Heart of the Matter

by bbflabradors

This is a Jack and Elizabeth modern romance set in Chicago, Illinois. Jack is a cardiothoracic surgeon, and Elizabeth is a social services supervisor. But when they introduce themselves, things are not exactly what they seem. Will they get to the truth, and if they do, are they willing to put things aside and start over?

7. Chapter 7- I Feel So Broken

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."

Chapter 7- I Feel So Broken

Language Alert- Nothing I'm sure you haven't heard before, but just wanted to though this out there…you have been warned!

Recap of the Chapter 6 ending…

"Oh, thank God, Elizabeth; you're okay," her father yelled as he ran down the staircase, his voice barely heard above the multitude of other voices. "Where's Jack?" he asked.

Elizabeth's mouth opened, but she said nothing. She looked upward, catching his glance as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Lee, where's Jack?" Mr. Thatcher asked again.

"I don't know. I got the girls inside, but the bailiff won't let me back out," he responded. "When the gun went off, he ran toward it…"

Mr. Thatcher walked behind Elizabeth's wheelchair. Leaning down he spoke softly, "I'm sure he will be fine, but I need to get you to the courtroom."

As her tears continued to fall, she cried out, "I don't want to go. I need to find out if he's okay. It's my fault; I know it is…"

"Honey, we don't even know what happened. You're in here; you didn't start this. Please don't worry. It isn't your fault, and I'm sure Jack will be fine," her father attempted to reassure her. "I know that Lee will let us know once he hears something. But if I don't get you upstairs, and they call the case, you don't want him walking because you weren't there, do you?"

"Of course not, but Daddy, why did Jack have to go?"

"I don't know, honey, but I'm sure you'll get a chance to ask him," he responded as they headed toward the second-floor courtrooms with Rosie and Mrs. Thatcher close behind. Lee stood as close to the window as the bailiff would allow, watching…waiting for Jack.

With everything that had happened, Elizabeth forgot about her deal with Jack to walk into the courtroom. Sitting in her wheelchair near a bench in the hallway outside courtroom #2, the door remained locked, keeping everyone outside.

Mr. Galbraith was allowed out of the courtroom, but the bailiff immediately locked the door behind him, refusing even lawyers entry inside. As he stepped into the hallway, he glanced at Elizabeth. Seeing her somewhat distraught appearance, he motioned to Mr. Thatcher, who walked over, meeting him halfway.

Elizabeth tried to maneuver her wheelchair through the multitude of people standing nearby, but either they were unwilling to move, or were themselves unable to give her the room to slip by. She silently cursed those around her who were talking loudly, keeping her from hearing what her father and the prosecutor were discussing. Suddenly, it was as if the ceiling opened and all the noise, people's conversations, lawyers handling phone calls, police radios chattering, children squealing, and bailiff's voices attempting to gain order, flew upward into the sky.

The hallway became eerily quiet, and Elizabeth heard the words she dreaded and had prayed against, "He's dead."

Now on with our story…

"How?" Mr. Thatcher asked as he turned to glance in Elizabeth's direction.

"Mr. Stewart managed to take a gun from the deputy who was transporting him. I don't have all the details, and I won't until the police clear the scene. All I know at this time is that there was a gun battle, which I'm sure you heard. Multiple shots were fired. There are several injuries and unfortunately, one fatality. He died in the courtyard…"

Elizabeth observed Mr. Galbraith talking, and her father's horrified expression, but it was as if an explosion had occurred in her head, closing her ears, leaving her existing for the first time in her life, in a world of silence.

Her eyes widened as she struggled to get out of the wheelchair. As Elizabeth's feet hit the floor and she attempted to stand, she realized that many parts of her body were now fighting against her. She was apparently no longer breathing; her heart was pounding erratically; she was extremely lightheaded, and her arms and legs felt much like Jello.

She could see people running in the hallway, both passing by and knocking into her, their mouths opening and closing, obviously talking, and in some cases literally screaming, but she heard no sounds. It was as if the volume on her internal TV had been placed on mute.

Unable to read lips, Elizabeth went with the last words she heard…'He's dead…'"

"Elizabeth, sit back down…" Rosie rushed forward, thankfully catching Elizabeth as she passed out, collapsing into her seat.

Realizing that Elizabeth had fainted, Mr. Galbraith banged on the courtroom door, gathering the attention of a bailiff. He rushed to a first aid bag that's kept in the courtroom and grabbed the smelling salts. Returning to the hallway, the bailiff rushed toward Elizabeth as Mr. Galbraith pushed the crowd aside.

As the ammonia concoction was waved under her nose, Elizabeth woke quickly.

The frightened look on Elizabeth's face reminded Rosie of the first time they saw the movie "Nightmare on Elm Street." Elizabeth was so terrified by the lead character, Freddy Krueger, that she admitted, if only to Rosie, that she slept with her light on for months afterward.

"It's my fault, Rosie…" Elizabeth pulled Rosie close, and her tears continued as she immediately hung her head, looking completely defeated. "It's my fault; he'd be alive if it wasn't for me…"

Rosie swallowed hard, not knowing what had happened or what to say to comfort her best friend. The only thing she knew, based solely on Elizabeth's reaction, was that Jack was gone, and Lee was also going to be devastated.

Mr. Galbraith ushered Elizabeth, her parents, and Rosie into the courtroom before the bailiff locked the door again. Elizabeth hung to the arms of her wheelchair, feeling certain that if she did not do so, she'd simply slide out and onto the floor. Her parents slipped into the last pew as Rosie pushed the wheelchair to the edge of the row and then took her seat on the end, between Elizabeth and Mr. Thatcher.

Unaware that Elizabeth had heard the last crucial part of his conversation with Mr. Galbraith, and unsure what to say at that moment, Mr. Thatcher reached across Rosie's body and took hold of Elizabeth's hand. Assuming that she was simply experiencing a plethora of emotions pertaining to the incident, and the pending court hearing, he gave her hand a squeeze.

Observing tears rolling down her cheeks, he stood and asked Rosie to switch places with him. Once seated beside Elizabeth, he wiped her eyes, "Honey, it's going to be okay…you are going to be okay."

Her tears continued, "But daddy… Jack's..."

Just at that moment, the door located behind and to the left of the Judge's bench opened, and Jack walked into the courtroom.

"Hey…look," Rosie practically pushed Mr. Thatcher out of the way as she reached behind him to nudge Elizabeth's shoulder. Pointing toward the back door with her other hand she jumped up, "Look, he's okay…"

Jack was no longer wearing his suit coat, or his tie; his hair was tousled, and although his white dress shirt was missing it's left sleeve and noticeably splattered with blood, he still brought a smile to Elizabeth's face…a true sight for sore eyes.

"JACK," Elizabeth screamed, having forgotten where she was, and the appropriate library type 'silence' for her location.

He rushed through the gate separating the bench, jury box, and attorney tables from the main gallery and headed right for Elizabeth. Sitting back slightly to keep from transferring any of the blood onto her clothing, his fingers brushed away her tears.

"You're not dead…" she screamed into his chest. "I thought you were…" her words trailed off as her tears continued. Observing the bandage on his right arm, she gasped, "You're hurt…"

"It's nothing, a bullet grazed my arm. I'm fine…"

"But Jack…"

"It's over, Elizabeth…"

"Over…what do you mean?"

"Ethan…he's dead; he won't hurt you or anyone else ever again."

"Good," she responded flippantly before releasing a cleansing breath, sitting back deeply into the wheelchair, and wiping her eyes one final time.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned by her abrupt change in demeanor.

Without answering, she glanced at his shirt, "Is that his blood?"

Before he could respond, she added with a cold glare that he didn't believe he'd ever seen from her, "Please don't tell me that you tried to save him…"

Jack was so angry with Ethan, not only for what he'd done to Elizabeth, but to Gwen and likely countless other unknown women as well. Even knowing what he knew, he wanted to say that he would have watched him die without rendering aid if given the opportunity, which he wasn't. Unfortunately, he simply didn't know for sure.

He recalled the threat he made to the man he thought of as a monster while he lay in the emergency room following Elizabeth's recent attack. At that moment, he meant every single word, feeling as though the world, and Elizabeth, would be so much better off without him sucking air. Truth was, he would have done anything to protect her, but here into lay his dilemma…

The truth was, as a doctor, he took an oath to preserve life, so he wasn't sure what he would have done if Ethan hadn't already died before he was able to reach him. So, Jack simply stated, "He was shot multiple times, Elizabeth, and there wasn't much anyone could have done."

"Good, can we leave now?" she asked.

"I don't know, but I'll check," Jack stated as he approached Mr. Galbraith who was still talking with Elizabeth's father. "Excuse me…given the situation, is it possible for me to take Elizabeth back outside?"

Mr. Galbraith looked toward Elizabeth before returning his attention to Jack, "No, I'm sorry. The judge will be on the bench in a few minutes, and we have to formally end this matter."

"Okay, thank you…" Jack responded before returning to Elizabeth and advising that they needed to remain in the courtroom.

Elizabeth remained silent as she continued sitting in the wheelchair. The only parts of her body that moved were when her eyes blinked, her chest rose and fell with each breath, and her thumbs as they rotated around each other while her hands remained clasped and in her lap.

