Elizabeth woke to a pounding in her head. Wincing, she pressed a hand to it, only to feel a gauzy material resting there. She blinked, trying to clear the fog resting over her vision. Her eyes met a room that was not her own. Brow furrowing, she glanced around. A slight panic set in.

Why was she in the infirmary?

A quiet whimper escaped as fear crashed into her. Immediately, Carson came into view. He sat in a chair beside her bed, reaching out to take her hand in his. "It's alright, Elizabeth," he murmured, eyes calm. "You're safe."

His words stilled her fears. She gripped his hand tightly. "Why am I here, Carson?" she whispered. "What happened?"

The doctor's lips pressed together briefly. He swallowed, sitting back, though he kept his hold on her hand. "What do you remember about last night?" he asked. His words were soft, holding a note of some emotion she couldn't quite label. Elizabeth concentrated, trying to think back to the previous night.

"We were at your birthday celebration," she said slowly. "I remember talking with people and eating Abigail's chocolate cake." She frowned, pulling deeper into her memories. "I remember leaving to get your gift, and then…" All at once, she remembered seeing the Mountie walking into town, leading his horse. For one wild, exhilarating moment, she'd thought Jack had come home. But when the man came closer, she could see it wasn't her husband. The look on his face was solemn.

"I'm looking for Elizabeth Thornton."

Dread coursed through her. "I'm Elizabeth Thornton." She drew in a breath, refusing to believe the worst. "Is Jack injured?"

His face was a mask of sorrow. "No, ma'am."

The dread deepened. Her world began caving in around her. Tears stung her eyes, and she forced out the next sentence. "Please tell me he's alive."

The Mountie barely shook his head, throat working. "I'm sorry."

Pain radiated through her entire being. Denial was swift on her tongue. "No! No, no, no, no, no!" She crumpled to the ground, sobbing and screaming. Abigail was at her side, but Elizabeth barely registered her presence.

Jack was gone. Her husband was not coming home.

Catching her breath in a cry, tears began pouring from Elizabeth's eyes once more. "No!" she moaned, her hold on Carson's hand tightening. "He can't be gone, Carson! We only just married! He was supposed to come home next week!" Her words ended in a wail.

Carson sat on the edge of the bed. He pulled her into his arms. Elizabeth didn't resist. She needed someone else to be strong, to provide comfort. Carson didn't murmur empty words or tell her everything would be alright. Instead, he held her and rocked her gently as she cried. Clinging to him, Elizabeth gave vent to her grief.

She had no idea how long she cried on her friend, but eventually her wails gave way to sniffles, and the sniffles gave way to weakness. Unable to hold her body up, she slumped against Carson. He held her steady, his arms keeping her up when she could not. Through the mental fog in her brain, Elizabeth was vaguely aware of the fact that she would not be alone during the difficult days ahead. Her friends would be there to support her as she mourned the death of her beloved husband.

Even in her awful grief, she felt a small measure of consolation at the thought.

In the weeks that followed, Elizabeth indeed was never alone. Her parents and sisters came from Hamilton to be with her for Jack's funeral. Charlotte and Tom Thornton came as well. Surrounded by family, Elizabeth found another source of comfort. Her proper Hamilton family could have said I told you so, but instead they were loving and supportive. They wrapped her in tender care, easing the pain in her heart enough that she could smile on occasion.

Charlotte and Elizabeth talked for long hours each day. Having lost a husband to the Mounties herself, Jack's mother understood Elizabeth's grief. For her part, Elizabeth knew Charlotte was hurting more than she was. Not only had she lost Thomas in the line of duty, she'd lost a beloved son as well. Elizabeth couldn't imagine the pain of losing a child. Thankfully, Charlotte and Abigail bonded as the former was able to empathize with the grief of losing both a husband and an adult son.

Clara ended up being a steady source of comfort as well. The young woman came to visit Elizabeth one day, and when she admitted she felt cheated after the sudden death of her first husband weeks after their wedding, Elizabeth dissolved in tears. "That's how I feel," she cried, gripping Clara's hands tightly. "Cheated. Jack and I should have had a long, happy life together. We should have grown old together!" The tears poured out in torrents. Her friend simply slipped an arm around her and held her close.

