Hello! Thanks for your patience and kind words.

Chapter 33

Finding Homes

"Jenny, look out!"

POP!

POP!

"Baking soda for the blood stains, Nate."

Nathan woke up with terror in his heart. He did a quick sweep of the room. His and Elizabeth's room. Elizabeth was clinging desperately to his chest as she slept soundly. But it made it quite impossible for him to move and pace the way he normally did. Nathan looked around and out between the crack in the curtain. A new moon barely shown through the window. Nathan rubbed his hair with his right hand.

Elizabeth mumbled and clung tighter to his chest.

Nathan shook his head, kissed her head and then wrapped both of his arms around her securely. He tried closing his eyes to get more rest.

It took him a while before he fell asleep once more.

Elizabeth was in her room all alone. She went into labor prematurely. Nathan was away…Allie was with her Grandparents. Rosemary and Lee had Jack for a weekend trip away.

Elizabeth was bleeding heavily. The baby. Their baby wouldn't survive this early.

But Elizabeth was also alone.

They both were dead. Died from blood loss.

Jack was taken by the Thatchers.

Allie goes to college.

Nathan is left alone…again.

"Nathan," Elizabeth's voice and sharp pokes woke him up.

Nathan startled awake. He looked around their room.

Elizabeth was looking at him with concerned eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked in a whisper.

"Nightmares," Nathan said as he let his heart calm down once more.

"About?" Elizabeth pressed.

"Old traumas…and new fears," Nathan said in a whisper.

Elizabeth sat up against the headboard.

"What's scaring you?" Elizabeth asked.

"Losing you…losing us…losing my family," Nathan said.

Elizabeth gently ran her fingers through Nathan's hair.

"You really don't know how much I never dreamed of having anyone besides Allie, Ma, and Gabe as family. I knew as guardian to her, I was not making myself attractive, and didn't have the time to try and date. And we both know how poor I speak, especially to females. I had always just assumed that raising Allie was as close to being a father I would get…and I don't regret that for a second," Nathan started.

Elizabeth just let him find his words.

"I've never really felt that being a father was in my cards…or be something I'm good at. I was afraid that I would do what my father did, and cause my family pain and hurt in the process."

"But you're not him. And you've proven that remarkably well over the years," Elizabeth said.

"Part of me knows that. But there was also a part of me that knew that as Uncle Nathan, I wasn't a father still," Nathan said softly.

Elizabeth squeezed his hand.

"Then when with the O'Rourke siblings…"

Elizabeth leaned into him.

"I knew that I didn't want to not have the official title with Allie. And I was hoping about an us," Nathan trailed off.

Elizabeth squeezed his hand to support him, but she sensed that interrupting him now wouldn't get to where he needed to go in this conversation.

"Then everything that happened with Hargraves put the fear of losing you and failing you into the back recesses of my mind. But with being married, and the baby…" Nathan choked before clearing his throat. "I dreamt about you delivering early…too early. You and the baby were completely alone and you both died…and Jack was taken by your parents…"

Elizabeth ran her hands through his hair again before kissing his head.

"Nathan, I know that I can't say for certain that me nor the baby will be unscathed. But you have to know that no one, and I mean no one, in this town will allow me to be alone at the end of my pregnancy. Abigail and Rosemary were with me when I delivered Jack. And if something were to happen to me due to the labor, you wouldn't be alone in taking care of our children. Mother and Father know that I would want Jack to be raised with you and Allie," Elizabeth said firmly.

Nathan met Elizabeth's eyes.

"You won't lose your family," Elizabeth said.

And Nathan could read that she believed this into the depths of her soul.

Nathan sighed and held her for some time before she wiggled and grasped at her stomach.

Nathan looked at her in concern.

Elizabeth was beaming.

"He or she is going to be a dancer," Elizabeth said.

Nathan smiled.

"He or she is just fine," Elizabeth pointed out.

Nathan nodded in agreement before they both went back to sleep.

The next morning, Nathan was creating a mental list of things he needed to do that day. He walked his family to school before leaving them at the school steps. Nathan went first to the Mountie Office to check on his cadets. Before giving them both their tasks and walking to Lee's Office.

