CHAPTER 1 INTRO AND MEMORIES

A/N This is the opening Chapter of a NATHAN AND ELIZABETH PAIRING Fanfiction that will be written from S6, where whatever is broken is fixed based on weekly discussions in the Facebook Group THE HEARTIE ANALYZERS. Each week we will discuss the episodes from S6-current and change them to what we want. Maybe Nathan gets the dance instead of Lucas, and Fiona dances with him. Maybe Laura watches Jack so that Julie dances with Lucas. Will Bill and Abigail get together, or AJ Foster return? If interested, go to The Heartie Analyzer page and signup. Hope to see you there. The characters are not mine but belong to Hallmark Crown Media and Janette Oakes. This story is written for fun only and is not intended for publication.

SPECIAL THANK YOUS TO MELISSA ATWOOD (MISSELA), SUNDAY SERGE ADMIN, AND CHRISSY SENGLE (WRITERSBLOCKHEAD3030) ADMIN OF TICKED OFF TEAM NATHAN, WHO HAVE GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO SERVE AS MY BETAS ON THIS PROJECT.

FINALLY, TO ALL OF THOSE IN TEAM NATHAN WHO STILL BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC OF NATHAN AND ELIZABETH AND WHO STILL PERSEVERE WILL BE TAKING PART IN THE WEEKLY DISCUSSIONS.

PERSEVERE: To persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement! This is my view of the love that Nathan and Elizabeth have. It is why I continue to write their story and not concede to what is now considered Canon.

Elizabeth sat there rocking her son, and as she did, her mind wandered through some of her last memories of Jack. Some of them were her favorite ones that always brought her joy when she thought of them in times when her grief threatened to overwhelm her. Most were from their last Christmas together when Bill helped Jack come home for a surprise visit.

Rosemary had come to her for advice and asked if she had placed her wish on the wishing tree.

"No, I haven't. I don't know why."

"I think you do, Elizabeth. Rosemary said.

"I'm trying to be strong for Jack."

"And you think tying your wish to the tree is somehow not being strong?"

"It's just so dangerous where he is. He has to be strong every second of every day."

"Yes, it's a very dangerous world, and yes, we have to be strong, but tying a wish to a tree is not weak. Elizabeth. There is a place for wishing, wishing with all of your might. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because sometimes wishes come true. Especially at Christmas. Now come on." Rosemary said, grabbing Elizabeth's coat, refusing to take no for an answer. So, Elizabeth found herself standing by the wishing tree, missing Jack. She felt stupid wishing for something that couldn't come true because he was still in the North. But as Rosemary said, Christmas time was the perfect time for wishing. She had just put it on the tree and stepped back only to hear the sweetest voice she had ever heard say, "I really hope my name is on that thing!"

When she turned there, he was standing in front of her. She thought she had dreamed at first, but he was, standing in front of her kissing her. "Merry Christmas, Elizabeth!" he had said. It was a merry Christmas indeed for her.

Then when they had said hello, they went out behind Abigail's where he had hidden Sargent and rode off."

"Hold me tight," Jack said, desperate to feel her arms around him.

"I'll never let go." She had replied, so glad to feel him in her arms but afraid it was a dream.

"I have missed you so much."

"Prove I'm not dreaming." she had asked. He had kissed her then.

"That worked. It's so good to have you home." So happy and relieved they had made it through, and he was safe. But then his next words crushed her.

"I'm sorry, it's just for a few days." He had told her, watching all the fear and anguish reflected on her face.

"What?" Elizabeth was trying to hold back the tears that were welling up.

"Unfortunately, the fighting doesn't stop for the holidays. I've got to ride out on Christmas Eve. Elizabeth... I'm sorry." How he hated to see that look on her face knowing that he was the reason, but he had a duty to protect those who were defenseless.

"Let's just focus on the time we have together." Elizabeth had said, sensing what he was feeling. His sense of duty to those who couldn't protect themselves was one of the things she loved most about him.

While he was home, they built the crib with Robert to fulfill his Christmas wish for his unborn sister. They had talked about it when they were walking through town after dinner.

"Sure, I can build a crib."

"Robert and I will help you. It'll mean so much to him."

"It means something to me, too. If I can contribute while I'm here, then I'm happy."

"Jack, you've done so much for this town."

"There's a lot I missed about this town."

"Mm? Like?"

"Other than you? The people... my friends. Even the beans at the saloon."

"Oh, ho! They must not have been feeding you very well up there."

"Being away from home makes you feel grateful for the things you left behind."

During their walk, they had stood by the tree and were looking at it

"Oh, Jack... look at all the people who put wishes on the tree. Are you going to put one up there?"

