December and January passed happily in Hope Valley, though February brought with it all of the discontent and restlessness that the bleak and cloudy days of mid-winter often do. Nathan found himself busier than usual, with plenty of disputes to handle and problems to solve around the valley. Still, he found that his days were pleasant, since they always had Dani in them. Her visits to town weren't limited to Thursdays anymore, and often times she would join him on his daily rounds. Spending more time with Dani helped Nathan to feel more at peace with his own life. This morning, as he rode lightly down main street, he could sense that the many scars in his heart were finally healing. A deep sense of freedom and strength had filled his heart since Christmas time. It had taken some time, but he had finally begun to open his heart more freely to her. In little ways at first… To his surprise however, he found that the more he shared, the easier it became. He didn't feel like a half a man anymore, who had locked away a part of himself from the rest of the world. Somehow Dani seemed to hold the key.
He smiled to himself at the poetic thought as he mounted the steps to Coulter Enterprises after tying Newton to the hitching post. His entry through the door caused both Rosemary and Lee to look up simultaneously and smile. "Why, hello Nathan!" Rosemary cried, jumping to her feet. "What a surprise!" Nathan grinned sheepishly at her and Lee. "Good morning Rosemary…" he replied. "Morning Lee… Minnie mentioned that you wanted to see me?" Lee smiled and slowly got up from his chair. "As a matter of fact," he said slowly. "There is… The school district called me last night and told me that our new teacher would arrive today." Nathan's smile widened. "That's great!" he exclaimed. Lee nodded. "It is" he agreed." Although, there is a slight problem…" Both Nathan and Rosemary frowned with concern, and Nathan's voice dropped nervously. "What's up?" he asked warily. Lee shrugged. "As the mayor, it's my responsibility to get this teacher settled" he explained. "You know? Show them how things work…" Nathan eyed Lee expectantly. "But..?" he finished for him. Lee let his hands fall in exasperation. "But, I have a big contract coming in in a quarter of an hour" he explained helplessly. "My hands are tied." Nathan nodded slowly. "And I'm guessing you want me to do it instead?" he asked, rubbing his chin. Lee shook his head. "You know I wouldn't ask if I didn't have to" he mourned. Nathan nodded again and let his hands drop with a faint smile. "It's no problem Lee' he murmured. "Recess is in about ten minutes. I'll head over there right now." A wave of relief washed over Lee's face. "Thank you my friend" he breathed. "I'll make it up to you, I promise." Nathan grinned and shook his head. "No need" he assured him. "Does this teacher have a name?" Lee chuckled. "All they gave me was 'Shaw.' I'm guessing it's a surname." Nathan nodded. "I can work with that" he said thoughtfully as he turned toward the door. "I'll see you later Lee. Rosemary."
As soon as the door closed behind Nathan, Rosemary came to her husband's side and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Sweetheart…" she said thoughtfully, and a little cautiously. "I've been thinking a lot…" Lee's eyebrows raised. "Uh oh…" he blurted jokingly. Rosemary gave him a sarcastic glare but went on. "You remember when I told you that I spoke with Nathan at Christmas time?" she asked seriously. Lee wrapped an arm around her shoulders and nodded, suddenly attentive. "Of course, Rosie" he affirmed. "What's on your mind?" Rosemary sighed and cuddled a little closer. "Well," she explained. "I couldn't stop thinking about some of the things he told me. And I think there are some things that he should have been told a long time ago. But I want him to hear it from the both of us, Lee." Lee frowned faintly and thought for a moment. "From the both of us…" he repeated doubtfully. "Rosie, I don't know if that's possible. Unless…" "Unless we invite him over to dinner sometime this week" Rosemary finished for him brightly. "You'll invite him won't you?" Lee shrugged helplessly. "Sure" he sighed. "And what exactly are we talking about with him?" Before Rosemary could answer, the telephone on Lee's desk rang loudly. "You should probably take that" Rosemary said, pointing the trembling instrument. "I'll fill you in later." Lee shrugged and sighed, picking up the phone wearily. "Coulter Enterprises…"
