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Author's Chapter Notes:
Again so sorry about delay, have been rushed off my feet. Will try get ending posted soon!

Please review, makes me go faster.
Chapter 36: Getting There.

“Riley? Riley is that you; are you there?”

Willow looked at William and could see that his heart was breaking. He had waited day and night by this girl’s side, sure of her feelings for him, and now here she was, wide awake and shattering his heart.

Kneeling down, Willow took hold of Elizabeth’s hand, forcing her to look at the red head. “Elizabeth!”

Standing up, William ran his hands through his hair and went and stood by the window with his back to the distraught girl. However no matter how much he refused to look at her, he couldn’t block out her voice calling endlessly for her ex-fiancé.

“Riley, if you are there I have to tell you something.”

Willow pleaded with her to calm down, that she had only just woken up from a coma, that all this could wait, but Elizabeth paid her no heed, she was too worked up to understand anything like where she was, or who was around her. Closing her eyes to shield them against the bright lights she continued.

“Listen Riley. I know you love me; I have never had any doubt in that. Although it pains me to do this to you, it is something that I must do; you see I can’t marry you Riley. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us to go through with it.” Suddenly William spun round again to look at her. It felt like his heart had lept into his throat.

“See Riley, the thing is, I am in love with someone else. My heart belongs to William.”

As William looked at the woman he loved who was confessing her love for him, his mouth formed a silent ‘oh’.

Elizabeth carried on her little monologue, oblivious to the people in the room, “I’ve known for a while now Riley, but I didn’t want to admit it to anyone, and I certainly couldn’t admit it to myself. I thought I could put aside my feelings and marry you so that it would help the rest of my family. But I can’t. I have messed things up so badly, and now I have lost the only person I have ever loved.” Tears started to well out of her closed eyes. “And now all I want is him here with me now.”

Rushing forward William dropped to his knees beside the bed. Willow stepped back to give the pair some room. Holding her hand tightly, William spoke softly, “Oh I am here baby; I am here.”

Slowly she opened her teary eyes, “William?”

“It’s me princess.” As he kissed her forehead, the two lovers cried tears of well needed joy at being back together.

Looking at Willow, William told her to go and inform the rest of the Summers and to call the doctor.

As Willow ran from the room, William and Elizabeth looked at each other and all their questions disappeared for the moment.

***
Over the next four days, all questions about royal linage, marriages, money and Drusilla were suspended, as efforts were made to get Elizabeth back on her feet.

The whole household was overcome with relief; it was as though a black cloud had been lifted from over them.

Slowly but surely everyone became more confident that, no matter what she had been through, Elizabeth would make a full and startling recovery.

On the fifth day, Elizabeth was out of the bed that she had inhabited for the last three weeks. She started by just wandering around her bedroom while she had had some time alone.

However never one for staying in the same place, she had soon gotten bored of it and, with her stomach rumbling loud enough to wake a giant, had decided to venture out of her room.

With bare feet and wearing only a nightgown, Elizabeth slipped into the lavish hallway. As she looked around her, this place she had seen a million times, that had become engrained on her mind, suddenly made her feel very self conscious as she stood out here alone

Spying the concealed doorway to the servants’ quarters, Elizabeth headed over to it. She figured the best way to get by unseen down to the kitchens, was to go the way she knew best.

***
Opening the door into the kitchen, Elizabeth was hit by the wave of heat; she had forgotten just how warm this room could get with the stove burning away in the corner.

As she looked around she was surprised to see that everything seemed to be exactly as it had been the day that she had been dismissed. The only difference was that there didn’t seem to be as much meat hanging up, but Elizabeth just realised that was probably as there were less mouths to feed now. Willow had told Elizabeth about the losses in the household the day before, yet she still found it hard to comprehend. How could William own all this now? Could Liam and Darla really no longer be here? It all just boggled her mind. She was still under the impression that William was now married as no one had thought to inform her otherwise.

As Elizabeth stepped further into the kitchen, Maggie spoke to her without turning around from the stove, exactly as she had done on Elizabeth’s first night here.

“I guess your stomach finally called you down.”

“Hello Maggie.”

