Nathan woke and immediately wished for sleep once more. His entire body hurt, but a burning pain radiated through his chest, making it difficult to breathe. A groan left his throat. That served to intensify the pain. He involuntarily groaned again.

"Easy," a familiar voice said beside him. It was only then that Nathan realized his hand was ensconced in someone else's. He fought to open his eyes, but found he couldn't. A cool, wet cloth was placed over his forehead. The relief it brought made him relax slightly.

"You gave us quite a scare, Nathan. You've been unconscious since yesterday. The doctor said you're fortunate to have escaped with just a hole in your chest."

Elizabeth. He heard the heaviness in her voice. How badly had he been injured? What hole in his chest? Perhaps that accounted for the painful burning sensation he felt every time he drew a breath. He struggled to open his eyes.

"Don't strain yourself, love," Elizabeth said quietly. Her grip on his hand tightened. "Rest." Her soft lips brushed his cheek. Nathan gave up trying to open his eyes. Instead, he took Elizabeth's advice, sinking back into sleep.

When he woke again, the pain had greatly diminished. Nathan almost felt like he was floating. He blinked, giving his eyes time to adjust to the lights overhead. Glancing at his arm, he saw a needle inserted near his elbow, attached to a bag that was dripping something into his body.

"It's morphine."

The soft words turned his gaze to the woman sitting in a chair beside his bed. Elizabeth wore a small smile, but it was a pained one. Her eyes were red-rimmed and watery. Nathan's heart squeezed in his chest, knowing that he was the reason she had been crying.

"I'm sorry, 'Lizbeth." The words were slightly slurred. He was unable to get her full name out. Trying again, he concentrated on enunciation. "How long was I asleep this time?"

"A few hours," she replied. "The doctor said you will be doing a lot of sleeping as your body heals. He wants to keep you here for another week to monitor you and make sure no infection sets in."

Nathan frowned, trying to remember what happened. He and Gabe had been walking toward a campsite. There hadn't been any sign of trouble. Not until …

He closed his eyes. "Dynamite. I got caught in the blast."

Elizabeth's grip on his hand tightened. "Yes. The blast itself didn't cause you much harm. You have some burns and bruises, but those will heal soon enough. It's your chest we are worried about."

He remembered landing on something sharp. "What hurt my chest?"

"A large rock," Elizabeth said. "You were thrown into it at high speed because of the explosion. It gashed your chest open. Dr. Prescott had to operate to clean out the debris and rocks that lodged inside …" She choked on the words, pressing his hand to her cheek. "I was so scared when Gabe brought the news, Nathan. When I first saw you, I lost all hope. I thought I was going to lose you just like I lost Jack."

The admission caused her to dissolve in tears. Nathan lay there helplessly, wishing he could comfort her but unable to move. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss there. "But you didn't, sweetheart. I'm still here."

Elizabeth continued to cry. "If infection sets in … Nathan, the chances of that happening are high. And if that wound does get infected, it's too close to your heart. The survival rate …" Her sobs deepened. "I can't lose you!"

"You won't, not if we have anything to say about it."

Elizabeth and Nathan both looked toward the speaker. A middle-aged man with kind brown eyes neared the bed. He sent Elizabeth a sympathetic smile before turning to Nathan. "I'm Dr. Prescott. You are fortunate your friends got you here so quickly, young man. Just thirty minutes later, and you would have bled out."

A whimper escaped Elizabeth's throat. Her grip on Nathan's hand tightened to a painful level, but he didn't complain. He hadn't realized he was that close to death.

"But you think I will avoid infection?"

"That's the goal." Dr. Prescott pointed to the bag of fluid. "We will manage your pain with the morphine. That wound will be cleaned several times a day to make sure nothing festers. We cleaned it very well during your surgery. As far as I can tell, no small rocks or debris remained."

As far as I can tell. Nathan heard the underlying warning in his words. Everything looked good, but something could have been missed. That was always the risk.

The doctor went on. "You will be closely monitored, Constable Grant. We will make sure everything is done to help you heal."

"Thank you, sir," Nathan replied, not bothering to correct his use of the Mountie title. Technically, he was with the force until O'Reilly officially released him again.

Nathan's eyes widened. He sucked in a sharp breath, which set his chest burning despite the morphine. Both Elizabeth and Dr. Prescott stood at attention. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" Elizabeth asked. Her tone was nearly frantic.

"Controni!" Nathan gasped. "He had to be the one who threw that dynamite. Did he escape?"

"No." Gabe entered the room, his face set in a grim line. "We caught him, Nathan. It's over."

