Author's note: There are mentions of blood and a scene of violence but overall I believe it's mostly an emotionally heavy story. Please make it to the end before throwing things at me. :)
Lucas and Mike stood side by side as they waited for the last of the Gowen Petroleums workers to gather. Lucas did his best to restrain his excess energy, but his fingers still tapped nervously. Shortly, he would announce that he was the majority owner of the oil company. He wanted to encourage confidence and reassure them that although the company was experiencing difficulties, he and Mike were dedicated to the company's success. His mind visualized Elizabeth's caring face, and he smiled inwardly, thinking of how her passion for others inspired him to do more than he already had been to help keep these men employed.
Lucas stepped forward once everyone congregated in a semicircle. "Good morning, everyone! I recognize a few of you as loyal patrons of the Queen of Hearts. Thank you for that. For those of you who may not know me, I am Lucas Bouchard. You might have heard that I am a silent investor in Gowen Petroleum."
Lucas took a moment to prepare himself for his big announcement, "I'm here to announce that I have purchased the remaining shares from Henry Gowen. As of today, I'm the majority owner of the company. Henry and Mike have spoken highly of all of you, so I want to thank you for your loyalty to this company. I know there have been rumors of the company's poor performance, however..." Lucas was interrupted by a burly man of average height who stepped forward while angrily shouting, "I'm not going to be let go by no posh city slicker! How am I gonna feed my family?!" The irate man pulled a pistol out of his coat, which he then aimed and fired at Lucas.
Chaos erupted as a few of the men nearest to the gunman rushed to tackle and disarm him. Mike shouted for someone to fetch a wagon as he launched himself at Lucas' side. His hands frantically reached to apply pressure to the wound on Lucas' chest. "Lucas! Lucas, can you hear me? You need to stay conscious!" His pleas were met with silence.
Mike and a few of the other workers quickly carried Lucas to a wagon that was brought swiftly to the scene. Mike hopped onto the back to stay by Lucas' side. He continued to apply firm pressure while desperately begging, "Just hold on Lucas! Carson will fix you up. Just hold on, please!" Mike felt helpless as the wagon raced to town. All he could do was repeat a silent prayer for the man he has come to admire for his business savvy and kindness.
The wagon and an entourage of oil workers on horseback reached the infirmary. Two horsemen delivered the hogtied gunman to the jail while others followed the wagon in concern for Lucas. Mike and another man carried Lucas out of the wagon while shouting for Carson's help. Ned Yost sprinted down the mercantile steps aghast in horror as Lee Coulter ran out of his office to look for the source of the uproar. Lee only caught a glimpse of Lucas as he was rushed into the infirmary, but it was clear that he was unconscious with his shirt front drenched in blood. Rosemary dashed to her husband from her vantage point by the dress shop, "Goodness! Was that Lucas? He looked half-dead! What happened? Was he shot? Who would do such a thing!?" Lee pulled his hysterical wife into his arms, "Hold it together Rosie. I'm going to find Joseph. Go to the mercantile and buy out their candles. Lucas is going to need every prayer."
Several hours later, Elizabeth Thornton walked on the lane leading to the center of town at a leisurely pace as she listened to the birdsong that surrounded her. She couldn't help but feel grateful that her students were enjoying their latest assignment. Overall, she felt this was an invigorating idyllic spring day.
Once she was closer to the town center she couldn't help but think of a certain dashing gentleman. She hadn't run into Lucas since the 'infamous hug' as she and Rosemary called it. Unbeknownst to her at the time, he had seen her embrace Nathan and according to witnesses, Lucas appeared devastated by her action.
Perhaps she would have the opportunity to see how he was doing today. The thought of hurting him was unbearable. A surge of unknown emotion rushed through her chest but she pushed it down just as she has done with the majority of emotions the generous saloon owner inspires in her. Elizabeth knew she was lying to herself by defining these emotions as unknown, but her heart and mind were still in a delicate position so she buried them to protect herself. With a cleansing breath, she shook these thoughts from her mind and focused on her son. She estimated she had a half hour to purchase provisions before returning home to her sweet boy. Jack was going to love the cake she had planned for him!
