40. Tears

It had been storming like crazy outside and Elizabeth Lillian and Henry seemed to be a bit at odds.

"Libby!" Elizabeth called, whistling for her golden retriever. "Libby here girl!"

"Liz!" Called Henry, approaching the house.

"Hey, have you seen Liberty?"

"I saw her in the barn earlier."

"You were in the barn?"

"Yes."

Elizabeth thought for a moment, "did you leave the door open."

"I don't think so." He thought, "maybe I did?" He said embarrassed.

Elizabeth held the expression of 'not impressed' on her face, "she hates thunder, she runs away if the doors aren't kept shut."

"Elizabeth I am so sorry."

"She's probably at the old mines!" Elizabeth called back getting a flashlight out of the house.

"I'll go get her."

"No, there's a storm comin' it bess' you get home."

"Elizabeth Lillian I am perfectly capable of going to the mines to get a dog."

"Henry—"

"I'll be back before you know it!" He said walking off.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and shook her head, "well, you're not going alone!" She yelled grabbing another flashlight, as she stepped off the porch steps the sky roared and rain came down extremely heavy.

—————

The abandoned Swellview Mines... Henry and Elizabeth walked into the mines soaked, "looks like someone's been here before." Henry said as he noticed a place for a fire.

"Some people come in here for shelter every once and a while but they usually clear out by dawn."

"Well there's no point in freezing to death." Henry said, sitting in front of the circle of rocks and started rubbing two sticks together.

"What are you doing?"

"Starting a fire. I saw a show on camping and this is how it's done." He said, continuing to rub two sticks together.

"You know I have matches in the truck."

Henry suddenly stopped, "why didn't you tell me?" He said irritated.

"It's fun to watch you try."

"Will you go get them please?" Henry asked, Elizabeth shook her head and walked out into the rain while he threw the sticks down embarrassed on what just happened.

Once Elizabeth Lillian got the fire started the parents to be sat in front of it in silence, "that should be good for a while." Henry said, noticing the fire.

"Mother Nature rarely plays by anyone else's rules." Stated Elizabeth, "she can be quite stubborn and strong headed."

"Like someone else I know."

Elizabeth looked at him, "you used to like that about me."

"I still do."

"Why are you doing this?" Elizabeth sighed, shaking his head

"Doing what?"

"Pulling away from me!"

"Pulling away from you!? What makes you say that!?"

"Because ever since my father's funeral and I told you that I'm going to keep the baby, you've been slowly but surely distancing yourself!"

"It's because I've been thinking..."

Elizabeth looked away as she let out a sigh of disbelief and fresh tears filled her eyes,

"You and I are different people with different aspirations" Henry continued, "and I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to be with someone like you"

Elizabeth looked at him confusedly, "what do you mean?"

"Your Dad's death, and the baby has had me thinking about us--about you. All the things that have happened since you moved here, makes me start to think about what you said, about how Marines and marriage don't mix. Because you're right. I keep thinking, what happened to your father, could happen to you. And I'm not sure if I could handle that."

Elizabeth looked at him with glossy eyes and her brows furrowed.

"Elizabeth, don't you see what I'm trying to say?" Asked Henry, "I'm afraid of losing you. I'm afraid you're gonna die." He said, voice cracking.

Elizabeth looked away from his face and stared at the fire, "no one knows what the future is going to hold, all I know is what I feel for you. The question is what do you feel for me?" Asked Elizabeth.

Henry looked at her,

Elizabeth scooted over and placed a hand on his cheek, "I love you Henry Hart." Elizabeth said, it was the first time she ever said that to a boy she dated. Her heart seemed to stop when he didn't say anything.

"I love you too." He placed his hand on her face and they shared a passionate kiss.

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They later then found Liberty and returned to their homes, 

Elizabeth had been holding in her emotions for SO long, and she was SO afraid to show them, she believed that crying would make her look weak. She was also afraid that it would make her look vulnerable.

But when she got home that night, the town was asleep and so was the house, she started hearing voices in her head again, but then she couldn't take it anymore, she finally cracked, she began to cry.

And it wasn't a silent cry no matter how hard she tried, thankfully everyone else were sound sleepers. Briar Rose then walked into the room, she was trained to not be a sound sleeper. She pulled her daughter up from her laying position and rested her head on her shoulder, rocked her back and forth and let her cry. Briar Rose was upset about everything that's happened, but she smiled as Elizabeth cried, so relieved that she was crying again.

Elizabeth cried over everything, the death of her Uncle Joesph, nearly dying on multiple occasions, over combat, Abigail's death, April 5, 2015, Daniel's death, her pregnancy, her father's death, Henry, the constant pain she feels throughout her body physically and mentally.