"I will. Later. When there isn't someone with prying eyes around."

Bill had told her later that he had put up an ornament wishing to be able to spend Christmas with her. He and Abigail had been standing near the tree talking about the band.

"Oh, someone's wish is falling." Bill had said

"Oh! Whose is it?"

"It's Jack's. I wish I could spend Christmas with Elizabeth." Bill said, reading it off.

"If only we could make that come true." Abigail had said. But Bill wasn't able to make it happen like he was her wish.

The following day, he approached her door for breakfast.

"Jack!"

"Thought I'd walk you to school."

"Oh. You're a little early."

"Am I?"

After she had fixed him breakfast, he walked her to school. Where they talked about the school's float for the parade. It was there that they told Robert they would build the crib.

She loved sitting there watching, but he was distracted and hit his thumb with the hammer.

"Maybe you should just focus on the crib." Elizabeth had said with a wince.

"Good idea."

"It's going to be beautiful," Elizabeth said, thinking about the future.

"I'm just aiming for functional." Jack had said with a chuckle.

"Someday, you'll build one of these for our baby." She had said, envisioning their baby.

"Maybe we'll buy one. A nice one."

But she had looked at him and smiled, and he quickly agreed to build a crib for their child when the time came. Then as soon as the crib for the Wolfe's had been completed, all of them had seen a miracle happen when his mom not only felt some movement but went into labor. Thankfully Robert's baby sister was born soon afterward and was perfect in every way.

There was another dinner she had fixed for them while he was home.

"That was delicious. Thank you."

"Is it the recipe or the fact you've been eating out of a tin can for the past six months?" She had asked skeptically.

"It's the cook." Jack had assured her as he stood up and looked around.

"Mm. I'm going to go with the tin can."

"I like what you've done with the place." He said, stopping by the table where she had several pictures of him.

"Jack, I haven't changed anything since you've been gone." She said, confused but then when she saw where he was looking, she added Okay... I may have added just a few more pictures of you."

"Just a few?" He said, but she could see he was pleased. But she had also seen the sadness too. She could see that he was torn between what he loved and his duty.

"What's it like up there?" She had asked.

"Lonely." He had replied to her with deep sadness.

"Even though you're surrounded by all your fellow Mounties?" She wondered.

"Yeah, it's still not home."

"But you think the sacrifice is worth it." She said.

"When I see the people up there... the mothers, fathers, children... their lives turned upside-down by these gangs and gun runners, they could be anyone, anywhere."

"Even us in Hope Valley." She reminded him.

"That's why I can't let anything else happen to them." Jack had said.

"I know you'll do whatever it takes to protect them." Elizabeth wanted him to know she understood and stood by his decisions.

"I will." He agreed before taking her in his arms, kissing her, and holding her tight for a long time afterward. The time for his departure was getting ever closer, so they wanted to squeeze out every moment they could.

Then she recalled her conversation with him about family, and she expressed concerns about when it was their turn.

"Raising a family can get complicated."

"Yes, it can."

"I just hope, when the time comes, I'm up to the challenge."

"I'm not so sure." He said.

"You're not?" Elizabeth asked, shocked at his words.

"Think you'd be patient?" he asked. She had looked at him like he was crazy.

"Well, I'm patient with my students, so yes!"

"Think you'd provide our kids with a guiding hand?" he asked.

"Jack, that's literally in my job description." She said, wondering where he was going with his questions.

"You think you'd love them?" then he asked.

"Of course, I would love them!" Elizabeth said, exasperated.

"Then I think you just answered your own question." Jack had said in that way he had of reassuring her. That was another thing that she loved about him. He seemed to know what she needed. It took them time to get to that point and many disagreements, but they did it.

Then came the night of their last Christmas eve together. They had a private dinner in the dining area of Abigail's. She had noticed him looking at her intensely.

"What?" she had asked.

"I want to remember this. It's got to last me till we see each other again." He had told her, reaching for her hand

"I can't believe you're leaving already," Elizabeth said, trying her best to stay strong and not make it harder for him than it was.

"I'll be back as soon," Jack paused for a moment before continuing. "As soon as I can."

"If I know one thing about you, Jack Thornton, you are a man of your word."

"I have something for you." She said, reaching for the pillow.

"What's this?" he had asked.

"It's actually for the both of us," Elizabeth said, proud of the pillow she had made.

"Love is patient. Love is kind." He read, "It's beautiful. I can already see it in our new house."

"Me too."

"Uh, I actually, uh... I have something for the both of us, as well." Jack said, reaching into his pocket.

"Thank you." She had told him tickled that he had thought of her too.

"They were my grandparent's," Jack told her as two gold wedding bands fell out into her palm.

