Thanks for all the reviews... they are greatly appreciated... Just FYI I never think Elizabeth would accept Charles' proposal... It was just an idea I had, and I am going somewhere with this I promise.. I hope everyone continues to read... So without further ado, here's chapter two.

Chapter Two

Jack was not looking forward to this day. The stagecoach was due to arrive in the afternoon, to take Elizabeth and Charles out of Hope Valley. Though she'd made her decision, he didn't want to see her go. He knew he would miss her. He couldn't help it. He didn't want to miss her, but he knew he would no matter how hard he tried not to. When he arrived back in town after making his morning rounds, he noticed Elizabeth and Charles sitting on the bench at the depot waiting for the stage to arrive. He was hoping it would be gone by now, but also part of him was glad she was still in town so he could see her one last time; even if it was just one more glance in her direction. He rode by the depot, looking in her direction. She looked up at him and their eyes met. He wanted so much to talk to her, to beg her to reconsider, but he couldn't… not with Charles sitting next to her.

Elizabeth was looking down at her hands, as she and Charles silently waited for the stagecoach to arrive, when she noticed Jack's horse go by. She looked up at him and their eyes met. She wanted so much to talk to him. She wanted him to approach her to beg her to reconsider, but knew he wouldn't with Charles sitting next to her.

Without saying a word, Jack headed to the livery to drop off Sergeant and then made his way to the jail. He was trying to do a little bit of paperwork, but couldn't seem to concentrate. He looked out the window, noticing the stagecoach drive by… the stagecoach that would be sending Elizabeth… his Elizabeth… on her way back to Hamilton. He stood from his desk and quickly rushed toward the door. "I need to at least say goodbye." He told himself as he rapidly made is way toward the depot. He rounded the corner, in enough time to see Elizabeth climbing in the stagecoach. "Elizabeth!" He called, increasing his speed. "Elizabeth, wait." He was too late. By the time he was close enough Elizabeth was already inside and the stage started moving down the street. He kicked the dirt in frustration. "What have I done?" He asked himself. "I should have never given my support. I've lost her forever."

Elizabeth was looking out the window of the stagecoach as it was leaving Hope Valley. She wanted to cry, when she noticed Jack kicking the dirt, seeming to have a defeated look on his face. "Goodbye, Jack." She whispered, a single tear rolling down her face.

Charles, noticing Elizabeth's sadness, gently placed a hand on top of hers. "Forget about that Mountie. He was never the right man for you. You're engaged to me now, and you will never have to teach and you will never want for anything ever again." He turned her head towards him and attempted to kiss her lips, but she turned her head before he could.

Jack returned to the jail. He needed to do something, anything to let Elizabeth know his mistake. He decided to send a letter to her home in Hamilton, hoping it would arrive by the time she would. He sat down at his desk and opened the drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen and began to write.

Dear Elizabeth,
I hope this letter reaches you. As soon as I watched you get on that stagecoach, I realized what a fool I've been. I tried calling out to you, but I was too late and you didn't hear me. I should have never given you my blessing to marry Charles. I was trying to show my support, but by doing so I have pushed you away. I love you more than you will ever know. I told you in the mine, that we could take on any challenge together. I hope to get the chance to prove to you that I meant every word. I just lost my footing for a time. It killed me to see Charles on bended knee in front of you. I want you to come back to me. I love you. I pray you love me enough to return to Hope Valley.
My heart is forever yours.
Love Always,
Jack

He folded the letter and reached in his desk drawer for an envelope. While retrieving the envelope, his hand bumped into something. He looked down noticing the ring box, which contained the ring he had purchased with the intention of proposing to Elizabeth. He opened the box, viewing the ring in its resting place and let out a sigh. "If only," He whispered to himself. He silently prayed for the chance to put that ring on Elizabeth's finger, where he felt it truly belonged.

"Jack!" Lee Coulter burst through the door of the jail, which startled Jack and caused him to abruptly slam the lid on the ring box shut. "We have a problem."

"What's going on Lee?" Jack quickly stood and approached Lee, abandoning his letter to Elizabeth and the engagement ring.

Lee led Jack out into the street. "Opal's missing." He explained.

"What?" Jack questioned.

"Yes," Lee explained. "Rosemary and I were having dinner at the café, when Opal's mother walked in. I overheard her tell Abigail that Opal was upset that Ms. Thatcher wasn't going to be her teacher anymore."

"Oh no." Jack rushed to the café, where he found Abigail and Opal's mother Diane on the settee with Frank resting his hand on Diane's shoulder.

"We'll find her." Abigail tried to console.

"She loves school so much" Diane cried, "and Ms. Thatcher. Ms. Thatcher was such a wonderful teacher and such a great influence to Opal."

