Bill released a sigh of relief when she nodded. He led her over to a chair by his desk as she began to lay everything out, giving Bill all the evidence. Bill took all the information to examine it later in depth. Elizabeth was correct. Reopening the mine would stir up a lot of grief for families that had already suffered enough. "I'm going to go over all of this information, Elizabeth, and see what plans are open to us. Can we talk more tomorrow?"

When she spoke of Henry's concerns, Rosemary said, "Elizabeth, I can understand why you would be so worried about it. However, this new company could be a reputable one. Lucas has never neglected his employees, has he? Elizabeth shook her head.

"I can't imagine he would let anyone else," Rosemary said.

"I have to agree with Rosemary on this, Elizabeth," Lee said. "There have never been any safety protocol violations in the oil company. To judge him and these investors because of the old one isn't fair. Rosemary has to print the information that Lucas handed her."

She gestured to the floor with silent tears falling and said, "There it is!" Lee bent down and picked up the pieces, holding them in his hand.

"Before I go, I have one last thing to say to all of you. None of you were here when I first arrived three months after it happened. Only two of us have been inside it and know how bad and dangerous the conditions were. I worked the last few days of the two-week deadline they were given right alongside the women of this town around the clock, clearing a shaft that was one that had collapsed. Do you understand what I'm saying to you? To keep their home, the widows had to completely clear and retimber the very shaft that had collapsed on their husbands when the mine exploded. Then when Rosalee Sullivan went in looking for her daddy, I entered it to find her once again. I arrived in Coal Valley three months after it happened, and two days later, the remaining eight men were brought out. I looked at the faces of the children who were devastated." She lost her battle, and tears fell unabated down her cheeks as Rosemary enfolded her in an embrace. They could see the trembles that wracked her body.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth," Rosemary said softly. "I understand now why you are so upset," Elizabeth just wrapped her arms tighter around her friend in silent acceptance.

After a while, Elizabeth pulled back and looked at her friend. "Rosemary, I want you to know that I do understand the position you are in. I hope you will understand that I must follow my conscience." She gave the other woman one last hug and turned to leave. Opening the door, she paused to look at Lee, still holding the pieces of paper he had picked up. "I'm sorry about that too, Lee," She added softly.

"Where are you going now?" Nathan asked, really worried about her after hearing about her experiences. It automatically brought Fort Clay to the forefront of his mind.

"There are three widows in this town and Abigail who deserve warning and not learn about it from an article like everyone else.

I intend to ensure they know what is happening ahead of everyone else. They deserve to be a part of this discussion as well. I'm sure you all will agree that you would want that same consideration if it were you. Please excuse me." Then she walked out softly, closing the door behind her.

The door barely closed behind Elizabeth, and all eyes turned to Bill. "Rosemary as the presiding judge of this territory, I am placing a temporary restriction on the release of any information regarding the oil company and its subsidiaries, including anything related to the old Pacific Northwest Mine."

"As Mayor, I have to ask on what basis are you doing it?" Lee asked, deliberately stressing his title. He wanted to ensure that it was in an official capacity and not a personal question.

"I'm doing this for the safety and welfare of the town and businesses. I don't want another situation we had when the bank almost went under." Lee nodded in agreement, recalling that people had come to blows and businesses were attacked.

"Of course, Bill," Rosemary said. "I should have thought about what happened and the effect it could have on the others. I will sit on anything that Lucas tries to bring me." Rosemary said.

Bill indicated for them to sit as he sighed and fell heavily into his chair. Nathan felt too restless to sit and just leaned against the wall with his ankles crossed. HE could hear the deep despair that Elizabeth had been feeling as she spoke of them having to go in the mine. Just the thought of going in it made him shudder.

"If he brings you anything, I want you to let me know. I'm going to make a few phone calls in the morning to see about the validity of them being able to reopen the mine."

"You think maybe Henry could be interpreting it wrong?" Nathan questioned.

"Unfortunately, no, I don't, Nathan. Henry knows all the ins and outs of finding loopholes. I would take it to the bank if he says it's there. I'm just trying to exhaust everything and praying there's the remote hope we are wrong. But as I quickly glanced at it, the ruling about the opening is vague, and there is wiggle room that could be exploited."

"I wonder how this will affect Elizabeth's relationship with Lucas." Rosemary mused. "She must be devastated now to find out he is such a scoundrel."

"Oh, I completely forgot why I came," Lee said. "I came to tell you that I saw Lucas when he walked into the saloon sporting a red mark resembling a hand on his cheek. He mumbled something about Elizabeth when he asked for ice from Gustav."

Bill and Nathan snickered as they looked at each other. "Welcome back, Elizabeth!" Bill muttered.

Rosemary and Lee looked at them and silently asked what they knew. Bill quickly filled them both in so they could enjoy the moment as well. They left a short time later. "Bill, would you care for a beer before I head home," Nathan asked slyly.

"You must have read my mind, Nathan, because I was just about to suggest the same." He locked up his office, and they headed towards the saloon. They frowned when they saw him talking with Wyman Walden and Julius Spurlock as they entered. Lucas looked over at them, frowning, but they both chuckled as they saw the red handprint, he was sporting, knowing how it got there. As the waitress brought their beers, they held them up in a silent toast to the woman who put it there.

"She's probably already beating herself up about hitting him," Bill said. "She has always taught her students that hitting is never the answer."

