A/N I know that I said I would be updating this story every other week, but I felt bad leaving you guys with that cliffhanger in chapter 1. I can't promise that I will always update this so frequently, though. As I said before, I am a full time graduate student, so I don't always have a lot of free time. I will try to update as often as I can.

I do have a second story that should be up soon, so be on the lookout for that. My plan is to alternate which story I update, so feel free to read that one while you wait for updates on this one.

Anyway, on with the story...

...

The sun was streaming in the windows of the infirmary when I awoke in the morning. My eyes felt puffy from crying. The throbbing in my head had intensified. Abigail still sat beside the bed.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake, Elizabeth. You've been in and out for a few days."

I carefully sat up in the bed, holding my hand to my head. "Days?"

She nodded. "Before you say anything else, you need to know something." A smile crept onto her face. "You were wrong about why that Mountie came to town. Jack is fine."

"Jack is… alive?"

"Yes. The Mountie was just stopping in town on his way to his new posting. He left the morning after we brought you here." She pulled an envelope from her pocket. "He did bring something for you, though."

I took the envelope from her. I immediately recognized the handwriting; it was from Jack. I quickly pulled the sheet of paper from the envelope. I ran my finger over the page, savoring his words. He reassured me that he was fine and would be home soon.

"I just… I can't believe he's really okay. I don't think I'll believe it until he's here with me."

"Well, that day should come soon."

"Not soon enough." I read over the note in silence a few more times. I could hear his voice, almost as if he were beside me reading the words on the page.

Faith stepped around the curtain. "Elizabeth, now that you're fully awake, I think you should try to eat something, build your strength back up." She set down a tray on the table beside me.

I nibbled on a piece of toast. "Faith? Do you think I can go back home today?"

"I don't see why not. Let me check with Carson when he gets back, though."

"Thank you, Faith." She smiled and nodded before walking away.

I took a bite of eggs and immediately regretted it. I reached for the empty bowl on the table once more.

"Elizabeth, are you sure you're feeling okay?" Abigail handed me the glass of water from the tray.

I took a sip. "Yes, I'm fine. I've been a little sick to my stomach for a few days. I think it's just because I'm worried about Jack."

She put her hand on mine. "So, you've been feeling nauseated, you've been tired, and you've been having headaches. Are you sure you aren't…?"

My eyes grew wide as I realized what she was suggesting. Could I be? I started counting on my fingers. It was definitely possible. I placed my hands on my stomach, thoughts swirling in my mind.

The door of the infirmary opened. Abigail stood.

"Elizabeth, it's good to see you're awake. How are you feeling?" Carson stood beside the bed.

"To tell you the truth, I'm feeling a little freaked out."

"Why is that?"

"Well, Abigail was just suggesting that I might be… Um… That I might be having a baby."

He instructed me to lay back on the bed. He leaned down and began examining my abdomen. "What are your symptoms?"

"I've been feeling sick for a week or so, since before that night when I collapsed, and I've been more tired than normal. Oh, and I've been having headaches."

He placed his hand against my forehead. "You don't have a fever, so it's probably not anything serious. It could just be stress, or…" He trailed off as he checked my pulse.

"Or what?"

"Or you could be pregnant." He stood up straight. "Now, I can't tell you definitively if you are or not at this point, but I think it's very likely given your symptoms and the timing of their onset. Congratulations, Elizabeth."

I placed my hand on my stomach again. The thought of there being a baby in there—my baby, Jack's baby—made the corners of my mouth turn up.

...

As the day progressed, I became more and more convinced that I must be pregnant. Little, unexplainable occurrences that had happened over the past few weeks suddenly made sense: the turning of my stomach at different smells, the headaches that struck almost daily, the sudden dizziness when I was teaching, the exhaustion.

I could hear Abigail moving around downstairs. I had insisted that I was feeling fine—better than fine, actually—but she eventually convinced me to spend the remainder of the day resting. I had relented when she reminded me that Carson had only agreed to let me return home after I promised to take it easy for a few days.

I picked up the book that lay on the nightstand and flicked through the pages. The words on the pages didn't hold my attention, and I set the book down again. I thought about writing a letter to Jack to tell him about the baby, but I decided that was the kind of news I wanted to share with him in person. Besides, he would be home in just under two weeks; by the time he received the letter, he would already be on his way back. I reached over and touched his pillow. It had been almost two months since I last saw him, since I last lay beside him, savoring his warmth.

"I can't wait to see you," I whispered, as if he could hear me. "I can't wait for you to be home, so we can finally be a family." I rubbed my stomach. "We need you here, Jack."

...

