The saloon had been beautifully decorated for the Christmas Eve dinner. The gingerbread houses lined the sides of the room, a colorful display of the festive season. The tree stood near the bar, laden down with ornaments of many shapes, sizes and color. Silver ribbon was draped fashionably around it and a store-bought angel smiled down at them from the top. Green garland hung from the bar. Think red and green ribbons crisscrossed above them. The red and green theme continued with the candles that were placed upon the tables, a small wreath with a bow, around the base of each candle.

"Why is it that the first thing I see is the fire hazard?" Nathan commented, eyeing the candles on the tables.

"Occupational hazard," Elizabeth replied, looking around at the room. "I think it's lovely."

"As long as no one knocks over a candle."

"Look away from the tables and take in all the gingerbread houses instead," Elizabeth instructed even as she started to remove her coat.

Nathan did as instructed. He had to admit, there were quite a few well-done gingerbread houses and they were pretty.

After taking off their coats, the little group found seats near the Coulters and the Petersons. As he sat in Nathan's lap, Little Jack looked up at the ceiling, fascinated by the crisscrossing ribbons.

The room was filled with chatter. Even as she joined in on the conversation around her, she was aware of Nathan's silence. Except when a question was directed his way, he remained silent. She found herself watching him and it didn't take her long to decide that despite the silence, Nathan seemed at ease, enjoying what was going on.

Eventually, Lucas called for everyone's attention.

"Welcome everyone and thank-you for coming to celebrate the holiday together," Lucas said easily as his gaze drifted over the room, trying to make everyone feel included. "I'd like to thank my staff for putting in the extra hours to put this all together. A special thanks to Bill Avery and Clara Flynn for helping prepare some of the food you will enjoy tonight. Thank-you to everyone who created one of these lovely gingerbread houses you see on display tonight. They really bring a festive feeling to the room. I also would like to thank Bill Avery, Kevin Townsend and Henry Gowen for serving as judges for the contest."

"Before we eat, I would like to announce the winners of Gingerbread House Contest," Lucas announced.

Fiona approached him handing him an envelope. Opening the envelope, Lucas took out a sheet of paper. One by one, he read off the judges' decisions for each category. For Most Colorful, the judges had chosen the Weise family's creation. Ally cheered when their entry was declared Most Creative. The gingerbread house created by Timmy Lawson and his parents had been given third place. Rosemary and the Peterson siblings creation got second place, while the first place ginger bread house was judged to be the one Robert had helped his sister and mother create.

"I can't believe we won something," Ally said as she came back with the prize, a tin of gingerbread men cookies and a voucher for the mercantile.

"Oh, I think that prize is all you, Ally," Nathan told her as she sat down across the table from him.

"But we all worked on it and Mrs. Thornton taught us how to even make gingerbread in the first place," Ally said.

"True," Nathan conceded. "However, that prize is for the most creative and you designed it. Mrs. Thornton and I just helped you build the house."

"Your Dad is right, Ally," Elizabeth agreed. "The house was so creative because of you."

Nathan looked over at Elizabeth, a silent conversation going on between them. Elizabeth nodded her consent. "So the voucher is all yours. You can pick out something you want and use it for that," Nathan told her. "However, you better save me at least one of those cookies,"

Elizabeth, Ally, Lee and Rosemary all laughed at the comment.

"I will," Ally promised.

As the prizes were all handed out, the dinner began. Once again the room was filled with happy voices as the people of Hope Valley conversed over the meal.

"Is it okay if we sit here?" Lucas asked, indicating the two empty seats next to Elizabeth. Though he had posed the question to her, Elizabeth noted that Lucas glanced over at Nathan as well.

"Go ahead," Elizabeth told him. "I don't think there are many other empty seats in the room."

"You're probably right," Lucas admitted, placing his plate and drink on the table before turning to pull the chair out for Fiona who was at his side again tonight.

Looking around at the people gathered around her, Elizabeth couldn't imagine a better way to spend Christmas Eve, though she had a feeling Nathan might have a few ideas of his own. However, the fact that he was there by her side, despite the crowd told, her all she needed to know. No matter what life brought their way, Nathan would be there for her whether it was something he enjoyed or not. Though tonight, she had a feeling that Nathan was enjoying himself to a certain degree as she watched him converse with Lee who was sitting beside him.

Elizabeth knew that she couldn't be more blessed being surrounded by so many of the people that she loved the most.


An hour later and most folks were finished with their meals. Though a few people had left, it was hard to tell just by looking around the room. Fiona had gathered the children in one area of the saloon and Henry had volunteered to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' to them, while the adults continued to socialize.

"I think I'm going to call it a night," Brian said, addressing Lee and Rosemary. "Do you mind bringing the girls home? I don't want to take them away from the story."

"Of course not," Lee replied.

"Are you feeling okay?" Rosemary asked, concern clear in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Brian assured her. "I'm just starting to feel tired and my doctor has told me not to push myself."

"Okay," Rosemary replied.

"How about I walk with you," Nathan said, handing Little Jack to Elizabeth. "I should probably make some rounds, even though a majority of the town is still in this room I think."

"You don't have to," Brian replied.

"Perhaps not, but I'm going too anyway," Nathan replied, not about to let the young man walk out to the Coulter's house alone as he still hadn't been cleared by Carson to return to duty. "Can you keep an eye on Ally for me, Elizabeth?"

"Of course," Elizabeth said.

"I'll be back to walk you home," Nathan promised her.

