Matt had watched silently as the others left the house, while he remained sat with Gail and the baby. When they had sat in silence for over 30 minutes, he laughed. 'You really have lost your mind haven't you?' he asked, as he stroked Luke's hand and smiled when the baby gripped his finger tight.

Gail had forgotten what she had been trying to accomplish here; however, she forced herself to remain stern. 'You accuse me of losing my mind when you're courting that young girl?'

Matt rolled his eyes and stood up. 'You're judging me when you're playing happy family with our sociopathic Sheriff? Come on Gail, the man's a monster and you're focusing on a little kiss'

Gail laughed and stood up, carefully holding Luke to her chest. 'Firstly, the act I witnessed you performing on a minor last night was not just a little kiss and secondly, he isn't a monster with me...As long as I'm playing happy family he's leaving the people closest to me alone, including you'

'So conforming to his ways is warranted because it saves the people around you...what about everyone else that he tortures?' Matt asked judgmentally.

Gail began to pace the room, she was not used to Matt being so forthright and it reminded her of how he used to be before his stay in Juniper House. Although it appeared he was challenging her, she liked his confidence and hoped this was a sign that her friend was returning back to his old ways. 'I'm not Florence Nightingale Matt, everyone else isn't my concern...at least not for the moment. Besides, while everything's alright here his attention is firmly fixed on me'

Matt let out a long sigh and approached his friend. 'And what about the effect this all has on you? I know you hate this holiday due to your past and you know I'm in the same boat, but your ill feelings towards something has never stopped you performing appropriately for Caleb...Gail, you're locking yourself away here and that's not healthy for you or that boy. I can see that everything isn't alright'

Gail watched Matt closely, clearly her feelings of unease were seeping through and she was trying to hide them. How could she tell her friend that she was trapped due to some past life that had already played out? She could not control her desire for Lucas, that was obvious now and she did not like being powerless in any situation, let alone with a man like him.

Matt sensed the conflict within his friend and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He could see that she was wrestling with something; however, she was reluctant in opening up and had put a wall up, just like the first time they had met. It had been hard to melt her hard exterior but he had prevailed. He would not allow her to go back to her old way of running away inside herself, it was not an option he would even contemplate. 'Come on...' he ordered, '...I hate this place and I'm not staying here for another minute'

Gail regarded Matt curiously, his demeanor had changed and she did not know what to make of it. 'I have to look after Luke, you go and I'll be fine' she said, rocking the baby in her arms.

'Are you really going to let me walk all the way into town on my own...If I get ill and have to call in sick, think of all the people I could've potentially saved' Matt said sarcastically.

Gail shook her head and smiled. 'Well if you put it that way, I suppose I'll have to be your chauffer'

Matt smiled and led her out of the study. 'There's the spirit Miss Emory, it's about time that baby of yours got a tour of the town' he laughed and watched as she reluctantly found Luke's buggy.


Lucas had grown tired of his answering questions from his townspeople about Luke and what this meant for the woman in his life; therefore, he sat at a table in a quiet spot with Abe and Merlyn, watching Caleb play with his friends. He knew his townspeople would not dare disturb him when he was with his old friend and welcomed this peacefulness after a long afternoon of performing.

When Abe stood up to get himself a drink, Merlyn attempted to follow; however, it appeared his old friend wanted some peace himself, as he scolded the girl for her efforts. Merlyn sat back down in a huff and folded her arms over her chest, Lucas was the last person she wanted to be with and she prayed that someone would sit with them.

'Am I really that bad Merlyn Ann?' Lucas asked, not taking his eyes off Caleb and his friends.

Merlyn regarded Lucas suspiciously, then surveyed their surroundings hoping for any interruption. 'You killed me Lucas' she said candidly.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'I put you out of your misery...Besides, haven't I redeemed myself by letting you live?'

Merlyn shook her head in disbelief. 'Gail let me live and you're just keepin' her sweet by toleratin' my presence'

Lucas let out a long sigh and turned his attention towards Merlyn. 'I could've gotten rid of you before Gail got attached, she wouldn't have cared less if Caleb's little friend had disappeared. What I did was allow you to start over, with no chains to bind you to that old farmhouse you used to call home. You may not like it, but you're still here because of me and it's time you let the past go before it comes back to haunt you'

Merlyn stared defiantly at Lucas, she did not want to allow herself to let go of what Lucas had done to her and her family; however, he did have a point and he appeared to be trying now. 'Am I supposed to trust that you have my best interests at heart Lucas?'

'Well I ain't dragged Harvard to jail yet for inappropriate acts towards a minor, I should think that stands for something' he laughed, then turned his focus back towards Caleb.

Merlyn watched him for a moment, then sighed. She was sick of holding on to her grudge and knew the old Lucas would not have hesitated to take Matt in if he had something on him.

'There you go, I ain't so bad' Lucas smiled triumphantly.