"Oh, Jack... They're gorgeous."

"Read the inscription." He had said, smiling at her.

"Love is patient..." "Love is kind." She read aloud in amazement.

"If that isn't proof that we're meant to be together, I don't know what is." He had told her that pointing out their gift expressed the same sentiment.

"I love you so much." She told him, her heart overflowing with love for him.

"I love you, too." Jack said, then heaved a sigh and said, "It's time. Again."

"I know." She said, squeezing his hand tightly when he started to get up. When he looked at her in question, she added. "I'll be waiting for you."

"Oh, I wish this night would never end."

"I feel the same way."

"Jack, I'm sorry your stay was so short, but at least it was sweet."

"That it was, Abigail." He had agreed.

"From what I hear, a lot of wishes came true." Elizabeth had said.

"Not all of them... but many," Abigail told them, looking at Jack.

"There's still one wish left," Jack said, reaching for the lone ornament. Then he read "Hope."

"I wonder who made that wish?"

Just then, Bill came up running with a telegram in his hand. "Jack! This just came in from Mountie HQ for you."

"There's been a major blizzard in the Northern Territories. The roads are blocked. They're not expected to clear for a week." Jack read, chuckling as he continued. "All Mounties on leave are ordered to stay where they are until they receive further instructions."

"Oh, Jack!" Elizabeth had explained.

"The book did say the Wishing Tree is magical. Maybe miracles do happen." Abigail had said, and she was right.

It had been such a wonderful Christmas. But ultimately, he had to go back to the North, and she fell back into worrying and praying, alternately trying to avoid the newspapers. It had been hard for her to get through those days. But his letters and the thought that one day soon he would come home for good, and they could start their life together and soon after that a family.

Then she recalled the day when the regiments were coming through Hope Valley.

"We secured the northern territories. We are heading home, Ma'am." The Mountie had said as they marched through. Then the sorrow when he hadn't appeared as they kept coming through. But finally, as she left the saloon, yet another troop was coming. Some were walking, but some were on horses. There was one rider in particular that had caught her attention. It was as if he was familiar to her. Then he looked up, and it was Jack; she remembered running as fast as she could until she was in his arms and his lips were on hers. At that moment, she didn't care who saw them or what they thought. All she cared about was that her sweet Jack was home finally and safe.

She loved recalling the dinner he had set up for them on their land.

"Thanks for accepting my invitation."

"Of course," Elizabeth said, sighing at how wonderful everything looked. "Jack, this is... this is just... beautiful."

"May I have this dance?" He had said, holding out his hand.

She giggled and said, "There's no music." He had smiled at her and then bent down to pick something up.

"When I was heading to the Northern Territories with my squad, we stopped in a small town, and I found this. I listened to it every night before I went to sleep. It drove my squad crazy." Elizabeth giggled at that.

"But the thought of dancing with you to this song kept me going..."

He opened the box, and it began to play Let Me Call You Sweetheart. She was so touched by his words. When he stood looking at her for a long moment as the music played, she asked, "Then what are you waiting for?"

They had danced to that song, eaten dinner, and then danced some more before he finally took her home on Sargent while she rode with him.

When Jack returned, he was still tormented by what he had seen and the men he had lost. "I heard the reports. I know the Mounties lost a lot of good men up there." Bill had told Jack in the hopes that he would talk about it, but Jack just changed the subject, trying to dispel the memories. He had acted strange shortly after returning home, he had left again. But he had gone to Hamilton to get her Father's blessing.

It wasn't until he came home from seeing her father that he was able to voice what had happened and was tormenting him. He had knocked on her door the same evening he got back from seeing her father.

"I need to talk to you, Elizabeth." Jack had said, clearly struggling with what was bothering him.

"What's going on?"

"What you said about not sharing everything... you were right. I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Jack."

"I have to warn you, though, what happened up there; it wasn't always pretty." He had warned her so she could be prepared.

"Life isn't always pretty, but being married is about sharing the good and the bad," Elizabeth assured him.

"We had taken losses before, but nothing like this, Elizabeth. One day, we were out on patrol, and my squad was ambushed. When the shooting stopped, I thought we were all okay... But this new recruit was hit. He didn't make it. The night before, he came up to me, and he told me that he was scared, and I assured him that he'd be okay." Jack chuckled sadly, and tears began welling up, but he continued.

"I even put him at the back because I thought he'd be safer there. He wasn't."

"Jack... That was not your fault." Elizabeth had assured him.

"It's just, um... it's hard to stop thinking about it." Jack said, really struggling to hold it together.

"I know. It must be very hard. Thank you for telling me." Elizabeth said, her heart breaking for him.

