"Merry Christmas Dad!" Ally launched into Nathan's arms. "I slept so soundly in Miss Elizabeth's bed and then I heard Little Jack start to get up so I decided to be a big sister and help get him up and…"

"Slow down there, Kiddo," Nathan chuckled, doing his best to not dwell on Ally's comment about sleeping with Elizabeth. "Someone is clearly excited this morning!"

"I'm happy!" Ally pulled back and looked at Nathan. "I have been really happy a lot lately and this practice family Christmas is off to a wonderful start. But where is Judge Avery? He should be here too!" Ally had never admitted it, but she had a soft spot for Bill. She remembered coming to Hope Valley for the first time and the judge being in the Mountie office. She had been sarcastic; Bill had been skeptical and it had been the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Elizabeth brought over a cup of hot chocolate filled with marshmallows. "He wanted us to have some time together—just the four of us."

Ally continued to smile over the steaming beverage. "That was nice of him." She put her beverage down and walked over to the Christmas tree, picking up a package. "Miss Elizabeth, this is for you. One of them I should say."

Elizabeth took the package from Ally. "Aw thank you Ally! But don't you want to open one of yours first?"

Ally's eyes filled with tears. "Oh I will. But I really wanted to give you this and I'm worried that if I wait, I will lose my nerve. I don't think it's very good."

Intrigued, Elizabeth untied the white yarn holding the brown paper together. She pulled out a large picture frame that held a piece of paper. "Ally, you wrote a poem?"

Nathan looked at his adopted daughter in surprise. "You will never cease to amaze me, Ally Girl."

"You can read it out loud if you want, Miss Elizabeth." Ally did her best to not give into the shyness that was threatening to overtake her. Elizabeth took Ally's hand and read her gift out loud.

Sometimes a person comes into your life

Who makes your life more clear

This person grabs a hold of you

And they become so dear

You thought this person would be so old

And that they'd smell like chalk

Instead this person had pretty brown hair

And always smiles when they talk

This person treats me better than I deserve

She sees the best in me

This person encourages me to do my best

For all the town to see

This person brings a smile to my face

And all of those around her

Right now I call her teacher and one day

I will call her mother

She is marrying my uncle

The man who became my dad

I will soon gain a brother

A family I never before had

I am so very thankful for her

I want to walk through Hope Valley and chant

She is my teacher, she is my friend

And her name is (almost) Elizabeth Grant

Elizabeth pulled Ally into a tight hug. "Oh Ally!" Elizabeth didn't know what to say. "This is beautiful!" No, it wasn't world class poetry like Emerson. But oh how she would treasure it so much more.

"It says everything I have wanted to and after last night, when you said you wanted to adopt me, I really knew I wanted to give this to you." Ally brushed the tears from her eyes. "I love you Miss Elizabeth."

Elizabeth kissed Ally's temple, acknowledging her affections and returning them. Future mother and daughter stayed in their embrace and Elizabeth's eyes locked with Nathan's. Nathan also had tears in his eyes as he held Little Jack. Future son was content in his future father's embrace; clearly he was not fully awake yet despite Ally's initial comments.

Several moments passed and no one wanted to move. They would never have a moment like this again, their first practice Christmas. Next year would be the first official Grant family Christmas and while it would be glorious and wonderful, there was something magical about this day. Everyone wanted to hold onto it and never let it go.

"Pwesants!" Little Jack's voice cut through the peaceful reverie. "Natan! Pwesants!" Little Jack toddled over to the tree. Before he could cause havoc on the packages, Nathan led Little Jack towards a big one. "How about this one, Buddy?"

Little Jack ripped off the paper and proceeded to stare at the box. "Box!" The future family chucked as Nathan opened up the box and lifted out the wooden train set pieces."

"Choo choo!" Little Jack's face beamed with pleasure. "Train go choo choo!" Little Jack hugged Nathan's neck tightly. "Dank you!"

It was now Nathan's turn to have his eyes fill with tears. Little Jack truly was taking to him so easily. "You are so welcome." He picked up the bright red caboose. "I played with this when I was your age, Jack, and one day, I will tell you all about the adventures I had." He kissed the little boy's temple. Nathan knew that Jack wasn't aware of the personal significance of the gift but he would be one day. For now, it was more than enough to see the little boy fascinated by the wooden toys of his youth.

"Choo choo!" Jack proceeded to pull out all of the train pieces. Elizabeth knew it would be near impossible to pull him away from the train set. Perhaps when Uncle Bill came by later this morning he would be open a few more.