Merlyn shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. 'You know he didn't do anythin' wrong right? I've seen enough to know what I'm doin''

Lucas could sense how desperate Merlyn was for help in this situation and he knew Gail could not provide an unbiased opinion. 'Look, the man is damaged. Contributing to the death of your wife and child can eat away at a person, to the point where they don't function as they should...Saying that, witnessing the death of a parent and the imperfections of a family can also damage a person. I guess you two are like two pea's in a pod with all that you've witnessed' Lucas shrugged.

Merlyn could not believe that Lucas was actually talking to her in a genuine manner and was struggling to find his motive for assisting her with her dilemma.

'While you're sufferin', others I hold close are too...What you need to do is truly figure out what you want and take it, just like I have' Lucas smiled.

Merlyn considered this for a moment and smiled. 'Gail won't be happy that you gave me this advice' she warned.

Lucas turned back towards Merlyn and smiled devilishly. 'What that ol' cousin of yours doesn't know won't hurt her. Besides, I'm Lucas Buck...I won't be controlled by anyone'

Merlyn felt something dark stir within her and her smile grew wider, maybe it was time that she stopped being so sweet and innocent. 'Speakin' of the devil' she said and signaled to Lucas' right.

Lucas turned around to see Gail and Matt approaching them, with Luke in his buggy. He nodded in appreciation of Matt's effort to bring Gail back to normality and stood up to meet them. 'Well this is a surprise...You here to do the rounds with me Miss Emory?' he asked sarcastically.

'I'm here for a break after Christmas shopping all afternoon' Gail snapped, then sat down beside Merlyn and noticed something was different with her. 'Are you alright?'

Merlyn smiled at her cousin and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 'I'm fine, me and Lucas were just havin' a little chat'

'About what?' Matt asked suspiciously.

'Yes, about what?' Gail asked, regarding Lucas disapprovingly.

'Oh nothin', just a few life lessons' Merlyn smiled, then got up and went to join her brother.

'Life lessons?' Gail asked Lucas, then rolled her eyes when he just shrugged.

Lucas pulled Luke's pram towards him, then sat down opposite Gail. 'You look radiant out in the open Darlin''

Gail knew something had gone on and they were hiding it from her; therefore, she stood up and linked her arm through Matt's. 'Well I'm going to take my radiant self and friend for some well deserved alone time by the water...Enjoy babysitting Sheriff' Gail said sarcastically and led Matt to the pier, leaving Lucas with the children.


It was 8:00pm on Christmas Eve and Lucas was pacing the long corridors of his mansion, as Gail was nowhere to be found. She had clearly returned here when she left the Christmas fair, to put presents under their large Christmas Tree; however, he had not seen her since and he was beginning to get restless having to watch the children.

'There was a bottle of milk in the fridge, so I fed Luke...' Merlyn said cautiously, as she found Lucas pacing. '...Gail must've left it before she went back out'

'Smart, makin' sure the baby had enough supplies so she could stay out as long as she wants' Lucas said through gritted teeth.

Merlyn sensed his anger and decided to head back to Luke, where it was safe. She did not want to leave him too long with Caleb, in case they were tempting fate.

Lucas continued to walk down the long corridors of his property and came across the dining room they had been in the previous evening, with light flickering through the bottom of the closed door. He stared at the door suspiciously for a moment, then opened it and found Gail stood at the back of the room staring at the covered painting on the wall. This sight brought him back to her strange behaviour of the previous evening and he became curious with her fascination of this room. 'How did you get past me?' he asked, as he approached her slowly.

'It appears I can navigate through the back of this property pretty well...You really need to tend to that old fountain, it's a shame to have it go to ruin' she sighed and continued to stare at the covered painting.

After Gail had left with Matt, she had started to feel more her old self; however, her mind traveled back to her visions and she felt trapped once again. She had made her excuses to Matt and decided to come here through the back door, knowing Lucas would be waiting for her to return at the front of the property. Now that she was here, she did not know what she wanted to do and it was a surprise that Lucas had stumbled across her.

Lucas did not like the stance his love was taking, or that she would not take her eyes off the covered painting. When he had closed the distance, he placed his hands on her hips and pulled her back into him. 'I don't know what's goin' on with your moods of late Gail, but you need to get them under control for the children's sake' he whispered into her ear.

Without hesitation, Gail reached for the cover and pulled it down to reveal the painting of her and Lucas. She smiled when she heard his sharp intake of breath and turn towards him. 'How am I supposed to get control of anything after I discovered this?' she asked accusingly.

Lucas stared at the painting before him and shook his head. He had come across old paintings previously, which portrayed a great likeness to Gail and even of him; however, he had never spotted one of them together. Seeing this with her caused a strange sensation to flow through his body and he smiled. 'The illusion of free will Darlin'' he said without thinking, then backed up when Gail slapped his face hard.

Gail felt anger rise within her and could not control lashing out at that statement. This was all a game to him, but this was her life and she was not one to follow the obvious path. 'Was it due to the illusion of free will that you raped and killed my aunt? Or does that statement just relate to us?' she asked, knowing the truth about Judith deep down.

Lucas felt like he should be careful here, this situation had taken him off guard and he needed time to think. 'I didn't kill...' he started, then felt Gail's hand connect with his cheek again.

