Disclaimer – I own nothing. Whatever could they do to pass the time…

Rating increase – I think the most we'll ever get to is a T but even that may be too high but just in case I have increased the rating.

"What have you got there?" Jack gave Rip a quick scratch and made his way to Elizabeth who was dropping a box on the kitchen table.

"I thought maybe we could get started on the decorations for the Christmas dance. It's what the children and I were going to work on today," Elizabeth began unloading the box filled with colored paper, scissors, glue, she'd even managed to wrangle up some gold glitter probably a special delivery from Hamilton.

"That's a great idea, should I pop some of this corn?" He picked up a bag of kernels Elizabeth had purchased to make garlands.

"That would be wonderful," Elizabeth dropped a kiss on his cheek as he walked past already feeling more comfortable now that they had something to occupy their time.

A comfortable silence fell over them as Elizabeth cut strips of red and green paper and Jack popped the corn kernels.

"You know, this feels nice. I can imagine us doing something similar in the future…maybe with some small feet underway," Elizabeth choked on her tea at the picture Jack had just painted for her.

"We'll need a lot more colored paper and corn kernels to decorate that house your building Jack Thornton." Jack laughed he'd finished the main level and added the roof before the snow had fallen. The house was taking shape, he'd built a beautiful eat in kitchen and added a small office in the back with a large window overlooking the valley where he hoped Elizabeth could write or work on her teacher responsibilities. He'd yet to show her any of it promising a surprise when it was complete; but his plan to have three bedrooms and a proper indoor bathing room on the second floor were both costing more than he anticipated and taking longer to construct than he wanted.

"That house I'm building is going to be our home one day and I want it to be perfect." Elizabeth could hear the sensitivity in his voice and she sighed, perhaps this was the time to bring up that subject that was eating away at her.

"I just,"

"Elizabeth," Jack pulled out the chair beside her and she turned to face him. He wrapped the end of her shawl in his hand pulling her closer, their foreheads nearly touching. "Tell me," He whispered.

"I love you Jack Thornton," Jack smiled and moved in to lay a kiss on her lips when she pulled back just enough to let him know she wasn't finished. "I love the home that you're building for us, even though you won't let me inside to see it." She smirked, "I love it already because I would love any building, any room, any place in the entire world that was ours." His heart stilled at her words, words he'd already known deep down because they held the same truth for him.

"I want to marry you," Elizabeth slid her delicate Hamilton raised, school teacher hands from his knees to his thighs, she squeezed lightly and then brought them to cradle his face. "How much longer do I have to wait to call you mine?" She let her lips fall to his and he pulled her instinctually out of her chair and into his lap. One arm held her tightly to him, the other cupped her chin separating their lips, "I have always been and will always be yours Elizabeth," He returned her lips to his own deepening the kiss in a way they had yet to explore.

Elizabeth breathed a small moan into him splitting her lips and allowing Jack to snake his tongue deeper. His arm tightened around her waist pulling her closer and she wrapped her arms his neck meeting him right there where their passion was exploding and then just like life the pan filled with kernels on the stove exploded into the air, popcorn raining down around them as they jumped from the chair. Laughter bubbled up between them as they watched the popped corn Kernels fill the room.

"I think it's done," Elizabeth laughed and Jack grabbed the broom by the stairs. They swept up the popcorn and then fell to the floor on either side of the pile. Elizabeth cut a long piece of string and threaded a needle on either side, she handed one side to Jack and they began to thread the popcorn.

"Just so you know, I am utterly and completely yours as well," Elizabeth's voice was quiet but Jack heard her clearly and his heart did a little flip.

"I know you're ready for a wedding but I need to finish that house Elizabeth," Elizabeth's stomach dropped. "Your father doesn't think I can provide for you, he won't ever give us his blessing if I can't show him that isn't true."

"I understand that you believe that but he will give his blessing. All he really needs to know is that you make me happy," Jack could hear the wistfulness in her voice, "If only that were true," He sighed and they resumed their decorating in silence.

Elizabeth's mind was buzzing, first that unbelievable kiss with that kiss in her memory she really wasn't going to be able to wait much longer; then that statement, the truth of that statement. A part of her had known the house was as much to prove to her father as it was to start their life together but to hear him say it. To see the sadness in his face at the knowledge that he alone wasn't enough for her parents, for her father. It made her angry and sad and more determined than ever to prove them all wrong. She wanted Jack to see he was enough and she wanted her parents to acknowledge that she knew what was best for her life going forward. She needed to clear her head.

"What are you doing?" Jack looked up as Elizabeth buttoned herself into her jacket.

"I need to use the outhouse," Jack stood up and collected his own jacket. "What are you doing?" Elizabeth watched him grab a pair of mittens and stuff a hat over his head.

