Author's Note: So, I was thinking Geoffrey is pestering Mei in the Queen of Hearts. Elizabeth knows Lucas is wrapping up a call in his office, so she intervenes by asking Geoffrey to leave. Little did she expect "fighter" Lucas would need to make an appearance. I fully acknowledge that this story is a total Lucas love fest, and I'm completely okay with that. He's obviously out of character, but it's all in good fun.
Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears, just earlier that day she and Lucas sat at a table near where she sat now, discussing how a man appeared in Hope Valley claiming to be Mei's husband. Now she was witnessing that same man try to bully Mei into returning with him to Chicago! Her face morphed into outrage, the man's language was completely unacceptable. Without hesitation, she rises from her seat and steps toward the pair. She still clutches a bar rag she was using to wipe ink stains from her fingers. "Excuse me, Sir, you should treat her with civility, if you can't do so then you need to leave. The Queen of Hearts doesn't tolerate this sort of behavior." Sparing only a moment to look in her direction, Geoffrey registers her simple clothing and the rag she had clutched in her hand. Internally he scoffs at the idea of being scolded by the staff. He snarls in her direction but keeps his eyes pinned on Mei, "You would do well to stay out of my business! I'll have your job for this if you don't walk away."
The sound of chairs scuffling against the floor could be heard while both Elizabeth and Mei barely conceal their outrage. The few patrons lingering over their meal no longer pretend to ignore the boorish man, they were outright gawking at him. Wordlessly, Lucas' staff cautiously move closer toward Elizabeth, they don't want to draw attention to their action. They were preparing to intervene on her and their boss' behalf if the need presented. Unknown to everyone, Gustave had already interrupted Lucas' business call in order to report Geoffrey's abusive behavior towards Mei.
"Did you hear me? Run along now… go wipe some tables!" He reaches a meaty hand out toward Elizabeth to push her away. Before Mei could deflect his attention from Elizabeth, Lucas was already towering over Geoffrey with his hands painfully clenching the other man's jacket. Lucas angles his body so that he's blocking Elizabeth from Geoffrey's view. Elizabeth lets out a quick breath of relief as she stares at Lucas' back. Mei quickly joins her side and reaches for the other woman's hand.
Lucas growls at Geoffrey, "Never touch her!" Lucas' sudden appearance causes Geoffrey to swallow with some difficulty. Lucas continues in controlled rage, "A woman regardless of her birth or chosen profession commands respect. She asked you nicely to leave." Lucas shoves Geoffrey backward toward the door, the force was powerful enough to make the man stumble. Everyone in the saloon is frozen in their spot. They've never seen the normally calm, shy businessman so provoked.
Geoffrey's face heats with embarrassment and indignation. His eyes burn with hatred for this small town saloon owner. The pretty-faced glorified bartender would know very quickly that he crossed the wrong man. He smirks when he realizes how the man seems rather possessive of this woman who had the audacity to order him around. He pulls himself to his full height so that he can appear as intimidating as possible to the man who has many inches on him. He observes his opponent's fists are clenched with rage and ready to strike so Geoffrey knows he has to make it known exactly who this fool was dealing with.
Elizabeth uses this moment to peek around Lucas as she furiously thinks of how she can defuse the situation. The last thing she wants is for Lucas to get into any trouble while keeping her safe - she has to protect him. Before she can act he shifts slightly to block her path once more. She huffs to herself, normally she adores that he can read her mind, but right now that particular gift of his was quite a nuisance.
Geoffrey's clipped response pulls attention back to himself, "I will speak to this common barmaid and anyone else however I please. Mei, let's go…" Elizabeth feels Mei clench her hand tightly at his last declaration. Mei stiffens her spine and responds with a firm, "I told you already Geoffrey, I won't be going anywhere with you."
