Author's note: Sentence "Courage, dear heart" is from Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Not mine, just borrowing it.

Chapter 26

Lucas was asleep until late in the afternoon. He didn't feel like getting up, he didn't know why should he. Everything was lost. Everything he ever dreamed about - a family, a home, a place to stay.

His eyes squeezed shut in pain and he curled up on his left side. He just wanted to go back to sleep.

The doors opened at that moment and Gustave peeked in.

"I brought you something to eat", he heard his cousin say as he entered and walked toward the bed.

"No, thank you, Gustave. I'm not hungry", mumbled Lucas.

"I know. But you have to keep your strength", Gustave said slowly.

Lucas shook his head.

"What for?", he asked silently.

Gustave nudged him a bit.

"For so many things. For so many people who care about you", Gustave said and added before Lucas could react "Are you going to throw everybody else away because of that woman?"

That got Lucas' attention. Well, at least a bit, but enough for him to sigh in frustration and pull himself up to a sitting position.

"Like who?", he asked, his eyes looking down at his hands.

Gustave prepared a tray for his cousin.

"Like me. Your friends. Your parents. My parents and Jean and Pierre. The little ones at the orphanage", Gustave took a deep breath in before continuing "You need to grieve and heal. I understand that. Just let us take care of you while you lick your wounds", at Gustave's choice of words, particularly "lick your wounds", Lucas' lips twitched and he glanced at his cousin, his eyes shining with gratitude.

He smiled a bit, admitting:

"Well, I actually am a little hungry", as Gustave placed a tray on Lucas' lap, his cousin gasped silently "Is that…"

"Soup au Pistou. Your favorite", Gustave gave him a small smile.

"I didn't eat it in ages!", Lucas took a spoonful and closed his eyes, enjoying the taste.

Gustave nodded.

"We can make it a regular", he waited until his cousin ate soup and then got up, fixing something up on a night table.

And when he placed a plate for his cousin on a tray Lucas nearly stumbled from the bed in shock.

"Are those…"

"Steak au poivre? Mais oui", Gustave turned back into master chef mode for a millisecond, but couldn't hold back a smile as he saw happiness back in Lucas' eyes, even if it was for a reason as disgusting as…

"Beets?!", Lucas grinned like a kid that just got a brand new toy "You actually made me beets??!!"

Gustave pretended to be annoyed.

"Don't get used to it. It is only to boost your immune system which I heard from the doctors they are quite good for", as Lucas gaped him, Gustave grumbled "Oh, stop with that look and eat!"

Lucas' eyes softened and he reached for Gustave's palm.

"Merci, mon frère", Lucas whispered.

Gustave nodded.

"Bon appetit", he said with a small smile.

—--

In order to avoid thinking too much about a life and happiness that was lost to him Lucas threw himself in business. In the following days he worked hard with his cabinet staff and the results were glorious: Hope Valley was saved and the New Hope orphanage thrived.

Thanks to Henry's useful input he, Bill and Marcus managed to press charges against both Patrick and his Father. John Matthews was expected to show up at Court next week and Patrick remained in jail, Grace's witnessing playing a huge part in it.

Beside busy business tempo, his household staff and he had to start making first steps toward organizing a prestigious event Lucas had a little interest in, but knew that it was a must.

The Governor's ball.

There was so much to do during the day that Lucas hoped that he would be able to shut out his mind and heart so he can get some much needed sleep during the nights.

Alas, no such luck.

The minute the lights turned off and Lucas laid in his bed, his traitorous mind and heart started to play their cruel game, bringing memories of happier times back to his mind. It all crumbled down and Lucas was left alone, heartbroken and sad.

His lack of appetite got even worse than his sleeping habits. After the success on Saturday when Gustave managed to make him eat everything he brought, these days there was no reasoning up to Lucas. He would take some tea and toast in the morning, nibble on some crackers during the day and go to his bed without even considering to have some dinner.

Bill and Henry were trying to talk to him, but without much luck. Lucas was grateful to both of them and appreciated that they were trying to help him overcome his pain, but he couldn't see any good in sitting down and listening to them telling him that nothing was his fault…when he still didn't believe it.

When he voiced those thoughts to his cousin who was quite persistent that Friday morning Gustave nearly lost it.

"Oh, mon dieu! When will you come to your senses and see that you did nothing wrong?! She used you, Lucas!"

Stunned into a silence by his cousin's uncommon outburst Lucas just sat and stared at Gustave, completely speechless.

"She only took what she wanted from you! You were a diversion, a rebound! She took only what she wanted and made fun and belittled the other things you tried to give her! She would never be a published author if it wasn't for you!"

"Now, you don't know that…", Lucas was trying to interrupt his cousin's rambling, but Gustave was already out of control.

