Dylan's release from the hospital was delayed due to the doctor's concerns about the new emotional trauma he was dealing with. The doctors decided to monitor him for another day.

Elizabeth felt as though her heart was being ripped from her chest as she watched Dylan struggle to process the news of Ray's death. His soft chocolate eyes were now puffy and red. Even more, he nearly spoke.

Just before dinner, Paul texted Elizabeth asking if they could visit. He told her that they had no intentions of pushing, but they had information that might help them both process the loss.

"Your grandparents think they can help us understand some things. They'd also like to see for themselves that you're okay."

Dylan just stared at the tv on the wall.

"I can tell them you aren't up for visitors."

"No." His voice was low, and strained. "They can come."

Elizabeth replied to their text saying they could come, but warned them that Dylan wasn't himself.

Thirty minutes later Paul knocked and came into the room, carrying a Pete's Pizza box.

"We bumped into your friends, Pete and Clara. They asked that we bring this to you. The nurse at the front desk is taking the other to Jack's room."

"Yum." Elizabeth smiled. "You smell that, Dylan?"

Dylan looked past Paul and the pizza to see Catherine. She was standing in the doorway. Her eyes, which were downcast, looked like his. Puffy, red, and swollen.

"Grandma?" His voice was soft.

"Hi, sweet boy," she said, tears falling.

"You can sit next to me, if you want."

Elizabeth's heart swelled at her son's action of love.

"I won't crowd you?"

"I'm good. You look like you could use a hug."

"From you, I sure could!"

Dylan snuggled up to Grandma, not caring at all anymore that it made him seem younger than he was. Something about her being so upset, made him want to connect with her more than before.

No, Ray wasn't a good husband or dad, but Grandma was his mom. And if Elizabeth Thatcher was any proof, moms loved their sons no matter what.

"Grandma, I'm sorry about… about Dad."

"Me too, sweetheart. I'm so very sorry."

"We have something for you both." Paul pulled two white crinkled envelopes from his jacket pocket. "Ray had these on him when he… when the accident happened. They're letters addressed to you. If they're like the one he left us before he came here… well, when you're ready you should read them."

Elizabeth took the letters from her ex father-in-law. Her hands trembled as she held them.

"Don't rush it," Catherine said. "Maybe we should have some pizza?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said with a weak smile. "Let's do that."

A week later…

Dylan reclined back on his bed at the cottage. His body ached all over, and he was unable to put much weight on his leg. His teachers graciously let Dylan do his school work from home, giving him the time and space he needed to deal with his grief and anger.

William had purchased a new flat screen TV for Dylan to have in his room. At first Elizabeth protested but with how little Dylan was getting around, it really came in handy. He'd been playing Minecraft for the last hour. Anything to keep his mind off his life.

The game lost some of its distraction magic when his leg began to throb. He slammed the controller on the nightstand as he winced.

That's when he saw it. The letter. Dylan stared at it for a long moment before picking it up. He read it at least once a day. He had no idea why. It's not like it changed with each read. Still, he took the handwritten letter out of the envelope and began to read again.

"Dear Dylan,

I hardly know where to start. I guess, first, I'd like to apologize to you for the past. You didn't deserve everything that I threw at you and your mom. You were just a kid and I was supposed to be someone you could look up to. Instead, I was someone you hated. Still am, I'm sure.

That really bothers me. Not that I deserve anything else. I'm just so ashamed of myself. I wanted you to know that I'm in rehab now. I'm actually getting help and one day, I hope to be someone you can finally be proud to know.

Something else, Dylan. I don't want you to misunderstand what I'm about to say. I've decided to give up my rights to you as your father. I'm not doing it because I don't ever want to have a relationship with you. I'm doing it so that you can have the type of father you deserve, now, as you grow up. Jack can teach you all the things I've neglected to teach. He can be there as you become a man and teach you how to be the best kind of man. The opposite of what I've become.

I do love you, Dylan. I hope to see you soon. When you're ready, of course.

Ray"

Dylan began to crumple the letter but stopped. He put it back into the envelope instead. He picked up the game controller to play some more but instead, he threw it across the room. There was a loud thud as it hit the wall.

