The trip from Hope Valley to Union City took around two hours; and from Union City to Baltimore by train another five days. This meant that Nathan Grant and Lucas Bouchard had more time to get to know one another than either man could have ever anticipated.

For the first hour after leaving town, Bouchard was extremely quiet. Other than a yes or a no, it was clear that he was feeling emotional and so Nathan allowed him space to adjust and didn't pressure him to talk at all. But once they reached the train station, he knew that if this trend continued it was going to make for a very long and boring trip.

Boarding the train, he spoke with the porter who pointed him toward their sleeping cabin. When he opened the door, he was amazed. Inside, courtesy of Lucas's parents, was a luxuriously paneled cabin with a banquette sofa, writing table, personal sink and a twin-sized bed. Nathan whistled as he entered.

"What is it?" Lucas asked, oblivious to what Nathan was reacting to and eager to get settled in their room.

"Oh. It's just I've never travelled like this." Nathan replied.

"By train?" Lucas asked.

"No. This cabin. It's nice. I've been on trains plenty of times but nothing this swank." He responded.

Lucas looked around, thinking the cabin looked new and clean but thinking to himself that he'd travelled in much nicer. "Well, don't let the opulence fool you." Lucas responded. "Rooms like this, while posh, aren't always very comfortable." He rolled toward the bed. "Of course, I always have trouble sleeping on a train."

"Me too. Nothing like sleeping at home." He responded, then seeing Lucas struggling to get his chair turned around so that he could transfer to the bed, he quickly came to his aid. "Here, let me help."

"Thank you." Lucas said, without quarrel.

Nathan moved the chair out of Lucas's way and set the wheel chair to the side after Lucas scooted onto the bed. Lucas brought his leg up on the mattress in order to adjust the oversized sock which covered his bandages. As he was doing this, Nathan realized that there was only one bed. He had gotten his ticket at the last minute, booking himself as a third-class passenger in another area of the train just to get on board, but he arranged to be allowed to stay with Lucas in his cabin in order to assist with his needs. He hadn't even thought of sleeping accommodations when he did so and looked around for a pulldown bed he had seen in other cabins.

"I'm afraid my parents thought I would be alone. One of us will have to sleep on the sofa." Lucas said, as if reading his mind.

Nathan stopped looking. "That's alright." He responded. "As a Mountie, you get trained to pretty much sleep anywhere. Sofa will be fine." Then, he asked about something that had been bothering him since before they left home. "By the way, it surprised me to hear your parents had gone. They left so quickly."

"Yes. They did. The Bouchards have never been very gracious with goodbyes." Lucas replied, his voice trailing off. "Father had emergency business in London and mother – she just needed to go. But it's okay. I'm used to it."

Nathan took off his jacket and took a seat on the sofa as the train began to roll. Lucas was still somewhat quiet so he decided to draw him out. "Well, if you don't mind talking about it, what was it like growing up a Bouchard?"

Lucas paused and pursed his lips as if he was considering opening up this part of himself which he never dwelt on very much. "Adventuresome… and a bit lonely, I suppose."

Nathan tilted his head. "How so?"

Lucas paused for a moment, leaning back against the headboard while he rested his leg. "Most of the time, growing up, it was my mother and me. But on my tenth birthday, my father took us on a cross-country excursion across England - my first big trip with my parents. One of many. Eventually, we hit every continent."

"That must have been exciting for a ten-year-old boy." Nathan replied.

"It was for a while. Seeing the world is great and I still like to do so now and again, but being together with my parents was the best part. However, we would never stay one place long and therefore I never really had friends my own age because the moment I would make a friend it'd be time to move. So, my friends became the adults that my parents knew… in addition to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Mark Twain, George Bernard Shaw and many others."

"Ah. So, you really are a lover of books." Nathan said.

Lucas looked at him. "A home without books is a body without a soul. Cicero."

"Interesting." Nathan replied, contemplatively.

"What about you? I know about your father, but what was life like growing up a Grant? That is… if you don't mind talking about it."

