Author's note: Huge thanks goes to Wilma Dueck for suggesting a special gift for Grace.
—--
Lucas knocked at the back doors of the cafe and waited until Minnie opened them.
He smiled nervously at his friend as he went inside. Noticing Faith coming downstairs, Lucas rushed toward her.
"Is she alright?", he asked, his voice etched with concern.
Faith nodded.
"She's fine. It looks like you really got her out from the harm's way in time. She doesn't even have a scratch", replied Faith
Lucas let out a breath of relief, his palm rubbing his forehead.
"Oh, thank God!", he whispered. Looking back at Faith, he asked "So, it's safe for her to travel?"
Faith slightly creased her eyebrows.
"Travel?", she parroted.
Lucas nodded, already going toward the stairs.
"We're going home tonight. Train leaves at 23.00. But, only if you say that it's safe for her to travel, especially that long", he said, stopping at the first step and looking at Faith.
She gaped for a few seconds, then slightly shook her head.
"Yeah, of course, she is absolutely fine, but Lucas, you just got here two days ago!", Faith rambled on.
Lucas shrugged, his eyebrows slightly creased.
"So?", he asked.
Faith stammered.
"Well, don't you want to stay for a while?"
Lucas watched her for a few seconds before he asked:
"Whatever for?"
Faith opened her mouth, stammered a bit then produced a smile of disbelief.
"Lucas, this is your home, people here…there are your family. You have a job here", Faith rambled on.
Lucas put a hand on the railing, humorless smile on his lips.
"No, Faith. All that is not important. In my experience, it's not the town or townspeople that make you a home and a family. It is that one person that gives you that. A home. And a family. And that's all that matters to me."
And with those words, he went upstairs, leaving Faith gobsmacked and speechless.
Lucas quickly crossed the remaining steps and reached the room upstairs.
He slowly went toward the bed, not wanting to wake Grace up if she was asleep.
"Hey."
Her silent voice reached him, the sound of it immediately going deep down in his veins and swam to his heart, caressing it as the most beautiful tune.
He slowly sat on the end of the bed and brushed his fingers across her soft hair.
"Hey, my love", he whispered "How are you feeling?"
Grace blinked sleepily.
"Tired", she whispered.
Lucas smiled softly, his knuckles gently caressing her cheek, causing her eyelids to grow heavy, even though she fought to keep them open.
"Why don't you get some sleep, sweetheart. You've been up all night", he watched as her fingers sought his palm and he gently accepted, caressing them with his thumb "Our train leaves at 23.00. Sally packed your things and we have…", pulling out the pocket watch, he checked the time and said "About six hours until we have to go", he brought her hand to his lips and gently kissing her knuckles, he whispered "Why don't you get some sleep? I'll make sure there's a dinner for you when you wake up."
He watched as she mumbled something in her pillow, her eyes slowly but surely losing a battle with sleep.
Lucas leaned down, closer to her.
"What was that, angel?", he silently asked.
Grace snuggled into her blanket and Lucas heard three words that made him smile.
"And hot chocolate."
He gently kissed her soft cheek and whispered:
"Absolutely."
He watched her for a few moments to make sure that she is asleep and then slowly withdrew his hand from hers and got up.
He went downstairs as quietly as possible.
At the sound of the steps Minnie looked up.
"Is she asleep?", she asked.
Lucas came toward her and nodded.
"Yes, she is. I really appreciate you offering her to stay here, Minnie. Thank you", said Lucas.
Minnie gave him a soft smile.
"I'm gonna miss having you two around", she said as she cut the carrots "Angela too, not to mention Cooper. They love your Grace very much. And she is so wonderful with both of them", she looked up at her friend and added "Just like you are", looking back down at the cutting board, Minnie said "But, I understand why you want to go. And you should. Take your Grace back home and be happy, Lucas. You deserve it so much."
Lucas was moved beyond words. He smiled humbly at his good friend.
"Thank you, Minnie", taking off his suit jacket Lucas rolled up the sleeves and said "Well, the least I can do is to make you and your beautiful family a farewell gift", he smiled and took a bowl, ready to prepare his famous hot chocolate.
Minnie smiled and for a while the two of them worked in silence.
Suddenly, Minnie remembered something and her lips curled up.
"So…are you still not allowed to enter the kitchen at home?", she asked, holding back a laugh.
