Elizabeth woke up a few hours later and looked around her room. Jack was sleeping next to her bed in the recliner. Her Dad was in a chair across the room reading. She raised her left hand to touch Jack's and smiled. He must have slipped her ring on her hand while she was sleeping.

"Dad," she whispered, her voice still rough. He raised his head and smiled.

"Hi, Bethie. How are you feeling?" He kissed her cheek.

"Tired and sore."

He touched her hand. "Beth, I was so worried."

"I'm sorry about the BMW."

"I don't care about that. I care about you. I'll just get you a new one."

"No that's ok. I'll buy my own car. I won't drive for awhile anyway."

Jack sat up. "We'll get you one when we get back from Aruba."

Elizabeth looked at him and smiled. "Hi, handsome."

"Hi, beautiful."

"You're still planning a wedding in March?" her dad asked.

"Nothing is stopping me from marrying this wonderful man," Elizabeth said.

William squeezed her hand. "I'm going to send your mother in now."

Elizabeth nodded and watched him walk away. She closed her eyes and attempted to readjust her body position but it was too painful. "Babe, what is it?"

"I'm uncomfortable. I just want to move."

"With your leg up like that, there's not a lot of moving you can do." She sighed deeply and shut her eyes, tears seeping from the corners. "Honey, I'll get the nurse. You need more pain meds." He pushed the button on her bed.

"Yes?" a voice said.

"Elizabeth Thatcher needs more pain meds, please."

"Ok, we'll be in soon."

THREE DAYS LATER

Elizabeth was grateful to be released from the hospital but she wanted to be in her own bed in her own home. Unfortunately because the girl's apartment had so many steps, she couldn't go there.

She lay listening to her family talking as if she wasn't in the room. The only logical thing she could think of to do was to stay at the ranch. However, her parents kept insisting she travel home to Madison.

"Doesn't anyone care about what I want?" she asked with maybe a bit more irritation in her voice than she intended.

"Of course we do, Beth," Grace told her.

"Ok, then I think the only logical thing to do is stay with Jack. There are only four steps to the door, there's a guest room on the ground floor with a bathroom and a walk in shower and I need to go back to work. I appreciate your concern Dad and Mom, but I need to work and I can't do that if I am out of state."

"But sweetie," William began.

"Dad, it's my decision. Please respect that I am an adult and can make my own decisions."

"Very well. Who will care for you during the day?"

"Jack will be around most of the time, but Charlotte has offered and Clara has too."

"I'll stay a few days, if Jack doesn't mind," Grace offered.

"Of course you're welcome to stay, but is that ok with you, babe?" Jack put his hand on her shoulder.

"Just a few days, Mom. I plan on going to work by the beginning of next week."

That was five days away and she would do it or she would go crazy.

A FEW HOURS LATER

Jack and Elizabeth rode in the back seat of the rented Escalade that William and Grace had. He hadn't left her side for the four days she was in the hospital. Monte took care of the ranch so Jack wouldn't need to think about it.

Elizabeth stared out the window as they drove, watching the ice covered trees and power lines. It felt like forever since she had been outside.

"Honey?" Jack touched her arm. "You ok?" She nodded but then she started crying. "What's wrong?"

"I could've died. It just hit me that I am here right now with you but I almost wasn't. It's so scary." He slipped his arm around her and held her against his chest. "Jack, I need you so much."

He didn't want to tell her that the man who hit her hadn't survived or that he had been drinking just like the man who ran the light and killed his father. The two accidents had just enough similarities for him to not want to mention them.

He kissed her forehead and then her cheeks. "Elizabeth, this whole thing made me realize again that life is fragile and short and I don't ever want to go a single day without telling you and the people I love how much you mean to me." He dried her cheeks and sighed. "You mean everything and I thank God every single day that you are in my life." Elizabeth buried her head in his chest and sighed.

In the front seat, Grace took William's hand as they listened tearfully to the couple in the back seat. "I love you, Will."

"I love you, Grace." William kissed her hand and then returned his attention to the roads.

As they drove through town, Jack asked William to stop outside The Bean. "I'll be right back."

William looked in the mirror at Elizabeth. "Why did we stop, Beth?"

"This is where Jack and I met. We come here everyday in the morning and after school." She missed those dates.

Jack ran back out and climbed in. "Ok, sweetheart, a decaf iced Mocha, no whip for us and chocolate cream croissants for everyone. William, Grace, I also got you both coffee."

Elizabeth dug into the bag of croissants and quickly took a bite. "Heavenly," she sighed. "I missed these, babe. Thank you." She enjoyed her treat and then realized something. "How did you get these so fast? You were in there for like two minutes."