Nathan sat back in his seat, crossing his leg over his knee. "Growing up a Grant, that's an interesting subject. I guess growing up a Grant for me meant growing up quickly. When dad went to prison, it was just me, mom and Colleen, Allie's mom. Colleen was two years older than me and just exactly like her daughter."

Lucas listened intently.

"By my tenth birthday I was already being seen as the man of the house. I would go hunting or fishing to get us food and would take on any job I could just to keep a roof over our heads while dad was out spending his paycheck playing cards. Once he was in prison, my mother worked, of course. She did beautiful embroidery…delicate lace patterns women used to come from miles away to acquire."

"That's where Allie gets her artistic streak?"

"Yes. My mother was…and is…very artistic, as was Colleen. We made it through alright, I suppose. Didn't have wealth had but we had each other. And we had love. Lots of love."

Lucas pondered his words.

Twenty minutes later, both men freshened up at the sink and departed the cabin in order to eat dinner in the dining car. As they came into the room, Nathan helped Lucas into a regular chair with his leg being hidden under the table so he would feel less conspicuous. Nathan took a seat across from him and the two men took time to look at the menu to figure out what they wanted to eat.

While they were sitting there, Nathan felt a rough bump against his shoulder as the train quickly took a sudden turn and a woman passing by lost her footing and fell into him. She dropped her beaded clutch handbag on the floor and Nathan instinctively bent down to pick it up for her at the same time she went to retrieve it. Their hands touched and he looked up at her. She had wavy blonde hair that was cut into a medium-length bob, partially hidden under an oleander cloche hat. Her stylish, tea-length dress showed just a hint of ankles and an oleander-colored belt around her waist accentuated her tiny waist. But it was her eyes, large, brilliant and 'blue as the sky' that captured Nathan's attention.

"Oh. Thank you." she said softly in a thick Irish accent as a blush formed upon her cheeks.

Nathan smiled softly and his eyes did not leave hers as he picked up the handbag and, together, they raised up from the floor. Grant pushed out his chair and stood for her, which was something Lucas was unable to do, but at that moment it didn't bother him. He was mesmerized by what was going on directly in front of him. Lucas's brown eyes danced between the two figures and he noted the scarlet flush that began to appear on Nathan Grant's neck.

"Um, yeah. Sure…Miss." The Mountie stammered. "H-Have a good day."

The young woman smiled at him softly then nodded toward Lucas who by now was feeling quite entertained.

Nathan watched, craning his neck until she got to the end of the cabin but then dropped his head when she looked back at him. Lucas raised his eyebrows as the color of Nathan's ears began to match his neck and he folded his arms in front of his chest as the constable nervously cleared his throat and immediately went for his water glass, refusing to look up.

For over a minute Nathan studied the menu as he'd never studied a menu before until he couldn't deal with Bouchard's staring any more.

"You can stop smiling, now, Bouchard." He said, gruffly.

"I'm not smiling." He stated, flatly.

Nathan raised his eyes and indeed Bouchard was wearing the most serious of expressions, his arms still being crossed.

"Alright what?!" Nathan said, "Go ahead and say it."

"She liked you." Lucas replied.

Nathan lowered his head and pretended to read his menu. "I was just helping her with her…her…her thing."

"Her thing? By her thing, do you mean her purse?" Lucas asked.

"Yes. Purse. Handbag. She dropped it and…and…"

"And, you're flustered." Lucas replied, shifting positions. "Because…you liked her too."

Nathan threw Lucas a look. "I don't even know her." He replied.

"No." Lucas reasoned. "But you liked her."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Then why are your ears red?" Lucas asked.

Nathan looked down at the menu again and became silent. A few seconds passed and Bouchard did not move.

"Why don't you ask her out?" Lucas suggested.

Grant looked up at him, perturbed. "Why don't you mind your own business."

Finally, Lucas budged. "Alright." He shrugged and then sighed before picking up his own menu. "If you would rather spend five days couped up on a train with a broken old gambler than to introduce yourself to a dewy Irish rose, then that's your prerogative, I suppose."

Nathan was relieved when almost immediately the waiter came to the table.

"Welcome. Are you ready to order?" he asked. Nathan went first.