The anger Dylan felt toward his father was huge. And then came the guilt for feeling that anger.

"Gaaaaaahhhhhhh!" he yelled, pounding the bed with his fists and letting the tears fall. "I hate this!"

What really hurt Dylan was the fact that he'd almost had him back! Not in a, they-would-all-be-a-family way, which wasn't what Dylan would have wanted, but he could have gotten to know him. Ray was actually trying to get better and now he was gone. They'd be traveling that weekend for Ray's service. Dylan had hoped to have some closure before that, but so far, no such luck.

"Why? Why couldn't I have a chance with him?" he asked God through his tears. "Why'd you have to take him now?"

Footsteps rushed up the stairs to Dylan's room. Moments later, Aunt Vi came rushing in.

"Dylan? Hon, what's going on?"

"Nothing, Aunt Vi. I didn't mean to bother you." He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, trying to act like the young man he felt he should be.

"Dylan Christopher," she sighed. "You're as stubborn as my sister, you know that?"

Dylan tried to force out a small smile at his aunt's attempt to joke with him. It was almost painful to do.

Viola sat on the bed with him, draping a loving arm around his shoulder. "It's okay to not be okay, you know? No one expects you to feel any certain way right now."

"I know that, I guess. It's just so confusing."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe?"

Viola smiled. "We can put a pin in it if you're not ready, or would rather talk to someone else."

"It's not that. I don't know. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I know a thing or two about complicated family life, remember?"

Dylan nodded. Viola had been married to a guy a long while ago, but he was a jerk, in Dylan's mind. He remembered thinking his uncle at least had the decency to leave them rather than stay and abuse them. That feeling might have been largely in part to his own father's actions however.

"It's just… he was finally going to get better. In that letter, he said he loved me. But now he's dead. This isn't fair!" His voice revved up to a tearful roar as he began to sob. "It's just not fair."

Viola held him close. "I know, honey, I got you. Just let it out."

Her heart broke into a million pieces as she listened as he poured out his feelings tear by tear. He needed this. He needed to let it out.

"Don't tell Mom and Jack, okay?" he said some moments later, gaining some composure.

"Why not? I know they'll understand."

"I don't want them thinking I'm not okay with our life. I would have never wanted our life here to change. I just… who knows if Ray would have actually gotten better or not, but if he did…" His voice trailed off.

"If he did, it would have been good for you to see that part of him. To know his love, right?"

"Yeah. That. Now I'll never know."

An hour later Elizabeth walked into the house with Viola's son Cooper. He was just about three years younger than Dylan and attended the elementary school next to her middle school. She put groceries away and then went to check on Dylan. He was sleeping against Viola's shoulder when she entered his room.

"Hey, Sis," she whispered, "Thanks for watching Dylan while I was at work. I'm glad he's sleeping."

"He had quite the emotional afternoon. Did you read Ray's letter to him?" Viola whispered back.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Dylan's devastated. He feels cheated out of having an actual relationship with Ray. I've never seen him so upset."

"I know," Elizabeth said, running her fingers through her son's hair, then placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"How are you, Bethie?"

Elizabeth's feelings were just as confusing to her and all over the place, much like her son's. "I don't know. I guess I'm kind of numb at the moment."

She held anger in her heart for Ray and imagined she always would. That scared her. The truth rarely graced Ray Wyatt's lips, but his last words to them were true. A few days after the accident, Ray's sponsor had reached out to her to offer his condolences. They talked for a bit and the news was good. Ray was making tremendous progress and his sponsors had been very confident that Ray would make a recovery.

Dylan was right, this wasn't fair.

"Beth," Viola said, taking her hand. "I love you, but I can see you're angry. You need to let it go now. He can't hurt either of you anymore."

"He's hurting Dylan right now!" she said a little too loud, causing Dylan to stir.

"Mom?" Dylan said as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. "You're home. How long was I asleep?"

"A good while," Viola smiled. "Your mom and I were about to go downstairs and have some tea. Want me to send Coop up?"

"Yeah sure."

