A/N Thank you all for all the sweet comments. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

...

"Mama mama."

Elizabeth turned around in her seat. "I'm right here, little bug. What do you need?"

He started to whine, kicking his feet.

"Are you thirsty, Micah?" She dug through the bag at her feet and retrieved his sippy cup, reaching behind her to hand it to him.

"Tankoo."

"You're welcome, bud."

"So polite for a one year old." Jack chuckled. "You didn't even have to prompt him."

She smiled. "There's nothing that says you can't teach a one year old proper manners."

"He's such a smart little guy."

"That he is." She turned around again, watching him sip from the cup. "Gosh, I still can't believe how quickly he's grown. It feels like just yesterday, he was a tiny little thing needing me to do everything for him, and now here he is, walking, talking, so independent."

"It is crazy how fast the time has gone." He glanced in the rearview mirror. "Micah, are you excited to see your nana and papa today?"

"Nana papa?"

"Yeah, bud. We're going to their house."

"Jack?" Elizabeth reached across the center console to take his hand. "What does Opal call your mom? Grandma? Nana?"

"Nana. Why do you ask?"

"Do you think your mom would be okay with being Nana Charlotte to Micah?"

His lips turned up into a smile, and he quickly looked over at her out of the corner of his eye. "I think she'd love that."

They fell into a contented silence as they continued down the highway, Christmas music playing softly on the radio. Halfway to Tulsa, Jack spoke up again.

"Who are you texting so intently over there?"

"Julie." She set down her phone. "They had a follow-up appointment with Liam's cardiologist yesterday since it's been two months since his surgery."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. She said the doctor said he's healing well."

"Oh, good."

"I know they were a little worried that he had lost some weight when they first brought him home from the hospital because he wasn't eating well, but she said he's gained most of it back."

"I can't even imagine how scary this all must've been for her and Andrew."

"Me neither." Elizabeth shook her head. "I was so worried when Micah had his first ear infection, so I have no idea what I would do if anything more serious happened."

"Well, if—God forbid—anything serious happens to him, you know you have me." He reached over and squeezed her hand gently.

"I know I do." She smiled. "I'm so thankful for you, Jack Thornton."

...

As they turned into the neighborhood, Elizabeth started bouncing her knee.

"You okay?" Jack glanced over at her.

"Yeah. Just a little nervous."

"Nervous about what?"

She shrugged. "I know things are better with Leland now, but I can't help but think about how Thanksgiving went last year."

"It'll be fine, Beth." He reached across the center console and took her hand. "And if he says anything, you know my mom will put him in his place."

She chuckled. "Very true. God bless your mom."

Jack pulled into the driveway and put the car in park. "Ready?"

She nodded. "Ready." She got out of the car and reached into the back seat. "Okay, sweet boy. Let's go see nana and papa." She wrinkled her nose when she pulled Micah from the carseat. "Maybe we'll change your diaper before we start passing you around."

"Stinky one?" Jack grabbed the diaper bag and a bag containing the pie Elizabeth had baked that morning.

"Little bit."

Marie grinned when she answered the door. "You made it. Come on in."

"Thank you for having us."

"If you'll excuse me just a minute, Micah is in need of a diaper change before we go see anyone else."

"Of course."

Jack passed her the diaper bag, and she took Micah to the den.

"Let's get you cleaned up, little bug." She laid him on the changing mat and pulled a clean diaper and wipes from the bag. "Are you excited for your first real Thanksgiving, Micah? Last year, you weren't even three months old. Now, you're big enough to eat everything: turkey and green beans and sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. That sounds yummy, huh?" She fastened the new diaper on him and tickled his belly, eliciting a little giggle. "Ready to go say hi to nana and papa?"

"Dack!"

Elizabeth smiled and lifted him to her shoulder. "Yeah, Uncle Jack is out there, too. And Nana Charlotte."

...

Elizabeth sat across from Jack as they ate, Micah strapped into a booster seat at the end of the table between them. They took turns handing him small bites of food, which he gobbled up eagerly.

Leland, sitting at the end of the table opposite Micah, steered clear of questions about Jack's and Elizabeth's relationship, instead asking them about work and church and friends. Even Micah joined in the exchange, babbling away in response to the questions his grandparents asked.

Eventually, the conversation lulled as they finished their meals, all feeling stuffed.

They moved into the living room to relax and watch TV before having dessert. Micah curled up in Elizabeth's lap and fell asleep almost immediately. Jack sank down on the sofa beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

They were quiet as they listened to Marie and Leland and Charlotte comment on the football game airing on TV. Soon enough, Elizabeth had dozed off as well, her head drooping against Jack's chest.

Jack sighed contentedly, thinking that he would be happy to stay right there for the rest of his life.

...

Later that evening, Jack found himself in the living room of his childhood home, watching Micah toddle around. He had offered to keep an eye on him so Elizabeth could have a break to take a bath and relax.

The little boy was rolling a wooden train back and forth across the coffee table while Jack made sound effects for him. Micah laughed loudly.

"Is that funny, little man? Do you like playing with me? I like playing with you." He ruffled his hair.

"Mama?"

