Hamilton vs. Hope Valley

A One~Shot?

Chapter 1: From Hamilton, With Love

Author's Note: I had an idea regarding a trip to Hamilton in season 4. This takes place after the Season 4 Premiere. I'm just spinning theories.

So, after reading your reviews of my preview…{drum roll please}…it is not a one shot. I am overjoyed with your responses and requests for more and to update soon…I will write as long as possible before I have to get ready for an important appointment. Thank you from my WHOLE HEART!

"I've taken an idea and run wild with it." I'm dying to speculate, so here it goes…Enjoy!

Miss Elizabeth Thatcher watched as the last of her students made their way out the door. Constable Jack Thornton made his way up the steps, taking off his Stetson. He smiled at Elizabeth and looked from the front door back to her.

"Good afternoon, Constable Thornton." Elizabeth blushed as she saw that familiar smile spread across Jack's face. She knew he was about to kiss her. Her heart beat faster in wild anticipation.

"Good afternoon, Miss Thatcher." Jack greeted her, pulling her into his strong embrace. He leaned in and captured her lips.

Elizabeth welcomed the kiss and pulled him closer still as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Their lips melded together for several moments, until someone cleared his throat.

Ned Yost was standing a few paces behind them…blushing as he approached the constable.

"Pardon the intrusion, Constable. Ma'am." Ned Yost handed a telegram to Jack. "Good afternoon, Constable. Ma'am." He quickly left to head back to the mercantile.

Jack gave Elizabeth a knowing glance as he opened the telegram. He knew Elizabeth usually feared that a telegram would send Jack away on an assignment. He took a deep breath as he read to himself.

Constable Thornton

You are ordered to escort Miss Thatcher to Hamilton. Her father has requested that you leave immediately.

Regards,

Constable Kent

Jack folded the telegram and put it in his red serge breast pocket. He eyed Elizabeth warily. He wasn't sure how she would take the news, but he knew he just better come right out and say it.

Elizabeth waited for him to tell her the news. She held her breath as he ran his hands on either side of her arms.

"I am ordered to escort you to Hamilton." Jack stated simply, placing his hat on his head and turning to walk out the schoolhouse.

"Jack!" Elizabeth ran after him, matching his stride and pulling on his arm. "Wait! You can't just walk away! What was that about?" Elizabeth caught her breath as she looked at Jack, who was trying not to smile.

"Why, whatever do you mean, Miss Thatcher?" Jack's grin was bursting at the seams.

"Constable Thornton!" Elizabeth gave him her best scary teacher face. "Out with it!" Elizabeth tapped her foot with her hands resting on her hips.

Jack couldn't help it. He threw his head back and laughed. As he composed himself, he pulled her to the steps of the schoolhouse. He had to tell her why he had received a telegram and not her.

"Come 'ere. Sit down." Jack gently ordered leading her to the steps. "Sit!" He ordered as she raised an exasperated eye brow. "His Elizabeth was so stubborn." He tried to hide his smile. "That is one of the reasons you must be in my life, Lizzie." Jack thought inwardly.

"There. Better?" Jack asked as Elizabeth settled onto the steps.

"Yes." Elizabeth sighed resignedly.

Jack sat next to her reaching for her hand. He stroked the back of it with his thumbs. Jack knew he was keeping her in suspense, but he wasn't sure how to begin. He took a deep breath, exhaling through his nose.

Elizabeth squeezed his hand and waited as patiently as she could.

"About two months ago, I wrote your father." Jack began.

"Wait! That would mean that…" Elizabeth interrupted, but trailed off as she saw Jack's expression. "Please go on." She whispered.

"Yes, your thinking is correct. It means that I wrote to him the week after I recovered." Jack lifted her eyes to face his. "Elizabeth, it's alright. Why are you crying?" He held her firm as she tried to look away again.

"I, I, uh…" Elizabeth's eyes welled up, tears threatening to spill over at any moment. "It still haunts me. Seeing you draped over that fallen tree. You had a pulse, but I can't help but feel that I had lost you, Jack." Elizabeth let the dam break as she wrapped her arms around his neck, throwing propriety out the proverbial schoolhouse window.

Jack held her closely to him, neither caring about who saw them nor who interrupted them. This was their moment and he was going to hold her. He was going to comfort her as best as he knew how.

