The future was uncertain, but Lucas and Brooke now knew that it was up to the two of them, together, to face what came next. Once they had recovered, and even though Brooke had not yet returned her declaration, their gestures did not lie. Lucas remained close to her, glued to her, as if he had decided to never leave her again. His gestures were tender, passionate and incredibly comforting. Brooke had no desire for this moment to end. And yet...
LUCAS : We're gonna have to go back to the Gala.
Brooke knew he was right, but she absolutely didn't have the courage to go back. She wanted to be somewhere where she could let her heart speak, where she would be allowed to stay in Lucas' arms.
BROOKE : We don't really have a choice, do we?
Lucas looked at her, a little worried... His warm, caressing palm rested on her cheek.
LUCAS : Are you okay? How are you feeling, sweetie?
They had just made love, it was intense and incredibly good... So, Brooke would be tempted to say that everything was fine.
BROOKE : Fine, I guess.
LUCAS : I feel like you're saying that to reassure me... Please confide in me, Brooke...
Brooke's lips curved into a faint smile as she sighed and her eyes lifted to his.
BROOKE : Actually, I feel a little worried.
LUCAS : Everything will be fine, my pretty... We just have to take it step by step. One of us has to show up. I don't need you, I'm going to go back alone... You've done enough for tonight. I'll say you weren't feeling well.
Lucas's second hand rested on Brooke's other cheek, his two thumbs caressed her cheekbones. Brooke shook her head.
LUCAS : What, no?
BROOKE : I'm coming with you, I don't want to leave you alone... I don't want to be without you...
LUCAS : So here's what we're going to do, then... And this time, I insist... It's not debatable. I'm going to walk you back to your room, stay there for a while... Then, I'll do what's left to do.
Brooke was happy with his proposal, she no longer had the energy to argue because she was dreaming, in fact, of collapsing into her bed.
BROOKE : Okay. I accept on one condition...
Lucas smiled briefly at her, apparently pleased that Brooke barely objected. He nevertheless raised a curious eyebrow to invite her to share his little demand.
BROOKE : Promise me that you will be next to me when I wake up tonight... Or at dawn tomorrow.
As if she had just told him that she loved him too, Lucas' eyes became warm, bright and happy. His mouth stretched and became much more tender than greedy but he irresistibly came to taste Brooke's lips again. Lucas placed small kisses on her mouth and all around it... Then, he whispered in her ear:
LUCAS : I promise you, my love.
Brooke felt relieved... Reluctantly, Lucas finally detached himself from her. It seemed difficult, painful even, but necessary. He then went to retrieve the three cell phones from the holy water font and they set off...
As she lay on her bed, Lucas had been stroking Brooke's hair for several minutes. She couldn't get enough of his touch on her. Her eyelids were heavy and a whole bunch of emotions were still mixing inside her... But she was fighting against sleep. Lucas then began to hum a song whose words she didn't understand... Corsican, no doubt.
LUCAS : U piu chi so innamuratu he quella di i to capelli (What I love most is your hair...) / I to occhji tantu allergri scimiscenu li zitelli (Your laughing eyes make children's heads turn) / Ma a dilla franca e chjara, eiu so unu di quelli (To tell the truth, I'm one of those...)
His voice was low, deep but very melodious... His words accompanied his fingers on Brooke's scalp and skin.
LUCAS : A guardatti pari un fiore a parlà incanti u core (You look like a flower, you are like an enchantment...) / Bellu cuntentu seraquellu chi cun tè ferà l'amore (Happy will be the one who makes love to you)
Brooke's fears gradually dissipated... She flew away with the words he pronounced tenderly.
LUCAS : Ne vogliu scrive lu to nome da sopra tutte le stelle (I want to write your name in the sky)
Brooke had no idea that Lucas was singing her one of the most beautiful Corsican songs whose lyrics seemed to her for the first time to take on their full meaning... Furtunatu, the lucky one. This song that had punctuated the beginning of his life and that seemed to have been written for someone he loved. Her. For her part, it was no longer possible for Brooke to think or resist... She fell into the arms of Morpheus, smiling.
LUCAS : Furtunatu serà quellu chi te mettera l'anellu (Happy will be the one who marries you)
Before joining the festivities, Lucas crushed the cell phones with his foot and then threw them into a drain. He exhaled deeply before entering the great hall... Brooke and he had been gone for almost two hours.
QUENTIN : Where have you been!? We've been looking everywhere for you!
LUCAS : Sorry guys, Brooke felt unwell... I had to walk her in her room.
QUENTIN : Oh shit! Nothing serious?
LUCAS : No, she'll be fine, she's sleeping now... She'll be better tomorrow.
