"Jack?"

"Elizabeth? What is it? You look upset."

"Jack, I am upset. I had Faith examine me."

"What did she say?"

"She didn't say anything. She said that you should be with me. Jack, I'm worried. Why wouldn't she tell me? There must be something wrong if she wanted you there too."

"Well, let's go then."

They rode back to the infirmary and found Faith.

"Faith, I found Jack. Can you tell us what's wrong now?"

"Let's go in the next room." All three went into the next room, shut the door and sat down.

"Jack, Elizabeth came to me because she was worried that she wasn't pregnant, that there might be something wrong."

"Yes, I know. Can you please fill us in? What did you find?" He grabbed Elizabeth's hand, both to calm himself, but also her.

"After examining Elizabeth and asking some questions, I was able to confirm that she is already pregnant," she said with a smile. "Congratulations!"

"What?! I am? How far along am I?"

"From what I gathered, about two months."

Jack just sat there for a minute.

"Jack, sweetie, did you hear what she said? We are going to have a baby!"

"I will leave you two alone for a moment." Faith got up and walked out, shutting the door behind her.

"Jack?" she touched his arm. "Are you happy?"

Jack looked at her, grabbed her other hand and pulled her into his lap. "Come here," She saw tears in his eyes. He whispered, "I'm very happy. A baby. Amazing." He looked into her eyes, leaned in and let his kiss show her how happy he was. When they finally pulled apart, they both had tears rolling down their cheeks, but smiles on their faces. "I love you," Jack said as he put his hand on her stomach.

Elizabeth put her hand over his, "I love you more. I can't believe this, Jack. I wanted this so badly, I missed the obvious signs. I can't wait to tell my family!" she leaned her forehead against his and sighed.

"I take it Rosemary said yes to teaching for you?"

"She did. I was a little surprised because of how close she is to her due date, but I think I will just ask Florence to back her up if need be."

"Good idea. I bet you want to go see Abigail, don't you?"

"You know me so well, Constable," she said with a laugh. "You're coming with me, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't miss it."

The couple walked into the café side door with huge smiles on their faces. Abigail looked up from the stove and said, "What are you two so happy about?"

"We're going to have a baby!" Elizabeth could barely contain her excitement.

"Oh! Congratulations! I am so happy for you." She came over and hugged both of them. "So when are you due?"

"She said I'm about two months along, so that puts us at about May. I can't wait!"

Jack sensed some girl talk coming so he kissed Elizabeth goodbye and went back to work on the house.

Later that night, Elizabeth came to bring him dinner as usual at the new house. When she got there, she didn't see him anywhere outside. So she walked into the house. "Jack, are you here?"

"Yes, I'm right here."

She looked over to the corner where he was and saw that he had set up a table, made of two barrels and a board, and two barrels for chairs. There was a vase with flowers, a candle, and the table was set for dinner.

"Jack, what are you up to?" she asked with a smile.

"I thought we should celebrate, in the baby's room."

"Oh that's so sweet," she said and then burst into tears.

"Hey, what are the tears for? I thought this would make you happy." He went up and hugged her, rubbing her back.

"Its perfect. You do make me so happy, Jack. You are the most thoughtful man I've ever known," she said as she settled into his arms.

"Oh, you had me worried, with the tears and all."

"You probably should get used to that. Pregnant women cry a lot."

"Ok, I will make a note of that." He wiped her tears with his thumbs and kissed her gently. "So what's for dinner?"

"Shepherd's pie."

"Sounds great, as long as it's your version."

"Yes, mine, not your mother's. Hey, when will she be back in town?"

"Not for awhile, she's staying with Tom. We should send them a telegram tomorrow with our news."

"Yes let's do that, but I want to tell my parents when we get to Hamilton."

"Ok, whatever you want. Just so you know Sweetheart, I can't stay in Hamilton. I have to head to work, once you are there safely."

"Couldn't you stay just one night?"

"No, they need me to report as soon as possible to my post. I should be able to come at the end of the week to stay the night."

"Ok. I guess we could wait to tell them until then," she said with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I didn't want to make you upset. I just wanted you to know what to expect. Besides, you'll be having such a good time with your family, you probably won't even miss me." He winked at her.

"Not possible, sweetie. I will miss you every second you aren't with me. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep."

"Well, you need to try, for the baby's sake."

"I'm just kidding. Don't worry, Jack. I've been so tired lately, I'm sure I will sleep fine. Now let's eat so we can go home," she said as she yawned. "See what I mean?"

"Let's me show you something." He took her hand and walked her over to a dark corner where he had set up a pile of blankets on the floor. "I thought we could sleep here tonight. If that's ok with you."

"It sounds nice. Might be pretty cold though."

"Not with me around, Mrs. Thornton."

Before they knew it, they were on their way to Hamilton. The stagecoach trip went fine. Jack had talked to William about coming to visit, hoping he would spring for the first class compartment, and he did. So they rode in comfort.

They lay in bed talking, their last night on the train. "Remember last time we shared a compartment, Elizabeth?"

"Yes. You fell asleep holding a pillow. I found myself wishing I were that pillow."

"I was dreaming you were."

