A/N I strongly suggest reading A Father's Love before starting this story, as it sets the stage for what's to come here.
Chapter One- A Difficult Conversation
Elizabeth Thornton silently took in the world around her. Faith was moving about in the next room, quietly talking to Carson or Molly. That, and the antiseptic smell, told her she was still in the infirmary. A familiar weight rested against her uninjured right side, soft puffs of breath assuring her that her son slept peacefully. Someone sat in the chair beside her bed; she knew before she opened her eyes that it wasn't Nathan. She turned her head slowly, finally meeting the tired and worried scrutiny of her best friend.
Rosemary breathed a sigh of relief when Elizabeth's eyes met hers. Though she didn't doubt Carson and Faith's assurances that their friend was going to be alright, it was difficult to watch her lying there all bandaged and bruised. And those were just the physical injuries. She had no doubt that Elizabeth was still suffering some significant emotional wounds as well.
"How are you?" she asked softly.
Elizabeth smiled, shifting slightly and raising her hand to cradle her son's soft cheek. "Better," she admitted. "Very glad to see this guy." She went quiet, her face falling as she turned to once again meet Rosemary's gaze. "He could have lost me," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "How could I have been so foolish?"
Rosemary placed her hand gently on top of Elizabeth's left hand, careful not to jar her bandaged arm. "You're here," she reassured her friend. "You're safe. Jack is fine. Lee and I will take care of him until you get home. You just focus on getting better and stop dwelling on what could have happened." She gave Elizabeth a moment before she asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Are you asking as my friend, or as the editor and lead reporter for The Valley Voice?"
"Bill and Nathan already gave me the official story," Rosemary hurried to explain. "I want to know how my friend is feeling, what she went through."
Elizabeth sighed. "This was yet another example of my incredibly poor choices. I'm the reason that Lucas stayed in town, that he was able to run his scheme out of the saloon for so long. Bill told me that Lucas confessed to only staying here to win me over, that he would have left town had he not found out who my father is. And then I went and foolishly encouraged him, giving him the opportunity to hurt the people I love. It was my fault he was here, so when I remembered there was a safe in his room, I thought I could help find evidence against him and all his cronies."
Rosemary chose not to comment on the 'people I love', knowing that was going to be a big conversation unto itself. "But why did you go into the saloon?" she scolded. "Surely you knew all those horrible men were inside. That's why Bill went to stay with you and Jack. You were supposed to stay at home!"
"I know!" Elizabeth admitted. "But I thought I could help. I snuck in the private entrance and heard them moving around in Lucas's quarters, so I slipped upstairs. If they left, or at least went out to the main room, I thought I could sneak back down and open the safe."
"He told you the combination?" Rosemary asked with surprise.
"No, but I had some good guesses, like my birthday or the date we got engaged. Then I realized that Lucas would never be that sentimental, so I was going to try his birthday. After all, there's no one he loved more than himself." She sighed, then continued. "I almost fainted with fright when someone grabbed me from behind, until I realized it was Nathan. He pulled me back to the door and tried to get me to leave, but one of the men came upstairs. Nathan tried to hide me in one of the guest rooms, but it was too late. The man threatened me, saying they wanted me to tell them where Lucas hid their money, and then Bill distracted him, and he turned the gun towards him…"
"Then what happened?" Rosemary, always ready for drama and intrigue, was literally on the edge of her seat.
"The last thing I remember is Nathan rolling on top of me."
Elizabeth spoke before she realized how those words sounded. Glancing at Rosemary, she saw her eyes were wide, brows nearly into her hairline, and her mouth gaping open. She flushed even deeper when she realized Faith and Molly had stopped talking and clearly heard her words. Glancing down to make sure her son was still asleep, she hurried to explain.
"He was protecting me!" she insisted. "As soon as the man turned to fire at Bill, Nathan pulled me to the floor and shielded me with his body. He risked his life for me. I don't remember anything else until I woke up here in the infirmary."
Rosemary straightened up and smiled. "I know Nathan had only the best of intentions," she assured her friend. "And anyone who knows him will realize that as well. You have nothing to worry about." She glanced over her shoulder, catching Faith and Molly's eyes in turn. "And I can fill in some of the details for you if you like."
Elizabeth nodded.
"Bill shot the first man, and Nathan, even from his prone position over you, got the second. Bill got the third man. He had no idea you'd been hit, so he joined the other Mounties in rounding up the rest of the men downstairs. Nathan got you here to Faith and Carson, then waited right outside those doors all night until Faith came out to tell us that you were going to be alright. He somehow still managed to direct his team how to lock up all those terrible men and reported everything to headquarters. By morning, the town was swarming with Mounties. Allie arrived shortly after the last prison wagon pulled away and started fussing over her dad."
