Jack opened the cabinet to pull out the basket he had hidden with the items he'd purchased a month ago. He had meant to work on his project sooner but with trying to get the house done and work had kept him busy, he hadn't had the time. With Elizabeth still in bed, Jack was able to sneak the basket out of the house and to the jail.

He pulled the paints from the basket and placed them in the drawer of his desk. He already had a large canvas hidden in the back room so he went and pulled it out from behind the door. Jack started to sketch out his idea. He had to get it completed before the house was done. It was to be Elizabeth's housewarming present.

Just as he was about to get his paints out and start adding color to his drawing, Bill came rushing into the jail. "Jack! Grab your gun and come on. Someone is robbing the bank."

Jack jumped from his chair and grabbed his pistol and shotgun. He and Bill ran down toward the back of the bank. "You go around to the front and I'll go in the back," Jack said to Bill.

Bill disappeared around the corner of the bank while Jack waited at the back door. Once Jack felt that Bill had sufficient time to reach the door, Jack slowly opened the back door and quietly entered. He could hear two different voices barking orders to the banker. "I said put all of the money into the bag!" he heard one of them yell. Jack crouched down low and slowly worked his way into the bank behind the robbers.

"Drop your guns," he ordered the men.

One of them spun around and let off a shot in Jack's direction. He missed, but Jack didn't and the man collapsed to the floor. Bill had kicked the front door in when he heard Jack yell and had taken the second man down to the floor and had him pinned.

Jack checked the pulse of the man he had shot. "He's still alive. I'm going to get Dr. Shepherd. Are you good here?"

"Yes, I got this one right where I want him," Bill said as he tied the man's hands together.

After Carson took care of the man that was shot, Jack and Bill escorted the two men to the jail and locked them into the cells. Bill went to the mercantile to send a telegram to Cape Fullerton to come pick the men up.

Jack sat down at his desk and picked up the canvas he had been working on. He took out his paints and began working on the project.

Bill came walking into the jail. "Why are you still here, Jack?"

Jack looked up from his painting, "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I be?"

"Are you aware of what time it is?"

Jack looked at the clock on the shelf and it read 6:14. "Oh my gosh. I was working on a project and lost track of time. I need to get home to Elizabeth."

"I was just bringing some food over for our prisoners so I'll lock up. You get home to your wife."

Jack hurried and returned the canvas back to its hiding spot behind the door and put the paints back in his desk.

When Jack was nearing the row houses, he could hear Rosemary's voice coming from his house. He opened the door to find her chattering away to Elizabeth, something about a play.

"Hello, Jack" she exclaimed as soon as she saw him. "I was just leaving. Good night. And Elizabeth, if you ever need any help, don't hesitate to get me."

"Ok, Rosemary, thank you."

Rosemary slipped out the door, leaving Elizabeth standing in the kitchen, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"What was that about?"

"Somehow she knew I was making a cobbler again and felt the need to bring over her famous chocolate cake...again."

"How would she have known that?"

"I have no idea. If you had been home and we were talking, I would say she was listening again. But I wasn't talking to any..." Elizabeth trailed off. "I know how."

"How, if you were alone?"

"I was reading the recipe out loud to myself. These walls are really paper thin?" Elizabeth shook her head again and set the chocolate cake down on the table. "Where have you been?"

"I was working on something in the jail and lost track of time. We have a couple prisoners locked up right now." Jack told her about the bank robbery, hoping she wouldn't bring up the project and wonder what it was. It worked, but not in the way he wanted it to.

"Jack, you could have been shot." Tears began to fill her eyes.

"I was never really in any danger, Elizabeth. And Bill was there, too."

"Jack, never in any danger? Really? They had guns and could have shot you."

"Elizabeth, really, I was fine and would not put myself into a situation that I didn't think I could handle." Jack placed his hand on her shoulders and turned her to face him. "I was serious when I said I would never put you in a situation again like before. There will be days like this with my job, but please trust me when I say that I know what I'm doing. I have been trained for situations such as these and would not risk my life knowing you are at home waiting for me."

"Okay," was all Elizabeth could get out and hugged Jack before turning back to their meal.

Jack walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissed her on the neck. "What can I help you with?"

"Can you please get the plates out?"

"Of course," he kissed her neck again and walked to the shelf and took down the plates.

After their meal was over and everything cleaned up, they retired to the sitting room, Elizabeth with a book and Jack with the paper. Jack watched Elizabeth as she sat with her book, never turning a page.

"Are you okay?"

Elizabeth closed her book and placed it on the table next to the chair. Looking up at Jack she said, "I will be." She stood and walked over to Jack and sat next to him on the couch. "I know that you job requires you to be placed in certain situations. I know that you are well trained and always careful. But I just ask you to know that I will always worry about you when you are in those situations and that will probably never change." Elizabeth stood, taking Jack's hands and pulling him up to stand in front of her. Holding his face in her hands, she reached up and kissed him, hard.

Jack backed up, catching his breath, "Whoa. What was that for?"

"I love you with all my heart, Jack. I will be grateful each and every day that you return to me unharmed. And I plan on showing you just how grateful I am." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her as tight as she could, kissing him passionately.

Jack stepped back again, looking into her eyes. With fire filling his body, he swooped her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs and to their room. He gently lowered her legs but held on behind her back, making her stand in front of him. Jack gently pushed Elizabeth's hair out of her face. He unbuttoned her blouse and slid it off over her shoulders, dropping it to the floor. Jack bent down and kissed the top of Elizabeth's shoulder. Reaching behind her, he unzipped her skirt, letting it fall to the floor. Elizabeth slid Jack's suspenders off his shoulders and unbuttoned his shirt. Pulling the tail of the shirt from his pants, she undid the last two buttons and pushed his shirt off his arms. Jack bent down and kissed her, pulling her tight against his body. They finished removing each other's undergarments, then Jack picked up Elizabeth again, carrying her to the bed and lowering her down. He laid in bed next to his wife, outlining her body with his fingers, kissing her shoulder, neck, cheeks and lips. He ran his hand down to her stomach, feeling a slight bump. He sat up and looked at her, "you're starting to show." Jack slid his hand over her belly, feeling the new life they created growing inside her. He bent over her, kissing her stomach. Then looking back into her eyes, he touched her cheek with his hand, turning her face toward him and kissed her deeply.

"I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you too, Jack."

They spent the remainder of the evening exploring one another in new ways, loving each other more than they ever thought possible.