I've started writing this before the final episode. After the last episode's preview, I knew that Elizabeth will choose Lucas. It made me feel sad because that relationship doesn't make sense to me. Don't get me wrong – Lucas is great. Just... not for Elizabeth. I was extremely frustrated with the writers this season. Elizabeth changed so much... She seems like a completely different character. On the other hand, Nathan and Allie are amazing and I love them! So... this story came to me, and I couldn't get it out of my head.

Faith left with Carson, so Hope Valley doesn't have a doctor for a while. Elizabeth chose Lucas, and with the way that she's been acting – I'm ok with that. Nathan and Allie deserve better.

English isn't my first language, so be kind :)

Nathan loved the quiet days.

A quiet day meant that everyone was safe and that he'll be able to join Allie for dinner.

Everyone who knew Nathan could tell that he didn't join the Mounties for the excitement. He did it because he wanted people to feel safe and protected. Quiet days meant that he did his job well.

Sadly, this peace was giving him time to think, and that wasn't the best thing for him to do right now. During quiet days, the ache in his heart grew louder. He tried to come to terms with Elizabeth's choice. He really did. He even left Hope Valley for three months to visit his mother, to give himself and Allie time to heal. Sadly, coming back home brought everything back. All in all, he was doing quite well, but he was fairly certain it was only because Elizabeth, Lucas, and Little Jack were in Hamilton, visiting Elizabeth's parents. They were absent when he returned from his 'vacation', and thanks to that, he was fine. He dreaded the moment they get back. One of the many things he learned during his time in Hope Valley - healing a broken heart wasn't an easy task.

Building a house helped a lot. After working at the construction site, he was so tired, he wasn't able to think about his heartache. The only person on his mind was Allie. He was doing it for her. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be here. He would have left Hope Valley and never turned back. It just hurt too much. But Allie needed stability. She needed to feel safe. And he would do anything to give her that. So he bought Bill's land and got to work. Allie was so excited, she immediately started planning the interior of the house, which took her mind from other things... Like her uncle's love life. This didn't mean she wasn't aware of the situation and Nathan's sadness. She prayed every day for his heart and possible happiness with someone else.

Nathan knew, that a lot of town's people have hoped for Elizabeth to choose him. He heard the whispers, he saw the looks. He also knew that everyone wished him well and was concerned with his happiness. He was grateful for that, but it didn't help. For now, he preferred to stay inside - at home or at work, or fishing with Allie, far away from prying eyes. It made people concerned even more. One thing Nathan knew for sure- healing took time, and he wanted to give himself that.

"Nathan!"Bill didn't bother to knock. Nathan was so deep in thought, he almost fell from his chair."You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What is it?"

"We gotta go. The stagecoach was robbed." and with these words, Nathan's quiet day flew out the window.

"How do you know?" Nathan grabbed his hat and they were out in a second.

"Well... I'm not sure, but I have a hunch. Someone from Edson called, asking about our new doctor."

"But we don't have a new doctor."

"Exactly. He's at that coach. Or he was. They left Edson in the early morning. Should be here hours ago."

"I need to stop by the house, tell Allie where I'm going."

"Sure. I'll go and you'll catch up?" Nathan gave him a nod.

Ten minutes later they were galloping out of town.

"Do you know who this new doctor is?" Nathan asked when they were giving their horses a few minutes of rest.

"I have no idea. I only know that Abigail had something to do with it. She called a while ago, told me she found us a doctor. She was very excited, which was a bit weird. Told me she met him by accident and liked him a lot. She told him a lot about Hope Valley and he decided to come here. That's all I know."

"Sounds mysterious."

"A bit. Yeah."

After an hour or so, while riding through the forest, they started to hear voices.

"... I'm sure someone will come soon, Mrs. Conelly."

"You've said that a few hours ago."

"And I'll say that again. It takes time for people to realize the stagecoach should be there already. When they do, they'll start looking. I've heard that there is a Mountie in town. I'm sure that he'll find us."

"I live longer than you, young lady. Life doesn't always turn out as we want it to... We should've walked."