Elizabeth finally arrived at the mercantile but her eyes gravitated toward the Queen of Hearts. She looked puzzled when she noticed the closed sign that hung across the double doors of the saloon. What could cause Lucas to close on this beautiful day? "Not enough mushrooms," she joked with a smile.
She was so lost in thought during her walk that she hadn't noticed a vigil being held by the infirmary until a soft sob broke her out of her thoughts. Her eyes scanned the scene, she looked alarmed at the sight of Lee holding a tearful Rosemary. Elizabeth navigated through a group of oil workers before reaching some of the townspeople she was more familiar with. "Florence, what's going on?" The other woman could only cover her mouth with a lace handkerchief to quiet sob.
An urgent need for answers coursed through Elizabeth as she continued toward the infirmary. She paused several times to learn what happened but was met with silence again and again. She suddenly felt like people were avoiding her. She spotted Mike pacing back and forth in front of the door to the infirmary, he looked beside himself. Elizabeth felt her stomach drop painfully when she noticed the dried blood staining parts of his jacket, hands, and face. She moved quickly to his side, "Oh my goodness, Mike. What happened? Are you hurt? No one is telling me anything!"
The sound of her voice jostled him from his pained thoughts, "Eli... Elizabeth! I hurt? What? No! No, this isn't...," he swallowed with difficulty, "This isn't my blood." She felt relieved he wasn't hurt, "But, then whose is it? Please, why isn't anyone ans…," she stopped abruptly when her eye caught sight of a familiar jacket that lay on the bench in front of the infirmary. It looked a bit crushed and torn in places, but she knew exactly who it belonged to. "That's Lucas' jacket! He wore that when he took me to see Virginia Woolf. It's my fav -" She paused to calm her erratic heartbeat, "Why is it so damaged? It looks matted like it's soaked in..." Elizabeth swayed when everything clicked into place. The school basket she was carrying slipped from her grip. Her eyes widened in panic, but her voice steeled, "Michael Hickham, where is Lucas?"
Mike struggled to find the right words which only frustrated her. Elizabeth sidestepped him to enter the infirmary but Mike snaked his hand around her waist. "Please! You don't want to go in. He wouldn't want you to see him like that." Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to break free. He turned to face her, "We were out in the oil field to announce that he bought out Henry. He was going to tell the workers that he was committed to helping the company succeed. One of the men thought he was letting everyone go. The man was shouting and then suddenly he shot Lucas. It happened so suddenly. Elizabeth, I'm so sorry. I know the two of you..." His voice began to strain, but she deserved to know, "Lucas died an hour ago."
His eyes widened at the sharpness of her reply, "You're lying! Lucas isn't dead. He knows how much losing Jack hurt me. He wouldn't... He's not dead! Let go of me!"
"Gustave has called Lucas' parents, they…" Elizabeth elbowed him in the stomach which caused him to involuntarily release her, she launched herself at the door before he could stop her again.
Once inside, her stomach recoiled at the antiseptic smell, she pushed the discomfort aside as she scanned for Lucas. Elizabeth was determined to box his ears for making her worry so much. And then maybe kiss him senseless.
"Lucas," her voice trembled, "Please, I'm scared. Where are you?" She moved around the privacy screen, Carson stood from his desk to intercept her, he spoke gently, "You shouldn't be here." Elizabeth stopped abruptly and reeled when she saw a tall and lean body covered by a white sheet. She lunged toward the cot before dropping to her knees.
"I did everything I could, but the bullet nicked an artery. If he got here sooner we might have been able to do more, but the oil field is some distance away. His parents will be here in two days. They want to take his body home to Montreal. So he can rest in the family's mausoleum."
A choking sound emanated from Elizabeth's throat and that too familiar hollow feeling returned. It had only just begun to fade. She blinked back her tears before slowly pulling the sheet to reveal his face. Lucas' eyes were shut, and his skin an unnatural hue.
Desperation took over. Elizabeth began shaking his body, "Please wake up. Don't leave me alone. We need you! Please!" The last shake dislodged his arm from beneath the sheet, it fell lifelessly to the ground. Elizabeth stared at the unmoving arm, she could no longer deny reality. Her vision began to dim as the room spun around and beneath her. "Not you too," escaped her lips before falling.
