"Mama? I'm hungry."

"I know Caleb. I'm almost done with the fish. You could help me and it would go faster."

Elizabeth was glad Jake had taught her how to clean and cook fish or this trip would be much harder.

"Hey, Sweetie. I found some berries for Maddie and Emmy."

"Thanks, Jack. Can you check on them for me? It still makes me nervous having them sleep over there when I'm here."

Jack put the berries down next to Elizabeth and went to see if his girls were awake. The now four year old Maddie and almost three year old Emmy still loved to sleep next to each other, even in the back of the wagon. He peeked at them but they were still sleeping, nose to nose.

Will, however, and Drew, his twin brother were starting to wake up in the large cradle Jack had designed. They were almost eight months old so they wouldn't fit in a standard cradle and Jack and Elizabeth couldn't bring a crib, so the large cradle would have to do. Will looked up at Daddy, smiling, showing his dimples. "Hey, buddy. Are you waking up?" Drew, not to be left out started squirming, trying to roll over, causing his brother to start whimpering. Jack reached for them and took them over to Elizabeth who was finally done with cooking lunch.

"Mamama!" both boys started jabbering.

"The girls are still sleeping, but I brought these two handsome little boys with me."

"Thanks for checking. Foods done. Caleb, here's your plate."

That night, their third night out in the wilderness, it started raining. Thankfully, up until that point, it hadn't. Jack quickly tried to set up a second tent to extend the first one so they weren't so crowded, but it was dark and storming and he was slipping and sliding everywhere. By the time he finally got the tent up, he was soaked and freezing, despite it being the end of May. He crawled into the now enlarged tent and started removing his soaking wet clothes, when he remembered he had left his dry clothes in the wagon. "Darn it!"

"Jack, language!" Elizabeth reminded him in a loud whisper. Emmy repeated everything and would no doubt be using that in the near future.

Jack squished and sloshed to the wagon, just twenty feet away and grabbed his clothes and then squished and sloshed back to the tent. He crawled inside and took his shirt off, then his shoes and socks. Realizing that her husband was going to completely disrobe in the tent, she held up a blanket shielding Jack from her daughters eyes, in case they turned over.

"Pretty sure you've seen it all before, Sweetheart. No need to cover me." He smiled at her, watching her cheeks turn pink.

"Jack Thornton! There are children in this tent, more specifically two little girls who could wake up at any moment and don't need to see their father… in all his glory." Jack snorted.

"In all his glory? Where did you get that?"

"I don't know! It just came out."

Jack pulled his dry long John's and socks on and sighed, still shivering. "Ok, my glory, is all covered up now, Mrs. Thornton, but I am freezing. Care to snuggle with me to warm me up?" She looked at him, her eyebrows raised. "I'll be good, I promise. Children in the tent."

She took her socks off and peeked at the kids, who were thankfully still sleeping. All five of them.

She laid her head down on her rolled up skirt she used as a pillow and lifted the blanket for Jack to crawl underneath. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, trying to absorb her warmth.

"Jack, you are cold. I can feel your hands through my nightgown."

"Now you know how I feel when you put your ice cold toes on me."

"I hope you don't get sick."

"Me too." Then he gasped as he felt her frigid toes under the legs on his long johns. She giggled.

"That's not going to help warm me up."

Two hours later, she heard Drew let out a cry and quickly picked him up to feed him. He never made it through the night without having to nurse, where Will did. They were twins and had similarities, but their personalities were very different and their looks too. As she unbuttoned her nightgown and fed Drew, she looked at her other children, sleeping, snoring softly. She chuckled to herself as she realized how different her life was going to be from what she had thought, even six weeks before.

They left behind so many people that they loved. They left behind the beautiful home Jack had built for her, the community they had grown to love. They left best friends and acquaintances, mothers and step-fathers, sisters and brothers and nieces. Thankfully, once the stage was able to go from Hope Valley to their new town, it would be just a short two day trip.

Drew finished eating and Elizabeth placed him back in the cradle next to his brother. She carefully slid back under the covers and her husband's arm and attempted to fall asleep.

Jack sighed and pulled her close. "You're so warm," he whispered.

"Are you still cold?"

"If I am, will you warm me up?"

"I thought you promised to be good."

"Come on. Just a little kiss." She pecked his lips. "You think that chicken kiss will warm me up?"

"Chicken kiss? Jack, just go to sleep. You are so silly tonight."

He tilted her chin toward him and kissed her long and slow. She sighed and smiled. "That's how you warm someone up."

"I'll say." She giggled and snuggled into his neck, falling back asleep to the sound of the rain hitting the roof of the tent and Jack snoring in her ear.

"How long, Mama?"

"Caleb, shush. You have been asking that question every ten minutes, all day long. We will be there soon." He folded his arms and pouted. She rolled her eyes and sat back against the side of the wagon. Jack pulled to the side of the road and jumped down.

"Ok, everybody out."

"Jack? We will never get there if we keep stopping every hour."

"Elizabeth, take a look. We are there."

"We are? Oh thank goodness!" She jumped down and looked around. She silently reminded herself not to compare it to Hope Valley, because she would never be satisfied if she did.

