Author's Note: Hi everyone! I'm new to writing fanfiction, but I've been reading for a long time. I once heard (on Pinterest, actually) that we write the fanfiction we want to read. Or something like that. Anyway, I love When Calls the Heart, and I had a funny thought- what if Julie wanted Elizabeth to go to Coal Valley for her own reasons? This is the product of that. I would love constructive criticism and reviews. Thanks!

Elizabeth

Elizabeth swiped the blackboard one last time with the eraser. Turning towards her desk, she set it down in its corner and straightened the books, pencils, and odds and ends that were not for her to keep. She strode toward the door confidently, but without a spring in her step. Pausing in the doorway, the young teacher looked back at her classroom for possibly the last time in her entire life. She shut the door.

Elizabeth found her father's car outside. The driver, Mulligan, opened the door and she climbed in. She settled her skirts and put her books next to her on the empty seat. Elizabeth decided to enjoy the hour-long ride back across the city to her family's mansion.

That had been the first way that she had pushed back against her parents. Well, actually the second. The first was that she had decided to go to teacher college in the first place.

"For goodness sake, darling - you're Elizabeth Thatcher. Thatchers don't become teachers. Thatchers live in society, making good lives for themselves by marrying well, not by actually working," her astonished mother had said when Elizabeth had brought up going to college.

"It cannot be allowed, Elizabeth. You aren't yet old enough to understand what you actually need or want. You can have the satisfaction of helping these children through charities." Elizabeth's father hadn't understood either. Eventually Elizabeth was able to strike a deal. When she married, she would stop teaching and focus on being a full-time mother and wife. Her parents uneasily agreed. They knew how clever she was- and how stubborn.

Elizabeth had been determined to show that she was a confident, capable young woman. She had chosen a private school on the other side of Hamilton to apply to for a job. That was the second way she had pushed against her parents. She entered the interview room with grace, sat down, answered the questions smoothly, and left with that confident air she had been hoping for. The school had chosen her to become their new literature teacher, and she had, after a few small, really insignificant struggles that she had never dared to tell her parents about, settled in nicely. The school was too far away from the Thatcher mansion to drive to twice every day, and they had offered her a place to stay, so she accepted. It was more independent that way.

Now Elizabeth was finished teaching in Hamilton. Forever, probably, she thought, as she settled deeper into the cushioned seat. She didn't quite know where she wanted to teach next. Elizabeth wanted all sorts of experiences, but her limit on crazy ideas was traveling to the American frontier. That would not be an experience she wanted. Julie had suggested it- silly Julie with her wild western romance books and fancy clothes. It was funny, the two sides of her. Julie wanted adventure, and she also wanted expensive styles. One day she would have to choose, and if she chose adventure, Elizabeth could only imagine the rift it would cause between Julie and her parents.

The car pulled up to the front gate of the Thatcher household. Last time Elizabeth had seen her father and mother and Viola and Julie had been (oh, was it really that long ago?) that three-day weekend the school had given its students two weeks after their break for the spring. Something had been wrong with the plumbing. Elizabeth hoped it hadn't had anything to do with her.

Mulligan jumped down from the car to open the gate, and as Elizabeth looked out, she noticed her family coming out of the house to meet her. She grinned and waved her hand out the window. Only Julie waved back.

Julie

Julie could see Elizabeth's hand waving from the car. It pulled up to the driveway and the driver – Julie could never remember his name – opened the door for her sister, holding his hand out. She accepted the hand and stepped down.

Julie rushed forward to the front of the line of her family members, saying, "Elizabeth! We were starting to worry about you, you know. We were thinking that the car had been sabotaged or something wonderfully dreadful like that!" She hugged Elizabeth around the waist tightly. Her sister looked up at their father, who shook his head, smiling. Julie knew how silly she was being.

Elizabeth returned Julie's tight hug enthusiastically. "I missed you all so much, and I'm glad to be home again. I loved it at the school, but home is wonderful too." Julie finally untangled her arms, and her father, William Thatcher, stepped forward to take Elizabeth in his arms.

"Hopefully you'll be home for good this time, Elizabeth," William said. "Since home is wonderful, just like you've said."

William and Elizabeth parted, their hug much shorter than Julie's. "Father, you know I will keep teaching. These experiences will help to prepare me for being a wife, and a mother just like my own." Julie nearly snickered at Elizabeth's clever use of the argument that had persuaded their parents to let her teach.

Julie's mother stepped forward for her turn to hug her middle daughter. "Oh, darling, you flatter me." Closer to her ear, Grace Thatcher whispered, "I missed you so much." Elizabeth squeezed her mother tighter.

Viola was next, giving her sister a quick hug. "Why did you leave me with Julie? You're the only one who can put any sense into her head."

Elizabeth giggled. "Viola, you have enough sense for the both of us!" Viola laughed.

The family entered the house and turned to the sitting room, where Julie sat on the couch with Grace, Viola on the loveseat, and William in his armchair. Elizabeth gave her bags to Mulligan, who in turn gave them to the maid to take to Elizabeth's room and put the contents away.

Julie began, "Did anything adventurous happen on your journey? Or," she paused, "anything interesting that you didn't write about in your letters? Romantic, perhaps?" This was actually a very important question to Julie. If Elizabeth had a romantic attachment on the other side of Hamilton, Julie would have to get rid of him- and fast. Before the end of the summer. She had plans for Elizabeth that could not be sidetracked by a man. Well, not any man from Hamilton.