Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."

Chapter 10- Give Her Time

Jack walked toward the window and stood pensively. He was so very thankful that she was alive and that her injuries were not as bad as they could have been. However, the possibility of a memory lapse concerned him immensely.

Elizabeth slept through the night, moaning softly in her sleep, but never wakening fully. Jack left for work, promising to be back after his shift, but he called every few hours to check on her.

Late in the afternoon, Jack walked into Elizabeth's room, dressed in his uniform. According to Elizabeth's nurse, she'd had a good day and her parents were in the cafeteria having dinner.

Jack sat in a chair beside her bed waiting for her to wake up. He was optimistic that everything would be okay since Mr. Thatcher advised him that Elizabeth knew him, her mother and Shane.

"Hi, I'm sorry, have you been waiting long for me to wake up?" she asked.

His heart pounded with anticipation; she was talking to him and he couldn't be happier…or so he thought.

"Are you here to interview me about the accident?" she asked.

"What…?" he looked quite confused.

"The accident, are you here to interview me for the police report? Because I'll save you some time, I don't remember anything," she advised.

He swallowed hard realizing that his worst nightmare had just become his reality. "Don't you remember me?"

"Should I?" he observed her furrowed brow and remembered what the doctor said about not pushing her.

"I was at the scene when they pulled you from the truck," he quickly stated.

She looked down as if she was thinking hard, "I'm sorry; I don't really remember anything. Thank you though for whatever you did to find me."

"Well actually my dog, Maverick, was the one who found you," he stated hoping to see a glimmer of something familiar in her eyes.

"Maverick?" she asked.

"Yes, do you remember him?" he asked with a smile.

She frowned and shook her head, "I'm sorry, I don't. Top Gun is one of my favorite movies though."

He felt sick; he didn't want to leave her, but as a police officer who 'didn't know her' he really had no reason to stay. "Here is my card; if you remember anything, please call me. You can call me for anything, okay?"

Elizabeth felt that his last comment was somewhat odd, but there was something about him; something about his eyes, his voice, and his lips that seemed freakishly familiar, like she should know him.

Jack hesitantly got up to leave, wanting to follow the doctor's orders, but having to fight with himself not to push her to remember him.

As he reached the door, she called out, "Wait, I think I remember."

He immediately turned around and returned to her bed, "You do? What do you remember?"

"I'm sorry, I have a lot of images running through my head, but have you been to my vet clinic before?" she asked.

He smiled, "Yes I have."

"You're dating my vet tech, Kelly, aren't you?" she asked.

"What? Why would you say that?" he asked, as he felt the knife dig deeper into his chest.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I have a memory, I thought, of you introducing her to me as your girlfriend," she stated. "But we don't know each other, right? So why would you be introducing her to me?"

"No, I know Kelly, but we aren't dating," he stated emphatically.

"I'm sorry. My head is just spinning. I don't know what's real and what isn't," she stated as a few tears slipped from her eyes.

Jack sat back down. Without thinking, he reached over and took her hand giving it a slight squeeze, "You can't push yourself. The memories will come back to you. It just may take some time."

She glanced down at his hand in hers and didn't understand why she was flooded with disappointment when he pulled his hand away.

"Sgt. Thornton…"

"Jack, please just call me Jack," he quickly responded.

"I don't know if we'll see each other again, but if we do, please call me Elizabeth," she offered.

"Okay, Elizabeth it is," he responded.

"Thank you again for everything," she replied.

Her eyes were blue with a greenish tint. He knew her so well; he knew she was worried, but she wasn't the only one.

"Please call me if you remember anything, even the smallest of details," he stated. His heart ached as he stepped out into the hallway. He leaned his back against the wall, closed his eyes and released a frustrated breath. A single perfectly formed teardrop fell from his right eye as he fought hard to keep his emotions in check.

After several days, and a few brain scans which consistently showed no swelling, Elizabeth was released to return home. Her parents tried desperately to talk her into coming home to Charlottesville, but she refused. While packing her suitcase at the hospital, Mrs. Thatcher slipped a new journal inside, knowing how much comfort this form of expression provided her daughter.

