"Jean?" Matthew called as he walked through the door. The house was so quiet, it was always quiet these days, no Lucien, rarely the radio, but today it was eerily silent, "Jean!"

"Matthew," she appeared from the guest room, "I'm not deaf."

"Sorry," he looked suitably contrite, "it's quiet." A lame excuse but it was – quiet.

"Just setting the guest room for Ruby and Amelia, they are coming to stay," her face lit up, "Christopher is not able to come, too busy with whatever he does in Malaya, so he's sent them here."

Matthew could see the joy in her face, the first time since Lucien had disappeared she looked alive, not weighed down with the fears she harboured about her husband's whereabouts.

"Ruby and Amelia, for Christmas?"

"Isn't it lovely?" she couldn't wipe the grin off her face.

"Bloody marvellous!" he agreed, "can't wait to see Alice with a four year old round her ankles."

Jean didn't reply, she just headed to the kitchen to see to dinner. There would be a gathering on Christmas day, Alice and Matthew, Amy and Peter, Bill Hobart, Danny, and Ruby and Amelia – her heart was filled with joy that could only be surpassed … but that was not likely and, yet again, she had to soldier on.

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The flight and the train journey had been long and boring – both for Amelia and Ruby. They were both glad to fall out of the taxi at the door of the Blake house and step into the cool of the house. Jean had opened the door as the taxi pulled up and gathered her granddaughter into her arms – the heat be blowed!

Ruby settled into the guest room, Amelia was given a separate room, she was too old to share with her mother but she would be close to her grandmother.

"I thought you used the studio," Ruby mused over tea in the kitchen. "As your bedroom."

"It was our room, Ruby, mine and Lucien's," Jean turned away, "I can't … we weren't there …"

"So you do what his father did?" Ruby set her cup down, "you told me that you and he set it up, just for you, now you close it up again …. Jean …?"

"Ruby …" Jean ran her hands through her hair, so like her husband, Ruby thought, "… it's complicated, I …"

Ruby touched her hand, "it's ok, I understand, I think … it's your place, yours and Lucien's …"

"Yes, ours …"

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Ruby watched Jean as much as she could. Over the years she had come to know her mother in law, respect her, and in a way love her. She had been kind when Amelia was born, been helpful when she was teething, knitted cardigans and sewn little dresses and they had grown closer.

Amelia pottered around, helping with the decorations, letting Uncle Matthew lift her to place the star on top of the tree and set a garland over the fireplace. She helped her grandmother in the kitchen with meals and baking, they went for walks round the lake and fed the ducks. They posted cards through doors and she was allowed to put the ones they received around the house. All the preparations kept Jean too busy to think too hard on what was missing, though she did give a thought to what Ruby had said about the studio – maybe in the New Year she would clean it. She used it to put things she had no place for in the house, in boxes. She'd put them in the garage, in the New Year. Maybe she could start again – in the New Year.

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Christmas Day dawned hot and still. Jean had decided they would all go to church for the early service and everyone was minded to do as they were told, there would be no arguments and no long faces on this day – besides inside a church was cool.

Amelia stared at the decorations, the flowers and the little nativity scene set by the altar. Reverend Cole was used to seeing Jean at church, she had started going to the Anglican Church when she married Lucien, the Catholic Church had let her down, she felt, but he was surprised to see the others with her. He could do with more Jean Blakes in his congregation if this brought more in.

They sang the carols, watched as the infant Jesus was placed in the crib and joined in the prayers. As they left Reverend Cole shook each of their hands and gave Amelia a chocolate. He said what a good girl she had been and hoped to see her again soon.

"Perhaps next time she comes to visit," Jean smiled, "Merry Christmas, Jeremy."

"To you too, Jean," he nodded, not many priests or reverends encouraged their parishioners to call them by their first name but Jeremy Cole thought it made him more approachable. Matthew found it extraordinary that Jean would go for something so 'modern', steeped in the old ritual of the Catholic Church as she was.

"I made a lot of changes, when I married Lucien, Matthew," she smiled when he mentioned as much, "I have a new life, vastly different from the one I used to have."

"That's true," he nodded.

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After church they opened their gifts, Amelia was thoroughly spoiled, according to her mother, but for once she didn't mind. Everyone received something they had expressed a desire for, and something a little bit silly. The wrapping paper was put into a garbage bin and Jean and Ruby went into the kitchen to finish the cooking. Amelia asked Alice to read to her, from a new book of short stories and to Matthew's surprise she sat there with the child on the couch, running her finger under the words as she read a story about a little dog.

