"Elizabeth are you sure it's alright I turned down the boy's offer of letting us stay the night?" Will asked as they walked down the lonely streets.

"Yes" she said looking away "It's fine. I know Nate and Lucy must be worried. We've been gone all day…plus some." She gave a small smile to assure him – and herself- it was really okay.

They walked silently, hand in hand just enjoying each other's company for a ways when Will almost jumped out of his shoes in realization.

"The horse!"

"What?"

"The horse, we left him on the beach."

He turned sharply back down the sidewalk in a slow jog. "Come on" he called behind him. Elizabeth let out a sigh of regret. They jogged down the street and through alleys toward the piers.

"Will I – I don't feel well, can we just walk?" she asked hesitantly

Will stopped and looked behind him. Then wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Are you alright?" he asked with intent

"Yes, just tired is all." She said. Then looked away and dabbed the cold sweat rising from her forehead.

When they reached the horse he was lazily chewing on some weeds on the shores edge – impatiently swatting the flies. Will untied the reigns from the tree trunk and started guiding him down the cobbled street. They decided not to ride him, and give him a chance to walk off the day's standing.

The couple had finally made it out of town and were now in no-man's land in between the shore and New Bern. Jack and Anna floated into their conversation. Will hoped that Jack would do the right thing and marry the girl…he knew that was a bad bet. Elizabeth saw how the couple treated each other; it was an odd union but knew that there wasn't a better match for either of them. Andrew and Paul were brought up as well. They were good boys, and had a whole future ahead of them. They knew they had done the right thing of telling them of their father's death and his true identity.

"Small world isn't it?" Will scoffed.

"No kidding! I had no idea." Laughed Liz

The summer's hot days turned in to chilled nights in Carolina. The wind blew the fields grasses, making a rustling sound and causing Elizabeth to hold tighter to Will and nestle her head underneath his chin. Will smiled and kissed her forehead.

The gusts blew through the surrounding countryside again. The rattling sound of the fields died off but another rattle continued.

Elizabeth stopped and pulled back on Will's vest. Which stopped him and in turn halted the horse.

"What is it?"

Liz pointed, "Don't move…" she said in a low whisper. A large, brown, very agitated Rattle Snake was in the middle of the dark dirt road.

"Oh" Will saw the serpent coil. He thought for a moment.

"Alright…" he spoke in a whisper. "Liz, we're going to get on the horse and go through the field – we'll just go around it." He stated calmly.

Will stepped up and mounted the stomping – paranoid horse. He held his hand out for Elizabeth to take. She put her foot in the stirrup but the horse kept stomping and pacing back and forth making it difficult for her to get a grip. As soon as Liz grabbed Will's hand and had her foot firmly planted, the horse stomped and startled the poised snake. It shot out and nipped the horse's leg as a warning. But the already impatient horse lit up and shot down the road with a start. It reared its head back and took off in a dead sprint – throwing Elizabeth off and across the road, landing with a thud to the ground.

Will quickly tried to gain control as he snapped the horse's head back in the right direction. He jumped off and ran towards the shaken Elizabeth. As he knelt down he cradled her head in his hands. She groaned and brushed some of the dirt off her dress.

"Liz are you alright?"

"Ugh… yes, I'll be fine."

He took on of her hands to lift her up and the other he placed on her back for support. She started to stand but stopped when a shot of pain echoed through her body.

"Oww!" her hands flew to her stomach

"What is it?"

"My stomach – its hurts."

"Here…" he took her in his arms and off the ground. Will raised her up on the saddle as he climbed on in front of her. She leaned on his back with her arms around his chest. They started at a slow trot toward the distant lighted town. After a minute she spoke again.

"Will?" she said in a strained voice

He turned his head to hear her.

"We've got to go faster."

That was all Will needed to know. "Alright love, hold on." He snapped the reigns; Elizabeth dug her nails into his vest pockets as they took off in a hurry down the road.

After a dead sprint – in mere minutes they had reached town. Will didn't go to their home fist; he went to the Harrington's. Most of the lights were on in the windows so he knew they were awake. Will didn't even wait for the horse to stop before he humped off and ran for the door.

Nate answered. "Will I-"

But Will didn't even give him a breath to speak. "Nathan, call for Lucy – tell her to help Liz to the house."

Nate ducked his head back in the house and called for his wife. Then he grabbed his jacket and stepped outside. "Will what's wrong?"

"Elizabeth is hurt, I need to get the doctor."

"I'll go with you, he's not far from here, come on"

Just then Lucy appeared in the doorway.

"Nate, what's happening?"

He turned back around to her and motioned toward Liz " Help her to their bedroom, Get her ready for the Doc!" Then Will and Nate took off down the road as quick as they could.

Lucy hurried to Elizabeth's side. She had one hand on her stomach and the other on the saddle horn to brace herself.

Lucy helped her down and Liz put an arm around her shoulder for balance. The whole time they walked to the house and then into the house and up the stairs, Lucy watched Liz intently.

"Liz what happened?"

Her face was cringed in pain. "I fell off the horse."

Lucy kept walking, but paused in thought. "And you hurt your stomach?" she stated with skepticism. "What's really wrong?"

Elizabeth looked as if she was about to say something but stopped herself, and then continued. " Its just – Nothing, its nothing."

"Elizabeth" this time Lucy stood straight up and stopped right in front of the bedroom doors. "I know there is more…. Now, What is wrong?"

Elizabeth looked at her; her eyes were full of pain, worry, regret, and tears. And in one quick moment she blinked- they all rolled down her cheeks as one.

"I'm worried about my baby."