Although Elizabeth was adamant about staying in her own home, she did agree to everyone's satisfaction that she would stay with Shane and Maggie for at least a week or until she was no longer using the crutches for her knee.

Feeling somewhat responsible for her accident, Dr. John and his associates took turns covering her patients and running the clinic as if it were their own, which everyone hoped would take some pressure off of Elizabeth to get back to work.

Everyone had been warned not to push her to remember. Even Jack, having no reason to visit her, had stayed away. However, he called Shane every day to check on her progress.

"Does she remember anything yet?" Jack asked Shane.

"I'm sorry, but if she does, she hasn't mentioned it," Shane replied.

Elizabeth returned to her own home once the crutches were no longer necessary. However, feeling the need to keep an eye on her, Mrs. Thatcher came to stay for a week, with Mr. Thatcher hanging around for a day at the beginning and at the end when he dropped her off and picked her up.

Trying to do what she felt was best Mrs. Thatcher intentionally changed the subject when Elizabeth would talk about her confusion and anxiety over her lost memories. She wasn't trying to hide anything from Elizabeth, but was afraid that the emotional overload would be too much for her to handle.

Several weeks had passed. Elizabeth's parents had returned to their own home and Elizabeth was truly on her own, but craving company, she spent most evenings with Shane and Maggie.

As time passed, Elizabeth felt cabin fever setting in. She wasn't used to seeing nothing but the inside of her house and the minimal outdoor landscape from her yard to Shane's. She drove her new Dodge Ram 2500 truck to the vet clinic telling Maggie, Shane and her parents that she simply wanted to see everyone. However, if she was honest, she would admit that she was hoping something, anything would trigger her memories from the past six months.

As she entered the building, staff and clients alike approached her. No one wanted to scare her but everyone wanted her to know how much she was missed. She promised that she would be back at work the following week and she couldn't wait to jump back in.

She remembered everyone except Dr. Petrolli, who was covering the vet office that day. But in her defense, she'd only met him once at a local veterinary conference two months before her accident.

She walked through the building looking for something that would jog her memory. She sifted through patient files looking for anything that would add credence to the images that were flooding her head.

"How are you and that handsome…?" Harper blurted out before Mandy nudged her silent.

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh nothing, she was talking to me," Mandy replied.

"So you have a new man in your life? Or is she talking about Mark? He was there before my accident, right?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, Mark and I are still together," Mandy responded.

"I remember a lot of things. My memory issues only go back about 5 or 6 months from my accident. I guess it could be worse; I mean, how much stuff could I really be missing in that span of time?" Elizabeth mentioned.

"Well I don't know about you guys, but I'd be forgetting a bunch of different men I dated during that time," Kelly stated with a flippant tone as Mandy shot her a disapproving look.

"Was I dating anyone just before my accident?" Elizabeth asked as each of the girls pretended not to hear her.

Harper suddenly jumped in, "We don't know. Your private life was just that…private."

She continued, "I guess I was seeing someone that no one liked. I mean that would explain why I haven't heard anything from him since my accident. I must not be important enough."

"Maybe he doesn't want to push you. Or maybe he's been told to give you space so you don't become frustrated if you don't remember. Maybe he's a nice guy who wants to do what's best for you," Harper offered.

"If I mean that much to him, whoever he is, why hasn't he contacted me?" Elizabeth grabbed her purse and headed for the door. "I'm better off without him," she remarked as she opened the door and stepped outside.

Mandy glanced back at the door making certain that Elizabeth didn't step back inside. "I hope she gets her memory back, because I believe that Sgt. Thornton is the best thing for her."

Shane hated to receive his daily call from Jack, especially since nothing had changed. In this case "No news" wasn't good news. But after months of staying away and trying to give her space to deal with her emotional turmoil, the news that Jack broke to Shane sent his world spinning.

"Shane, I will do anything for her, but staying away from her and having no change is killing me…"

"Jack, you know just as well as I do that it could be something as simple as a song or a word that will trigger her memories. You just need to be patient…"

"I'm taking a position with the West Palm Beach Police Department…."

Shane could hear his voice waiver, "Jack, don't…"

"Shane I have to get away. I believed that she was going to remember me, but it's been months, and nothing. I don't think she's going to. I'm tired of staying away and I have no real excuse to be around her."

