Tease

WTH exactly happened after 4x7?

AN: Dates are tricky. I'm going take the time b/t Adelaide and 4x1 as 2 weeks. Any continuation would have to be AU after 5x1

Lucien promised he would make things right. His eyes were the fiercest that Jean had ever seen. It had been a long few weeks. Betrayal, intrigue, threats. Lucien was putting up with it no more. Without further ado, he hugged Jean tight, proper or no. It was really one fluid movement, he was not going one more day without showing Jean how he felt. At least if he couldn't *tell* her how he felt in his heart he could show her, she deserved that much.

Jean had been waiting, he guessed, all night for him to tell him what he already knew. He explained things as they stood now. He could read the fear in her face, and wanted to comfort her as he was unable to for weeks. He knew she craved it as much as he wanted to give it. Wearily, she leaned in to his strong embrace. She had been so strong for so long, she couldn't be strong right now. Fending off Lucien's affection had sapped all the energy she had left. It was so hard to stop him touching her, he was so tactile. She remembered the bus before Adelaide and how she needed his strength then, too. It was weeks without his scent, touch, even without his damnable whiskey, smelling it on him, not stopping mid-stride when he called her name, the list went on. Little things that were subtle reminders of him.

Jean was just so grateful to have his arms around her, finally. His determination this time, not letting even her sense of what was proper stop him. Suddenly, her vision spotted, her ears rang, and her knees buckled. Lucien pulled back just the second before, saw her eyes roll back and gently lowered her to the carpet in the study and removed the blue sweater that was fastened by one button only, in order to help her breathe. Panic rising he called her name. "Jean? Jean!" He had come too far to lose her now. This couldn't be happening on top of everything else. Lightning quick, he picked her up and took her to his room, the nearest, to lay her down on the bed. He dashed to the kitchen, and hurriedly filled a glass with water. He dashed back trying not to spill a single drop (must not make a mess for Jean).

He needn't have panicked. Jean's eyes were opened and her hand was placed on her forehead. He placed the glass on the side table and quickly grabbed her hand.

"Welcome back." He smiled down at her lovingly. Jean sat up.

"Lucien, I'm so sorry, I guess the strain of things . . . I want to-"

She wanted to let him know exactly how she felt, how she felt after those awful first days where, she had to be honest he was kind of a jerk, but he finally snapped. He checked his behavior, and when he did, it was cute, and endearing, and wonderful. He asked for help, and then she went on to save his life later that night. She had loved him from that moment on. While he wasn't 'hers', he felt more like home even than the house she gave such meticulous detail to on a daily basis.

Occasionally, it was easy to be jealous of Mattie. She knew they shared the profession, but many of his 'well done's came to her, but he had saved Danny's life that day, so there was no time to dwell on it, thankfully. She wanted to say how hard it was to shun his advances. How much resisting him took its toll when all she wanted to do was reach out and meet him half way.

"Nonsense. Now, let me look at you."

He had her follow his finger and other simple cognitive tests.

Jean had a thought. Adelaide . . . couldn't be. No, she was well past that time of her life, well, not quite yet but yet it would be awfully late. She had two grown sons, but she hadn't fainted since . . . no. She held off that line of thinking, there was business to take care of first.

Lucien couldn't describe the relief that flooded through him knowing Jean was okay. She's always there, always strong for him. She is a rock, his rock. It could take a toll. These past days with Mei Lin showing up, and her resorting back to her 'housekeeper only' role. . . Or, flashing back, couldn't be Adelaide, could it? A truly new start, wouldn't that be something? He thought about all this quite quickly, but didn't dare to hope.

Fainting and fatigue were signs and symptoms, though certainly she would have filled out by now? He would love to see Jean aglow and full of new life. Perhaps it had been the morning Mrs. Chapman went missing. It would *certainly* explain some of her behavior up until now. Maybe the night Mattie left? Unfortunately, he had had little warning about Mattie and there had been no time to process her leaving, it had been a busy day. He and Jean were both torn up about it. Mattie had such presence. It is not as though Lucien was not planning on making an honest woman out of Jean. The fire was still going in the back room (he hesitated to call it his Mother's room any longer now that he had taken it over) after dinner and the ambiance was just so . One thing led to another.

He wanted nothing more than Jean by his side. If there was a bonus, he would be more than happy with it. After all, he didn't get to parent much, last round. Jean would be four weeks, six? A simple blood test could determine, he knew. He didn't want to hint at what he was thinking with business still at hand.

"Jean, you've been feeling ok otherwise?" she paused before giving him an answer, not realizing his thoughts mirrored her own. Best not get in to this now.

"Yes, Lucien. I had better get back to it," she motioned past him to the rest of the house.

Gingerly, she stood from the bed, but Lucien was not one to waste opportunity. Stubbornly, he stood there, risking a pinch or short burst of ire. As a man and as a doctor looked at her with a long, appraising look. Jean blushed under the scrutiny. He placed his palm along her cheek, and felt the heat generated there. Just like that, he knew they weren't over.

Finally, he gave a light kiss to her forehead and stepped aside to let her pass. This would have to be continued after he settled his debt with Alderton.

-FIN-