"I may have texted Clara to get them ready for me."

"May have? That's very thoughtful of you, cowboy."

He winked at her and took a bite of his croissant. "Hey, do you think instead of a cake at the wedding we can get Clara to make chocolate cream croissants?"

"Yes! That would be perfect. Good idea, Jack." She broke off a piece of croissant and fed it to him, giggling when he captured her finger between his teeth for a second. "Yeah, that'll work." Elizabeth sipped her drink for the final few minutes of the drive, leaning her head on Jack's shoulder. "Hey, since when do you wear a necklace?" She hadn't ever noticed the thin gold chain around his neck before but it was peeking out behind his t-shirt.

"Mom gave it to me." He pulled the necklace and ring out. "It's my dad's wedding ring. I was going to ask you if you minded if I wore it once we get married, but then you got in the accident and I almost lost.." He cleared his throat. "It means a lot especially now. He's not here and you are."

"Oh sweetie." She kissed his cheek. "I think you should absolutely wear it."

"Yeah?" She nodded. "Thank you."

She fingered the necklace and smiled. "What was he like?"

Jack smiled and stared in her eyes. "He was tall and strong and he loved my Mom so much. He was kind and thoughtful and he laughed a lot. So did my mom."

"I wish I could have met him."

"He would have loved you."

"He sounds a lot like you so I'm sure I would have loved him too." Elizabeth had never met a more thoughtful, kind man than Jack Thornton.

Jack told William the final turns to the ranch and then finally they were home.

"It's a beautiful ranch Jack. How many acres do you have?"

"About 260." William nodded and then hopped out of the vehicle to grab Elizabeth's bag. Jack assisted her from the back seat and then insisted on carrying her up to the front door. "It's easier than using the crutches in the snow," he told her.

When they got in the house he set her down and then grabbed her crutches from Grace. He walked next to her as she wandered into the guest room off the hallway. "I need to get going, hon. Are you going to need anything?" She turned and smiled.

"Besides you? Nope. I have enough people here to keep me occupied until you get back." He walked over, laid her crutches down and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you, Jack."

"For what?"

"For coming to find me the other night. For staying with me at the hospital."

"It's my job, babe. I will always, always try to be there for you whenever you need me." He didn't ever want her to feel alone. "I love you."

"I love you, cowboy." He leaned down and kissed her slowly. He didn't want to let her go. He wanted to stay with her and not go to work but his responsible side knew work came first and he could see her later.

"Oh sorry!" Grace had walked in.

"It's ok," Jack told her. "I need to go anyway." He kissed her again. "Get some rest. I'll see you for dinner." She nodded and watched him leave.

"What did you need, Mom?" Elizabeth took her hair out of its ponytail and hopped over to the bed using one crutch.

"I just wanted to bring you your pills and some water."

"Thanks. My leg is throbbing right now."

After she took her pills, she slowly laid down, covering herself with the down comforter. She chuckled and then blushed. "What Beth?"

"This thing is called a comforter but I'd much rather have Jack's arms comforting me."

"He'd certainly be willing, I'm sure."

"He would and I would certainly allow it. I feel safe with him."

Grace sat down next to Elizabeth and ran her fingers up and down her arm to relax her. "I think you'll have a good life with him here, I just wish it were closer to home."

"Hunter Creek is my home. Jack is my home. This ranch will be my home in just a couple months." She yawned and closed her eyes as the pills relaxed her. "I can hardly wait."

THAT EVENING, LIVING ROOM

Jack sat on his soft brown leather couch with Elizabeth curled up next to him, or most of her was curled. Her right leg pretty much stuck straight out because of the cast that went from her foot to mid thigh.

He could tell she couldn't get comfortable. "Would you rather lay down?"

"I want to stay here with you. I can take a little pain."

"I don't want you to be in pain." He got up and grabbed her bottle of pills and water and then helped her turn so her legs were on the sofa, a pillow under her knee and then one on his lap where he invited her to put her head. Once she was settled, she sighed. "Is that better?"

"I guess."

"What's wrong? I can get you whatever you need."

"I don't need anything else, hon. Just you." She smiled up at him. "Maybe a kiss or two would be good." He smiled back and attempted to get in a good position to kiss her but it was a weird angle, so he settled for a kiss to her forehead. "Why don't you lay beside me?" she asked.

She moved so there was room and then waited for him to get situated. He was close, kissably close but he didn't kiss her. He just wrapped her up in his arms and closed his eyes. She was ok with that. As she had told her mom, she felt safe.

