Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. All rights go to the actors, writers and creators of the show "When Calls The Heart".

Chapter 2 of 3 today … don't miss Ch 38.

(16/9/2018)

CHAPTER 39

Elizabeth was sitting on the bed that night when Jack came in and sat beside her.

"So I was thinking. You've told me about Halley's birthday and you said my next deployment was coming but there is just under a two year age gap between Halley and Gracie."

"That's right."

"Well you must be almost up to the part when you found out you were pregnant with Gracie."

Elizabeth smiled.

"Remember I told you about talking to Rosie about Halley's birthday and I said that I didn't want to have any more kids because Halley's birth scarred me?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I wasn't lying."

Seven years and one month before … (July 2011)

At that point, Jack had assumed that they would have more children, but Elizabeth hadn't mentioned anything. She had been back on the pill for months but except for the comment when they spoke to Rosie that day, that was all they had mentioned. Halley was now 14 months old, so it seemed like it was the right time to start at least talking about it.

They sat on the couch one evening watching some random movie on the tv. Jack wasn't really paying attention so in the break, he turned to Elizabeth.

"Beth. Do you still want to have more kids?"

Elizabeth turned to him, eyes wide.

"Where did that come from?"

"What do you mean?"

Elizabeth pointed at the television like he had two heads.

"What?"

"We're watching a movie about a man who fakes his death and frames his wife for his murder and you're asking me about kids?"

"I wasn't paying any attention."

"Clearly."

"I was just thinking about something else."

"I realise that. Why did that come up now?"

"I don't know. Halley is fourteen months old and I remember you saying to Rosie that you didn't want any more kids because of when you went into labour with Halley."

"It wasn't just the labour. I mean the whole thing happened so quickly and was so painful, not to mention she was three weeks early and then the postnatal depression that followed. The whole thing remains quite traumatic. They say the hormones after a woman has birth helps them to forget the pain and the trauma of it all. I don't think that's always the case."

"Yes, but isn't it worth it? Halley is a beautiful little girl. We always said we would have three or four kids."

"I guess. I'm just a bit scared. Being pregnant with a toddler and what if you get deployed? I don't think I would be able to work as well as care for Halley."

"We'll figure that out if it happens" he said, pulling her into his chest.

"I suppose so."

"Why don't you just go off the pill and we'll see what happens?"

Elizabeth looked up at him. She could see how much he wanted this. Truthfully she did too, but the prospect of another baby still worried her.

"Okay" she said and immediately she saw his eyes light up.

Six years and ten months before … (October 2011)

Elizabeth knew she was pregnant almost immediately after it happened. As soon as she was three days late, she took a pregnancy test and two pink lines stared back at her. She took a deep breath exhaling slowly. It happened a whole lot faster than she had been anticipating.

Elizabeth decided she wouldn't tell Jack until she had confirmed with the doctor. She made an appointment with her doctor for the following week on her day off so by the time the results came back she was already six weeks along.

Elizabeth knew there was only one way she could tell Jack. She took Halley to the lake one afternoon. Elizabeth had texted Jack telling him to meet them there for a picnic on his way home from work. Elizabeth and Halley sat down on a blanket in their spot under the tree and waited for Jack to arrive. When Jack pulled up, he sauntered down to them.

"Hi beautiful" he said as he sat down beside Elizabeth and kissed her cheek.

Halley was looking up at him with a huge smile on her face, as if she already knew her Mom's secret.

"Dada" she said holding up her hands to him. Jack helped her up and she toddled towards him.

"Off. Off" she said touching her jacket, just like Elizabeth had taught her.

"Isn't it too cold?" he asked.

"Off" she said again.

Jack helped her pull her jacket off and she stood proudly showing Jack her new t-shirt. Jack stared at it for a moment before what it said sunk in. "Big Sister."

Jack turned to Elizabeth. "Wait. Are we …"

Elizabeth nodded at him with a small smile.

Jack's face lit up as he grabbed Halley throwing her up in the air above his head. She squealed in delight before Jack put her back down and moved closer to Elizabeth wrapping his arm around her, kissing her cheek.

"How long have you known?"

"Just over a week."

"How did you keep that from me?"

"With difficulty" she laughed.

"That was worth it" he said pointing to Halley's t-shirt. "You taught her 'off' on purpose?"

"Yeah. We've been practicing for the last few days."

Jack grinned. "I can't believe it. Thank you, Beth."

"What are you thanking me for? I didn't do it on my own!" she said laughing.

"No, but I know you were a bit worried. Are you feeling okay about it all now?"

"Yes. I'm really excited now." Elizabeth subconsciously rubbed her flat stomach. "Do you want another girl or boy?"

"I honestly don't care" he said taking her other hand in his.

"I thought you would have said a boy for sure."

"No. I'd be just as happy with another daughter."

They sat quietly for a moment while Halley played with her doll in front of her.

Jack turned to her. "You've made me so happy, Beth" he said before leaning in to kiss her.

"I remembered that day. Not all of the conversation but I remembered being there."

"Really? You never mentioned that!"

"Hang on a minute" Jack said jumping off the bed and disappearing out the door.

Five minutes later he returned with two pieces of paper. He sat down on Elizabeth's side of the bed and handed them to her.

She held them in front of her and saw the picnic blanket with Halley standing there with her hands outstretched toward him. She wore the same outfit with the little woollen jacket. The second drawing was of Elizabeth sitting on the blanket, probably just after she had told him because she looked happy.

"So you remembered where you were that day? At the lake?"

"Yes. Just not why we were there. I assumed it was just for a picnic."

"I'm glad you remembered. That was a good day" she said quietly still looking down at the drawings.

Jack took them out of her hands and put them on the bedside table.

"I wish I remembered more."