"I'm fine, you know. We don't need to talk," Elizabeth told her.

"Sure, but it was not a suggestion, little sister. Let's go."

Once downstairs, Viola sent her son upstairs with two sodas and a big bag of Doritos.

Elizabeth sat on her couch while Viola put the tea kettle on. While she waited, she pulled the letter that Ray had written to her out of her back pocket. She'd only read it once so far. At the time, that was all she thought she'd need and had debated tossing it into the trash at the hospital. She couldn't though. Instead she kept it in the back pocket of her jeans during the day, on her nightstand at night. Thinking about it now, she was glad she hadn't thrown it out.

"Dear Elizabeth,

I want to start out by saying how sorry I am for our past and how I treated you. There are no words to accurately describe my shame. You did not deserve to be abused. You were everything a man could ask for. When I look back on all the ways that I made yours and Dylan's life miserable. All I can tell you is I'm in treatment and I'm trying to get better.

In the meantime, I'm signing over my parental rights so that Jack can adopt Dylan. I know that Jack can be the man he needs. Dylan deserves a great father. I trust Jack to be that.

I hope one day that you both can forgive me and we can be in touch again without you distrusting me or being afraid. That will take time, I know, and you deserve proof that I have changed first. We will do this on your terms. For what it's worth, I know I was terrible at showing it but I loved you. I truly did love you. Problem was, I hated myself.

Ray"

Elizabeth felt the tears of sadness and fury fall from her eyes. How was she going to help Dylan through this if she wasn't even sure how to get herself through it?

Viola came over, taking the seat beside her sister.

"Drink this tea and tell me, how are you really doing?"

Elizabeth didn't say anything at first, so Vi sipped her tea and waited.

"I don't know what to say, sis. How am I supposed to feel about my abusive ex-husband's death? What if it were you?"

"Oh boy, well when you put it that way..."

"Sorry," Elizabeth winced.

"Gosh no, don't be. Elizabeth, I know growing up it was you and Julie who were the closest, but our lives have had some parallels in our adulthood."

"That's true. How the heck did Julie, the flirt, get the sweetest most gentle guy right out of the gate?"

Viola laughed. "Poor shy Mike, he had no idea what hit him when he met her. Maybe she learned from our mistakes."

Elizabeth nodded and stared at her tea.

"You asked me a question. What if it were me in your shoes and Max was the one who died."

"You don't have to answer if it's too much."

"It's not. I'm okay." Vi smiled sweetly and took her sister's hand. "I spent many years hating him for leaving us. Leaving Cooper without a father. Leaving us with no option but to move back in with our parents. Eventually, I realized the only one I was hurting by hating him was myself and Coop."

"That's where I was trying to be, for Dylan, you know."

"Yeah. You've always been an amazing mother. I think, if I'd heard that Max was dead, but wanted to change…" Viola's eyes watered. "I think I would try to imagine that he truly wanted to. I think for Coop I would let that be real. Let him have that."

"And you? How would you feel, because, Vi, my heart is hurting and I'm so angry. Angry that Ray couldn't have cleaned up sooner, angry that God would take him before he could. All of it."

"I don't know, sweetie. I honestly don't know. I think… I'd probably be right where you are with that. I'm sorry I have nothing more profound for you."

"Don't be. This helped. As much as I didn't want to talk."

"Yeah well, I know you," Viola laughed. "You're stubborn as heck."

"Ouch!" Elizabeth laughed. "But true."

"You know what you need?"

"A pint of Ben and Jerry's?"

"Probably, but I was thinking more along the lines of a tall, ruggedly handsome fireman that can't wait to marry you."

Elizabeth blushed.

"Go to him for a while. I can manage things here."

"You sure?"

"Yes! Believe me, if I had a hunk like that…." she whistled.

Elizabeth couldn't help but grin. "You know, if you're still planning on coming with me to DC this weekend, you'll see a certain old friend of yours."

"I'm accompanying you to DC for moral support. Not to run into Charles."

"Luckily for you," Elizabeth said, rising from her seat. "You can do both. We're staying with him while in DC."

"We're what?!"

