Hello again!

Thanks to everyone who has read so far! I'm mostly just posting these because why not? I wrote them, so might as well let someone else enjoy them too! Thank you for the kind reviews as well. I especially love seeing that there are others who read both Team Nathan and Team Lucas fics like I do!

But speaking of that, I just want to touch on a rather unsettling review that did come through - if Team Lucas isn't your thing, that's fine, but please be respectful. I'm a writer and a performer - criticism isn't new to me, so I'm not upset it happened. What I am a bit hindered by is the fact that someone in this wonderful fandom thinks its ok to spread hate. FanFiction is meant to be lighthearted - it's meant to provide an opportunity for us to explore what could happen - it's called fiction for a reason. If you're leaving negative comments here suggesting things like there's no point in continuing this story because you see Lucas differently than I do, then I certainly hope those negative comments stay here. If you need to get that energy out of your system, review away. But please, don't put others through that. Be better than that. Spread hope, not hate. Elizabeth will make the right choice for her, whatever that choice might be. And at the end of the day, remember that these are characters on a TV Show, but the people we talk to on the internet, whether it's a fellow Heartie or one of our spectacular actors or actresses, are very much real. I'm here to [hopefully] bring some positive energy to Team Lucas fans, and really it's as simple as this: if you don't want to read anything Team Lucas related, you don't have to. But I'm going to keep sharing them either way. I hope someone enjoys them, no matter who you're rooting for!

Phew - just had to get that out of my system. Thanks if you made it through the tough bit there. But, in honor of emotional moments and working our way through those hard parts of life, here's a little forehead kiss fic I wrote out the other day! Enjoy!

"You're home!" Elizabeth sang as she heard the latch of the door click shut. She was tied up in finishing dinner, so she didn't turn, well aware that she wouldn't need to. In a moment, she'd feel her husband come up behind her. He'd wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her close so he could lean over her shoulder and place a kiss on her cheek, just as he did every night after returning home for dinner.

But when a few moments passed and he didn't appear, she turned around.

Lucas was still standing in the doorway, looking distraught. It was obvious that he'd been running his hands through his hair, the way she knew he did when he was anxious. His eyes looked bloodshot, rimmed with red around the edges. But most noticeably, she could see the slight quiver of his lips under his beard.

"Lucas?" she asked, rushing to his side. She watched as he closed his eyes, the emotions of whatever he was facing finally catching up with him behind closed doors. When he let out a sob, she pulled him into her arms. Her hand ran up to the back of his head so she could pull it to rest in the crook of her neck, height difference be damned. His arms looped their way around her, as if he needed her to stay grounded in that moment as his tears finally escaped their confines.

His shoulders shook as she held him, and Elizabeth did just that. Slowly, she ran her fingers across his scalp the same way she'd done for Little Jack time and time again.

She knew something must be horribly wrong, because she'd never seen him quite like this. She'd seen him upset, she'd seen him ridden with doubt, and she'd seen him frantic, but nothing like this. Lucas was the epitome of calm, cool, and collected, and while he expressed his emotions to her time and time again, this was entirely out of character.

"Sweetheart?" she questioned again once his body had stopped shaking and his breathing had evened slightly. She didn't press further, knowing that he would share his news when he was prepared to, and until then, she was prepared to do whatever he needed her to do.

It took time, but eventually Lucas straightened his back and stood before her. Some of his hair fell into his face, which was now damp with fallen tears. Elizabeth reached up and wiped under his eyes with her thumb, going from one side and then to the other, before running her hand through his hair once more, straightening it as best she could.

He still hadn't met her gaze, seemingly staring at nothing in the distance, but he didn't flinch when she moved to rest her palm against his bearded cheek, urging him to look at her.

When he did, he immediately let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "Elizabeth" he uttered out, his voice shaky. "My father…" he started and then stopped again, voice cracking as he broke their eye contact once more, moving one of his hands to pinch the bridge of his nose, the same way she was sure he'd been doing the whole way home.

Elizabeth glanced at the settee to her right and then back at the kitchen, trying to formulate a plan. She knew what he needed, and she knew that it simply wouldn't be possible with the furniture in their living room.

"Lucas," she spoke softly, "come with me."

He opened his eyes, exhaustion evident as he did so, so he let her take his hand firmly in his so she could guide him. She first led him into the kitchen, where she took the pot off the stove and insured that nothing would burn, never letting his hand out of her grasp in the process. Then she tugged him up the stairs.

As they made their way toward the bedroom, Elizabeth glanced at Jack's room, thankful that he was with Rosemary and Lee for the evening, their regular Wednesday night with him.

Because right now her only concern was for her husband.

Her husband, who she looked up to once more as she pushed open the door to their room. Tugging him inside, she stopped in the middle of the room to run a hand along the side of his face. His eyes were once again shut tight, and she could feel that his jaw was clenched, probably in an attempt to hold back the tears that again threatened him.

Moving her hands to his shoulders, she gently removed his suit jacket. He let her, moving his shoulders back a bit so it was easier for her to get off. Once she held it in her hands, she threw it on the trunk that sat at the end of their bed. She'd get to it later. One by one, she moved her fingers to undo the buttons on his vest until it too was able to be pried from his torso, followed by the tie she slipped from around his neck.

Once more, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the bed, encouraging him to follow. He was hesitant for a moment, but Elizabeth shook her head. "Please, just, come here" she said smoothly, her eyes pleading with him.

So he did. He followed her.

Usually, he'd envelope her in his strong arms each night, pulling her close against his chest so her head could feel his heart beating, but she knew that today he needed to hear hers. She positioned him so, despite the fact that it caused his feet to hang just off the edge of the bed, he could rest his head in the crook of her neck once more.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Elizabeth asked after she felt his body start to relax. She again began to run her fingers through his hair.

"Elizabeth, my father is…" he started again, pausing to wrap his arms tighter around her, pulling her closer to him. "My father passed this morning." Immediately, he once again let the tears fall against his wife's skin, hiding his face under her chin and holding desperately to her.

"Oh, Lucas" she responded, holding his head against her. "I'm so sorry."

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other as she let him cry. When he'd calmed once more, she pressed a light kiss to his forehead. "I love you," Elizabeth said simply.

He pulled away, rolling on his side and urging her to follow so they were laying face to face. His hand took its turn to run through her hair as his eyes met hers, "And I love you. Thank you for this."

"Lucas," she whispered, moving to take his hand and hold it in hers, intertwining their fingers before bringing it to her lips. "I'm your wife. I'm always going to be here for you, for whatever you need. No one should ever have to go through loss alone. Whatever you need to process this, I'll be here."

A relieved look crossed his face and he pulled her into his arms the way she had done for him only moments earlier, burying his face in her hair and holding her close.

"I just need you."