"Thanks for being you." Jack had told her.

They had spent a while holding each other as they cried long after she told him it wasn't his fault. Her tears, like his, were for the men who were killed and the suffering he had seen. However, hers were also for the man she loved, who had to see and do things that would forever stay engraved on his mind. But on that day, he began to find himself, and the old Jack returned though there were times she would briefly see it behind his eyes.

Then there was the sweet joy of being able to set a date, finally of walking down the aisle and eventually becoming Mrs. Thornton.

"Friends... we're gathered here today to witness the joining of this man and this woman in holy matrimony. For everything, there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. Love is patient, and love is kind." Frank had said and then instructed Jack to say his vows.

"Elizabeth... I choose you and no other. Your happiness is the only question I want to spend my life answering. Your heart is the only flame I will endeavor to keep alight. Before you said "yes" to marrying me, I was already yours in every way. So I marry you today without hesitation or doubt. I'm committed to you... absolutely. I love you with everything that I am. Forever." She would never forget them.

"Jack... I never expected to find love when I came to Coal Valley. But, somewhere along the way, without even realizing it was happening, you became the most important person in my life. You're my shoulder to cry on... my favorite to dream with... and my greatest surprise. I'd offer you my heart, but... the truth is, you've had it for quite some time now. So, instead... I'm going to give you my soul. I love you, Jack Thornton... From chalk dust to eternity." Everyone laughed at that she remembered, then she ended with, "I'm yours."

"We're ready for the rings." Frank had said, and Phillip brought them up.

"I give you this ring as a symbol of my love." Jack had said before sliding the ring on her finger.

"With all that I am and all that I have, I honor you." She had said before sliding the ring on his finger.

Then Jack said, "With this ring," then paused.

Elizabeth had followed with, "I thee wed."

"Elizabeth... Jack... it is my great pleasure to now pronounce you husband and wife. Jack... you may kiss your... bride." Frank said. Those were some of the best words she had ever heard spoken. The joy she felt was more than she could have ever imagined when finally, she became his wife.

She eventually fell asleep and dreamed of their first dance, wedding night, and the brief yet wonderful honeymoon camping on the way to Fort Clay. She always tried to stop it there because what came after was a true nightmare, and sometimes she could stop, but there were times like tonight when it seemed to find its way through. The day that Mountie had come and told her that Jack was gone. But even though Jack's death had some horrible memories associated with it, there were good ones too.

Jack's passing greatly impacted her father, and he changed after that, especially towards Jack's family. Her father was going to come to Hope Valley, but she worried that Charlotte and Tom might feel further stressed, so she asked him to wait. He understood completely and said when you are ready, let us know. After the funeral, Charlotte, Tom, and Elizabeth went to Hamilton so that they could grieve in private. They only felt a semblance of peace when they were all together. But Hope Valley had too many memories attached to them. Her parents had shocked all three Thorntons by graciously inviting Tom and Charlotte to stay with her in their home. Not ready to split up just yet, they agreed to go. Elizabeth had been so grateful to have them with her, and Charlotte spent most of her time with Elizabeth in her room. Tom would join them sometimes, and they would laugh at old memories they had; on occasion, Julie would join them. But the time came when they headed in different directions. Everyone was worried for Elizabeth, though, because she barely seemed to be able to get through a day. Viola had planned to come, but her parents knowing that Viola never cared for Jack, told her it wasn't a good time. Viola reluctantly agreed but had been tempted to come anyway. During that time, Tom and William Thatcher got to know each other better, and William found himself a bit chagrined at how he had underestimated Tom and Jack. From everything he had heard, Tom made a name for himself in the business world.

Then came the news that Elizabeth was pregnant, and everyone was overjoyed that they still had a piece of Jack and a connection to Elizabeth. Charlotte truly thought of her as a daughter, which comforted her when she began to miss her son. She had come early after Elizabeth found out and stayed a week but had to get back. Then before she could return for the birth, Elizabeth had Jack a month early during a Blizzard. Elizabeth smiled as she recalled the first time Charlotte had laid eyes on Baby Jack. Charlotte cradled him in her arms, tears streaming as she held him like he was a fragile piece of China. "Lizzie, I don't even know how to describe how this feels. But I thank you for letting me come." Her parents came a few weeks after Charlotte left, and her mother fell in love with Hope Valley. Charlotte surprised her parents with an open invitation to her ranch in Aberdeen. Elizabeth was planning to go in the summer when school was out. Elizabeth slept while sitting in the chair, dreaming of all the many blessings God had given her, and most came from Jack. She had some regrets in her life but choosing to love and Marry Constable Jack Thornton would never be one of them.