AN: Hello readers, new post! Love you all!

"Elizabeth? I'm home!" Jack called as he hung up his coat.

"I'm in the kitchen!" She called over her shoulder as she fanned herself with her oven mitt. He strode into the room, and kissed her.

"How are you feeling?" He brushed her hair off of her forehead, and observed that half of the buttons of her blouse were undone and her sleeves were rolled up past her elbows.

"I'm a bit warm, but over all? I feel better than I have in days." She smiled, and he cupped her cheek. "She's been moving around a lot today; I can hardly take a breath without her kicking at my ribs. I never thought I'd be so in love with someone who essentially bruises me from the inside out." She laughed, and winced when she felt a sharp kick against her pelvis. "I am very tired, but I've got a shepherd's pie in the oven, I only walked up the steps one time, and I managed to finish a pair of booties!"

"You're a wonder, Elizabeth!" He grinned, and pressed his lips to hers.

"But of course, I didn't manage to get my shoes on." She said, holding up her bare foot. "I can't see them anymore though, so it doesn't bother me...I'm sorry I don't look better for you, though, darling."

"What are you talking about? You're more beautiful everyday I know you." He smiled.

"I'm huge, Jack! Gigantic, actually...Today, Florence stopped by to visit, and to give me a homemade apple pie, which was kind of her, of course, but she asked me if I was sure that I wasn't having twins. I know it's not supposed to be an insult, of course, but I mean, I barely fit into my new blouses anymore- I hope that I don't get too much bigger than this, it's getting hard to do anything, it seems like!"

"Elizabeth, I think you're the most beautiful woman in the entire world; You're gorgeous, you're talented, you're kind, and wonderful. I love you. Does anyone else's opinion matter?" He asked, gently kissing her.

"I suppose not." She whispered. "Will you get the pie out of the oven?"

"Absolutely." He smiled. "Here, a letter for you."

"From who?"

"Viola." He called over his shoulder, and she tore into the letter with a smile. Within the first few sentences she let out a cry, and dropped the paper, covering her mouth with her hand as she began to sob. Jack set the pie on the counter, and rushed to kneel before her. "Hey, hey, hey, what is it? What's wrong? Is it the baby?"

"No, no, I'm sorry, it's nothing to do with me, I'm sorry." She shook her head. "Viola was… she was pregnant."

"Was?"

"Early days; she didn't even know that she was having a baby until...until it was gone." She whispered, and hugged her husband tightly, nestling her face in his hair. "Oh Jack; we're so lucky."

"I'm sorry Elizabeth."

"Don't say that to me, Jack! I may be having a difficult pregnancy, but I'm still pregnant. Our baby, it's still alive- and I got pregnant so easily...and even with the fainting, with the pains, with the scare, I'm still pregnant- and Julie too! Oh, poor Viola!" She cried, and he pressed a kiss to her stomach. "I feel so badly for her! She...she sounds so unhappy, in her letter. I wish I could go to her, but I'm supposed to be off of my feet as much as possible."

"What can I do for you, Elizabeth? Anything I can do, please, tell me." He asked, and took her hands.

"I don't know that there is anything to be done, of course, I'll write her a letter straight away, but even that doesn't feel like enough. What can I possibly say to help her when my baby is okay, and hers didn't make it? She hasn't told anyone else- the only one who knows is Lionel, because he called for the doctor...it seems such a heavy burden for her to bear alone...but she always was the strongest Thatcher sister." Elizabeth said, trying to still her falling tears. "Ow!" She hissed suddenly.

"Good god, was that the baby?" Jack asked, having felt the kick against his shoulder.

"Yes!" She said, laughing and crying all at once. "The baby is running out of room, and it isn't coming for almost three months!"

"Elizabeth, I think you need to lie down, please."

"No, Jack, there's too much to do! I...I have to write to Viola, then we'll have dishes, and…" She stopped when he kissed her gently. "Oh Jack…"

"I'm going to carry you to the sofa now; I'll take care of everything else. You're going to write a letter to your sister, and relax. I can finish supper, I can do some dishes." He said, picking her up. She tucked her face into the crook of his neck, and he set her on the sofa before he carefully covered her legs with a blanket.

"I know I do this a lot, but I'm so lucky, Jack. You're a better husband than I ever dreamed that I would have. And you're my best friend! Oh God, I'm so lucky. And I'm crying so much lately! How do you stand it?"

"Because I love you, and you're my best friend. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." He said as he gently stroked her hair. "Maybe you're a little...emotional, but you get to be, Elizabeth. I don't care if you cry thirty times a day for the rest of our lives, Elizabeth, you're having our baby! Our baby...and that's everything."