Elizabeth slammed hard onto the floor with a grunt, her breath came out in frantic puffs. "No, no, no, no. Lucas, please no. You can't leave me like Jack." Her heart ached to see Lucas, to beg him to come back to her. A faint, "Please, God, no," escaped her lips as she pushed herself off the floor.
She rose to face the cot but felt disoriented when she saw her bed instead. A confused, "How?" escaped her lips. Her hands hurried to throw off the covers, she found no sign of Lucas. Her brain finally registered that she was no longer in the infirmary. Her fists gripped the mattress as she desperately cried out his name.
She tried to stand, but her trembling legs made the task difficult. Her mind raced, "Where is he? I must have fainted. Oh God, Lee and Rosemary brought me home!" Tears misted her eyes, the thought of Lucas lying in the infirmary stabbed her chest painfully. Bile rose in her throat but she swallowed it down, she urged herself to take small short breaths.
Elizabeth refused to fall apart again. She knew she had to return to his side, and keep his body safe until his parents arrived. They'll take him so far from her, she had to be with him while she could.
She moved to her wardrobe, resolution filled her as she attempted to remove the nightgown Rosemary had dressed her in. Her hands shook so violently that the simple task proved too difficult. With a deep breath, she opted to put her jacket over the nightgown rather than change out of it. Elizabeth didn't want to waste time. She needed to get back to him and tell him how much she cared for him, how much she appreciated him, and thank him for all he did for her. Losing Jack was nearly impossible to bear but she was comforted with the thought that he knew exactly how much he meant to her. Thinking about both her loves caused her fingers to fumble with the buttons of her coat but she managed after several attempts.
With renewed determination, Elizabeth marched to Jack's room so she could check on him before asking Rosemary to watch him. The sight of her sleeping boy triggered a sob to form in her throat. She remembered how Lucas would ask after him or interact with him in some way when they were together. "My sweet boy, Lucas would have read to you every night, played ball with you, and helped you with your homework. He would have taught you about romance and the virtue of patience... he would have been a wonderful fa..." her head dropped before she could continue, a surge of grief forced her to step out of her son's room. She felt the hallway spin slightly but was resolved to continue. She wouldn't fail him.
She quickly slipped into her shoes before flinging the front door open. She made it two steps before her mind was flooded with images of Lucas on her doorstep. When he presented her with a gorgeous bouquet he was so happy and alive, "Why didn't I tell him how much he means to me?" Because she thought she had more time to process her grief. How stupid of her, she lost Jack so suddenly what made her think she had more time with Lucas? Her legs buckled at the agonizing realization that she will never be able to tell him how important he was to her.
Red filled her vision as she felt a pair of strong gloved hands grip her upper arms. "Elizabeth, are you okay?" Elizabeth's face snapped up at the sound of Nathan's voice, he must be starting his early morning rounds. Tears flooded her eyes and the only sound that could escape her throat was Lucas' name.
Nathan's face changed when she mentioned Lucas, "What happened here, Elizabeth? Did someone break into your home?" When she didn't reply, he tried to comfort her, "You're safe now, you can tell me." Her reply came out in fragments between her struggling breaths, "I - need to see Lucas. Rosemary can watch Jack. Please!"
Stunned, Nathan replied, "You want to see Bouchard?" He took a moment to observe her appearance. "Go inside, you're in no state to leave your home like this." Her heart dropped at his refusal, "Nathan, I need to see him. Help me!"
"Just go back inside, okay? I'll go get the Coulters to help, you're in no state. I promise I'll help you, just go back inside first." Elizabeth nodded and allowed herself to be helped into her home. "Just sit here, okay? I'll be back with help."
Nathan rushed to the Coulters' but no one answered. He's never seen Elizabeth in such a state, nothing he said would soothe her. He considered that he might be wrong about her feelings for him if he couldn't calm her. Regardless, he pushed his conflicting feelings aside, he promised to help her and he would keep his word. Nathan expertly mounted Newton and urged his horse in the direction of town.
