A few weeks later,

Jack knelt down and held out his hand for Row to walk to him from Beth. She stood there for a moment and clapped, a grin on her adorable, pudgy face.

"Come on, sweet pea. Come to Dada."

Instead of taking a step, she sat down. Beth laughed and stood her up again. "Go see Dada, Row."

Jack leaned closer, holding his finger out for her to reach for. She did but then once again, she dropped to her bum.

"You can do this, baby," he told her. "You are growing up so fast. I can't believe she will be a year old in another week."

"Neither can I," Beth mused.

"Which means that when we get married, she will be almost two."

"Yeah, that's true."

"Which is a good span of time, between her and the next one."

Beth tilted her head as she gazed at Jack. "Yeah." She wasn't sure what he was getting at.

"So I was thinking that we should think about having another baby right away."

"Jack, you mean, right away right away? Or right away after we get married?"

He shrugged. "Whatever you want."

"I thought we said we would wait to have a baby until we were married."

"We did. I just...now that I know what it's like to be a dad, somewhat, I kind of want to have as many as possible."

"Hang on, sweetheart. As many as possible? I thought we agreed on two more."

"Yeah…"

"Are you planning on carrying the child for nine months and pushing them into the world after an agonizing labor?" she asked him.

"Well no, but I will be there."

"So not the same, Jack."

"So more than two more isn't possible for us?" She helped Row up again and kept her hand in her own for a moment before helping her toddle forward. Then Jack reached out, tempting her with his hand. "Come on, Row."

"Can we maybe just take it one at a time? I mean, what if we have a really collicky baby and then you decide you don't want two more?"

"Yeah, I guess. One at a time makes sense." Row let go of Beth's finger and took a step, grabbing on to Jack. "Yay!!!" Jack said, scooping her into his arm and chest. "You did it, sweet pea! I'm so proud of you."

Row clapped again and then gave him an open mouth kiss on his chin. The cool thing was, he didn't even care. Row was his daughter in his heart. She could slobber all over him all she wanted.

The next night was a double engagement party for Beth, Jack and Julie and Mike. Beth and Jack got themselves and Row all dressed up and headed to Grace and William's house for the party.

Beth watched Jack's jaw clenching and unclenching. "Don't be nervous, babe. Everyone loves you."

He looked over at her and smiled when she slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. "I love you."

"I know. I'm thankful that you always tell me that. I never have to wonder."

"I promise to try to always make sure you and our kids know that."

"Our houseful of children?" she teased.

"How ever many we have."

Later, as they ate their wonderful dinner with their extended family, Jack stood, adjusting his tie.

Everyone looked up at him as he took Beth's hand. "I just wanted to thank some people who are very special to me. First, those of you in my immediate family know how much I've struggled since leaving the army. You've put up with me and stayed patient and supportive. Mom, Pop, I can never thank you enough for helping me and loving me through that."

Charlotte wiped her cheeks and blew him a kiss.

"I used to dream of what my own family would be like. A wife, a handful of kids, a house with a fenced-in backyard and a dog. When I lost my arm, I gave that up. In my head, I didn't think it was possible for someone to love me like I am."

Beth stood, put her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek.

"I know now that it is possible. Beth and Row don't see me as a broken man. Beth told me that I'm whole because my heart is whole and my love for others is whole." He felt his eyes fill with tears and his nose burn. He turned his head and looked into Beth's eyes. "I don't know if I can ever express to you how important you and Row are to me. You said I'm whole but you make me that way. You give me strength and courage and love. You are my world and I certainly don't deserve you, Beth, but I'm so overjoyed and blessed that I have you."

"Dadada!" Row clapped and grinned as she sat on Grace's lap.

Beth reached up and touched Jack's cheek. "You are a wonderful man and you are so strong and brave. You were already those things before I met you." He shook his head, but she cupped his face with both hands. "You were, Jack Thornton, and I can tell you that Row and I are the blessed ones. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you next to me."

Jack slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her, lingering a bit.

After a few more speeches, William took his daughters to his study for a moment.

"What's going on, Dad?" Julie asked when he shut the door.

"I have a gift for both you and Beth."

"You didn't have to get us anything, Dad," Beth told him.

"When you and your sisters were born, Bethie, I put aside money for each of you. I told your mom that I would give the money to you when you got married." He handed them each an envelope. "Its just something to get you started. A nest egg, if you will. Both of your fiance's know and are okay with this, by the way."

Beth and Julie opened the envelopes. "Dad! Fifty thousand dollars?!" Julie gasped. "Are you serious?"

"Very. Vi got hers when she got married and now it's your time. I'm very proud of both of you and I love you very much. You've both chosen good men and even though I'm not loving the idea of giving you away, I know you'll be just fine."

The girls hugged him tight. "Thank you, Dad," they told him before stepping back.

Beth immediately thought of a home. One that Jack and she had dreamed of that would be both of theirs. One that they owned and could raise their family in.

On their drive home, Beth allowed her mind to wander to the future. She pictured a little brown-haired boy who resembled Jack, playing in a sandbox in the backyard. Row was there too but the little boy was front and center.