The air around Lucas crackles with energy while he takes a single step forward, grabbing and lifting the other man clean off of the ground. Lucas' face twists in fury and those around him shift uncomfortably at the sight. They didn't realize he was even capable of such a harsh expression. He replies in a measured tone, "Listen carefully Lewis, that common barmaid is Hope Valley's highly respected school teacher and the woman who will one day be my wife." The next thing Geoffrey processes is that his body is hurling backward before painfully smashing through the double doors of the Queen of Hearts. The momentum is so strong that it causes him to tumble down the steps into the road.
Lucas stalks down the steps after Geoffery like a panther toying with his prey. A number of Hope Valley citizens rush out of their respective establishments to see what caused the loud crash and to offer any assistance if needed.
Elizabeth and Mei rush after Lucas and position themselves at a distance on the boardwalk of the saloon. Their hands are still intertwined in solidarity. Gustave moves near both women knowing his cousin would have preferred they stay in the saloon where it was safer. For as modern and forward thinking as his cousin was, he knew Lucas could be a bit old-fashioned when it came to Elizabeth's safety.
A small groan emanated from Geoffrey, "Do you know who I am? I will have you arrested for this! Do you hear me? One phone call and you will lose everything." Spittle launches from his mouth as he shouts in a mocking voice, "Maybe I'll even have your precious school teacher removed from her job!"
A shiver of fear rattles Elizabeth's spine. This man was reckless and had no idea exactly with whom he was dealing with. Just as Lucas' kindness and generosity knew no limit, his instinct to protect her and Jack knew none either. If she doesn't control the situation Lucas may seriously harm Geoffrey, and once he calms enough to realize how far he has gone, he might regret his lack of self-restraint. She gently whispers his name and his ear which are naturally attuned to her sweet voice, immediately registers her unspoken plea. His face shifts into a neutral meditative expression. The countless ways he could handle the situation pass across his face like a shadow. He realizes there is a crowd gathered nearby, and that Nathan is moving quickly towards them. Gustave moves to match his pace so that he can intercept the Mountie in order to explain the situation. With a quick nod, Nathan moves towards Mei and Elizabeth, practically stepping over Geoffrey who still lay disgraced on the ground. Lucas waits to see how the constable will react. He won't interfere with the lawman's job, because thus far he has done nothing wrong and he wanted to do his best to keep it that way.
Nathan's eyes expertly scan Mei for any injuries before shifting to look for any on Elizabeth. He felt sure that neither needed medical assistance so he moved to stand casually near Lucas. It's his sworn duty to protect the town and her people, but Lewis can pick himself off the ground if he's going to disrespect and threaten others. His fingers itch to cuff the man, but with Bouchard in such a state, he thinks it might be entertaining to see how it plays out a bit.
Lucas realizes Nathan won't make a move just yet, so he takes the moment to plan his next action while letting Geoffrey squirm a little. His senses are overcome by Elizabeth's floral scent, and he finds that no matter how stressful things are, a single hint of her scent melts tension out of his body. He takes another deep breath, feeling that his mind is a bit clearer after pulling strength from his soulmate. He's surprised to notice his breathing comes out in low growls so he knows he has to continue to calm himself. He imagines Jack's precious face in his mind. How on earth would either of them explain to a child that Lucas had been arrested for nearly murdering a man? One day when Jack reached maturity, he would understand Lucas was simply protecting his mother, but until then it would be impossible to explain.
Still he knows he can't be the first to blink. Showing weakness to a man like Lewis is unacceptable. Bouchard men have been protecting their families for centuries and that won't change any time soon. He almost feels pity for Lewis, he knows his type from his university days. Men eager to claim the reward of other people's hard work. To throw their family name around like they did nothing more than be born into a well-connected family. Men like him will never earn the right to feel pride in what they have.
He decides to change tactics. With a casual look at his fingernails he continues, "Go ahead, have me arrested. Not only were you harassing a patron in my establishment but you tried to put your hands on my lady." His dark eyes locked with the other man's, in an instant he's able to express an unspoken promise to make the man pay for his actions against Elizabeth. Gustave's eyes twinkled in amusement at this, the only other time he had seen Lucas like this was when they were boys. A highly emotional Lucas described how a man was flirting shamelessly with his mother, and how he didn't allow it to continue. Little Lucas had put an end to it by biting the man's ankles as hard as he could.
