As Grace went silent in his embrace Lucas looked down at her and gently kissed her forehead.
"Why don't you go and get some rest?", Lucas asked her in his calm, comforting voice.
Grace sniffed.
"I can't. Susan and Harry…", she started to speak, but he gently interrupted her.
"They will understand", he helped her get up from the floor "Come on".
Grace held for his arm as he wrapped his hand around her waist.
She took a breath in as they slowly went toward the doors.
"Don't forget to put your sling back on", she whispered.
Lucas looked down at her, his heart warming up to a level of burning.
"How is it that you always think of my well being even when you are not feeling well yourself?", he whispered huskily, pulling her to his side.
Grace sniffed while snuggling into him. She leaned her head on his good shoulder and whispered:
"Because I love you, my Lucas", she felt his arm tightening his hold on her and his fingers caressed her back.
He led her out of the bathroom and stopped in front of the doors of her room. He caressed her cheek and placed a short, sweet kiss on her lips.
"Get some sleep", he whispered "I will call you later".
Grace nodded, then suddenly looked up.
"Lucas, our date…", she started to talk, but he put an index finger on her rosy lips, shushing her.
"It can wait. I am not going anywhere", he smiled gently.
She buried her head in his chest and inhaled deeply.
"Thank you", she looked up at him and gently kissed his lips.
He waited until she was inside her room before he went back to the bathroom to get his sling.
When he put it on and started to walk out from the bathroom, Lucas heard little footsteps.
Turning around, he saw little Anna standing in the hallway, rubbing one eye with her little palm. A little teddy bear was hanging from her other hand.
"Wucas?", she called out to him in a small, silent voice.
Lucas smiled softly at the little girl and knelt down to be on her eye level. She toddled over to him and he opened his arms for her as she went in for a cuddle.
"Hey, Anna", he smiled gently at her "Can't sleep?"
Anna looked up at him.
"I think I heawd Gwacie cwying", she said silently "Is my Gwacie sad?"
Lucas was moved beyond words by the little girl's care about "her Gracie". Grace changed the lives of these kids for better and they worshiped the ground she walked on. She had so many kids loving her so much and yet she still doubted herself.
My darling angel, how much you have suffered.
Lucas gently caressed little Anna's hair and silently replied.
"I think I made her feel a bit better, but would you mind going inside and hug her while she sleeps? Do it for me?", Lucas softly smiled.
Anna nodded.
"Okay. And I wiww kiss her cheeks too. That awways makes my Gwacie smiwe", she offered a toothless grin and Lucas smiled warmly, tapping her little button nose with his index finger, causing little girl to giggle.
Lucas got up and watched with a smile as Anna went inside Grace's room.
Grace heard the footsteps and opened her eyes only to see little Anna climbing up in her bed and crashing down next to her.
"Hey, Anna", Grace whispered, quickly putting a blanket across Anna's body as the little girl snuggled against her. Kissing her soft hair, Grace silently asked "What's wrong, sweetpie?"
Anna kissed Grace's cheek.
"You sad", she gently wiped Grace's wet eyes as her little face turned concerned "You cwied. I don't want my Gwacie to be sad. I pwomised Wucas that I wiww take cawe of you", she finished with another peck on Grace's cheek.
Grace felt her heart warming up.
"You promised Lucas?", she whispered.
Anna nodded.
"Wucas towd me to hug you whiwe you sweep", little girl mumbled, her eyelids growing heavy.
Grace felt warmth and love washing over her at hearing those words.
My Lucas. Just when I think I couldn't love you more you go in and leave me breathless.
Grace hugged little Anna.
"Thank you, sweetpie", she whispered and as little girl' hugged her and snuggled into her side, Grace let out a breath, her eyelids closing and sleep coming over her senses.
Last thing she heard before she fell into a peaceful slumber were little Anna's words.
"I wowe you, Gwacie".
—--
Lucas closed the doors of his office, lost in his thoughts.
He went toward his desk and sat down in his chair. Leaning deeply in it, he closed his eyes.
After he came downstairs he realized that Lillian already explained the situation to Susan and Harry. His friends kept on saying how terrible they felt and how sorry they were for upsetting Grace so much.
Lillian calmed them down a bit by saying that it wasn't an isolated case and that Grace was like that whenever somebody asked her about it.
Those words hit Lucas hard.