"How can I help you?" Lee asked.

"I, finally, have plans and instructions for our house," Nathan said as he handed over the folder with his sketches.

Lee opened them and his eyes widened.

"Are these yours?" Lee asked.

Nathan nodded.

"Where did you learn to do this?" Lee asked.

Nathan shrugged.

"When Dad was gone, I had to feed my family. The carpenter was the only one who would hire me." Nathan said.

"Why didn't you start a business?" Lee asked.

"Colleen always nagged me about it, but the truth is, that I don't have a head for business numbers. I think, just before she passed, she was getting this grand idea for us to go into business together. I was the talent, she was the brains," Nathan explained.

Lee just nodded.

"You would have done well," Lee commented.

Nathan raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"I mean it. I know that we don't know Colleen, but we do know Allie and we know you. You would have been very successful," Lee said.

Nathan shrugged, "I wouldn't have ended up here, though."

"Maybe, maybe not. As a lumber man, I'm constantly looking for talented businesses to go into partnership with. This would have caught my attention. I would have sought you out to show you how my wood could help you with your client base," Lee said.

Nathan shrugged.

"Doesn't matter at this point. I'm a Mountie," Nathan pointed out.

"True enough," Lee concurred as he went back to Nathan's plans.

Nathan watched him look over everything.

"This is a lot of wood," Lee said as his eyes went up.

Nathan nodded.

"I'm told that it's all necessary," Nathan said.

Lee laughed.

"I am familiar with that order. I will start getting this filled, and have people sign up to help you build. I will send the bill to Mountie Headquarters," Lee said.

Nathan shook his hand as he left. He barely made it into the streets when he was stopped by Bill standing outside the infirmary.

Nathan walked closer to him and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Carson and Faith think that the only way to cure Tom is for him to be abstinent from alcohol. They're wondering if you know of any places that they can move to that will help him recover and also have a place where he won't be tempted," Bill said quietly.

Nathan gave a head tilt, before knocking on the Infirmary door to announce himself.

"Bill let me know about your possible treatment. Any requests about housing?" Nathan asked.

"Not near a saloon," Marie said.

"But close enough that you can get medical help?" Nathan asked.

Tom and Marie both nodded.

Nathan thought about the places with both of those requirements.

"I'm afraid that Hope Valley has always had the saloon, and as of right now, that is the only in town housing," Nathan said.

Tom and Marie both looked at each other deflated.

"But would you consider going to Brookfield?" Nathan asked.

"Brookfield?" Tom asked.

"Where is it?" Marie added.

"It's a small ranch community not too far from here. It has a newer hotel and restaurant that isn't specifically a saloon. A good friend of mine, Corporal Kinslow, is the Mountie there," Nathan said.

Tom and Marie looked at each other, having a silent conversation that many close couples have.

"Do you mind taking Marie to Brookfield? She can decide there," Tom said just before he started hacking again.

Marie gave Tom a concerned look before meeting Nathan's eyes. Nathan nodded in agreement.

Bill had a wagon pulled outside of the Infirmary before long. Nathan helped Marie inside, before climbing up and taking the reins.

Marie and Nathan sat in silence for a bit.

"Charlotte must highly respect you," Marie commented as she looked at Nathan over the bench.

Nathan just looked down at her quickly.

"She asked a man who, essentially, replaced her son to find Tom," Marie explained.

"She asked Bill first. Bill referred her to me," Nathan said.

Marie gave a slight head shake.

"She wasted precious time to come to Hope Valley first. Hope Valley is backtracking from her brother's ranch, and where you found Tom," Marie said.

Nathan shrugged.

"Maybe. But she didn't speak to me until Bill forced her to," Nathan explained.

"I would bet that she wanted your help…until she found out about Elizabeth," Marie said as she gently caressed her stomach.

Nathan just let the comment go unanswered.

"What is this Brookfield like?" Marie asked.

"Small and slow paced. When Gabe gets back from his mission, he will be able to wax poetic all day long about the town. The townsfolk are nice enough. It may take some time for them to warm up to strangers, but they help each other out just as much as the people of Hope Valley," Nathan replied.

Marie smiled.

They finally pulled into the town.