"Then the next morning you saw me in my nightgown."

"Yes I did. It surprised me, but I was happy. You looked cute."

"Cute, huh? How cute?"

"So cute, I found myself wishing we were already married."

"Jack!"

"You asked me. Are you really surprised?"

"No, I guess not. You were pretty obvious sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

"I could tell how you feel and you didn't have to say a word. You teased me about reading your mind, but really I just knew what you felt by looking at you. Like when you saw me walking down the stairs at my parents house. Your look told me so many things."

"Like what?"

"Like that you loved me, which I already suspected, and that you thought I looked beautiful."

"You're wrong. I thought you looked beyond beautiful and all I wanted to do was tell you that, but your good buddy Charles was standing there."

"I think you should have told me, just to see what he would do."

"Well I agreed with him when he said you looked breathtaking. What would have really gotten to him is if I had kissed you right then, like I wanted to. That would have been interesting."

"My father probably would have thrown you out of the house."

"Would you have come after me?"

"Of course. I loved you too, in my own way. I knew I wanted you in my life, I just didn't know how to get there. I'm glad we figured that out," she said as she snuggled closer to Jack.

"Yeah, me too. If we hadn't, things would be so different. I wouldn't have you laying here next to me, carrying our baby. I wouldn't be building us a house, or actually looking forward to seeing your family. I wouldn't be so happy."

"That's so sweet Jack. I wouldn't change anything we've gone through. Things may be hard sometimes, but it's all worth it."

The next morning, Jack made sure Elizabeth got to her father's car, kissed her goodbye, and headed to his assignment. "I'll see you at the end of the week. I love you."

"I love you more," she said as her voice broke, and the tears started.

"Please don't cry. It'll go fast."

"I know. I can't help it, pregnancy tears. Just be careful." One more kiss and she watched as the red serge faded into the crowd and out of sight.

"Beth! It's good to see you. How are you?" her father asked as he helped her out of the car. "Where's Jack?"

"I'm good, Father. Jack headed to his assignment once he took me to your car."

"Oh. I was hoping to see him. When will he visit?"

"He said he will be here for a night at the end of the week."

"Ok, I will talk to him then. Now, let's go inside and talk to me about your trip to San Francisco."

"Do you mind if I go to my room and rest first? I'm exhausted."

"Of course, dear. It's a long trip from Hope Valley. I will see you later," he said with a kiss to her cheek.

Elizabeth headed upstairs to her room, changed into something more comfortable and fell asleep, dreaming of Jack and their baby.

"Elizabeth, are you awake?" Julie whispered.

"I am now. Julie! What are you doing here?"

"I'm visiting. I got a telegram from Jack saying you were going to be here for a couple weeks so I hopped a train and came too."

"I love that man. Always thinking of me," she thought to herself. "I'm so glad you're here. I missed you."

She reached out and gave Julie a big hug. "I missed you too. Now tell me what's new."

"Nothing really. Jack has made a lot of progress on our house. We should be in by winter, depending on how long this assignment keeps him here."

"I thought it was only going to be two weeks?"

"He isn't sure. That's all dependent on what happens in the place he's in. I only hope he doesn't get hurt. I don't think I could take it right now."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, just that I've had to get through him being sick twice in the last year, both times I could have lost him. It was so difficult. I just want him to be safe."

"Don't worry. He will be fine. He's a good Mountie."

"I know, it's the other people I worry about."

"So, are you going to stay in bed all day, or do you want to go shopping with me?"

"Sure, I'll go. I'm not buying anything though."

"Nope, Father said we could each get something if we wanted to. His treat."

"That's nice, but I don't really need anything."

"You always need something. Let's go!"

"Ok, can you give me a minute so I can get ready?"

"Sure. See you downstairs."

Elizabeth just sat on the bed. She really didn't feel like going shopping. From the moment she woke up, she felt nauseated, but she couldn't tell Julie, or she would assume things. She took a few deep breaths and got up, but she almost fell over. She was so dizzy, which made her stomach worse. She just had to sit for another moment, then she would try again. Each time she tried, she felt worse.

"Elizabeth?" Julie said as she walked back in the room. "Are you ok? You look horrible."

"Thanks Julie. I just don't feel well. Can we try shopping tomorrow?"

"Ok. Do you need anything? Maybe some water?"

"I'm just going to try to go back to sleep. Maybe I'll feel better later."

"Ok. Well, let me know if you need me."

"Thank you."

Later, when dinnertime came around, Elizabeth still didn't feel well, but she went downstairs anyway.

She sat at the table, while the others ate, but she just pushed the food around on her plate.

"Beth, are you sick, dear?" her mother asked.

"No. I'm just tired."

"You've been sleeping all day."

"I'll be fine. I'm going to go outside to the garden. Maybe fresh air will help."

"Do you mind if I go with you? I could use some air too. Plus I haven't talked to you for awhile."

"Sure Mother. I would love the company."

They went outside to the garden, and Grace took her daughter's arm as they walked.

"So how do you enjoy being married?"

"Its wonderful. Jack is an amazing husband. He's so sweet. Did you know he sent a telegram to Julie telling her I would be here so she could come visit?"