Nearly an hour later, the judge took the bench, and as quickly as everyone stood, they returned to their seats and were suddenly hushed.

The judge began, "Ladies and gentlemen, obviously given the events this morning and the investigation which needs to take place, anyone who has a hearing today will receive a continuance." Turning his attention to Mr. Galbraith, who had quickly returned to the prosecution's table, he asked, "Have you spoke to Ms. Thatcher?"

"She is aware, Your Honor…" he replied.

"Well, given that Ethan Stewart is now deceased, the issue of his guilt, the need to punish him if found guilty, and protect the public now becomes academic." Turning his attention to Mr. Galbraith, "Where is Ms. Thatcher…?"

"I'm here, Your Honor," Elizabeth responded as she started to stand.

"Please remain seated, Ms. Thatcher," he waited to continue until she returned to her seat. "Ma'am, I'm sorry that you won't get your day in court to face Mr. Stewart. This matter is dismissed, and I understand subsequent charges that were recently filed will also need to be dismissed, as well."

"Yes, Your Honor; our office will take care of that," Mr. Galbraith advised.

Taking in the fact that Elizabeth was in a wheelchair, and had a bandage on her forehead (Rosie had done a wonderful job hiding the other bruises with makeup) the judge continued, "Ms. Thatcher, since a person is considered innocent until proven guilty or convicted, Mr. Stewart died an innocent man. However, I want to thank you for standing up to him and giving the court process a chance to work. What is happening today should in no way nullify what you went through, or his responsibility for it. It simply means that he, through his own actions, took away the opportunity for his day in court. I wish you well in your recovery."

By process of elimination, and the fact that he was the only person wearing bloody clothing, the judge turned his attention to Jack, "Dr. Thornton…"

Jack stood, "Yes sir…"

"I want to thank you for what you did in the mess of everything outside. I understand that our deputy wouldn't have had the opportunity to make it to the hospital without your assistance. So, everyone here would like to extend a grateful, Thank-You!"

"You're welcome, sir. I'm glad that I could help."

"Court is adjourned, but anyone with a hearing today should wait outside for your continuance date," the judge stated before standing and heading for the door.

"All rise…" the bailiff called out, but the judge was already gone before everyone stood.

Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, Jack, Rosie, and Lee, who entered with the remainder of the courtroom audience, all stood. "Can we please get out of here?" Elizabeth asked.

Jack pushed her wheelchair out into the hallway, and they carefully navigated through the crowd until they reached the elevator.

Once outside in the fresh air, there were news and camera crews rushing about, searching for a story…searching for the story, and seeing Jack's bloody shirt only drew them to him like moths to a flame.

Jack was practically pushed away by the crowd of reporters and cameramen; questions being thrown at him fast and furiously. He answered no questions as he did his best to get through the crowd, but quickly realized that as he ran, so did they. Realizing that Elizabeth was out of harm's way, being pushed to the parking lot by her father, he stopped. Tossing his keys to Lee, he stated, "Look, I'll answer a few questions and then I'd like to be left alone."

The reporters thrust their microphones into his face as the rapid-fire questions began…

"What happened…?"

"Were you a party to Mr. Stewart's case…"

"We see you were injured; what happened…?"

"How many shots were fired…?"

"Did Mr. Stewart commit suicide…?"

"How did he get the gun…?"

"I understand that you applied a tourniquet to the deputy's leg using your tie. Is that true and if so, where did you learn that…?"

"Why did you run toward the gunfire…?"

Jack gave very quick and concise answers, and once he landed on the final question, he stated, "I'm a doctor, and I became one with the sole purpose of helping people. That's all I was trying to do. Now, if you'll excuse me…" he turned and sprinted toward the parking lot, leaving the reporters and the camera crews in his dust, and searching for another witness to interview.

By the time Jack reached the parking lot, Elizabeth was situated in the front passenger seat as Rosie and Lee stood by talking with her. Mr. Thatcher had placed the wheelchair into the back of Jack's vehicle, and he was helping his wife into the back seat.

"How is she?" Jack asked as he approached Mr. Thatcher.

"She hasn't spoken a word, so I'm not sure…" Glancing at Jack's bandaged left arm, Mr. Thatcher asked, "Your arm; tell me the truth; how bad is it?"

"It isn't bad at all, barely broke the skin. The paramedics went overboard with the bandage," Jack responded.

Taking in the injuries on both of Jack's arms, Mr. Thatcher pulled him away from the vehicle, "Look, I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you've done for Elizabeth." As tears filled his eyes, he continued, "Given what I know and how she looked when we arrived, there is no doubt in my mind that she wouldn't be with us now if it weren't for you."

"Mr. Thatcher, that's not…"

"Please, Jack, let me finish," Mr. Thatcher cut him off. "I know you are a surgeon, and your hands mean everything in your line of work. Do you need a specialist, because I'll call in the best in the country, and I'll cover the cost…"

Jack smiled. Not only was he appreciative of Mr. Thatcher's offer, but he silently chuckled at the fact that Elizabeth's father had no idea how well he was connected to the best in his field; Jack himself, being one of them. Mr. Thatcher was also unaware of how wealthy he was, a great portion of which had absolutely nothing to do with his life as a surgeon.

Although he made a wonderful living as head of the Cardiology Department, with an annual income of five (5) million plus dollars a year, he was actually a self-made billionaire, having developed a heart monitoring device while in medical school which was now used by hospitals, doctors offices and rescue squads all over the world.

He obtained several patents, and subsequently sold the rights to the device following his final year of school, quietly finding himself amongst the medical billionaire elite.

Jack never spoke of his discovery and his subsequent windfall, and with the exception of his mother and Lee, no one else in his circle of friends and acquaintances were none the wiser. He didn't throw his money around, well, unless you consider his bid for a date with Elizabeth to be a bit showy…preferring to quietly invest in causes and ventures that interested him.

Jack was a silent partner in Lee's club, but considered his contribution to be more of a gift instead of an investment. He and Lee argued each time Lee attempted to hand him a check. Instead of arguing further, and unbeknownst to Lee, Jack took each check provided to him from Lee and immediately deposited it into an interest-bearing account for Lee's future children.

For his mother, Jack paid off the mortgage on the home she'd shared with her husband, Jack's father…the same home in which they'd raised their children. He'd offered to buy her something in Florida where the climate was warmer, and where she could be closer to her sister, but she was adamant that Chicago was home. She told him over and over again how she wanted to be close by in order to spoil her grandchildren.

Returning his attention back to Mr. Thatcher, he stated, "Thank you for your concern, but I've had the original injury checked by a specialist at the hospital, and we both feel that it will heal with no problems. I'm able to use my hands without any issues, so I'll be fine."

"What about the bullet wound?" Mr. Thatcher asked.

"Really, it's nothing. It went through my jacket and just barely grazed my skin. I actually think it's more of a burn, but it will be fine as well. The bandaging makes it look worse than it is…"

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I am; it's nothing to concern yourself with…"

"Hey Jack," Rosie called out as she walked to the back of the vehicle, "Elizabeth is tired. Can we go back to my place?"

"Sure…"

Rosie's condo…

Jack helped Elizabeth inside and they all took a seat in the small, but comfortable den. No words were spoken, as everyone waited on Elizabeth to break the silence. However, she hadn't spoken since they'd left court, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. "What happened…?" she directed her question toward Jack.

"Why don't you get some rest, and we can discuss everything later," he replied.

"I don't want to rest. I want to know what happened…" her tone became angrier, feeling as though everyone was coddling her, "I need to know what happened."

"And I promise I'll tell you, but I think you've had a stressful day, and need to get some rest," Jack responded.

"Are you speaking as Jack, or as Dr. Thornton…?"

"Actually…both."

"Well, you're hurt Jack…again," she muttered the last word softly, barely audible. "You need to go to the hospital and get your arm checked out," her tone was stern as she seemed to be reprimanding him for appearing so lackadaisical with regard to this second injury to his arm.

She knew he'd told her that a bullet grazed his arm, but all she could see was a large bandage covering multiple layers of gauze pads, and she swore he flinched whenever the area was touched. "I'm more worried about you…" he replied.

"I'm fine, Jack. Please take care of your arm," she pleaded. "I'll never forgive myself if it causes you problems in taking care of your patients."

Rosie turned on the TV to provide some background noise. However, she quickly regretted that decision when it appeared that special coverage of the incident at the courthouse was being broadcast on all available channels.

Changing the channel multiple times, Rosie eventually pressed the power off button, hoping that Elizabeth was none the wiser.

"Please, turn it back on…" Elizabeth stated, assuming that this may be the only way to get the information her mind needed, but her family and friends somehow felt the need to keep from her.

"Honey," her father called out, "maybe you should rest. You can hear about all of this later."

"Daddy, I need to know what happened…Please, everyone, stop treating me like a baby!"

Lester Smith, the news anchor stated, "WMAQ has video of the incident which occurred at the courthouse this morning. Thankfully, videographer, Brian Cooper, had just arrived and was walking behind the Circuit Court building when an apparent altercation began between attorney Ethan Stewart, a defendant in a criminal matter, and Deputy Howard Newcomb. We'd like to warn our viewers that this video is both disturbing and unsettling, with language which may be offensive to some. We will give you a moment to change you channel if you so choose…"

"Don't anybody even think about it. I want to see what happened…" Elizabeth's voice snapped.

