*Thank you all that have been leaving such lovely comments on this story. This is all so new to me. The most writing I have ever done was research papers for college many years ago (a business major at that), until this musing. The season 8 finale blindsided me and my way of "coping" is writing this story where my favorite leading duo (Nathan and Allie) find a love they deserve. Like my penname implies, I felt that even though I have no experience writing fiction. I could not be as bad as what I had just witnessed happening (I'm glad Team Lucas got their happy ending; I just didn't see that coming from the writing- if you did though congrats! You're a better person than I).

What started out as typing out my ideas in an outline this weekend has turned into this story (don't worry there are plenty of chapters up in this head of mine). You all loving on it, means the world to me and I hope (if you were like me) it helps to heal your own crushed WCTH soul.

*The first 3 chapter lay such a foundation for my vision (so much angst y'all- sorry about that), but this chapter shows our Charlotte getting a little confidence back, standing up for herself, and maybe, just maybe, letting her next-door neighbors start mending that broken heart.

Chapter 4- The Two Teacher Tango

This is not going well.

Charlotte thought to herself. A sense of doubt in her abilities as an educator, quickly rising to the surface. It was only the second full day of summer classes with her students, the Wednesday after her arrival to Hope Valley. But things were going downhill quickly. Mrs. Thornton had decided to be at the school both Monday and today. Charlotte was not sure if this was Elizabeth's doing or Mr. Landis. Not that Elizabeth hadn't been kind. She mostly just sat behind the desk, watching as Charlotte tried to bring each student's various advance lesson plans together.

There she goes again. Why was Elizabeth writing so much? Is she taking notes about me?

Dejected, Charlotte had dismissed the children early for the day. She watched from the steps of the school as they headed off in various directions. Allie went off in the direction of town, no doubt to spend some time with Nathan before starting her shift at the switchboard in Yost's mercantile.

Charlotte sighed deeply and turned to head back into the school, this conversation had been put off for far too long. She made her way down the aisle to stand in front of Elizabeth at the desk.

"Elizabeth, do you know the works of Oscar Wilde?" Charlotte started. She did not know Mrs. Thornton's life story, but she knew enough, being that Elizabeth was a fellow teacher and now a published author, that possibly the easiest way to make a point was to talk about literature.

"Yes. I've read some of his works," Elizabeth replied, quickly covering her notes and putting them into the basket on the desk.

Charlotte continued, "Mr. Wilde once said, "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

Elizabeth stared up at Charlotte mulling over the other woman's words. "Yes. Of course. It's important to be true to who you are, but I'm not sure what you are implying."

"What I'm implying, Elizabeth, is that I'm not you."

"I never assumed that you were."

"Then why are you here every day? Just sitting there taking notes. I know you feel protective of these children and their education. Any teacher would. But I cannot do my job properly, trying to be you and not myself. It's just not working. You're suffering. I'm suffering. And the children are suffering because of it as well. Is that what you want?"

Elizabeth blinked repeatedly. Speechless from Charlotte's frankness.

"I want to trust you, I do." she finally responded. "It's just that I've been teaching these children for so many years. I was in a similar position to you when I first arrived in Hope Valley."

"I'm not here to take them away from you Mrs. Thornton. That's not what any of us want." Charlotte tried to ease the teacher's concerns. "I was hired to help! But I can only help if you give me the space to do it. And do it my way. Not with you making notes for Mr. Landis on everything I do or do not do correctly in your eyes."

Elizabeth turned to the window in guilt, so Charlotte continued, "I'm good at what I do Mrs. Thornton. Landis would not have hired me if I were not. Let me run this summer program how I see fit. To appease Mr. Landis, let's make Wednesday morning's your observation period. At that time, you can monitor and take notes of my progress to your heart's content."

To ease the confrontation and hopefully help Elizabeth see the light, Charlotte added, "Plus just think of how much more time you will have to spend with your son and Mr. Bouchard. Especially in order to plan your wedding this fall."

Elizabeth turned back to Charlotte, a slight twinkle in her eye at the mention of her upcoming wedding. Charlotte should have known. Elizabeth seemed like a woman who appreciated any opportunity to talk about her planned glitzy nuptials. The change in topic brought the woman quickly into a better mood, "I guess that doesn't sound bad. I do have so many details to go over for the wedding."

Charlotte suppressed the need to roll her eyes. What was it with women wanting to go through the big extravagance of a large showy wedding? Wasn't the most important part of the wedding ceremony, promising your life to one another and not how big of a spectacle you could make? In that moment Charlotte was reminded of another Oscar Wilde quote, "You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes or their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear."

Yes, Charlotte was not Elizabeth.

Satisfied with Elizabeth's answer and finally starting to stand up for herself, Charlotte left the school with a newfound confidence, which added a little bounce in her step. She had to make a couple stops in town before going back to the house and starting lesson plans for the next few weeks.

Walking into town, Charlotte for the first time paused to take in the sight of Hope Valley. It really was an idyllic village, one that seemed straight out of a storybook. The facades, freshly painted in different shades of reds, yellows, blues, and greens, accented in cream-colored trims. Signs hung along the well-maintained street, identifying each of the different buildings and shops. Bill's office, the town library, the jail, Fiona's barbershop, Mr. Bouchard's saloon and hotel, an ice cream shop, Dottie's Apparel, Faith's infirmary, the petroleum office, and then finally at the end of the street sat Charlotte's first destination, Abigail's cafe.

She entered through the doors at the corner of the building. Since it was early afternoon, no patrons were seated at the tables, but the delicious smells wafting from the back led Charlotte in that direction.

"Charlotte! It's so good to see you," Minnie said looking up from kneading bread. "Here let me pour you a glass of iced tea."

