37. Navy Serge

It has been almost a week since the death of Jack Thornton who tragically died in a landslide at the age of 39. He left behind a wife to raise 5 kids and a future grandchild. A sixteen-year-old daughter who was with child, a 10-year-old son, two seven-year-old daughters, and an almost four-month-old son. Briar was left to raise these children alone while balancing a full-time job.

The house wasn't the same anymore. It felt empty, and the family wasn't the same, their crazy hilarious moments were gone, and all of the music seemed to stop, and everyone was wearing dark and or bleak colors.

Friday, August 12, 2016... Then the phone started to ring. "Hello?" Elizabeth said into the phone.

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"Hello, I'm calling from the Green Bay Military Hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin. May I ask who is on the line?"

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"I'm Sergeant Elizabeth Lillian Thornton."

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"So you're the Sergeant Majors' daughter?"

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"Yes, I am."

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"It turns out that there was another Jack Thornton in the mountains that day at the sight where he was presumed dead." Elizabeth's breath stopped, "would you mind coming to confirm that this man is your father?"

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"Yes!" She replied quickly, "yes of course!"

"We recommend that you dress in your dress blues."

"Okay, thank you! I'll see you as soon as I can." And then she hung up the phone.

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Later that day... When Henry came over to the house he saw Elizabeth in her formal military uniform.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm heading over to Green Bay." She stated, making sure her hair was in the sock bun that was required.

"Wait, the doctor's appointment is today!? I thought it was in two weeks!" He said, pulling out his phone.

"No, Henry." She said laughing at his reaction, "that's not why I'm going to Green Bay."

"Then why are you?"

She looked around to make sure no one else was here, "they think that there's a small chance my dad could still be alive." Henry's mouth dropped open, "they want me to go to Green Bay to confirm."

"I'm going with you." Was the first thing Henry said.

"Henry," Elizabeth whined.

"No, listen!" He said taking her hands, "I don't want anything bad to happen to you or our baby, and things are a little emotional right now, your dad died, I get it. But that doesn't mean you have to face it alone." He said interlocking eyes with her.

"You are so nice to me that it kills me," Elizabeth stated plainly.

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Green Bay Military Hospital (hospice wing)... A woman in uniform led Elizabeth and Henry to a room, Elizabeth walked in, but the woman put her arm up preventing Henry from entering, "standard protocol, just the Sergeant please." Henry looked at her and then to Elizabeth Lillian.

"I'll be okay." She reassured him.

Henry nodded and stayed outside the room, the door closed, the nurse stood by the door, and a man stood by the head of the bed.

Elizabeth could tell just by the shape under the white sheet that this sadly might be her father. "Just let us know when you're ready." Stated the nurse.

Elizabeth nodded, "do it, I'm ready." The man nodded and when she saw the body she let in a sharp shaky breath, "could you guys give me a minute." Elizabeth asked, her voice cracking.

The man looked at the nurse and she nodded, "sure thing Sergeant." Stated the nurse as the man walked out of the room, she placed a hand on Elizabeth Lillian's shoulder, "take as long as you need." And with that, the woman left.

Elizabeth walked over towards the head of the bed and looked down at the man, his face was beaten and smeared with dirt, mud, and blood. And what killed Elizabeth, even more, was that the man's eyes were wide open. She cupped the man's face in her hands and looked into his eyes, the same sapphire blue as hers "please God. Let it just be another blue-eyed man." She prayed under her breath. She looked and saw the same scar on his neck. She moved her hands to the side of his mouth, she pushed her hands to make the man smile, and when she saw those dimples, she knew who that man was. She began to choke back sobs, "what happened to you?" She said whispering while shaking her head, "there are so many people to fight for this country why did it have to be you!?" Tears began to dampen her eyelashes and she still couldn't believe that she hadn't cried yet, the only thing that's happened is her eyes well up. She brushed his hair out of his face with her hands giving it that famous cowlick style that he always did. Then she kissed his cheek and some of the tears went onto his face that made it look like he was crying with her. "I love you, Daddy," Elizabeth whispered above his face. She wiped her tears from his face and smiled, "Thank you for being my Daddy, I wouldn't dare ask anyone else to be my Daddy, no one could do it as well as you did." She brushed her hand over his face, closing his sapphire blue eyes once and for all. And brought the blanket over his head. Said a quick prayer and dabbed her eyes with a tissue she got with her magic. She walked towards the door, took a deep breath, and left the room.

When she walked into the waiting room the nurse and Henry stood up. Elizabeth lowered her eyes and nodded, "it's him." She said, her voice barely audible. "That is Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Jack Thomas Thornton." She said more clearly, "my father." Henry closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Thank you, Sergeant Thornton, for coming." Elizabeth nodded. Henry handed her her change of clothes and she went to the restroom and changed before their hour car ride.

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Later in the parking lot... When they got to their car Henry stopped Elizabeth from getting in, and he turned to face her, It was a bit awkward when they had their heart to hearts standing because Elizabeth Lillian was so much shorter than Henry. He was almost six foot while Elizabeth was 5'3. Henry found it so amusing that her parents were tall but she was so short. But according to her family, she still hasn't had her 'Thornton Growth Spurt' yet. So they were both still growing,

"Elizabeth," Henry stated with his hands on her biceps, "are you okay?"

"I'm always okay."

"FOR REAL, Elizabeth. Are you actually okay?"

She kissed him, "I'm fine."

"You know you don't have to put on a brave face for me, it's okay." Elizabeth rolled in her lips and squeezed her eyes shut, Henry smirked, "I'm so nice to you it kills you?"

"Mmm-hmmm," Elizabeth said nodding her head.

Henry started laughing, "come here!" He said wrapping her in a hug, "you know, you're getting pretty good at this hugging thing."

"Tpht," Elizabeth said smiling.

"Any milestones yet?" He said, asking about the pregnancy.

"I can feel the baby move now."

Henry smiled, "that's nice. What's it feel like?"

"Like little butterflies flying around, but in a good way, not the nervous kind." Henry's smile grew even bigger.

"Okay, Miss.Marines I think it's time we get going."

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40 minutes later... Henry was driving and Elizabeth was in the passenger's seat. As she looked out of her window everything started to crash down on her, she's in the Marine Corps, Abigail Isabelle died, Daniel died, she moved away from her childhood home, her mom had another baby, she's sixteen and pregnant, and her Dad has also died.

It all came at her so fast that it was so overwhelming. It's already been a year since her siblings had died and about a week since her dad she kept thinking of what she saw in her mirror before she left to confirm her Father's death. She kept thinking of the time when her parents left when she was three and other times.

Just a lost little girl in a big world, who didn't matter. A little girl who cried herself to sleep each night because she wanted her parents so bad, and could NEVER understand why they would leave, and why they practically gave her up when they did. There was always a small part of her that felt like she was a waste of space.

Her eyes became watery again and her breathing became shaky, and her shoulders quivered a bit too. She didn't know whether it was the pregnancy or the overwhelming thought of everything that was happening, so she decided to blame it on both.

This didn't go unnoticed by Henry, when he noticed this, he pulled into a gas station, he got out of the car and walked towards Elizabeth's side, opened the door, which was her cue to get out, he closed the door, and pulled her against his body, he embraced her tightly and she did the same, she cried into his shoulder while he moved his hand up and down her back soothingly.

So? Are you a Henizabeth shipper yet? Are you on team boy or team girl? The gender will be revealed in the blue section unless I've told you my plans then you already know, in that case, keep your lip buttoned! You know who you are! Anyway, Jack is dead and he isn't coming back—except possibly in ghost form like Daniel did.