"Yes. I'll have the sirloin steak and mushroom sauce with your boiled potatoes and green beans. Oh, and some rolls." Nathan said before laying down his menu.

The waiter looked at Lucas after writing down Nathan's order. "And you, sir?"

Lucas nodded. "I will just have the lettuce salad with your house dressing and a cup of vichyssoise."

Nathan was surprised that Lucas ordered so little considering he was starving.

"Would either of you care for any adult beverages while you wait?"

"No. Water is fine." Lucas replied. Nathan said the same then looked at Lucas with curiosity as the waiter took the menus away. "You don't want to eat more than that?" he asked.

Lucas looked across the table. "No, I'm fine." He replied. "Back to what we were discussing. Aren't you going to at least inquire as to what her name is?"

"No." Nathan replied. "And we were no longer talking about it."

Lucas ignored him, continuing to press. "You could ask her out for coffee. Or, I hear they have a fine selection of hors d'oeuvres in the early evening hours before dinner is served."

Nathan shook his head. "Lucas. Listen, I appreciate your concern but you of ALL people are the last person I want to be receiving suggestions about romance from, okay?"

Lucas nodded then lowered his head. "I'll say no more."

The rest of the day went relatively uneventfully. At six p.m. they had dinner in the dining car where Nathan had a hearty dinner of Ham with potatoes and brussels sprouts, and Lucas ate lightly once more – having cup of consommé and a dish of Harvard beets. Afterward, the two men retired to their cabin where Lucas read a book and Nathan went over some training material that he was being required to review by the Mounted Police Headquarters. The lights were out by nine.

In the middle of the night, Nathan awakened when he heard Lucas talking in his sleep and thrashing around in his bed. He was having a nightmare.

Turning on the light, Nathan quickly went over to him and called his name.

Lucas opened his eyes and for a few seconds stared at Nathan, disoriented. He closed his eyes again and exhaled but said nothing.

"You okay?" Nathan asked.

Lucas opened his eyes and stared ahead for a second, disoriented, then looked up at Nathan and shook his head yes.

"I'm okay." he replied. But, for the rest of the night, he laid there wide awake. Bouchard was up before Nathan and managed to get into his wheel chair, comb his hair, and put on the day's suit before Grant even stirred. By the time Nathan woke up, Lucas had even left the cabin and had returned with a newspaper and a cup of tea.

Looking for a time piece, Grant looked no further when Lucas announced "It's nine forty-five."

A bleary-eyed Nathan sat up. "You should have woken me up."

"I was too busy listening to the symphonic sounds of you snoring." Lucas replied meriting a glare from Nathan which Lucas ignored.

Grant stood and stretched then looked at himself in the mirror, considering he needed a shave.

"Your shaving kit is in the nightstand." Lucas said.

"What's it doing there?" Nathan asked.

"I didn't want for it to fall on the ground overnight."

"Thank you." Nathan replied walking to the night stand.

Lucas still didn't look up when he gave him the next bit of news. "Oh, and her name is Emily."

Nathan stopped and turned to Lucas and opened his mouth. At first nothing came out but then he asked with exasperation, "You talked to her?!"

Lucas continued to look at his book. "No. I did not talk to her. She was just in the dining car when I went to get the tea and she placed an order for breakfast saying she wanted it delivered to her cabin down the hall. She indicated to the gentleman who took her order that she was travelling alone. It's cabin 15 if you are interested."

Nathan smirked. "Why are you so interested in helping me talk to this woman?"

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Lucas retorted.

Nathan sat down on the sofa and just looked at Lucas, immediately realizing that Lucas's focus on Nathan and Emily was a welcome diversion from everything else he faced. He softened his approach.

"Because, I am." Grant replied, Lucas's eyes searching his own wondering if Nathan was being for real. In his life there had been few men that Lucas could trust. Was it really true, in the irony of ironies, that Nathan Grant could become a friend?

Bouchard reached for his tea cup. "Same." He said, taking a sip. "She was there. I was there. It was not my intention to speak of her again, but, I thought you'd like to know."

Nathan nodded. "Thank you, Lucas."