Elizabeth waited a moment before asking the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since she'd awoken. "Where is Nathan?"
"Faith made him leave. She ordered him to go somewhere and get some sleep. He had been up nearly two days straight, what with watching the saloon, the shootout, rescuing you, running the investigation, calling your family, and then sitting here with you. The poor man was nearly dead on his feet."
"Where is he staying? I can't imagine he'll get much peace at the jail with everything going on."
"No, I believe Nathan is staying at Bill's, and Allie at Opal or Emily's. The Mounties have obviously taken over the saloon. I think most of them are staying there, sleeping in the hotel rooms that have been cleared. They are still picking through the mess in Lucas's rooms."
"Was anyone else hurt? Killed?"
"No," Rosemary hurried to assure her. "None of the Mounties or townspeople anyway. Five of the bad guys were killed, and there were a few minor injuries on both sides. Yours was the worst. Since Bill was a part of the arrests and had to recuse himself as judge, he is putting his forensic skills to work in the investigation. He believes the bullet that hit you was from the first man who threatened you. He fired at least once before Bill shot him, and you had to have been hit before Nathan pulled you down. If it had been after you were on the ground, the bullet would have gone in your back instead of the front, or it would have hit Nathan first."
Elizabeth shuddered, memories trickling back in with Rosemary's explanation. She flushed as she recalled Nathan's weight on top of her, her body tingling. Under different circumstances, it would have been a pleasurable experience to be that close, to feel his arms around her, their bodies pressed together, feeling his heart beating …
Blushing furiously, she mentally shook herself off before reluctantly meeting Rosemary's gaze, praying her friend would interpret her flush as embarrassment instead of desire. She couldn't stop herself from asking, "Will he be back?" Then she added quietly, "I hope I get a chance to say good-bye this time."
Rosemary nodded. "I will make sure he comes to see you before he leaves."
Nathan stood just outside the partition, not wanting to disturb Elizabeth and Rosemary's talk. He was glad that her friend could fill her in on the details from the other night, saving him from having to go through them again. He didn't think the image of Elizabeth bleeding in his arms would ever fade from his mind. He knew Faith did not approve of him being back so soon, but he was used to getting by on only a small amount of sleep, and the bed in Bill's spare room was too short for his frame and the pillow rather lumpy. He was looking forward to sleeping in his own bed tomorrow night, and to the few days of vacation he intended to take as soon as this part of the investigation wrapped up.
"That last thing I remember is Nathan rolling on top of me."
Nathan's eyes opened wide, and he turned to meet Faith and Molly's equally surprised looks. Before he could open his mouth to defend his actions, he heard Rosemary champion him, and caught her pointed looks at the doctor and her assistant. Rosemary went on to explain everything she knew about that night, including some details Nathan himself had not put together. Bill had not shared his findings about whose bullet he believed had hit Elizabeth, but it made sense. Nathan had managed to escape with only a few bruises from their fall to the floor. His mental health was suffering far more than his physical.
"I hope a get a chance to say good-bye this time."
Nathan's heart wrenched a bit when he heard the sadness in Elizabeth's tone. He and Allie had deliberately left Hope Valley while she was out of town, but he'd never realized it bothered her. Then again, he had intentionally cut all contact with her after that, until her father had been pulled into his investigation. There was a part of him that wanted to believe Elizabeth had finally acknowledged her feelings for him, but he refused to let himself hope. It didn't matter, since he and Allie were expected back in Union City tomorrow. Taking a deep breath to fortify himself, he stepped around the partition.
"Good afternoon, ladies." His grin widened when he noticed Jack sleeping at Elizabeth's side, and he lowered his voice slightly before adding, "and gentleman."
Elizabeth and Rosemary both looked up in surprise when Nathan appeared seemingly out of thin air. Rosemary recovered first.
"Nathan!" she exclaimed. "Just the man we were talking about."
Nathan tried to match her cheerful tone as he replied, "Dare I ask why?"
"Rosemary was just filling me in on all the details I missed while I was…" Elizabeth trailed off, unable to finish.
"And how does Jack figure into the story?" Nathan teased.
Elizabeth blushed but remained silent, so Rosemary explained. "Faith and Carson agreed he could visit, as long as he sat on her uninjured side and could stay still. Lee brought him here when he was ready for his nap."
"And what happens when he wakes up and wants to play?"
Right on cue, Jack opened his eyes, yawning and snuggling into Elizabeth's side for a moment. Then he caught sight of the red uniform and nearly jumped off the bed. "Na-tan!"
Rosemary quickly scooped up the child before he either fell off the side or onto his mother's wounded arm, passing him across the bed. Nathan spun him around and hung him upside down for a moment, filling the room with childish giggles. After a few minutes of play, they settled into the other chair, and Jack told Nathan about his day with Lee and Rosemary.