"Please think about it. Don't make any changes until we talk more…"

"Shane…"

"Jack, I'm serious. Don't make any plans yet…"

"I'll think about it…" Jack advised.

That evening, following dinner, Shane, Maggie and Elizabeth sat in the den watching television and talking. Although a crime drama was on TV, they actually were paying very little attention to the show. That was until a handsome police officer appeared on screen, catching Elizabeth's eye.

"You know, it's been months and I'll probably never see him again, but that police officer who came to interview me in the hospital about the accident was so handsome, and very nice. He had the most beautiful green eyes, and his lips were like a perfect shape…did I just say that out loud?" Elizabeth giggled shyly as she continued to ramble, almost as if she was talking to herself. She looked up, realizing that Shane and Maggie heard every word she'd said. "I don't even remember his name, but I'll never forget his face. It doesn't matter though; I'm sure he's married, or has a girlfriend but it would have been nice to meet him under better circumstances."

After Elizabeth left to return home, Shane broke the news to Maggie that Jack was planning to leave the area.

"What? He can't leave; she needs him…they need each other," she yelled.

"Don't yell at me; I'm just telling you what he told me. We need to think of something," Shane was as concerned about the news as Maggie. "Hey, let's have dinner on Friday night…"

"What are you talking about? We always have dinner," she replied.

"No, I mean let's invite Jack over," he suggested.

"Is that pushing her to remember?" Maggie asked. "You know what we've been told about that."

"I don't think so. I mean, she said that she'd like to see him again, and he's seriously going crazy not seeing her. So, what do you think?" he asked. "If we don't do something, he's going to leave and it won't matter."

"So how are you going to manage that? You know she'll be mortified if she thinks you set her up," Maggie advised.

"What if we invite several of your single friends; I'll invite some single friends and then a few couples too," he proposed.

"WOW, it has gone from 4 people to a massive party; in just a few days? You know Shane, she needs this, let's do it," Maggie completely agreed. "But you know, with several single men and women, you need to make sure that no one else makes a play for her. Don't invite Michael…"

"Enough said; Michael doesn't make the list!" Shane laughed softly before kissing Maggie good night.

The following morning Shane called Jack, "Hey, how are you this morning?"

"I've been better. They called me last night about the position in Florida. It's still available, and it's mine if I want it," Jack stated. "But don't get upset, I'm giving it a few more days before I decide."

"Well good…we were thinking about having you over for dinner on Friday. Maybe we could all get together and brainstorm something to help her," Shane advised.

"That sounds good," Jack agreed. "I just don't think I can keep going like this. I need her, but since she doesn't know who I am, she doesn't need me," his voice was so sad.

"Jack she needs you, she just doesn't know it yet. We'll figure out something. Just please don't give up on her," Shane practically begged him.

"You know, I find myself riding down your street when I get off work. Oddly enough I feel a little closer to her there," Jack stated; his depressed tone was easily heard.

Shane tried to add levity to the situation, "Well technically you are closer to her when you ride down the street."

"You know what I mean," Jack stated, having difficulty finding the humor in Shane's comment.

"Sorry…Okay, well we'll see you on Friday evening," Shane reminded him before they ended the call.

The Friday night dinner party at Shane and Maggie's was all set. The guests were asked to park along the street but several houses down, leaving the driveway clear. Elizabeth was used to having dinner with Shane and Maggie, so this night seemed no different to her.

"Hey, I brought a new bottle of wine that I found at the store," Elizabeth mentioned as Shane opened his front door when she knocked. "I don't know if it's any good, but the black Labrador on the label caught my eye."

"Can I help you with anything Maggie?" Elizabeth called out from the den before she observed the perfectly set dining room table.

Elizabeth walked into the kitchen, "Oh my, what's going on?" she stated as she observed numerous hot plates and serving containers waiting to be taken out into the dining room.

"We just thought we'd have a little get together tonight," Maggie stated as she continued to place appetizers on the various plates.

