Author's note: Thanks to Avis Minter for all the brainstorming we had about this chapter and for all the ideas that came out of it.
—--
Grace looked up at Henry in his rearview mirror.
"I don't want to take him to the saloon", she whispered "She could barge in, demanding to speak with him. Nothing could surprise me from her."
Henry nodded.
"We're going to my place. She doesn't know that I picked you up", he said, his voice etched with determination.
Grace nodded, quickly wiping her tears before wrapping her hand back around Lucas' shoulders, placing her lips on his hair once again.
She held him the entire time while Henry drove in silence.
It took about 15 minutes to get to Henry's home.
Lucas moved and walked automatically. He felt empty and cold. Like he was in a storm that clashed against his mind, body and soul and threw him at the shore, like the only one who survived a shipwreck.
And that was when he felt Grace's hands wrapping around him, bringing warmth back to his chilled bones.
He buried his face in the safe haven of her hair, his hands holding onto her like for a lifeline.
Grace looked up at Henry, tears filling her eyes.
"Could you, please, get a blanket? He is shivering", she whispered.
Henry nodded.
"Yeah, of course. I'll start up a fire too", he moved as quickly as he could with his limp. He brought in a blanket and helped Grace to wrap it against Lucas' back and shoulders. Noticing Lucas' violent shaking, Henry mumbled "He's in shock. We must warm him up."
Grace nodded, tightening a blanket over Lucas, rubbing her hands against his arms to warm him up.
Henry lightened up the fire in a fireplace and moved toward the small bar near the window. He poured whiskey in the glass and brought it over to the couch where Grace held hunched Lucas in her arms.
"Here, Lucas. Drink this. It'll warm you up", Henry said silently.
Henry gently pushed a glass into Lucas hand and helped him drink a sip.
Lucas winced at the feeling of whiskey burning his throat. However, it helped to chase away the violent shivers. Now he only felt numb.
Lucas shook his head.
"I didn't do it", for the first time ever since she found him, Grace saw Lucas' eyes clear and focused on her "Grace, I didn't do it."
Grace swallowed hard, fighting tears.
"I know you didn't, my love", she gently ran her fingers through his disheveled hair before cupping his bearded cheek "I know you didn't."
He shook his head.
"Jack was just a tiny baby when I first met him. From the very first moment I loved that kid. I wanted to protect him, to teach him things my Father taught me. He grew up to be so mischievous", Lucas smiled sadly "Once he woke me up by jumping on my chest and we both laughed so much", he rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache set in "He was always up to two of us spending time together, whether it was to read, have an ice cream, go sailing in the dry docks or play with the rocks", he grimaced in pain, his voice breaking "I even brought a gift for him, some rocks and minerals from Capitol City Geology Institute…", a strangled sound left his throat, his palm covered his eyes, a glass of whiskey shaking in his hand.
Henry swallowed hard, squeezing Lucas' shoulder.
"I will make sure that he gets it", he silently said.
Lucas nodded, looking up at his friend.
"Thank you, Henry", he whispered.
Henry gave him a small smile.
"Anything you need, Lucas. You know I'm here", he said.
Lucas looked at him.
"Henry…promise me that you will call me if Jack ever needs anything. He doesn't have to know that I helped… I just want him to be safe", Lucas spoke silently, then looked at Grace "You don't mind, do you?", he asked silently.
Grace gave him a small smile.
"Of course not. Jack is the one who is suffering the most here. It's true what you said - Elizabeth needs help. She obviously didn't deal with her husband's death like she should", she gently smiled, caressing his hair with her fingers.
Lucas softly smiled at her, then looked up at Henry.
His old friend gave him a small smile.
"Of course I will. Anything you need", he gently pat Lucas' back and looked at Grace "I'm going to fix us something to eat. Call me if you need anything. I will be in the kitchen."
Grace sadly smiled.
"Thank you, Henry", she whispered.
Once Henry left, Lucas put the empty glass on the table and shook his head.
"I can't believe she did this, Grace", he all but spat the words "How could I be so wrong about her? I thought everything was fine."
Grace gently rubbed his back.
"You loved her, Lucas. It's as simple as that. Love makes you want to do things for your beloved to show that you care. And I know you did that for her", she took a breath in "But, she obviously didn't feel the same. However, she should have just told you honestly how she felt. I know what kind of a man you are and that when you love, you love fully. Completely. Without holding back and without hesitation. But, Elizabeth didn't feel the same", she took Lucas' fingers between her fingertips and shook her head "I really hope she'll get some help. Her son needs her. He already lost his Father. He doesn't need to lose his Mother too."
Lucas felt his eyes moist with tears and his heart swelled with love he felt for Grace.
He took her small palm and brought it to his lips, kissing the inner side of her palm.
"You are amazing, do you know that?", he whispered "I know all this wasn't easy for you. But you must know that there is nothing between Elizabeth and me anymore. Nothing", he cupped her cheek gently, his heart soaring as he felt how it immediately grew warm under his touch, as it always did "And you must know that you are my love, now and forever. You are my angel, now and forever."
