Been around the world and back this year

I never wanted to be so sincere

I'm not a hero or a saint

But don't push me away

When you believed in me it brought us together

Everybody says that it won't last forever

Close your eyes, don't cut the ties, it makes sense

There's too many ways to say goodbye

But it's quite the opposite this time

-State Champs "Around The World And Back"

He'd heard people say they saw their life flash before their eyes before. He had always chalked it up to drama. A reaction to an intense situation that they didn't know how else to express.

Now he knew what they meant.

He had heard the gun go off, and seen the faces of those he cared about flash in his mind - his mother, Allie, Gabriel, and Elizabeth.

But the bullet hadn't hit him. It had found another target and he felt both sadness and relief. He had never thought it was possible to feel such opposite emotions at the same time but as he made his way back into town he did.

Life here in Hope Valley had been a series of ups and downs. He had felt the town's skepticism when he had first arrived. He had known he was going to have to prove himself. The first warm welcome he had received had been from Elizabeth Thornton.

Ally had struggled to fit in as well, causing more than one stir in the little town. The fact that Lucas had taught her the card trick hadn't improved his opinion of the saloon owner any but he had thought he had finally come to an understanding with Lucas- until he realized that he was falling for Elizabeth and the saloon owner was the competition.

He had turned down a promotion to stay here in Hope Valley. He had dealt with the turmoil that his relationship with his father had become. He had survived Ally's first sleep over. Had attempted to ask Elizabeth out numerous times only to have her not able to give him an answer when he finally managed to do it.

All of that had gone through his mind in a matter of only seconds. Just long enough to realize that the bullet hadn't hit him and then he'd had to get back to reality. Concentrate on the task at hand as there had still been things to do.

But even from a distance, he could tell by Carson's expression that all their efforts had been for nothing. Constable Bryant hadn't survived the gun shot wound. Hadn't survived the bullet that had been only inches from hitting him instead.

And then Elizabeth had her arms around him. Only hours ago he would have been elated to have her hug him like this but now he didn't have the energy to feel much of anything.

The past year had been a series of ups and downs and right now he couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt that he was still alive at the expense of someone else.