"And leave this man to die?!" the other woman, Mrs. Connely, as they learned, didn't say anything after that. Nathan and Bill were in awe of the younger woman's calmness and, at the same time, got very concerned with the situation. They weren't prepared to take care of a sick or wounded person.

"I think someone's coming."

"We should hide!" the older woman started panicking.

"We can't move him!"

"Then leave him!"

"Mrs. Connelly!" - the younger woman shouted shocked.

"What if they're coming back?"

"I don't think so. I think it's someone from Hope Valley. I assumed they'll be here by now." it seemed that she wasn't entirely convinced of what she was saying, but it all changed when she saw Nathan's red serge.

What the two men saw was dreadful. The younger woman's clothes were full of bloodstains. It seemed like she was bleeding all over.

"We're fine!" was the first thing that she said, guessing what was happening in their heads. "I'm fine! One person is wounded, but he should be fine."

"So... the blood?" Bill asked.

"I was helping him. He should be fine. - she said again, trying to calm them down. The weird thing was – it worked.

"Mrs. Connely! Didn't I tell you, that someone would come?!" she shouted towards the bushes. Bill laughed quietly to himself. The situation wasn't funny, but this was simply hilarious. It seemed that the younger woman was sharing his mirth, though she really tried hard not to smile. Mrs. Connelly got out of the bushes.

"Yes, you've kept telling me." she said while trying to clean her clothes. Then she turned to Bill. "I'm so glad you're here! We were robbed!"

"That's why we're here. Someone from Edson called. We want to know what happened, but we need to take you to Hope Valley first. You're probably hungry and cold."

"Of course we are!" Mrs. Connelly was waiting for a confirmation from her companion, but it never came. The younger woman followed Nathan, who got off his horse and was now checking the unconcious man's condition.

"Could I borrow your blanket? I know you have one." she asked.

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry. You're probably cold!" Nathan passed her the blanket.

"It's not for me." she smiled. "It's for him. He was shot while trying to stop the robbers. He's the coach driver." she added, covering the man with a blanket.

"Yeah, I think I've seen him a few times in town." he looked at her. She wasn't tall, just a bit taller than Allie, with wavy brown hair and blue eyes. She didn't seem very anxious because of the situation, what he thought was weird. Her eyes, which were dancing with mirth a few minutes ago, when Mrs. Connelly was getting out of the bushes, were now showing concern and sadness. He got lost in them for a second.

"I was able to get the bullet out and sew up the wound. The flask in his breast pocket was a blessing this time."

Nathan, who was checking the man's bandaged shoulder wound, looked at her instantly, shocked.

"You... What...?"

"They took my bag, but I always keep a few things in my pockets." she continued as if she hasn't heard him. Then, seeing his expression, she added. "I'm a doctor."

Nathan looked at Bill, confused. The other man also seemed shocked, but only for a second. He smiled.

"Yes! We were expecting you, Miss..."

"Winters. Anna Winters."

"Miss Winters." Bill got off his horse and offered his hand to the young woman. "Bill Avery. I'm the town's judge. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too." she took the offered hand.

"Your surname seems familiar..."

"My father was a Mountie. Maybe you've heard of him? Ben Winters?"

"Ben Winters! Of course! We worked together for a while! But it was so long ago... Almost thirty years... You're Ben's daughter? That's amazing!" Bill couldn't contain his happiness. Ben's daughter! They were best friends for a few years before Constable Winters received an order to move to another posting. They were exchanging letters for a while, but it was hard to maintain communication in the Northern Territories at that time. He knew that Ben got married and fathered few children. He also heard from other Mounties about his passing ten years ago.

"I've heard of your father's passing. I'm so sorry..."

"Thank you."

Anna didn't want to go into details of her dad's death at this moment. It wasn't a time and a place. From the older man's face she could see, that he wanted to know more, but also decided that they'll find time for that later. Bill knew that right now, there were matters at hand. A wounded man, a panicked woman, an investigation, and one very curious Mountie, who was watching his interaction with Miss Winters with great interest.

"Miss Winters, let me introduce Constable Nathan Grant. Nathan, Miss Winters is our new doctor."

They exchanged pleasantries.

Nathan felt a sudden need to protect her, and at the same time, a pressure to run as far away and as fast as possible.