"Your mama's still here. She'll be back soon. Hey, can I tell you a secret, Micah?" Jack picked him up and sat him on his lap. "I'm going to ask your mama to marry me soon. Is that okay with you?"

"Dack." He leaned his head against Jack's shoulder and yawned.

"We'll all be a family, little man." He sat like that for a few moments, rubbing Micah's back as he started to doze, the train still clutched in his hands.

Charlotte wandered in and took a seat on the sofa.

"What's on your mind, ma?"

"Who says I have something on my mind?"

"You have that look on your face like you have something to say."

"You know me well." She laughed quietly. "I just noticed that Elizabeth's hand is still empty."

Jack sighed. "I haven't asked her yet."

"Are you afraid she'll say no?"

He shook his head. "No, it's not that. I'm positive she'll say yes. I just haven't found the right time."

"A word of advice? Just ask her. Don't stress about finding the perfect moment. It's going to be special no matter what."

"How did dad propose to you?"

She settled back into the sofa, a smile playing on her lips. "He asked me in the car on the way home from a ball game. We were talking about how the game went, and he suddenly just blurted out 'marry me.' He didn't have a ring with him or anything."

Jack chuckled. "That sounds like dad."

"He'd be proud of you, son. Of the man you've become. I'm proud of you." She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks, ma."

"You're helping Elizabeth raise that boy like he's your own. He's lucky to have you."

"I love him." He tightened his arms around Micah, who was still awake but nearing sleep. "I've loved him since before he was born. As far as I'm concerned, he's just as much mine as he would be if he shared my DNA."

"Now you just need to propose to Elizabeth so you can officially be a family."

"Soon." He smiled. "Very soon."

...

Elizabeth stood at the entrance to the hallway, dressed in her pajamas with her hair damp. "Hey, I can take Micah now."

"Okay." Jack slowly stood and followed her down the hall, passing Micah to her when they reached the door of the guest room.

Her voice was soft. "Thanks for watching him so I could have some time for myself."

"Anytime, love." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "See you in the morning."

She grabbed his wrist before he could walk away. "Stay."

"I'll just be across the hall."

"Please." She pretended to pout.

"Can I put on my pajamas first?"

"Yes." She grinned. "Thank you."

Fifteen minutes later, they were lying side by side in the bed, Micah fast asleep in the portable crib beside them.

"Today was a good day."

"A very good day," she agreed. "Much better than Thanksgiving last year."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. "Hey, I have a present for you."

"Christmas is still a month away."

"I know." He kissed her hair. "I got us tickets to see The Nutcracker next weekend."

"I love The Nutcracker. Did you know I was in it when I was little?"

"I saw the pictures when we were at your parents' house last Christmas. You were the cutest little clown I've ever seen."

She hit his chest playfully.

"Hey, it was a compliment."

"Yeah yeah."

He rubbed her back gently. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you, Jack."

...

Elizabeth opened the door to find Jack standing there with a bouquet of red tulips in his hand.

"Well, look at you, professor." She ran her fingers along the collar of his shirt. "You look very handsome this evening."

He gave her a crooked smile. "Thank you." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "You look beautiful," he mumbled against her lips.

"Mm," she pulled back, her forehead still resting against his, "maybe we should just stay here tonight."

"That sounds wonderful, but these Nutcracker tickets are burning a hole in my pocket, and as I recall, you 'love' The Nutcracker."

She sighed. "Fine. I guess it has been a while since we had a date night out."

"It has. Oh," he held out the flowers, "these are for you."

"Thank you. They're beautiful. I'll go put them in water and grab Micah, then we can head out."

"I'll get him. He's in his room?"

"My room," she called out from the kitchen.

A few minutes later, they were back at the front door, Jack holding Micah while Elizabeth slipped her coat on.

"Ready to go?"

"Mhmm." She grabbed her purse and Micah's bag and followed Jack out to the car.

"It's been ages since I've seen The Nutcracker. I'm excited."

They dropped Micah off at Rosemary and Lee's before making their way to campus. Jack took her arm as they walked down the sidewalk.

"What if we run into one of your students while we're here? Will they be all weird seeing you with me?"

"Well, if it's a student who's been to my office, they shouldn't be surprised."

"Why?"

"I might have a picture of you on my desk." His lips turned up into a smile.

She nudged him with her elbow, laughing softly. "I might have a picture of you on my desk, too."

...

The sky was dark, the air cold when they stepped out of the auditorium.

"Thank you for tonight, Jack. I know watching ballet isn't really your idea of a fun night."

"It was fun because I'm with you." He kissed her temple. "And I did like it. Yes, I'd rather watch a football game, but it's not like I was bored out of my mind."

"Well good."

They were quiet for a few moments, until Elizabeth started leading him away from the sidewalk.

"Hey, the car is the other way."

"I just want to do something really quickly." She tugged on his hand, pulling him through the grass.

"Where are we going?"

"Hush, it's just right here."

"The Spoonholder?"

"Shh." She led him into the concrete circle, taking both of his hands in hers.

Tradition said that couples who kissed in the Spoonholder were destined for marriage. Patrick had taken her there a few weeks before he proposed to her, and Lee had done the same with Rosie.