"I know."

The two words held more solace than anything else anyone had said.

Rosemary and Lee, Bill and Abigail came to visit her daily, seeing to her needs and providing food each evening. Elizabeth was grateful for their support. By the time Jack's body came to Hope Valley for burial, Elizabeth had lost the sense of shock over his death. Her grief was still intense, but she found ways to cope with so many people around.

On the morning of the funeral, Elizabeth began to feel a little overwhelmed. As much as she was grateful for the people around her, she suddenly and inexplicably felt the need for solitude. She rushed to the stables, determined to ride hard and fast. No destination filled her mind. She just rode.

Even without a plan, she wasn't surprised to find herself on Jack's land. They had spent so many hours here, dreaming of their future. It was the place he'd first kissed her. It was where they were supposed to spend their lives together with their children. Now that had all been taken from them.

Elizabeth slid from the horse, her body shaking. A mudslide. Jack had been killed in a mudslide while leading a group of recruits through a mountain pass. It had been raining. The conditions deteriorated quickly. When the mud began to fall, Jack pushed two young recruits out of the path. In doing so, he had sacrificed his own life. The Mounties hailed him a hero, selfless to the end. Elizabeth couldn't help wishing he'd been a little more selfish.

Immediately, she felt chastised at the thought. Would she prefer that the pain she felt have instead passed to two other families? Could she truly begrudge the young men whose lives were saved because her husband had given his all to save them?

Tears rolled down her cheeks. There were no easy answers. She sank onto a fallen log, letting herself cry for Jack and the future they would never have. The sun continued to climb in the sky, the late May breeze warming pleasantly. Elizabeth stared up at the heavens, wondering how the day could be so brilliantly beautiful when the love of her life was about to be laid to rest. It should be overcast with a dismal rain falling. Instead, birds chirped and butterflies flapped over the grass. Wildflowers danced in the field. Life went on as normal, oblivious to the fact that Jack Thornton would never come home.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her body. She was so tired. Grieving had taken more out of her than she had expected. This constant sense of exhaustion was becoming overwhelming. Sinking onto the grass, she leaned her head against the log. She just wanted to rest her eyes for a few minutes before heading back to town.

Just a few minutes…

Carson rode toward Jack's land, concerned for Elizabeth. He'd seen her ride in that direction earlier. That was over two hours ago. Jack's funeral was soon. When Rosemary fretted over the fact that her friend hadn't come home, Carson knew where to find her. He urged his horse faster, hoping nothing had happened to the young widow.

When he reached the land, he reined in his horse. "Elizabeth!" he called, scanning the expansive property. He received no answer, but he noticed another horse grazing across the meadow. Carson headed in that direction, eyes sweeping left and right for any sign of Elizabeth. A mound of black near a log caught his attention. Heart thudding in his chest, he vaulted off his horse and hurried toward it.

Elizabeth was laying on the grass, eyes closed. Her face was tearstained and sunburnt. Her head was halfway between the ground and the log, as if it had slipped from the wood when she fell asleep. Bending beside her, Carson touched her shoulder. "Elizabeth."

She roused slowly, clearly disoriented. Wincing, she put a hand to her cheek. "Why does my skin hurt?"

"You're sunburned," Carson replied. He held out a hand to help her up. Without another word, Elizabeth allowed him to lift her to her feet. "I have some aloe vera at the infirmary. It helps immensely with burns. Let me take you there and I'll give you some."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said woodenly. She sighed, making no move to mount her horse. "It seems I've been thanking people nonstop over the last two weeks."

Carson slipped an arm around her shoulders, guiding her to some shade. "You must be tired," he commiserated. "Is that why you came out here alone?"

She nodded, gazing out over the land. "This was supposed to be my home with Jack, Carson," she said. "I can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that he's gone. My mind knows it, but my heart rebels. Part of me thinks I'm in a waking nightmare."

