"Time passes. Memories fade. Feelings change.

People leave. But hearts never forget."

Rosendale, Georgia

Four Years after the Dark Days

Abigail Harrison never quite understood why her fiancé was so quiet and closed in on himself, sure he'd been like that since they'd met nearly three years back but it never seemed quite right. From day one he was smiling with a kindness she'd thought died during the Dark Days. He was calm, gentle, caring and he made her laugh. Yet—there was always something that seemed to be holding back who he really was. She knew this based on just a few observations from when a woman and her biker boyfriend showed up for a visit along with an older gentleman. They had visited several times over the last few years, them and another man which her fiancé had known before the Dark Days.

To be honest, Abigail had fallen more in love with the man after witnessing that more natural side. It had fit his smile and the way his eyes lit up, but the moment they were gone…he'd return to that calm Southern soul that never sat right from the start. She wanted to mend that. She wanted to speak to them and see if maybe, just maybe there was more they could do for him. He deserved to be as happy as she was with him and if she wasn't enough, she'd find a way to fix that.

"Ms. Harrison."

The voice drew her attention and she turned her head, brunette ribbon tied braid falling from her shoulder, "Yes?"

The older woman gave her a frail smile and held her hand out towards an open door, "The Mayor will see you now."

"Thank you," Abigail stood from the fine cushioned chair, grabbing up a basket from the one beside her. She smoothed out the front of her shirt and made her way into the office. She immediately placed a smile to her lips, stepping towards the desk where a larger balding man stood up from.

"You coming all the way down here must mean you have a favor to ask of me," he held his hand out towards a chair, waiting for her to sit before taking his seat once more.

Abigail's cheeks had tinted at the obvious and she sat the basket on the desk, "I brought fresh bread."

The Mayor let out a soft chuckle, grinning still as he leaned forward onto his desk, "You definitely have the right mindset in getting this favor carried out." He gently took the basket, pulling it closer to lift the blanket. The smell of baked bread poured out and he let out a light whistle, "Mrs. Fields is going to love having this on the table again." There was a pause as he set the basket off to the side, "What can I do for you, Abby?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could help me find a couple people. Unfortunately, I was never given their numbers and I want it to be a surprise so I can't ask Ellis."

Mayor Fields lifted a brow, "Friends of his?"

"Yeah, um," she dug into the pocket of her jeans and handed him a piece of paper, "Their names are listed there along with the cities they're all living in."

The older man unfolded the paper, glancing over the four names before looking at the girl, "Everything alright between you two?"

"Absolutely!" She was quick to answer, nodding her head and giving a wider smile, "We're fine. Busy as ever with both the corn and my garden coming along. Nothing out of sorts between us." She lifted a hand, brushing stray hair behind her ear as she glanced down at her lap, "It's just…I don't think he's doing alright."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, I just…" she let out a soft sigh, lifting her eyes back to him, "He seems lost a-and unsure."

"I haven't noticed anything of the sort," Mayor Fields commented.

"No, and most of you wouldn't as you don't see him every day like I do. Just trust me when I say there's more to him that is hidden away behind some wall." She nodded her head towards the paper, "I know for a fact they can help him. So please, if you can try to find them and let me know I'd be in your debt. I just want Ellis to be as happy as he had been before the Green Flu."

The mayor let out a huffed sigh, eyeing the paper a moment longer then looking to her, "Promise me one of your famous apple pies and we'll call it even."

Abigail's lips drew into a wider grin, her mocha eyes lighting up to match, "Thank you, Mayor Fields. I truly appreciate it." She rose from her seat after that and he followed suit.

"I'll see what I can do. In the meantime have a good rest of your day, Abby," he watched her turn to leave, "Don't be such a stranger too. The missus and I would love to have you two for dinner sometime."

Abigail grinned towards him with a goodbye, taking her leave on quick feet after.

