Elizabeth was just leaving the dress shop with Allie when she saw them.

Four Mounties in full red serge on horseback, one at each corner, with a lone rider in the middle. The Mounties sat tall in their saddles. The rider in the middle was weighted down by the chains that held him and bound him to his saddle.

As they rode slowly down the middle of the street, Hope Valley residents came out to stare and whisper to each other.

Bill Avery stood with his rifle at the left side of the door to the jail and Nathan stood to the right with his hand resting on his holster.

"Whoa!" Allie whispered, "That's something you don't see every day." She asked Elizabeth, "Is that William Dean?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said softly. They kept walking slowly while they watched.

Allie looked over at her. "Are you worried about Uncle Nathan?"

Elizabeth turned to Allie and said, "We always worry a little about the people we... care about." She looked up again at Nathan in the doorway. "Especially when they're traveling."

Allie took Elizabeth's hand, something she'd been doing more easily and more often lately. "He's going to be fine, you know. He always is," Allie said.

"Of course he is," Elizabeth said, brightening. "And we still get to see him tonight, so we'll stay cheerful." They had reached a place right across the street from the jail and watched, fascinated.

The process of getting Dean off the horse and into the jail kept the onlookers rapt for a half hour. The four Mounties surrounded him, opened the padlocks to get him down off the saddle, and re-locked them. Then they chained his ankles closely so he could only shuffle when he walked.

Elizabeth also knew that Nathan had asked Kevin to come in last night and reinforce the jail cell with new weldings and more iron.

William Dean wasn't going anywhere.

Now that Elizabeth had seen it, she actually felt better. The process looked to be fairly foolproof, and Dean looked older, more beaten-down than he did in his cocky newspaper photos.

Nathan saw her across the way, and he formally reached up and tipped his hat to her with his crooked smile.

Elizabeth laughed suddenly. She knew he was reminding her of a day last week when Nathan was coming to meet her on the wooden boards outside the saloon.

He'd walked toward the bench where Molly Sullivan was sitting with two of the young sawmill wives. She'd watched them as he approached in full uniform; his campaign hat across his forehead, the red serge jacket, his Sam Browne belt smartly across his chest, and his tall brown leather riding boots. Elizabeth had gazed at his strong jaw, his blue eyes and his easy smile as he turned formally to the three women.

"Ladies," he said, reaching up to hold the brim of his hat lightly as he bowed his head to them.

"Constable," they all said, in unison, a little breathlessly.

When Nathan had reached her, Elizabeth was shaking her head and laughing.

"What?" he said, absolutely oblivious.

"Do they teach you that in Mountie School? The hat tip, the head bow, and," Elizabeth lowered her voice, "'Ladies."

He narrowed his eyes at her and smiled, "It's issued with the uniform."

Elizabeth had given him a sweet smile and continued, "And I wonder, Constable Grant, does it help or hinder your ability to keep the peace in Hope Valley, that half the women in this town are hopelessly in love with you?"

Nathan had actually laughed out loud. "That would be something, wouldn't it? The beanpole who couldn't get a horse date at sixteen to save his life, with half a town..." Nathan looked skeptically at Elizabeth, "...did you say, in love with me?"

"Mmmm-hmm," Elizabeth said, raising an eyebrow.

Nathan had taken Elizabeth's arm and started walking. They were headed to the livery. "Well," Nathan said, "If that's true, and I highly doubt it is, the operative word there is hopelessly."

He'd stopped and turned to her to make his point.

"I'm taken. But I would like to ask you one question."

Elizabeth had simply raised her eyebrows, and Nathan said, "Which half of the town are you in?"

They had reached the livery and Elizabeth had pointed toward Sergeant's stall saying, "Gotta go!" She would tell him one of these days, but it certainly wouldn't be in the livery on her way to muck out a stall.