The screen went black for a moment, presumably giving queasy viewers the opportunity to change the channel. The video then opened showing Ethan, his arm around the neck of the deputy, holding a gun to his head as police and other deputies drew their weapons and took cover. The deputy's uniform pants were covered in blood.

The cameraman, hiding in the bushes, scanned the area, showing approximately ten law enforcement officers, while others continued to approach. He narrowed in on Ethan, who yelled, "I want to see that bitch, or he dies…" Ethan screamed, the offensive word was quickly bleeped by the station.

The police captain, in the area for a meeting, took control of the situation. Having worked with Ethan on other cases where he represented the defendant, the captain considered them be on friendly terms, and responded, "Ethan, you know I can't do that."

"Bring her to me. She caused all of this; it's her fault, and I'm going to handle it now…" clearly nervous, he shook the gun at the deputy's head. "Get her here. You have one minute before I start shooting."

The cameraman caught Jack running toward the scene which caused Elizabeth to gasp…

"Please Elizabeth, let's cut this off for now," Jack practically pleaded, knowing what had occurred and how it was likely to affect her.

"No, I want to see it…" she responded as her eyes never left the screen.

Catching a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, Ethan spun to the side, "Oh, the doctor's here. Hey Doc…who's holding the cards now, huh…? Looks like you don't get a say here. I'm in charge…"

As Jack attempted to move behind cover, Ethan fired a shot in Jack's direction which split the dirt not far from his feet, "Stay right there, Doc…" Ethan struggled to hold the deputy, who had been shot multiple times, upright. Looking back at Jack, he yelled, "You can bring her to me. I won't hurt her. I just want to tell her, I'm sorry."

"No one is bringing her to you. You can apologize in court," Jack yelled.

Turning his attention toward Elizabeth, he observed tears roll down her cheeks as her eyes widened, finding it hard to believe what was unfolding before her.

"You think you're better than me, don't you Doc. That you're more of a man than I am. That you can take her away from me," Ethan yelled. "These bitches (BLEEP) need to be shown who's boss. I'm not letting her get away with ruining everything. Why couldn't she have been like the others and just kept her mouth shut…?"

Waving the gun at the growing law enforcement crowd, Ethan yelled, "You know I'm gonna get to her no matter what you do. Just make it easy and bring her here."

"You know I'm not going to do that, Ethan…"

"BRING ELIZABETH (BLEEP) HERE. I WANT THAT BITCH (BLEEP) HERE…NOW, OR YOU CAN BOTH GO TO Hell," he screamed, clearly losing his patience. To make his point, Ethan fired another round in Jack's direction.

Jack had no time to react, but was fairly certain that he felt the air move as the bullet passed less than a foot from his head. But he stood firm, "I'm not bringing her to you, and no one else will do it either," Jack responded. "It's over, Ethan."

"It's not over until I say it's over…" Ethan yelled as he struggled with the deputy who was having more difficulty standing. "You don't mind dying for her…?" his question was yelled out to the crowd, but was meant specifically for Jack.

"I don't want to die, Ethan, but I don't think you do either. Give it up and let me get you some help…" psychiatry was not Jack's area of expertise, but it was quite evident that he was in need of a long-term psychiatric hospitalization.

"You're talking shit, Doc. Once you get your hands on me, I'm dead. Aren't I right…? Well, I've got news for you; I didn't do anything that she didn't want. She begged me; she likes it rough…"

Jack swallowed hard, trying desperately to moisten his desert dry throat as his respiration increased dramatically. He wished one of the officer's would just take a shot, take him out, and eliminate any other options. Unfortunately, everyone seemed to be standing down, awaiting their Commander's order. And yet, Ethan was the one doing most of the yelling.

As Ethan continued to ramble, most of which was vulgar, or indiscernible, Jack became more uneasy, angry, and tired of allowing him to disparage Elizabeth's good name. Unaware that the incident was being videotaped, Jack was thankful that the stations were bleeping out Elizabeth's name, hopefully providing her with some sense of anonymity.

"Ethan, I was there. I saw what you did. You beat her unconscious, and no, she did not ask for that. She didn't deserve that. No woman does," Jack yelled back, as he silently prayed for a safe outcome.

"This is your last chance, Doc. Bring her here or someone's gonna die, and it might as well be you."

Jack was out in the open, and couldn't move, so he held up his hands. "Look man, you're only making all of this worse. Give up the gun and let us help the deputy. You don't really want to kill anyone…"

Pointing the gun in Jack's direction, Ethan's voice was shaky, but then he began to laugh…a sinister sound, "Oh, but don't I…? If she had just been like the others, we wouldn't be here right now. But no, she thinks she's better than the others, stronger than the others, and all of a sudden, she wants to ruin my life. All of this, for a romp in the sack…" he started laughing, "she's not even good at it, so trust me, you won't want her either. All of this, everything is her fault, and she's going to pay. So, bring her here…"

Suddenly, the deputy seemingly lost consciousness and fell to the ground exposing Ethan. He started firing as Jack dropped to the ground, covering his head as bullets flew all around him. One bullet went through the sleeve of his suit jacket, thankfully entering and exiting, but still grazing his arm.

Once the bullets ceased, more yelling and chaos ensued. The cameraman was ordered to stop filming, his camera was confiscated, and he was immediately removed from the area. At that moment, the screen went dark.

"So, what happened after that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Honey, that was a lot to take in. I think you need some rest and Jack can tell you later," her father suggested.

"No daddy, I need to know now…"

Jack walked over and took a seat on the coffee table directly in front of Elizabeth. "There was a lot of screaming and people running around. It was complete chaos. Thankfully, the only person who was hurt badly, besides Ethan, was the deputy. There were a few sprained ankles when people fell as they ran for cover, and one other person, a lawyer was shot in the foot," he advised. "I identified myself as a cardiologist, and continued caring for the deputy, while the medic from the Sheriff's Department ran over and worked on Ethan."

"Did you help Ethan…?" Elizabeth asked the same question she'd presented to him when he returned to the courtroom.

"No. My energies went toward the deputy, and once I got him stable, the medic had already pronounced Ethan deceased."

"Jack, would you have helped him if the situation had been different?" she asked.

Not certain how she was expecting him to answer, he stated, "In all honesty, I don't know. I mean, I never told you, but I threatened to kill him when he was in the hospital if he came anywhere near you again…and at that moment, I meant every word I said. But…"

Elizabeth interrupted, "At that moment…? Things changed…?" she asked, but before he could answer, she continued, "So, you would have tried to save him…?" she asked, the expression on her face had him questioning the best way to answer her.

"Elizabeth, I promise you that I will always protect you, but if the situation had been different, I don't know that I could have refused to treat him," he observed a change in her expression.

Jack looked down at his hands as they held hers, "I'm a doctor, Elizabeth, and I swore an oath to do all I could to save lives. I don't think I have it in me to just kill him, although I wanted to…but if I had to in order to keep him from hurting you again, I would have," he explained further, hoping it would soften her harsh expression…it didn't.

"I'm exhausted; I'm going to lay down. Thank you for taking the time today to go with us. I do appreciate it. Please get your arm checked out…" As Elizabeth slowly walked toward the narrow hallway that would not support a wheelchair, she stopped, turned around, and glanced in Jack's direction.

"Maybe we'll see each other around," Elizabeth's voice was soft, weak sounding as she stepped toward her parents, and gave them each a hug before walking with Rosie down the hall to the guest bedroom, which would be hers until further arrangements were made.

Jack watched as Elizabeth disappeared into her bedroom, somehow feeling as though she was closing a door between them, and he didn't understand why. He didn't want to leave, but a call from the hospital took away his options and required his immediate attention.

"This is Dr. Thornton…"

"Hey Jack, it's Jeremy Adjardiacajian (Cardiologist). I know you're off, but I have a situation here, and well, how's your arm…?"

Assuming he was referencing the first injury, Jack replied, "No damage to it. I'm fine. What's up…?"

"Look, I have a patient here in need of a cardiac graft, and I broke two of my fingers on my left hand yesterday playing basketball with my kids. Are you able to come in and do the procedure?"

"Sure; I'll be there within the hour…" Jack replied before ending his call.

Although Jack and Elizabeth hadn't known each other long, there were times when he honestly felt as though they'd known each other forever. He naively felt as though at times he could tell what she was thinking or how she was feeling without any verbal communication. Unfortunately, right now was not one of those times. He suddenly realized…it was a false sense of security. The only thing he knew about her was that something was wrong, and it didn't appear as though she was planning to talk about it.

He felt her withdrawing, not from Rosie, Lee, or her parents, but from him, and him alone. He wondered if it was just that so much had happened in her life recently, the attacks, a new relationship, court, and the possibility of a new job, and as such, she was simply overwhelmed. Truthfully, he hoped that was what it was.

Jack explained that an emergency at the hospital required his attention, and he'd need to leave. He shook Mr. Thatcher's hand, who thanked him again for everything he'd done for Elizabeth since her attack, and Mrs. Thatcher opened her arms for a hug.

Held in Mrs. Thatcher's embrace, Jack listened as she softly spoke. "I don't know what will happen between you and Elizabeth; I know what I hope, but I want you to know that I like you, Jack. I think you are really good for her."