Lucas looked up at him and nodded, then went back to his book.

Back in Hope Valley, Elizabeth had returned to class though she really had a difficult time focusing on teaching as she waited for word of Bouchard's safe arrival. She too had been surprised by Nathan's generous offer to travel with Lucas but, Allie explained that they had talked that morning and it was Allie who encouraged her father to go with him on the premise that it's never fun to travel alone – and the fact he had been so good in saving her life. Elizabeth smiled at her student's ingenuity but also noted the hint of manipulativeness that was there. She wondered if Nathan had really wanted to go and if perhaps this might be a sign of healing in their lives and in their relationships.

After five days, the train finally arrived at Baltimore's relatively new Pennsylvania Station – a beautiful facility designed by New York architect Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison which featured elegant archways, wood benches and beautiful stained-glass ceilings. Nathan made a final sweep of the cabin while Lucas rolled toward the door carrying nothing but an umbrella with him, just in case it was raining. The porters set up a ramp toward the middle of the train and helped Bouchard disembark. Nathan followed close behind carrying his own suitcase and scanning the area to see where they would pick up the rest. Spotting a sign marked 'Baggage', Nathan told Lucas to head that way and he would follow. He needed to tip the porter.

Lucas moved away and Nathan set down his suitcase so he could reach into his pocket for a quarter. His hand landed on a fifty-cent piece instead and when the porter gave a broad smile he figured, what the heck, and tipped him handsomely.

"Thank you, sir." The Porter replied.

Nathan was going to speak, when suddenly a woman's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey! Wait! That'd be mine!" she stated, in a thick Irish brogue.

He turned in time to see Emily running in heels toward the exit, chasing a man who had absconded with her luggage. Without hesitation, he leapt into action and ran through the terminal, passing Emily as he followed the man into the hallway. The man ran into several people along the way whom Nathan had to navigate in order to see that they would not be injured and he would not fall.

"Stop! I'm a policeman!" Nathan yelled as the man headed toward the exit.

Turning around, the man looked at Nathan. "Not today, copper." He laughed, just as he reached the exit. He turned around to look where he was going but a second too late, for Lucas had heard Nathan's voice and casually rolled his wheelchair into the middle of the aisle. The man slammed into the side of Lucas's chair, dropping the bag and prostrating himself over the opposite side of Lucas's chair, face first into the floor.

He didn't have opportunity to try to run again because the next thing he knew, Constable Nathan Grant had roughly grabbed him by the back of his shirt collar and was carrying him off to Baltimore police, while an impressed and breathless Emily watched on.

Lucas spotted her and then saw Nathan as he turned to find her. Quietly, he wheeled himself a few feet away.

Nathan stood tall as he came up to her, picking her bag up by the handle and then giving it to her with a smile.

"Here you go, miss." he said.

"You were…" she stopped. "That was – amazing!"

Nathan smiled a little wider but tried to stay composed so as to not betray the many thoughts that were running through his head in that moment.

"Just doing my job." He stated.

"Your job?" she asked.

"Yes. North West Mounted Police." He said, sticking out his hand.

She smiled. "Ah, a Mountie! That makes sense. You look like a Mountie. At least what I always imagined a Mountie to look like growin' up in Ireland."

Nathan looked at her with curiosity. "What did you imagine a Mountie to look like?" he asked.

She reached forward and touched his arm. "Tall. Handsome. A rugged look about him – but an honest face. Yah…you look just like I'd picture one to be. A Mountie. In Baltimore, even! Imagine that!"

For the first time in weeks, a glimmer of happiness appeared in Lucas's eyes as he wished more than anything that Carson Shepherd would show up in that moment with his camera in hand. But he resolved within himself that he wouldn't tease Nathan. He knew how good Nathan felt and just wanted him to enjoy the moment – a nice reward for such a nice gesture that he had made.

After a night in a hotel just inside of Baltimore city limits, Grant and Bouchard took the Trolley first thing in the morning through town and made their way to Johns Hopkins. Dr. Carson Shepherd met them at the door.

Smiling, he went to Lucas first.

"Lucas! Welcome to Baltimore. How'd you handle the trip? I know it was a long one."