"Will you be here now, Na-tan?" Jack asked, his little eyes pleading.
Nathan sighed, sorry that he had to disappoint him. A glance at Elizabeth showed her eyes seemingly filled with the same hope. "I will be here until tomorrow, but then Allie and I have to go home," he explained apologetically.
"But why?" Jack asked, his lip turning out in a pout. "Your home is here."
"Speaking of home," Rosemary said, coming to Nathan's rescue. "I think it's about time I got you home and made some dinner, don't you?"
"Allie and I will come see you before we leave tomorrow," Nathan promised, getting to his feet.
Jack gave Nathan another hug before allowing Rosemary to pick him up, leaning from her arms to give his mother a hug and kiss good-bye. "Love you, Mama!"
"Good night, my sweet boy!" Elizabeth replied, waving until Jack and Rosemary were gone. When the room was clear, she turned back to face Nathan, who had moved around to take the seat on her right. "Do you really have to go or are you leaving because of me again?" she asked bluntly.
Nathan seemed startled by her question but answered honestly. "I have a job to get back to, and Allie has school," he explained. "Even with Lucas's confession and the evidence we found here, we still a lot to do to build our case. This has been my investigation from the start. I trust Bill and my team will keep working here while I go back and oversee everything. And Allie is finally starting to settle into things in Union City. I don't want to keep her away from school or her new friends for long."
Elizabeth nodded, her eyes downcast as if she could no longer bear to look at him. "I thought…. I wondered if… perhaps… it was because of me… because of what I said," she admitted softly. "I know you came back for me, because those men were starting to ask questions about me, and Jack, and Lucas… I know you were just doing your job. I just hoped… maybe… now that you're here… you would stay. For me."
Nathan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it in for several seconds before letting it go. When he opened his eyes, they were tender but determined. "Even if I wanted to stay, I can't. I have to go back to Union City tomorrow. Those are my orders."
"Do you want to stay?" Elizabeth asked softly. "If you didn't have orders. If you could do what you wanted… would you want to stay?"
"Why?" he asked. "Why would I want to stay here?"
Elizabeth finally looked up, crestfallen.
"I'm not saying this to hurt you, but what reason do I have to stay in Hope Valley?"
"So that's it," she said resignedly. "You don't love me anymore."
"It's not a matter of loving you," Nathan admitted. "I will always love you, Elizabeth. I can't stop." Her eyes filled with hope, then fell at his next words. "The issue is whether I can trust you, if Allie can trust you. I don't mean to be harsh, but you hurt us both, badly enough that we had to move to a whole new city in order to start over. Those wounds haven't healed yet. I know you think you're finally ready to face your fears, and I believe a part of you does love us, but I don't know that I'm ready to face my fear of being rejected again. I don't think I could take it if you decided once and for all that you aren't really in love with me, and I won't subject Allie that kind of pain again."
"Nathan, I know that I love you," she pleaded.
"That's what you said before." He leaned forward, looking her directly in the eye when he continued. "Elizabeth, I was ready to marry you, to raise Allie and Jack as a family and maybe have a couple more kids together. But you made it very clear that you didn't want that. You love me, but you aren't in love with me, remember?"
Elizabeth flinched, recalling the horrible words she'd said to him in the jail that awful day. "I was wrong," she sobbed. "I was afraid of my feelings for you, so I lied. I ran to Lucas because I thought I'd be safe. You were a living, breathing reminder that I could lose if I let myself feel anything, while Lucas represented the life I was raised in, secured by wealth, surrounded by things, and distanced from everyone." She reached over, placing her hand atop his and holding as tightly. "I didn't feel anything even remotely close to what I felt, what I feel, for you, so I thought I wouldn't get hurt. And look what happened. Not only was I injured physically because of Lucas, but I've lost you anyway."
Nathan was quiet for a moment, then he turned his hand over and grasped hers. "You haven't lost me. I'm still here. We can still talk and write. Now that Lucas isn't a factor, maybe we can be friends again. And maybe, down the road, we could be more. But we both have things that need to be resolved in our own lives before we even consider being together."
Elizabeth nodded, keeping hold of his hand until he stood.
"Good-bye for now, Elizabeth," he said, fighting to keep his tone even. "I'll see you tomorrow before I go."
He turned and left quickly, before his heart overrode good sense or he gave in to Elizabeth's tears. Staying would have been easy, but now was not the right time for them. He could only hope her feelings for him would continue.
A/N- I know it's short and not exactly the direction things seemed to be leading at the end of A Father's Love. I promise, it will get better. LOTS better. As of now there aren't plans for more action, but there might be some drama. I promise not to shoot anyone again though. ;-)
