About an hour and half or so, Lucas gave up on sleep. He just laid there, slowly rubbing Jack's back in gentle, circular motion.
The talk he just had with a little boy who was supposed to be his son took a lot out of Lucas. The only thing he still missed from his days with Elizabeth was getting to know Jack. He knew him ever since he was a tiny baby, watched him grow, interacted gently with him whenever he would meet him and Elizabeth in town and always asked about his well being, like during the chicken pox outburst.
And then when he and Elizabeth begun their relationship Lucas reveled in spending time with Jack as he grew into a happy and curious toddler.
It pained Lucas deeply to witness this darling boy's tears, sadness and feeling of rejection from his Mum. Lucas may not have received much affection from his Mother when he was a child, but she never coldly pushed him away like Elizabeth did to Jack. Helen was a practical, no-nonsense woman, preoccupied with her job, but Lucas knew now that she loved him and still loves him. He still remembered how worried she was for him when the explosion in Hope Valley occured. Florence told him later on that Helen ran toward the place where the explosion happened, yelling his name with tears in her eyes. She also told him that Elizabeth stopped her and that she was quite calm, not panicking at all.
Back then, Lucas thought that meant that she wanted to be strong for his Mother…
But, now he knew the truth.
She simply didn't care.
Not like she cared when she thought Nathan was shot. She didn't run to him like she did to Nathan once he came back. The signs were there, but he was too blind to see it.
His attention was brought back to Jack as he moved a bit in his sleep, letting out a sigh of content in his dream. Lucas smiled softly and kept on rubbing the little boy's back. He was grateful for this opportunity and was determined to help his little buddy to feel better before he goes back to Hamilton.
Lucas had an idea how to help Jack even though he won't be around. He just had to check whether William Thatcher would allow it.
He knew that it wasn't too late to call William Thatcher now. Considering the fact that the day after tomorrow was Christmas and Jack's birthday, he wanted to make sure he has everything in order on time.
Therefore, slowly, very slowly, Lucas got up from the bed and left the room.
He quickly went to his office, pulling out his pocket watch and checking the time.
20.35.
Closing the doors, Lucas sat down in his chair and picked up the phone.
—--
Grace was resting on a sofa in the living room. The children were asleep and Lillian turned in about half an hour ago.
Unable to sleep, Grace took a book and a blanket and sat at the sofa. She was afraid that she might not hear the knocking at the doors or a phone ringing if she goes to her room. It may as well be that Lucas won't call or come this evening, but she didn't want to risk it.
She wondered how the conversation with Jack went. The little boy was such a darling and it pained Grace to think how lost he felt lately. His entire little world crashed down and his own Mother pushed him away. It was bad enough that he was missing his buddy, but to feel rejected by his own Mother…
No wonder he was so sad. No wonder he stopped eating properly and had trouble sleeping.
Grace hoped that Jack's time in Capitol City with his buddy will help the darling little boy. She knew that it couldn't be easy for Lucas, but she was sure that he will do everything in his power to help Jack through this ordeal.
The book in her hands felt heavy and she glanced at it, noticing that she was at the same page for the past 20 minutes.
Huffing in frustration, Grace put the book down and git up from the sofa. She crossed her arms and walked up and down the living room, chewing nervously on her lower lip.
It was during the fifth or sixth time she crossed the living room that she heard a silent knock at the doors. Letting out a shivering breath, she ran like a wind toward them and opened them in a flash.
Lucas stood in front of her, his face tearful, his breath short, his forehead creased as he tried hard not to break down.
One look - that was all it took. One look at Lucas' red rimmed eyes and Grace rushed to him and hugged him. She could feel the sobs coming up from his lungs and she walked back a few steps, entering the house, never letting go of him. She closed the doors with one hand, the other still holding Lucas and she quickly put her other arm back around him.
That was when he broke down.
Grace pressed her lips tightly together, fighting her own tears back, as she felt Lucas hiding his face into her shoulder as tears broke him down.
She pulled him closer to her and tightened her hug.
"Let it all out, my love", she whispered as she kissed his dark hair "Let it all out. I'm here, Lucas. You're not alone."
Her words broke the dam and her heart shattered into pieces as she felt him cry in anguish. Grace knew that this had nothing to do with his past with Elizabeth. She knew that his heart was hers, she knew that Lucas loved her more than the words could ever explain.
This was about the little boy who was so dear to her beloved fiance. A Fatherless child who looked up at Lucas and asked for comfort, gentleness and help from him. Grace knew that Lucas didn't cry in front of Jack, wanting to protect the precious boy.
But, now… Now, he was here, away from everybody else and she wanted to assure him that he can let go. That he can ask her for comfort, gentleness and help, just like he gave all that to Jack today.
Her fingers went into his hair and she gently massaged his head, her lips reaching his forehead. She kissed it gently, her fingertips reaching his hairline and she slowly massaged his temples as her lips gently kissed his eyelids. Her kisses traveled downwards, her lips drinking his tears away, causing him to shiver. She felt his arms tightening around her waist, like he was trying to hold onto her so he wouldn't drown in his anguish.
Grace cupped Lucas' beloved face and gently kissed his lips, pouring her heart out, wrapping her love around him like a veil to keep him protected from all the perils from the outside world. Her lips moved slowly against his lips, her right hand cupping his cheek while the other caressed the way from his hair to his neck.