"Daddy? Are we really there?"

"Yes, Caleb." Maddie peaked her head out of the back of the wagon and smiled. "Caleb, Bug, why don't you come with me to find the store so we can send a telegram."

"Ok! Daddy help me?" She held her arms out for Jack to help her out of the wagon.

"Me go! Me go!" Emmy yelled.

"No, sweetie. You stay with me and the babies. Daddy will be right back." She sat back down, pouting. Elizabeth was positive she got that little habit from Caleb.

Jack came over and kissed Elizabeth. "I'll be right back. I need directions to where we will be living." He smiled, kissing her again.

She smiled back, knowing that to him, this was a grand adventure and he was excited to have a hand in forming a new town. If she was honest, she was a little excited too and she couldn't wait to write about it. As sick as she was of sitting in the wagon, she climbed back up and tried to keep Emmy and the babies occupied.

"Daddy? Do you see it?"

"See what?"

"The store?"

"Yep! Just across the street. Let's go." Jack picked Maddie up and carried her and grasped Caleb's hand as they crossed. It was a quiet town, or so it seemed. He was glad, because cities and Jack Thornton didn't mix well. He knew it wasn't going to be a city, obviously, but he was still relieved to see it with his own eyes.

"Hello?" Jack said as he walked in the door. There was no one behind the counter.

"One moment!" A voice said from somewhere in the back. After a moment, a young, dark haired woman about Elizabeth's age came into the room, wrapped in an apron and covered in dust. "Good Afternoon. What can I do for you?" She wiped her hands on her apron and smiled.

"I need to send a telegram, please."

"Ok. Let me get my pad and I will be right back." Jack was surprised. He had never met a female telegraph operator before. She came back and realized he was staring at her. "I know, I'm a woman, but I assure you, I know how to send a telegram."

"No, no. Forgive me. Of course you can." Bug was getting heavy so he put her down. "Bug, hold Caleb's hand and both of you, stay here."

"Yes, Daddy," they said in unison.

It was the woman's turn to stare. She tried not to, but the man before her was exceedingly good looking. His eyes were green and he had beautiful long eyelashes. She had yet to see him smile but she suspected it would only add to his charm. She quickly looked away when he looked back at her, her cheeks turning pink.

"What would you like to say, Mr…..?"

"Thornton. Constable Jack Thornton."

"Constable? Just passing through?"

"No, actually. We just moved here." He smiled and she turned pink again, noticing his dimples.

"Welcome. So these are your children?"

"Yes, Caleb and Maddie. Hey, guys, say hi to the nice lady."

"Hi!" Caleb said excitedly. Maddie just smiled, showing her matching dimples.

"Your daughter, sir, is beautiful."

"Thank you, just like her Mother, right Bug?"

"Yes, Daddy. Let's go see Mama."

"In a few minutes." He turned back to the woman. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, Miss….?"

"Diana Harris. It's a pleasure, sir."

"Just Jack."

"Ok, Jack. What would you like me to say in your telegram?"

Elizabeth was running out of things to do to keep them busy.

"Mama? Eat?"

Elizabeth reached for the bag that contained their snacks and found the berries and crackers that they had left. "Here you go Em."

"Tank," she said with a smile.

"You're welcome, Sweetie."

Just as she thought she was going to go crazy from waiting, she heard Caleb's voice. She peeked out and smiled.

"Hi, Mama! We're back."

"I see." Jack pulled back the wagon cover to hop in after the kids.

"Hi."

"Hi, how did it go?"

"Good. Met the woman that owns the store."

"She's pretty Mama."

Elizabeth looked at Caleb and then at Jack. "How pretty, Constable?"

"Ask him. He said it. I didn't notice."

"Sure. I bet she noticed you."

"Doubt it."

"Her cheeks turned pink like yours Mama." Elizabeth laughed.

"That's what I thought."

"Ok, change of subject. As you can see, I bought some supplies that we needed and I know how to get to where we are staying. Now I need you to keep an open mind, Elizabeth."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing."

"Is it too small, or infested with mice?"

"Let's go see. It's just down the street."

"Does it not have a roof?"

"Elizabeth, let's go see."

"I got it. It's imaginary."

Caleb laughed and Jack shook his head, jumped out of the back of the wagon, and climbed back up the front.

"Everybody sit down, please," Elizabeth requested. When all kids were sitting, Jack started driving down the street.

Five minutes later, she felt a change in the road. It felt like they were traveling on grass instead of dirt. Then he stopped and hopped down.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. We're home."

"Yay!" Caleb said as he jumped out of the wagon.

"Hold on, Caleb. Stay here for a moment." Jack reached up for Elizabeth. He looked at her as he set her down.

"What are you worried about, Jack?" He turned her toward the smallest house she had ever seen. She wasn't comparing the house to their house in Hope Valley. It really was the smallest house she had ever seen. It was smaller than the row house. She didn't know how they would all fit.

"Don't worry. We'll fit. If not, we'll add on."

Jack climbed into the back and handed her Emmy, then Maddie and then the twins. "Daddy, can I go in?"