Strong relief flooded Nathan. He sank into his pillows, eyes closing again. "Thank God." Moments later, his eyes flew open. "What if he escapes again?"

Gabe shook his head. "There's no chance of that. He will never harm another person." He let out a breath. "I just returned from the prison. Controni was hanged this morning. He's dead, Nathan."

Hating his own fear, Nathan swallowed. "You're sure?"

His friend nodded. "I watched it happen, for my own peace of mind." He grimaced. "Though I can't say I enjoy seeing someone hang, no matter how evil."

Nathan knew that feeling. He'd witnessed two executions as a Mountie, and neither one sat well with him.

Elizabeth broke the silence. "I'm glad it's over." She moved closer to Nathan. "We can put that man behind us. Now I need you to heal." Her voice wavered. "After all, we have a wedding to plan."

Despite his lingering pain, Nathan smiled. "Yes, we do."

The doctor slipped quietly from the room, giving them some privacy. Gabe sat in the chair on Nathan's other side. "How are you feeling, Nate?"

"Like I was blown up."

Elizabeth winced. Gabe quirked a brow. "Too soon, buddy."

His attempt at humor apparently fell flat. "Sorry," Nathan said sheepishly. "I thought that might help lighten the mood." He pinned Gabe with a look. "You know that's something you would say in my situation."

Gabe chuckled. "You're right. It is." He shook his head. "Though hearing it said out loud was still jarring."

"Sorry."

Elizabeth kissed the back of his hand. "If you're cracking jokes, you must be feeling okay." Her blue eyes held a measure of hope.

Nathan nodded. "Right now, I'm feeling fine. Controni is gone, the woman I love and my best friend are here. What more could I ask for?"

"How about a visit from your sister?"

Colleen's voice sounded from the door. Nathan smiled. "Yes, that would make things pretty perfect."

She came into the room, stopping beside her husband. "Don't you ever do something foolhardy like that again, Nathan Grant!" she said, hands splayed on her hips.

His mouth dropped, a ready protest on his lips. "Like what? I was just doing my job!"

Gabe hooked an arm around Colleen's waist, pulling her into his lap. "Your sister has been a tad hysterical ever since she found out about your injury." He lowered his voice to a stage whisper. "I think it's the pregnancy hormones."

Colleen speared him with a look. "Gabriel Kinslow, I …"

Gabe silenced her with a kiss. Nathan chuckled as his sister relaxed into the show of affection. When Gabe pulled back, his brown eyes twinkled. "You were saying?"

She grunted, a reluctant smile pulling at her lips. "I have been overly emotional during this pregnancy."

Nathan grinned. "Not you!"

Colleen leaned against Gabe as she turned her gaze on Nathan. "Just you wait, little brother. When Elizabeth is pregnant with your child, I'm sure she'll experience mood swings too." She smiled at Elizabeth. "Sorry."

Elizabeth chuckled. "I'm sure I will. It seems to be a common trait among pregnant women. Lee likes to tell 'horror stories' of Rosemary's foibles while she was pregnant with LJ."

Nathan felt thankful for the camaraderie in the room. Surrounded by those he loved, he let peace take hold. As voices continued to sound around him, he slowly fell back into a deep, restful sleep.

The next week was one of the hardest of Elizabeth's life. Nathan showed signs of improvement, but there was a constant fear of his wound becoming infected. Though Dr. Prescott seemed unconcerned, and Nathan himself claimed to feel better every day, Elizabeth worried constantly. The fears she suppressed came blazing to the forefront of her mind.

How would she survive if another man she loved died?

On the third day, something began oozing from Nathan's chest wound. Elizabeth's fear struck deep. Nathan tried to calm her fears, but she only saw the evidence of infection. Dr. Prescott cleaned the area, dousing it in alcohol before rewrapping it. There was no further sign of oozing after that.

On the sixth day, Elizabeth slowly began to relax. Tomorrow they would finally be able to go home. That night, she held his hand in hers as they talked, as had become her habit whenever she was at his bedside.

"How is your pain without the morphine?" she asked.

Nathan adjusted his position on the bed, looking like he wanted to get more comfortable. Elizabeth stood to plump his pillow. He smiled his gratitude as he leaned back. "It's manageable. My chest is sore, but overall it feels much better." His smile turned wry. "I suppose there is merit to being flat on my back for a week."

"Good." Elizabeth rested his hand against her cheek. "I'm glad you and your team were able to track Controni and put a stop to him, but I would prefer it if you never join the Mounties again."

Nathan gave her a tender look. "I won't, Elizabeth. I promise. This is the last time I will wear the serge."