Turning round Maggie looked at her with a smile on her face. “Hello. Would you like something to eat?”

“Please,” Taking the same seat at the table that she had always sat at, Elizabeth sank into the chair and readily accepted the bowl of soup that Maggie offered.

“How are you feeling today?”

“Ok miss, to say that I have been asleep the last few weeks. I can’t believe that so much has changed. I was sorry to hear about Larry, miss.”

“Nothing is constant, you know that well.”

“Yes.” Falling quiet Elizabeth mused over how many changes her life had seen.

Suddenly the silence was broken as Willow came into the room. “Oh hello! What are you doing out of your room missy?”

Hiding a smile, Elizabeth looked at her best friend with an innocent look on her face. “What, me?”

Seating herself next to Elizabeth, Willow couldn’t hold back the giggle that surfaced. Soon it was as though the two girls had spent no time apart, they were talking again about everything that had been going on. As Maggie got back to making the evening meal with Tara’s help, the two girls there left to talk in private.

“Well then, are you going to tell me all about this engagement? I can’t believe you only mentioned it on passing two days ago and then leave me hanging. I need details!”

“Ok. Ok! What do you want to know?” Willow asked.

“Everything!” Elizabeth couldn’t help smiling; her best friend was so shy, “How did he propose?”

“Oh gosh, you should have been there, it was so romantic. I was in the barn, I have to admit I wasn’t really in the mood for seeing anyone. Anyway he found me there. We talked for ages. It was really relaxing and lovely. Made me feel all calm again. Then when we were leaving, he, oh Elizabeth, he got down on one knee. It was the most romantic thing I have veer experienced. He said he never wanted to lose me and that I would make him the happiest man alive!”

“Oz really said all that? I can’t imagine him saying more than one word.”

Willow smiled; it was a smile that Elizabeth could tell showed how much she was in love. “He actually talks a lot more than you might think! Oh Elizabeth I love him so much!”

“Oh Will you sound so happy.”

“Oh I am, I really, really am.” Leaning over she hugged her best friend so tight that Elizabeth found it hard to breath.

“Oh ok, oxygen becoming a problem!”

“Oh sorry,” Quickly she let going looking guilty. “Umm Elizabeth, I have something to ask you. I was wondering, would you consider being my bridesmaid? It would mean so much to me if you said yes.”

“Oh silly! Of course I’ll do it; I would be upset if you didn’t want me.”

Leaning over, Willow hugged her really tight again, nearly sending the two girls tumbling over the chair. She couldn’t keep the wide smile off her face. Now that her best friend was out of the woods and she had the world’s greatest fiancé, how could she not be the happiest woman alive?

As Willow described what she wanted for the wedding and what they could actually have, the two girls talked for hours, about everything. They never realised how fast time was going by.

Hearing a commotion outside of the kitchen both girls looked round stunned. Standing up Willow walked towards the door. “What the…”

Suddenly Amy came bursting through the door almost knocking Willow flat on her bottom. “Oh Willow, sorry. Has anyone seen Elizabeth, Mater William is going crazy looking for her. She isn’t in her room.”

Putting her hand up, Elizabeth waved it about warily. “I’m Elizabeth.”

“Oh hey! Oh you best get back upstairs, before Master William goes totally crazy.”

“Ok I’m going. Gosh I didn’t realise how long I had been here. Thank you for the food Maggie.” And with that she got up from her chair, gave Willow one more hug and made her way back up the stairs.

As she reached the room, she took a deep breath and walked into the room. William was pacing like mad in the room, so much so that you could see a line on the floor where his feet had been.

As he heard the door open, he spun round, his eyes growing wide as he looked at Elizabeth stood before him. Rushing over, he embraced her tightly in his arms, kissing her all over her face.

“Oh Elizabeth, I was so worried, I thought you had run away again. Please don’t scare me like that.”

“Sorry William, I needed something to eat. I was starting to feel more like your prisoner than your guest.”

William stood there shocked at her words, did she really think that. Taking her hand he led her over to the bed.

“Elizabeth, I think that its time we have a little talk.”

“I agree.” Sitting down next to him on the large bed, she held his hand tight. “Where should we start?”

TBC…

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