"Oh my; I'm so sorry. I guess I'm just so used to coming over that I didn't think about the fact that you may have other plans. I'll get my jacket and get out of your hair," Elizabeth stated as she turned to leave the kitchen.

"No," Maggie blurted out, startling Elizabeth. "I'm sorry, I want you to stay."

"Are you sure? I don't want to get in the way," Elizabeth remarked.

"Trust me, this get together wouldn't be the same without you," Maggie assured her.

The doorbell rang, "Elizabeth, would you answer that for me?" Shane asked as he carried two plates of hors d'oeuvres into the dining room.

"Sure," she replied as she headed for the door.

As the door opened, she was stunned as Jack stood on the other side. Following up behind her Shane acted as though he was introducing her to Jack for the first time.

"Elizabeth, this is my friend Jack. Jack, this is my friend Elizabeth," he stated as Jack stepped inside and took hold of her outstretched hand.

Once their hands touched there was a distinct feeling of electricity that ran through their bodies. Jack knew why, but Elizabeth was left wondering what it was about him that caused her to have such a reaction.

Elizabeth turned and looked between Shane and Jack. "I didn't know that you two knew each other."

Before Jack could answer, Shane asked, "Do you know each other?"

"This officer investigated my accident," Elizabeth responded, having a hard time wiping the smile from her face. "You two know each other?"

Shane interjected, "Yes, Jack is a good friend of someone very close to me."

"Well, it's very nice to see you again, Jack" Elizabeth stated as she excused herself and immediately walked to the kitchen.

Jack pulled Shane into the den, "What did you do?"

Shane's voice was soft and low, "Look Jack, if I had told you what we were planning you would have said it was a bad idea. Too much time has passed without her remembering anything, and you're looking to leave, so we need to do something to get things going. You two need to be together, and if she doesn't remember you from before, she needs to get to know you now," Shane explained.

Jack looked concerned, "Man, don't let this backfire."

Back in the kitchen, "What's with you?" Maggie asked as she observed the smile on Elizabeth's face.

"He's here. WOW, what a small world that Shane knew him…"

"Shane knew who?" Maggie asked, but actually already knew.

"The police officer I told you about…Jack…he's out in your living room right now," Elizabeth stated.

"Why are you in here? Get out there and socialize," Maggie stated as she basically shoved Elizabeth out the door.

Elizabeth found the men in the den "Would you like a glass of wine?"

The doorbell rang again as singles and couples arrived. "You guys go ahead and get some wine. I'll get the door," Shane offered.

Jack was five feet away from her in a social setting. He hadn't seen her in months and his heart was pounding. "Let me help you with the wine."

Jack and Elizabeth walked together into the dining room where he uncorked the wine and poured two glasses. They took a seat with each one mesmerized by the other the entire night.

"Jack, I know that my dad has been handling the police case regarding the accident, but did they find out anything about what caused it?" she asked.

"Has your father not told you?" Jack asked.

"I think he doesn't want to upset me," she replied. "I've asked, but he just keeps changing the subject."

"Well, I'm sure he's just trying to do what's best for you…"

"Jack, it happened to me; I could have died and I deserve to know. Please…"

Her eyes were so warm, and he quickly remembered that he was never able to tell her "No." He thought for a moment and hoping her father wouldn't be upset with him he explained, "Elizabeth, apparently you were driving down Salem Road when you came around a sharp corner. Just as you hit the tight curve, someone about 100 feet away flipped on a floodlight to poach a deer that was on the side of the road. You must have been blinded by the light, and although a witness heard gunshots, they were shooting the deer. You lost control of your truck and ran through the field, flipping several times before you came to rest."

He could see the fear in her eyes; not that she remembered, but reliving it as it was explained was frightening. Jack took her hand, "Elizabeth, you have no idea how sorry I am that this happened to you. But you weren't targeted; you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You'll get your life back like it was; I'm sure of it. It just may take some time."

"Jack, I just feel like I'm missing something. I mean, I remember opening my clinic, but after that things get foggy. I don't even know how my clinic clientele grew so strong," she stated as Jack hated to see her look so lost. "I just wish I knew who to thank for…oh never mind Jack. What I have is what I have and I may not get back what I lost."

Jack tried his best to hide the depression he felt over her last statement.