Nathan parked the wagon outside the hotel before helping Marie out the wagon.

She took his elbow and straightened her skirts.

Nathan then showed her around the small main street before leading her back to the hotel.

"Hello, Constable Grant…I mean Inspector…" Ronnie fumbled.

"Instructor, actually," Nathan corrected with a small smile.

"Right, a new title and role," Ronnie said.

Nathan nodded.

"How can I help you?" Ronnie asked as he looked at the woman who was not Elizabeth on Nathan's arm.

Nathan and Marie both smirked at Ronnie thinking they were together.

"This is Elizabeth's sister-in-law, Marie Thornton," Nathan introduced.

"Hello, Mrs. Thornton," Ronnie said in greeting.

"Bonjour, monsieur," Marie said in rapid French.

Ronnie looked at her with some hesitation.

"Francois?" Ronnie struggled.

Nathan and Marie both nodded.

"I may need nurse Maggie to translate," Ronnie said as he looked to the diners in his dining room and eyed Maggie Parsons, sitting with Joe.

'"Nurse Maggie? Will you come translate?" Ronnie asked gently.

Maggie took one look at Nathan and Marie and smiled.

"Well, I would, but Marie is more versed in the languages of the world than I am. She is the one who helped me with my French when we were in our nursing program," Maggie said as she approached.

"Bonjour, Maggie," Marie smiled as she hugged her old friend.

"Welcome! What are you doing in Brookfield?" Maggie asked.

She eyed Nathan.

"My husband is not well. Dr. Sheppard and Dr. Carter think his only hope for liver failure is complete abstinence from drinking," Marie explained.

"Dr. Sheppard and Dr. Carter. You're in Hope Valley, then?" Maggie asked.

"Tom was brought there because of his brother's family. Charlotte has been visiting more often. He didn't live there," Marie explained.

"Dr. Carter and Dr. Sheppard are quite a skilled team. If they think that your husband's only hope is to stay dry, then I agree," Maggie said compassionately.

"I'm aware. But the only place near town that has vacancy is the saloon," Marie explained. "Instructor Grant suggested seeing if we would like it here."

Maggie smiled.

"Well I, for one, have stopped my globe trotting because of Brookfield. It is quite charming. And I am the nurse here. I imagine you will need an experienced midwife for your birth, and you will want a trusted health professional to help with your husband," Maggie encouraged.

Marie smiled and nodded.

"And while the hotel has drinks, it's not a saloon and is a good place for you to stay with your husband while you find a new home," Maggie ended

Marie looked around the hotel.

Maggie was looking at her with expectation. When she met Nathan's look, he kept his face blank and let her know this would be her decision.

Marie looked around once more.

"I do think this will challenge us both, but I also think that Tom needs to be in a place where he is less likely to encounter easy access to the temptation to drink," Marie said in her French accent.

"Wonderful!" Maggie smiled happily as she hugged her friend.

Nathan smiled as well.

"Excellent! When are you and your husband coming?" Ronnie asked Marie with a smile.

Marie looked at Nathan.

"I don't know," Marie responded. She opened her purse to see what she had money wise…not much. Her pay as a nurse hadn't caught up with her yet.

Nathan noticed her worry, and pulled out his own wallet.

"Why don't you pick a room, and Mr. Stewart can keep it available to you from today?" Nathan said.

"I don't have enough on me," Marie whispered.

"This is on me, Marie," Nathan whispered back.

Marie gave him a look of disbelief.

"You're family," Nathan added.

Ronnie showed Marie and Nathan which rooms were available at the moment. Marie picked the one that was in a quiet corner.

Nathan handed Ronnie a few dollars to cover the room until the Thornton's could get there. Then Nathan and Marie took up into the wagon again and headed back towards Hope Valley.

Marie was glaring at him.

"We'll pay you back," she said with an embarrassed nod.

"You don't need to. The money is from when I was attacked and had memory loss. The people of Hope Valley made sure that I would be able to pay my bills and feed my family, without having a job, technically. I'm just paying their kindness forward," Nathan explained.

Marie gave him a look of disbelief.

"I'm completely serious. If you don't believe me, ask Elizabeth," Nathan countered.