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"Right," Jean surveyed the kitchen, "let's put everything in the serving dishes, and we're just about ready."

"Ok, so …"

"Potatoes, carrots, sprouts …." Jean pointed to each dish as she named the vegetables and accompanying sauces. "Matthew!" she called through, "can you open the wine please?"

"Boss," he teased, "what about Amelia?"

"There's squash and a jug of water for the table," she nodded in the direction of the fridge.

He saluted which earned him a playful slap on the shoulder.

As she was lifting the turkey onto the plate, she would carve, it was one thing she couldn't bear anyone else to do, it was Lucien's job as head of the house, she always thought, to carve the joint, there was a knock on the door. She rolled her eyes, surely not a call out for Matthew, not now?

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"Hello, mum," it was Christopher "any room at the inn?"

"Christopher!" she flung her arms round him, "I thought you couldn't make it …"

"Ah, well," he stuttered, this had seemed so easy in his head, "I wanted to deliver your gift personally …" he stepped aside and looked behind him.

Jean looked round him and gasped … there, on the doorstep, thinner, greyer and leaning on a walking stick … Lucien!

"Lucien!" she whispered, "is it really you? Oh god!" she reached up to touch his face, "Lucien."

He put his arm around her and kissed her tenderly, "Sorry, Jean, I'm so very sorry."

"You're here," she slipped her hand round his arm, sensing his frailty, "come on, let's get you sitting down, and a drink." She looked up at her son, "how?"

"It was the reason I couldn't come with my girls," Christopher frowned, "we had heard about a westerner being held by the TKNU and we formed a plan to recon and rescue if we could. When I read the details I knew it was Lucien so I asked to be included in the troop."

"He dragged me out," Lucien whispered, "my leg was crushed, he carried me away …"

"Christopher …" her eyes filled with tears.

"Come on, mum, he wasn't supposed to leave hospital for another two weeks …"

"You mean …?"

"No, I told them he would be looked after by his personal physician, used Dr Harvey's name, only one I could think of," he blushed, hoping Alice wouldn't mind, "I said she wasn't a woman to be trifled with."

Jean laughed, "that's true." She called through the house, "set another two places!"

Matthew poked his nose round the kitchen door, Amelia ran into the hall and straight up to Christopher.

"Daddy!"

"Hey, sweets," he swung her high, "how are you?"

Matthew nearly dropped the bottle of wine he was holding, Ruby was glad she had put the dish of potatoes back on the table, Danny swore. Jean waited to wake up from the dream.

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Jean wouldn't let anyone ask questions of Lucien, where had he been, what happened in Sydney? She wanted to know, too, but now they would eat and celebrate his return, no matter his battered state. She insisted he sit at the head of the table, though he handed carving rights over to his wife.

Lucien looked round at the familiar and not so familiar faces, Peter and Amy he didn't know but had a feeling he would get to know them fairly soon, Bill hadn't changed, Alice looked different, he noticed her sitting next to Matthew and sharing smiles, about time they sorted themselves out, he thought. He drank only water, the painkillers he was taking didn't go well with alcohol he said, ate enough, but not as much as he used to.

"Sorry about using your name, doc," Christopher apologised to Alice, "only way I could think of to get him home now."

"I shall see that he does his exercises and takes his pain meds," she smiled, "I don't mind at all, Christopher, I'm flattered that I was the first doctor that came to mind."

Lucien groaned, "I suppose this means I won't get away with anything."

"Too right, mate," Matthew laughed, "and I'm going to help Alice with your exercise regime, payback."

All Jean could see was two boys 'sword fighting' with their walking sticks, she rolled her eyes.

After they had eaten all they could Matthew dragged Christopher and Bill into the kitchen.

"We'll wash up, Jean," he called back, "you see to Lucien."

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Jean knew what she would like to do with Lucien, but given his fragile state she opted to take him to lie down on one of the beds, not hers, she had been sleeping in her old room up the stairs, and she didn't think stairs were a good idea, so she took him into the guest room, for now it would do. They could work out something else for the night.