"Yes, Caleb. Be careful though." He ran up the steps and pushed on the door but it wouldn't budge. He turned the handle and pushed again and it didn't move.

"Daddy, the door is stuck."

"Jack, how long has it been since someone lived here?"

"I'm not sure. A while."

She smirked at him. She figured she could be mad about the whole situation but she was choosing to find it humorous, at this point, for everyone's sake. Also, the fact that Jack was on assignment and they were still together, the whole family, was a relief.

Jack walked up and tried the door with no success. He kicked it, threw all of his weight on it, and almost fell inside as it finally opened. "Got it!"

Elizabeth laughed and followed Jack inside, both twins in her arms, a bit nervous about what the inside would look like, and rightly so. Apparently there was a broken window somewhere because the amount of dust and leaves and twigs that were inside was amazing, and confusing, because she didn't notice very many trees around the house.

"Caleb?"

"Yes, Mama?"

"Please look for a broom. We need to clean this floor as soon as possible."

He went in search for a broom as she continued to look around the tiny home. There was one bedroom, and the rest consisted of one large room to serve as kitchen, living room and another bedroom. Whoever had been there before, left a table, that wobbled and three chairs. Nothing else.

She heard Maddie start crying and then Emmy as they ran in the room.

"What's wrong girls?"

"Dead, Mama!"

"What's dead?"

"Its little. Dead." Maddie buried her face in Elizabeth's legs.

"Jack?"

He walked in carrying the cradle, and some other items. "Yes?"

"Maddie says there's something dead in the other room. Could you look for me?"

"Found a broom, Mama."

"Great, can you please start sweeping all of this stuff outside?"

"Do I have to? I want to go explore."

"No exploring until we are cleaned and moved in. Yes, you need to help me."

"Yes, Mama." He started sweeping as she asked.

"Caleb, can I borrow that broom, please?" Jack asked. He took the broom and brought it back a few minutes later.

"What was it?"

"You don't want to know. I'm going to find something to board up the broken window and fix the door."

She cringed as her imagination invented all sorts of disgusting things that could have been dead in the other room.

The rest of the afternoon and evening involved a lot of juggling things and children to get it livable for at least the night. The floors were swept clean, or as clean as they could be, the wobbly table fixed so they could eat supper. The door was finally able to be opened and shut with ease and the two windows that were broken, were boarded up.

Jack and Elizabeth were debating whether or not to put the older kids in the bedroom or themselves but ultimately safety won over privacy and the bedroom became Caleb, Maddie, and Emmy's.

"Night Daddy."

"Goodnight. See you in the morning." All three older kids shared their temporary bed of blankets. All of them tucked in with their teddy bears and "Daddy's light." The flashlight had really become Caleb's a long time before because Jack had bought himself a new one, but to Caleb, it kept him safe and Daddy close by.

Elizabeth put Drew back In the cradle next to Will. She crawled a couple of feet to the pile of blankets that would serve as her and Jack's bed and slipped under the covers.

Jack came in from outside, removed his boots, put a few more logs in the stove, and joined Elizabeth.

"Where were you?"

"I checked on the horses and used the outhouse." She sighed. "What?"

"I need to do that. I'll be back." She stood up, put her shoes on and walked out the door.

After all was said and done, she crawled back into bed, but couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, accidently kicking Jack. "Ow."

"I'm so sorry, Sweetie. I can't get comfortable."

"Come here for a moment." He kissed her forehead, holding her against his chest. He stroked her hair, and then her arm with his fingertips. "Did you write to anyone yet?"

"I started a letter to my Mother and Jake, but then I got interrupted. It's very difficult to do anything when I have to hold both boys."

"I have some ideas. Tomorrow I will go to the store and order some things, first thing being a crib."

"You have to work tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, I do. I will come back at lunch to help you." She nodded, feeling completely overwhelmed and unsure how it was going to work, trapped in the house, with no help and five children.

She sat up and then stood up to go to the kitchen. "Elizabeth?"

"I'm going to make some tea. You go to sleep."

Jack stood up and sat down at the table, gently pulling her to his lap. He held her close, leaning his forehead on her temple. "I love you."

"I know. I love you too."

"I know this isn't going to be easy for you."

"That's life, it seems."

"Are you sorry you came with me?"

"Of course not. I just don't know how this is going to work."

"It will be different and difficult and you may want to give up, but…"

"I won't."

"You are strong and capable and I am so thankful you are willing to do this."

"There wasn't another option. I couldn't let you leave for a year." She got up and poured her tea.

"Yes, but there, you had friends and family and our house…"

"None of those things matter if you're not there with me." She sipped her tea and looked out the window. "I thought we would always live in Hope Valley. I can't believe we left."

Jack walked over to Elizabeth and turned her gently toward him, searching her eyes.

"I don't regret it," she whispered.

"Regret what?"

"I know you were going to say something about what I could have had if I hadn't chosen you, but I don't regret it and I never will. I belong with you. I belong wherever you are." She put her hand on his chest, over his heart. "I don't need those things. I just need you."

"You have me, Elizabeth, always."

"Promise?"

"I promise."