Lucas rolled his eyes full force, quite sure that not even Lillian could do it that good.
"It's even worse now", he huffed.
A chuckle escaped Minnie's throat.
"Well, did Grace tried to talk him into changing his mind?", she joked, causing Lucas to grin as he stirred the ingredients in the bowl.
"No way. She's my partner in crime", replied Lucas, his smile never wavering.
—-
Bill looked up from his desk as the doors opened and Lucas came into his office, followed by Henry.
"Ah, good, you've found him, Henry!", said Bill as he took out a file with a stack of some documents.
Lucas creased his eyebrows in confusion.
"What's this all about?", he asked with a cautious smile as he and Henry sat at the table and he noticed both of his friends had smug smiles on their faces.
Henry leaned into the chair, intertwining his fingers.
"Well, Bill and I know how much you have done for Hope Valley and we wanted to thank you for it", he said, only to be followed up by Bill.
"Especially since nobody else did", Bill added his two cents in.
Lucas shook his head.
"Gentlemen, that's not's not necessary. Really", he said "Besides, you have done enough already in the last couple of months".
Bill waved him off.
"Gah, that was nothing. This", he slammed the file with documents on the table in front of Lucas "This is a proof that Henry Gowen and I had buried the war hatchet…", said Bill, but Henry interrupted him:
"For now."
Bill gasped in mock offense.
"And became friends. Partners", added Bill only to be interrupted by Henry again:
"For now."
Bill pressed his lips together, before huffing.
"See? This kind of attitude needs supervision. So", he slowly pushed the documents in Lucas' direction "Consider this an insurance."
Henry smiled.
"And an act of friendship", he said.
Lucas smiled in confusion as he opened the file.
And felt the breath knocked out from his lungs.
A Partnership Contract of "Queen of Hearts" saloon.
Signed by Bill Avery and Henry Gowen.
And to be signed by Lucas Bouchard.
Lucas' mouth slightly opened in surprise.
He looked up at his friends. Henry was pouring whiskey in three glasses, his face transformed with a smile as he watched his young friend's facial expression.
Bill wore a similar smirk on his face and offered Lucas a pen.
"Years ago, you took the saloon from both Henry and I. We wanted to buy it, but you beat us to it", quipped Bill and winked at Lucas "Consider this a payback, Bouchard."
"And a silent partnership. Like back in the good old days. I do all the work, you do nothing and at the end of the month, you get the check", quipped Henry.
Lucas let out a short laugh, his eyes moist with tears.
"I…I don't know what to say", he stammered as he looked down at the papers in front of him.
Bill came toward him and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"Why don't you just sign it so all of us can say Cheers and enjoy this fine whiskey?", Bill quipped warmly.
Lucas let out a small chuckle and brought the pen up to the papers, signing it.
He accepted the offered glass of whiskey and clinked it against his friends' glasses.
"Thank you", he said, his voice etched with emotions.
Henry friendly squeezed his shoulder.
"Hope Valley may not be your home anymore, but remember one thing, Lucas", as Lucas looked at him, he added with a soft smile "You'll always have friends here."
Lucas nodded, swallowing hard. Henry pulled him in for a friendly hug and pat him on the back.
Bill was next. He hugged Lucas and silently added:
"Take care of yourself, Bouchard."
—-
Lucas put the suitcases in the back of Henry's car and turned around to see Minnie hugging Grace, saying goodbye.
He shook Joseph's hand and thanked him for everything.
Florence and Molly pulled Grace in for a hug and she went in gladly, hugging both ladies.
"We're gonna miss you, Grace. Take care of yourself. And take care of that handsome man of yours", Florence said silently.
Grace swallowed hard and nodded.
"I will, thank you."
Molly gently pulled away and softly smiled.
"And try not to give the poor man another heart attack like you did a few nights ago", squeezing Grace's hand, she whispered with a saucy smile and a wink "And make sure you buy that nightgown."
Grace's eyes widened and in the next moment she laughed, giving both ladies a final hug.
Henry went in to a driver's seat and turned on the engine.
Grace felt Lucas' presence before he even spoke as he stood behind her, his arm brushing against her back.
She turned around and smiled at the sight of the man she loved with everything she had.
He took her hand in his and gently whispered:
"Lets go home."
—-
Securing their suitcases, Lucas looked down at the sound of the light knock on the doors of his compartment.
