Elizabeth put Maddie in bed. "Mama? Please hold me. I'm scared."

"Its ok Bug. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"No, Mama. Please." She climbed back into Elizabeth's arms and held on tight. Emmy woke up because she heard voices.

Elizabeth knew she wasn't going to stay in bed so she got up and took her into her and Jack's bedroom with Emmy following behind. The twins were waking up so she took them one at a time out of the crib using her free arm.

"Ok, everyone up on the bed. Mama's tired." She sat in the middle and Maddie laid as close as she could. The twins figured out it was fun to jump on the bed and Emmy joined them.

"Mama? My tummy hurts," Maddie complained but Elizabeth didn't hear her because the other kids were being so loud.

"Mama? My tummy!" Maddie sat up and proceeded to throw up all over Elizabeth, herself, and the bed. Then she started crying.

"Ok, everyone stop, please." The boys and Emmy froze in mid jump so they ended up hitting the bed at the same time, making them giggle. "Em, go get Daddy. He's downstairs."

"K, Mama."

"Bug, come here. We need to get our clothes off." She unbuttoned her shirt and carefully slid it off, trying not to make more of a mess than there already was. Next her skirt and Maddie's dress.

Jack and Emmy walked in to find Elizabeth and Maddie unclothed, the blankets off the bed and the twins in their crib, trying to climb out.

"Uh, Sweetheart? What's going on?"

"I threw up, Daddy," Maddie pitifully said as she sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Bug, are you sick?"

"My tummy feels better, now."

"My guess, Madelyn Thornton, is that you ate too much of the candy you found in Caleb's room. Am I right?" Elizabeth said in her scary teacher voice, hands on her hips, which had slightly less of an impact since she wasn't wearing much.

Maddie nodded and giggled. Then Jack started laughing, followed by Emmy. The twins stopped trying to climb out of their crib and looked at them like they were crazy.

"I don't know what you're all laughing at, but it's not funny to me."

"Well, sweetie if you could see yourself, you'd laugh too."

She looked down and smiled. She grabbed her robe and slipped it on. "Is that better?"

"I liked you the other way better," he teased.

"Well, right now, I'm smelling like vomit so I wouldn't get too close. However, I would really appreciate it if you could heat up some bathwater for both Bug and myself."

"Yes, Dear. Emmy, you help."

Elizabeth sat down in the rocking chair and pulled Maddie onto her lap. "Bug? How are you feeling?"

"Better, Mama."

"Good. I don't understand why you thought it would be ok to eat Caleb's candy and then give some to Will and Emmy too. It wasn't yours to eat."

"Caleb lets me eat it when he's here. He shares with me so I shared too."

"Next time, ask first and then eat one piece. Your tummy can't handle so much candy."

"Yes, mama."

"Thank you. Now let's go take a bath."

That night, Elizabeth walked in their bedroom after grabbing a light blanket from downstairs.

Jack opened the windows on the opposite side of the room from the crib and then turned around. "Hi, sweetie. You look tired."

"I am. Thank you putting the kids to bed."

"You're welcome. I hope you don't mind that I opened the windows. This room needed to be aired out."

"No its fine. It's a warm night. We probably won't even need this blanket."

Jack sat down on the bed and looked at his pillowcase and groaned. "Missed one." He tossed it on the floor to be washed the next day.

"I'm sorry, Love. I thought I got everything." She sat on the bed and rubbed her neck, yawning.

"Honey, let me do that." He sat behind her and rubbed her neck and her shoulders. "Are you feeling ok tonight?"

"I guess."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing really. Can you just hold me?" He did as she asked. He would do anything for her if it made her happy. It made him think about Adam and his demeanor. He had never seen him be abusive or anything but strict. However, the fear he saw in Andrea's eyes, that he would take her and Megan away from Henry, concerned him.

"Jack?" Elizabeth whispered.

"Yeah?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Adam."

"Jack, do you know where Andie is?"

"Yes."

"But you can't tell me?"

"Absolutely not."

"Oh, Mountie business?"

"Not exactly. It's just better that you don't know. If he asks again, you won't have to lie or cover anything up."

"How do you know they're safe?"

"I take them food every other day. They're just fine. I can't tell you anything else."

She trusted him that they were safe, because that was his job. She worried a little about him though.

