Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to these characters. They belong to the creators and writers of When Calls the Heart/Hallmark.
Elizabeth reluctantly opened her eyes. The sunlight was shining directly on her face through her bedroom window. "That's odd", she said to herself. The sun doesn't usually shine through that window until in the afternoon. Elizabeth shot straight up in her bed. "It's the afternoon!", she exclaimed.
Then suddenly, the events of the prior evening came flooding back to her all at once. She and Abigail had walked out into the street to go get Carson's birthday present. A Mountie came riding up to them: he was looking for her. Next thing she knew, she was on her knees on the ground screaming, Abigail trying to console her. Jack was dead. Elizabeth couldn't stop screaming and crying. Everyone that had been enjoying the birthday party came running out to see what was happening. Bill, Rosemary, Lee, Carson and Faith were the first ones to reach her and Abigail filled them in with the information they had just received. Lee picked up Elizabeth and carried her to the infirmary. Carson ran ahead of them, opening the door for Lee. Elizabeth was still inconsolable, screaming for Jack. Faith quickly grabbed something for Carson to give Elizabeth to hopefully help her calm down and eventually fall asleep. Just before the medicine kicked in and sleep overtook her, Elizabeth could see Rosemary and Abigail both crying, Lee and Bill trying to comfort them. Then the darkness came.
Elizabeth pulled herself out of her bed and pulled her robe around her. Slowly making her way down the stairs, she could hear the voices of all her closest friends coming from her kitchen. When she reached the bottom step, she could see Abigail, Rosemary, Lee, Bill, Carson and Faith all sitting around the table drinking coffee and quietly talking. Rosemary was the first to see Elizabeth and jumped up to run over to her. Everyone stood and waited to see how Elizabeth was going to react. Rosemary approached her and placed her hands on Elizabeth's arms. Immediately, the tears overtook her again and she wrapped her arms around Rosemary. After a few minutes and trying to console her, Rosemary helped Elizabeth over to her couch and sat next to her. Everyone else joined them, all sitting in silence, waiting for Elizabeth to see what she needed. Abigail got up and got Elizabeth a glass of water and some crackers. Elizabeth gladly took a drink of water, but couldn't even begin to eat a thing.
Everyone stayed with Elizabeth that day, no one wanted her to be alone. Other friends stopped in throughout the day to check on her. Clara and Jesse, Molly and Florence, some of the children and even Henry all stopped by at different times through the day to see how Elizabeth was doing and to see if she needed anything.
Rosemary, Abigail and Bill all figured out a schedule so that someone would be with Elizabeth at all times. Rosemary took the first shift and everyone else left. Elizabeth was glad to finally have her house mostly to herself but was also thankful that she wasn't alone. She walked up to her small table that held photos of her and Jack and picked up the one of Jack in his Mountie uniform. She hugged it to her chest and tears began to fall again. Rosemary heard her and went to her side.
Elizabeth turned to Rosemary, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I can't believe he's gone. This wasn't supposed to happen. We just started our life together."
Rosemary pulled her friend into a hug. She wanted to say something to help her friend feel better but there were no words right now. They just stood there and cried together. Rosemary missed Jack very much too and also could not believe that he was gone. She loved Lee with all her heart, but Jack would always hold a special place in her heart too. She had loved him and still did, as a very dear friend.
Night came and Abigail came to take her turn. Rosemary told Elizabeth good bye and went home to Lee. As soon as she walked into her house and saw him, the floodgates opened and Rosemary began to cry. Lee ran to her and held her, telling her that he missed Jack too. Jack had been his best friend.