He arrived in town quickly and stopped in front of Lee's office but saw it was closed. He turned toward the dress shop but that was closed as well. Frustration took over, he knew he couldn't run around town looking for them. Jack may need his mother, but she was in no state to care for him. Before he could come up with a new plan, a distant movement caught his attention. "Lucas, get down here now! Elizabeth's in trouble."
Lucas nearly choked on his morning tea. Nathan's words hit him like a brick so he quickly dropped his teacup onto the balcony railing before disappearing into the building. After a moment, he rushed out toward Nathan, "What happened to Elizabeth? Is Jack alright?"
"I have no idea, but you need to get to her house now. I was starting my rounds when I saw her stumbling out of her home in her nightgown and coat. She pleaded to see you, she didn't make any sense. What did you do to her?" Lucas' eyes widened at this news, he sprinted toward King who was waiting for an early morning ride. The two men sped off to Elizabeth's house together.
Lucas entered her home but stalled his movements when he saw Elizabeth staring off into space. She held the Virginia Woolf novel he gifted her to her chest. Resignation marred her face and the sight punched him in the gut. He approached her slowly while Nathan stood by the doorway watching. "Elizabeth, are you okay? Where is Little Jack? Nathan said you wanted to see me. What happened?"
Elizabeth replied while remaining motionless, "You left me. Just like Jack did." Her puzzling response caused him to forgo all proprietary, he knelt before her and took her hands in his own. Her eyes continued to stare blankly. "You're not making any sense, I'm right here. Where is Jack? Is he still in bed?"
When she didn't respond he threw Nathan a worried glance and then checked her head for injuries. "She doesn't appear to have hit her head. She isn't showing physical pain. Elizabeth, is Jack okay?" Once again he was met with silence so he spun around to rush upstairs to check for himself. He saw an open door leading to what looked like a feminine bedroom so he quietly opened the only other door. He let out a sigh of relief and a thankful prayer, Jack was sleeping peacefully in his bed. The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest confirmed he was in dreamland. Lucas smiled when he noticed the teddy bear he had won for him was pinned beneath his body.
Lucas returned downstairs to find Nathan attempting to talk to Elizabeth, unfortunately, she still had the same distant look as when they arrived. "Jack's sleeping peacefully, he looks okay. Nathan, could you fetch Carson?"
Nathan nodded his head and replied, "I was thinking the same thing. I'll be right back with him." Lucas approached Elizabeth cautiously and changed tactics, "Why were you looking for me?" She softly replied, "I don't want you to be alone. Someone should stay with you until your parents come." Her lip trembled, "You said you'd be patient but you left me." Fresh tears trickled down her pale cheeks. Lucas' heart began to beat faster as his mind raced as he tried to understand. He recalled her words earlier about leaving her as Jack did. Does she think he's dead?
"I haven't left you. I'm right here with you, alive and well." He took her hand and rested it on his chest, "Can you feel my heartbeat?" The thumping of his racing heart stirred something in her and the heat emanating from his body warmed her cold hand. She fisted his shirt as her eyes finally moved to look at her hand, "Lucas?"
Hearing her whisper his name melted tension out of his body, and he expelled a relieved breath. He was wound so tightly since Nathan told him that something was wrong with her. "Yes, mon cherie. You can see that I'm right here. Jack is sleeping upstairs, and you - you're in your nightgown," he finished with a blush even though she was modestly covered. Now that he knew she was okay, he realized that he was inside her home. He had refrained from entering all this time because they weren't properly courting, but now he was kneeling before her with her small fist holding onto his shirt like a lifeline. This was like a dream for him.
A thought occurred to Lucas, "Elizabeth, did you dream I died?" It would make sense, given the early hour and her state of dress. His heart ached at her suffering, but a tiny selfish piece of him was singing to the heavens because Elizabeth Thornton might have dreamed about him.
