"Lucas, my love can you hear me?"

He squeezed her hand. "I can hear you Elizabeth. My shoulder just hurts really badly! Hopefully the morphine will kick in soon."

"Darling I am so sorry I wasn't more supportive! You have always supported me and I feel like I've let you down!"

"Elizabeth my love, you could never let me down!"

Elizabeth leaned over and gently kissed her husband. "I can't imagine what I would have done had you been taken away from me, the very thought terrifies me!"

"I wasn't Elizabeth! I'm still here. Slowly he sat up, still feeling weak and a bit woosy. We are going to have a lifetime together!" He motioned for her to come closer; he needed to feel her healing presence. She leaned gently against his chest being careful of his bandaged shoulder, running her hand through his hair as a means of comfort. She kissed him on the lips and stroked his beard. Being close to each other made them both feel better.

"Elizabeth, Can you go over to the Queen of Hearts and get me a shirt. I want to go home."

"Yes, I will be right back!" Elizabeth kissed him and headed over to his office. Trying not to think about how close she may have come to losing him.

Faith returned to ask, "How are you feeling Lucas?"

"I feel well enough to begin healing at home with my beautiful wife and family."

"Take these pills one every twelve hours one is for pain and the other is to prevent infection. When Elizabeth returns with a clean shirt we will put your arm in a sling to take the stress off of your shoulder and then you can go home. You will need to get Elizabeth to change your bandage daily and I want to see you back in two days. If you have any fever or swelling come in immediately. I'll send home extra bandages."

"Thank you Faith for taking care of me."

"And Lucas, take it easy. We all know how you have a tendency to overdue things." Faith said.

Elizabeth returned with a clean shirt. She helped him put it on and then Faith put his shoulder in a sling. She told him to wear it for at least one week. Elizabeth took his other arm and helped him to stand up he was still feeling a little light headed.

Lucas stumbled forward. "I'm a little dizzy." Elizabeth looked at Faith concerned.

"It's the medicine. The best thing for him is rest!" Faith assured her.

They walked out of the infirmary and William was waiting on them with the car. He opened the door and they helped Lucas into the car.

"I need to speak with Bill and Nathan." Lucas said a little groggy from the pain medicine.

"We will take you home and then we will come get Bill." Elizabeth said.

William took Lucas home where everyone was waiting for him. When he walked in, he was greeted with hugs by his mother, father, Grace, Julie, and Jack. William had informed everyone what was going on. He walked over and sat on the settee in the family room. He took a deep sigh just thankful to be home and surrounded by all those he loved. William drove back into town to get Bill. When William returned with Bill he asked them to have a seat? Bill and the whole family were sitting with him listening to what he was about to say.

"Bill we need to setup Conklin." Lucas said.

"He was behind my kidnapping Bill and nobody has been able to get anything on him. He is linked to me being held at gun point. He will be here tomorrow because as far as he knows I am being held up in the cabin. This is our opportunity to put him along with Walden in jail for a long time."

"I can't believe you are contemplating this Lucas Bouchard!" Elizabeth said with a mortified look on her face. "You could have been killed! Now you want to put yourself right back in harms way? What is wrong with you, are you trying to make me a widow for a second time? I can't listen to anymore of this nonsense! Come on Jack! She picked Jack up and took him upstairs to put him to bed. Jack cried not wanting to leave daddy, but Elizabeth was too upset to stay and listen to anymore plans.

"Lucas, are you sure about this? Bill asked.

"I am sure. If I don't do this Bill he will just hire another Walden and then I could find myself in the same situation down the road or it could be Jack or Elizabeth. I have to end this now for the peace and safety of my family!"

"Alright! I will fill Nathan in on the details. We will get you in the morning and ride out together. Nathan and I will be hiding in the other room of the cabin, when Conklin shows up we will be there."

"Thank you Bill for everything!" Lucas said as he shook Bill's hand.

"I think you have a bigger problem than Conklin right now." He glanced up the stairs.

"I know!" Lucas said quietly.

William took Bill home. Lucas said his goodnights to his family and headed to bed. He checked in on Jack when he saw he was asleep walked over and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead while rubbing his soft little hair whispering, "I love you little buddy know that I will do whatever it takes to keep you and your momma safe."

Lucas opened the door to the bedroom cautiously to find his wife lying on the bed reading a book. He went to the bathroom wanting to take a bath so he could clean off all the leftover blood, but because of the pain had to settle for just washing as best he could. Then he put on his nightclothes and met his wife in their bed. He hated that she was upset with him. He reached over and slowly slipping the book away from her, he began nuzzling her neck, then her ear. "Elizabeth I'm sorry and I love you more than words, but we have to put an end to this mess with Conklin now or I will always be in fear of something happening to Jack or you!"

She tried to ignore the effect he was having on her. No matter how mad she wanted to be in this moment. He always knew how to get to her heart, lighting a flame inside her that could not be extinguished. The harder she tried to resist the more irresistible he became.

He gently ran his finger down the side of her face turning her to face him. His lips finally met her own.

She pulled back. "Lucas!" She whispered as he pursued the kiss deeper. "I'm so mad at you!" She said trying to pull away but not quite able to.

"I know." He whispered kissing her with more passion than she had ever felt from him before.

She finally broke the kiss. "Is this your idea of an apology?"

"Yes!" Was his only reply as he continued to ravish her body. "You have stolen my heart!" he said seductively.

"I love you! She said, finally giving in to his apology and returning his passion.

As much as Elizabeth hated arguing with her husband, she would always look forward to the apology.