She felt him let out a silent sob into their kiss as he desperately kissed her back, pulling her closer to him. Grace gave him back as much as he gave to her, and more. Soon, their kiss turned into a deep, passionate, roaring fire that burned down all the pains and old wounds and lifted Lucas up in Grace's world of love for him.
Grace pressed her palm on his neck, pulling Lucas closer, deepening their kiss, making him tremble against her. She could feel the tension slowly leaving a place between his neck and back as her fingers caressed his skin.
She slowed down their heated kiss, wrapping her arms around Lucas' neck and slowly, very slowly she unlatched her lips from his lips. She looked at his tearful eyes, her thumbs wiping his tears.
"Tell me", she whispered.
Lucas closed his eyes, pressing his lips tightly together before exhaling a strangled sob.
"He is so lost, Grace. So hurt, so confused", Lucas said silently "I tried to explain everything I could without saying even one bad word about her…but when he told me that his Mother doesn't love him anymore and asked me can he stay with me, I nearly lost it, Grace!", Lucas gasped, his voice broken "How could she do that to her own son?!"
Tears in Grace's eyes became too heavy and rolled down her cheeks.
"Oh, my God", she whispered as she shook her head "That poor little darling! How can she treat him like that?!"
Lucas shook his head, his hands going into his hair as he pulled away from Grace.
"I don't care what she thinks of me, Grace. I don't care what she says about me to people in Hope Valley because I know that she is lying", gritting his teeth, Lucas closed his eyes and mumbled "But, to put Jack through this kind of pain…how can she be so cruel, Grace?!"
Grace shook her head, wiping her tears.
"I don't know, Lucas. I can't understand that either", she gently replied "He is such a sweet child. I cannot imagine anybody pushing him away, let alone his own Mother", she took a deep breath in as she walked toward Lucas and took both of his hands "But, he is lucky to have you in his life, Lucas. He knows how much you care about him. And that is a huge thing for him, my love."
Lucas swallowed hard and looked at his dear fiancée's face.
"He asked me why I left and I told him that I had to go to help other people and he thinks I am something like Robin Hood", he let out a shaky breath.
Grace smiled sadly.
"You are a hero in his eyes. You ARE his Robin Hood", she said softly.
Lucas pressed his lips tightly together, his eyes filling with more tears.
"He asked me why they couldn't come with me and I told him that I wanted them to come, but that his Mum didn't want to. He asked me am I still his buddy and told me that he is sorry that his Mum doesn't love me anymore, but that he does…very much", tears broke Lucas down once again "She didn't care at all about Jack in all this! She never thought about how he felt about everything! She sent him away to hurt me and ended up hurting Jack!! He thinks that she doesn't love him anymore, Grace!! She never told him what happened and always got mad when he asked about me! He is so sad because she doesn't even THINK about spending Christmas and his birthday with him!"
Grace swallowed, her fingers wiping Lucas' tears away.
"What did you tell him?"
Lucas leaned into her palm, needing to feel her warmth and love.
"I told him that his Mum loves him more than anybody else in this world. I told him that she is sad because she misses his Dad. He immediately wanted to help her, Grace", Lucas mumbled through his tears.
Grace let out a shaky breath.
"Dear little sweetheart", she whispered, her good heart aching for Jack.
Lucas took a breath in, his voice growing hoarse from crying.
"He asked me if he could visit me again. I said that he can, anytime he wants", he took Grace's hand in his fingers and looked into her eyes "Are you okay with that, Grace?"
Grace's other hand covered Lucas' fingers that held her palm and she gently whispered:
"Oh, Lucas, of course I am okay with that! Jack would get seriously sick if he didn't see you! I would never ask you to forget about him! You were both hurt by Elizabeth and he needs you now more than ever!"
Lucas let out a sound between a sob and a sigh and he kissed her knuckles.
Grace inhaled sharply at the feeling of his lips on her skin and she took his other palm and rested it with her own on his thigh.
He looked up at her sweet face and cupped her cheeks, his eyes shining with love for her.
"Nothing of this would be possible if you didn't react. You, with your heart of gold, you would lend a helping hand even to those who hurt you, like Elizabeth did back in Hope Valley", he spoke silently, his heart warming with love for his beloved fiancée "You made this possible. If it wasn't for you, who knows what would have happened with Jack."
Grace looked down at her feet, her cheeks and neck turning rosy from Lucas' compliments.
She saw him step into her personal space and his palms gently cupped her face. Grace looked up and her heart skipped a beat at the look in Lucas' eyes…Full of love, admiration and desire.
He inched closer to her face, gently nuzzling his nose against hers.
"You are going to be the most amazing Mother, my dearest, lovely Grace", he whispered, his lips hovering above her lips "And I am the luckiest man alive because you will be a Mother to MY children."
Grace breathed heavily as she smiled at him.
"OUR children", she gently corrected him.
Lucas smiled warmly.
"Oui, mon amour" ("Yes, my love"), he whispered as his lips brushed against her lips "OUR children."
And with those words Lucas leaned in and kissed Grace with all his heart, pulling her closer to him as he thanked God one more time for bringing this angel in his life.