Abigail Gowan smiled happily as she walked the halls of the elementary school where dhe served as principal. She wasn't smiling at the idea of the conversation she was about to have with Elizabeth, she was just happy, she had her husband home and she had her children to care for. Not her own, of course. Her smile saddened as she thought of Noah and Peter, her first husband and their son. Noah had re-enlisted when the twin towers came down, and Peter had followed in his father's footsteps. Neither had made it back home, but Henry Gowan had. The rough, grumpy son of a gun had been yhe only survivor of the ambush that had taken Noah and Peter's lives.

Her smile disappeared as she knocked on Elizabeth's classroom door.

"Come in", Elizabeth said.

"Hello Elizabeth, mind if I sit down".

"You know it's never good whem you ask if you can sit down".

Abigail chuckled.

"I just want to know how you're holding up, one widow to another".

"I don't need to be reminded that I'm a widow", Elizabeth huffed, packing up her bag, "I'm reminded everyday".

"Elizabeth I know it's hard, and that's why I'm here. You need to talk about this, if not with me then find someone who will listen. You don't have to do this alone".

Elizabeth frowned and looked down. Abigail was right. Of course she was.

"What do i do", she whispered.

"The first thing i did was understand that Noah was never coming home. It took me a long time to admit to myself that he was dead. I wasn't letting him rest".

"How did you do it"?

Abigail smiled as she fingered her wedding band.

"I met someone who needed my help".

Elizabeth slowly stood up, he legs shaking, her palms sweating.

"I'm not ready to let him go", she whispered. Abigail smiled. She knew from experience that this was the first step. Elizabeth admitting that she wasn't ready to let go of her husband was monumental. Abigail herself hadn't faced the grief that Elizabeth had. Abigail had spent twenty years of her life getting used to the idea that her husband would never come home. Elizabeth on the other hand had only known Jack for three years, two of which he spent on base training, and the third year he was overseas. Elizabeth hadn't had time to come to terms with the fact that her husband might not make it home, it had hit her like a freight train.

"I know", Abigail said, hugging her friend, "but you're ready to start".

Elizabeth looked at her curiously, sniffing back a sob.

"Take it from someone who knows, you will never get over Jack, nor should you, but admitting you're not ready to let him go means that you're heart is ready to work towards being happy again and, yes, being ready to love again".

Elizabeth finally broke and began to sob. Abigail held her until she finally cried out all of her emotions.

"Abigail", she said, wiping her eyes, "I wasn't faithful to Jack...Intalked with another man before the accident".

Abigail's face dropped.

"Elizabeth, please don't tell me..."

"Oh no, it's not like that, I mean, it wasn't at first".

Gently Abigail guided Elizabeth back to her seat.

"Why don't you tell me about it".

Elizabeth told Abigail everything. How they had first met because of the pen-pal project and how she and Nathan corresponded with each other, as friends, and how she had stopped writing him when she realized what was going on.

"I just missed Jack so much, and Nathan was just so easy to talk to. But I never desired Nathan, not once, but I just can't help but feel like I dishonored Jack".

Abigail smiled and took Elizabeth's hand.

"Elizabeth, have I ever told you about how I met Henry".

."You met him after Noah died, didn't you"?

Abigail smiled and shook her head.

"I met him when Noah was on his first tour. I was just a teacher then, Peter wasn't even a thought yet. I was sitting in the coffee shop when Henry walked in, he was so handsome in his uniform, and I am ashamed to say that Noah didn't even across my mind as I looked at him".

"Oh Abigail"...

"We never did anything physical, but I betrayed Noah's trust by spending personal time with a man who was not my husband. The difference between you and me is that you put an end to it when you realized what you were doing. I didn't. To Henry's credit, when he found out I was married he immediately distanced himself, he gave a good talking to before he did though, and I've never been more grateful. When Noah came home I confessed everything to him. Elizabeth, would you mind if i looked through your correspondences"?

Elizabeth immediately opened up her email and let Abigail peruse the emails.

"Elizabeth, you worry unnecessarily. There isn't anything here that would make a nun blush".

Elizabeth blushed.

"Elizabeth you have nothing to fear, there is nothing here that would suggest a relationship, you both were perfectly respectful and he honored your marriage. You both did".

Elizabeth hugged her friend, repeatedly thanking her.