As the evening wound down it was evident that several of the singles had made a connection. The only connection that Shane and Maggie were concerned with was Jack and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth grabbed her coat, "Shane…Maggie, I'm going to head home. Thank you for a wonderful evening." She then turned to Jack, "It was very nice seeing you again Jack, especially under better circumstances."

"May I see you home?" he asked.

"I appreciate that, but it isn't necessary. I just live next door. A walk through the wooded path and I'm there."

"I know…"

"You know? How do you know where I live?"

"I'm sorry, I mean I know that you are capable of getting home by yourself, but I would like to walk with you," Jack replied hating to see the night come to an end.

"Sure, I'd appreciate the company," she replied.

Jack took her coat and held it as she slipped her arms in and he pulled it over her shoulders. As they walked down the porch steps, Shane and Maggie stood arm in arm as they watched them walk away.

"I hope this works. We're in trouble if it backfires," Maggie remarked as she grabbed Shane's arm and pulled him inside.

Jack and Elizabeth made small talk as they walked through the path and up onto her porch. She put the key in to unlock her front door and turned to thank him for walking her home. Before she could end the night, Jack spoke up…

"Elizabeth, I would really like to see you again," Jack stated as his heart pounded.

"I'd like that, Jack. Let me see your hand," she grabbed a pen from the entry table just inside the door and wrote her number on the palm of his hand. "Call me," she stated with a smile that he had almost forgotten.

As she started to step inside, "Elizabeth…" he called out causing her to turn around. He took her hand and brought it up to his lips, "I really enjoyed talking with you tonight. Sleep well."

She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Leaning her back against the door she smiled. He was so easy to talk to and for whatever reason, she felt safe with him. She admitted to herself that it very well could be because he was a police officer and by virtue of his job she felt comfortable, but she didn't really think so.

She sat down on the sofa and dissected the entire evening. There was something about him that felt like a comfortable sweatshirt, soft, warm and trustworthy. You know, that go to garment that is perfect no matter what your mood or how you feel.

Jack walked back to Shane's house slipped into his vehicle and pulled out his phone.

"Is it considered too soon for me to call you?" he asked.

Elizabeth giggled, "Absolutely not, at least in my book it isn't."

"Are you free tomorrow night?" he asked.

"These days I only have my work, so most evenings I'm free," she stated.

Jack took a deep breath. He hadn't seen her for months, but now, seeing her and talking with her, he felt certain that with more time she would remember their life together. "How about 6:30? I'll take care of everything."

"That sounds perfect," she stated before they ended their call.

Jack started his Expedition but sat in the driveway when he observed Shane step out onto the porch. Seeing Jack in his vehicle, he trotted over.

"Hey, I hope things went well…wait, I see a smile. Did she remember anything?" Shane asked.

"No, but I do have a date with her tomorrow night," Jack replied. "Thank you for doing this."

"What about the job in Florida?" Shane asked.

"What job?" Jack responded with a smile.

Shane laughed, "That's what I like to hear."

The following afternoon, Shane stopped by to wish Elizabeth a nice evening with Jack.

"How did you know that I was seeing him tonight?" she asked.

"I saw him before he left last night. He's a nice guy, Elizabeth…"

"Have you ever met someone and you feel an instant draw to them? I don't know what it is, but he feels so familiar to me…"

Before he provided her with more information than she was prepared to internalize, he simply stated, "Well, just enjoy yourself; you deserve to have some fun. How about I go take care of your animals so you don't have to worry about it? Where is he taking you?"

"I don't know, but you know me, I'm a homebody. If we continue seeing each other, he'll learn that about me," she stated with a relaxed smile that Shane hadn't seen is quite a while.

"Elizabeth, you look great; sort of at peace…"

She looked down and smiled before bringing her eyes back to his, "I want to remember the last few months, and sometimes I think I do recall certain things. Nothing specific, just images, or songs I hear on the radio make me stop and think, but I don't know if I'll ever get there."

"Don't push yourself, it'll come to you when you're ready," Shane assured her. He excused himself, wanting to be done with her animals and gone before Jack arrived.