"Elizabeth?"

"I just want…" She trailed off, putting a hand on his cheek and standing on her toes to press her lips to his. She watched his face carefully when she pulled away. He said nothing, but a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "I know that you know about the whole kissing-in-the-Spoonholder-marriage thing, but please don't feel pressured. We just hadn't really talked about marriage in a while and we were here so I wanted—"

He leaned in and kissed her again, cutting her off. "I don't feel pressured. In fact…" He dropped to one knee, and she gasped. "Elizabeth, I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone, and I love Micah, and I want nothing more than for the three of us to be a family."

"Yes," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

He chuckled. "I didn't ask yet."

"Sorry." She laughed, wiping her eyes. "Go on."

"Elizabeth Reed Coulter, will you marry me?"

"Of course I will. Yes."

He stood and pulled the opal ring from his pocket—the one Rosemary had helped him pick out a few months before—and slipped it on her finger. He kissed her soundly. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you, professor." She grinned, kissing him again.

...

Rosemary smiled when she answered the door. "Hey, Micah. Look who's here!"

"Mama!" He toddled up, hands in the air.

"Hi, little bug." Elizabeth picked him up, and he immediately snuggled against her shoulder. "Did you have fun with Auntie Rosie and Uncle Lee and Lorelei and Leo?"

"So much fun, right?" Rosemary rubbed his back. "And how was your night?" She glanced between Elizabeth and Jack.

"It was great." Jack couldn't help the grin that covered his face. "More than great, actually."

Elizabeth shifted her left hand so the ring was visible.

"You finally asked her!" She hugged them both. "Congratulations, you guys. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you."

"Now, as much as I would love to hear the whole story now, it'll have to wait. I have a baby who needs to be fed before he gets cranky, and Micah looks like he's ready for bed."

He was still leaning against Elizabeth's shoulder, his eyelids drooping.

"Of course. Thank you for watching him tonight."

"Anytime. We love having him here. Congratulations, again."

...

They stepped off the elevator, and Elizabeth looped her arm through Jack's.

"Jack, this place is really fancy."

"Well, we're celebrating."

"I know, but—"

"Elizabeth. This is a special occasion. Just enjoy it."

"Okay."

The waiter led them to a table beside a window, where they were able to look out over the city.

"This is a beautiful view."

"My view is even better."

She turned to find him staring at her, a smile tugging at his lips. Her face flushed at his gaze. "Jack…"

"It's been a week since we got engaged, and I still can't believe I get to marry you." He reached across the table and took her hand. "I love you so much."

"I love you."

...

Jack opened the door to the hotel room, letting Elizabeth enter before him.

"You got a room with two beds?"

He closed and locked the door behind him. "Well, I made the reservation before I proposed, so I couldn't very well ask your preference without giving it away. And I didn't want you to think that I'm expecting anything from you now that we're engaged, because I don't. I know you want to wait until we're married. Therefore, two beds."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Jack." She slipped her arms around him and leaned into his chest. "We can share a bed, though. Just as long as you promise to behave."

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "I promise. Now," he took a step back, "how about we get in our pajamas and see if there's a movie on TV or something?"

"That sounds like a great plan."

Elizabeth emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, now dressed in flannel pajama pants and Jack's old OU sweatshirt that he had given her a year before. Jack was already settled on one of the beds, flipping through the channels on the TV. He turned down the comforter, inviting her to join him.

"There are a couple movies on, but I figured I'd let you pick."

She snuggled up beside him. "What are the choices?"

"Legally Blonde, 12 Angry Men, Miss Congeniality, Indiana Jones."

"Which one?"

"I think it's Last Crusade."

"Ooh, that one."

He chuckled. "Not what I expected you to choose."

"I guess there's more for you to learn about me." She raised her eyebrows.

"I guess." He leaned in to kiss her before changing the channel.

"Fair warning: I most definitely will be quoting the entire ending of this movie."

"So you've seen it once or twice before?" he teased, draping his arm across her shoulders and pulling her closer.

"Maybe a few more times than that."

...

Jack opened his eyes and rolled over. It was dark, but he could see that Elizabeth was awake, staring up at the ceiling.

"Hey." He put his arm across her waist. "Why are you up?"

"Just thinking." She met his eyes. "I don't want a long engagement."

"Me neither." He rested his chin on her shoulder, touching his nose to her cheek.

"What do you think about getting married the weekend before Spring Break? That's only three months away, and we'd have a week for our honeymoon."

"That sounds good to me." He sighed and closed his eyes, snuggling closer to her.

"Jack?"

"Hm?"

"I don't want us to live in my house. It's just, Patrick and I picked that house out together. I want us to have a place that's ours."

"Okay. You and Micah can move into my house, if you want, or we can look for a new place."

"Maybe a new place. I like your house, but we should probably look for something bigger. You'd lose the guest room to Micah."

"Okay." He kissed her temple. "Plus, it would be nice to have some extra space if any more babies happen to join our family…"

She smiled and turned to meet his eyes. "Someday. Maybe." She kissed him softly. "I can't wait to marry you."