After a pause, Lucas waves a hand carelessly, "There's a phone in my office, go call your father. Tell him how you crossed a Bouchard of Montreal." Standing between Nathan and Elizabeth, Mei's worry increased. She knows Geoffrey enough to know he will perceive Lucas as disrespectful. He'd always been so insecure over other men. She fears Geoffrey will act rashly out of embarrassment, but her worry transitions to surprise as she recognizes the look of fear in Geoffrey's eyes. Fear was an emotion she had never seen him display and one she didn't think he was even capable of. He was just so confident in his power over others.
Lucas allowed a moment to pass so that his speech could sink in. "Bou... Bouchard? You're Martin Bouchard's son?" At a slight distance, Bill Avery's eyes widened in surprise at Lucas' smug expression. The man is usually too humble to even accept praise for simple acts of kindness yet here he was gloating like he was in line for the throne of England.
Lucas' eye sparkles in amusement, he knew it was wise to fight fire with fire. He disliked boasting about his family, but sometimes it was the most effective way to deal with men like Lewis. He wanted to end this so that he could take lunch home with Elizabeth and surprise Jack with some extra bonding time. He focused his efforts on sounding bored, "That's correct. I'm Lucas Bouchard, son of Martin and Helen Bouchard. Even better, the lady you tried to shove is the middle child of William Thatcher." He took another step forward and found he rather enjoyed how his taunts were affecting the other man. He mentally chastises himself, "'Don't enjoy this too much," he has to be better than that.
He slowly crouches down on his knees. Nathan represses the instinct to get between the two men, worried Lucas might do lasting harm to the other man. After all these years, he thought he was getting a read on Lucas, but he always manages to surprise him.
Lucas takes a condescending tone, "You see, you're not the only one who is well connected." A glimmer of fear passes through Lewis' face as Lucas' hand moves toward him. Lucas continues in a tone that will accept no argument while slowly pulling broken bits of wood from Geoffrey's suit, "Now, apologize to both women, pull yourself off of the ground, and get off my front step. My staff will pack your things and drop them off at the train depot for you."
In a dismissive tone, Lucas states, "And, do yourself a favor - stay out of Hope Valley. If you see a member of my family, I suggest you move quickly in the other direction. Because, if you don't…" While uttering his open-ended threat, he moves to stand while straightening his cuffs. He hates appearing ungroomed in front of Elizabeth.
He takes a moment to look around at the enthralled townspeople. He spots Joseph nearby with his wagon doing his best to express disappointment in what he saw. Lucas is positive next Sunday's sermon will include references to humility due to Lewis' behavior and maybe even a little 'Thou shalt not physically toss patrons out of the saloon'. "Good afternoon, Joseph, would you mind?" as he motions to the shattered wooden fragments littering the front of the Queen of Hearts. Joseph's skills were unmatched so Lucas was confident the installation of new doors would occur quickly with little disruption to business.
Lewis mutters an apology to both women before scrambling towards the train depot. The crowd whispers amongst each other as they disperse. Lucas moves to place a gentle kiss on Elizabeth's temple. He laughs to himself, a woman with such a talent for writing is standing before him positively speechless. She can barely control the pattern of her breathing, her predominant emotion is that she feels completely safe with Lucas. She was blessed to have been loved so completely by the two best men. How is she so lucky?
The predominant thought, however, in Gustave's mind is to expect a visit from Mesdames Yost and Sullivan, so he had better get to work baking them treats. He knows they will interrogate him for details so they might as well enjoy a morsel of fine desserts in the process. Gustave returns to the Queen of Hearts thinking how he loves a bit of harmless gossip and beautiful female attention.
Lucas turns toward Mei and Nathan, "Why don't you two head inside for some lunch? It's on the house. I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about." Nathan shoots an annoyed look at Lucas knowing he was trying to help push the two together. Mei looks hopefully up at Nathan, "What do you say, Constable? I don't think I want to be alone right now." As Nathan gazes into her eyes, he immediately accepts that he'll be acquiescing to the whims of two women now. He silently thanks God that Allie wasn't here to see him cave so quickly. If he were being honest with himself, hearing from Gustave that Geoffrey was bullying Mei sent him over the deep end and made him wish he could operate outside of the law for once.
