As they crossed the yard and stepped onto the road, Nathan might as well have been walking memory lane. Memories flooded back to moving into the farmhouse with Elizabeth and Jack right after their honeymoon. They were the happiest little family of four.

Not long after, they discovered they were soon to be five and Nathan remembered the look on Allie's face when her dream was realized that she and Jack would finally have a little baby sibling of their own.

He remembered taking Allie, Jack, and little Will to the stream north of their house for his first fishing lesson. Will could barely stand yet and the pole he had was bigger than him. He didn't catch a thing, but the smile he wore for a week was worth it. He was big stuff to fish with his big siblings and Daddy. Allie was such a natural little Mother Hen to him nurturing him along.

Allie seemed to be on Memory Lane too as she turned to Nathan and pointed out the line of Christmas trees just outside their yard.

"Like I could forget that! That one was our first Christmas in this house, then Will's first Christmas, then the first Christmas Jack could put the star on top, then Rosaleigh's first Christmas, then the Christmas your mom surprised us with the news that Abby was already on her way…"

"And now Robert and I will have our first Christmas represented in that row. And then we'll have anotherbaby's first Christmas the year after…unless Mom has this little one early."

Nathan gulped. "Let's not wish for that. Abby came early enough. I'm happy for you and Robert to have your own tree alone this year." He patted Allie's arm. Lots of good memories here Allie. The Lord has been good to us.

"He sure has." They walked together in silence taking in the stunning array of reds and yellows with some blazing orange hues. Leaves softly fell on the unseasonably warm breeze as they walked. It was like a foreshadowing of the petals that her sisters would soon be tossing on the aisle.

As they turned the corner, Main Street appeared in the distance. With it, the first glimpse of Abigail's Cafe. Allie squeezed Nathan's arm tighter.

"I still can't believe you sat outside the Stagecoach office like it was some stakeout when Robert and I had our first date."

"You only get one oldest girl, Allie. Protecting is my job."

"It's Robert's job too you know." Allie reminded while playfully nudging him.

"I know and I know he'll take good care of you, but you'll understand when you're a parent."

Allie's eyes flared. "I'm just getting married Dad. One step at a time here…"

"You have met your mother and your brother Jack right? Have you met Will? C'mon…math is your strong suit Allie!" Nathan teased.

"Daaaad. Yes. I get it ok?…Don't make it weird. We're just focusing on getting me to the church, ok?…Grandpa."

Nathan's eyes bulged and he choked on the word Grandpa. "Well, when you put it like that…yeah. Let's just get you married." He laughed and straightened his tie clearing his throat as they passed the Mercantile and he mused on.

"Lots of good memories there, right Allie-girl? Ice cream on the steps, reading letters from Grandma and Grandpa…"

"Robert buying groceries every day in the Mercantile so he could see me at the switchboard..." A light blush washed over her features as she reminisced.

"He was head over heels for you even then." Nathan squeezed her arm reassuringly.

"Yeah, but you scared him half to death."

"As a dad should. The Mountie uniform helps too." Nathan chuckled to himself with a smug grin.

Allie rolled her eyes and responded exasperated, "Daaad I thought he would never ask me out thanks to you."

"You can thank your mother. She was the easier route for him to get a foot in the door." He looked down at his daughter lovingly.

"I'm definitely thankful for Mom. I'm glad that you married her."

"Me too Allie-girl. Every day with her I'm grateful. Love is worth fighting for. Remember that."

"You two give me hope for Robert and me." Allie squeezed her dad's arm and laid her head gently on his shoulder as they walked.

"Your mother and I wish you many happy years together…and we'll always be here for both of you. We're just down the road. You are welcome at our table any time….but I've already heard Rosaleigh claiming your room so…"

"She would! It's probably best that she and Abby get their own spaces anyway before the new baby comes. I'm going to miss having them down the hall. I don't think I'll miss them waking me up at dawn though…good luck with that Dad!"

The teasing continued as they passed the livery. "Are Newton and Sargeant ready to pull the getaway wagon tonight?"

"Yes Honey, it's all set. Uncle Gabe helped me get it all set this morning. Aunt Rosemary even decorated the sides of the wagon with flowers and leaves. You'll love it. It's beautiful."

"Good." A train whistle sounded in the distance and Allie's eyes brimmed with tears again at the sound.

"I know. He'll be there. The best part of marriage is never having to say goodbye anymore."

"I know... It's just crazy that the sound reminds me of all of those goodbyes we had at the train station while I finished nursing school."

"There were an awful lot of hellos too."

"That's true." Allie admitted as a deep blush covered her cheeks. She was transported back to her first school break when she returned to Hope Valley to find Robert waiting to pick her up at the station with flowers in hand. She dropped her bags and ran to his arms. He twirled her around and around before giving her their first kiss. Months of writing letters and baring their hearts across the pages culminated into a beautiful outpouring at last in each other's arms.

Nathan smiled down at Allie recognizing the love evidenced there in her memories. They approached the RCMP office as Nathan's memories resurfaced of his little girl in a brown jumper striding into town with a line full of fish after skipping school. He had memories too of his little girl taking over his desk much like her Uncle Bill did.

She followed his eyes and remembered visiting both her Dad and Robert at the office in between patients. She loved looking out the infirmary windows and taking in the most important men in her life standing watch over their town. They were so regal in their Mountie red.

Red had always been the color of her world. It was no surprise that Allie fell for a Mountie herself. Raised by a mother who loved two honorable men, countless honorary uncles who wore the serge, a younger brother that longed to wear red like his father and grandfather before him—red ran through her veins in the Grant-Thornton tradition. It was only fitting that now she would raise little Wolfs surrounded by Mountie red as well.

Passing the dress shop, Nathan and Allie paused as they first caught sight of the schoolhouse-turned-church. The forest was ablaze with color. Rows of wooden log benches led to a simply constructed chapel. It was made of airy white fabric cascading off the basic log structure creating a sheer backdrop for their vows.

"Oh Dad, it looks even better than I imagined it!" Thank you. Thank you for making this happen."

"Anything for you Allie. Don't you know by now I would do anything for you?"

Tears started to fall now as Nathan wiped them tenderly from her face saving her makeup.

"It's a beautiful new era Allie. Are you ready?"

Allie nodded not trusting her own voice. Nathan offered her his arm again and she clung to it like a lifeline. They moved forward as the strings began the bridal march.