This is purely fan fiction for the return of Jack. I completely understand he will never return but this is something I wanted to write for myself. These are my ideas and thoughts based on characters from the Crown Media show When Calls the Heart. Please don't not share or repost without consent. Randi M. Elkins

This is my wishful thinking completely fan fiction if by chance Jack Thornton/Daniel Lissing returned to When Calls the Heart. I wrote it because I had to give them a happily ever after. This is a storyline not a single episode. This would take place over a season. It is set in the future when little Jack is between 18 months to 2 yrs. This is just the Jack/Elizabeth storyline, like always there are other storylines happening at the same time.

Hope Eternal

By: Randi M. Elkins

The scene opens with Carson and Faith at the infirmary. They are finishing up with a patient. Carson gives the rest of the care instructions to the patient. He doesn't have the bandages he needs to send with the patient and ask Faith to run to the mercantile to see if they have it. She goes and gets what is needed. As she is checking out Katie Yost tells her Carson had received an urgent telegram. She asks Faith to take it to him. Faith returns to the infirmary and gives it to Carson.

Telegram reads:

To: Dr. Carson Shepherd

From: Dr. James Burns – Mercy Hospital

Dr. Shepherd- I am the physician taking care of your former patient Mary Ruth Robinson. I have diagnosed her with a tumor in her lung. She is requiring surgery to remove the tumor. She will not consent to the surgery until she has been seen by you for a second opinion. It is urgent as the tumor is fast growing and she needs it out as soon as possible. Would you consider coming to help me convince her that she needs to surgery.

Carson is alarmed and feels a duty to his former patient. He tells Faith that he must go see about Mrs. Robinson and he would only be gone a couple of days. He catches the next stagecoach out of town.

He arrives at the hospital. The staff is waiting on him. They quickly usher him to Mrs. Robinson's room. As he is walking down the hall he glances in a room and notices a man sleeping. He has a puzzled look on his face but continues to Mrs. Robinson's room. He is greeted by the attending physician, Dr. Burns. He gives Carson the report on her condition. Mrs. Robinson is relieved to see him. He speaks to her about her concerns and examines her. He and Dr. Burns step out and discuss the case. Carson agrees that the surgery needs to be done ASAP. They return to Mrs. Robinson and Carson tells her he agrees with Dr. Burns diagnosis. She agrees to the surgery but only if Carson assists Dr. Burns. Dr. Burn says that is fine if they can get started now. Carson agrees and the nurse begins to prepare Mrs. Robinson for surgery. The doctors and staff are seen rolling her to the operating room. As they pass the room with the sleeping man, we see Carson look in and has a concerned look again.

Back in Hope Valley we find Elizabeth, little Jack, Abigail and Rosemary in the parlor of the café. Little Jack looks to be between a year to a year a half. Abigail is holding him. Elizabeth tells them that little Jack hadn't been sleeping well. They chat and as usual Rosemary and Abigail offer to watch him for her so we can get some rest. Abigail offers for her to go upstairs and rest for a while. She agrees and goes upstairs for a quick nap. Rosemary and Abigail talk about how they hate this all happened to Elizabeth, but they agree Jack would be proud of the strength Elizabeth has.

Back at the hospital we find Dr. Burns and Carson standing in Mrs. Robinson's room. She is slowly coming awake. The nurse is tending to her. Carson goes to her bed side and tells her the surgery was a success, but she would need to stay in the hospital a few days longer for observation and healing. Carson seems distracted but continues talking with Mrs. Robinson. He finishes his conversation and exits the room. As he gets to the room of the sleeping man, he stands just outside looking in. But we can only see the foot of the bed. A nurse walks up and asks if she could help him. He gives his name and the reason for him being at the hospital. She comments that the hospital is all talk about the surgery. He then inquiries about the man in the bed. What is his name? She said Arnold Grant. Carson looks confuse. He asks what is wrong with him? She said he had been in a coma for over 2 years. She explained he had been in an accident a while back and suffer severe injuries. His body was ripped and torn, they didn't think he was going to make it, it was a miracle he was alive. But his body had healed but he has been in a coma ever since. Carson asks if he could go in the room. She said yes. He walks in and it is Jack. Carson is sure it is Jack. He asks the nurse how they got his name and information. She explained there had been an avalanche about 3 yrs. ago and he was a Mountie that was injured. She told of the Mountie that was killed and that it was an awful accident, but the 2 men were heroes. Carson asked if any family had been to see the man. She said no, from what she understood he was never married, he was an only child and his parents had passed so he had no one to come see him. Carson went closer and looked at Jack. He then thanks the nurse and leaves the room.