"Oh Jack!" She gasped, and kissed him. "If I wasn't so pregnant, God Jack, it would be impossible to keep my hands off of you!" She kissed him again, and pulled him closer. "Then again, its already pretty impossible…"

….

"Elizabeth, are you alright?" Abigail asked as she took her hand.

"I'm alright, Abigail." Elizabeth smiled, and continued to work on her sewing. "I was just thinking about Viola again."

"It's awful, to lose a baby that way. Just awful." Abigail nodded, and looked down at her hands. Elizabeth paused her work again, and looked at her friend with questioning eyes.

"Abigail, did you-"

"Twice." Abigail nodded. "Once before Peter was born, very early on, didn't have any idea until I lost it. The second time, after Peter, it was...much later. Much harder."

"Oh Abigail!"

"I was already five months pregnant; they always say that once you've passed three months, you're probably safe...but I was five months, over halfway there, and I lost her." Abigail said, her voice trembling a little, though she never stopped working on her edge of the baby sized quilt. "It was a tiny, perfect little girl. We called her Alice. I think about her all the time."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know-"

"I don't ever talk about it." Abigail shrugged. "It's too sad."

"Abigail-"

"And after I lost Alice, the Doctor told me that I'd probably never be able to have another baby. Peter was it for me. But he was so perfect...And now, because of him, I've got Clara, and I love her as much as I ever could have loved a daughter of my own...And of course, now I have Becky, but she is quite seriously ill, still...I haven't gotten to visit her yet, but Cody writes her a letter every day, and we send her care packages... " Abigail said with a sigh. "Your sister is bound to be hurting, Elizabeth, but she will be able to recover from it, and move on to better, brighter days. After my miscarriages, I thought that the world had all but collapsed, but everything started to come together again, at least for a long time."

"Until the accident."

"Yes." Abigail nodded, and wiped away a tear. "Until the accident."

"Jack always tells me I'm strong, but I don't have half of the strength, or a quarter of the resilience that you have, Abigail." Elizabeth took her hand.

"Miss Abigail?" Cody called as he came into the room suddenly.

"What is it honey?" She asked, quickly brushing away another fallen tear.

"Are you crying, Miss Abigail?" Cody asked, stepping cautiously towards her.

"No- yes. But everything is alright. What do you need?"

"I was gonna ask if I could go play baseball with some of the other boys-"

"Oh, of course you can sweetheart!"

"But I'd rather stay with you." He set his ball aside, and sat at her feet, resting his cheek on her knee.

"You don't have to do that Cody, you should go play, and have fun!" Abigail said as she stroked his blonde hair.

"I'm not gonna have any fun if you're sad, Miss Abigail." He insisted, shaking his head. Abigail looked at Elizabeth, who was smiling fondly at the scene before her.

"Well, in that case, do you know what I think always makes everyone feel better?" Abigail asked, tipping his chin up. He shook his head. "Fresh. Baked. Gingersnaps!"

"With hot chocolate?"

"What else?" Abigail laughed. "I think, if Mrs. Thornton doesn't mind working on the baby blanket alone for a little while, you and I could whip up a batch of cookies, and when your friends are done with their game, you can bring them out to them. How does that sound?"

"Very good!" Cody grinned.

"Elizabeth?"

"Of course- I'd enjoy a gingersnap and coco!" She insisted, waving them away. Elizabeth watched as they walked hand and hand from the little sitting space to the kitchen. They laughed, and talked so easily together as they prepared a batch of cookies, and it made her heart feel warm.

"Hello?" Frank asked, poking his head through the door.

"Hello Pastor Frank! We're making cookies!" Cody said.

"I can see that!" He laughed. "I came to see if you two wanted to go fishing, but I can see that you're all busy."

"Well, why don't you stay and help us Pastor Frank?" Cody asked.

"If you want to, we'd love the company." Abigail said, smiling nervously.

"I'd love to; but I've gotta warn you, apart from fish, I've never been much good at cooking." He said as he rolled his sleeves up.

"That's alright." Abigail smiled. "I'm a very patient teacher; isn't that right Elizabeth?"

"She's the best." Elizabeth nodded, and looked back to her sewing for a moment before glancing back up to observe the trio. Abigail was so natural, and happy, standing there with them, occasionally flinging a little flour at Cody, who didn't hesitate to fling a little back. She even caught a few sweet moments between Frank and Cody, and, even rarer, a tender moment between Frank and Abigail. And Abigail had had dark times, Elizabeth knew, darker than any times she had ever known, thank God...and yet she could still smile. She was living proof of the "Brighter days" that she herself had spoken of.

AN: So it's a short chapter this time, and a little bit of insight to Abigail's personal life before Elizabeth ever made an appearance.

I've been looking at the photos that the cast has been posting from the set on Insta! Can't wait for the next season!