Could not get the 3 weeks later gap out of my head. I hate when shows do that. This episode could have been longer, or shown clips of time passing in some way, the way they did to show us the funeral. The pain I am describing is how I felt when I found out my best friend had died. The ending of 5x09 brought the memories of my loss back so vividly that I sobbed for longer than I can truly remember. Elizabeth breaking down haunted my thoughts and brought back my pain. That is where most of the inspiration for Chapter 1 comes from.
My first story, constructive criticism and reviews are greatly appreciated!
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Hallmark Channel and Janette Oke.
Chapter 1
Elizabeth couldn't move from the ground. She could feel Abigail beside her, comforting her while trying to get her to stand. She couldn't, her body refused to do anything but sob and scream. She was trapped in her nightmare, she must be. It felt as though her heart was being crushed, a sharp pain ripping through her chest, she was suffocating, she could hear nothing but the last words the Mountie had said, "I'm sorry". Those words repeating through her mind. Her anguished screams of "Jack" echoed down the empty street.
Bill was locking the Jail door when he heard a scream. Turning toward the sound he saw the Mountie standing by Elizabeth curled on the ground and Abigail kneeling beside her. "Oh no" he mumbled while rushing to the Mountie. "What happened?" Bill paused waiting for an answer, "I am the town's Sheriff." The Mountie, reassured by Bill's status as Sheriff, passed over the letter of details meant for Elizabeth. Bill thanked the Mountie and assured the young man that he would take care of everything in Hope Valley and would be waiting for Jack's body to be returned home. The Mountie looked at Elizabeth and again said "I'm sorry ma'am" before mounting his horse and departing, wanting to be away from the heartbreaking scene.
The music paused within the saloon when Rosemary stopped singing to get a drink; that was when the town inside celebrating Carson's birthday heard a scream. Everyone was silent, not knowing what caused the sound several people turned toward the door keeping quiet. The silence was only broken by another tear filled scream. That second scream caused the frozen townspeople to head toward the door. The first people out the door were Carson and Lee followed closely by Rosemary. The rest of the town slowly filed outside as the first three beheld the scene. They saw Elizabeth on the ground with Abigail and a Mountie riding briskly away from Bill who was holding a letter. Rosemary understood what the anguished cry meant and quickly rushed to her friend's side. "Elizabeth, please we need to get out of the street," Rosemary begged grabbing Elizabeth's arm.
Elizabeth felt someone arrive at her other side grabbing and tugging gently at her arm. Her body, exhausted from the screams, slowly quieted into unending broken sobs. She wouldn't be waking up, she realized, this was no dream, her nightmare had come to pass, Jack was dead and he would never come home. Too distraught to move, or speak anything other than "Jack" and "no" whispered through her tears, her friends could not bring her to her feet. Lee, feeling the need to do something other than thinking of his lost friend, walked to Rosemary's side. "Rosie, let me lift her." Rosemary and Abigail moved to the side as Lee lifted Elizabeth to her feet, he turned to Abigail and said, "Should we take her home?" Abigail nodded in agreement to Lee and he and Rosemary made their way to the row houses with a sobbing Elizabeth supported between them.
Abigail turned and saw the crowd gathered, and went to Bill's side. "I'm sorry Bill, but can you please let everyone know what happened and help Clara watch the boys tonight? I need to be there for Elizabeth." Bill nodded grimly before looking down at the envelope in his hand. Abigail followed his eyes to his hand clenched tightly to an envelope, after a moment Bill stated "it is the death notice and details for Elizabeth" handing the envelop to Abigail. "Don't let her read it alone" he said softly. "I am going to wire Superintendent Collins and see what else I can find out, and when we should expect..." he stopped speaking, he was trained not to cry, he would not break down, not today, the town needed him, Elizabeth needed him, he was determined to be as brave as Jack. Abigail understood what he couldn't bring himself to say. "Thank you, Bill," she said.
Abigail walked to Cody and Robert. "Boys, I know this is hard but..." she started. Cody, understanding the pain he had seen in Mrs. Thornton and the look in his mothers eyes, interrupted Abigail's statement and sadly questioned, "Mom, Mountie Jack is never coming home, is he?" Tears in her eyes Abigail looked at her son, softly spoke, "I am so sorry sweetheart. Mountie Jack lost his life." She pulled Cody into her arms as he stifled a sob. After a few moments she slowly released him, looked into his teary eyes and said "Will you boys be alright with Bill and Clara tonight? Mrs. Thornton needs someone with her." Cody turned and looked at Robert, the boys nodded at each other and Cody turning back toward Abigail said "Tell Mrs. Thornton we love her." She thanked the boys and walked them to the Cafe explaining to a waiting Clara where she was going and telling her to go to Bill if she needed anything that night. Clara hugged Abigail tightly and whispered in her ear "take care of her" releasing the embrace Clara quickly dried her tears and shut the Café door. Abigail waved a farewell to Bill and walked to Elizabeth's row house.