"Thank you. I don't mean to pry, but she seems like she's angry with me. Has she said anything to you?"

"No, but I would just let her get some sleep. So much has happened in her life recently. I'm sure she's overwhelmed," Mrs. Thatcher assured him.

"You're probably right…" he stated, although he wasn't so certain that he believed it was that simple.

"You are good for her, Jack. I do hope we see more of you…"

"Thank you; I appreciate that, and I hope to see more of you both, too. I want you to know, I do care about Elizabeth, and I'll be here to help her any way I can." Jack grabbed his damaged suit jacket and slipped it on, before removing it again when his hand went through the hole that was cut by the paramedic who bandaged his arm. "How long are you and Mr. Thatcher staying?" Jack asked.

"If I know Elizabeth, and I do, she's wanting to get back to normal, or as normal as she can be, so we'll play it by ear. If it were totally up to her, we'd be leaving for home now…"

"Well, if I don't see you before you leave, have a safe trip back. We'll keep an eye on her," Jack promised.

"I hope to see you again, Jack…" Mr. Thatcher said as he approached his wife, and they both walked Jack to the door.

While walking to the elevator, Jack couldn't help but wonder… 'I hope to see you again…' does that mean he's not so sure he will?

To Jack, the change in Elizabeth was crystal clear. Initially, she seemed to hold tight to him, but after the shooting, and especially following the news report, she withdrew. 'Did she withdraw from everyone, or just me?' he asked himself, and although he didn't like the answer, she had, seemingly returning him to the friend's zone… if even that close. 'Maybe we'll see each other around…?' Her comment coming across much like a question as it was repeated over and over again in his head. "MAYBE WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER AROUND? What the Hell was that supposed to mean?" his voice was loud as he continued to repeat her comment in the privacy of his vehicle, doing so for the entire trip back to the hospital.

Once his vehicle was parked, and he grabbed the wheelchair from the back, he closed off his 'personal mode' and returned to being 'Dr. Thornton, Head of Cardiology.'

"Hey Jack; thanks for coming in," Dr. 'A,' as Dr. Adjardiacajian was affectionately known by staff and his patients. Glancing at both of Jack's bandaged arms, he asked, "What happened; I thought you only had the one injury."

"It's a long story. Catch a cycle of the news, and you'll be up to date. But just so you know, I'm fine. The bandaging makes it look worse. This," he pointed to the recent injury on his left arm, "is really just a surface burn…nothing to worry about. This one," he lifted his right arm, has been checked by an orthopedic. It's stitched, but no damage to tendons or ligaments. It's all good, but if you'd rather have someone else do this, I won't be offended," Jack stated, hoping Dr. A would take the out so he could get back to Elizabeth.

"Nope, you are really my first and only choice. If you say you're okay, then I believe you're okay…" Dr. 'A' advised. "We're stabilizing him now, so I'm sorry if I wrecked any of your plans…"

"I'm just glad I was available," Jack responded.

Jack spent time prior to the surgery in his office, checking his phone periodically, hoping for a call or message from Elizabeth. There were neither.

He headed down to the operating room at midnight and settled in for what he knew would be at least three to six hours in surgery.

The patient, a 62-year-old truckdriver from Evanston, Illinois, had arrived via ambulance through the emergency room at Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he required coronary artery bypass graft surgery. During this procedure, the patient had blood vessels in both thighs and his right wrist removed to be used in the grafting procedure.

His breastbone was cut in half lengthwise, with both halves being spread apart to expose his heart. In order to sew the grafts into the very small coronary arteries, Jack needed to stop his patient's heart temporarily. Tubes were placed in his heart so blood could be pumped through his body by a heart-lung bypass machine.

Once the patient's blood was diverted into the bypass machine, Jack stopped the heart by injecting it with a cold solution. The grafts were then sewn in, one end of a section of vein over a tiny opening made in the aorta, and the other end over a tiny opening made in the coronary artery just below the blockage.

Three grafts were completed, and Jack meticulously checked the blood flow before removing the patient from the bypass machine, and awaited the start of his heart. Thankfully, the joyous 'thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump' sound was heard, and the heart began pumping blood through the patient's body without the use of electrical shock.

Once out of surgery, Jack spoke with the patient's family, carefully, respectfully, and thoughtfully answering each and every one of their questions before heading to a quiet place to write his report, and fill out necessary case information and orders in the patient's chart.

The remainder of the day was spent on hospital business, checking on his patients, including Dr. 'A's' post-surgical patient before being pulled into the ER for several cardiac consultations.

Finally finding time to sit down in peace and quiet, Jack headed to his office. He checked his watch (9:00pm), before grabbing his phone from his desk drawer and placing a call to Elizabeth.

"Hey, you've reached my phone. I can't answer right now, but feel free to leave a message or you can call me back later if you'd like. Take care and have a nice day… BEEP"!

"Hey Elizabeth, it's me…Jack. I had to come back to the hospital, and I've been in surgery. I just wanted to check in and see how you're feeling. I hope you were able to get some rest…" his voice somewhat faded as he uttered, 'you're an idiot, Jack. She needs rest and you probably woke her up.'

Jack took a breath, "Um, call me…"

Jack sat back in his desk chair, blew out a hard breath, told himself that he and Elizabeth would be fine, even though a nagging feeling told him otherwise, and he closed his eyes. He woke hours later; his head was resting on his bent arms which were being propped up on his desk by an open medical book he was perusing just prior to falling asleep.

He reached over, grabbed his phone, opened it and was visibly disappointed that a return call from Elizabeth didn't show on his screen. He checked the time on his wristwatch, 2:17am.

Obviously, it was too early or late, depending on how you viewed the time, to call Elizabeth to check in. Certainly, someone would have called him if she had experienced any problems, so, in that regard, no news had to be good news.

With a tightness in his back and a kink in his neck from sleeping slumped over on his desk, Jack walked into his suite, took a shower, and slipped into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before sliding under the covers of his bed. He was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw Elizabeth's disappointed expression, and heard her parting comment, "Maybe we'll see each other around…"

He rolled from one side of the bed to the other, and yet, even when he lay still, sleep eluded him. Time felt as though it were standing still. He remembered glancing at his watch…3:00am, 3:42am, 4:17am, 4:58am, 5:36am. However, through his restlessness, time did pass, and it was now 6:15am.

Jack sat up in bed staring at his phone for what seemed like forever. He was exhausted; the kind of exhausted he remembered being during his residency. He kept refreshing his phone, hoping that by some chance a message from Elizabeth would miraculously appear. It hadn't, and it didn't.

It was now 7:30am. Jack stepped into his bathroom, washed his face, slipped on fresh jeans and a button-down shirt that he kept in his closet, grabbed a clean, white lab coat, and headed for the floors housing his patients for morning rounds. Thankfully, the patient who underwent surgery was recovering well and would now be monitored by Dr. 'A,' his regular cardiologist. However, Jack wanted to make one final visit, planning to advise the patient that he was available if he had any questions, but that his care would return to his primary cardiologist.

Jack stepped into room #327 and found Dr. 'A,' discussing with his patient how fortunate he was to have been under the care of the very talented Dr. Thornton.

"Speak of the devil; here he is now…" Dr. 'A' stated as he approached Jack to shake his hand. "Thank you for coming in to take care of this. He looks great, thanks to you."

"Oh, you are welcome. I'm glad I could be of service," Jack replied. Turning his attention to the patient, Jack asked, "So, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Tired, but so much better than I did before…thank you."

"You're welcome. Well, I have another patient to check in with, so take care. You are in the very capable care of Dr. 'A,' but if you need anything, call me…"

"You know we will…" Dr. 'A' responded.

Jack left Dr. 'A' with his patient and headed to Marcus' room, pleasantly surprised to find him sitting in bed playing a card game with his foster siblings.

"WOW, you guys are here early," he acknowledged Marcus' foster mother and siblings.

"No school today, and they have doctor's appointments nearby, so we wanted to come check on Marcus on our way," his foster mother responded.

"Before Jack could open his mouth, she added, "Oh, the doctor's appointments are just for physicals; they aren't sick or anything."

"Well, that's good to hear. Are you ready for him to come home soon?" Jack asked.

Marcus' foster mother pulled out some paperwork from her purse, "Yes, the hospital social worker has made arrangements for any equipment I need, and has lined up his upcoming doctor's appointments and physical therapy sessions. She's been a blessing…"

Realizing that that's the type of intervention Elizabeth will provide in the hospital, Jack asked, "Who's you're social worker?"

"Leslie. She's a real sweetheart, but she's leaving. She's going out on maternity leave, and is planning to stay home with her baby."

'I didn't even know she was pregnant, but then again, we don't come across each other often. Maybe Elizabeth being here won't be so bad…' he thought.

Jack flipped through his chart, happy to see that his vital signs were still holding steady. Once his foster family kissed him goodbye and headed for their appointments, Jack took a seat by Marcus' bed.

"So, how do you feel about going home in a few days?" Jack asked.

"Really; you were serious? I'm not gonna die…?" the questions continued as Marcus' excitement escalated.

"What…? No, you are doing really well, and I think if you continue following doctor's orders, you are going to be fine."

"Yes, I want to go home," he stated. Jack's announcement put a broad smile on Marcus' face, but it just as quickly faded when he asked, "What's wrong with Ms. Thatcher?"