Nathan tried to ignore the tense thumping of his heart in his chest as he approached the schoolhouse. Unlike Dani, or Rosemary, or even Lee, introducing himself the new people did not come easily to him. Standing at the foot of the stairs, he drew in a deep breath and straightening, squared his shoulders. It had been a long time since he had mounted those stairs to speak with the local schoolteacher. Swallowing nervously, he took off his hat and walked through the doors, the scratching sound of chalk reaching his ears. Across the room, a lone figure caught Nathan's eye. The substitute teacher… was a man. He was not tall, and his somewhat curly hair was neither brown nor blonde. The sound of the Mountie's boots on the floor caught his attention, and as he turned, Nathan caught of glimpse of his pale, blue eyes. He was a young man, younger than Nathan by a few years. When he caught sight of the tall Mountie and the red serge, he fumbled nervously with the chalk and eraser in his hands. Nathan eyed the trembling in the man's hands as he approached and instantly felt a strange comradery with him; this man was obviously quiet and shy; probably not very good with words. "Just like me…" Nathan thought to himself as he threw the other man a reassuring grin. "Hi…" he greeted him briefly, extending his hand. "You must be Mr. Shaw?" The young man nodded, relief flooding his face, and took Nathan's hand firmly. "Yes" he said, a winning smile taking over his anxious face. It was an infectious smile, one that lit up his whole countenance and made his fair, but handsome features stand out. "A pleasure Constable." Nathan nodded slowly, taking in Mr. Shaw's British accent as the greeting rolled off his tongue. He rotated the Stenson thoughtfully in his hand and eyed the man with a lopsided grin. "Please, call me Nathan" he corrected him. "Everyone else in town does." The teacher smiled again and folded his hands behind his back. "Nathan, eh?" he asked softly. "Well, if it's all the same to you, I'll go by Richard." Nathan nodded and smiled. "Richard…" he repeated to engrave it in his memory. "Got it. Well… Welcome to Hope Valley Richard. I hope the school day has been going alright for you so far." Richard shrugged and leaned back against the desk. "No complaints here" he admitted, though Nathan could see a furrow in his brow. "Although I will say, I don't think my students are particularly fond of me. Neither are their parents… The previous teacher here seems to have left an irreplaceable void…" Nathan listened silently and felt his heart clench at Richard's words. He knew exactly how Richard felt. Clearly they had more in common than he had previously guessed. "Well…" he murmured slowly, trying to articulate exactly what he wanted to say. "Mrs. Thornton was a fine teacher, and she certainly made a lasting impact… But there's no use in trying to fit a square plug in a circular hole. Don't try to take her place Richard. Just… Make your own place here." Richard eyed Nathan quizzically and gave a short, bewildered chuckle. "You seem to be talking from experience" he guessed, frowning faintly. Nathan shrugged, turning his body back towards the door. "Maybe…" he said with a faint grin. "All I know is, it's always better to just be yourself… No matter what anyone else expects of you. Good luck with the rest of the day Richard… I'll see you around." Richard nodded as he watched the tall Mountie leave, his eyes full of wonder and new purpose. "Good day to you, Nathan" he called after him, before turning back to the board.
Abigail still could not understand why the friendship between she and Henry had come between she and Bill. Bill had been nothing but cold towards her since Christmas Eve, and no amount of small talk or friendly greetings in the street seemed to invite any sort of explanation or reconciliation. She sighed wearily as she walked down the boardwalk towards the café, basket in hand, while at her side, Cody lugged a large tin of milk. He had noticed her somewhat dampened mood that morning and grew even more concerned at the sound of her wistful sigh. "What's wrong Mom?" he asked worriedly. Abigail was aroused from her thoughts and threw Cody and loving smile. "Oh, nothing you have to worry about Cody" she reassured him. "I'm just… lost in thought. That's all." Cody nodded, though he didn't look convinced. Before he could say anything however, Henry strode over to them both, giving Abigail a bright smile. "Good morning" he said huskily, taking off his hat in her presence. "Are you on your way to the café?" Abigail nodded and smiled. "I'm afraid there are quite a few things we needed to stock up on" she admitted, shifting the weight of her basket onto the other arm. Henry nodded and looked both the Stanton's over observantly. "Can I give you a hand?" he asked, throwing a glance in the direction of Cody's tin of milk. "Listen Son, why don't I carry that and walk your mother? You go on and spend some time with your friends…" Cody beamed and looked expectantly at his mother, who nodded in agreement. "Go on" she encouraged him. "You did mention that you wanted to spend the day with Robert and Constable Grant." Cody's pearly white teeth flashed with an excited smile. "Thanks Mom!" he breathed, handing the tin off to Henry. "And thank you Mr. Gowen." Henry gave a short laugh. "Don't mention it" he said, falling into step beside Abigail as Cody ran off toward the Mountie office in search of Robert. Abigail laughed softly to herself and looked up at Henry. "You know" she said, slowly becoming serious. "I think there is something we need to talk about…" Henry smiled, though there was concern in his eyes. "Oh really?" he asked. "And what's that's?" Abigail sighed and grew sober. "I think Bill may be struggling…" she said slowly. Henry gave a sarcastic nod and sighed. "And I suppose, he's having a hard time seeing you with me…" he guessed. "I can't say I'm surprised… He and I haven't always seen eye to eye." Abigail pursed her lips together. "You know Bill, Henry" she murmured seriously. "He's just trying to look out for me. Not that it's necessary, but still… Don't be too hard on him." Henry smiled and nodded in agreement. "Well, I know I haven't always been on the right side of things" he confided. "And maybe I deserve the criticism… But I know the two of you will work things out. I'm not the only one who cares about you Abigail." Abigail nodded grimly. "I know…" she admitted. "I know…"