Minnie handed a cool glass of dark amber liquid across the workbench to Charlotte, before looking at the clock on the wall and noting the time. "Done with classes already?"

"Yes." Charlotte confirmed. "I just haven't seemed to get my feet under me yet. I did not feel the need to make the children suffer any longer than they had too today. But I hope to change that all soon."

Minnie looked up from her dough covered hands and smiled warmly.

"I came to ask for your help Minnie," Charlotte continued.

"My help? Why on earth would you need my help teaching the children?"

"Because it's summer. Learning should be fun. And you and your daughter inspired me the other day."

"We did? How so?"

"Well, when Angela said the other day, she didn't enjoy science, we talked about how science is in so many everyday things. It does not have to be learned from a textbook. And then I remembered you mentioned that there are so many wild strawberries in the woods behind the row houses. I thought we could try something different when the children are back on Friday."

"What did you have in mind?"

"If the children pick the strawberries on Friday morning and I purchase the supplies, may we use the kitchen here at the cafe to make strawberry jam?"

"How on earth is making strawberry jam part of the advanced lessons you are supposed to be teaching?" Minnie questioned.

"Because it makes science enjoyable. And when children enjoy something, they want to know more."

Minnie gave a supportive smile, "Of course I would love to help you and the children."

After visiting with Minnie, Charlotte made her way a few doors down to that of the mercantile. She would need some basic canning supplies for the students if they were going to be making jam on Friday for class. The store was much busier today than it had been on Sunday when Charlotte was its only occupant other than Mr. and Mrs. Yost.

Charlotte found the preservation supplies on a shelf and started filling her arms with jelly jars.

"Here let me help, Ms. Thompson," Allie caught a jar that had started to tumble out of Charlotte's hands. The interaction caused Charlotte to flashback to her first interaction with Allie's Uncle Nathan on the stagecoach platform. The Grant's had a knack of coming to her rescue when she needed it most.

"Thank you Allie!"

"Why are you needing all of these?" asked Allie as she removed each jar from Charlotte's arms and placed them instead in a large wicker basket to carry through the store.

"I thought we would start making these summer classes a little more enjoyable for the both of us."

"Thank goodness," Allie exasperated. The girl's honesty, like her uncle's, caused Charlotte to smile.

"Yes. Thank goodness. Mrs. Thornton has agreed to only come in on Wednesday morning for observations, so I have a little looser reign to run the program as I see fit."

Allie smiled in return. Fully understanding what Charlotte was alluding to. The girls finished shopping for the jam supplies, before Allie returned to her duties at the town switchboard. Florence rang up Charlotte's purchases. She kindly offered to have Robert, who helped at the store sometimes, deliver the supplies over to the cafe so everything would be in place for the lesson Friday with Minnie.

As Charlotte walked out onto the porch of the mercantile, she paused again to look around and take in the view of her new town. Just then Constable Grant came riding by from the direction of the livery. From her years living on the ranch, Charlotte could tell when someone was comfortable in a saddle and Nathan seemed right at home on top of his large bay horse.

Spotting her, Nathan pulled back gently on the reins in front of where Charlotte now stood on the street.

"Who is this handsome man?" Charlotte questioned as she brushed the back of her hand along the velvet nose of Nathan's horse. The horse turning his big head and nuzzling it into Charlotte's shoulder. The action knocking her slightly off balance and a small laugh to escape her lips.

"Handsome? I'm not sure if anyone has ever called me handsome before," Nathan joked, the dimple in his cheek accentuating the slightly crooked smile he now wore. Heat instantly rose to Charlotte's face. A kind that was not caused by the hot summer day.

Nathan, seeing how uncomfortable the statement made Charlotte continued, "Oh! I see. You mean Newton here." Leaning forward in the saddle to pat the horse's muscular neck.

"Newton." Charlotte said gently. The horse continued to be putty in her hands. Lowering his head so she could more easily scratch the spot behind his ear where the headpiece of the bridle lay.

"Do you ride?" Nathan questioned. "Because you seem a natural with this big guy."

"I used to." Charlotte did not expand, and Nathan didn't push for more information.

Just then Allie broke through the door of the mercantile, "Ms. Thompson. I meant to ask you earlier, but would you like to go fishing at our secret spot tomorrow since we don't have lessons?"

Charlotte faltered, her eyes moving from Allie to Nathan.

"It will just be you two," he said directly to Charlotte. "I am heading out first thing in the morning for Brookfield to help Constable Kinslow with an investigation. I won't be back until late."

Charlotte released a breath she did not know she had been holding. For some reason she felt as though Nathan knew the reason she had not said yes in the past, was more because of him then his wonderful niece. Turning directly to Allie, Charlotte said, "As long as I get some prep work done this evening, then yes. I would love to join you, Allie. I haven't been fishing in an awfully long time, so please don't judge if I make a fool of myself."

Allie squealed with excitement, quickly hugged Charlotte's torso, turned and ran up the stairs to the mercantile, taking the steps two at a time.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Charlotte asked, turning again back to her task of petting Newton, avoiding the mountie staring down at her.

"For agreeing to go with her tomorrow. She enjoys your company," Nathan answered. "Please don't let me be the reason for you two not to spend time together."

So, he did understand how uncomfortable she was in his presence. Charlotte was not sure if that realization should comfort her or frighten her. Right now, it was the latter.

"Well, I better get on with my rounds. Newt let's leave this beautiful woman to enjoy the rest of her evening," Nathan lifted on the reins and squeezed his thighs to urge the mount forward. Tipping the corner of his felt hat towards Charlotte as he rode out of town.

"Have fun tomorrow!" he called back to her, as she stood stunned in the middle of the street.

Beautiful woman.