"You can't go out there alone Elizabeth," Jack looked down into her eyes, "You are absolutely not accompanying me to the outhouse." Elizabeth put her foot down and Jack held back a smile. "It's a white-out out there Elizabeth,"

"I'm not going to get lost walking 10 steps to the privy and back again and I most definitely am not going to let my not even fiancé stand outside and hold the door closed while I…I…"

"You what Elizabeth" Jack could barely hold in his laughter as Elizabeth got more and more frustrated.

"I'm not arguing with you about this, stay inside this house Jack Thornton or you may not make it until tomorrow." Jack let the laughter flow and wrapped a scarf around her delicate neck.

"This isn't a choice you get to make Elizabeth but if it helps I'm sure the wind will block out anything I might possibly hear."

Elizabeth groaned, and stomped to the back door. Jack grabbed a tea towel from the stove and followed closely behind her.

"What's that for?" Elizabeth gritted out.

"It's um, for you, for your bottom." All the color dropped from Elizabeth's face and Jack continued, "The seat will be cold and you are warm...we don't want anything to uh, stick." Elizabeth snatched the towel out of Jacks hands and ripped the back door open. The wind, so strong shoved her back into him, he caught her easily and bit back another chuckle as she pushed forward into the cold.

"Well if this isn't the most embarrassing moment of my entire life," Elizabeth huffed to herself as she arranged the towel on the seat. The wind howled around the outhouse and Elizabeth truly hoped that he really couldn't hear anything.

Elizabeth was quick in the outhouse and Jack escorted her back up the steps to the house and then turned away.

"Where are you going?" Elizabeth hollered over the wind.

"I may as well use the outhouse now too," he called back.

"Why do you get privacy and I don't!" Elizabeth called into the wind and snow but Jack was already gone.

Hours later and they had put away the decorations, Elizabeth had disappeared behind her typewriter and Jack had put together two very decent looking sandwiches with the leftover roast from the previous evening. Elizabeth was lost in her writing so he placed the sandwich on her desk dropped a quick kiss to her temple before consuming his own lunch at the kitchen table.

It was amazing how comfortable he felt around her, they had barely spoken for several hours and there was no hint of awkwardness or discomfort at that silence. They both seemed able to simple 'be' with each other.

When he disappeared up the stairs under pretense of checking all the windows, she gave a little nod but barely lifted her head from her work. He'd told himself he was snooping so he'd know what a lady needed for their own home but if he was truthful with himself he was desperate to get just a little closer to the woman he was quickly losing himself to. He knew it was wrong to linger in her bedroom but he just couldn't help it.

Since he was up there, he did check her window. Then he made his way past the small vanity taking in her copper hair brush and the different combs scattered half-hazardly over the surface. He supposed a maid had tidied these things for her growing up but that didn't bother him. There was something inexplicably charming in her casualness. Powder, rouge a few other items he wasn't quite sure about had found homes along the vanity as well. He passed a chair with her robe and the hint of a white nightdress below, that was certainly something he planned on staying away from if he didn't want to be rushing to the alter as soon as the snow cleared.

He took in the handmaid quilt covering her bed and the warm slippers tucked just underneath. Her wardrobe was open and clearly too small for her many articles of clothing different colored sleeves where poking out keeping the doors open. He was about to make his way back down stairs when he caught the familiar red of his uniform. The sight of it took him by such surprise that he froze in place.

"It looks good there, doesn't it?" Her voice was soft as she took him in. He struggled to pull himself away from the wardrobe and turn to her. She was leaning against the doorframe, her shawl clutched tightly over her shoulders; those brown curls falling like a curtain to frame her face. She was stunning in the dim light of the evening candles.

"Want to tell me what you're doing in here officer?" she smirked biting her lip to keep from giggling and he nearly lost his control.

"Do you have any idea how breathtakingly beautiful you are?" his voice so completely earnest shook her from her fun. He moved to her slowly, like she was a horse that might spook. His hands gripped her hips and pulled her from the doorframe and into the bedroom. His head fell to the hollow of her collarbone at the base of her neck and he drank her in.

Instinctually she arched into him, opening her neck for the taking. "You never answered my question," she moaned into the hot air around them.

"I answered it hours ago," he placed a kiss on her neck and she sunk a little deeper into his warmth. "I want that house perfect for you," and then his teeth were nipping on the tender skin of her neck and she was gasping for breath and humming his name.

"We need to go downstairs," he sighed using every single ounce of strength he possessed to pull away from her and slip down the stairs.

Elizabeth's knees shook beneath her skirt as she grabbed hold of her bedpost and lowered herself to sit. Dear lord what had she gotten herself into, no one should be able to reduce someone else to the complete mess that she had just been reduced to.

A/N – You guys are so awesome, I forgot how amazing it was to share these tales that float around in my head and hear your feedback. Thank you.