"I'm going to tell Dylan I'm going and then I'll head out."

"Wait, about what you said before… are you joking?"

"Nope." Elizabeth headed up the stairs.

"Shoot," Viola whispered. "I'm going to need to get a haircut for this."

Upstairs Elizabeth was met with a noise that made her heart feel good. Dylan and Cooper were laughing as they raced in Mario Kart.

"Yes! I win!" Cooper cheered.

"You got lucky," Dylan laughed.

Then the room went silent.

"Hey, Dylan?"

"Yeah, Coop?"

"I um… I'm sorry about your dad. I know it hurts a lot."

"Thanks, Coop. I'm sorry about yours too."

"Yeah. Sometimes, it makes me really sad not having a dad."

Elizabeth was glad Viola hadn't heard that. Viola, knew of course, but hearing it from her little boy's mouth would just make it ever the more real.

"That's how I felt before Mom met Jack."

"Yeah, Jack is awesome. You're lucky."

"Well, Mom's going to marry Jack soon. You know what that makes him?"

"Your dad?"

"Yes, but also your uncle."

"Yeah! I didn't think about that!"

"He'll be a great uncle to you, bud. Trust me."

Elizabeth wiped the few tears from her eyes. She was so proud of her son. Then she gave the door a gentle knock before going inside.

"Hey, guys."

"Hi," they said together.

"I'm going to go check on Jack for a bit, but Aunt Vi is downstairs if you need anything."

"We're good!" Cooper said with a smile.

"Yeah, we've got Root beer and chips."

"And video games," Dylan grinned at his cousin. "Say hi to Dad."

"I will." Elizabeth ducked out of the room before her tears came back. That was the first time since the news of Ray's death that Dylan had called Jack, Dad.

Harper sat in the living room at home reading through another book she'd borrowed from Elizabeth. Anne of Green Gables. She was sitting on the big comfy armchair with her legs propped up on the coffee table.

There was a light knock on the door, then it opened.

"Anybody home?"

"Hi, Elizabeth," Harper said with a relaxed smile. It did Elizabeth good to see her like that. The past week was hard on everyone, including Harper. "How's Dylan?"

"Grumpy, but I think he's getting better."

"I get it. I'd be a mess in his shoes. That's why I made some chocolate chip mm cookies for him last night. I was going to bring them over today but I wasn't sure if he'd want company or not."

"I think a visit from you would be great for him. If you want to walk over now you can, while I'm here with your dad?" Elizabeth knew Harper didn't like her dad being alone right now. Tom Sr. or Charlotte were usually there during the day.

"Sure! Grandma should be over in an hour or more with dinner."

"Perfect. When she gets here I'll come get you and bring you back. I don't want you out there in the dark."

"Yes ma'am." Harper wanted to fight the no walking in dark rule. It wasn't like she hadn't done it before. However with all that had happened recently, she knew better than to argue. "Want me to call you when I get to your place?"

"Yes please! So tell me," Elizabeth began. "How's the patient?

Harper laughed. "He's okay I guess, but he doesn't sit well. Grandma and I keep threatening to tie him to the bed so he'll stay put."

"Okay, so normal Jack."

"Basically," she laughed again. She grabbed the container of cookies then moved to the doorway to put on her jacket and gloves. "He was sleeping last time I checked. Make sure he knows I left cookies for him so he doesn't complain."

"Will do!"

Elizabeth waited till she got the call that Harper was safely at her house with Viola and the boys before going into Jack's room. Her heart swelled when her eyes found him. He was on his back, lightly snoring away in his fitted Bruins hockey tee. His thick muscular arms were out from under the covers for her to admire.

Instead of waking him, Elizabeth laid down beside him, gently wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Blue Eyes…." Jack whispered, his eyes not even open.

"Hi, love. I missed you today."

"I miss you everyday," he grinned.

"It's not a competition, but sure."

With a slight dip of her head, their lips met. Soft and sweet.

"Where's Harper?"

"At the cottage with Vi and the boys."

"Perfect." Jack's hand went around to the back of her neck, gently pulling her to him again. "I love you."