Nathan was surprised to find Robert, whom he had left to take calls in the jail while he was out, chattering away with Cody Stanton. "What's going on here?" he asked, trying to sound casual as he hung up his Stenson and eyed the two boys. Cody glanced at Robert, who eagerly jumped to his feet. "Cody wants to see what we do!" he cried in excitement. "Can he hang around here for the day Mountie Nathan? Please? I really want to show him everything I've been learning." Nathan glanced from one boy to the other, sensing that the already burdensome apprenticeship that he had procured for Robert was about to be become doubly inconvenient. With a faint sigh however, he nodded weakly. "That's… fine" he conceded reluctantly, sending the two boys into another round of chatter, as Robert described to Cody what was on the agenda for the day. Leaving them to themselves, Nathan made his way behind his desk and sank down, burying his face in his hands. This was going to be a long day.
As he had suspected, the day did indeed drag on for Nathan, as the voices of Cody and Robert rang in his ears until he almost couldn't bear it. He was in the middle of brainstorming for an unimportant task that he might be able to assign to them when a sudden shout came from out in the street. Both Cody and Robert fell silent and stared at the door, visibly paling. "Oh no…" Robert murmured softly, edging closer to Cody as if he were afraid. Nathan jumped to his feet frowning in concern. "What's the matter?" he asked tensely. Cody looked up at the tall Mountie and swallowed. "It's the factory boys" he murmured anxiously. "They go out into the streets and fight when they can't find work. And they lick anyone who tries to stop them." Before he had even finished, Nathan was halfway out the door. "I'll be right back" he said, grabbing the door. "Both of you stay here." "But Mountie Nathan..!" Robert called after him. "You can't!" His words were useless however, as Nathan was already out of earshot. With a groan, Robert grabbed Cody's arm. "Come on!" he muttered. "We can't let him face them alone!"
A crowd of dirty boys had gathered at the end of Main Street, and had formed two groups around two particular individuals, who seemed to be boxing and wrestling with one another. The entire mob of them were shouting and cursing at the top of their lungs. Nathan bit his lip angrily and strode over to the group, a firm purpose in his step. "Hey!" he shouted, putting himself in between the two groups of dirty street boys. "What's going on here?" One of them raised his fist in defiance, but Nathan caught him by the wrist before he could land a blow. "I wouldn't try that" he murmured, his steely blue eyes narrowing. The boy backed away, wrenching free from Nathan's grip with a insolent shrug. He and Nathan glared at one another for a long moment, their brows furrowing angrily. Cody and Robert, who had seen everything, timidly came up behind Nathan, their eyes peeled with horrified fascination. "Mountie Nathan…" Robert stammered anxiously. "It's no use trying to get through to them. They won't listen!" "Don't worry Robert" Nathan replied, without turning his eyes away from the ragged group in front of him. "They're going to tell me exactly what I need to know." Robert and Cody exchanged worried glances. It was twenty to one, and those boys were big and ruthless. They could hurt Mountie Nathan if they wanted to. They might even kill him if they got the chance… But something about the Mountie's fearless attitude kept them at bay. They all eyed Nathan, with rebellious glares that gradually melted into something more like admiration. He wasn't afraid of them, not even the slightest bit. When Nathan saw that he had their attention, he unconsciously relaxed his fists, which had clenched defensively. "Enough of the fighting" he said, looking around at the dirty faces in front of him. "It isn't going to fix any of your problems. I've been there, and I know… Fighting doesn't make you more of a man, and it won't solve any of this" he said, motioning to the entire group. The tallest boy frowned. "You're a Mountie" he muttered. "Isn't it your job to fight?" Nathan eyed him steadily. "If other people didn't fight I wouldn't have to" he responded. Cody and Robert could tell that Nathan's answer impressed a lot of the boys, and they began to breathe a little easier. Maybe they weren't as ruthless or violent as they had previously thought. Nathan pursed his lips together and crossed his arms. "So, what happened?" he asked, more calmly this time. A few of the boys bowed their heads, ashamed. "We were…" the tallest boy started to say but couldn't finish. "We had nothing else to do" the one nearest Nathan muttered. Nathan nodded slowly, his jaw clenched. "And you think fighting is a good way to pass the time?