Marie finally shrugged.

"I do believe you. It's just that I am a war nurse. Most of what I have seen has been the nasty, negative things people do to each other. I'm not used to thinking about how kind and compassionate people can be," Marie explained.

"Tom said that was what attracted him to you," Nathan said.

"I do try to be kind with the patients. Most of the doctors and many of my fellow nurses had said there wasn't enough time. To give them what they needed to be comfortable and move on…but how can I leave a frightened boy of a man behind just because he has morphine? I knew that bedside manner was still important. Perhaps more important in that stupid war, than it ever was before," Marie said harshly.

Nathan gave her a kind look back.

"You're right. And it is that kindness that I'm trying to show to you. Besides, you're family, Elizabeth wouldn't allow any of you to suffer needlessly," Nathan said again as he focused his eyes on the road in front of them.

Marie nodded once more.

"I am not taking your money, Marie. Nathan should have slipped Ronnie Stewart more when you weren't looking. In fact, Nathan needs to set up charge accounts in the major businesses to get you settled," Elizabeth said once Marie had tried to give the money back to her once they had gotten back to Hope Valley.

Marie glared at her.

Elizabeth glared back.

"I'm a Thatcher. I know I don't show it much, but I do have access to my trust fund. You're family," Elizabeth said firmly.

"It's too much," Marie protested.

"It's not nearly enough," Elizabeth argued.

Marie ended up giving up the battle as she was getting sick of standing with her active baby and needed to rest.

Elizabeth ended up walking to the Mercantile as she watched Allie and Robert taking care of Summer.

Nathan walked beside her soon after.

"About Marie and Tom," Elizabeth said softly.

"I already did what you're going to ask," Nathan whispered.

Elizabeth looked at him.

"Most of the store owners were in the restaurant. I gave them all money to cover initial purchases, but gave strict instructions that alcohol wasn't allowed to be purchased at all. I also may have slipped some more dollars into Mr. Stewart's till with a note," Nathan whispered.

Elizabeth smiled.

"I love you," she said as she leaned into his side.

"Well, I figured that the money was meant to help, and that's not just me. I also know that you are my majority donor," Nathan said.

Elizabeth tried to give him a look of innocence.

"Oh, come on, Elizabeth. You are the only person in town who could afford to donate that much money," Nathan pointed out.

Elizabeth nodded slowly.

"I knew that you wouldn't accept it if it weren't anonymous. But I also had to make sure you were taken care of," Elizabeth explained.

Nathan nodded at her with his crooked smile.

"I understand your reasons, especially then," Nathan said before leaning down to give her a kiss. She eagerly met him in the middle.

"Jenny, look out!"

POP!

POP!

"Baking soda for the blood stains, Nate."

"You're the reason Dylan left me! You should have never allowed me to marry him! You knew he was awful!"

Nathan woke up with a gasp and his heart beating rapidly. He looked around the room and ran his hands through his hair once more. Elizabeth was curled around her own pillow tonight, so Nathan could gently ease himself out of the bed and pace a bit. But he needed more fresh air. He tiptoed out of his room, down the stairs, and was in the process of putting on a coat, when he turned to find Charlotte glaring at him with her eyebrow raised in challenge from her spot on the couch.

She sat up.

Nathan sat across from her.

"Nightmares?" Charlotte asked.

Nathan nodded.

"Mountie trauma?" Charlotte asked.

"Sometimes. Tonight's was a life trauma," Nathan whispered.

Charlotte nodded, but looked at him to explain in more detail.

"What do you know about Allie's biological father?" Nathan asked.

"Just that he left her behind after her Ma passed," Charlotte said.

Nathan sighed.

"He wasn't a good person. He was quick to charm and live on hopes and empty promises. When she told me about him, I thought it wasn't serious, because Dylan was just like our Dad was. A gambler who thought the next big win was just another hand away but his debts were too high. And they weren't that good. Dylan was actually worse than Dad, because he was also a drunk. And while Dad would often disappear, he actually cared about his family. Dylan didn't. So, I was surprised when Colleen sent a telegram saying they were engaged to be married. They both knew that I didn't like him, but I also didn't fight her much over her decisions," Nathan said. "I've regretted not trying to talk her out of it. She would have been better off."

