Sorry it's taken so long to get to Chapter Two. There are only a few more weeks left of the school year, and I've been caught up with everything that goes along with that. And I've actually had a few problems with where this story was going. Here's to hoping that the next chapter doesn't take that long.

Happy Reading ~ Em

Jack sat there stunned. A transfer? How could this even be? After the Tolliver Gang he had been given his pick of assignments. He had chosen to make Hope Valley as his career posting. To his knowledge it would be unlikely for him to receive a transfer, especially as he hadn't requested one. He was under the impression that Hope Valley would be permanent. Just as he had mentioned to Elizabeth the previous night, he wasn't interested in perusing a career in the big city. He mulled it over for a few moments.

"Constable Thornton?" George's voice broke through his thoughts. "Constable Thornton?"

"George… Sorry. I'm just confused by this telegram from divisional headquarters."

"Yes. I was surprised that I was granted this post. Especially since I heard that this was not a post that would be up on the roster, Constable Thornton."

"Please, it's Jack, none of this Constable Thornton business," replied Jack. "Yes Hope Valley is my career post. I do not understand why I have been transferred," confirmed Jack.

"And what would happen if you refused?" questioned George.

Jack shrugged slightly as he tossed the letter back onto the desk.

"I don't know. Normally a refusal would be the end of a career, but I don't know. But it's something that I need to talk to division about. And George, I'm sure that you'll find your right post too."

George looked up from the spot on the floor that he had been starting at.

"Well since you're here and I've got two weeks before I need to report to Hamilton, I can teach you the ropes of a small town," Jack told him. "I just need to send a telegram to Superintendent Houghton, but first we should have breakfast. There's a nice café just across the street, Abigail's. And am I right to assume that you haven't sorted out anywhere to stay yet?"

George shook his head.

"Well… I can suggest right here," Jack told him.

"Here? In the jail?" asked George, sounding unsure about staying in a jail of all places.

"The bed in the jail is not as hard as you may think and is slightly more comfortable than the saloon," confirmed Jack. "Breakfast then…"

Jack opened the door to the café to a fairly quiet café actually. He had obviously lost track of time and they had missed the morning rush.

"Ah Jack," Abigail greeted. "You've just missed Elizabeth."

"Oh… I got caught up with George and didn't make it across. I wonder if I rush, I might see her before school starts," Jack mused.

"Jack, it's later than you think. I believe school might have already begun…" she informed him. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Yes, just the usual," he commented with a twinkle in his eye.

"And what can I get you, Constable…?" Abigail asked, turning her attention to George.

George looked up at the woman with slightly confused look on his face. Looking down slightly at the red serge he was wearing, a slow realisation spreading across his face.

"Abigail, this is Constable George Butler," Jack introduced. "George, Mrs Abigail Stanton, the owner of the café and a friend of ours. George is a new Constable who I worked with in Rock Creek."

Abigail held her hand out to welcome George. "Welcome to Hope Valley Constable Butler, will you be staying long?"

George smiled briefly.

"Mrs Stanton," he replied. "I am not sure how long I will be here. The regional office has just transferred me over to Hope Valley."

Abigail was taken back.

"Two constables in Hope Valley Jack?" she questioned. "I know the town is growing, however how is it we are able to warrant two Mounties?"

Jack shook his head sightly. "They aren't assigning another Mountie, they are re-assigning me."

Abigail's mouth dropped open slightly, a confused look on her face.

"Pardon me?"

"I received a letter informing me of my transfer to Hamilton," Jack confirmed, looking down at the table.

"Elizabeth didn't mention anything when she came by for breakfast. And I would have thought that she wouldn't have looked quite so cheery if you were moving to Hamilton. What is going to happen here? When will you both be moving?" Abigail asked.

Jack held up a hand, ceasing Abigail's commentary.

"Elizabeth doesn't know," he quietly replied.

Abigail raised an eyebrow.

"Elizabeth doesn't know?" she repeated slowly, placing the coffee pot down on the table. "Do you have a death wish?"

George chuckled softly. Jack's head snapped back up and glared at him, and all traces of the smile disappeared off George's face.

"George only just came into town with my new orders. I haven't even had the chance to say anything to her," sighed Jack. "I just need to get this sorted out with my superiors."

"Jack!" Abigail admonished. "If you send a telegram without telling Elizabeth she may very well find out from someone around the town. And am I right to assume that George will be staying here in Hope Valley?"

"That I will, Mrs Stanton," confirmed George.

"And how will you explain that to Elizabeth?" asked Abigail. "Have you learned nothing Jack?"

Jack smiled slightly and shook his head. "I'll bring it up tonight. Not quite the homecoming either of us were expecting."