Her face scrunched as she thought, "I don't know. It felt so real. I - I was walking into town when I saw a crowd at the infirmary. Mike told me you were shot when you were announcing something to the oil workers. One of the men shot and killed you. I saw your bloodstained jacket, the one you wore in Union City. I saw your body - you looked so unnatural." Recalling her dream caused her body to tremble, "Lucas, I was terrified. How are you here? Am I going crazy?" Her hands reached to touch his face, the warmth of his skin comforted her. She reverently traced a line from his scruffy beard to his eyebrow and then down along his nose. The intimate act caused his eyes to reflexively close, but when he opened them his coal-colored eyes flared at the feel of her finger tracing along his lips. He was certain she had no idea what her touch did to him. She softly smiled as she realized that she enjoyed the feel of his prickly beard. After everything that happened today, it was clear to him that their relationship had advanced lightyears in a small amount of time.
He cleared his throat and moved beside her on the couch, "You have nothing to worry over. As you can see I am wearing that very same jacket now. It was just a dream. I'm so sorry to have caused you so much worry. I don't deserve such concern."
"Don't deserve such concern? Lucas Bouchard, you are the man I never imagined I would meet. You understand me in ways no one else has. You encourage and support me - challenge me. You realize how hard it is for me so you're patient with me. I can't imagine my life without you. The idea of losing you without even telling you how much you mean to me was just too much to bear." The vulnerable expression on her face caused him to pull her in for a tight embrace. He was relieved when he felt her melt into his side rather than stiffen and push him away. Lucas whispered to her, "I told you my father taught me patience. I'm not going anywhere." She snuggled her head against his shoulder while firmly planting her hand against his heart. Every thump reassured her that he was okay.
They sat quietly like this until Nathan returned with Carson. The Mountie was relieved to see color had returned to her face and that she appeared more alert. Carson's examination found nothing wrong with her aside from exhaustion and a strong sense of embarrassment. The newcomers sensed they were intruding on a private moment so they quickly left.
Alone once again, Elizabeth shyly looked at Lucas who had moved away to provide some privacy when Carson examined her, "Are you going to stay over there?" Suddenly feeling like a schoolboy, he timidly made his way beside her. Once he was settled she leaned into his arms and sighed softly. Lucas was in awe of her strength, she'd been through so much in her short life yet continued to be resilient in the face of it all.
They sat in each other's embrace for some time longer before a sweet childish voice was heard, "Morning Mama! Bear's awake now. He's hungry!" Elizabeth and Lucas both laughed at his announcement. She started to rise but Lucas held her in place, "Allow me. I think you've had enough excitement for today, perhaps you should rest while I feed Jack and his teddy bear." With a mischievous glint, "I'll feed Mama Bear as well." Elizabeth giggled at Lucas' teasing, "Yes, but we can't forget Papa Bear either can we?" Lucas was positive he was going to faint after hearing her refer to him as papa bear. Her message was clear, perhaps he was the one dreaming after all. He took the steps two at a time to prevent her from seeing the silly grin that grew on his face.
While Lucas and Jack were busy making breakfast, Elizabeth took time to change into a day dress. The unsettled feeling that took root in her was mostly gone by the time breakfast was served. The three of them, along with Bear, sat around Elizabeth's kitchen table to enjoy the meal together. Jack was happily chattering with Lucas about the dream he had in between bites of blueberry pancake. Lucas grinned at the boy, it was obvious that his mother had read something by Beatrix Potter to him recently because his dream sounds eerily familiar with her work.
Elizabeth came to the same conclusion, it dawned on her that she had been reading before bed last night. A week ago Julie sent her a bestseller romance novel about a young woman who refused to admit her feelings for the man she loved because of her fear. The man tragically died in the story. Clearly, this had inspired the horrible nightmare! As painful as the experience was for her, it forced her to acknowledge how important Lucas was to her. She understood that she still had more grief to process, but admitting her growing feelings for Lucas gave her a calm that she hadn't felt in a long time. She knew she had to make it clear to Nathan that they could never be more than friends, he deserved that much.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a plate being pushed across the table. Jack's voice filled the space, "Mr. Wucas, can you make them smaller? Bear has a little mouth." Lucas smiled at the boy, "I'll be happy to cut them into smaller pieces, buddy!" She grinned at the scene, her little boy was glued to Lucas from the moment they came downstairs together. Elizabeth didn't know what the future would bring for them, but she felt at peace knowing that when she was ready, he would be there waiting.