"Don't worry. I'm careful."

She turned and looked at him, smiling at his mind reading abilities. "I love you." She kissed him goodnight and turned back over, taking his arm and placing it over her tummy.

"I love you too."

OUTSIDE OF TOWN

"Henry? Are you ready to go?" Jack called from the doorway.

"Jack, one moment!" Henry finished putting on his clothes, made sure his hat covered his eyes and kissed Andie goodbye.

"Henry, please be careful." She held on to his shirt with her hands and pleaded with him. "I can't lose you."

"I'm with Jack. He will keep me safe. Please don't worry."

"Henry, after last night, I don't feel safe here without you. What if he comes back?"

"I told him that you left me and I didn't know where you were. I think he believed me. He shouldn't come back, but if he does, you know where the gun is."

"No, Henry, please. I could never shoot anyone. Not even him."

"You won't have to. Just scare him with it."

"Henry? We need to go!" Jack called from downstairs.

"I have to go. Remember don't go to the door. Keep it locked." He kissed her forehead and left the room.

Jack watched as Henry came down the stairs, his head low to hide his eyes. "Henry? What's going on?"

"Nothing, let's go."

"What are you hiding?"

"Nothing, Jack." As Henry walked by, Jack quickly grabbed the hat from his head.

"Where did that come from?" He gently grabbed his chin, tilting it to the light from the window.

"I'm clumsy. Let's go before I'm late." He rushed past Jack toward the door.

"Did he show up last night?"

"Who?"

"Henry, by now, you know you can trust me. Why not just tell the truth? I'm here to protect you."

"Well, you didn't protect me this time, did you?"

"So, knowing Adam is out here somewhere aware of where you are, you were going to leave your wife and daughter alone, and you weren't going to tell me?"

"She has a gun. If he came back, she could scare him off."

"Henry! Guns are not for scaring people. They can hurt people. Go get her. We are leaving and going somewhere safe."

"I know what guns can do! Don't treat me like a child, Constable. I'm not your son that you can just tell what to do. Just go do your job, I will take care of my family now."

Henry walked out the door leaving Jack inside. "Henry? Look, please get your family. They can stay in town with my Mom and Bill."

"You want them to stay in town? Where he can find them? Stupid idea."

"They are safer in town with someone like my Mom and Bill than out here by themselves. In town, if he tried anything he'd have to get through them first. Bill was a Mountie and my mom can handle anyone."

"Fine. They stay one day. Then what?"

"I'll figure it out. Look, do you want to press charges against him?"

"No."

"Has he hit you before?"

"No. He was just mad because I told him he couldn't take Megan and Andie."

"How did you plan on stopping him?"

"I would die before I would let them go. I would do whatever it took to keep them safe."

Jack understood his statement because he felt the same about his own family, but he also saw a fire in his eyes, convincing him that what he said was true. He actually worried about what Henry would do if it came down to it.

BACK IN TOWN

Jack walked in to his parents apartment. "Mom? Oh! I'm sorry. I should have knocked." Jack stepped back out and shut the door, completely embarrassed and unable to wipe what he had seen from his memory.

Charlotte came to the door a few moments later wrapped in a bathrobe. Bill kissed her goodbye and nodded at Jack. "Later, son. Henry, Andrea. Good to see you."

Jack refused to look at his mother as he spoke. "Um, Mom…can Andie and Megan stay with you?"

"Of course."

"Um, just so you are aware…"

"Jack, look at me."

"Um no. Just so you're aware, Adam is looking for them so please be careful and don't open the door. In fact, keep it locked."

"Andie, you can go in. Jack, we need to talk."

"I need to get Henry to work. I can't stay. Please be careful."

Henry and Jack walked down the stairs, through the store and outside to mount their horses.

"Jack?"

"Bill, later, ok?" He knew what he wanted to speak about, but he couldn't at that moment.

"Jack, there's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Yes, there is. She's my mother."

"She's also my wife."

"I'm well aware…"

"Then, what's the problem?"

"No problem. Just need to go, ok?"

Henry started laughing once they left town.

"What's so funny?"

"You. What could possibly have been so embarrassing?"

"Ever walked in on your parents….you know?"

"No. My parents died when I was five."

"Oh, I didn't know."

"You didn't ask."

