Jack knocked on the door of the Thatcher's study. He was justting put Annabelle down for her nap when he had heard her come in. It took Annabelle a little while to settle so he stayed with her until she fell asleep. Elizabeth realised that Annabelle wasn't settling when she took a peak at the baby monitor and didn't want to interrupt their Daddy Daughter time so she slipped into the study to read until Jack inevitably found her. She looked up and smiled as he opened the door,

"Hey Jack, how was the drive?" she asked standing to her feet to greet him hello.

"Pretty smooth, I finished the meeting early and headed straight here so I beat the Friday afternoon traffic," he replied as he kissed her cheek wrapping his arms around her. He tried not to feel hurt as she briefly stiffened knowing it wasn't intentional as she gave him a brief squeeze.

"Did you have a good day?"

"This is the best part of my day," he answered. She looked up at him and chuckled,

"Always a sweet talker Thornton. Where's our boy?"

"Following your Dad around somewhere," Jack replied with great amusement.

"Well, we don't call him William Thatcher's shadow for nothing. I think Dad's taking him to mini golf tonight. He used to take Lee and I a lot when we were young."

"He'd love that. I am so grateful for how much your Dad loves on him. How he doesn't see him as anything less than his own grandson."

"Because in all the most important ways, Logan Thornton is his grandson. With or without me, he would love that child like a Thatcher, they have a bond that no one can explain. In the same way he has always loved Lee and now you."

"You have the very same rare ability to love someone so whole heartedly and unconditionally."

"He's not exactly hard to love Jack. Logan Thornton is creative, passionate, loving and extraordinary. He's made up of the very best of you and Emily." She said kindly,

"And you. Elizabeth, he may have our genes but who he is, is because of how you have loved him from the moment you met him. He is the very best of you too." Elizabeth caressed his cheek and stood on her toes to place a kiss on his forehead before wrapping her arms around his neck. Jack drew her closer to him hugging her tightly trying to convey with his touch just how much he loved her. How badly he wanted to undo the feelings she was now battling.

"What time did you want to leave tonight?" she asked,

"Maybe 7:30? You wanted to feed and put Belle to bed first?" Elizabeth nodded.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll find out soon enough." He answered taking her by the hand and leading her back to the bay window she was sitting at. He picked up Little Women from where she had set it aside when he walked in as she curled up against him. Jack had draped the blanket over them both and began to read out loud as she lay her head on his chest closing her eyes. It was one of Elizabeth's favourite things to do, and if Jack were honest he loved it just as much.

William found them both asleep an hour later when he checked on them. He was worried about Elizabeth, as any father would be about their child but he also knew that Elizabeth kept Jack related things close to her heart especially after they were married. Whilst he understood it, he also wanted her to have a safe space to air out what she needed to. He wished she would allow him to be that for him. It would never change how he saw Jack, but also knew the bias for the love of his daughter would more than likely always win. William placed a hand on Jack's shoulder who looked up and smiled at him.

"I thought you might want some time to get ready before you went out. Belle's awake and playing with Logan as we speak." Jack looked down at his wife peacefully asleep overwhelmed at just how much he loved her,

"I may wait awhile before I wake her if that's alright? She hasn't really had much of a sleep this last week." Jack confessed softly,

"Of course, take a little more time. Just make sure you give her time to get ready or you'll never hear the end of it." William teased,

"I know. I just want her to rest and be peaceful for a little while longer." William felt for Jack,

"Son, ease up on yourself. Just give her, and yourself some time. You love each other. You'll get through this hurdle too."

"Thank you Dad. I just wish she didn't have another thing to make her question us, or how I feel."

"She knows how you feel."

"Does she though, I mean I know she knows I love her. Does she believe it though? Down to her very core, does she believe that I love her so much that it hurts to know she will always think I didn't love her enough to fight for her all those years ago. That if there was anything in my life that I regret is that I didn't get on a plane with her when she left all those years ago."

"You can't live in regret Son. You can only make the best of what you have."

"I know, I'm trying Dad."

"You can't live life tip toeing around this. She chose you. She loves you. That's forever, let her love you and accept that love does come with some insecurity but at the end of it loving you was what she wanted the most. It's never going to be perfect. Nothing is perfect. Even if you followed her all those years ago, if that wasn't what God had intended for you at that moment of your life, you wouldn't have been together. You two got your shot, be patient and just keep working through the obstacles. Choose to allow that to grow you as a person and as a couple." With grateful tears he placed his hand over the hand on his shoulder,

"Thank you Dad,"

"You're welcome son."