"We'll be waiting," Elizabeth replied.

Brian and Nathan headed for where the coats had been left. After finding their coats and putting them on, they headed out of the Saloon. They started their walk in silence. Brian noted that the veteran Mountie constantly scanned their surroundings. Either Nathan's excuse of doing a set of rounds had been sincere, or he planned on making it look good. Whichever it was, Brian had to admit there was something reassuring about having someone make the walk with him. Not that he expected to need the help as the headache had only just started, but he was grateful for the company.

As they passed the last building of the little town, Brian got the courage to broach a subject he had been trying to find the courage to bring up with Nathan.

"I thought you said you took custody of your niece?" Brian ventured, having now heard Ally refer to Nathan as Dad more than once.

"I did," Nathan said. "Biologically, Ally is my niece. Her mother was my sister. I took Ally in after my sister passed away. However, I'm the only family Ally has really known these past eight years, as her father isn't in the picture either. I just recently adopted her."

"So, you don't have any regrets about taking custody of her?"

"No," Nathan said. "None at all. In fact, I couldn't imagine life without her now."

"Did you always feel that way?" Brian asked. "I'm sorry. That's a bit personal. You don't need to answer that."

"No, it's okay," Nathan told him. "I understand why you're asking. To be honest, I was terrified at the thought of being responsible for a four year old girl. There was a part of me who hoped her father would get his act together and choose to keep her. However, my brother-in-law, who had always had a bit of a problem with alcohol, just up and disappeared after my sister's death without a word to anyone. My mother had health issues of her own. She helped with Ally for the first few months, but I knew she couldn't raise her on her own, though my mother would have tried."

"So, if there had been other family to take Ally, you may not have taken her?"

Nathan thought over the answer before replying. It would be easy to say now that he would have still taken her. Ally was his life. He cherished her. However, things had been different back then. He had been different.

"If there had been family back then that I thought would have been able to better care for her, then yes, I think I would have let them take her," Nathan admitted.

A silence fell between them as they continued to walk toward the row of houses. Brian didn't speak again until they were standing outside the house occupied by the Coulters.

"I've seen what the Coulters can offer Bridget and Ivy. They can provide a stable home life. They can give those girls a mother and a father figure to guide them through the struggles of growing up. All I can offer them is a life of moving around and constant worry that I might not make it home to them. I wouldn't even know who would look after them when I'm at work if I took them to Unity."

"You would be surprise at how many people will offer to look after a child when there is only one parental figure. I know I was."

"Perhaps, but it doesn't solve the other issues. Not to mention, I know nothing about raising two little girls and yes I realize that most new parents probably feel that same way, but I'm not ready to be a parent. Not right now. I feel like if I take those two girls with me, all I have to offer them is more heart ache and if I don't take them with me then what kind of person does that make me?"

Nathan reached out and placed a hand on Brian's shoulder. "The fact that you're asking those questions means that you're a brother who only wants what is best for his sisters. There is more than one way to look out for Bridget and Ivy. The important thing is, that no matter what choice you make, you need to remain in their lives. You are the only blood family they have now."

"I feel like they would be better off here, with Lee and Rosemary, but I don't know if the Coulters would want to take on that responsibility. I don't know how Bridget and Ivy would feel about it. Nor do I even no if it would be possible to just let the Coulters take custody of them. All I have is questions and no answers."

"I can guess at most of those answers," Nathan replied. "However, I think what you need to do is talk to Lee and Rosemary and your sisters. Get their input into all of this and then go talk with Judge Avery. He'll be able to tell you about all the legal aspects of everything. I have no doubt that he'll be able to find a solution that would work for everyone involved."

Brian nodded.

"I'll do that. Just not tonight. Tonight I think I need to get some rest."

"You do that. Merry Christmas, Brian," Nathan told him, removing his hand from the young man's shoulder.

"Merry Christmas," Brian replied as he turned and headed into the Coulter's home.


It was late when Lucas walked Fiona home. Everyone else had long since gone home and most of the lights in the little town were off. A light snow had started to fall, adding a new dusting to everything.

"It's a lovely night," Fiona commented.

"I think the company is lovelier," Lucas said.

Fiona ducked her head at the compliment.

They finished the walk in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each others company. When they finally reached the door to Fiona's apartment above the dress shop, Lucas knew he could no longer put off giving her the gift he had been carrying around all evening. Reaching into his pocket he removed the small wrapped box.

"I got you a little something for Christmas," Lucas told her, holding the box out to her.

"Oh, Lucas," Fiona said, taking her gloves off to take the box from him. "Should I open it now?"

"Yes, please," Lucas told her.

Ripping the paper surrounding the gift away, Fiona found a small black box. Lifting the lid from the box, Fiona saw the purple and green butterfly combs that she had been admiring in the shop.

"I love these," Fiona said. "I had been admiring them in the shop but with changing jobs and everything I hadn't felt comfortable buy something frivolous."

"Elizabeth told me you had been admiring them," Lucas said. "Besides, the best gifts are the frivolous things, not the practical things."

"That's true," Fiona conceded. "Thank-you, Lucas," she said looking up at him.

"You're welcome," Lucas said.

Hoping that he wouldn't ruin the moment, Lucas leaned in for a kiss. Realizing what was happening, Fiona leaned in closer herself. Standing outside the apartment door, on Christmas Eve, the two pressed their lips together, sharing their first kiss. A Christmas kiss.

Lucas couldn't think of a better Christmas than the one he was experiencing right now.