"I suppose I didn't want to pry. You seem to be a private person."

"Its your job to pry, isn't it?"

"Yes, but as a friend, I don't want to be intrusive."

"Friends, huh?"

"I would like to be your friend, but I want you to trust me first."

"I trust you."

"Henry, you don't trust anyone. Care to share why that might be?"

"With Jack or with the Constable?"

"With Jack, if that makes you more comfortable."

Henry thought as they rode. He knew he had trouble trusting people, but he had good reason in his opinion.

"My parents died when I was five. They were killed by an intruder that broke in our house. He shot them while I hid in the closet. I saw the whole thing. My parents didn't have any brothers or sisters and my grandparents were already gone, so at first I was taken in by the old lady in town who ran the store. Then when I was six, she died. No one else would take me, so the minister in town sent me to the neighboring town that had an orphanage."

"Then what happened?"

"I ran away when I was ten. I figured I could take care of myself better than the people at the orphanage who barely remembered to feed me. I lived on my own, stealing any food I could from people that weren't paying attention. I'd take clothes off people's clotheslines and sleep in any barns I came across." Henry stopped riding and looked at Jack, tears in his eyes. "When I was fourteen, after four years of being alone, a couple took me in. I figured I had nothing to lose. After all, my life couldn't be any worse than what I had already lived through."

"So you finally had a family that cared about you."

"Actually no. The husband decided that I was worthless. Nothing I did was good enough or done correctly. I was useless so he beat me. Everyday, for three years. I would go to school with bruises and broken bones. The teacher looked the other way. Eventually, I ran away from him as well. The time I did though, was with Andie. I had found someone that loved me. I really didn't believe it was possible, but I eventually trusted her and we fell in love and the rest, you already know."

Jack looked at him and thought about his story. Jack realized that he had had it good. Yes, he had lost his father at ten and times were hard after that, but if the worst thing that happened now was seeing his parents expressing the love they felt for each other, he was a very lucky man. It was unfortunate that those images were now burned into his brain, but still lucky.

"Henry, I will do everything I can to keep your family safe. I promise you. I'm going to ask you one more time. Do you want to press charges against Adam for hitting you?"

"No, I just don't want to ever see him again."

"That might be difficult considering your circumstances."

"Not if we leave."

After work, Jack brought Henry back to his Mom and Bill's apartment. He had no clue what to do with them to keep them safe. He wanted to bring them home with him, but didn't want his own family in danger if Adam chose to stop by, now knowing he could be violent.

Jack knocked this time, even though he knew Andie was there too. Bill opened the door and smiled.

"Henry, Jack. Good to see you." They walked in and Jack smelled food cooking.

"What smells so good?"

"Pot roast, potatoes and carrots. My specialty," Bill answered proudly.

Jack's mouth watered at the thought of eating dinner, but he needed to speak with everyone before he could go home.

"Can I speak to all of you for a moment?"

Bill stopped cooking and turned around. Charlotte and Andie stopped chatting. Henry sat down and grabbed his wife's hand, smiling at her.

"First, Ma. Thank you for letting Andie and Megan stay here today."

"It was my pleasure. I love having a baby around and of course Andie."

"Andie, I need to ask you a question. I need a completely truthful answer."

"Of course."

"Has your father ever struck your Mom, your sister or you?"

"Jack, I already told you…"

"Yes, but this is important. The fact that he hit your husband, changes the level of threat I see in him."

Andie snuggled her sleeping daughter tighter against her chest. He could see she was trying to decide what she would say. "Yes, he did. It was a long time ago."

Jack had been confident that would be her answer. "Your Mom?"

"Yes. I remember it clear as day. I was probably ten. I had come home from school and went to the barn to do my chores. I could hear him yelling all the way out there. Mom never yelled and I think that made him more mad. He was telling her that she hadn't cleaned well enough that day. She had missed a rug or something. After he yelled at her for what seemed like forever, there was silence so I decided to go inside. When I got to the house, he rushed out and got on his horse and left. He didn't come back for a few days."

"Was your mom ok?"

"I didn't know at first, but the next morning after he left, she had a black eye. When she rolled up her sleeves, there were bruises on her arms. When I asked what happened, she brushed it off by saying, "Daddy's tired. He didn't mean it." I knew better. From that point on, there was always that fear that I would one day get hurt too."