"Why would you think something is wrong?"

"Come on, Doc, I haven't seen her in over a week. She was checking in with me daily…she hasn't even called. Is she okay?"

Jack didn't want to tell Marcus' what had happened to Elizabeth; he was trying to keep from stressing him, but it was also not his story to tell, so he simply stated, "I know her parents are in town, so I think she's been busy with them."

"Well, when you see her, will you tell her that I miss her?" Marcus asked.

"I'll be sure to pass that along," Jack replied, but wasn't so certain that he'd actually be seeing her either.

He walked back to his office thankful that he surprisingly had no office appointments and could sneak out for a while before needing to be back for afternoon rounds.

"Stacey," Jack called out as he left his office, "I'm going out for a while. If you need me, call, okay…?"

"Sure thing. Enjoy this beautiful day," she called out as he walked into the hallway.

Turning back to his office, Jack popped his head in the door, "I'm going to do my best…"

As he headed for the hospital exit, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Elizabeth's number. The call connected and he listened as it rang twice before going to voicemail. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm going to find out," he stated under his breath as he walked toward the parking lot.

Jack's next call was to Lee. "Hey, how are you?" Jack asked but truly wasn't even listening for Lee's response.

"I'm stressing; I've got a bunch of deliveries that seem to be arriving at the same time."

"Oh, that's good. Hey, have you seen Elizabeth?" Jack asked, having paid no attention to what Lee had previously said.

"Yes, I stayed over last night in case they needed anything, and she seemed to be okay this morning. Why?" Lee replied.

"She's not returning my calls, and if I didn't know any better, I'd say she was sending me to voicemail."

"I'm not sure what to tell you, Jack. She's obviously still uncomfortable, but she was trying to do some walking around the apartment last night, she ate dinner, but she did go to bed early."

"Was she there this morning when you left?" Jack inquired, even more certain now than before that something was wrong.

"Where is she going to go, Jack…?"

"I know; I'm just trying to think of reasons why she hasn't called me back," he replied. "Have her parents visited?"

"From what Rosie told me, Elizabeth insisted that they return home. She said she was tired of people hovering over her, or something like that…"

"Has she said anything about me?" Jack asked.

"Not to me, but she knew you had to go back to the hospital, so maybe she didn't want to disturb you…"

"Maybe. Well, I'm on my way over to visit her, so maybe I can get her to tell me what's wrong."

"I think it's in your head, Jack. She seemed fine to me."

"Lee, she's not angry with you. I think I know why she's upset with me, but I just want to get it out in the open." Jack took a breath, "Is Rosie with her?"

"She was when I left, but she got called into the office. She may be back home by now."

An hour later, Jack was standing at Rosie's door carrying a grocery bag which contained a half-gallon of Elizabeth's favorite ice cream, mint chocolate chip. He knocked and quickly heard voices and shuffling inside.

The door opened, and the sight before him was not what, or who he expected. Jack's eyes met those of a man standing on the inside of the apartment. "Hey, you're Dr. Thornton, right? I'm Dr. Brewer… Anthony. I think we've met before." Stepping to the side, Anthony allowed Jack inside.

Turning his attention back to Elizabeth, Anthony walked back toward her. He knelt down and kissed her cheek, "It's great to see you. You had me worried."

"Sorry…"

"Look, when you're back on your feet, I'm taking you out to dinner. We have a lot to catch up on," he stated. Although he knew Elizabeth thought of him as a running buddy only, he glanced over at Jack, chuckling on the inside at Jack's clenched jaw.

The digging of Anthony's knife continued when he added, "Thanks for calling and letting me know what happened. I'm just sorry I wasn't there to help tear that asshole apart." Turning his attention to Jack, he added, "Well, at least he was already dead when you got to him, and you didn't have to kill him in front of all those cops…oh, and the camera guy."

"Jack wouldn't have done that…" Elizabeth responded, her voice sounded soft, much like she didn't want either of the men to hear her.

"It doesn't matter, I guess. The important thing is that you're okay, and he can't come after you again," Anthony replied.

"Thanks for checking up on me, and keeping me company," she stated.

Anthony kissed the top of her head and squeezed her shoulder as he passed her on his way to the door. "I'm off for the next three days. So, if you need anything, anything at all, you call me, okay?" he stated as he opened the door.

Jack watched as if he were outside looking in. His mouth opened and he blurted out, "Thanks for the offer, but I'm available to get her whatever she needs."

"Oh, of course; I didn't mean anything by it," Anthony responded. "Take care, Elizabeth. I'll see you soon."

Jack followed Anthony to the door, "Hey, what was that in there…?"

"What do you mean?" Anthony replied.

"Look, Elizabeth and I are seeing each other, and I'd appreciate it if you'd respect that," Jack's voice was low, and his tone was firm.

"Back off, Dr. Thornton. I'm just trying to be a friend to Elizabeth."

Jack released a hard breath as he slowly shook his head from side to side, "I know exactly what you were doing. Just keep in mind, I'm here, and I have no intention of walking away from Elizabeth."

"I'm her friend, and I'm not going anywhere either. I'd do anything for her…" Anthony stated as he stepped out into the hallway. Jack followed.

"I know what you're after, and if Elizabeth wanted to be with you, I wouldn't be here right now…she would have already chosen you."

"Look Dr. Thornton…Jack…"

"That's Dr. Thornton, to you…"

"Look Dr. Thornton, no need to get your hackles up. I'm just yanking your chain. I came by to check up on Elizabeth after I heard what happened. That's all. But know this, if you hurt her, I'll be here to pick up the pieces."

As the door closed, Jack walked back into the den and held up the bag of ice cream, "I picked you up some mint chocolate chip. Do you want some now, or later."

"Later, thank you…"

Jack took the ice cream into the kitchen and secured it in the freezer before returning to take a seat near Elizabeth. "Did I interrupt something between you two?"

"What, between me and Anthony…?"

"Yeah, you two looked rather chummy…"

"No, he would like there to be, but I'm not interested in being Anthony's 'flavor of the week…'"

"So, you called him to tell him what happened?" Jack asked.

"Well, no. He'd been calling me after he saw crime scene tape at my apartment. I just called him back."

"So, you can call him back, but not me?" Jack asked.

"It's not like that, Jack…are you jealous?"

"No, of course not," he quickly stated, but as the words passed through his lips, he knew that, in fact he was. It was another new feeling he was experiencing since having met Elizabeth. Only this one, he wasn't quite fond of. "Would you mind telling me what it's like then, because I'm getting the feeling that you're backing away from me, and I want to know why. What have I done?" he responded, but in his heart, he believed he already knew why.

"Jack…"

"Talk to me, Elizabeth. We've come so far, and I know we've only really begun dating, but I'm not ready to walk away. Are you?"

"Jack, it's not that sim…" Elizabeth began to respond, unable to finish when his phone rang.

Knowing he was on call, Jack put his finger up to stop her as he pulled his phone from his pocket, "Stacey…what's going on…?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, but Mr. Harrington's wife just called and he's on his way into the ER by ambulance. They think his pacemaker is malfunctioning…"

"I'm on my way…"

"I have to get back to the hospital," Jack advised. "But I'll be back later, and we're going to talk."

"Jack…"

"Elizabeth, this discussion isn't over," he stated. Jack couldn't remember a time, if ever, when he was this torn up over a woman, and he sadly left hoping that when he returned, they could work through whatever was wrong.

As the door closed, Elizabeth stood and slowly walked to the window. Although Jack looked much like a speck on the sidewalk, she was able to watch as he slipped into his vehicle and drove away.

She leaned her head against the windowpane, and wiped tears as they began to fall. Much like plucking petals from a daisy, she spoke… "I'm good enough for you; I'm not good enough for you; I'm good enough for you; I'm not good enough for you…"

Elizabeth walked slowly back to the sofa. Reaching for her journal, which Rosie courteously left for her on the coffee table, she sat back and held her leatherbound book close to her chest.

Flipping through the pages, Elizabeth glanced through her latest entries, several dealing with Ethan, and the most recent pertaining to Jack. Her heart pounded with each entry but for different reasons. For her Ethan entries, it was due to anxiety, fear, disappointment, and anger. The entries pertaining to Jack, however, brought about a different reaction. It was more like butterflies filling her stomach, fluttering, and leaving her with a feeling of longing, and desire. However, she didn't feel worthy of Jack, so she pushed those feelings aside.

She settled on the next blank page. She clicked her pen open, took a deep breath and prayed for just the right words to express her feelings, thoughts, and emotions…

"I don't profess to know a lot about relationships. You can't very well have experience if you've never truly experienced one. Dating is one thing, but a true relationship is on another level completely. The one thing I do know, they scare me. Why put yourself out there just for someone to hurt you; to treat you as if you mean less than a speck of dirt on the ground. You see, I've realized that people fall into one of three categories. They are either home, a holiday, or hell. I've been to Hell, and I've experienced those wanting to have holiday fun, but home…that one has somehow eluded me.

Why do people have to pretend to be one thing, only to blow you out of the water when their inner 'Boogey-man' appears. And then you find someone who knows your story; someone who seems to understand, and you realize that this time it's you…you are the one who is not good enough for them. The one time you find someone that you believe you could honestly open your heart to, someone who has literally fought tooth, nail, and crazy person, to save you; to be with you, and you realize that they deserve so much better than you. I now know what being out of someone's league really means, and it's more depressing than I ever imagined."