After Susan and Harry decided to leave, Lucas offered to stay and help with the kids after they woke up so Lillian wouldn't have to do it all by herself and his Grace could get some much needed rest.
Lillian looked up at him, grateful and moved beyond words.
"You really love my Grace, don't you?", she whispered, her eyes misted with tears.
Lucas looked up at her and softly smiled.
"More than my life", he turned serious "Lillian, I want you to know that my intentions are honorable. I would never do anything that would hurt her".
Lillian smiled.
"I know that. And I am happy that you are honest with me. Grace is everything I have", she finished silently then, taking a shuddering breath in, she continued "Lucas, she's been through so much. She can be so hard on herself sometimes".
Lucas nodded.
"I know. I saw it today clearer than ever. But, I'm here, Lillian", he said seriously "I'm not going anywhere".
Lillian smiled weakly.
"You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you saying that. I am glad you think like that", she smirked "Otherwise I would have to kill you".
Lucas snorted.
"You are a good sister to Grace, Lillian. I'd hate to see you rot in prison for murdering the Governor", he grinned.
Lillian chuckled.
"Fiiiineee, I'll spare you", she threw a kitchen towel at her friend before quipping "I may just ask Gustave to put some sugar in your soup and water down your tea".
Lucas gasped, holding his palm to his chest.
"You wouldn't?!"
Lillian winked.
"Play with the fire and you may get burned", she quipped and both of them laughed.
Lillian came closer to Lucas and hugged him without words.
"Thank you, Lucas", she whispered, her voice filled with tears.
Lucas got up from his chair and took a few steps around his office, thinking about everything that happened.
He wished that he could take away her pain, but knew that it won't be easy, nor will it happen fast.
He ran a hand through his hair and his gaze fell on the table.
His eyebrows slightly creased at the sight of a box and his lips curled up in a smile as Grace's words echoed in his mind.
"You got a special delivery in your office, Governor".
He untied the little bow and picked up a lid.
He gently smiled as he took off the tablecloth uncovering Grace' blueberry cookies.
But it was a note that fell from the tablecloth that caught his attention.
Lucas picked it up from the floor and quickly unfolded it.
"Seeing that we burned down OUR first batch of cookies, I couldn't leave you without them as I am worried that Gustave will send you to bed without dinner due to the fact we nearly burned down his kitchen. You can always hide from him under the table in your office while you eat them… I heard that the tables are excellent hiding spots. Thank you for our day in our rose garden, my Lucas. Thank you for being you. And thank you for choosing me. I love you more than I could ever say. My heart is yours forever. Grace."
Lucas took a deep breath in, his heart soaring from his chest and he felt like flying.
He reached inside the box to take a cookie when he noticed…
…every single cookie was made in the shape of a heart.
—--
I was so cold and lost
And nothing seemed to ring true
I couldn't bear the cross
For everything I'd been through
And each day, I knew I needed change
But there was no way, no way
And then God whispered your name
And that's when everything changed
And love came out of the rain
And talk about being saved
Suddenly I wanna live
More than I ever did
I'm never gonna be the same
When God whispered your name
I can see the sunshine
For the first time in a while
Girl, it's like I've been baptized
By the warmth of your smile, mmm
Well, call it fate or faith or call it crazy either way
It's amazin', amazin' grace
When God whispered your name
That's when everything changed
Love came out of the rain
Talk about being saved
Well, suddenly I wanna live
More than I ever did
I'm never gonna be the same
When God whispered your name
It's just what I needed to hear, baby
It couldn't have been more loud and clear
When God whispered your name
That's when everything changed
Love came out of the rain
And talk about being saved
Oh, suddenly I wanna live
More than I ever did
I'm never gonna be the same
When God whispered your name, oh yeah
(Hallelujah, Hallelujah)
(Hallelujah)
Ooh, Hallelujah, baby
Oh yeah, mmm (Hallelujah, Hallelujah)
(Hallelujah)
Ooh yeah
I can see the sunlight shinin' through your pretty eyes, baby
Woo! Mmm (Hallelujah, Hallelujah)
I like a man who leaves, time feels like hell
(Hallelujah)
Got my hands up high, I got my hands up to the sky
(Hallelujah, Hallelujah)
Ooh, I'm sayin' thank you
(Hallelujah)
(Hallelujah, Hallelujah)
(Hallelujah)
("God whispered your name" - Keith Urban)