Lucas avoided meeting Sam and Quentin's eyes, lying to them made him extremely uncomfortable.
LUCAS : So, what did I miss?
QUENTIN : The whole meal, I think! It was really good!
SAM : Stop it, you're going to make him sad!
LUCAS : Don't worry, I'm not hungry anyway.
QUENTIN : Oh, by the way... The police were there too!
Lucas tried not to let anything show, but this last piece of information caught his attention.
LUCAS : Oh yeah!? Why?
QUENTIN : We didn't really understand... They arrested a guy, though.
LUCAS : Only one!?
Lucas immediately continued, trying to feign ignorance rather than let his disappointment show.
LUCAS : Who was arrested?
SAM : A waiter, I think. But he was already pretty banged up... Probably from a previous fight.
QUENTIN : I guess that's why they showed up... There must have been a fight without us knowing.
SAM : But if you want to know more, you should ask Mrs. Lee and the Abbot... They spoke with the police.
LUCAS : I'll go do that then... And then I'll take you two back, is that okay?
QUENTIN : Yeah... We ate well but well, it's not going to be too fun tonight if you know what I mean!
Lucas smiled at her while hiding his anxiety... He still had to make sure of one thing.
Lucas found Debie in the reception hall. She was preparing the boxes for the pledges.
LUCAS : Excuse me Debie, would you have a few minutes to give me?
Concentrating in front of a table, Debie jumped when Lucas' voice pulled her out of her meticulous task.
DEBIE : Oh my father, here you are, finally! Have you seen Brooke? She's nowhere to be found!
LUCAS : Exactly... I should have warned you earlier but I just walked her back to the abbey. She started to feel unwell early in the evening, we went for a walk hoping it would pass... Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.
DEBIE : Oh poor little thing! Do you think I should have her seen by a doctor?
LUCAS : Don't worry about her... She's probably asleep at this time. We'll have to see tomorrow...
DEBIE : Good. Thank you, Father, very much. This evening is definitely unpredictable! Did you know that thieves had infiltrated here!?
LUCAS : Sam and Quentin mentioned it to me, yes... What happened exactly?
Just as Debie was about to answer, Father Luc had joined Lucas and Debie.
FATHER LUC : Good evening, Brother Lucas... I was wondering if we would see each other again...
Fortunately, Debie did not see the Father's inquisitive and suspicious look addressed to Lucas.
DEBIE : I was just telling Brother Lucas that at least one bandit had infiltrated the charity event...
Lucas continued to feign surprise despite the mixed reaction of the Abbot who knew his past as an ex-mafioso.
LUCAS : What makes you think there were several of them?
DEBIE : The police thought it was a duo but they only arrested one man...
FATHER LUC : Someone had already settled his score with him in the toilets a little earlier...
LUCAS : Really?
FATHER LUC : Interesting isn't it...? Thanks to that, the thefts couldn't have been committed... A real miracle!
DEBIE : The accomplice must have fled in a hurry and fortunately, everything remained in the parking lot... Imagine the scandal if our donors had found themselves robbed when they arrived at their vehicle!
FATHER LUC : Don't think about it anymore, Debie. Someone played the vigilante and the evening did not turn into a disaster.
Debie gave a look of relief to the Abbot who was still looking at Lucas out of the corner of his eye.
LUCAS : I regret not having been able to help, I hope that the end of the evening will go off without a hitch.
DEBIE : I hope so too, we will surely know more in a few days...
Lucas had stiffened because he knew that the single arrest of Tim could lead to some complications. He knew that the police would try to find out the identity of his accomplice... But that Owen was still at large. On the run, Owen must have been furious with Brooke... And that he would undoubtedly seek revenge on her. But one worry haunted him even more... That of knowing Brooke alone in her room, asleep and defenseless.
LUCAS : May I ask your permission to leave the party and go take the young people back to the home, Debie?
DEBIE : Certainly, my father! And thank you, again.
Lucas nodded politely then turned to his Abbot, his gaze a little shifty.
LUCAS : Father Luc, do you still need me or can I withdraw?
His wary look had not left him when he met Lucas's gaze but the Abbot did not object.
FATHER LUC : Bring back these young people and we will see each other tomorrow.
Lucas knew that he would have to explain himself to Father Luc. But for now, he left the place with Quentin and Sam. And as he had promised Brooke, he had slipped in next to her to spend the rest of the night by her side... His thoughts turned to the accounts that would have to be rendered tomorrow and the strategies to be developed... But especially on the precautions to be taken for Brooke, to keep them both safe... He had to protect his identity. But above all, he had to keep Brooke safe, whatever the cost... That was his only certainty as he fell asleep.