{\}{/}

Abigail made her way up the faded steps of the white porch, moving to open the screen door of the two-story farm house with a smile still settled on her lips. She didn't care that there wasn't a solid answer to her inquiry, but the fact Fields was going to look into it meant something to her. She wanted to make sure Ellis was happy. He deserved that for how much he did for her and this town. The fact alone, this house wouldn't be anywhere as nice as it was if it hadn't been for him coming along. He's the reason her daddy didn't have to tear this place down and for that, she still felt like she owed him the world.

Then again…

Her eyes drifted down to the ring that had found a home on her left hand a year ago. She was already willing to give him all of that, wasn't she? She'd said yes because she wanted to make Ellis as happy as he made her. Maybe with this plan she'd finally be able to feel like she'd done more than giving her heart to him because to her that wasn't enough. Not for someone like Ellis.

"Abs."

Abigail jumped at the voice, brown eyes blowing wide and a small startled noise leaving her lips. She pressed a hand to her chest and turned around where she stood with a hand still gripping the screen door, "Goodness, Ellis. You trying to give me a heart attack?" She eyed her fiancé, glancing him over where he stood, "You look like you rolled in an oil puddle at the garage."

The hick's brow lifted and he looked down at himself, hands already working a rag between them to try and rid of some grease. His coveralls were tied at the waist, holding their own stains from the garage while his blue shirt dipped at the collar with a sweat stain down the front of his chest. His arms, parts of his neck and his face also held their own mess. A mix between grease and dirt. "Well I mean, I was at the garage all day and then I came here t'work some in the field. Neither are really a clean job. Why? Do I look worse than normal?"

Abigail let out a soft sigh and let go of the door. She stepped closer to him, taking the rag from between his hands to gently press against his cheek. She carefully removed a streak of grease, smiling at him, "Not worse, just extra greasy today."

Ellis wrinkled his nose at the comment, brow furrowing "Sounds awful when ya say it like that."

A little laugh left her lips as she lowered her hand, "Don't know how else to explain it." She handed him the rag back, "Did you need something? I didn't really give you the chance to say much apart from my name."

"Uh, yeah," he swallowed a breath and shoved the rag into the pocket of his coveralls, "I gotta head over t'the garage again. Tom needs me t'help out with a few things that came up last minute."

"Oh, okay," Abigail she gave him a soft smile, "I'll wait to make dinner then. Anything special you want?"

"I'll eat anything. Gonna be starvin' by the time I get back," he lifted a grease-stained hand, raising his baseball cap only to run his other hand through his hair. He put the cap back down then leaned in, placing a kiss on her cheek, "shouldn't be gone too long, darlin'."

"I'll be here," she smiled, cheeks a light tint of pink. She stayed on the porch while her fiancé made his way to the truck only going inside once the battered pickup was out of view.

Abigail kept herself busy for the next few hours. Laundry, dishes and overall just tidying the house further than it already was. It had been late afternoon when Ellis left (early afternoon when she'd seen the mayor) so when the phone had rung she'd expected it to be Ellis saying he'd be later than expected, "Hello?"

"Hey, Abby. It's Rochelle."

Abigail felt a weight leave her shoulders. They mayor had been able to get through to them, "Rochelle, it's good to hear your voice again."

"Likewise. I got a call from someone at the mayor's office asking if I could give you a call. Said something about you needing help with Ellis. Is he okay?"

Abigail could hear the worry in her tone so she was quick to answer, "He's fine. Same as he's always been."

"So what's the problem?"

"He's not himself, is he?"

There was a long pause, silence settling on the phone to where only static could be heard. After what felt like forever Rochelle let out a sigh, "None of us are what we used to be, but you're right. He's not. He comes close at times when we're there, but I know differently. I know Ellis and that's not him. I can't imagine the difference when we're not there."

Abigail gripped the phone tighter, other hand holding to the curled cord, "He's quiet and way too calm. I mean…that's how I've always known him, but with you lot, I see someone different and I want to help him find that again. I just want him to be happy, Rochelle."

"He is happy, Abby," there was a pause, "I know it doesn't look like it, but he's as happy as he's going to get after everything."

"That's not true and you know it," she said it quick and when nothing was said in return she continued, "Something's missing and I need your help getting it back for him. Can you come back down for a few days? Please? I-I don't have a plan, but maybe we can figure it out. Or you lot can figure it out with him."