Now, from his post across the street at the door of the jail, Nathan saw Elizabeth laugh and he knew she'd understood. Elizabeth was standing there with Allie, who was holding her hand, nearly as tall as Elizabeth and looking every one of her thirteen years. And Allie was a smiling, happy, sweet, intelligent girl who was growing up in an extraordinary town.

Before he ducked into the jail after William Dean, Nathan knew he had every reason in the world to get safely back to Hope Valley.

"So, Allie, have you decided about the lake tomorrow?" Elizabeth said as they kept walking toward home.

"Are you sure you want to go without Uncle Nathan?" Allie asked.

Elizabeth said, "I'll tell you a little secret. I would love to have some fishing lessons from you before making a complete fool of myself in front of your Uncle Nathan." Elizabeth made a face. "I do love making him laugh, but..."

Allie nodded, "Oh, you'll be fine. It's not very hard. You put a worm on the hook and drop it in the water. And then you wait." She smiled at Elizabeth. "Aaaaaaand wait."

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, I'd like to go if you would. Mr. and Mrs. Coulter have been looking forward to spending the day with Jack, so I think I'd have to make myself scarce anyway," Elizabeth said.

"There is one rule you have to know about, though," Allie said, looking a little worried.

Elizabeth frowned. "What's that?"

"Uncle Nathan says any fish you catch, you have to clean."

"You mean, like, wash?" Elizabeth asked. "I can do that."

Allie shook her head. "No, I mean like gut, scale and bone."

"Oh." Elizabeth stopped and looked at Allie, her mouth slightly open. She took a breath and said, "Well. I like to learn new things." Though she wasn't entirely sure that was true in this case.

"I'll show you how. It's easy. You just chop off the head, and..."

"Yes, okay," Elizabeth said quickly. "What do you say we cross that bridge when we come to it?"

Allie laughed. "It's kind of nice," she said.

"What?"

"You spend so much time teaching me. I like that I can teach you something," Allie said.

Elizabeth smiled and put her arm around her. "You teach me things every day, Allie."

They walked that way for a moment, and Allie said, "Sooooo..."

Elizabeth looked at her, "Yes?"

"When you and Uncle Nathan get married, what do I call you?"

"Oh," Elizabeth said. Her first thought was to repeat what she had just said about crossing that bridge, but she knew this was a real question for Allie.

And Allie, as usual, was way ahead of her.

"I always call you Mrs. Thornton in the classroom. So, I guess I would still call you Mrs. Grant. But what about at home? Would it would be Aunt Elizabeth?" Allie looked over, her eyes questioning.

Elizabeth took a breath. Of course Allie would wonder about that. She had been grasping toward security her whole life, trying to define things that were undefinable, to find out what the rules were in every new place she'd lived.

Elizabeth's voice was soft. "What would you like to call me?" she asked.

They were on the path now to the row houses, away from the commotion of town.

Allie paused for a moment and kept her eyes on her feet. "I've never had a father, but I can't see any difference in the way I am with Uncle Nathan, than any of the other kids with their fathers." She looked over at Elizabeth, her face open. "Since we've been in Hope Valley, I've wanted to call him 'Dad.'" She looked down again. "I've almost done it a few times, without thinking."

Elizabeth's heart clenched a little. "Have you ever talked to him about this?"

"No," Allie said. "I didn't want to put him on the spot."

Elizabeth pulled Allie a little closer, her arm still around her shoulder. "I can't answer for him, but I'm sure he'd like to hear how you feel."

"And..." Allie started, and then paused.

"Yes?" Elizabeth said, trying to catch Allie's eyes.

Still looking down, Allie said, "That would mean that I would call you... Mom?"

Elizabeth stopped as she felt tears spring suddenly to her eyes. She turned to Allie and hugged her. "Oh, Allie," she said. "Your mother loved you very much, and she'll always be your mother."

Allie pulled away and looked into Elizabeth's eyes, "I know, but I hardly remember anything about her. She's not here. And she never will be. But you are." Allie looked down again. "And Jack could be my brother..."