Now alone together, Lucas gives Elizabeth his full attention. He pulls her into his arms as he asks, "Are you alright my dear?" Emotions play across her face as she tries to compose her thoughts. She stretches on her tiptoes so that she can nuzzle her cheek against his. He adores this playful side of her. That rubbing her cheek against his beard amuses and calms her. "Truthfully? I am not alright."
Lucas stiffens at her confession and he tightens his hold on her slightly. Had he gone too far? She couldn't possibly hold it against him, he was merely keeping her safe. Surely her father would approve? Jack was a Mountie, of course, he would have used force to keep her safe if need be - any man would. Maybe he should explain the kind of man Lewis is, that he had no choice? Maybe he should just apologize? Before he can continue to spiral into further self doubt, he feels Elizabeth smile against his cheek. SHe pulls her face away to look into his eyes, "I'm not just alright, I feel... blessed… and completely whole. In a different but equally wonderful way than with Jack. Lucas, I love you."
Bonus:
Lucas just returned to his office after having lunch with Elizabeth and Jack. The boy was thrilled to sit in his lap while eating the macaroons Gustave had baked for him. Lucas paused to cherish the memory of Elizabeth confessing her love for him. Finally, they had both confessed their love for each other and the best part was she had said it first.
Pulling himself into the present, he reaches for his phone and requests to be connected with his parents in Montreal after assuring Mrs. Yost that all was well at the saloon. He had, after all, made a promise earlier that day and he intended to keep it. Geoffrey Lewis would be a ruined man by the time he slithered back to Chicago with his tail between his legs.
Bonus bonus:
Spurlock and Walden carefully listen as Molly and Flo furiously whisper to each other about how Lucas pulverized Geoffrey Lewis with a single punch for simply looking at Elizabeth. They waxed poetry about his inhumane strength and how he had connections to the Crown. Flo assured Molly she would never break her vow as a telephone operator but she can say for certain that Lucas made a very important phone call to a very powerful man hours after Geoffrey Lewis fled town. Walden turns to his partner, "Perhaps Hope Valley is not… where we should focus our attention?" Spurlock nodded, and the two men left the mercantile and Hope Valley for good.
Meithan bonus:
Mei distractedly plays with her meal as Nathan touches her hand gently, "Are you sure you're alright?" Mei drops her fork before giving him a frustrated expression, "Lucas made sure Geoffrey won't bother Elizabeth again, but... what if he comes for me again? I made myself clear, but I've done that countless times already!" Nathan takes her smaller hand into his and gives it a reassuring squeeze, "I was actually on my way to find you when I saw the commotion. I have proof that the marriage certificate is fabricated. What's more, he is already married to another woman that he abandoned. If he's stupid enough to show his face again, I will personally hurl him back to Chicago before Bouchard can get to him." He was rewarded with a smile more beautiful than any he's received outside of Allie's.
Bonus Bonus Bonus:
Before Lucas leaves Elizabeth and Jack to check in on the repairs to the Queen of Hearts he whispers a soft "My love, thank you." She responds with an amused, "What exactly are you thanking me for, my love?" He whispers, "For understanding that sometimes a man needs to protect his lady. I know you are more than capable of fending for yourself. No doubt, if I had been a moment too late he would have been eating one of my dirty rags." At this, he's rewarded with a proud smile from her. "But, truthfully I am grateful that you don't take offense to my potentially heavy-handed approach. I know you are a lioness in your own right." Elizabeth raises an eyebrow, amused at his use of the word 'potentially'. She pauses for a moment before replying, "I'll admit I didn't expect you to react as you did, but I won't say it was entirely unwelcome. Darling, how can I be upset when you care so much about myself and my - our son?" Lucas' reaction causes Jack to shout, "Gross" as he covers his eyes.