Abigail paused on the porch and was about to knock on Elizabeth's door when she heard Rosemary's voice trying to soothe the tortured Elizabeth. Opening the door and walking quietly inside she saw Rosemary rubbing circles on Elizabeth's back while seated next to her on the sofa. Elizabeth was again curled in on herself, her voice harsh from the sobbing of the past 30 minutes. The thirty minutes felt like an eternity and yet no time at all to Elizabeth. Her world was crumbling around her, every breath a struggle, her heart in sharp pain. She was so tired, but she couldn't rest, the pain too sharp and real. Abigail walked past Lee, who was seated at the kitchen table looking lost, to the sofa and spoke to Rosemary "let's take her to bed, she needs rest." Rosemary nodded and held Elizabeth's right arm while Abigail took her left. Before helping Elizabeth to her feet Rosemary spoke to her, "We are going to get you to bed now Elizabeth" looking back at Abigail they lifted Elizabeth, who gave no real resistance, to her feet and up the stairs. Rosemary insisted on staying by Elizabeth's side after she and Abigail had dressed Elizabeth for bed and laid her down tucked her in. Elizabeth was silently sobbing while staring resolutely away from Jack's side of the bed and at the wall. No coaxing to close her eyes by Abigail and Rosemary made any difference. Abigail asked Rosemary to sit with Elizabeth for a moment before leaving the room.
Abigail goes into the kitchen to make some tea. "Would you like a cup Lee?" she asks the man sitting quietly at the table. "Yes, thank you" Lee responds before looking down again. They are both silent as the water boils on the stove. Abigail places a cup of tea in front of him. "I'll stay with Elizabeth tonight. You and Rosemary should get some rest," Abigail says softly to him. "Ok, but if you need anything just knock on our door. Will you send Rosie down? She won't want to leave Elizabeth." Lee says just as softly as before. He is sad and trying to be strong Abigail realizes, he wants to be strong for Rosemary and Elizabeth. "Thank you for your kind help tonight Lee, I will send her right down, can you lock up as you leave?" "Of course" Lee gives her a small smile, "Jack gave me a spare key before he left, in case of an emergency, he was worried about Elizabeth being alone," his face falls in the memory. "He trusted you, that is a high compliment," Abigail tells him. Picking up her teacup and walking to the stairs Abigail turns and says quietly "I will send her down."
"Rosemary, I will stay with Elizabeth tonight, you and Lee should go home," Abigail says softly as she reenters the bedroom with her tea. Rosemary looks faintly shocked and upset at the suggestion of leaving her friend. "I don't want to leave her right now Abigail, she needs me." "I know that Rosemary," Abigail says kindly, "I was hoping that you could come over tomorrow and stay with her, I will stay tonight." "I think Lee and you should spend some time together, I think you both could use that and I promise you and I have promised Lee if we need anything I will knock on your door first." Rosemary looks at Elizabeth to see if she has a response to the conversation. Elizabeth does not move, or say anything, she just stares blankly at the wall, lost in grief, her mind trapping her. "Ok, Abigail, I will be over after breakfast." Rosemary walks to Elizabeth and grasps her hand, "I will be right next door if you need anything," she says kindly to her friend before lightly touching Abigail's arm on the way to the door.
Abigail waits until she hears the door shut before sitting next to Elizabeth on the bed. "Please sleep Elizabeth" Abigail begs her friend tears building in her eyes. Exhaustion finally takes over the distraught Elizabeth, her eyes closing without her permission. Abigail waits until Elizabeth's eyes stay closes and her breathing evening out before heading quietly to the spare bedroom for the night. She takes the letter Bill had given her for Elizabeth out of her pocket and sets it on the nightstand deciding tomorrow would be better to read it with Elizabeth, perhaps she would speak by then. The night is not restful for either women, Abigail was woken several times in the night when hearing Elizabeth cry out. Elizabeth's dreams were plagued with nightmares, beginning beautifully with Jack with her, loving her, and each ending with him being taken away in some fashion. Her dreams refused to let her forget, her dreams fueling her grief and pain. Every time her dreams woke her and she cried out in grief Abigail came to her and comforted her till she fell asleep. After several nightmares and just after 2 am, she did not wake from her dreams again, too exhausted to even wake from the nightmares, she cried in her sleep. Abigail slept soundly after Elizabeth stopped waking, she fell asleep dreading the morning and the grief Elizabeth was sure to be experiencing. She dreaded having to help Elizabeth read the letter from the Mounties. Sleep was a welcome distraction to the grieving Abigail and she sunk in to it willingly, hoping the next time she would wake would be in the morning. After 2 am sleep claimed the house for the rest of the night.