Lucas leaned his forehead against Grace's, gently rubbing his nose against hers.
She smiled at him through tears that escaped now when he managed to calm down a bit. Her fingers covered his palm as she leaned into it, whispering:
"I hate to see you in pain", she whispered and then grumbled angrily "I could just throw her in the mud and drag her around like a rag doll because of what she did to you!"
She watched in awe as his eyes softened and his lips twitched a bit.
"My own little warrior", Lucas huskily whispered.
A lazy smile curled up Grace's lips.
"Those are the most dangerous. Little, hard to discover and witty to the bone", she quipped.
And her reward came.
His eyes softened even more as his dimples shone bright, his fingers reaching the back of her head, losing themselves in her hair.
Grace smiled back as she leaned in and gently kissed his lips.
Lucas brushed his lips gently against Grace's, never moving his palm from her hair.
She smiled against his smile as she slightly pulled back.
"Lucas…we're not alone. Henry is here", she whispered.
Lucas raised his eyebrows.
"Actually, he's in the kitchen", quipped Lucas, earning himself a playful smack on the shoulder from Grace "Ow!", he playfully winced, causing her to grin.
She pulled away and right at that moment Henry came back in the room.
"I made some light supper. Why don't you have a bite and make yourself at home?", he picked up his coat and putting it on, he said "I'm going to town to inform your security team of your whereabouts, Lucas".
Lucas looked up at his friend.
"I completely forgot about it", he sighed "Thank you, Henry. They are probably already wondering where am I."
Henry gave his young friend a small smile.
"I will stick around for a bit in the saloon, make sure that there are no unwanted surprises", he said meaningfully and both Lucas and Grace knew that he was talking about Elizabeth and her possible lurking in the town.
Grace got up and hugged Henry, moved beyond words.
"Thank you so much, Henry", she whispered." "I don't want her anywhere near Lucas."
Henry gently hugged her back.
"We'll make sure that doesn't happen", he silently said and as he slowly pulled back, he and Grace walked toward the doors "Make sure he eats something, Grace. Knowing him, he won't get any sleep tonight."
Grace nodded.
"I know. And I'm ready for it. He's not alone", she said, her voice silent, but determined.
Henry stepped out and putting his hat on, he glanced warmly at the amazing young woman in front of him.
"You brought him back to life. If anyone can help him through this, it's you, Grace", he said and with those words, he was gone.
Grace slowly closed the doors and locked it.
Coming back to the room she saw Lucas sitting on the couch with his face in his hands.
She reached him in a few steps.
Sitting on her heels in front of him on the carpet Grace touched his palms, gently prying them away from his face with her fingers.
"You should eat something, my love", she whispered, holding his hands in hers "And you should get some rest."
Lucas watched her, his eyes red rimmed from tears.
"I wanted to build a treehouse with Jack, Grace. And we started on it, but we got too carried away by collecting all kinds of rocks as we carried the building material", Lucas swallowed, a small sad smile on his face "We collected so many rocks that we had to put them in a bag because our pockets were overflowing with it", he let out a strangled breath.
Grace smiled sadly.
"You two were quite a team, weren't you?", she silently asked.
Lucas nodded, his tears becoming too heavy and rolling down his cheeks.
"I thought I was going to have him as a son", he whispered, taking in a shivering breath. Grace gently brushed his tears away and simply held his hands, giving him time to grieve the life he had and lost in the most unexpected way.
Suddenly, Lucas looked up at her, whispering:
"I do want a son one day and a daughter as well."
Grace smiled gently at him.
"Your wishes may still come true someday, Lucas", she whispered and for a moment, they were both silent, their eyes locked.
Then Grace spoke again:
"Maybe you will even be able to reconnect with Jack someday. Never lose hope, that's what Lillian always says. Life has a way of surprising us when we least expect it. Just look at Lillian and me", she smiled "We were apart for 12 years, no word about each other. Nothing. And we found each other", she gently caressed Lucas' cheek as she got up on her knees and leaned her forehead against his "Nothing is impossible, Lucas."
His eyes softened and Grace's heart skipped a beat as she saw love in those dark orbs she adored.
"Thank God you came into my life and saved me from feeling like a failure that would spend his life alone and without love", whispered Lucas "You brought sunshine back to my darkness. You brought me back to life", his fingers moved to her hair, untying a ribbon to let her wavy hair fall "And I love you so much, my angel", and with those words, Lucas leaned in and kissed her.
Grace palms caressed his neck and sneaked up in his hair as she kissed him back with all that she felt.
He will never be alone again.
Not if she could have something to say about it.
And he will never be in darkness again.
As long as she is at his side.
—--
Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Lay it soft against my skin
Like the shadows on the wall.
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early morning light
All I'm takin' is your time
Help me make it through the night.
I don't care what's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord, tonight I need a friend.
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night.
I don't care what's right or wrong, (Yes, I do!)
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord, tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
Lord, it's bad to be alone
Help me make it through the night.
("Help me make it through the night" - Kris Kristofferson)