Jack let Elizabeth sleep for another half hour before gently coaxing her out of her deep slumber. Elizabeth stirred as she habitually warmed her nose on Jack's shirt without opening her eyes. Jack chuckled,

"You know you're going to be mad at me when you don't think I've given you enough time to get ready." Elizabeth laughed and opened her eyes,

"I'm awake," Jack dropped his lips to hers. Elizabeth ran her fingers through his hair as she kissed him back. Logan's laughter from the other side of the study door made them pause,

"Well someone's having a good time," Elizabeth observed as she sat up. Jack regretfully followed suit. Elizabeth watched as he folded her mother's blanket and put it away on the wooden chest where it lived as though it was something he had always done. He was about to open the door for her when she placed a hand over his,

"Elizabeth?" he questioned. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, wanting him to know that she was willing to meet him half way, and reassure him that they would work things out together. Breathlessly they reluctantly parted. Jack resting his forehead against hers, eyes closed. She squeezed the hands that held hers knowingly before leading him out of the room hand in hand.

"Have fun with Papa," Elizabeth said as Logan hugged her goodbye.

"I will. You have fun with Dad okay?"

"I will honey," Elizabeth assured him giving his forehead a kiss. She knew that Logan was aware of the underlying tension between his parents. Whilst they did their best to shield him from it, his closeness to Elizabeth heightened his awareness.

"I love you Mom,"

"I love you too Monkey,"

As they pulled up at the restaurant he proposed at and where they eventually married, Elizabeth wasn't entirely surprised. She loved it for all it represented and the memories they had since created there. She knew it meant as much to him as it did to her. It was a part of their new beginning, it was something that was theirs. Jack walked over to her side to help her out of the car. Elizabeth was wearing a long floral dress with her denim jacket over it. Her strappy wedges meant she wasn't as short as she normally was beside Jack. Her hair was out and her natural curls fell to her shoulders. Jack was wearing a dark button down shirt with dark fitted jeans and a black jacket. He kissed her temple as she stood beside him and took his hand in hers. As she headed for the restaurant he stopped,

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"That's not where we're eating," he replied. Elizabeth looked at him confused, as he merely smiled, whilst not letting go of her hand he grabbed a blanket from the back.

"What do you have up your sleeve Thornton?"

"You will have to wait and see Mrs Thornton," he answered bringing her hand to his lips and led the way. They walked down the path towards the water. She gasped as she saw the picnic blanket laid out with what looked to be a picnic basket full of food and the lanterns that lit the way.

"Jack,"

"You like?"

"I love it, thank you." She said mesmerised by the scene before her not realising that Jack was mesmerised by her. She caught his gaze confused,

"What?"

"You're beautiful," Elizabeth rolled her eyes,

"You're pretty handsome yourself Thornton,"

Jack and Elizabeth enjoyed the dinner prepared for them by the restaurant and sat side by side on the blanket watching the stars in silent contentment. They had talked about the kids, their plans for the rest of the year throughout dinner, and in that moment they were just enjoying each other. Jack caught her shiver and reached behind them to grab the blanket he had taken from his car and wrapped it around them both.

"Thank you," she murmured and she nestled against him. Jack placed his lips on her temple as he tightened the arms he had wrapped around her.

"We'll be okay Jack, I promise." Elizabeth softly. Wordlessly Jack gave her a brief squeeze in acknowledgment, praying to God that they would be. At that point everything had already been said, she was right. It was up to time to heal and restore. He had to surrender it to God just as she had. What she was asking for wasn't unreasonable. It was reasonable to ask for time to digest what had come to pass, after everything he would never and could never begrudge her of that. Her Dad was right, they had to ride out their obstacles and face them together.

"Jack,"

"Yeah sweetheart?"

"I called Catherine, I asked to see her. I think I need her help to unpack what's in my head." Catherine was Elizabeth's counsellor she started seeing her just after she lost her mother. Catherine had helped with coping strategies and managing the losses in her life. Jack being one of them. It had been a while since she had seen her. Whilst she touched base, she hadn't been to see her in an official capacity for some time.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked,

"As in see her together?"

"If you think it might help." Elizabeth paused thoughtfully for a moment,

"No thank you," she eventually answered. Jack caressed her cheek,

"Would you like to see another counsellor together?"

"You'd do that?" she asked knowing what he was potentially exposing himself to, for her.

"Sweetheart, of course I would. Nothing means more to me than us. You and me. Our family. We can only get through this together and I would do anything to make sure you and I are both in the best position to do that. I know our ride hasn't been the easiest. It couldn't hurt."

"Only if you want to Jack. I wouldn't want to force you into doing something you don't want to."

"You're not forcing me Elizabeth. It's something I should have done awhile ago but I haven't had the courage to do it. Having you there would be comforting."