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "You all are old enough to know better than that. Someone could have been seriously hurt. Or worse… Do you really want that on your conscience?" All of the boys bowed their heads in shame but didn't answer. For a long, agonizing minute there was silence, as Nathan thought hard about how to solve the problem. "Listen…" he said at last. "There are other ways that you guys can fill the time. Does anyone here play baseball?" All of the boys looked up expectantly and, Robert and Cody noted, eagerly at Nathan before raising their hands. Nathan nodded. "Okay then…" he murmured, running a hand through his dark hair. "I want you to meet me at the old field in fifteen minutes, and we'll go from there. Alright?" As the crowd of boys dispersed and Nathan made for the direction of his office again, Robert and Cody hustled to keep up with him. "What are you planning to do?" Cody asked breathlessly. "At the field?" Nathan threw a glance back at Cody and Robert before grinning slightly to himself. "I think I just started a baseball team" he answered, before drawing in a deep breath of relief. The rush of adrenalin he had felt before was beginning to wear off, and the real tension and danger of the moment was beginning to dawn on him. Slowly, he breathed in and breathed out again. "Can you and Robert go gather some balls and bats… Anything you can find?" he asked seriously, glad he had finally found something useful for them both to do. Cody and Robert looked at each other and nodded, before running off on their errand.
Nathan and nearly all of the factory boys had gathered at the field and were waiting when Cody and Robert, accompanied by Lee Coulter, arrived bearing all of the baseball equipment they could find with them. Nathan smiled as he held his hand out to Lee who grinned brightly. "You didn't have to come Lee…" he murmured. "I don't want to take you away from your work." Lee waved a hand nonchalantly and laughed. "You may not know this" he joked, "But I am actually a huge fan of baseball. And after what you did for me this morning, I told you I'd make it up to you. You're going to need an assistant coach after all." Nathan laughed at the term and shook his head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves" he warned, glancing around at the rowdy group. "We don't have a team yet. And to be honest, I feel a little in over my head." Lee smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "And that's where I come in" he chuckled. "We'll have a team in no time." He paused before patting Nathan approvingly on the shoulder. "It's a good thing you're doing for them my friend" he murmured, grinning. "Getting them off the streets… Heaven knows, they need it."
As it turned out, there were quite a few athletes among the group of boys, who Nathan quickly recognized as Cody pitched them a few balls. Trevor, Dailey, Donnie… Those three stood out to him like diamonds in the rough. They were about Cody and Robert's age and were all tall and well-built. And from what he could see, Nathan realized that the three of them seemed to have a heavy influence over the rest of the group. Leadership… Nathan pursed his lips together in deep thought. He needed some sort of leadership among the ranks if they were going to become a team, a real team. And these three seemed to be the key. As Donnie stepped up to bat, Nathan turned to Lee, who stood at his elbow to share his thought.
Suddenly, there was a resounding "THWACK!" and Nathan felt something hard and painful slam against his face, causing him to fall flat on his back. Donnie's hit had been on target, it had just hit the wrong target. Nathan lay where he was, stunned by the blow, and felt the heated rise of the swelling start to take hold over his left eye. "Donnie!" he hollered indignantly, not meaning to lose his temper, but failing as the pain set in. He shook his head dazedly as he felt Lee's strong hands pulling him up into a sitting position. "Nathan!" he cried. "Are you okay?" Nathan nodded and sighed, before forcing himself the get out of the dust and struggling to his feet. "Just give me a minute" he muttered, before looking up to see the boy eyeing him apologetically. "I'm sorry Coach…" he muttered, dragging his toe guiltily through the dirt. His dirty face was red with shame. Nathan let out a sigh and managed a reassuring smile. "It's okay Donnie…" he murmured, picking up the ball. "Why don't you try again?" The tension in Donnie's face broke and with a relieved grin, he nodded. Nathan smiled tightly against the pain and held the ball out in front of him. "Here Cody" he murmured quietly, handing off the ball. "Go ahead and give him a few more pitches." Cody immediately nodded and taking the ball from Nathan's hands, stood out of the way as Lee helped Nathan to the sidelines. "Should I send someone to go find Faith?" Lee asked anxiously, seeing the redness and the swelling forming around Nathan's left eye. Nathan shook his head grimly and sank down on the wooden bleachers. "I'll be fine" he declined. "It's not bad. Anyway, the boys need me here coaching, not laid up in the infirmary." Lee couldn't argue with that, knowing full well that Nathan needed to push through it to teach the feckless boys a lesson in endurance.