As she continued staring down at the paper, Rosie walked into the apartment, closing the door, and locking it for security. She walked down to Elizabeth's room, calling her name several times when she didn't find her, but her pleas went unanswered.

She stepped into the entryway, knowing that she had to be somewhere in the apartment. Glancing into the den, "Elizabeth…are you okay?" she asked, noticing that her best friend's cheek was leaning against the sofa as she cried. When she didn't respond, Rosie called out again, "Elizabeth…"

Jarred from her thoughts, Elizabeth quickly wiped her eyes, "Oh, hi, how was work?" She closed her journal and sat it back on the coffee table.

"I don't care about work; what's wrong?"

"Nothing…"

Rosie walked over, took Elizabeth's arm, and led her to the sofa where they both took a seat. "Do you need anything, like something to drink, or maybe your pain pill?"

"No, Anthony gave me my pain pill when he was here…"

"Oh, Anthony stopped by?" Rosie asked.

"Is that a problem?" Elizabeth asked. "I mean, we never talked about having visitors."

"Elizabeth, this is your place, too, for as long as you need to stay, and you can have anyone over that you want. Have a sleepover if you want, that's fine with me. Although, I think Jack would be upset if he weren't the one invited," she joked, hoping to elicit a smile. She didn't get one.

Seeing the lost look in Elizabeth's eyes, Rosie continued, "Okay, don't look at me like that. I know you aren't having a sleepover with Jack, but I'll bet he'd accept if the offer was made."

"Rosie, I like Jack…I mean, I really like him, but…" tears began falling down her cheeks again.

"Oh my, Elizabeth…what's wrong?"

"He's a good man. He deserves…"

"You, Elizabeth, he deserves…you."

"No; I'm not very good luck for Jack…"

"I don't think Jack sees it that way. Have you talked to him?"

"No, I can't…" she responded quickly. Then added, "He stopped by but got a call from the hospital and had to leave."

"Well, that should show you that he's not backing down."

"I don't know about that. He said he was coming back, but I guess we'll see if he does…"

"Well, you're going to have to talk to him and tell him how you feel, because he won't accept you just shutting down."

"I think he'll realize that we're just not suited for each other."

"Elizabeth, please don't push him away. That guy is crazy about you, and well, you just admitted that you're crazy about him, too," Rosie stated as she put her arm around Elizabeth's shoulder and gently pulled her close. "You're trying to make a problem where there isn't one."

"How can you say that? Jack is 34 years old; a famous doctor, and already the head of the cardiac department at a prestigious hospital. I'll bet you anything that in all of his dating years, he's never been out with a woman whose past almost got him killed…not once, but twice. Not to mention the fact that no ex of his former girlfriends injured him to the point that he nearly lost his career. All of that is on me…"

"It's not on you, and I'd bet he'd do it again to protect you," Rosie blurted out.

"But he shouldn't have to put himself in harm's way to be with me. There are other women out there, good women, who don't carry my kind of baggage."

"Maybe not, but he's the kind of guy who likes to protect those he cares about, and trust me, he cares about you. Oh hell, I'm just going to say it…Jack may not realize it himself, but that man is in love with you. So, whether you want to admit it or not, I do not believe for one minute that Jack wants any other woman. I see the way he looks at you, Elizabeth. It's the same look he gave you when you both met at the club. You both fell hard for each other that night. Don't lie because you know I can see right through you."

"Rosie, if that cut on his arm had been deeper, he could have lost his career…"

"Don't change the subject, Elizabeth. I know how bad the injury to his arm could have been. Right now, we're talking about how you feel about him. So, spill it…"

"I've already told you, Jack is a great guy, and really, any woman would be lucky to be with him. I know you say what happened isn't my fault, but you can't deny the fact that if we hadn't met, Jack wouldn't have been injured…"

"Oh, and you would possibly be dead. How is that for saying it like it is?"

"It's eye opening…" Elizabeth admitted.

"Elizabeth, surely you realize that we can't control a lot of what happens in life. I mean, Jack could be involved in a car accident that has nothing to do with you and suddenly his career is over. Please stop putting the responsibility of what happens to everyone on your shoulders."

"That's a little dramatic, don't you think. I'm not doing that, but the fact remains, Jack and I have barely connected and already he's been attacked and shot at, suffering an injury to his arm that could have been catastrophic…"

"Talk to him. Explain what you're feeling. He has a right to know," Rosie's voice sounded almost parental.

"It's not just the threat he's faced since being with me; it's that…oh, forget it…"

"No ma'am, I will most certainly not forget it. What are you talking about?"

"Rosie, I've never met a man like Jack before. He has such a good heart; he's a better person than I can ever hope to be. He needs someone who doesn't carry around such darkness."

"Who…you? Lady Darkness? Be serious, Elizabeth."

"I am. Rosie, if Ethan were standing in front of me right now, I wouldn't think twice before doing what I needed to do to kill him. Jack is different. He's a doctor and it isn't in him to take someone's life."

"Seriously? Elizabeth, no one would look differently at how you feel about Ethan. After what he put you through, he deserved worse than what he got, but you are not the Princess or Lady or Queen of Darkness. You're simply a woman who has been forced to fight for her life," she held Elizabeth's hands lowering her head, forcing her to maintain eye contact.

From what I've seen and learned of Jack, I think he is a very passionate man, and although he wouldn't think about ending someone's life without cause, at that moment, with Ethan trying to kill you, he would have done whatever was necessary and wouldn't have blinked as eye."

"The point is, I know he would have. He would have then had to deal with taking someone's life, and I'm not sure he could live with that."

"But you think he could live with standing by as Ethan killed you? Seriously…?"

Tears rolled down Elizabeth's cheeks, "When you say it like that, I do sound stupid, but Jack told me himself that he'd threatened Ethan in the hospital. The difference between us is that I could have gone through with it, and I don't think the same is true for Jack. Which don't get me wrong; he's a good man…a better person that I am." Elizabeth wiped her eyes with a tissue she pulled from the box that sat on the coffee table. "He doesn't need someone like me in his life. Jack is like the miracle unicorn, all goodness and light and everything that's great, and well, I'm the Grim Reaper, just waiting to knock someone off who gets in my way," Elizabeth's tears flowed even more than before.

Rosie stifled a laugh as she comprehended Elizabeth's characterization of her and Jack. Handing her a few more tissues, Rosie sat back and watched as Elizabeth carefully dabbed at the droplets that were beginning to sting her eyes.

"You know I love you, right?" Rosie asked as she took hold of Elizabeth's free hand.

"I do…"

"Well, Elizabeth, I'm going to say something to you that may hurt your feelings, but I'm afraid if your feelings fester, you're going to lose out on something wonderful in your life…"

"Please don't. I know you're happy with Lee and you want Jack and me to be together, but sometimes, things just don't work out. Besides, we both know that either Jack will leave because of what happened with Ethan, or he'll back away on his own when he finds out that I'm not going to sleep with him."

"Can't you give him more credit than that?"

"Rosie, you know as well as I do, guys want sex, and they expect it. If you aren't putting out, they either move on, or maybe stay with you, but get their needs met elsewhere. Neither scenario is what I want."

"That may be with the jerks you've encountered in the past, but…"

"Oh Rosie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply anything about Lee."

"Look, we know I lost my virginity in college, but I was never forced, coerced, or pressured. It was on my terms. I don't sleep around, so I'm no floozy."

"Rosie, I never said you were."

"Look Elizabeth, there are good guys out there. Yes, sure, you've got to look for them, and it's true, they are few and far between. But Lee is one of them, and as wonderfully as he talks about Jack, I just know he's one, too," Rosie responded.

Taking a breath, she continued before Elizabeth could interject, "Lee never pushed me into anything. We talked and he said that moving our relationship to another level was totally up to me. He never brought it up again. When we went out, he kissed me good night, and went home. Oh wait, there was the one night when I was sick with a flu bug, and he stayed over because he didn't want me to be alone. And Elizabeth, I laid on the sofa and he fixed me soup, brought me medicine, held my hair back as I puked my brains out, and sure that's not sexy or anything, but he was there, and he wanted to be there. So, don't assume that just because others have left, Jack will too. If what he has shown of himself so far, he does not intend to walk away."

"It's a nice thought. I'm just not sure how realistic it is."

"Okay, that's enough… Elizabeth, you are the best person I know. I love you with all my heart and whether you end up with Jack or not is between you two. WOW, I can't even believe I just said that."

"Neither can I. So, that's what you've been wanting to say to me?"

"Nope, not even close. You have gone through a major trauma in your life…well, actually two, and no one would ever blame you for wanting Ethan gone. I pray that the deputy who was shot recovers, but I'm not shedding any tears for what happened to Ethan."

"So, you're as dark as I am. Maybe that's why we get along so well."

"No, I'm not dark, and neither are you. We're realistic, and we're normal, with normal thoughts, and normal feelings. Look, if I saw Ethan on the street, I'd steer clear of course, but I couldn't just pull out a gun and shoot him. But if he were busting through my door to get in, I'd pop a cap in his ass faster than he could blink."