"This," Nathan handed a small package to Ally, "is one for you, Ally Girl." Allie opened the small box to reveal the crown charm for her bracelet. "A crown! For Queen Victoria!" Ally hugged Nathan. "It is perfect!"

As Allie took off her charm bracelet to attach the new charm, Elizabeth revealed her charm bracelet. "Your dad gave me one too," Elizabeth smiled sheepishly.

"Dad always said the Grant women had charm bracelets so it only makes sense," Ally interjected. "I like that it is something you and I can share!"

The foursome continued to exchange gifts or rather three of them did. True to Elizabeth's suspicions Jack only wanted the train. With wrapping paper strewn all about, Elizabeth finally stood up to get breakfast ready. Cinnamon rolls had been a tradition for Elizabeth growing up and it was one she wanted to continue for her family, the Grant family. For some reason, she and Jack Thornton had never done the tradition. All she needed to do was put the risen rolls in the oven.

Nathan walked over to Elizabeth and kissed her neck. "What an amazing morning." Nathan poured himself another cup of coffee. "And thank you for the Ty Cobb book. How in the world did I miss you buying it in Union City?"

Elizabeth also poured herself a cup of coffee and gave Nathan a flirtatious smile over the cup's rim. "A woman has her ways."

Nathan gave a crooked grin. "Oh, you do, do you?"

Elizabeth looped her arms around Nathan's neck. "You will learn," she responded with a kiss.

"I look forward to it!" Nathan kissed her back. He pulled back to see Bill coming in the door!

"Unca Bill!" Jack toddled over to Judge Avery. "Choo choo from Natan!"

Bill Avery took the little guy's hand and walked over to the train set. "That's so nice!"

"Good morning Bill," Elizabeth left Nathan's side and approached Bill. "Thank you for last night and this morning. I hear you had a terrible night sleep."

"Don't encourage him," Nathan waved his hands in the air. "Why?"

"Yes, it was a terrible night sleep," Bill responded, choosing to ignore Nathan's protestations. "But I walked it off and thought I would come back. I know I said I would be here after breakfast…"

"I'm glad you're here!" Ally called over to Bill from the couch. She had previously been engrossed in the Queen Victoria book that Elizabeth had picked up in Union City. "And I think it is okay if you eat breakfast with us."

"Elizabeth is making cinnamon rolls," Nathan gave his friend a hearty handshake and clasp on the shoulder. "Or I guess baking them. She made them last night."

"That's usually how yeasted doughs work," Bill retorted.

"I'm slowly learning," Nathan laughed. "I can cook some things like fried fish and chicken and dumplings."

"He makes a great chicken and dumplings," Elizabeth smiled, remembering back to their first date.

"Only after I taught you to make it," Bill continued to retort. He loved being ornery.

"Well, I can chop parsley!" Nathan retorted back. After all, he could go toe to toe with his friend. He handed his friend a cup of coffee.

"Yes, this is true," Bill took the cup of coffee from Nathan's hands.

The laughter rang through Elizabeth's house, filling it in such a way that was becoming increasingly more normal since Nathan had found her way into her life. The friendship between Nathan and Bill. The sibling dynamic between Ally and Jack even already. The passion between herself and her fiancée. Elizabeth did not want these feelings to ever leave.

Smells of cinnamon wafted through the air, letting Elizabeth know that the rolls were done. "Alright, everyone!" Elizabeth slipped into her teacher tone. "Breakfast is served."

Bill grabbed Jack and put him in his high chair. Ally found her seat with Bill on one side and Nathan on the other. Elizabeth brought the rolls over from the oven and grabbed a pitcher of orange juice, freshly squeezed yesterday, from the icebox. She reached for Nathan's hand and he caressed it with his thumb.

"I'd like to say grace," Elizabeth cleared his throat. She looked around her at the loved ones surrounding her table. "Lord, we thank you so much for this day. For Jesus and the gift of his Son. For loving us by giving us the greatest gift of all. Thank you for my great gifts that are around this table. Thank you for this food and for Christmas. Amen."

"Amen!"

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Nathan lifted Elizabeth's hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Let's eat!" Ally said.

"Now that I could not have said better myself," Bill chuckled. "The sooner we eat the sooner I can share my present."

Intrigued, the future Grant family passed around cinnamon rolls, talked about choo choos, and speculated about what surprise Bill had up his sleeve. Truly this Christmas was getting more and more exciting and wonderful with each passing moment.