Elizabeth saw it so clearly. The passionate yearning to be in a family. Elizabeth had taken it for granted her whole life; having a mother, father and sisters. And she knew how much her family had shaped her and protected her, given her roots and stability.

Elizabeth knew she wasn't in a position to make any promises to Allie. And she never wanted to break a promise.

Holding Allie gently by the shoulders, Elizabeth said softly, "I don't know what will happen between your Uncle Nathan and me, Allie. But I know I care for him very deeply, and he cares for me. And we both love you and Jack. If that isn't a family, I don't know what is." Elizabeth smoothed Allie's hair tenderly. "But just know that, no matter what happens with your Uncle Nathan and me, Jack and I will always be here for you and love you."

Allie sighed and said simply, "Life is complicated. I don't know why it has to be so complicated." She took Elizabeth's hand and started walking again. "You and Uncle Nathan love each other, clear as day. I don't understand why it takes so long for grownups to say things that are clear as day."

Elizabeth laughed softly and squeezed Allie's hand.

"I don't know either, Allie," she said. "It is complicated being a grownup. And patience is a lesson I'm still trying to learn too."

After having dinner, Allie and Elizabeth were making up the sofa with sheets, a pillow and quilt when there was a knock at the door.

Allie ran to it and opened it. Elizabeth never tired of seeing the flash of red reveal itself to be Nathan as the door opened.

She stood with Jack on her hip and watched as Allie hugged him. She thought that anyone watching would clearly see a father and daughter. And as he crossed the room and kissed her on the cheek and then kissed Jack on the head, lingering there for a moment to enjoy the fragrance of the bath she'd just given him, would they see anything but a family?

Allie was right. Why was it so complicated? And though Elizabeth had wanted to make the grand gesture in some romantic setting – she couldn't think of a more loving or appropriate place than this. Nathan was leaving, and she couldn't wait any longer.

So, with Jack on her hip, in an apron, her hair probably disheveled and a tiny spot of flour on her cheek, Elizabeth drew him to her, put her mouth near his ear and said, "I love you, Nathan."

He pulled back, his eyes wide and his lips slightly parted. For a moment he didn't react and didn't even breathe. He kept his eyes on hers and she watched them soften and start to glisten slightly. Then he put both hands on either side of her face and kissed her, tenderly. As he pulled slowly away, he said softly, "And I love you, Elizabeth."

They both felt arms coming around them and though they didn't stop looking into each other's eyes for a long time, they heard Allie say, in her wonderful Allie way, "It's about time."

The four of them held each other for as long as Jack would let them. But he wanted Nathan to read him a book and he had no patience or understanding of the earth-shattering thing that had just happened.

But the other three in the room did. They followed each other with their eyes, smiled continuously in their happiness, and wondered if everything or nothing had changed.

When Nathan said goodnight, Allie was grownup enough to give them a moment. "I'll just go upstairs and check on Jack," she said, winking at Nathan. He winked back and said, "Love you, Allie. See you in two days."

"Love you, too, Uncle Nathan."

Nathan turned back to Elizabeth in the doorway and took her in his arms.

"I'm sorry, I seem to be having a little memory lapse," he said, rubbing his thumb gently against her lips. He kissed her on one cheek and then the other. "Did you say something to me earlier?"

Elizabeth smiled, glad to say it again. "I love you, Nathan."

He grinned at her, "That's what I thought you said." He frowned slightly. "So, since we are such good rule-followers, where does this put us on the courting timeline?" he asked in mock-seriousness.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Right on track," she said.

Nathan hugged her tightly. "You're not making it easy to leave, you know."

"Good," she whispered into his chest.

She felt him exhale and shudder slightly. "I do love you, Elizabeth. I can hardly remember a time when I didn't. It feels so good to finally say it out loud instead of just inside my head."

"For me, too," Elizabeth said, pulling away and looking into his eyes.

"Now go," she said softly. "And then come back home to me."