"Really?! She held her short stories hidden away for years and didn't even consider writing a novel until you stepped up and gave her some advice!", Gustave huffed, unconsciously kicking a tablecloth against the edge of the table.

Lucas fell silent.

"And did you forget the library?"

"Now, wait, she was already pursuing the question to the Town Council…", Lucas tried once again but a murderous look on Gustave's face told him to shut up.

"By asking for a space and nobody was interested because they would have to pay for it! But, hey", Gustave raised both of his hands in surrender "Don't listen to me. Keep going and don't give yourself any credit! Like… Oh, I don't know…donating a space for a library, renovating it, bringing in the books, meeting Virginia Wolf, taking care of little Jack, flying an air balloon, throwing her a party for publishing book and proposing to her was no big deal!", Gustave took a deep breath in and leaned on the table, staring hard at his cousin who was once again stunned into a silence "And when was the last time she did something for you?", Gustave silently finished, threw a tablecloth against his left shoulder and left Lucas alone to his thoughts.

—--

On the next Saturday morning Lucas woke up from his short sleep. He managed to fall asleep at dawn and glancing at the clock on the table, he saw that he actually managed to sleep for two and half hours.

He let out a breath, closing his eyes in pain as reality pressed on him.

It was at that moment that he heard shushed voices from outside. Then there was a silence and then… a child's giggle, followed by more shushing sounds.

Lucas creased his eyes in curiosity and got up from the bed. Putting on his slippers he went toward the window and peeked behind the curtains.

He saw Gustave talking as he walked, a huge smile on his face as he looked to his left. Lucas craned his neck to see what's got his cousin so amused, but the old trees blocked the view.

It was in that moment that he heard a noise in front of his doors. Lucas listened more carefully.

Footsteps.

He walked quickly toward the doors and opened them, but found no one.

As he was about to close the doors, he noticed something on the floor.

A folded piece of paper.

Lucas picked it up and unfolding it, he felt warmth slowly spreading across his chest, caressing his heart.

A kid's drawing of a big lion standing next to a man in a suit and with a beard. Next to the man, holding his hand, was a little girl who was smiling. A few hearts were spreaded around man, but what did it for Lucas were the words from Narnia written under the drawing:

Courage, dear heart.

Lucas felt a soft smile coming up his lips.

He was so mesmerized by the drawing that he didn't even notice Bill coming up to the doors until he heard his voice.

"Well, are you coming down? There are some people who wanna see you and did something for you", Bill said with a smile.

Lucas looked up at his friend.

"Who?", he silently asked, his lips still curled up in a gentle smile.

"Oh, no, no, no, I am not spoiling the surprise! Go on, get ready and hurry up!", and with a wink, Bill was gone.

Lucas stood dumbfounded before he put the drawing on his night table and went to get cleaned up.

It took him about ten minutes to get ready. Putting his dark blue suit on he quickly went downstairs and to the big glass doors that led to the garden.

He opened them to notice a huge white curtain hiding him from a surprise. Giggles and shushing sounds were heard again.

With a curious smile, Lucas slightly pushed the curtain away…

"He is hewe! Wucas!!!!", approximately 15 kids from the orphanage started to jump up in joy at the sight of him. They were all wearing little chef uniforms, including tiny cook caps on their cute heads! In the middle between them stood Gustave and all of them held a huge sign that said "Nous t'aimons, cher Lucas".

"Wucas, wook! We made you cookies!", little Anna broke from the group and rushed toward Lucas who spread his arms and caught her in his embrace. Little girl hugged him back with her hands and whispered "Couwage, deaw heawt", causing Lucas to swallow his tears.

He walked toward the table that contained all of his favorite snacks. He was moved beyond words.

"When did you do this?", he silently asked, looking up at Gustave who just shrugged his shoulders.

"We had all week while you were busy and wouldn't suspect anything. Now you can eat for all the days you didn't touch the food", Gustave winked "And before you go and thank me, you should know it wasn't my idea. I was more than happy to fight with you about eating every single day. I just gave information about your favorite snacks", he grinned at his cousin.

Lucas slowly put little Anna down and asked:

"Well, whose idea was it then?"

And it was at that moment that he heard Grace's voice behind him.

"It was mine".

Surprised beyond words, Lucas turned around to find Grace smiling warmly at him.

"We knew that you were feeling sad and heard that you weren't eating. We didn't want to bother you the first few days, but we got worried when Gustave told us that you weren't getting any better", she took a breath in, smiling nervously "So, I wanted to do something nice for you. To show you that you are not alone. Kids were eager to join in and said that they will help me make the snacks and draw Narnia for you", she drifted to a silence, her eyes shining.