At 6:30, Elizabeth's doorbell rang. She grabbed her coat and opened the door. She couldn't help but smile as Jack stood before her holding a bouquet of wildflowers and a bag of food from one of her favorite restaurants, Olive Garden.

"I hope I didn't overstep my boundaries, but you seem like the type of person who prefers to stay in. However, if I'm wrong, we can most definitely go out," he stated. He knew her, but unfortunately she didn't know how well.

"WOW, it's like you're in my head; I love being at home, so thank you so much for thinking of this," she stated as she pulled a bottle of wine from her cooler, and grabbed two glasses from the rack.

The electric fireplace was roaring to help stave off the outside chill from the cold front that was moving through.

Jack and Elizabeth sat at the table enjoying their dinner and conversation. They both laughed, something neither remembered doing much of in recent months.

They took their wine and sat on the sofa to continue their conversation. They talked for hours with each one taking the opportunity to learn more about the other. For Elizabeth it was as if she was hearing for the first time everything about him.

Jack, on the other hand sat completely intrigued while she answered his questions as if he knew nothing about her. Although truth be told, she could recite her favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and he would be mesmerized.

Jack's glance kept drifting from her eyes to her lips. He was like a kid on Christmas Eve, anticipating the excitement of what was yet to come. He remembered the feel of her warm lips on his; how they fit so perfectly together and how, just by her presence, she could easily get him to forget to breathe.

He wondered if deep down in her subconscious she remembered how completely she held his heart. If she knew how deeply he loved her and how his world was turned upside down when she suggested that they take a break.

Jack never needed time, and he didn't believe before the accident that she did either. He realized that too much pressure was being placed upon each of them to respect the physical boundaries of their growing relationship, and part of that responsibility was his.

Although they had not discussed these boundaries since "meeting" again, he was well aware of how she felt, and would do nothing to make her feel uncomfortable.

Each one enjoyed the evening and their time together. Before they knew it, it was almost 1am and Jack realized the need to leave. She walked him to the door and he had to fight the incredible urge to take her in his arms and kiss her.

He stepped out onto the porch and turned to face her. "I had a wonderful evening Elizabeth. Thank you…"

"Jack, I really don't know what it is but I feel comfortable around you. This is the best time I've have in I don't know how long…and unfortunately, when I say I don't know how long, I really mean I don't know how long. Thank you so much for tonight," she added, anticipating a good night kiss.

Jack leaned down and kissed her cheek, "Is it okay if I call you again?"

"I'd really like that," she replied as she watched him walk to his vehicle. She stepped inside and leaned her back against the closed door. She held her hand up to her kissed cheek and she smiled. "I think he's someone special."

Elizabeth put the wine and the glasses away and took a seat back on the sofa. Having found the journal in her suitcase while staying with Shane and Maggie, she headed to her bedroom, retrieved the book and returned to the comfort of her sofa.

She opened the journal and flipped to the next blank page. Sitting in the quiet of her home, she attempted to convey her feelings onto the blank canvas…

"I am blessed; I have problems, and fears, as do others, but I'm alive and feeling more energized with each passing day. I do feel that those within my inner circle feel the need to protect and coddle me from those memories that I've lost. Am I best not remembering them?

Sometimes I feel lost, angry at myself for not knowing; for not remembering those moments which I'm certain defined even just a small portion of my life. However, something in my heart tells me that it was a very important time, and I'm afraid that I may never get it back. I concentrate, trying my best to recapture those memories, good and bad, and although I've lost only a small portion of time, the not knowing is maddening, confusing, disappointing, and frightening.

Then out of the clear blue enters a very sweet, charming man, who appears to have been designed just for me. But is there really such a thing? We talk as if we have known each other forever and I feel comfortable, almost too comfortable for someone that I've only known for a short while.

I want to be careful; I need to be careful, but part of me says that I've been careful all of my life, well at least the portion of which I remember. At the risk of never recalling the people, the experiences and the emotions I had in recent months, I guess it's time to put the possibility of remembering behind me. It's time to accept the hand I'm dealt and begin to make new memories, experience special adventures, and move on with the life I always dreamed I'd have, full of excitement, happiness and the possibility of love."

To be continued…