Rochelle was silent again and it made Abigail uneasy. Once more there was a sigh before words, "I'm in the middle of a story right now so I can't leave Boston, but Francis and I will look into coming down as soon as we can." There was a muffled voice in the background that was instantly silenced by a quick word from the reporter, "I'll call Coach, but I think he's on vacation with his sister's family."

Abigail felt that uneasiness return in a wave, "Oh."

"I'll call Keith too. I can't promise anything with him though. He's been busier than us as of late with that business of his kicking off."

"Thank you, Rochelle."

"I know it isn't an immediate assist on our part, but we love Ellis just as much as you do and we'll come through. I promise." Her smile could be heard through the phone and Abigail was grateful for the reassurance, "One of us will be down there soon enough to help, but keep in mind that sometimes things that are broken can't be fixed. I know that for all of us we can't forget easily what's happened or what we've lost. It may not turn out how you want, but we'll do what we can."

"I appreciate that," Abigail said lightly, "It's better than nothing."

"I'm glad you think so," the muffled background voice returned and Rochelle let out another sigh, "I gotta go, Abby. I'll call you once I have more of a sturdy plan to give you."

"Okay. Good luck with your story and thank you again," she placed the phone back onto the receiver before turning to press her back against the wall. She let out a sigh and shut her eyes.

At least it was something.

{\}{/}

Ellis pulled his hat from his head, giving him the freedom to slip a hand into his hair before wiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm. He sniffed in a breath then returned the hat to its rightful place. Blue eyes lifted up towards the hot Georgian sun and he wrinkled his nose, cursing internally as he kicked himself for turning down Mark's offer to help out with some of the field work. Why did he always turn down the help? He knew it was tiresome and straining, especially when the weather was a brutal temperature. Yet he always turned down the offered help because that's who he was. The farm was his burden. Not anyone else's. It was his promise. Not anyone else's. Didn't change how fucking hot it was though.

The hick let out a sigh and reached down to grab up the dead corn stalks that hadn't survived the initial flourish. He bundled the lot into his arms and walked towards the barn where he'd begun a pile of assorted weeds and other stalks. He dropped the bundle then wiped his hands down along the front of his gray shirt. Abby would be a little upset towards the stain, but she should expect it at this point.

He stepped back towards the row of corn, brushing some dirt from his jeans with a grumble of annoyance, "One yes in askin' for help isn't going to burden anyone." Especially today. It was definitely the hottest day of the summer, but he couldn't take a break from this. The town relied far too much on it.

"Ellis!"

The sound of Abby's voice drew his attention and he stopped doing his too-nice-to-ask-for-help-or-accept-it labor to step out from the little open area of the field he'd been in, "Yeah?"

"There's someone here to see you!" She sounded like she was still by the house and Ellis frowned a little. Had someone driven up? How'd he not heard that? God, he needed to take a break. Wait—someone was here to see him?

"Let it be Mark," Ellis mumbled to himself, hoping that his friend had taken pity with how hot it was and came over anyways to help out. He pulled the rag from his back pocket as he made his way towards the house, patting it against his forehead and down his face. He stepped onto the dirt made driveway and glanced up to see Abby standing across the way wearing a blue dress with the sweetest smile on her face. Ellis couldn't stop his own smile from growing at it, "You said someone was here to see me?" She only smiled as a response, glancing to Ellis's right.

Ellis turned his head only to find the rag in his hands falling away to meet the dirt. His eyes were blown wide, mouth hung slightly agape as his heart stilled with his breath.

"It's been awhile, Overalls."

Suddenly the sun didn't compare to how hot the hick felt under the stare of all too familiar gray eyes.

A/N: Already the revision of this is very different from the original and the cut off is a bit different, but that just makes the next chapter all the better to hold out for. It'll honestly probably be done here shortly with how much I'm enjoying redoing this. Hope y'all enjoy just the intro to something long winded and filled with emotions. I promise the chapters just get longer from here. I made this one shorter on purpose.