Elizabeth took his hand in hers. "It's only been seven weeks since the accident. You're doing so well and it could be a lot worse."

"You deserve better, Beth" he said looking down at their hands.

Elizabeth shuffled down the bed, closer to him. She lifted her hand up to his face, turning him toward her.

"I have you, Jack. I can't get any better than that."

She leant in, her lips grazing against his slowly. She felt him relax against her and turn into her. Elizabeth pulled him back with her as she lay down, his body covering hers as she went.

"I've missed you" she said between kisses.

"I want you" he whispered back as his lips glided down her neck.

"I'm all yours" she said before their lips came back together.

After work the next day, Jack drove into town for his next session with Yuen. Each session he was coming away with more and more memories but they were random snapshots in time. Some were when it was just him, Elizabeth and Halley while others were of their later years as a family. Then there were things from his own childhood that came back to him again as well as memories from the army.

It was a huge jumble of things and it made it difficult for Jack to make sense of it all. Yuen kept telling him it was all a good sign and their ongoing sessions would help him compartmentalise and organise where everything fit back in but Jack wasn't so sure. He came away from the session more confused than ever.

The traffic on the way home was disastrous. There had been an accident so it was bumper-to-bumper the whole way.

Elizabeth had texted him to ask him to pick up some sour cream for dinner and some milk if he had time. He walked into the grocery store feeling overwhelmed by the day.

Elizabeth heard Jack's car in the driveway. Dinner was almost ready so she went out to meet him.

"Hi babe. How was your day?" she said when he opened the door of his truck. The look on his face told her everything. "Oh no, what happened?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired."

Jack went and opened the back door and pulled out a bunch of bags.

"What's all this?"

"The stuff from the shops you asked me for."

Elizabeth looked at all of it but thought it better not to say anything. She took the bags and left Jack with whatever else was in the car.

When she got inside she looked through the bags at the most random collection of groceries she had ever seen. Thankfully she found the sour cream and milk and put them away. There was a lettuce, a jar of jam, a frozen cheesecake, a pair of white socks that didn't appear to be for anyone in particular, a box of matches, a pair of cheap sunglasses, a dog toy for Rip and a packet of pink clips clearly for the girls but Eve would be the only one that would wear them. She put everything away and went back to see Jack walk into the house with a box which held some type of plant.

Elizabeth decided to ignore it and went back to the kitchen and began serving dinner. She was sure he just needed to rest so perhaps a quick dinner and then sleep would be the best thing for him.

Jack collapsed into a chair at the dinner table. Elizabeth put the plates down and called the girls in.

"Hi Daddy" Halley said happily as she came in.

"Hi Gracie."

"No Halley."

"What?" he said looking at her again.

"You said the wrong name."

Jack just stared at her.

"Jack, are you okay?" Elizabeth asked.

"Fine."

Elizabeth put her hands on Halley's shoulders and steered her toward her seat. "Just sit down, Halley. Daddy's had a long day."

"I said I'm fine" Jack said angrily.

Elizabeth glanced up to see him staring at her, all the sparks in his eyes gone. She didn't say anything. Instead she went and found Gracie and Eve.

"Just keep quiet tonight, okay? Daddy is very tired."

"Okay" they both said in unison.

But when Elizabeth got back to the kitchen, Halley was sitting in her seat crying.

"What happened?"

"Nothing!" Jack pushed back from the table firmly with his hands, causing the table to shift and the dishes to rattle. He stood up and walked straight out of the kitchen, bumping into Elizabeth's shoulder as he passed almost sending her flying.

Elizabeth stared after him. She had never seen him act like that. Ever.

Halley was still sobbing at the table and Gracie and Eve were standing next to Elizabeth with worried expressions on their faces.

"Okay, let's just eat our dinner without Daddy. Something must have happened today to make him upset."

She set Gracie and Eve up at the table before she went to Halley.

"Sweetie, what happened?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know. He asked me what I did today and all I said was school and he started yelling at me."

"Okay. I'm sure he didn't mean it. Let's just eat our dinner and we'll go read a book together."

Normally Elizabeth made the girls finish their meals but Halley barely ate anything as she was too upset and Gracie and Eve could sense the undercurrent that Jack had left behind. So instead, Elizabeth let all three of them have some ice-cream to cheer them up.

She took them upstairs to get ready for bed. Halley was so scared of Jack though, she didn't want Elizabeth to leave her so they all ended up in the main bedroom. Elizabeth read them books until all three of them fell asleep in her bed. She pulled the quilt up over them and went to find Jack.

She found him in the basement sitting on the sofa bed with his head in his hands.

"Jack? What's going on?" she said gently as she approached him.

"Nothing. I said I was fine." The anger in his tone was still evident.

Immediately it got Elizabeth's back up.

"You are not fine! Talk to me, Jack. What happened today?"

"Nothing happened, Elizabeth!" he spat back at her. "Nothing ever happens."

"Jack, you made Halley cry and now she's scared of you. What did you do?"

"Leave me alone."

"No. Not when it affects those girls!"

Jack stood up, coming forward, fists clenched.

"Just back off. Stop pushing me!"

"I'm not pushing you. I'm trying to understand and help you!"

"No, you're pushing. You want me to remember everything and I just can't."

"What does that have to do with hurting Halley?"

"I didn't hurt her!"

"She's scared of you, Jack. What did you do?" she said coming closer to him, going to place her hand on his arm.

He swatted her away. "Let me be!"

"No" she said coming closer.

He grabbed her by the arms forcefully. "I said back off!" he said pushing her away.

Elizabeth stumbled and fell backwards onto the ground. She looked up at him in surprise. Jack looked down at her not even bothered with what he had just done. Elizabeth stood back up, trying to keep the tears away, as she turned and left the basement.