AN: So, a guest review reminded me that I hadn't done anything with the fact that Gabriel says he served with Jack while in the Northern Territory. This seemed like a good chapter to put it in. Hope you Enjoy!

As soon as she dismissed the students that afternoon, Elizabeth gathered her things. Having promised to walk Opal over to Nathan's house, she wasn't planning on staying at the schoolhouse. She had asked Robert to take a note to Mrs. Weise telling her of the plans and that she would walk Opal home afterwards.

After gathering her things, Elizabeth looked up to find Ally and Opal waiting for her at the back of the schoolhouse. Walking down the aisle she joined them.

"Are we ready?" Elizabeth asked the girls.

Both the girls nodded in reply and then headed outside. Elizabeth was only partially surprised to find Gabriel waiting at the bottom of the steps.

"How was school, Ally?" Gabriel asked.

"Okay," Ally replied. "Opal is coming home with me. She wants to see Uncle Nathan."

Gabriel nodded his acknowledgement to the statement even as Opal spoke up.

"Papa said you helped save me," Opal stated looking up at Gabriel.

Gabriel knelt down so that he wasn't towering over the little girl. "I helped. A lot of the townsfolk did."

"Thank-you," Opal said, stepping forward and giving Gabriel a hug.

"You're welcome," Gabriel said, hugging the little girl back.

Elizabeth smiled at the surprised look on Gabriel's face. She had a feeling he didn't get many thank-you's like that in his line of work.

When Opal pulled away, Gabriel stood back up. He looked in Elizabeth's direction. "May I carry your books for you, Mrs. Thornton?" he asked.

"Thank-you," Elizabeth said, surrendering the items before ushering to the two girls toward the Grant's home.

"I suppose you're looking forward to getting back to Brookfield," Elizabeth commented as they walked behind the children.

"I am," Gabriel admitted. "Though I'm grateful that I could be here for Nathan and Ally when they needed me. They're part of the family."

"I can see that," Elizabeth commented.

The rest of the walk was made in a comfortable silence. When they reached the house, Ally took Opal by the hand as she led the way into the house. Elizabeth smiled. The two girls had become good friends this past year and Elizabeth was grateful that both Opal and Nathan were going to be okay after the incident on Saturday. Ally had already lost enough in her short life.

Gabriel held the door for her as Elizabeth followed the girls inside. As she stepped into the house, the smile remained on her face. Ally was leaning against the arm of the settee near her uncle who was sitting on the settee. Opal was settling down on the cushion next to Nathan.

"I'm sorry you got hurt rescuing me," Opal told Nathan, her voice quiet as she looked down at her hands. "I realize now that Ally was right when she told us we shouldn't go to the river because you said it was dangerous."

Gabriel softly closed the front door, removing his hat as he stood next to Elizabeth.

"I'm glad you realize that now and I hope you'll use better judgement in the future."

Opal nodded. "I will, Constable Grant."

"I'm also glad that you're okay," Nathan told her, laying his arm gently across her shoulders. "I would do anything to keep you, and everyone else in this town, safe Opal."

"Then you're not mad?" Opal asked, finally looking up at Nathan.

"I'm disappointed in your poor judgement, but no. I'm not mad," Nathan told her.

"Mountie Jack wasn't mad when he had to rescue me from the fire either. He was very brave that day, like you were on Saturday. I use to think that no one could be as brave as Mountie Jack, but you are."

"Thank-you, Opal. That means a lot to me. I know how well loved and respected Constable Thornton was around here."

"Would it be okay if I called you Mountie Nathan?" Opal asked.

Elizabeth could see the unshed tears in Nathan's eyes as he replied, "I would be honored to have you to call me Mountie Nathan," he told her.

Turning a little, Opal gently put her arms around Nathan. Leaning closer she rested her head against him. Nathan put one arm around her as he looked up and caught Elizabeth's gaze.

Though she could tell Nathan was touched by the exchange, Elizabeth wondered if he knew just how special this moment was.

Later that afternoon, Elizabeth left the Weise home and head for her own home. Though she had asked Ally to let Laura know what she was doing, Elizabeth wanted to get home so Laura could head home herself.

"You know you didn't have to tag along," Elizabeth said to Gabriel as the two walked side by side down the road.

"I know I didn't have to, but I also know Nathan would have under normal circumstances. Besides, I figured the walk would be more enjoyable with company," Gabriel replied.

"I will concede both points to you," Elizabeth answered with a light laugh. While Opal's chatter had made the walk from the Grant's home to the Weise's home go quick, Elizabeth knew her walk home would have felt empty.

They were quiet for a few moments before Elizabeth spoke again. "Gabriel, you mentioned you served with Jack during the conflict up north. Did you know him well? Jack didn't speak much of his time in the Northwest Territories and he didn't mention anyone he served with by name."

"That doesn't surprise me. The conflict up north wasn't easy on any of us. We lost quite a few men during that time and a conflict like that wasn't what any of us had signed up to fight in," Gabriel told her quietly, his expression taking on a far away look.

Elizabeth remembered seeing that expression on Jack's face after returning from the Northwest Territories. Looking at his expression, Elizabeth expected that would be all he said on the subject. She was anticipating the next words Gabriel spoke to be ones that would have nothing to do with the question that she had asked. To her surprise they weren't.