"Elizabeth. I know you are the one that found me. You were the first one by my side. Even though, I was unconscious, I felt you….we're kindred spirits, you and I, Elizabeth." Jack gushed.

"Oh, Jack!" Elizabeth breathed. "I know that in my heart it was God who brought you here to me. Never mind, my father sending you here, it was God who had orchestrated it. He willed it to be so." Elizabeth pressed her palm to Jack's face.

Jack covered the hand on his face with his own, tears starting to surface. He pulled her closer to him and breathed what his heart was singing at the top of his lungs.

"I love you, Elizabeth Anne Thatcher!" Jack began….he couldn't, not here. 'No, Jack. Not yet. Soon, but not today.' He thought to himself. "We need to get you to Hamilton." Jack stated as he pulled his hand back.

"Jack Gilbert Thornton!" Elizabeth pulled his lips to hers. Her lips were insistent as she claimed her Mounties lips. "I love you, Jack Gilbert Thornton! One does not declare their feelings and then just like that try to walk away." Elizabeth was breathless, as she clung to the collar of his red serge, holding him there, in front of her.

They were eye to eye and his smile spread across his face. He was having way too much fun teasing her and pulling away when he knew that she was waiting on baited breath for him to tell her what was going on or on his mind. He laughed anew when she gave him another scary teacher face and pulled her into a hug.

"One does exactly that, when they are wanting their girl to be in a tizzy, so they can come to the rescue and sweep her off of her feet." Jack pulled her up and without another word, swept her into his arms, sealing her lips with his own as he spun her around.

Their kiss was one of sheer delight. They had said they loved each other for the second time and both were so elated that they all but forgot the pressing matter of getting Elizabeth to Hamilton or the reason why Jack had been so secretive regarding the letter he wrote to Mr. Thatcher. They were in their own little world and they didn't care what the future held. As far as they were concerned, it held a future they dreamed of, a future filled with hope and love. A future, together, no matter what!

Several hours later, Elizabeth finished her papers and left instructions for the ladies of the town who would teach in her stead. She was packing when someone came to the door.

"Ned?" Elizabeth questioned. "What are you doing here at this hour?" Elizabeth inquired.

"An urgent telegram came for you." Ned nodded as he handed her the telegram and quickly turned on his heels and left.

Elizabeth gasped as she read that it was from Hamilton.

"My Dearest Elizabeth,

I have informed the constable of my desire to have you escorted home. I assume that you are making arrangements and are planning to come as soon as possible. I am indeed put out by the constable, but I need to speak to both of you. Please come home. I tried to get someone else to escort you, but the constable was the wisest choice. Having that said, I am not pleased with these turn of events.

With Love, From Hamilton

Father"

Elizabeth quickly ran over to the jail. Jack had told her that she could come to him for anything, day or night. She took these words to heart as she knocked on the door, moments later.

"Elizabeth!" Jack exclaimed. Looking around and seeing no one, he pulled her into the jail. "What is it that couldn't wait until the morning?" Jack asked, concern crossing his face.

"I know we said we're leaving tomorrow, but I just received an urgent telegram." She handed it to Jack. "It's from…"

"Hamilton." They breathed together.

Jack read it over a few times before he looked into Elizabeth's questioning eyes. He had written her father in hopes that he would accept his intentions as a promise to be the man that Elizabeth deserved, regardless of his station in life. After reading this reply, however, he was less certain.

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry. I suppose my telegram had the adverse effect than the one that I had intended." Jack ran his hands up and down her arms.

Elizabeth's lower lip began to quiver. She wanted to understand why her father was so upset with her beloved Mountie. She was tired of feeling that she was in trouble for loving this wonderful and honorable man. 'Why can't my father see who he truly is? Why can't he see how much he means to me?' Her inner thoughts were spilling over.

"Why, Jack? Why? What have I done to make him want me home?" Elizabeth pressed her face into his shoulder. Tears streamed down her face.

"I'll tell you, but first, you must get back to your house. It's late, darling." Jack expressed as he leaned in and kissed her with a promise that they would make this right and they would face whatever challenges Hamilton held, together.

Jack escorted Elizabeth back to her row house and then once he was sure that she was safe, he went back to the jail.

The next several days were going to be a challenge that neither he nor she would expect.

Author's Note: Here's Chapter 1. You're thoughts? I'm dying to know what you think about the full chapter!