Look past the warning signs

The same ones that told me

"Yeah, you just turn back and run

Play it safe before you come undone"

- "Where I Belong" by Simple Plan and State Champs ft We The Kings

"What's in your heart?"

She hadn't been able to answer the question then. Months later, and she still couldn't answer it.

What did it say about her that she couldn't figure out her own heart?

Oh, she knew that both Lucas and Nathan had an interest in her. She was pretty sure the whole town knew that. The question was, how did she feel about them?

So far, Elizabeth had simply been trying to stay friends. She did genuinely care about the both of them. She enjoyed their company.

The just friends guise was easy with Lucas. Even after their trip to Union City. As much as she had enjoyed hearing Virginia Wolf speak, the dinner, and being in the city again. It was a reminder of the life she had enjoyed growing up. However, she knew she would have enjoyed it just as much if it had been Julie or Rosemary with her instead of Lucas. She hadn't felt anything special like she had when she had done things with Jack.

Like she did when she spent time with Nathan.

Maybe it wasn't that she didn't know her own heart as much as she was afraid to listen to her heart. The simple truth was, loving Nathan meant opening herself up to the fear of the dangers of his job. The fear of losing him like she had Jack.

She wasn't sure she wanted to go through that again. Perhaps it would have been better if he had taken the promotion at Christmas time.

Except that Ally had been so miserable at the thought of leaving. The girl had made connections here with the other girls, especially Emily and Opal. Even Nathan, though he tried to stay on the edges of things, had made connections here. She considered him a friend, as she knew Bill and Lee did as well.

But could Nathan be more than a friend?

Elizabeth had a feeling that if they could both get past their fears, that was a very strong possibility.

So maybe the question wasn't what was in her heart but whether she was brave enough to accept what was in her heart.