I must have fallen asleep, because the sun was setting when I opened my eyes. For the first time since Jack left, I had slept without nightmares. I felt more rested than I had in weeks. I pulled on my robe and quietly padded down the stairs.

Abigail looked up from the stove when she heard me enter the room. "Elizabeth, I thought I told you to stay in bed for the rest of the day."

"I know, but I'm really feeling much better." I sat down at the table. "Besides, I've been lying in a bed for days now. I needed to get up and do something."

"Well, you certainly look much better. We were all very worried about you." She set a cup of tea on the table in front of me.

"I'm sorry for worrying everyone."

"Don't feel bad, Elizabeth. Everyone cares about you and just wants you to be okay. Plus, I'm sure your news will make up for any worry you've caused people."

My hand immediately went to my stomach. I smiled. "I just can't believe it. Jack and I have discussed having children, but I don't think either of us expected it to happen this soon." I took a sip of tea. "I'm trying to think of a fun way to give Jack the news. I know I could just tell him, but he's wanted to be a father for so long. I want to make this really special for him."

She filled two bowls with the soup that was simmering on the stove and placed one in front of me. "Any ideas yet?" She sat down across from me.

I shook my head. "Not really." I gingerly tasted a spoonful of soup, waiting to see if it would agree with me. I took a few more bites before I spoke again, knowing Abigail would scold me if I continued to eat so little. "I was thinking of finding some way to tie it in with a Christmas gift. The only problem with that idea is that he should be home a few weeks before Christmas, and I don't think I can keep the news from him for that long."

She reached over and squeezed my hand reassuringly. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

...

The next day was a Friday. It had been five days since the Mountie had ridden into town and I ended up in the infirmary. Though I was feeling significantly better—especially now that I knew many of my symptoms were due to the tiny baby growing inside me—I decided to take another day to recuperate. I would return to the school the following Monday, after a few more days of rest.

Abigail finally felt comfortable enough to leave me on my own. She had been by my side every single day that week. I thanked God that she was in my life; I don't know how I would have made it through everything without her.

I knew that I had promised Carson and Abigail that I would take it easy and continue to rest, but truthfully, I was tired of resting. I puttered around the house, trying to find things to occupy my time. I dusted everything in sight. I swept every inch of the floor. Once I was satisfied that the house was sufficiently clean, I moved upstairs and reorganized everything in the dresser and wardrobe.

I walked past the spare room, catching sight of unpacked boxes stacked against the wall. They were filled with Jack's belongings. He hadn't found time to finish unpacking the rest of his things before he was called away to his new assignment.

I started going through the boxes, finding places for the things that had previously been kept in the jail. Nearly every object I unpacked brought back memories of the early days of our relationship. His fishing gear reminded me of all the days we spent out on the pond. His paintbrushes reminded me of the backdrop he made for the Founders' Day play—though he didn't know that I knew he was the one who had painted it. Little did I know when I saw the tiny painted versions of me and Jack that one day we would be married and expecting a baby.

I opened the final box and immediately realized it didn't belong to Jack. I smiled when I recognized the objects it held, an idea beginning to play in my head.

...

"Mrs. Thornton?"

I looked up from the paper I had been grading. "Yes, Opal?"

"When is Mountie Jack coming back?"

"Hopefully next week."

"Do you miss him?" This time it was Emily who spoke.

I smiled sadly. "I miss him very much. I know you all miss him, too, but you need to get back to work on your projects." They nodded and turned their attention back to the papers strewn across their desks.

The day had been relatively uneventful. Rosemary had happily filled in for me while I was recovering in the infirmary, but I knew she was glad to be relieved of teaching duties. I missed the children, and it was nice to be back in the classroom. I looked up and watched the students as they worked. It suddenly hit me that, in a few months, I would have to leave them in the care of another once again. Even though I would be busy taking care of a new baby, I knew that I would miss my students. I brushed my fingers against my stomach. I realized that was starting to become a habit, one that I should probably break until I was ready to tell more people about the baby.

I remained at my desk for a while after I dismissed the children for the day. There was a lot to catch up on from the week that I had been ill. Two stacks of papers sat in front of me. I picked up the stack that had yet to be graded and placed it in the basket beside me. Pulling on my coat, I headed toward the mercantile, going over the list of things I needed in my head.

Before I reached the building, I saw him. The red coat was unmistakable. My stomach dropped, remembering the nightmare I had had so many times before. Then his face came into focus.

"Jack?" My voice broke. I dropped my basket and ran toward him. He brought the horse to a halt and jumped from its back, closing the gap between us. He pulled me into his arms the second I reached him. He kissed my hair and wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"I've missed you, Elizabeth Thornton."