"And there still is?" Charlotte asked.

"Especially after he hit Henry. I don't want to be anywhere near him. Jack, can you please help us move somewhere else? I can't stay here anymore, not when Megan is in danger."

"Henry mentioned that earlier. It's a big deal, starting over again. I need you both to be sure that that is what you want. I'm going home and I'll be back in the morning. Give me your answer then."

"Ok. Thank you."

Jack walked to the door, churning inside with the heartbreaking stories he had heard. He needed to go see his family, make sure they were safe, and make sure they knew he loved them and would never hurt them.

"Jack, wait, please." His mom walked over to him. "This morning, I'm sorry."

"Ma, there is nothing to apologize for. I was uncomfortable but it doesn't matter anymore. I should have knocked first." He looked at her and smiled. "I love you so much, Ma. Thank you for everything you've done for me, my whole life." He hugged her tightly and wiped a tear from her cheek when he stepped back.

"I love you too, Son."

Bill walked over and shook his hand. "Son, you're a good man. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Pop." He left before he succumbed to tears. Bill would never again be just Bill. Knowing he was proud of him meant the world and something that he hadn't heard in a long time.

The moment Jack walked in his house, he listened for his family. He wanted to hear noise and laughter. He wanted to know everyone was safe and he wanted to hold all of them close and protect them from anything and everything that might cause them harm.

"Daddy, hold me?" Emmy had walked in and looked up. He picked her up and held her close.

"Daddy, you sad?" He hadn't realized he had been crying, but leave it to his observant daughter to notice.

"Not anymore. Now I'm very happy to be home." She kissed his tears and then hugged him tightly around the neck.

"Jack? You're home."

"Yes, Sweetheart. Sorry I'm late." She walked over and noticed his cheeks were damp from tears.

"What's wrong? Is everyone ok?"

"I had a rough day. I can't talk about it, but seeing you, helps a lot." He wrapped his free arm around her, holding her tight. "I love you, Baby."

"I love you more. Are you hungry?"

"Starving, but I want to say hi to the kids first."

"They're upstairs playing in Caleb's room."

"I'll be back soon." He kissed her temple and carried Emmy up the stairs to Caleb's room.

"Hi guys!"

"Daddy! Come play with us, please."

"I'll just watch from up here," he said as he sat on Caleb's bed. He leaned against the headboard and observed his children, playing, occasionally bickering, and laughing.

Drew decided he wanted to sit with Dada so he climbed up and leaned against his stomach. "Dada. Kiss." He crawled over and kissed Jack on the cheek, slobbering all over him, but Jack didn't care. He was grateful that his children loved him and felt comfortable with him. It made him feel that he was doing something right. He couldn't imagine his children being afraid of him, or his wife. To hurt someone that trusted him, was unthinkable.

Elizabeth popped her head in the door, bringing him a plate of food. "Mama? Up!" Drew shouted.

Jack took the plate and pulled her down on the bed with him and Drew, who climbed on her lap.

"Thank you, Elizabeth."

"I thought you might want to eat here." She could see that whatever had happened during the day, was deeply affecting him and that his family made him feel better.

He couldn't help the tear that rolled down his cheek. She reached up and wiped it away. "I wish you could tell me what happened."

"Me too." He grabbed her hand and kissed it and then put his head on her shoulder.

After the kids were in bed, Jack made a fire and waited for Elizabeth to join him on the couch. She brought him a glass of wine. "Here you go, Love."

"Thank you." He watched her as she sat down next to him, curling her long legs underneath her, and covering them both with a blanket. Jack frowned and fought his emotions again. "Elizabeth, you know I would never hurt you, right?"

"Jack, yes of course I know that."

"I just love you so much and I would never want you to be afraid of me."

"Honey, please don't worry about that. I know you love me and I'm not afraid of you at all. Come here." She pulled him into her arms and held him close. "Thank you for not being that type of man, for loving me and our children, and for always protecting us."

He pulled back and looked in her eyes, leaned in to kiss her, but someone pounded on the door.

"Jack!" Bill yelled.

"Pop? What is it? Is Ma ok?"

"Yes." He looked at Elizabeth who had followed Jack to the door. "Honey, I need to borrow your husband."