"I agree, and tomorrow we need to find out from her what happened," Nathan said.

Not long after, Lucas retired for the night after sending both of them dark looks. They weren't far behind, knowing that tomorrow would bring new challenges. Nathan planned to stop by and check on Faith before heading home for the evening. He was brought up short as he went to open the door, only to have it open as Elizabeth and Faith walked out. As they stood there looking at each Nathan could tell by the look in Elizabeth's eyes that she was aware that he and Faith were exploring a potential romantic interest in each other.

It created a bit of awkwardness between the three before Elizabeth excused herself and quickly headed for home. Nathan felt a pang in his heart as he watched her walk away, recalling the scene from earlier. If he doubted that he and Faith were better as friends, his reaction to Elizabeth just now proved it. He and Faith had gone on a few dates and even exchanged a couple of sweet kisses. But they realized that though there was an attraction, it wasn't enough to build a courting relationship. No one knew they had decided to stay just friends as they still went to the occasional dinner, often with Allie tagging along. The gossip mill was apparently still working efficiently in Hope Valley.

"Well, that was awkward," Faith said, chuckling. Noticing that Nathan was still looking in the direction Elizabeth had gone, she gently touched his arm and called his name. Faith smirked as she saw that Nathan had been a million miles away. Judging by the color on his cheeks he had been thinking of Elizabeth.

"I'm sorry, Faith. Did you say something?" Nathan asked.

Rather than be upset, she indicated the bench outside the infirmary. He sat down beside her, but his brow was raised. "Henry is in there laying down." Faith replied, answering his silent question. "Thankfully, Elizabeth encouraged him to come and escorted him with the promise to come back and check on him later. I don't want to disturb him and want to monitor his condition overnight."

"Oh," Nathan said with a sigh. They just sat there in silence while he nervously bounced his hat on his knee.

"Was there a specific reason that you came by," she teased, breaking the silence.

"Was it that obvious?" Nathan asked sheepishly.

"Just a little bit," Faith teased. "Although I think that Elizabeth has a different idea of the reason for your visit,"

"Yeah, it felt pretty awkward when we were standing there. It reminded me of similar times between Lucas, Elizabeth, and me." Nathan said with a chuckle. "Now I know what Elizabeth must have gone through."

"Have you thought about trying to mend fences between you at least and try to regain your friendship?"

"I planned on doing that now that she has returned from Hamilton. I also wanted to help Allie to mend her relationship with Elizabeth. But tonight, she broke things off with Lucas, and now it's complicated." Nathan said in frustration.

"Why is it complicated?" Faith asked. Then she said, "Oh, you think that if they aren't together, she may get the wrong idea of why you are trying to mend fences?"

"That is a bit of a rough situation, I admit. However, what if now that Lucas is out of the way, clearing the air helps you find your way back to each other?"

"I'd be lying if there wasn't a desire for that in my heart; however, my head is saying she will only hurt me again, and memories come flooding in to reinforce that idea."

"Well, since no one knows we are only friends, we just continue the illusion a bit longer until you can mend the relationship with Elizabeth."

"You are a good friend to me; you know that," Nathan said, putting an arm around Faith in a hug.

"I know," Faith said with a giggle.

. "I need to find a way to return the favor." Nathan teased. "Any ideas come to mind?"

"Just put in a good word for me with your friend Gabe." Faith said, blushing. She had met him when he came to spend a week in Hope Valley for vacation. He was the only person who knew they weren't a couple.

"I will be more than happy to do that," Nathan said, standing up to head home. He had only taken a few steps and turned and said, "He's actually been asking me to do the same with you," Then, with a wink, he was gone. Nathan could hear her laugh, followed by the sound of the infirmary door closing.

Nathan couldn't stop thinking about everything that had been revealed over the past few hours. He sensed that a different Elizabeth returned from Hamilton than had left. At first, he wasn't sure what he thought about it. A tiny part of him worried that maybe it was temporary. But the more he had observed her in Bill's office and listened to her concerns, the more he liked what he saw. As Nathan approached his row house, he could see the light shining from Elizabeth's window. He hadn't realized how much he had missed it while she was gone until now. He had also missed Jack, as had Allie. He wanted to ask if Jack could come with them the next time they went fishing.

Nathan entered his home thinking of what Faith said about mending ways with Elizabeth while posing still as a couple. But the more he thought of it, the less he liked the plan. It had to be based on total honesty to repair their friendship. From the beginning, he would have to make it clear that it was about friendship and restoring the relationship between Allie and Elizabeth. In truth, he was very leery of opening his heart up to Elizabeth again, while secretly, in his heart, he still held that hope that one day they could get there.

As Elizabeth lay in her bed, she couldn't help thinking about how it felt to run into Nathan as he came to see Faith. On the surface, it would appear as a regular meeting among townspeople. They certainly didn't do anything that emerged out of the ordinary. But it had left Elizabeth shaken almost as much as the reopening of the mine had done. Rosemary had told her they had become an item, and abstractly she was happy for them. But it had been her undoing when faced with the reality of seeing them. She felt a certain air about them that suggested a close relationship between a man and a woman.

Once again, she felt a pang in her heart for the loss of something that she would regret for the rest of her life. To compound it, she alone was responsible for throwing it away. Tears fell silently, soaking her pillow as Elizabeth grieved for what was lost until the mental exhaustion carried her to sleep.