He slid them open and his heart soared at the sight of his love's sparkling eyes.
"All set?", she asked, holding onto the doors as the train picked up on speed.
Lucas checked his suit jacket inner pocket and smiled.
"Just about", he said, closing a small space between them, his body warmth making her entire body tingle as he added "I got something for you."
Grace looked at him questioningly.
Lucas never looked away from her sparkling eyes as he took out a jewelry box and gently picked up her hand, placing it on her fingers.
Grace looked down at it, her breath getting caught in her throat and she opened the box with a small click…
And gasped silently, her eyes filling with tears.
"Lucas…", she whispered, feeling that her heart is going to burst "It's beautiful".
On the velvet of the box there was a beautiful necklace with a pendant "Angel" on it.
A shaky breath escaped her throat sending tears into her eyes.
Lucas smiled warmly at her reaction as he slowly took a necklace from the box.
"Here, let me", he said, taking a box and placing it at the seat.
At the next moment he gently turned Grace away and unlocked the necklace.
His breath got caught in his throat and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Grace holding her hair up, exposing the milky skin of her neck to him.
He placed a necklace on her neck and softly clicked it into its place.
Grace touched the pendant with shivering fingers, her other hand letting go of her long hair.
And the moment her hair touched her back, Grace felt it being swept over her left shoulder and before she could comprehend what was happening, she felt Lucas' warm lips on her neck.
She gasped, her eyes fluttering closed as her shaking hand closed the doors of his compartment. As his lips dragged agonizingly slow across her skin, she let out a soft whimper, one of her palms slamming against the doors while the other grabbed on Lucas' fingers that roamed across her waist and stomach.
His lips sucked her skin mercilessly, causing her breathing to accelerate.
And as she felt the tip of his tongue teasing her gently before another sensual kiss took her breath away, Grace let out a silent breathy moan, her head lolling back at Lucas' shoulder.
Her shivering hand went to his hair and held him close as his lips got a better access to her soft skin.
Lucas drank in her milky skin, feeling her heart racing and he reached up till her earlobe, enjoying the feeling of her against him.
His lips tugged gently on her earlobe, eliciting a whimper from her.
"I wanted to give it to you the moment I came, but you were distracting me", he mumbled silently, remembering that night when they played poker "And distracted me quite mercilessly", he whispered passionately, his breath flaming against her earlobe.
Grace knew immediately what was he referring to and she smiled, her entire body shaking from his touch as he went back to kissing her neck.
"So, this is a payback?", she quipped, pressing her fingertips gently in his hair, earning herself a soft nibble on the skin that caused her to gasp…only to shiver deliciously as he soothed it with his tongue and to not being able to hold back a moan as he passionately pulled on her skin "Oh, my God…", she mumbled, her breathing going deeper "Lucas…", she tugged slightly on his hair as the stars bursted behind her closed eyelids.
At the next moment she felt him twirl her around to face him and she lost her breath at the sight of love, passion and desire in his dark eyes.
Lucas dived in, kissing her lips hard, pushing her body against the doors of the compartment. Grace arched into him causing Lucas to groan, pulling her closer to him.
His tongue was dancing against hers, her sweet mouth driving him mad.
A huge tremor shook his body and Lucas knew he must pull away before he completely lost control.
He slowed down their kiss and placed both of his palms on the doors of the compartment to give himself a leverage to pull away from her.
She stood with her hands slammed against the doors, fighting for breath. The space they created between their bodies and lips was in flames as both of them fought to catch a breath.
Lucas leaned his forehead on Grace's and a soft smile shone on his lips as he saw her fingertips gently touching the pendant on her necklace.
She stared lovingly at his dark eyes.
"Thank you", she whispered with a smile "I love it", she cupped his left cheek and kissed his lips, whispering against them "And I love you."
Lucas gently smiled as he kissed her sweet lips back, his eyelids closing as he wrapped her in his arms.
"I love you too, my angel", he whispered.
As the kiss slowly drew to its end, Lucas gently rubbed his nose against Grace's and opening his eyes, he whispered:
"Whenever you feel sad, lost, unwanted…let this necklace remind you that you are my angel who saved me. And that I would feel completely lost without you in my life, Grace", he whispered, kissing her eye.
Grace let out a shuddering breath, a happy smile curling up her lips and she wrapped her hands around his neck, kissing him again and again and again as the train slowly weaved its way through the night.