"Hope Valley won't be the same without Elizabeth." Abigail agreed.

"No it won't." Jack concurred as he approached them.

"Oh, Constable." Diane arose upon seeing Jack. "You have to have find my little girl."

"Don't worry, ma'am." Jack consoled. "We'll find her. Can you tell me when you last remember seeing her?"

"We were in town, when the stage arrived." Diane replied. "She kept saying she was sad to see Ms. Thatcher go. I took her home afterwards. Then she was worried because she couldn't find Brownie."

"Did she ever find Brownie?" Jack asked.

"Not that I know of." Diane dabbed her damp eyes with a handkerchief. "Please Constable find my little girl."

"I'll do everything I can, ma'am." Jack spun around and headed out the door of the café.

"I'll help." Lee offered.

"Great idea," Jack replied. "We'll split up; we'll cover more ground that way." He didn't know where to start. He thought of the time Elizabeth had found Rosaleen Sullivan in the mine. "That will be the last resort." He decided. "I hope she didn't find her way to the mine."

Several hours later, Opal still had not been found. Jack had looked everywhere. "Opal," he called, "Opal." There was no answer. It was starting to get dark and he was starting to get concerned. He came back into town and passed the church, realizing he had not yet looked for Opal there. He marched up the steps of the church, hoping he would find her. When he reached the top, he opened the door remembering that dreadful day, two weeks prior when he was set to propose to Elizabeth, only to walk in on Charles on bended knee. Where he himself should have been. He closed his eyes and shook his head to try to drown out the memories. He had a job to do. He had to find Opal. He opened the door of the church and walked inside, where he heard sobbing coming from the front of the church. He rushed toward the noise. He found Opal crouched in a corner of the church clutching her bear. Jack approached her and knelt to her level. "Opal."

Opal saw Jack and began to cry.

"Shh. It's alright Opal." Jack consoled.

"I came to get Brownie." Opal explained. "I was so sad when Ms. Thatcher said she was leaving and not coming back and I forgot Brownie. I had to come find him, then I got scared." She wrapped her arms around Jack's neck.

"I know, Opal." Jack gently pulled the little girl into his lap. "I miss Ms. Thatcher too, but she wouldn't want you to be sad."

"She wouldn't?" Opal asked.

"Of course not," Jack gave Opal a smile. He then acknowledged her bear. "Brownie doesn't want you to be sad either."

Opal then smiled up at Jack. "I'll try to be happy for Brownie."

"Good girl." Jack chuckled.

"But I still miss Ms. Thatcher."

"We all do." Jack replied. "But she said she would come back and visit." Jack suddenly became silent as he thought about Elizabeth and how much he hoped that his recent statement to Opal would come true… but he didn't want her to visit he wanted her make a permanent return to Hope Valley.

"Constable Thornton are you okay?" Opal asked, snapping Jack out of his reverie.

"I'm fine. I just miss Ms. Thatcher too." Jack grinned.

"Why don't you go get her and tell her to come back?" Opal questioned.

"I wish it were that easy." Jack ran a finger down her cheek.

"Why isn't it?" Opal inquired.

"Grown up problems can get complicated sometimes." Jack explained. He stood up scooping the girl in his arms. "Let's get you home. Your ma is worried sick." He carried out the door of the church and delivered her safely to the café and into her relieved mothers waiting arms.

Before leaving the café, Abigail insisted that Jack sit and enjoy a late dinner, knowing he probably hadn't eaten since Elizabeth's departure that afternoon. She fixed him pot roast and mashed potatoes, which he devoured. He hadn't realized how hungry he had been. On his way back to the jail, he heard thunder. The rain then started coming down. The closer he got to the jail the harder it came. By the time he returned to the jail he was totally drenched.

It was late and the rain was still coming down. He was in his long johns, preparing for bed when he heard a knock on the door. He looked at the clock. "Who could that be at this hour?" He wondered as he headed toward the door. "Can I help…?" He stopped mid-sentence once he saw who was at the door. Elizabeth was standing at the door drenched from the rain and shivering. "Elizabeth, what in the world? Is everything alright?"

"Jack," she cried, "you said that if I ever needed anything I could knock on your door day or night."

He grabbed her by the hands and pulled her inside. "What happened?" He grabbed the blanket from his bed and wrapped it around her.

"He wants me to stop teaching." She told him. "I don't want to stop teaching. We got into a big argument about it."

"Elizabeth." Jack questioned. "How could anyone want you to stop teaching? Anyone who knows you can see that's what you love doing. You have made such a difference for the children of this town."

"When we got to Cape Fullerton to catch the train back to Hamilton, Charles told me that I didn't need to play school anymore," she sounded disgusted, "that he would make enough to support both of us. I don't want to quit teaching."

