Elizabeth was shaking so much, she sat down, placed her hands on the edge of the couch and tried to control her breathing. Two hours passed. Perfect time. The last stagecoach would arrive in about 30 minutes. She grabbed the letters from the coffee table and stepped out into the cool fresh air, the sharpness of the air slapping across her face, making her eyes throb even more, after the tears which had fallen down. Elizabeth walked down her stairs and placed the letters in Rosemary and Lee's small box placed outside the door, in the corner next to where Red roses bloomed, which were filled with letters for Rosemary's newspaper. She laid them down, spacing them out showed that the other letters needed to be delivered to Jack & Abigail.

She carefully took her bag, holding it by the handle, and with her other hand closed the door to her shut, leaving the key in the keyhole. She turned back, taking the freshness of the air of hope valley. The walk took a long time, and she was forced to speed up when she saw the stagecoach arriving at the stand. She closed her eyes and wanted to feel and to smell the air of Hope valley for the last time. She gave her bag to the person on top and turned back at Hope Valley, emotions bubbling up inside her, tears filling up her eyes, before stepping into the stagecoach, shutting the door, leaving out the fresh cool air of hope valley. Elizabeth kept her hands on her lap and kept her gaze stuck outside the window as the stagecoach left hope valley.

6 hours later

"Alright, so Ms D, I wish you all the best in your future in hope valley"

Elizabeth says handing a thick file with papers and automatically got off her seat and left the teachers department. Tears streaming down her eyes, everything seeming so unreal. She went to the train station, but was stopped by a hair salon. She decided she would change her hair when she went to Hamilton.

Back in Hope Valley.

Word was spread around. Jack was lost. Elizabeth left him. One person he thought would never leave him, left. His heart shattered in broken pieces. Jack's heart was always fragile, after his father died. Jack was in denial. He kept thinking, something was wrong with Elizabeth. Her future was not written by herself. Did something happen? Why couldn't she trust me?

Abigail felt almost the same pain when she lost Peter. Elizabeth definitely helped her heal, Elizabeth was almost like a daughter to her. She felt protective of her. Now she had left hope valley. What was she going to do now? She was chopping carrots, when she heard a voice beside her that made her shaken out of her daze

"She wrote to you as well, didn't she?"

Abigail looked up and saw Jack, dressed in his uniform. But his slightly swollen and red eyes showed that Jack was controlling tears. All Abigail could do was nod. All of a sudden Florence bursted into the cafe, into the kitchen

"Constable, Mrs Stanton, is it true? Ms Thatcher left?"

They both nodded at her.

"We need a teacher for the kids, where are we going to find-"

"Florence, Elizabeth said that she would ensure a good teacher would come here in the next few days, hopefully before the week starts"

Florence hesitated, wanting to say something else, but just turned on her heels and went straight back to her table.

"What are we going to do, Jack?"

Abigail says, whispering.

"Take it one day at a time"

Jack says as Abigail handed him a cup of hot coffee. Jack nods at her, his face plain and grim and he took his seat, eyes gazed out the window, glancing around the town of Hope Valley.

At Hamilton.

Everyone was eating dinner. Asking for her. She was in her room, unable to face anyone. Her father made her leave everything because of a mistake they made. Purposely or accidentally. Who cares? Elizabeth isn't in hope valley. A plate of untouched food lay on the floor. There was a knock on the door, and the red made her blink, as she swore she saw Jack.

"Elizabeth, don't you want to eat?"

Julie's comforting voice sounds like a haze. Elizabeth looks down on her sheets, her eyes throbbing from crying. All she could do was shake her head. Julie sat on the bed, and Elizabeth lay her head on her lap, as Julie started stroking her brown locks, which fell down the sides of her red flushed cheeks, comforting her. All this did was force the tears that were bubbling in Elizabeth's eyes to fall down her cheeks even more, as she let out an uncontrollable cry from the back of her throat.

Julie felt Elizabeth's body's slow down, and she looked down at her, Elizabeth's cheeks drenched but her breath stabilized and eyes were shut closed, face emotionless. Julie took this as a sign, and gently removed Elizabeth from her lap and placed her head on the pillow. She gently pulled the golden blanket with the white frames to wrap her slim body, and placed a gentle kiss on Elizabeth's temple before walking away.

Julie grabbed the plates filled with food and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

"How is she?"

Julie looked up at her mom, in her nightgown wrapped in a purple silk robe which flowed to the floor. Julie always thought her mom looked pretty. But the last few weeks has been catching up to her, and her beauty is still there, but she's aged and tired, spots under her eyes, and small specks of white hair growing from her hairline. Julie just shrugged

"She was able to cry herself to sleep"

She glanced back at her mom who looked defeated and miserable when she mentioned that. Her mom was always beautiful, with her wavy auburn hair flowing down her silk dresses. Her skin glowing, crinkles rarely recognised. But the past few weeks has taken a turn on her. Her mother would always be beautiful to her, but she could see the wrinkles more obvious, hair frizzy, small white hair growing from her scalp, her sparkly blue eyes that glimmered with happiness, drooped down. Not even a slight glimmer of hope shone in her eyes.

Wearing a simple robe, Mrs Thatcher walked into Elizabeth's room and found her tucked in neatly to one side of the bed. She blew out the candle on Elizabeth's bedside table before closing her door and heading to her room.

The next morning

The morning sun gleamed through the white curtains, it's light flashing into Elizabeth's bed. Elizabeth's eyelids slowly open, her blue eyes searching the room. She let out a small wince as the numb sensation made her eyes droopy and she could feel its soreness making it want to shut her eyelids. She Carefully pushed herself out of bed, when suddenly she heard the door to the living room slam.

Hearing voices, getting louder, she wrapped her glossy purple robe around her slim body, ensuring it covered her body before tying the seams around her waist. She gently brought her fingers to her freshly cut hair, its waves waving to just top of her shoulders. She couldn't help but imagine what Jack would say at her 'new look'. He would wear that look on her face which made her feel so loved and would feel the blush creep up her entire body. She broke herself from her mirror, wiped the water droplet which formed under her blue eyes, as her brain took her into a world which she doesn't think is possible to live in anymore, a fantasy dream and headed to the living room.

Two men, in black glossy suits, their white ties proving their formality. Elizabeth felt fear creeping up, her brain staggering as she took a shaky seat on the bright shiny couch in between her mom and her dad, their solemn faces contrasting against the bright fancy couch with patterns on its clothing.

"Well, Ms Thatcher, are you sure you want to do this? The forest is pretty dangerous out there…"

Elizabeth nervously looked around and nodded, and then she added, looking up at the man with suits, and light brown hair, their faces having spots of recently shaved marks behind

"Doing this will get their money back for certain?"

She said, unable to control her shaky voice, and nodded to her parents. The two men with dark brown suits, their gray friendly eyes changed glances, and glanced back at the Thatchers and nodded. One of the taller men, then took out a white cloth from inside of their suit. Slowly started unwrapping the thin piece of string, which held its contents as the cloth loosened. They started unfolding the white cloth, as the glossy brown L shaped gun made its presence. The man placed it gently on the brown wooden coffee table in front of them. Elizabeth felt her eyes dropping down at it, her heartbeat racing with fear, and hesitantly she carefully stretched forward, and wrapped her bony fingers around the tip, and placed it in the small pocket at the corner of her dark purple coat.