Before she could respond, Jack kissed her with all the passion he felt for her. His love. And soon, his wife.

"Come here," he whispered, barely separating from her.

"Jack, be careful."

"I am," he whispered again. Shifting his weight as their lips danced, he pulled her beneath him, hovering over her.

The taste of her was like heaven. He never wanted to leave, and no place would ever be better than with his love. Rolling with her to pull her above him, he groaned loudly, and not with pleasure.

"Jack, love." Elizabeth huffed. "This is why I told you to be careful."

"Yeah, well, it was worth it." He flashed her a devilish grin. "I can't wait to be your husband."

"And I can't wait to be your wife. That is, if you rest and live that long."

"I will, I'm sorry." He sighed then rested back against the mattress, pulling her gently close.

After a long silence, Jack wondered if she'd fallen asleep. Then he heard a deep long sigh.

"Blue Eyes? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Jack. I'm just happy to be in your arms."

"Are you sure? Your whole body feels tense." She stayed silent. "Honey. Talk to me. I'm going to be your husband in less than two weeks."

She looked up at him. Her beautiful crystal blue eyes were full of tears threatening to spill over.

"Ray is gone." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "He's finally not going to hurt me or Dylan again. And yet…"

"What? What is it?"

"I wanted to move on with my life, but not like this." She burst into tears.

"Shhh, sweetheart. It's okay to grieve him."

"Is it?" She choked out. "What does that say about me?"

"It says that a man you once loved, and had a child with is gone. And remember, I read the letters. Oh, Blue Eyes, I can't fathom the pain you and Dylan are in right now."

"It's all so hard…" she cried.

Pain ran through Jack's chest at the sight before him. This is crazy, how was he supposed to stay behind while she and Dylan went to Ray's funeral and deal with all the legal work?

"I'm going with you this weekend."

"No, Jack Thornton." She shot up out of his arms. "You are not. We already asked the doctor and he said no to planes and trains and no to the many hours in the car. You have one job right now and that is to get better so you can be my husband. So we can have a wedding and a honeymoon and a life together. Can you do that for me?"

"Well, when you put it that way." He rolled his eyes. Taking her hand he brought it to his lips. "I just wish I could be there for you and Dylan through all of this."

"I know, and I love you for that, but I can tell you something? In the idea of total honesty."

"Of course."

She let out a sigh and stared at their hands, fingers woven together. "Even if things were different, if you hadn't been so badly injured, I think I would have still wanted to do this on my own."

Jack didn't let go of her hand, just gave it a squeeze.

"I need to do it this way, Jack. It was always Dylan and I. It's important that we say goodbye to Ray together in our own way."

"I get it, kind of." Jack winced as he adjusted his back on the pillows. "But Viola's going with you, isn't she? So in a way you aren't really alone."

"True, but somehow it makes sense. Vi had always seen through Ray. She's had a tough life when it comes to men too. I don't know. Maybe it's because she was there in the past and I… well to be perfectly honest, I feel like I need my big sister right now."

"I'm glad she's going. I still wish it were me you were leaning on, but this isn't my call and it shouldn't be. Just call me, okay? Let me hear your voice so I know you're both okay?"

"I promise." She leaned forward to give him a deeply moving kiss. She felt she had the world with Jack's love. This was hard, and yet he was trusting her. "One more thing…"

"Uh oh. Am I going to like this?"

"Probably not." She laughed. "I know the doctor said that as long as you rest now, we should be all cleared for the wedding and our honeymoon but… maybe we should cancel the honeymoon. Or at least downsize."

"Are you worried about Dylan?"

"A little, but he'd be fine probably. But what if something happens to you? With your head injury?"

"First off, the doctor won't clear me if he thinks there's anything wrong. And second, babe, this is our time. We've spent years of our lives apart. I want to go away with you, just us and no distractions. This trip to Greece, it's going to be a dream come true. As long as the doctor clears me and Dylan is okay, I say we do this."

Elizabeth looked relieved. "I want that too. I'm just worried."

"Don't be. Our parents will take care of the kids, and I will take care of you. Is that a deal?"

"Deal."