Lucas nodded. "Good to see you, Dr. Shepherd. It was an adventure, to say the least."

Carson smiled. "You can call me Carson, seeing you're an old friend of mine. Speaking of old friends, Nathan! I am really surprised to see you here. Great to see you!"

"Yeah, well someone needed to keep him out of trouble." Nathan joked. Lucas smiled, softly.

"Come in. Let me show you around." Shepherd replied.

Carson walked the two men through the hallways of what was one of America's and the worlds best research hospitals. Named after the American businessman, investor, philanthropist and visionary, Johns Hopkins of Baltimore, the hospital was funded by over seven million dollars in endowment money (which in the 1870s was a very considerable sum) to be staffed by 'physicians and surgeons of the highest character and greatest skill.' – a reputation it had held for many years. But what especially made the hospital and Shepherd's association with it providential at the time is that, because of the war, it had become a premier center for the care and rehabilitation of amputees – which during the war in Europe, numbered hundreds of thousands of men.

After showing Lucas and Nathan the main lobby, the eating area, a lecture area which also was used for entertainment from time to time, he took them to the ward where Lucas would be spending the majority of his time while on campus. As far as hospitals went, it was very nice, with much better equipment than they could afford in little Hope Valley but, other than Shepherd, it didn't seem to be the friendliest of places. Lucas considered the fact that it could be they were just busy, but another word came to mind as he studied their faces. "Stressed." But as he looked more, he thought to himself, that's not it. "Weary." That was it. But not weary from work. Weary from the world and yet – kind. These were people who weren't doing what they were doing because it was a job but because it helped others. He liked this place and relaxed knowing he would be comfortable there.

"A lot of our staff has just come back from Europe and the war. They served on the field out there. Some of the most valuable assets we've had." Carson noted, walking Lucas to what would be his room. "Your parents requested a private room." He said. "Not sure how long I can keep it this way, but for now, it's yours."

Lucas looked up at Shepherd. "That's very kind. But, not necessary. I am aware that my parents have volunteered to pay for my time here but truly, I don't wish to be given any special treatment. I'm here to recover, just like anyone else."

Nathan looked at Carson. "How long will he be here?" he asked, gauging how long before he'd come and pick him up.

"Oh, three or four months. First, I'll examine his surgery area and we'll work to prepare his leg for a prosthesis. He'll be doing exercises and learning how to care for his limb and things such as that. That will go on for up to a month."

"When will he get his new leg?" Nathan asked.

"Swelling should be better with time and we will keep his leg wrapped up, shaping it and preparing it... Will probably get him fitted for the artificial limb sometime toward the end of that period, once he's healed enough, and I'd say within a month and a half or possibly two, depending on how it goes, we'll start him learning how to walk again."

"Dr. Luison wanted me to walk on a prosthesis immediately." Lucas said, recalling the pain that he was in at the time.

"Yes. Faith told me about that. He should never have been practicing medicine." Carson replied, angrily.

"He never will now." Nathan added. "We took care of that."

As Nathan finished speaking, Carson turned to Lucas to again welcome him there and encourage him to make himself comfortable but before he could finish, he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Reed is down in room 210 wishing to speak with you. He wants to get your opinion on that abrasion he was talking about when I arrived." She said, stepping into the room. Immediately, Nathan stood with his mouth slightly agape.

The woman smiled in recognition. "If it isn't muh Mountie! What a pleasant surprise."

Lucas couldn't hide his dimples as he watched Nathan try to come up with words. Gently, he pressed the book in his lap to the back of Nathan's leg. Nathan walked forward.

"You two know each other?" Carson asked, getting a strange feeling as he observed the scene.

"We've met." Nathan said quietly. "Briefly."

Emily smiled. "Yeah. Just briefly. But he was my hero even then. Saved me from a perilous event – though…I must say, I didn't even get your name."

Nathan smiled. "Nathan Grant. Constable of Hope Valley, Alberta."

Emily nodded and stuck out her hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Constable. I'm Emily Reardon. Registered Nurse and I'll be Lucas's therapist during his stay."