This is my first story! I'm so excited to start sharing more happy Elizabeth and Jack stories. I plan to be adding a chapter weekly. Thank you so much for your support! I would love your comments and support- they mean so much to me and encourage me to write more. Thank you to all who write stories- everyone's helped me to get through the finale. I hope you enjoy! Thank you!

Edit: to fix spacing (sorry about that)

Elizabeth jolted up in bed at the sound of the stage coach pulling into town. Her room was dimly lit by the fireplace still on in her living room. She quickly

squeezed her eyes closed as she remembered the night before. The memory was all too painful to be reminded of.

She pulled her blankets up to her chin and lied on her side as she began to sob uncontrollably as the events of the night before flooded her mind.

Suddenly the realization that her fireplace was on shocked her.

She had ran out of the firewood chopped for her by Jack before he left the week before.

Jack, always the caring husband had made sure to gather everything she might need before he left on his assignment to train Mountie recruits.

He had made sure that she had ample firewood before leaving, but Abigail had run low and Elizabeth wanted to help out her friend.

The entire town relied on Constable Thorton, he took care of everyone and always made sure everyone, especially Elizabeth, had everything they might need.

She wondered how life could ever be the same in Hope Valley without Jack around to take care of everyone.

Hope valley's Mountie always made sure to play with the children, help everyone get along and care for the widows who didn't have anyone around to help them.

She looked to Jack's side of the bed and inhaled his scent on his pillow.

She was comforted only by the still tiny kitten Jack had rescued and brought home for her before he left on his assignment.

He hoped the cat would bring some small comfort to Elizabeth while he was away, little did he know much she truly would need to be comforted.

It broke her heart to even think about her life and future in hope valley without her husband by her side.

Jack, who was beginning to doze off in the living room armchair, quickly became attentive when he heard the sound of his wife's tears in the bedroom.

He felt awful knowing he had caused the heartache of his beloved wife.

He was badly injured, but with every ounce of strength he could muster he made his way to his bedroom.

Jack entered the room quietly and slowly, knowing how shocked Elizabeth would be to see him.

He knew he had a lot of explaining to do, but only wanted to be there for his wife.

He couldn't stand the thought of her in agony for a second longer.

Elizabeth was sitting up against their headboard with her head in her knees, crying, when Jack stood in the doorway.

He hurried to his wife's side, slowly and quietly in an attempt to not scare her.

When he reached his wife's side, he gently picked up her hand and lightly kissed it.

Looking up in shock, to see her husband in a beat up and ripped red serge with his arm in a sling, Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.

"Jack?" she cried out, in a hushed voice. "Elizabeth, it's me. I'm home." Jack said, as he reached out to gather her into his arms.

Judging by the look on her face he knew that the Mounties had already given her the news.

He hoped her had made it in time before the new reached her, but knew he was too late for the initial news,

and too early for the news of his misidentification to have reached her yet.

Elizabeth reached her arms out towards him in disbelief as she grabbed his arm to make sure it wasn't all a dream. Seeing the agony she was in killed him.

"Elizabeth. Sweetheart, it's me. It's all been a mistake- I'm home."

Hearing those words come out of his mouth was all she needed to hear.

She was horrified when she looked over him, he was in awful shape.

She jumped up, and slowly guided him to lie down on the bed.

Jack opened his mouth to protest- he knew he had a lot of explaining to do and wanted to ease her fears as quickly as possible.

"Jack- darling, the only thing I care about right now is that your here. The rest can wait." She explained as she hurried to be by his side.

All alone in the dark bedroom, Elizabeth laid still, quietly crying while draped across Jack's legs while he rubbed her back.

Jack knew how much Elizabeth had suffered and instinctively wanted to protect her, despite his injuries.

Elizabeth looked up to meet his eyes as they starred at each other in silence.

"I love you with everything that I am Elizabeth Thorton, now and forever. I will never leave your side." Jack said as he kissed her hand.

Jack could barely move but so badly wanted to kiss her, leaning forward to do so.

Elizabeth could see what he was attempting to do and reached out to stop him.

Not wanting him to further hurt himself, She gently moved his shoulders back to once again lean against their headboard.

She felt awful that she needed him to comfort her even after all he had been through, and that he instinctively knew it too.

She pressed a finger to his lips to quiet him and gently wrapped her arms around him to hug him.

She slowly got up as to not disturb her injured Mountie and went around the house to search for supplies to disinfect his wounds.

He has receive medical care when he found his way back to Mountie headquarters, and was offered a train ride home in the next

week, but Jack wanted to get home as soon as possible, and decided to ride home.

After the long,treacherous ride home the stitches on Jack's abdomen had opened up.

Elizabeth hurried back to their bedroom and began to unbutton his ruined red serge to reveal an awful cut.

Jack winced from the pain of the disinfectant and looked up at the ceiling but knew how grateful he must be to

even be alive. Elizabeth saw his face and gently touched his arm.

"I love you Jack. From chalk dust to eternity." Those words from his wife were all he needed to hear.

Clenching his hand into a fist to deal with the pain, he flashed her his signature smile and rubbed her cheek with his free hand.

later that night

"Eat it Jack, come on! My cooking's not that bad" she jokingly said. She of course knew that Jack's lack of interest in her soup

had nothing to do with the taste or the chef.

"Elizabeth..it's not that. I just can't help thinking about what I put you through, I can't imagine what a

wreck I would have been if I was in your position." Jack replied with a sigh.

Elizabeth cupped his face with both of her hands and kissed him.

"None of that matters now Jack. The only thing that matters is that your here."

She got up and took his soup away and returning to the table she gently helped him to his feet and guided him to the bedroom to rest.

Jack groaned as she helped undress him and tuck him into bed.

She joined him in bed and for the first time in days could relax knowing Jack was safe at home with her.

She smiled and fell asleep in his arms peacefully dreaming of their future together. Jack however, couldn't sleep.

He relaxed knowing his wife was beside him safe in his arms,now that he was home to protect her.

On the other hand, he couldn't help but worry about how much she had been effected by his time apart, and he was in constant pain.

The Mounties had offered him a permanent placement in hope valley as a thank you and compensation

for his injuries and his bravery when helping save the young recruits, just barely making it out himself.

He finally was able to relax when Elizabeth instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist and held his hand there.

She felt safe with his arms around her. They both had good news to share that night-the news of her pregnancy,

and his permanent posting in Hope Valley, but decided to wait to tell the other.

Elizabeth smiled to herself, thinking of how lucky she was, and was relieved she was to no longer have to wake up to an empty bed every morning.

Both being able to relax for the first time in weeks- they drifted off into a peaceful sleep.