"Rosie…"

"Sorry, we had some rappers in the office this morning and I guess I paid more attention to them than I thought I did," Rosie admitted. "Anyway, you're right…Jack is a good man, and I don't believe that he would kill someone without a just and immediate cause, but don't think for one second that he wouldn't have done what was necessary to keep you safe, even if that meant killing Ethan. I mean, hasn't he already shown you that?"

Knowing what she'd been through before passing out, and what Jack did upon entering the room, she was thankful for his intervention, but the guilt that he had to do anything remained.

"So, you most definitely have a right to your feelings, and Ethan surely did enough to rattle your nerves and for you to want him dead. No one would blame you, but to say you are dark and are waiting to bump off anyone who gets in your way…Well, that's dramatic, and sounds like it would come from me, not you."

"Well, I guess I didn't mean it like that. It's just…" Elizabeth broke down crying as she dropped her head into her hands. "I'm scared."

**Knock, knock, knock…**

"I'll be right back," Rosie stated as she patted Elizabeth's arm before heading for the door.

As she opened the door, Jack stood nervously waiting in the hallway.

"Hey, I'm glad to see you," Rosie stated as she ushered him inside.

"Is something wrong; I mean, more than it was before…is she okay?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I mean, no, nothing's physically wrong…and she did mention that you were here earlier. I just have one question to ask you…" she stated as she glanced down the hall. Seeing the coast to be clear, she turned back toward Jack.

"What is it?"

"This may not be any of my business, but since we know that Elizabeth and I are best friends, it really is…anyway, are you really interested in Elizabeth, or are you just a Good Time Charlie…or in this case a Good Time Jack?"

"Excuse me…?"

"Jack, do you really like Elizabeth or are you just out for a good time?"

"I'm not sure where this is coming from, but," he held up his still stitched and bandaged arms, "dealing with Ethan has been a real picnic…not! What's going on?"

"I'm just looking out for Elizabeth."

"So, am I, Rosie, and I really think this talk should be between me and Elizabeth, don't you?"

"Well, yeah…sure. I'm just trying to save you a little time here."

"Rosie, what does that even mean?"

"Look Jack, Elizabeth is complex; and I'm sure nothing like the women you're used to dating."

"Well, that's very true, and I mean that in the best way possible. So, what is it that you're trying to say?"

"Okay, all I'm trying to say is this…if you really like her, don't let her push you away. She'll try. I don't think she really wants to, but it's a defense skill she's learned to keep from getting hurt."

"You're a little late with your advice."

"Oh, what do you mean?" Rosie asked.

"When I was here earlier, I knew something was wrong. I've sensed that she's pulling away from me. I just didn't know why."

"She thinks she knows best, but she's just scared, that's all…"

"So, she thinks it's best if she pushes me away before I walk away…not that I'm walking anywhere. And to answer your question, Elizabeth is very important to me."

"Well, in that case, fight for what you want, Jack. If it's Elizabeth you want, she's so worth the effort. Unfortunately, there are times she just doesn't think so…especially because of all this Ethan stuff."

"Thank you for letting me know," Jack stated as he took a breath…a look of determination on his face.

A moment later, Jack walked into the den in front of Rosie who stated, "I'll leave you two alone to talk."

Jack took a seat on the sofa near Elizabeth. "What's wrong?" he reached out and took hold of her hand, pressing two fingers of his other hand to her wrist.

"Seriously, you're taking my pulse again…?"

"Maybe…" he stated as he checked his watch. "I just worry about you."

"Jack, you don't need to worry about me…"

"But I do; sorry, I can't help it." Satisfied that her pulse, although slightly elevated, was within a normal range, he put her hand in his, and brought it to his lips. "Are you willing to talk to me now?"

"How is your patient?" she asked, obviously interested, and concerned.

"He's fine. Just a slight malfunction with his pacemaker. We reprogrammed it and now it works like a charm," he explained. Jack looked down at their joined hands, took a breath and looked back up into her eyes, "So, talk to me, babe…"

His term of endearment, spoken softly and with enormous feeling, slipped through his lips without a second thought. He never remembered using 'cutesy' names like Sweetheart, Honey, Angel, Cupcake, Precious, Sugar or Babe for any other woman he'd previously dated. Maybe it was because they weren't together long enough to make it feel natural. But then again, he and Elizabeth had barely started dating and yet it somehow felt appropriate, and much like second nature to him…even if his insides told him they were in a precarious situation.

Even while trapped in her 'dark side' moment, for Elizabeth, hearing him call her 'Babe' in a gravelly and sensuous voice sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach, and a smile to her face. As quickly as the warm and fuzzy feelings flushed through her, they were gone when he continued…

"You're angry with me, and I think I know why…" He began before she interrupted him.

"What…you think I'm angry with you?"

"Yeah, what else could it be?"

"It's me, Jack…it's not you."

"Elizabeth, are you breaking up with me before we've really gotten started?"

Before Elizabeth could respond, Rosie yelled out from down the hall, "I'm going to the club to see Lee. Will you guys play nice?"

Jack and Elizabeth turned in the direction of Rosie's voice, but she didn't materialize.

Elizabeth responded, "You don't need to leave on our account."

"Are you going to talk?" Rosie asked.

"Yes…" Elizabeth called back.

"And play nice?" Rosie added.

"Yes, mom…" Elizabeth called out as she shook her head.

"Okay, I'm leaving. I've got my bag, so I may not be back tonight. Are you on call, Jack?"

"No…" he responded.

"Okay, so if Elizabeth needs anything…"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her," Jack replied.

"I'm not an invalid, you guys," Elizabeth moved in her seat, seemingly uncomfortable.

Paying no mind to her best friend, Rosie responded to Jack, "Okay thanks." A blur, presumably Rosie's body, practically ran across the opening of the den, "I'm not looking…as you were," and out the door she went before Jack and Elizabeth could blink an eye.

Jack turned to Elizabeth, "What did she mean about playing nice?"

"You know Rosie…"

"Not as well as you do; that's why I was asking," he responded. He waited on her to start the conversation, and when she didn't, he began, "I need to apologize to you…"

"Apologize to me, for what?"

"Elizabeth, when I heard you screaming and ran into your apartment that night, I could have killed Ethan." Jack's eyes met hers; his anger seemed to pair with her building tears.

He raised his hand and his thumb brushed across her cheek as her tears continued to fall. "My first thought was putting space between you two, doing my best to keep you safe. Then, somehow, I guess I knocked him out and the police arrived. They took him into custody, and he wasn't a threat to you…at least not at that time."

In his mind, Jack saw her beaten, battered, and practically naked body, and he felt his own tears burning against his eyes, doing his best to will them away. "Elizabeth, I wanted to kill him, and I threatened to do just that if he ever came near you again."

"I know that, Jack, and if I haven't thanked you enough for what you did, please let me do so now…Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"You don't have to thank me, Elizabeth, but I know you're upset with me, and I feel you pulling away, and to know that I've hurt you is killing me."

"Jack, what are you talking about? It's me; I'm the problem here."

"Elizabeth, I saw the look of disgust on your face when you asked me if I had helped Ethan after he'd been shot. I know the fact that I'm a doctor and I would have helped to save him if I'd been there in time, has made you feel, I don't know…differently about me."

Elizabeth opened her mouth, but closed it without speaking when he quickly continued.

"You're upset with me because I didn't do more…I don't know, maybe if I'd killed him the night of the attack, none of the other stuff would have happened and the deputy wouldn't be fighting for his life."

"Please stop right there," she blurted out.

"Elizabeth, you're withdrawing from me; I feel it. I don't like it, and I just want to know what we can…no, what I can do to make things right between us again?"

With shaking hands, Elizabeth reached out to Jack, "I truly believe that I'm alive because of what you did that night. None of this is on you…it's me. This is all on me!"

"No, you have that wrong. None of this is your fault, Elizabeth…" he responded as he pulled her hands up to his lips.

"That's what Rosie keeps saying, but when I see all the damage that's been done, it's hard to believe that."

"Well, I'm glad you've had her to talk to," Jack stated as he scooted even closer to Elizabeth on the sofa. "If you aren't upset with me, will you talk to me; what's wrong?"

Elizabeth realized that Jack would either stay or walk away, and refusing to tell him how she felt was doing a disservice to the relationship they'd both agreed to start. However, she couldn't bear to speak the truth, so she gave him an explanation that she thought he would accept.

"Look Jack," as she started, her eyes again began to water, and the tears rolled down her cheeks. Trying again, she took a deep breath, "Look Jack, you are a really nice guy, but…"

"Are you giving me the brush off?"

"Yes; I mean, 'no,' I'm just trying to be honest."

"Do you not want to see me?"

"No, yes, I mean, stop, you're confusing me. Look, Jack, when I first met you and we got to know each other a little better, I thought maybe I was ready to try a relationship. But I'm just not. Too much stuff has happened, and I…I appreciate everything you've done, but we…us," her fingers moved between the two of them, "this just isn't going to work…"

At that very moment, Jack felt as though his heart had stopped. He reached over and took her hand, and possibly it was her way of letting him down gently, but she didn't pull away. He felt the warmth pass between them when their skin touched. and as her fingers wrapped around his hand, he knew she really didn't want to let him go.