He knew exactly what she meant. "That's how I felt after Amber died," he admitted quietly. "It was like all the joy was sucked out of life. The light seemed to fade." It was his turn to sigh. "In my grief, I became sullen and bitter." He gave her shoulders a light squeeze. "You are handling Jack's death much better than I handled Amber's."

Elizabeth looked up at him. "Did you have anyone to help you through?" she asked softly.

Carson shook his head. "No. I was alone."

She leaned into him as if to offer comfort for his now-healed sorrow. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I can't even imagine how I would feel right now if I was trying to navigate this by myself. Having all my family and friends around has been a blessing."

Carson chuckled softly. "But I'd wager it can feel overwhelming at times."

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. "Yes. A little bit. Though I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'll take moments of being overwhelmed over being by myself." She looked at him again, her blue eyes wide and pleading. "Please tell me it gets better," she said, her voice laced with grief.

Not surprised at the abrupt change in topic, Carson turned to face her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "It gets better," he said gently. "I promise, Elizabeth." He grimaced slightly. "Though I won't lie to you. It takes time. There are still days I wake expecting to see Amber beside me. That doesn't happen often, but it always leaves a pang when I realize she's gone."

Tears welled in Elizabeth's eyes. "Oh, Carson," she sighed. "I'm sorry you had to go through this as well."

He shook his head. "I'm happy now," he said. "I have good friends and a good home. Hope Valley has been a wonderful place to heal." He smiled at her. "I hope you know you can talk to me anytime, Elizabeth. We're friends, and we both know what it is to lose a spouse prematurely." He squeezed her shoulder. "If there is anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask. My door is always open."

She smiled at him through her tears. "Thank you, Carson."

He hugged her briefly, enough to lend comfort without being inappropriate. "You're welcome. Now, let's get you back to town. That aloe vera will help your face feel better." He softened his tone as they walked toward the horses. "Are you ready for the funeral?"

A shudder passed through her. "No," she admitted. "I'm dreading it. Burying Jack feels so final." She sighed. "I've cried so much over the last two weeks. Every time I think my tears have dried up, they flow again in abundance." She was quiet a moment. When they reached the horses, she looked up at him. "I know I'm going to be crying a lot today." She broke their gaze, her eyes locking on the ring on her finger. Twisting it back and forth, she sniffled. "How long did you cry after Amber died?"

Memories flooded him. He closed his eyes. "I didn't," he said.

Elizabeth's head came up, looking at him in confusion. Carson shook his head. "I didn't cope with her death in a healthy way. I turned to drink and bouts of moodiness. There were occasional bursts of tears, but nothing that allowed me to really feel and process my grief. I locked it up inside for far too long. It took operating on Amber's sister and saving her life to finally unlock all the grief and guilt I'd been carrying around. By then, the need for tears had passed." He looked her in the eyes. "Your tears are a good thing, Elizabeth. Tears are healing. You're letting yourself feel your loss. That will help you heal, my friend. Keep letting the feelings out."

She gave him a watery smile. "I feel like I've cried enough for a lifetime."

Carson put his hands around her waist, lifting her into the saddle. "Grief is a process," he told her. "You'll likely continue to cry for some time." He looked at her, once more holding her gaze. "And that is perfectly normal," he said firmly.

Elizabeth gathered the reins in her hands as Carson mounted his horse. Tears still sparkled on her cheeks, but she held her head high. "I'll remember that," she replied. Her gaze wavered as they turned their horses toward town. Carson watched as she swallowed convulsively. "I'm not sure I can do this," she muttered, more to herself than to him. Carson knew she was referring to the funeral. He reached out, taking her hand in his.

"You will be surrounded by those who love you," he said. "Everyone in this town is willing to support you. You won't be alone."

Her smile grew soft and genuine. "I know," she murmured. "That is a blessing." She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. She repeated the breaths a few more times, then nudged her horse with her heels. The ride back to town was quiet, but neither one of them felt the need to talk. Carson had a feeling Elizabeth simply needed the company.

He was happy to be a friend in her time of need.