"Jack and I were leading different squads but for quite a few months, our orders kept us working together. On a professional level, I can tell you that I got to know your late husband well. It got to the point where I knew what he would say about a tactical idea before I even voiced it. Our methods were different and we were up there for different reasons but we grew to respect one another. We listened to the other, compromised, and got our men through the engagements with few casualties."

Elizabeth knew why Jack was up North. He had felt it was his duty. No matter what he had to sacrifice, Jack felt that his place was in the Northwest Territories fighting along with the others that had been sent up north.

"Feel free not to answer, but why did you go to the conflict, Gabriel."

"Some up there didn't have a choice, Elizabeth. They went because that was their orders. They hadn't been with the force long enough to be able to have some say in their assignments. Others went because they had a skill set that was needed. Others, like Jack, volunteered because they felt it was their duty. I may have volunteered to go North but it wasn't out of a sense of duty. I would have been content fulfilling my oath by continuing to serve the community I was posted at. Right or wrong, that's how I felt. However, I didn't have a child or a wife that I needed to support. I felt that if I volunteered to serve up north then that was someone who did have a child or wife that wouldn't have to go."

"That's a noble reason in its own right, Gabriel," Elizabeth told him.

"Jack thought so too," Gabriel admitted, as he glanced over at her. "Jack didn't talk much about his personal life but then neither did I. I think it was our way of protecting ourselves from the memory of what we left behind. However, he did speak of you Elizabeth, quite often. You were his beacon of hope in the situation we found ourselves in. Jack's focus was always on going home to his beautiful fiancé. I think that focus helped those of us serving with him to feel a bit of hope that we would all make it home."

"Beacon of hope," Elizabeth repeated, liking the terminology. As hard as it had been for her to be here and wonder if her wedding day actually would come, the fact that it had served a purpose for Jack made the heartache seem more worthwhile.

"He talked about his vision of the future with you. How he looked forward to marrying you. The home he planned to build for you. I am sorry that those plans were cut short for both of you.:

"Thank-you," Elizabeth replied softly, knowing that he meant the words. "As much as I cherish the time I did have with Jack, I am finally ready to move on like he wanted me to. I also appreciate your willingness to share with me some of what happened up North. I knew from my experience with Jack that it's a tough subject for a lot of people. It means a lot to me that you shared a little insight into those months that we spent apart."

"You're welcome," Gabriel told her.

The conversation hit a lull following that. However, neither of them felt uncomfortable with the quiet. It was finally Gabriel who spoke.

"You know, I think I'm going to try getting the kids at the orphanage back in Brookfield to use my first name. Maybe it'll put them more at ease with me. Right now, I think they see the uniform and suddenly start wondering if they did something wrong."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Yeah, the uniform has that affect on some people, especially kids. You're right though, I think it's important that children feel at ease with law enforcement. Jack and I took the students out camping one time."

"How did that go?"

"It was interesting," Elizabeth replied. "Especially seeing as it was my first time camping. I think I may have learned more than the children did."

"Well you survived it.'

"I did," Elizabeth consented. "Perhaps you could take the children at the orphanage out on a wilderness hike or camping. It would be a good experience for them and something they might not get to do otherwise."

"It's something to consider, though I must confess I may have a more selfish motive than what you seem to be giving me credit for."

"Oh?" Elizabeth said, her curiosity piqued.

"I may have feelings for Lillian."

"Oh, that is so sweet. Lillian seemed like a nice person. Have you told her?"

"Not directly, though I think she may feel the same way. Seeing you and Nathan these last few weeks has got me thinking I might make my feelings a bit clearer to her."

"You should," Elizabeth told her. "You have a lot to offer someone and you deserve to be happy but what does this have to do with the children at the orphanage?"

"I know that any relationship with Lillian is going to have to take into consideration those children. They mean the world to Lillian. Asking her to choose between me and the orphanage wouldn't be fair especially as I wouldn't want someone asking me to choose between them and being a Mountie."

Elizabeth stopped walking for a moment, touched by what Gabriel had just said. Those comments more than anything else showed just how much Gabriel cared about Lillian.

Gabriel only took a couple more steps before he realized that Elizabeth had stopped. "What?" he asked as he looked back at Elizabeth.

"Nothing," Elizabeth said. "I just think that what you just said is probably one of the most romantic things I ever heard. Julie would think it's something right out of one of her romance novels."

Gabriel blushed even as he shrugged his shoulders. "It just seems natural to me. If you love someone, you should try to incorporate your individual dreams into a shared dream. If Jack had told you that if you married him you couldn't teach any longer how would you have felt?"

Elizabeth considered the question. While she would have chosen to give up her position here in Hope Valley to follow Jack if necessary, to be told she couldn't teach at all would have made her feel hurt and angry.

"I probably would've handed him back the ring," Elizabeth admitted.

"Exactly. It has to do more with being practical then it does romance," Gabriel said as the pair continued walking. "It's probably a good thing that I like kids, though I hope she feels the same way."

"Well, if you want me to, I'd be happy to put in a good word for you with Lillian," Elizabeth told him.

Gabriel laughed. "Depending on the situation when I get home, I might just take you up on that," he told her, thinking about Sam and how much time he might have spent with Lillian since he had left Brookfield.