Elizabeth walked through the door late that afternoon, sighing as she did so. Placing her basket on the living room desk, she removed her coat hanging it up as she went. Following her nose, she walked into the kitchen to find Jack cooking, still with most of his uniform on. Whilst he had discarded his red serge, he still had on his jodhpurs and blue undershirt on. Elizabeth found this slightly odd as normally when he came home for the day his uniform would be removed. If he was only home for dinner the only part of his uniform that came off was his belt, his jacket would normally stay on. It was very rare for him to walk around with only his undershirt on.

"I for one will be glad when school ends next week," Elizabeth commented as she sank down into a chair nearby.

"It is quite late in the afternoon for you to come home," commented Jack.

"There was a stack of papers that I wished to finish grading before tomorrow. If I complete my grading a school I don't have to bring it home. And I believe that all my lesson plans are complete for the next week, with some homework for the summer break too."

"If you want to get washed up, dinner should be ready soon."

"You are too good to me Jack Thornton," Elizabeth commented as she reached Jack and leant up for a kiss. "Much too good to me."

"I wonder if you'll be saying that after dinner," Jack commented under his breath as he watched Elizabeth walk away.

Before long Elizabeth was back, ready to eat.

"I'm just going to get out of this uniform, if you would mind setting the table?" asked Jack.

Elizabeth hooked a finger under the back strap of Jack's suspenders as he walked past her, effectively stopping him in his tracks and causing him to take a step back. Turning around to face her, Jack saw the fire in her eyes.

"Do you know what your uniform does to me?" Elizabeth asked in a low voice, pushing his suspenders off his shoulders.

Jack smirked as he wrapped his arm around her waist, leaning down to capture her lips. Without breaking contact, he swung her around and backed her up against the wall. Elizabeth smiled as she caught her breath, sliding her hands up Jack's shirt, toying with the buttons.

Jack eyed the stove and the pot that sat atop of it. He pulled away slightly, causing Elizabeth to whimper slightly at the loss of contact.

"Just a minute, my love. I do believe that if I don't move that pot, my dinner may end up looking like yours," Jack teased.

Elizabeth looked indignant. "My cooking has improved vastly thank you very much!" she replied with a slight stomp of her foot. Whilst her cooking had improved slightly since they had been married, it was still a bone of contention with Elizabeth.

Jack smirked slightly as he scooted the pot off the stove, as Elizabeth huffed away.

"You have been eating my cooking for the past year or so without complaining too much," she ranted on.

Jack stood back slightly as he watched Elizabeth storm around the kitchen, firmly placing the crockery on the table, muttering under her breath. With a half smile on his face, he waited for her to come past. As she rushed pass, he reached out to grab a handful of skirt. Elizabeth gasped with surprise. Sliding his arms around her waist, he spun her around and kissed her soundlessly.

He began to move his feet, pushing Elizabeth towards the doorway without breaking contact with her.

"I didn't say that I didn't like your cooking," he whispered into her ear. "But there are other things that we could be doing, other things that we were doing."

"Is that right Mr Thornton?" Elizabeth asked as she allowed her hands to snake their way up his chest.

"It is," he replied as he brushed the hair out of her face.

"So those suspenders Constable…"

"Hmm," Jack replied as he kicked the door to the bedroom shut.

A cold dinner later, Jack was still thinking of how he was even going to bring the transfer up.

He allowed his mind to wander as Elizabeth curled up next to him on the couch, he hadn't even noticed that she was playing with his shirt buttons and had begun to slowly undo the top ones.

Elizabeth paused when she reached the third button, sneaking a look up at Jack as she stroked her index finger along the bare skin that she had exposed. Whilst she wasn't usually this forward, she hadn't expected Jack not to have reacted at all. As she looked up she found that Jack had a stern look on his face and was gazing off into the distance. Elizabeth wondered what was causing Jack to completely ignore her.

"Jack," she softly called as she placed her hand gently on his upper thigh.

"Hmmm…" came the distracted reply

Trailing a finger up his leg, she continued "Jack… What's going on in there?"

Still no reply came, so Elizabeth decided to take matters into her own hands. Reaching up, she brushed her nose up against Jack's cheek. As he turned his face towards her, a look of surprise on his face, she took the opportunity to capture his lips.

Pulling away slightly, Jack looked down at her. "Elizabeth."

"What's going on in there?" she repeated, tapping her fingers against his temple.

Jack looked down and away. Elizabeth pulled completely back, allowing her hands to drop onto her lap.

"Jack?" she questioned.

"Elizabeth…" he started slowly. "How was your day?"

"Jack Thornton, I know you, don't avoid what you really need to say."

"Elizabeth," he started again, with a slight shake of his head. "I haven't asked you about your day. I always ask you about your day."

Elizabeth scoffed slightly. "Has this something to do with Constable Butler? Is something going on with your job?"