Elizabeth glanced at the red material hanging over a chair. Gabe had brought the uniform for Nathan to wear tomorrow before they left Union City. They had to report to headquarters so he could formally be discharged from the force. She had to admit to being curious about how he would look in uniform.

She soon got to find out. The next morning, she arrived at the hospital to see Nathan in his Henley and suspenders, placing his boots on his feet. His serge lay on the bed. He smiled when he saw her. "I'm almost finished. Gabe is bringing a car around to take us to headquarters." He stood, reaching for his serge. Elizabeth saw the wince he tried to hide as he began lifting it.

"Let me help."

She took the serge from his hands. Nathan leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. "Thank you, sweetheart. I can't believe it hurt trying to put that on."

"You might be limited for a time," Elizabeth said matter-of-factly, moving behind him and slipping the serge onto his torso. She smoothed the shoulders, then turned him to face her, automatically starting to button it for him. When she finished, she caught her breath.

Seeing Nathan in the uniform of a Mountie made his previous profession feel so much more real. He looked regal in the getup, as if he'd been born to wear it.

A teasing glint entered his eyes. "Your mouth is hanging open, love."

She snapped it shut, blushing. Nathan chuckled. "It's the uniform, isn't it? There's something about a man in red serge, or so I've been told." His eyes twinkled.

Elizabeth stepped forward, resting her palms against the sides of his chest. "I will admit you look good," she said. "It fits you well. But you are so much more than that uniform, Nathan. In fact, I'd venture that the uniform only looks good because of the character of the man wearing it." She lifted herself on tiptoe to kiss him. "Serge or no serge, you are the man I love."

Nathan returned her kiss, lingering for several sweet moments. Elizabeth made sure to keep her hands close to his arms in order to avoid touching his injury. Nathan pulled back first, pressing another kiss to the tip of her nose. "I love you too, sweetheart."

Arm in arm, they walked from the room to receive Nathan's discharge papers from the doctor. The man shook Nathan's hand. "I'm happy to give you the all-clear," he said. "Just make sure you take it easy until that wound heals. The doctor in Hope Valley should be able to remove the stitches in a few weeks. You'll need to see him a few times a week to get that injury cleaned and rebandaged. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Nathan replied. "Thank you, Dr. Prescott. I appreciate all you've done for me."

"So do I," Elizabeth said emphatically. "You saved my fiance's life."

Dr. Prescott smiled. "It was my pleasure."

Shortly after, they were on their way to Mountie headquarters with Gabe and Colleen. Elizabeth sat in the back with Nathan, her head resting on his red-encased shoulder. Just another hour, and they would be headed home. After a nerve-wracking week, she was ready to return to a sense of normalcy. She knew Nathan, Gabe, and Colleen were too. She was thankful for the presence of her future brother and sister-in-law throughout this ordeal. Nathan had never been alone, and neither had she. Closing her eyes, Elizabeth whispered a prayer of thanks for the blessing of family and friends, then added another prayer of thanks for Nathan's recovery.

His release from the force took only fifteen minutes. Nathan stood tall and straight as he accepted a commendation from Superintendent O'Reilly. Gabe received one as well. The two men thanked their superior, and then O'Reilly signed the papers that made Nathan a civilian once again. When the short ceremony was over, O'Reilly turned to Elizabeth.

"It's good to see you again, Miss Thatcher."

She smiled. "You as well, sir. How is your family?"

"They're well." He looked between her and Nathan. "I'm glad the two of you have found happiness together. I know how hard it was losing Jack and Sarah."

Nathan slipped an arm around Elizabeth's waist. "Thank you, sir." He smiled at Elizabeth. "I didn't think loving again was possible, but this lovely woman proved me wrong."

Elizabeth blushed, but she smiled. "I could say the same."

O'Reilly chuckled. "Good. You both deserve this second chance." He held out a hand to Nathan. "No offense, Grant … but I hope we don't see each other again." He winked. "At least not in an official capacity."

Nathan laughed, shaking the superintendent's hand. "I agree, sir."

O'Reilly then said his goodbyes to the Kinslows before heading to his office. The four of them headed to the lobby. Elizabeth sighed happily. "I'm glad that's all behind us."

Nathan's arm tightened around her waist. "Me too."

Gabe held the door for them. He shot Nathan a grin. "Ready to go home?"

"Absolutely."

The immediate reply prompted chuckles from the other three. Elizabeth held his arm as they walked to the car, as much to keep him on balance as to be close to him. When they were settled in the car, Elizabeth felt relief and excitement vie for dominance inside.

They were finally going home.