Jack was sitting in the sandbox too, teaching him how to build a sandcastle.

"Babe?" Jack said, touching her shoulder.

"Huh?"

"We're home."

"Oh. Um, okay."

"You alright?"

She smiled and leaned over and kissed him. "I'm perfect."

"Where were you?"

"Our future home, watching you play with our son in the sandbox."

Jack smiled. "Our son. That's a nice thought. Where was this future home?"

"Wherever we want it to be. Dad gave me the wedding gift tonight."

"Oh good. Its so nice of him."

"Its alot of money."

"Perfect for a down-payment."

"Yeah. Is that what you want to do with it, Jack?"

"Yeah. I think it makes the most sense. But since we aren't getting married for a while, maybe invest it? My parent's financial advisor could help us."

"We should set up a meeting."

He nodded and gave her a kiss. "I'll get Row."

"Thanks." She got out and waited for him. The sight of her love carrying a sleeping Rowan toward her and then up to the door just made her feel happy. Beyond happy.

As the next few months passed, turning summer into fall, Rowan turned a year old, Julie and Mike got married and Jack and Beth invested their house money as planned. They put ten thousand in a fund for Row's college education and the rest separated for a home.

Jack also worked a lot and continued his classes toward becoming a detective. But he still made Beth and Row a priority.

One particularly long day of work and school in September, Jack's phone rang as he drove home.

"Hey, Ma."

"Jack."

"Ma? What's wrong?" he asked, the tone in her voice scaring him. He pulled over and parked.

"Jack, please come to the hospital. Your Dad….he had a serious stroke. I need you here. Rockton Memorial."

"Of course. I'll be there in a half hour."

He called his brother as he drove and then when he pulled into the lot outside the ER, he called Beth.

"Hey, hon. On your way?"

Something about the sound of her voice, tugged at his emotions.

"Um, no." His voice broke.

"Jack? What's going on? Why are you upset?"

"My Pop….he had a bad stroke. I'm at the hospital. Rockton Memorial."

"Oh no. I'm on my way, Jack. I love you."

Beth called her parents and they were more than willing to watch Row overnight. They got in their car and drove over to stay at Beth's house.

She kissed their cheeks and headed to the hospital, praying for Tom and Charlotte and Jack and Tommy.

"Lord, give us strength and peace," she whispered as she walked inside to find Jack.

"He's on a ventilator to help him breathe and he's mildly sedated at the moment to help his brain heal."

Jack's own brain couldn't grasp the meaning of the doctor's words. "He can't breathe on his own?"

"Not at the moment, no," the doctor confirmed.

Jack stood and began pacing. "I can't believe this. He's only fifty years old!"

"He has high blood pressure and cholesterol and he doesn't watch his diet like he should," Charlotte informed them. "I don't even know when the last time was he saw his doctor."

"Are you serious?!" Jack yelled. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Beth stood up and took his hand, calming him. "Sweetheart, try to stay calm. Getting angry won't help," she whispered.

"Beth…"

"I know. Take a few deep breaths. Your mom needs support right now."

He was quiet for a few moments and then he sat back down. "I'm sorry, Ma."

"I didn't tell you because you've been dealing with so many things yourself."

"I could have helped you. I could have convinced him to go to the doctor."

"You know how stubborn your father is, son. You can't convince him of anything he isn't ready for."

"Mrs. Thornton, you can sit with your husband for a few minutes if you'd like."

Charlotte followed the doctor, leaving Jack and Beth.

"Thank you, Beth."

"For what?"

He kissed her forehead and then her lips. "For reigning me in."

"Apparently we are both good at that," she told him with a laugh. "We are a good team."

"I need you, Beth. You keep me sane and calm."

"I'm here, Jack. I'm not leaving you."

And she didn't. She stayed the days with Jack all weekend at the hospital, going home to see Row each night, while he and his mom alternated sleeping at a hotel nearby and staying close by Tom. Tommy came from college for a few hours on Sunday too.

On Monday night, Beth came home to relieve her mom of Rowan duty just like every other week.

"Dadadada," Row babbled as she picked up pieces of noodles and eggs, her favorite.

"I miss him too, buggie. Pop is sick though and Dada needs to be there."

She knew Row didn't understand but Beth talked because she didn't want it to be silent.

After Row finished eating, Beth gave her a bath, letting her splash and play longer than normal. Then, they went and got a bottle of breastmilk and read a few stories before Row finally succumbed to her sleep.

Beth left Row's room and walked into her own, surprised to see Jack sitting on her bed.

"Babe? Are you okay?"

He looks up, tears falling down his cheeks. "Not really."

She sat down next to him and took his hand. "Tell me."

"What if he dies? Before I can tell him I love him again? Before I tell him that I'm sorry about our past?" The guilt was weighing him down. He wasn't a kind person to his Dad after he returned from Iraq. But Tom had still loved him and supported him.

"You can tell him, Jack. Go see him again tomorrow and tell him. But, sweetheart, he knows and he loves you and is so proud of you."

Jack sighed and touched his lips to hers. "Can I stay with you?" he whispered, between kisses. "I need to be with you tonight."