'The truth for once...' Gail interrupted, '...that's all I ever asked of you, but you couldn't even give me that'

Lucas raised his hand to his cheek and tried to control his anger at being struck twice. 'You couldn't handle the truth Gail, you can barely stomach the sins of your immediate family let alone mine and Judith's' he smiled venomously.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Now we're getting somewhere, the real you is starting to shine through...Don't act as if your smoke and mirrors were anything to do with my inability to process my families disturbed history, your lies were to protect yourself and no-one else Lucas'

Lucas nodded and ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. He knew he had her, so this confrontation would not change anything; however, he did not understand what had come over her to bring this up now. 'Alright, so what if I did kill her? Nothin' would've changed, except maybe you would've done the dirty deed yourself...we both know you're capable of it, going by some of the visions you've experienced' he said knowingly.

Gail could not deny his statement, as she felt the darkness within her grow; however, his comment still made her angry. 'So you killed her to subconsciously protect me from committing a horrible act?'

'I cared deeply for that woman Gail, but she wasn't strong enough for what I needed. I realised that when she gave birth to Caleb' Lucas tried to explain.

'You don't care about anyone but yourself or your offspring Lucas, so enough of your lies'

Lucas grabbed Gail by the arms and slammed her hard against the wall. 'After all we've been through and all you've seen, you still think this is all about me?' he asked in disbelief.

Gail felt a switch turn in her body and suddenly her desire for him took over. She tried to remain in control; however, their connection was too strong and she was unable to fight it.

Lucas saw something change in her eyes and stared at her curiously, when he felt her hand move to his crotch and she unzipped his pants. He could sense her desire flowing through her and he was sick of having to control his urges. 'What love?...What do want?' he whispered, then pulled her close and inhaled her scent.

Gail closed her eyes and bit her lip, her desire had taken full control and had forgotten what she was trying to accomplish. All she wanted was for him to take her hard. 'Would you really do anything?' she asked, as she stared deep into his eyes and sensed his arousal.

Lucas felt himself get excited at the prospect of this game and trailed his hands down to her hips. 'Anything' he panted, feeling his manhood harden in his pants.

Gail smiled mischievously and took his hard manhood in her hands. 'I want it how you took her' she whispered, feeling her darkness flood through.

Lucas stared at her suspiciously for a moment, he understood exactly what her request was and was confused as to why she would ask such a thing. He could sense that she was serious; therefore, without hesitation he threw her down on the dining room table and began pulling off her cardigan.

Gail felt something dark come over her and she slapped Lucas hard across the face, then smiled at his look of confusion and pulled him to her for a passionate kiss. She allowed him to lift up her long skirt and rip off her panties, then feigned resistance when he attempted to pin her down on the table.

Lucas was aroused by this game and forced her legs open with his knees, then thrust his manhood deep inside of her. They both let out a loud moan as she closed in around him and he remained still for a moment. It had been a while since he had been inside of her and Lucas wanted to savour this feeling for as long as he could. When he could hold still for no longer, he started to push in and out of her gently. He knew Gail had requested him to be rough; however, he was not ready to hurt her in that way just yet.

Gail allowed Lucas to go slow for a few moments, then gripped his hair tight in her hands when he did not increase his pace. 'This isn't what I wanted sweetheart' she said, trying to sound annoyed.

Lucas smiled and placed a soft kiss on her lips. 'But it's what you're gettin' for now love' he panted and thrust his manhood deeper inside her.

Gail called out at the exquisite feeling of him inside of her and could not muster up the anger she wished to hold against him. His soft movements were tapping into a side of her that she was trying to keep locked up and she was finding it hard to hide her enjoyment of this act. It did not take long for their climax to come and Gail dug her nails into Lucas' back when the pleasure became too much, then called out as he came inside of her.

Lucas buried his head into Gail's neck and bit down hard, to stifle his call. He felt himself explode within her and the intense sensation that flowed through him was exquisite. Gail allowed him to lay on top of her for a few moments, then pushed him off of her. Lucas watched as she cleaned herself up and straightened her clothes, then pulled her to him and cupped her chin in his hands.

'You said anything' she said, frustrated.

'And I stand by that, but not when you haven't fully recovered' Lucas advised and stroked her cheek tenderly.

Gail stared deep into his eyes, then pushed him away from her. She was sick of being treated as though she was fragile and had wanted to work off her anger over Judith.

'Gail?' Merlyn called protectively, when she saw Lucas and Gail seeming to be at a standoff.

Gail let out a long sigh and shook her head at Lucas. 'This isn't over' she warned.

Lucas smiled devilishly and placed his arm around Gail, then led her out of the room. 'I wouldn't expect anythin' less love but this fight is gonna have to wait, unless you want your whole family to suffer through this holiday period?'

Gail regarded Lucas with irritation and allowed him to lead her out of the room. It was time that they both performed for their family and friends over the festive period; however, now she knew the truth about their connection and Judith, which meant she finally had something concrete to focus on. She would uncover his secrets one way or another, but for now she would return to the children and make the most of Christmas with them.

-the end-