Back in Hope Valley Abigail gets a call from Carson. He tells her about Jack. Elizabeth is standing close, so Abigail moves away and questions him on the details. He explains all the nurse had told him. They agree that she should come before telling Elizabeth just to insure it is really Jack. Abigail hangs up the phone with a concerned expression on her face. She fibs and tells Elizabeth that she has an aunt that is very ill, and she must go see her. Rosemary and Lee come in with little Jack. Rosemary hands him to Elizabeth. She thanks Rosemary and Lee for watching him. Elizabeth says she is going home to lay him down for a nap so she could grade some papers. Elizabeth leaves. Abigail pulls Rosemary and Lee aside and tells them of what Carson had told her and that she was going to make sure before telling Elizabeth. Bill comes in as Clara follows, they tell them about Jack, and he says he will go with her. Rosemary tells them that she and Clara will help with the café until she returns.

Abigail and Bill load a stagecoach and Elizabeth asks why Bill is going. He tells her he has some business where Abigail is going so, he decided to just ride with her.

Back at the hospital Carson is waiting out front when they arrive. He tells them it must be Jack. They get to the room and the nurse is coming out. They ask how he is doing, she tells them he was the same. Bill asks if there is any other information about his condition. She said no. He asked if any of the other Mounties had been by to see him. She told him after his arrival a couple of Mounties came several times but due to his condition the doctor wasn't allowing visitors and they never saw them again. Bill ask if Arnold (Jack) had opened his eyes, said anything or done anything that showed a possibility that he would wake up. She said no. Then said that over the last 3 yrs. he had whispered the name Elisha a of couple times. Abigail asked if it could have been Elizabeth. The nurse shook her head and said maybe. Abigail looks at Carson and Bill. They then explain why they were there. Abigail pulls out a picture from Elizabeth and Jack's wedding to show proof of their story and tells her about little Jack. The nurse looks shocked. They asked if they could go in. The nurse said of course. Abigail asks if she could talk to him. The nurse said of course but not to give any new details about his wife and child. Abigail bent down and says. "Jack it is Abigail. Bill and Carson are with me. I hope you can hear me. Elizabeth misses you so much. We all have missed you. Hope Valley isn't the same without you. Please wake up. We need you… Elizabeth needs you." Jack's eyes move under his eyelids, but he doesn't open his eyes. The nurse says he has never done that. Bill, Carson and Abigail look at each other. They go to the hallway and discuss what to do. Bill says if he never wakes up it will crush Elizabeth and she had already been through so much. Carson says but if he responded that way to Abigail's voice Elizabeth's may be all he needs to wake up. Abigail agrees. They decide to go home and tell Elizabeth about Jack.

Back in Hope Valley Elizabeth is leaving the mercantile when Carson, Bill and Abigail get back into town. Abigail takes little Jack from her and Elizabeth asks why Carson was with them. They fumble words and give a quick almost believable response. Elizabeth ask Abigail if she could watch little Jack a few minutes, she needed to speak to Robert's parents about an assignment he didn't do well on. Abigail agrees. Abigail goes into the parlor of the café, Rosemary and Lee are there. Clara is preparing an order. She stops and they all sit. Bill tells them that is it Jack. Rosemary and Clara gasps and Lee looks shocked. Rosemary asked what they are going to do. Abigail explains the situation and that only a few times the nurse heard him say Elisha. Rosemary says Elizabeth. Abigail shook her head. She told them about him rolling his eyes under the unopened lid when she spoke to him. She tells everyone that she wanted them to stay until Elizabeth came to get little Jack so they could all be together when they told her because she would need the support.

Elizabeth enters the café, and everyone is there. Abigail asks her to sit. Rosemary sits next to her on one side holding little Jack, Elizabeth takes him. Abigail sat on the other. Abigail looks at Carson and nods her head. Carson begins explaining the patient consultation. He told her he some information she should know. He explains that he wanted to make sure what he found out was correct, so he called Abigail and she and Bill came to verify my discovery. Elizabeth asks what they found out. Bill kneels in front of her and says, 'Jack is alive, but he has been in a coma since the accident.' She stands up in shock and starts spouting questions. Abigail stands and hugs her. Carson gives all the information he found out from the nurse. That due to the injuries they misidentified the Mounties. He explains that the one that died was named Arnold Grant and he had no living family and was never married so there was no one to contact, he explained the Mounties trying to visit and due to his condition weren't allowed to see him. So, until he (Carson) recognized Jack no one knew. Elizabeth starts saying she must go to him. Rosemary and Lee offer to keep Little Jack while she goes, and Abigail and Bill agree to go with her to Jack.