"I think we should have a baby," Jack blurted.

"Sweetie, you said you wanted to wait a year."

"I know but I changed my mind."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "What changed?" He sat up and turned, his back to her. She rubbed his back and stayed quiet for a moment. "Jack?"

"I almost lost you. Life is so short and I don't want to miss out on being a father because of my own selfishness."

"Honey, nothing is going to happen to me."

He turned and looked, tears in his eyes. "You don't know that. Anything could happen to either of us."

"That's true but hear me out ok?" She sat up and leaned against his back, her chin on his shoulder. "Are we going to rush to do everything in life just because we are afraid? I would love nothing more than to have your child but not just because we are afraid of what could happen. I want to because we are ready to be parents and because it's the right time in our relationship." He sighed and sat there, not moving or speaking. "Honey?"

"I need to go to bed." He stood up to walk away but she stopped him.

"I hate it when you do that. Please don't just give up and walk away."

"How do you know you hate it? I've never done it before."

"Yes, you have. When Faith saw us in The Bean. You gave up and walked away. Please don't do that. We need to talk things out."

He had to tell her his feelings but he hated crying in front of her. She took his hand and squeezed. "You can tell me anything."

He moved so he was facing her but kept his eyes on their hands. "The man that hit my parents ten years ago, almost eleven now, was drunk. He plowed right through the red light and that intersection and killed my father. It was snowing hard and icy. Mom said it was hard to see anything. And then four nights ago when you called and said you couldn't see and you needed to pull over, my heart stopped. I had this horrible feeling that something was going to happen." He shook his head and let the tears fall. "That man was killed instantly and so was my father. The guy that hit you was drunk too and he was killed. Elizabeth, the fact that the two accidents are so similar scared me. When I got to your accident I had this awful, crushing feeling you were gone too and I felt like my heart was going to explode. I begged Mike.." Elizabeth pulled him into her arms and held him, as awkward as it was with her cast. "I begged him to tell me you were alive and, somehow, you were."

Elizabeth pulled back and leaned her forehead against his. She didn't know what to say except that she loved him. "I love you so much. I'm sorry you had to go through that pain again."

He needed her with every fiber of his being. He needed to see her every day and know she was safe. That was why he insisted on going in the ambulance with her and why he didn't leave her room in the hospital. It was why he suggested that she stay at the ranch. There, he knew people would be there for her and he was close by.

That was also why the next morning Elizabeth woke up to find him right next to her in her bed, even though she had gone to bed alone.

She could watch him sleep for hours. Asleep, he was even more handsome than awake. He looked so peaceful and she knew behind those eyelids and super long eyelashes were the most gorgeous green eyes she had ever seen. She also knew when he opened those gorgeous green eyes, he would smile and those lips would stretch toward his cheeks in a smile and his adorable deep dimples would appear and threaten to make her melt into a puddle.

Then she realized she missed him even though he was six inches away so she gently laid her hand on his cheek, loving the slightly rough stubble against her hand. He sighed and opened his eyes. "Hi, beautiful." Then he smiled and if it really was possible to melt right then, she would've.

"Good grief, you're adorable," she whispered and then kissed him.

"I can't wait to wake up with you every morning," he told her before he kissed her back.

"Babe, I'm pretty sure I went to sleep alone last night."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you did too." He kissed her again.

"What made you decide to join me?"

"After everything that happened last night, I didn't want to be away from you."

Their talk the night before had gone on for hours. Eventually they agreed to wait a bit before trying for a baby. It was a good idea to make their relationship as strong as possible before bringing a child into their family.

"We're ok?" she asked him.

"Of course we are." She swung her legs carefully to the edge of the bed and then grabbed her crutches. Jack quickly walked over and stood in front of her to make sure she was steady. He grabbed her waist as she stood up.

"Jack, hon, I think I'm good," she giggled as he stood there staring at her, his hands still on her waist.

"You are breathtaking, Elizabeth." She looked down at her red "I love coffee" t-shirt and Jack's huge sweatpants that were about the only thing that fit over her cast.

"I think you need to go to the eye doctor, babe. I have no makeup, my hair is a mess, I'm swimming in your sweatpants and…" She stopped talking as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. "What was that for?" Her eyes stayed closed for a moment as she recovered from his kiss.

"I have no doubt that you will always be so beautiful you make my heart race when I just think about you and I will be ecstatic if every single day you look just exactly as you look right now."

She had never known a sweeter man than the one she was going to marry. How was it possible he would be hers for the next fifty years?