"You shouldn't have to quit teaching." Jack motioned for her to sit on the bed. He sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her.

"I thought he cared for me."

"Anyone who wants you to stop doing what you love does NOT care for you." He rubbed her back and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder.

Suddenly it hit her. She realized what she should have known all along. Jack was the one who cared for her. Not Charles. Jack still loved her. He loved her despite what she had put him through over that past two weeks. She lifted her head off his shoulder and stared into his loving eyes. She couldn't help herself. She leaned toward him, took his face in both of her hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips, taking him completely by surprise.

Jack pulled back, staring into her eyes. Elizabeth leaned forward and pressed her lips to his once again. Jack gave into to her kisses, wrapping his arms around her and the kiss deepened.

Realizing that they were getting a bit carried away, they had fallen backward onto the bed and Jack's lips had made their way to Elizabeth's neck, he quickly pulled away. "Elizabeth we shouldn't do this."

Elizabeth returned to a sitting position. "I should have known you would want nothing more to do with me after all I've put you through." She stood up to leave.

"Elizabeth wait." Jack grabbed her hand. "That isn't it… at all."

"What is it then?"

"Elizabeth, you're getting married to Charles." Jack replied. "We shouldn't…"

"No I'm not." She interjected.

Jack's head shot up as he stared at her. "What?"

Elizabeth held out her ring less left hand. "I gave the ring back. I'm not getting married to him. You were right at the church that day. I never loved him." She returned to sit on the bed next to him.

"What made you accept?" He asked. He didn't want to have this conversation, but he needed to know what was going through her mind at that time.

"I-I don't know." She stammered. "I have always cared for Charles. He's always been a great friend. He was always really good at talking me into things I didn't really want to do."

"So you never wanted to marry him?" Jack asked.

"Never." She answered matter-of-factly. "I just was having a hard time putting into words what I wanted to say to him," she hesitated before she continued, "and to you."

"Well it looks like you found the words to break off the engagement." Jack observed.

"When he started telling me that he wanted me to quit teaching, I became angry." She let out a sigh. "It was easy to speak my mind to him then. I told him I couldn't marry him and I gave him back the ring and I left. I came to the one person that has always told me I can count on them. I came to you."

"I'm always here for you." Jack placed a hand on her face and caressed her cheek. "I'm glad you still realize that."

"Well at first I wasn't sure." Elizabeth responded. "When you told me you wanted me to marry Charles, I wondered if you still meant it, but I took a chance anyway.

"Wait a minute." Jack defended. "I never said I wanted you to marry Charles. I said I wanted you to be happy and if marrying Charles made you happy I wouldn't stand in your way. I never wanted you to marry Charles." He stood up and went to his desk where he'd abandoned the letter earlier. "In fact I wrote you a letter. I was going to mail it tomorrow." Jack handed her the letter and watched attentively as she read.

"Jack," Elizabeth cried as soon as she finished reading "I am so sorry for everything. I am sorry you blame yourself. It's not your fault. I should have never accepted his proposal. I never loved him." She stood from the bed and faced him, "There's only one man I love and only one man I'll ever love." She grabbed his hands. "And that man is you, Jack Thornton. I love you and I want to come home."

"I love you too, Elizabeth Thatcher." He pulled her into a passionate kiss. "I love you so much. I'm so glad you decided to come home." He kissed her again.

Elizabeth quickly pulled back and gasped.

"What's wrong." Jack questioned concerned.

"It's late." Elizabeth answered. "I have nowhere to sleep or anything to sleep in for that matter. I can't wake Abigail this time of night."

"Don't worry." Jack grinned. "You can sleep in my bed in the back. I will sleep in the cell and you can borrow one of my shirts to sleep in." He rummaged through his clothes finding a suitable shirt and tossed it to her.

"Thank you, Jack." She whispered. She made her way to the other room to change.

"Elizabeth, wait." Jack called stopping her. "How did you get here? There are no stage coaches arriving in town at this hour."

Elizabeth headed toward the door and grabbed Jack's hand pulling him along the way. She opened the Jail door. The rain had stopped so Jack was able to see the white horse she was pointing at.

"You rode that horse all the way here?" He questioned

"It looks like your riding lessons paid off." She grinned. She gave him a quick kiss, "and now consider them paid in full." She pulled away.

"Not so fast." He grabbed her hands. "I'm afraid your riding lessons will never be paid in full. I will expect payment for them every day." He raised his eyebrows causing her to slightly blush, before pulling her in for one more kiss. "I love you so much Elizabeth Thatcher." He took her in his arms and covered her lips with his own.

...to be continued...

Stay turned for the final chapter coming soon...