Charlotte looked across the darkened room.

"Dylan and Colleen needed to be together. None of us would have Allie. And if Allie is the only good that came from their marriage I know that Colleen didn't regret it at all. I don't think she would appreciate you feeling guilty over something like that," Charlotte gave him a look.

Nathan gave a shrug.

"That's true, but it doesn't help when I'm sleeping," Nathan admitted.

"What has helped? In the past?" Charlotte asked.

Nathan looked down into his hands.

"Wood carving," Nathan said.

"How long since you've done that?" Charlotte asked.

"Before our wedding," Nathan admitted. "Don't exactly have a space set up."

Charlotte looked around at the home that was very much Elizabeth's place still.

"Have you talked to Elizabeth?" Charlotte asked.

Nathan shook his head.

"Seems selfish to ask."

Charlotte raised an inquiring eyebrow back.

"It's quite cramped in here to begin with…and the space would have to be locked away from Jack. I've been waiting to work on anything until our house is built," Nathan explained.

"And how long, exactly, will that take?" Charlotte pointed out.

Nathan shrugged but conceded her point.

"Nathan, I know that you probably have been staying upstairs to respect my sleep. But I am an old woman with a lot of life traumas myself. I have trouble sleeping, too. Don't think you're going to wake me," Charlotte said.

Nathan nodded before walking back upstairs while Charlotte got comfortable on the couch.

Over the next week, Marie and Tom were able to slowly get what little things they had into the hotel room in Brookfield. Marie and Tom had many long conversations about Charlotte and where she was staying. On one hand, it would be nice to have an extra person around to help. But on the other hand, Tom and Marie needed to learn how to live in their new environment.

Neither knew how to bring it up to Charlotte.

It was on the day that Tom was being escorted to Brookfield with Marie, that Charlotte gave them long goodbyes in Hope Valley. Tom looked confused.

"You don't need your mother around just yet. And if you do need me, I will be here," Charlotte said.

"Ma?" Tom said in surprise.

"Hope Valley is growing. Besides, I'm going to take my teaching tests again. See if I can get that ridiculous Mr. Landis to eat his shoes," Charlotte said with a firm glint in her eyes.

"Whatever you want, Ma," Tom said with exasperation and love.

"Take care!" Charlotte said as she waved to the wagon being driven by Cadet Brooks.

Bill sidled up next to her.

"Teaching again?" Bill asked her as they finally couldn't see them anymore.

Charlotte shrugged.

"If Landis is going to require specialized subs, then yes, I feel that it is worth it," Charlotte said firmly.

Bill nodded his agreement.

"Does this mean we will see you in a dress more often?" Bill teased.

Charlotte glared at him.

"Nope. I am not a young impressionable girl anymore. I will wear nice shirts and trousers, but I will kill someone if they try to force me into a dress," Charlotte growled out.

Bill laughed.

"I don't think you were ever impressionable. But I understand your point," Bill's eyes were still teasing.

Charlotte looked at him with a shrug.

"So, since you're staying, when is it good for our dinner?" Bill asked.

Charlotte looked down, but then looked him in the eyes.

"Saturday?" Charlotte said.

Bill nodded in agreement before they were both off in different directions.

It was that same afternoon that Julie Thatcher arrived in Hope Valley, unannounced and with several trunks.

Lucas, who was meeting the train for a delivery, was the one who saw her first.

"Ms. Thatcher?" he asked.

Julie looked over to him and nodded.

"Is everything alright? Elizabeth said nothing about you coming," Lucas asked with worry.

"I'm fine. I just didn't want Elizabeth, or my parents, to talk me out of coming here," Julie said.

"Why are you here, then?" Lucas asked.

"Actually, I need your help before I bring my ideas to Father," Julie said.

"Me? Why me?" Lucas asked in surprise.

"Because you're the only man I trust not to go running to my family before I'm ready," Julie said seriously.

Lucas looked into her blue eyes. She stared back.

"I hope I can find you a space in The Queen of Hearts," Lucas said as he helped load her trunks into his car.

Julie smiled and took his arm.