"I did know that. That is very sweet. He's always thinking about you."

"I miss him. It's so hard when he's away, but this time…"

"Why is it different?

"I'm not sure."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"More of an observation. I've noticed that you didn't eat much for dinner, and you're really tired and you have black circles under your eyes."

Elizabeth knew her mother had figured it out. So she knew she would have to admit it. "Not to mention the nausea, dizziness and bursting into tears at the drop of the hat."

"Are you pregnant, dear?"

"Yes, I am." She started crying.

"Aren't you happy?"

"Yes, so happy. Jack and I wanted to tell you together, but then I started feeling sick and couldn't keep the secret. I was worried something was wrong with me, because we had been married for almost five months and I wasn't pregnant. So I talked to Faith, our nurse, and she said I already was." Elizabeth started feeling nauseated again, so she sat down on a bench in the garden.

"Beth, would you like some tea? Sometimes that helps settle the stomach."

"Yes, mother, thank you. Um, can you not tell Father or Julie? I still want to tell them when Jack comes back."

"Of course, dear. It's not my secret to tell. Why don't you go up to your room and I will bring the tea up to you."

"Thank you, for listening to me and being there. I miss being able to talk to you when I need to."

"What are mothers for? You will find out soon, what that means."

Elizabeth was able to go shopping the next day with Julie, but she probably shouldn't have. She felt terrible the whole time. By the time they got home, Elizabeth was exhausted, dizzy and nauseous . She went to bed instead of eating dinner, not that she could have kept any food down anyway. Grace brought tea up to Elizabeth again, to settle her stomach. "Here you go, Beth. I also brought you some crackers. You need to try to eat, for the baby."

"Thank you. I wish Jack was here."

"When is he supposed to come?"

"On Friday, so three more days. Did I ever tell you about when Jack was sick a few months back?"

"No dear. Here let me sit here with you and you can tell me about it." Grace sat on the bed next to Elizabeth, and rubbed her back, like she used to when she was a young child.

"Jack left for Buxton on assignment about a week after we returned home from our honeymoon. I was lost . I was so used to being with him, everyday since we got married, it seemed almost impossible to be without him. I got through it, but then he came home and was ill. Apparently he contracted influenza from the people in Buxton. He came home and went to bed. That night, I noticed he had a fever and he felt terrible. So for a week, he was in bed, miserable, with a high fever. It was so hard. I almost lost him, again."

"You took care of him?"

"Of course. I never left his side. I bathed him, changed his sheets and clothes, gave him medicine, kept him hydrated. It didn't feel like work. It felt like doing what I was meant to do."

"You could have gotten sick."

"I know, but I only cared about not losing my husband."

"How are you feeling?"

"Very tired. I think I'm going to take a bath and go to bed. Thank you for the tea and our talk."

"You're welcome Beth. Sleep well."

The next few days were more of the same. Elizabeth was miserable, Grace brought her tea and they talked. Elizabeth relished getting to know her mother better and sharing with her about relationship with Jack. Friday finally arrived and Elizabeth was looking very much forward to being in Jack's arms again. She ate dinner with the family, a few bites anyway, and then decided to take a short nap while she waited for Jack.

Jack walked up to the Thatcher mansion, so anxious to see Elizabeth, he actually felt nervous. He knocked on the door and the Butler opened the door. "Constable, good evening."

"Good evening."

"Mrs. Thatcher is in the study. She requests that you please go speak with her before going to see Mrs. Thornton."

"Ok. Thank you." He walked to the study. "Grace?"

"Jack, dear. It's wonderful to see you."

"You too, Grace." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Is Elizabeth in her room?"

"She is, but I wanted to speak with you for a moment."

"What about? Is she ok?"

"First I want you to know that I know Beth is pregnant. After you left, she ended up getting morning sickness pretty badly. She was nauseated, dizzy, couldn't eat. She slept all the time. I figured it out and spoke with her." Grace noticed Jack was getting increasingly concerned. "Don't worry, dear. It is perfectly normal to feel the way she is. Tea seems to help her settle her stomach."

"Is she sleeping now?"

"I believe so, but she really wants to see you so please go on up."

"Thank you Grace, for taking care of her."

"Of course. And Jack? I want to say that I am so happy she has you to take care of her when I can't. You are so perfect for each other and you will be wonderful parents."

"Thank you, Grace." He placed another kiss on her cheek and left the study.

Jack walked into Elizabeth's room quietly so he didn't wake her up. He went over and sat beside her. He was struck, as he always was, by how beautiful she was, even sleeping. He gently moved her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead.

Elizabeth started waking up, sensing someone sitting next to her. She looked up and saw her husband's handsome face staring down at her. "Hi."

"Hi, Sweetheart. I heard you've been feeling sick."

"I have. I feel better now that you're here with me."

"I missed you so much, Elizabeth. I wish I could've been here for you."

"Me too, but you're here now. Will you hold me, Jack?"

"Of course." Jack took off his uniform and climbed into bed behind Elizabeth, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder, holding her close.

"Thank you, sweetie. How is your assignment going?"

"Shhh..go back to sleep. We'll talk later, ok?"

She fell asleep, safe and warm, with her husband by her side.