Jack refused to say a word.

"Jack Thornton, you stubborn constable," Elizabeth huffed as she withdrew from him completely, shuffling away on the couch from him.

"You first," Jack insisted.

Elizabeth stared at him for a few seconds. He only stared back. Finally she took a breath and sighed.

"I received a telegram from Father today. Viola and Lionel will be in Hamilton on a holiday over the summer, Mother and Father expect us to be coming back to visit also. I was thinking when school breaks for summer, we may be able to visit for a week or so. What do you think? Will you be able to have some time off for a family visit?" she questioned.

"We'll be seeing them sooner than you think," Jack mumbled under his breath.

"Hmmm?" questioned Elizabeth. "What was that?"

Jack took a breath and turned slightly to face Elizabeth. He reached out to grasp her hands in his, his thumb starting to rub over the back of hers.

"Elizabeth," he began. "I received a letter from Regional Headquarters today."

"Yes."

"I've been transferred out of Hope Valley…"

"What?"

"I've been transferred to Hamilton," he calmly told her.

"And how long have you known?" Elizabeth coolly asked.

"George came with a letter from Superintendent Houston this morning. That's why he is here, George has been posted to Hope Valley."

"You've known since this morning and you're only now telling me?" Elizabeth questioned her voice beginning to rise slightly.

"I was planning on telling you at dinner, but one thing lead to another." Jack shrugged slightly.

"And I thought that you said Hope Valley was your career post now?"

"You know that a Mountie's life can be unpredictable Elizabeth," Jack tried to explain, a slight irritation starting to become evident in his voice.

"Career posting," emphasised Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth, I didn't ask for this. I don't understand why it has happened. But it has."

"And what about us?" Elizabeth questioned, pulling her hands away from Jack's.

"I don't know," Jack told her, reaching for her hand again. "Elizabeth, please."

"You don't know?" Elizabeth didn't wait for Jack to reply. She rose from the couch, turning quickly on her heel. A few seconds later, Jack heard the bedroom door slam, hard.

Jack sighed, settling his temper. He couldn't quite believe how Elizabeth was taking this. He hadn't expected it to go well, but he had thought that Elizabeth would be at least reasonable. After all, this wasn't his fault. It seemed like she was blaming him for the transfer. He couldn't change anything. Pausing for a moment, he knew that this passion was what made both of them tick, and there wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for Elizabeth. Rising from his position, he knew he had to talk to Elizabeth, and not let her stew in the bedroom.

Taking a few step towards the bedroom, he nearly tripped over Rip.

"Lazy dog," he huffed at Rip.

Pausing outside the door, he settled himself again before knocking on his own bedroom door.

"Elizabeth," he called out.

Silence meet him. "I'm coming in," he told her, but still nothing.

Carefully he pushed open the door. Elizabeth was curled up on her side of the bed, clutching a pillow to her chest.

"Elizabeth," he started as he made his way over to her side.

"How could you Jack?"

"Sorry?"

"How could you keep something this big from me?" she accused.

Jack opened his mouth, yet she didn't allow him the chance to reply.

"How can you not know what is going to happen with us? I can't just up and leave Hope Valley, the children need me!"

"But Elizabeth…"

"We can't just leave Hope Valley. And you can't be in Hamilton and leave me here in Hope Valley. What kind of marriage will that be?"

"Elizabeth, I haven't done anything"

"Exactly Jack Thornton, you haven't done anything yet!" Elizabeth exploded

It took all of Jack's self-control to not explode and yell as well.

"Elizabeth, look at me," he told her, reaching out to lift her chin to face him. As he did, he took a seat on the side of the bed.

"Elizabeth, I didn't know this was going to happen," he confirmed. "I thought that we would be in Hope Valley for a long while, this is where I am supposed to be. I don't understand why they would be transferring me. Please understand this," he told her as he ran his hands up and down her arms.

Elizabeth looked at him, angry draining from her face.

"Jack I knew when I married you that our lives would never be completely settled. I knew that as a Mountie's wife we could be transferred anywhere, but I wasn't expecting this to happen today," she told him.

"I know," he nodded.

Elizabeth's face and resolve began to crumble. Her shoulders began to shake as the tears started to fall.

"Jack?" she whimpered. "What are we going to do?"

Jack unsure of what to say simply gathered her up in his arms as she began to sob uncontrollably. Jack pulled her closer and ran his hands around her back in a soothing manner.

"I don't know Elizabeth," he whispered in her ear. "But I know that together we can face anything," he reminded her.

Scooting around on the bed, Jack brought them into the middle of the bed, holding her until she was completely out of tears. Conversation had ended for the night, but the unknown future that was now ahead of them both made for a fitful night's sleep for both Jack and Elizabeth.

As always reviews are most welcomed.