"Of course. Both of you please be careful." She kissed Jack goodbye. "I love you."

"I love you."

OUTSIDE

"Pop? What's going on?"

"We need to go to Adam and Maggie's. Amy ran over to our place and said her Daddy was dead. She looked at the jail for you, but you weren't there, so she came to get me."

"Adam is dead? How?"

"I don't know. The poor child stopped talking so I came to get you."

They walked up to Adam and Maggie's about five minutes later, not bothering to knock on the door.

"Maggie?" Jack called when he walked in the door.

She was sitting in a chair at the table, staring at nothing. Adam's body was lying next to her on the floor, a cast iron skillet next to his head, which Jack assumed was what had been her weapon of choice.

"Maggie," he said louder. "What happened?"

She turned her head slowly toward him, allowing him to see her black eye that was making itself visible. Her lip was bleeding and he could see bruises starting to appear around her neck. When he got closer, he gently touched her arm, to which she jerked away, wincing.

"Maggie, look at me. It's Jack. I'm not Adam. I'm not going to hurt you."

She said nothing, but allowed him to lead her away from her dead husband to the rocking chair by the fireplace. Once she was settled, Jack took Bill outside for a moment. "Pop, this might be a long night. Can you take Maggie to my house?"

"Jack, I don't think that's wise. She killed her husband."

"Did you see her? It was clearly self defense. You know that I would never send anyone I think is dangerous to stay with Elizabeth and the kids."

Bill knew Jack was probably right, but it made him uneasy. He still did it, though.

Elizabeth waited nervously on the couch for Jack to return. She prayed for his safety and tried to stay calm, rubbing her small tummy. She jumped when she heard another knock on the door. She opened the door to find Bill and an obviously beaten Maggie, struggling to walk.

"Oh my goodness! What happened?"

"It's a long story, Elizabeth. Jack told me to bring her here."

"Of course. Put her here on the couch."

Bill left after a moment and Elizabeth started to take care of Maggie, after locking the door.

"Maggie? It's Elizabeth. Where do you hurt?"

"Don't bother yourself. I'm fine." She attempted to get up, but fell back down, holding her side and wincing.

Elizabeth decided rather than ask, she would concentrate on the visible signs of injury. "I'm going to get a few things to help make you feel better. I'll be right back."

Elizabeth ran upstairs, grabbing a nightgown, a few towels, aspirin, some cotton, and iodine. Then she went to the kitchen to get some warm water to help clean her wounds, particularly her lip. By the time she came back, Caleb had come downstairs and was holding Maggie's hand.

"Ma, what happened to her? She won't tell me."

"Caleb, it's late. You should be sleeping."

"Let me help please? This is Amy's Ma."

"I know, but she might not want too many people helping."

"He can stay. It's fine."

"Ok, for a few minutes."

"Thank you, Ma."

Caleb held Maggie's hand as Elizabeth took care of her lip. "Maggie, do you want any tea?"

"No, thank you. Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I haven't been nice to you and after tonight…"

"That is all behind us, and I don't know what happened tonight. Besides, I would never refuse to help someone that needs it."

"I'm sure you'll change your mind, once you find out."

"Caleb, thank you for helping. It's way past your bedtime, though."

"Ma…"

"Caleb listen. Maggie and I need to talk. I also need to help her change. So you need to go upstairs now. I will see you in the morning."

"Yes, Ma." He hugged her and then took Maggie's hand again. "I hope you feel better soon."

"Thank you, Caleb."

Elizabeth helped her to the bathroom and then started to leave the room, but Maggie stopped her. "Stay. You might as well see what men are capable of." Elizabeth unbuttoned the back of her dress and tried not to gasp at the old and new bruises on her back. She fought with every ounce of strength she could gather to not dissolve into tears. As she peeled her dress off, she noticed more bruises on her arms and up around her neck. "Well?" Maggie asked as she turned around slowly.

"Well, what?"

"No comments? Questions?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Same thing Adam always said and my mother and my father."

"What did they say?"

"That I didn't try hard enough. I must have done something wrong. I deserved what I got."

"I would never say that, because those things are not true. No one deserves to be beaten, ever." She helped her slip the nightgown over her head. "What are you going to do if Adam finds you?"

"That's not likely. I killed him."