Abigail, Elizabeth and Bill load the stagecoach and leave. Rosemary, Lee, Clara and Carson stand there and have a conversation. Carson tells them that Elizabeth needed to be watched closely because she received the information so quickly, she could go into shock. Rosemary said she would teach while Elizabeth was gone, and Clara said she would continue to cover the café.

Back at the hospital Elizabeth, Abigail and Bill are walking toward Jack's room. The nurse meets them at the door and Abigail introduces Elizabeth to the nurse. Elizabeth asks if she could go in. The nurse said of course but she would suggest not saying anything to Jack about little Jack. Elizabeth walks in and stops stunned. Her soulmate is laying there alive. She says his name and falls over his body and cries. She sits up and starts talking to him. She tells him that it is Elizabeth. That she can't believe it is really him. She tells him how much she loves him and how she has missed him. She kisses his face. His eyes move again under the lid, but he doesn't wake up. She continues to talk to him. Time passes and she hasn't left his side. Days pass and he doesn't wake. Abigail tells Elizabeth that they need to go back to Hope Valley that little Jack needs her. Elizabeth gets upset because she knows Abigail is right, but she doesn't want to leave Jack. Elizabeth asks if they could transport him to the infirmary in Hope Valley for Carson to care for. Abigail said she wasn't sure, but she would check with the doctor at the hospital. Abigail found the doctor in the hallway and asked him about transporting Jack to Hope Valley. The doctor tells Abigail that it could benefit Jack, but it could also make things worse if he woke up and had amnesia. He told them they needed to consider the best interest of Jack. Abigail calls Carson and they discuss it. Carson said if Elizabeth decided to bring Jack back to Hope Valley, he and Faith would take shifts caring for him. He said he felt it would be in Jacks best interest to move him to a familiar place. Abigail tells Elizabeth all the doctor and Carson had discussed. Elizabeth decided to have Jack brought home.

Bill and Abigail made arrangements to have Jack brought home to Hope Valley. Bill agreed to ride with Jack since it would take longer, and he didn't want him traveling alone.

Back in Hope Valley the news about Jack had spread and town was all a buzz. Faith and Carson were busy preparing the infirmary. Rosemary and Lee were with the townspeople in the saloon. Lee called for everyone's attention. He told them to give Elizabeth space when she got here. That this was a lot to process and she still had little Jack to care for. Dottie, Florence, Molly and Clara offer to preparing meals for Elizabeth. Florence said she would take over for Rosemary at the school so Rosemary could be there for Elizabeth.

Elizabeth and Abigail arrive. Lee, Rosemary, Jesse and Clara are there to greet them. Elizabeth takes little Jack from Rosemary, pulls him close and cries. They walk her to the parlor at the café. Rosemary encourages Elizabeth to get some rest because she will have a lot on her once Jack is here and taking care of little Jack. Elizabeth said she wouldn't be able to rest right now that she just wanted to sit and hold little Jack for a while. Everyone leaves giving her space but Abigail. She asked if she could just sit with her. Elizabeth said of course.

Days pass. Bill arrives with the medical transport. Elizabeth runs out to see Jack. She asks if there has been any change. Bill said he was sorry, but no. Elizabeth is by Jack's side as they move him into the infirmary. She tells Jack that he is home and Carson and Faith were going to help her take care of him.

(Several Episodes 5/6) Days turned to weeks and weeks into months and Jack still hasn't woken up. Elizabeth is by his side as much as she can be since she has little Jack, but she absolutely hated being away from Jack. She worried she would not be there if there was change or he woke up. Over the episodes Carson allows the towns people to come visit Jack just to see if it would help wake him.