"Stay with me, Jean," he whispered shakily, "I've missed you so much, can we just cuddle up – it's about all I'm able to do, just yet – but it would be nice, just for a while. But, my darling, I have to ask, why not the studio?"

She lay next to him and blushed, admitting she had done exactly what his father had done all those years ago was embarrassing.

"I understand, love," he kissed the top of her head, "really. We'll sort it."

"Lucien …"

"I know you want to know what and where I've been, but, not yet, let's not spoil Christmas, I haven't bought you a present, let's not add to my failings."

"You are my present, the fact that you are here is all I need to make my Christmas," she yawned, "all I've ever wanted."

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While Jean and Lucien slept Alice pulled Ruby and Amy to the studio.

"Right, you two, we have a job to do, this room needs clearing and dusting," she waved her hand at the pile of boxes, "garage for these, I think. Amy ask Peter to help you with those, Ruby, you and I will clean and change the bed, air it too …."

"I'll get some hot water bottles for that," Ruby stepped back into the hall, "and the linen. Dusters and cleaning stuff is under the kitchen sink, if I remember rightly."

They set to, Peter was more than willing to help Amy shift the boxes, move the furniture to clean the floors and he flung open the windows to help air the room. Alice and Ruby made the bed, cut some flowers from the garden and set them in a vase and took out the fireside rug to give it a good beating in the garden. By the time the boys and Amelia had finished in the kitchen the studio was again ready to be inhabited by Dr and Mrs Blake. The little bathroom at the side had been wiped down, fresh towels had been hung over the little radiator, all was as it should be.

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Lucien awoke with the need to empty his bladder and he knew he would not make the stairs. Regardless of the state he expected to find the studio in the bathroom would at least still be functional. Jean woke as he rolled to the edge of the bed and groaned. His leg ached and he knew he should take some more pain relief.

"Lucien?" she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Bathroom," he smiled, "and pain killers, should be in the bag Christopher had."

"Oh, right," she got up and went to help him, "need some help?"

"A little," he frowned, "just to get on my feet, I'm almost used to the stick."

"I'm sure Matthew can give you some tips," she help out both her hands, "up you get."

For someone so slight, he had always marvelled at her physical strength she made it easy to pull himself up and reach for the stick.

"He and Alice - any movement there?"

"She's worried that if she is seen to be dating him people will say that's why she got the Police Surgeon post."

"Whatever she does people here will talk, they are small minded and petty, Jean," he frowned, "thoughts of you and our two best friends kept me going all this time. I knew Matthew would take care of you and you would look after him, and I hoped Alice would be there too."

"We have become very good friends," Jean admitted, thinking of the many evening she and Alice had reminisced about Lucien.

"Good, good," he nodded and turned the handle of the studio. "Oh my goodness!" he gasped, "Jean …"

She stood there open mouthed, "Our friends, Lucien …"

"Yes, our friends," he bent and kissed her then remembered why they were there. "Excuse me, my dear, nature calls."

She smiled and let him make his way to the bathroom then went to speak to the rest of the people gathered therein.

Faced with their friends sitting in the living room, Amelia on Alice's knee, Ruby snuggled against Christopher, Matthew standing behind Alice made it all seem so real, and yet a dream.

"Thank you," she gulped, "for …" she waved at the studio, "it means …"

Alice shifted Amelia onto to the chair and went over to her.

"You would have done as much for any one of us, Jean," she touched her arm, "we … well, we are your friends, you have taught me that much. Lucien is home, there will be tough times, you know that, but he is here, and we are here and … well…" she blushed, "we care for you, an awful lot … so …"

"… if you need us, for anything," Matthew stood beside Alice, "we will be here and you need only ask, in fact I insist – please let us know if you need anything …"

"I will," Jean whispered, trying so hard to keep her tears in check, "we will."

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As they lay in bed that night Lucien told her a little of what had happened to him, though much of it he couldn't remember, or didn't want to, but he told her he tried at every turn to find a way back to her, or back to some kind of civilisation so he could contact her.

"When my leg was crushed I was the only captive they could keep hold of," he winced as he stretched the offending limb, "which is why I had to wait and hope that someone would come to my rescue."

"I never gave up on you, you know," she cuddled close, "even though everyone said it was unlikely you would be found, after so long. I suppose all we had to go on was Sydney but all that led to was dead ends."

He put his arm round her and kissed her.

"Happy Christmas, my love," she whispered.

"It is now, darling."