Present day: 2020

So much had happened for Elizabeth in the past 4 years. She'd really come to cherish her new family, despite how dysfunctional they all were.

She loved Pat's activities, she really appreciated how hard he worked to try and keep everyone entertained.

Of course, that was burden was lifted slightly when Alison came to the house. At first, everyone agreed that they wanted her gone, but when she came back from the hospital and could actually see them? It was a game changer!

Elizabeth loved being able to keep up to date with the music scene through Alison, and it made her swell with pride that her songs still featured in the charts.

Alison and Elizabeth had become good friends, mostly due to the fact Alison was the only person from her time she'd talked to in years.

However, Thomas had found himself becoming conflicted, to say the least. The second Thomas saw Alison, he'd been enchanted by her beauty. But for the past four years he'd been trying to develop his relationship with Elizabeth. There was no mistaking that both women were beautiful, but who did he love. Not just fancy, but really, truly love. That was the question that had been rolling in his mind for months.

On one sunny afternoon, Elizabeth found herself sitting by the lake, singing quietly to herself. It was such a lovely afternoon, but she felt sorrow that she couldn't feel the warm rays of sun on her skin. Eventually, Thomas came to join her.

"Good afternoon, Elizabeth" he smiled, sitting down next to her.

She looked over, and flashed the man a small smile. "Do you ever miss it?" She asked "the sun I mean. As a child I would spend hours sitting in the sun, soaking up the rays. But...now I can't feel it at all. You'd think I'd get used to it after a while, but it's still...strange"

Thomas hummed in agreement, turning his head towards the sky. "Yes, I suppose I do miss it sometimes. The same can be said for the chill of autumn or the cold bite of winter. It's strange, being able to walk into the snow and not feel the cold."

Elizabeth turned to face him, studying his expression as he gazed towards the sky. She had to admit, the man was attractive, and he could always brighten her mood. You could say she'd developed somewhat of a crush over the years.

"Elizabeth? Are you alright?"

Elizabeth was pulled out of her thoughts by Thomas noticing her gaze. She darted her eyes back towards the lake out of embarrassment. "I'm fine! Just got lost in thought."

"Oh, that's good. I get lost in thought sometimes too." Thomas smiled.

Over the years they'd both gotten to know each other quite well. They both knew how the other liked to do things, and they knew about the little things that meant a lot to each of them. Like how Elizabeth would always sit on the roof to think of new song lyrics because the cool air "cleared her head" despite her not being able to feel the cold. Or how Thomas would sit on the library windowsill and contemplate his death.

Elizabeth stood, brushing herself off out of habit. "Well, I'm going in. Tonight is movie night and it's my turn! We're watching Mamma Mia by the way" she smiled. "Are you coming too?"

Thomas grinned at her enthusiasm. "I'll join you in a minute, I quite like being out by the lake."

Elizabeth nodded, and turned to the house, walking away.

"Jeez Louise! You could cut the tension between you two with a knife!" Julian emerged from the garden, a smirk on his face.

Thomas rolled his eyes, annoyed by the man's presence. "Oh what do you want? Surely you cannot understand the complexity of my feelings! I find myself in a difficult situation to say the least."

"Oh do tell, I've been starved for drama recently" Julian sighed, as he crossed his arms, waiting for the poets tale.

"It's Elizabeth. I...I think I love her. I've been unsure for so long but, just being around her sets my heart aflame. When she sings it feels as though I'm alive again" Thomas lets out a deep sigh. So he'd finally figured it out. While Alison was a beautiful woman, his true love had been around him all along.

He smiled at the revelation. "Yes, I'm quite sure of it. Her smile is like a flame in the darkest of nights, her eyes light lanterns to light my way, her hair-"

"Oh give it a rest! I get it, you like her. Just make a move for goodness sake! It's not like you've got much competition" Julian scoffed.

"I suppose you're right. I could be like a...a good old fashioned lover boy! Like that song Elizabeth sings." He beamed, standing up quickly. "Tonight, after the film, I'll tell her of my feelings. I just hope she feels the same way"

"Yeah, knock yourself out mate." Julian rolled his eyes and made his way back to the house, Thomas not too far behind him.

He was determined to make his move.