Elizabeth finally pulled her hand away, "I'm sure we'll see each other since Rosie and Lee are together, but I want you to know that I wish you…"

"Don't you dare tell me that you wish me well. Don't you dare say that this is not going to work between us, and if that's honestly how you feel, at least give me the truth, and tell me why," Jack responded as he felt himself becoming angry.

"I just told you why, Jack…I'm not ready for a relationship."

"You may believe the words you're spewing, but I don't. Try again…I'll wait…" Jack sat back; his arms crossed against his chest.

"Jack you're making this more difficult than it needs to be."

"You're damn right, I am. Elizabeth, if you don't want to see me, that's one thing…but I felt your hand just now as your fingers wrapped around mine, and I know there's something else. So, why can't you just be honest with me?"

"Okay, you want honesty…here it is. All I know is that since we met, your life has been in turmoil, because of me. You don't need someone like me in your life…"

"Elizabeth, I don't want someone like you…I want you."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and lowered her head before releasing a hard breath. "I just feel so broken…"

"Elizabeth…E-liz-a-beth, look at me." When she finally lifted her head, he responded, "You aren't broken. You are literally one of the strongest women I have ever known," Jack's thumbs gingerly brushed away the tears before his arm around her shoulders carefully pulled her close. "I care a lot about you, Elizabeth. Maybe it's too much, too soon…not for me it isn't, but if I'm rushing you, I'll try to reel it in a bit." Seeing tears rolling non-stop down her cheeks, he suddenly felt that possibly it was the conversation that was too much, too soon, so, he offered, "Maybe you should rest, and we can talk more about this later."

"No, I need to get this off my chest…" she stated realizing that he wasn't going to settle for her passive push away. "Look, I've been nothing but trouble for you since we met. You came very close to having an injury so severe that you could have lost your career, not to mention this last incident where you could have been killed. That's all because of me."

"No Elizabeth. That's because of Ethan."

"And Ethan was around because of me…"

"Elizabeth, no one can be responsible for the actions of another person. Ethan made his choices. You asked him to leave, and he chose not to. He chose to hit you, and he chose to come back and attempt to finish what he'd started," Jack clenched his fist as his tone became more emotional, and he fought back his own tears.

Elizabeth's head lowered as her glance met the floor. Jack's fingers under her chin lifted her head upward until her eyes met his, "I do not regret what I did to protect you, and if I hadn't knocked him out and he was still a threat, I would have done whatever was necessary to keep you safe…including killing him."

"But Jack…"

"There are no 'buts,' Elizabeth…"

"Jack, there's something wrong with me."

"What are you talking about; I've seen your medical records; you just need time to heal…"

"No, mentally Jack. I wanted Ethan dead. I mean, even now if he were still alive, I think I could kill him. I know that sounds stupid, but it scares me."

"Elizabeth, it's fight or flight, and you are simply in the fight mode. No one can blame you for how you feel. The man was a monster, and he's right where he needs to be. Not only you, but any other woman who crossed him is now safe as well."

Elizabeth looked downward as her teeth gently bit her lower lip. Taking a deep breath, she tried a sure-fire excuse to give him the chance to walk away, "Jack, no mother wants her son to be with a woman like me…someone who brings danger at every turn. She's going to want you to be with…well, not me, that's for sure."

Jack laughed, "Oh, so now you think you can push me away by using my mom? Well, let me tell you about my mom. She is strong, and resilient, and she raised two boys on her own after my dad died. She loves hard and with everything she has, but one thing she doesn't get a say in is my relationships."

"So, she wouldn't tell you to drop me even if she felt that way?"

"Oh no, she'd tell me; she just understands that I don't have to listen."

"But Jack, she's your mom. You don't want someone in your life that she doesn't approve of; someone who can't be involved in family gatherings because of how she feels about them," Elizabeth responded as her tears kept falling. "I won't be that woman who pits you against your mom."

Jack smiled and turned to face her. His hands cradled her face as his thumbs brushed away more of her tears as they continued to fall. "I've already spoken to my mom…"

"Oh no, you have. I'm sorry, Jack. I know she's worried, and upset and angry, and I'm so sorry…"

"Well, things have been busy with the whole Ethan scenario, and hospital business, so I hadn't called her. Let's just say, she was waiting for me at the hospital when I went back for Dr. 'A's' surgery." Jack laughed nervously, "Nothing like opening your office door to see your mom sitting in a chair, waiting for you."

"I'll bet; I'm sorry you had to deal with that. You shouldn't have had to. That's all on me."

"Stop it, Elizabeth. I don't want to hear you putting this on yourself. It is not your fault. The blame falls solely on Ethan."

"Thank you, but I'm just sorry that you had to face your mom alone…it couldn't have been a pleasant conversation."

"Let's just say that I try to talk to my mom a couple times a week, and I do my best to get by to see her at least once every few weeks. With work, it isn't always doable, but she understands. I talked with her after I met you and she knew what I'd done about giving you my wrong information. She saw how I lit up when I mentioned you, and let's just say, she reamed me out for not being honest with you. When I finally found you again, and we went out, I told her…"

"What, what did you tell her?"

His eyes watered and he could feel the tears stinging as they threatened to spill over, a burning sensation he only remembered experiencing once before when his father passed away. "I told her that she was right. She told me a few years ago that one day, the woman of my dreams would enter my life when I least expected it, and I would be enough. This woman wouldn't be interested in Jack, the doctor, or Jack, the guy who could afford to buy her whatever she wanted. This woman wouldn't want to be with me simply because she perceived me as being her way into certain social circles. She said that this woman would want to be with me, simply because she was interested in me, Jack…just…Jack."

He took a deep breath, and wiped his eyes before taking hold of both of her hands. "Elizabeth, I know that woman is you. I knew it the night I met you. I knew it when you put me in my place for assuming you thought that 'mechanic Jack' would somehow be less of a man than 'Doctor Jack.'

Tears seemed never ending as they continuing staining her cheeks, "I liked 'mechanic Jack,' but whether you know it or not, I really like 'Just Jack…'" Elizabeth reached for a tissue to dab at her eyes, "But Jack, how can your mom get passed what's happened; I mean, to most moms, I'd be viewed as tampered goods, certainly bad luck."

"Honey, you are my good luck charm…"

Glancing at both of his arms, each one displaying bandages from his altercations with Ethan, she replied, "Somehow the visual here is not saying the same thing."

He pulled her hands up to his lips, "Look, I didn't tell my mom everything about Ethan, because it's your story to tell when and if you want to. I did, however, tell her that he had attacked you and you had pressed changes."

"That's okay. I mean, it's going to come out now anyway. She'll find out everything soon enough," her eyes swept downward, focusing in on the point where their two hands joined.

Jack released one of her hands as his fingers under her chin lifted her gaze upward. Focusing in on her watery, but still beautiful crystal blue eyes, he replied, "She told me that if I truly cared about you, and she could tell that I did…I do, she said that I needed to protect you. I needed to show you that there are good men out there in this world, and not all of them will treat you like Ethan."

"Your mom sounds like a wise woman, but still Jack, no mother wants to see their child in danger."

"With all the news channels carrying the coverage of what happened, let's just say, she saw it and was burning up my phone. So, when I didn't immediately get back to her, she came to my office and waited."

"Well then, I'm sure she was upset, and you can understand why we have to go our separate ways…"

Jack leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "No, no I don't. My mom was upset, of course, what mother wouldn't have been when she saw what transpired on the news. But do you want to know what the first thing out of her mouth was?"

"I'm not sure I do, but I'm assuming it was something like 'I'm glad you helped her, but please, get rid of that girl.'"

He chuckled, "Nope. After she made sure we were both okay, she said, "I'm so glad that you were there to protect her. I can't wait to meet the woman who has stolen your heart…"

Elizabeth broke down as her arms went around Jack's neck and she burrowed her face in his chest, her tears dampening his shirt. "Jack, how can you still want to be with me after everything that has happened?"

Jack held her face in his hands; his thumbs gently stroked across her cheeks as he continued to wipe away the tears that fell. "How can I not? Elizabeth, my life changed on that night I met you at the club. It was you; it was because of you. I saw my future clearer at that moment than I had in years. I saw what I want for my life. I saw the family and dreams that I never thought I'd have, but it was right in front of me. Elizabeth, it's you…you were right in front of me."

He pulled her into his chest and held her as they both cried. "I was so afraid that I had lost you," he pulled back and as his fingers lifted her chin, their eyes met. "If you don't want to see me, if you don't…feel anything, that's one thing, but I won't let you make a decision for me to end this based on something you think I should or should not feel."

Jack took a breath before continuing, "I have never felt this way about any other woman before in my life." He wanted to add that he loved her, but was afraid that those words would send her running, so he held them inside. Jack leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to her willing lips. "I care about you Elizabeth…I care about you a lot, and I'm not going anywhere. So, can you sit here right now, and tell me that you don't want to see me again?" he asked, his heart pounded as he awaited her answer.

"Jack…"

"Please, Elizabeth…just be honest with me."

"No, I don't want to walk away, and I don't want you to either. I care about you, too, Jack."

"Good." Jack held her close to his body, each one certain that the other could feel their heart pounding through their chest and clothing.

Leaning back slightly, Elizabeth asked, "Um, since we're on this honesty train, would you tell me why you don't want me working at the hospital?"

To be continued…