Jack put down the phone, as he noticed the doctors walking out the room. As soon as he entered her room, he noticed the three sisters deep in conversation, them hanging around Elizabeth's beside. He didn't want to interrupt. But he knew he and Elizabeth desperately needed to have this conversation.

Viola and Julie, exchanging a muffled smile as their eyes shifted between Jack and Elizabeth before excusing themselves. Jack waved to little Jonathan who playfully wiggled his hand at Jack.

Elizabeth watched this unfold from her bed, eyes watering. But as soon as Jack turned back to her, she blinked a couple of times, clearing her eyes and watched him as he walked towards her bedside and sat in the chair next to it. She glanced into his gray eyes, searching. So did he.

An awkward moment filled the room.

"Jack"

"Elizabeth"

They both started at the same time. They let out a chuckle. They gazed into their other eyes. Gazes that were reserved for two loved ones looking at each other. Not friends, not siblings, but someone who you want to wake up next to every morning.

Moments turned into minutes. All of a sudden Jack leaned in, Elizabeth felt the air around her warming, her cheeks blushing into a blossoming shade of red.

"You've got-"

Jack said, bringing his hand to her hair, pulling out a brown leaf. He threw it to the side. Elizabeth knew what she wanted. She shifted in bed, uncomfortably but was able to shift leaving space next to her, which Jack immediately took.

Jack wrapped an arm around her as she shifted to Jack's side, as Jack's arms held her tightly against him. She felt tears pooling up inside of her, remembering the hurt and the pain Jack went through because of her. She immediately pulled away

"Jack, why are you here….After all this-"

"Because I love you. I always have. I always will"

Jack had a official tone to his voice, leaving Elizabeth speechless, and pondering thoughts of this wonderful man in front of her.

Elizabeth kept her mouth shut, leaving her unfinished sentence in the air giving Jack the space to continue

"I am not saying what you did is ok, but I know….how much I need you"

Jack noted her eyes reddening, the tears filling up her eyes.

"I need you too. So much. The past few months made me realize, that I can't seem to be alright, unless you're there. "

Elizabeth says, her voice cracking.

"I need you so much, especially through all this time… and It hurts, what I did to you"

She continued. Another awkward pause. Jack shifted, pulling Elizabeth back into his chest

"May I ask, why? Why did you leave? Why couldn't you ask for help, from me or for Abigail"

Jack felt his heartbeat racing, he was speaking gently and as calmly as possible, but more hurriedly and louder than from the start. He shut his eyes, shook his head once, releasing the emotions before looking down at Elizabeth, who was looking up at him, her blue ocean eyes cascading not so happy tears, which rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Jack….I shouldn't have…left….But I had a feeling that these people who my parents made a deal with…I knew they were going to Hope Valley. I just didn't want things to be more complicated than it is, and I just got scared…Because I knew after all this, my reputation would be smeared….And if yours, or Abigails or the towns reputation would have the same fate as mine…that would be too much for me…"'

Jack took this all in. He shifted his gaze from her to glancing around the room, noticing the dusty gray wall. The pale cream bed sheets which tucked Elizabeth tightly against the bed. He couldn't help but notice how nimble she felt in his arms. That caused a further ache in his heart, knowing that she hasn't been taking care of herself the past two months.

He distracted himself by noticing the slight dirt, on the windows, outside reflection having hints of gray. He took a deep breath in, the aroma of the bedsheets, and Elizabeth's perfume blew into his nose and he looked down at Elizabeth, noticing her blue eyes, now clear looking up into his.

She leaned up. He leaned down. Gentle press against each other's lips. Their hearts beating hard against each other. All of a sudden, Jack was on top, Elizabeth underneath him, as she pulled the blankets over their bodies, their tongues intertwining in between their lips. He gently bit down on Elizabeth's bottom lips, but soothed it with his tongue, as she let out a noise from the back of her throat.

Elizabeth brought her hips up, and let out a noise, making Jack pull Elizabeth's body closer to hers. He felt his red serge being pushed down his shoulders, as he moved his lips down Elizabeth's neck.

Their breathing echoed against each other's ears. Jack pulled her legs around his waist, and started rocking. He immediately stopped by a clatter from the floor above. Their lips broke apart. Jack gently pushed Elizabeth back against her bed, pressing a hard kiss against her lips. His tongue explored the roof of her mouth, before breaking apart. Their foreheads drenched with sweat. Her hands on his now bare chest, his shirt and serge lay strewn on the floor.

Shifting his hands, he felt soft skin, and continued to caress it under his arms.

Jack realized how smooth her legs felt under his arms. He had a strange urge inside of him to move them up. But knew this wasn't the place or the time. He rolled off her, pulling her sleeves up her shoulder and pulling down her dress. He stood up next to her in bed, buttoning his shirt, and pulling his Jacket over his shoulders buttoning it as well.

He turned to search for a mirror

"Jack, Wait!"

Elizabeth said, shrieking out.

He turned, concern etched on his face.

Elizabeth felt her cheeks turn pink under the twinkling lights of the hospital room, before mumbling in a voice, loud of enough for Jack to hardly hear

"Your zipper…."

Jack's eyes shot up, and immediately zipped up his pants. He didn't realize how fast things went cascaded. He turned back to the mirror, hoping Elizabeth didn't catch his pink cheeks or pink ears.

As soon as he fixed his hair, he turned back to Elizabeth, using his fingers to brush the strands of hair which fell across the sides of her face. His fingers naturally moved down to her neck, to the sleeves on her shoulder. To her racing heart. Elizabeth gulped. She should stop, and knew that somewhere inside Jack, he knew he needed to stop.

All of a sudden they were both in a trance they couldn't shake out off. His fingers pulled at the edge of the collar of her dress, the v shape in between her breasts being enunciated. When the door opened, the laughter of two girls filled the room. Jack stopped and shifted two steps backwards as the two other Thatcher sisters made their presence in the room.

Laughter stopped, as mischievous grins plastered across their faces. Their eyes pull out the intimate intensity between Jack and Elizabeth. Julie let out a small giggle noticing Elizabeth's frizzled hair and rosy cheeks which was neat and tidy 20 minutes ago.

Back in Hope Valley

"Mom!"

Abigail turned and the grin on her face grew as her 10 year old son ran up to her, his golden hair shimmering against the golden sun, the gleam brightening his hair.

"Is it true? Robert said that Ms Thatcher is coming back to teach us!"

His normal deep voice, now went two notes higher, and she couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at his enthusiasm.

"Yes Cody, that is true, Ms Thatcher is coming back!"

"Yay! Thanks Mom!"

He said before running behind to catch up with his friends.