One afternoon there is a knock on the infirmary door. Faith answers and it is Opal. She comes in and Carson asks if everything was okay, did she feel okay. She said she was fine and asked if she could see Mountie Jack. Faith and Carson look at each other and Carson tells her of course. She goes to Jack's bed side and Faith is with her. She stands there quietly just looking at Jack. The door to the infirmary opens and Elizabeth walks in and sees Opal. She goes to her and bends down beside her and asks if everything was okay. Opal said that since Mountie Jack was alive, she wanted to thank him in person for saving her from the fire. She tells Elizabeth that she knows that Elizabeth told her Mountie Jack knew but she still wanted to tell him. Elizabeth said of course. Opal steps closer to his bed and tells Mountie Jack thank you for saving her from the fire. She tells him that Mrs. Thornton told her about the time he saved her in the mines shaft. Elizabeth flashes to that memory and remembers the first-time she and Jack told each other 'I love you'. Elizabeth hugs Opal from behind telling her she did a great job and she was sure Mountie Jack heard her. They stood there looking at Jack and his closed eyes started moving. Jack says Elizabeth. Elizabeth moves closer and tells him she was there. She stares at him, but he didn't move or speak again. Elizabeth stayed by his side for a long time. She talked to him telling him that she knew he was in there. She knows that he wants to come back to her. She tells him there is so much she must tell him. She still hadn't told Jack about little Jack because they weren't sure if it would help or hurt him. She stays a while longer and Abigail comes in. She tells Elizabeth to let her stay with Jack awhile that Rosemary needed to see her. Elizabeth tells Jack she loves him and that she would be back.

Elizabeth walks out and Rosemary is standing there with little Jack who is crying for his mama.

Back in the infirmary Rosemary joins Abigail. They are talking and Jack says Elizabeth's name. Carson comes over and starts coaching Jack to open his eyes. Rosemary and Abigail join in. He moves his hand. Faith says she will get Elizabeth. She finds Elizabeth and tells her what is happening. Faith takes little Jack and Elizabeth takes out running. She gets to the infirmary busting through the door stopping in her tracks when she looks at Jack, his eyes are open, and he simply says Hi. She gasps and falls on him, crying tears of joy. She kisses him telling him over and over how much she loves him. Carson tells her to be gentle that Jack was very weak and still trying to get familiarized with his surroundings. She sits up and looks at him and he doesn't have much strength, but he gives a small smile and tells her he loves her too. She starts talking and is about to tell him about little Jack and Carson stops her. He asks her to step aside with him. Carson tells her that to give Jack time to adjust to being awake, to let him gain some strength because he is still fragile. He told her he didn't want to do anything that will overwhelm Jack. She looks disappointed but agrees to whatever is best for Jack.

Over an episode or so we see Jack gaining strength, we see him adjusting well to being awake and back in Hope Valley. He asks Carson when he could go home with Elizabeth. Carson says soon. Carson asks Faith to keep an eye on Jack that he was going to run to eat. He gets to the café just as Elizabeth is leaving. She has a scone for Jack. He asks her to sit that he needed to talk to her. They sat on the bench outside the café. He tells her it is time to tell Jack about his son. Her face lights up with excitement. He explained that he feels like Jack is ready to go home but he still had to rest not doing too much too quickly. But before going home Jack needs to know about little Jack. Carson tells her that she needed to tell Jack today, but she needed to ease into it because Jack was not back to 100% himself. Elizabeth agrees.

Elizabeth walks into the infirmary and Jack's face lights up. He smiles and says, 'There is Mrs. Jack Thornton.' She smiled back and said 'yes, it is.' He sits up on the side of the bed and she sits next to him. They kiss and she does that smirk smile she does. Then her face turns serious. Jack asks her what is wrong. She said wrong? Nothing is wrong but she needed to tell him something. He looks concerned and says ok. She tells him about the heartbreak of losing him. She explained she became ill, she lost her appetite and she was nauseated. She explained that she thought it was the grief, but it wasn't. She turns grabbing a locket around her neck. She tells him that she was pregnant and as she opened the locket saying you have a son. She tells him that she had named him Jack and shows him little Jack's picture in the locket. Jack stands shocked and excited. He kept saying, 'I have a son, I have a son.' Elizabeth says yes as she walks to the door where Abigail was waiting outside with little Jack. She takes him to Jack and tells little Jack, 'This is your daddy." She looks at Jack saying, 'Jack this is your son.' Jack has tears in his eyes as he takes little Jack from Elizabeth. Jack pulls him close and asks why they haven't told him before now. Carson spoke up and explained the reason and concerns they had for not telling him. He shook his head understanding the reason. Jack looks at little Jack and tells him that he was his daddy. He then looks at Elizabeth and says repeatedly, 'I have a son, I am a father.' Elizabeth with tears streaming down her face says yes. Little Jack looks at Jack and says 'Daddy'. Elizabeth gasps as Jack said, 'Yes, I am your daddy.' Jack pulls Elizabeth and the baby into him while crying tears of joy.

Carson asks Jack if he is ready to go home. Elizabeth smiles and Jack says that sounds wonderful!