The Café was dark and still as Abigail finished drying the last of the day's dishes. It had been a busy day. Cody must have been busy too, spending the day with Robert and the new Mountie. During her short time back in Hope Valley, Abigail had not yet had the chance to properly meet him. She often wondered about him though. From a glance, he seemed to be a man of few words; reserved. And yet, it became had become clear to Abigail that the community must have accepted him. There was a deep sense of healing among the people of Hope Valley that had not been present when she had left for the East. There was no talk of mourning the loss of Jack Thornton, no begrudging looks or words for the man who had taken his place. Why, even Bill seemed to think highly of him, a huge feat for Bill, whose attachment to Jack had been akin to a father's attachment to his son. Perhaps it was that quiet reserve that had soothed the aching hearts of those who missed Jack the most. Perhaps the silent service of this Mountie had allowed the healing to take place. With a thoughtful sigh, Abigail wiped her hands on her apron and made her way into the dining room to straighten the table clothes for the following day. As she did however, the knob on the door rattled, and in came a somewhat gruff and flustered Bill. "Abigail…" he muttered in greeting, his brow furrowed in a frown. Abigail pursed her lips together and nodded. "Good evening Bill" she murmured quietly. There was an awkward silence as she nervously twisted the ends of her apron in her hands. "Bill, I think we need to talk" she said at last. "About Henry…" Bill spluttered and shook his head. "Maybe I don't want to talk about Henry…" he mumbled grimly, his eyes averting to the floor. Abigail crossed her arms agitatedly. "Now, that's not fair" she chastised. "If you are determined to hold a grudge, I at least deserve to know why." Bill looked at Abigail frustratedly, as if the answer should be obvious to her. "Don't try to deny that there is something between you and Henry" he muttered. "I've seen the way you two carry on, and I know how he feels…" Abigail's face flushed pink, and she hung her head. "You know, I'd be lying if I did" she admitted hesitantly. "But Bill, Henry has changed… He's not the man we both knew ten years ago. I think it would be best for all of us if you would just learn to accept that." Bill sighed and leaning against one of the tables wearily, shook his head. "But why is Henry good enough for you?" he asked seriously. He opened his mouth to say more, but immediately stopped himself. Abigail noticed it and her eyes narrowed. "Good enough for me?" she repeated slowly. "What are you talking about Bill?" Bill eyed her with something that looked like resentment, maybe even pain. He swallowed tensely and lowered his head. "You know, I've always tried to stay on the right side of things" he said slowly. "To do my part in making the world a better place. And years ago, you ended things with me because of Nora. Now tell me why I wasn't good enough, but somehow Henry is? Henry, who had a hand in your husband's death… Who sucked this town dry for his own profit…? Who has a wife and son that nobody knew about…? Why is he somehow good enough for you when I'm not?" Abigail stared at Bill is horrified fascination. She hadn't expected this to come from Bill. And if she was completely honest with herself, she didn't really know how to answer him. She eyed him for a long, agonizing minute, trying to think of the right words as he drew in a deep breath. Before either of them could speak again however, Cody and Robert came tumbling through the door of the café, dirty and sweaty from baseball practice. "Hi Mom!" Cody called cheerfully, drawing Abigail's eyes away from Bill. "Robert and I are famished. Can we have some of that chicken pie you made today?" Abigail gave the two boys a helpless, faint smile and gathering her composure, smiled, and nodded. "Of course," she agreed. "Help yourselves." As the boys trampled noisily into the kitchen, she turned to resume he conversation with Bill, but was sorrow to find that he was no longer there. He must have slipped out the back door when the boys arrived. With an exasperated sigh, Abigail leaned weakly against on the of dining room tables and shook her head, wondering how on earth she would ever fix this problem.
"Just lie still and hold it in place" Faith instructed Nathan as she handed him an icepack. Nathan's eye had by now swollen shut and his head throbbed painfully as he lay back against the cushions of the settee. Lee looked on from a nearby chair with a sympathetic wince, his arms crossed. "I'm guessing you'll be all black and blue tomorrow" he murmured, rubbing his chin as Nathan heaved a sigh from the couch. "As long as this headache goes away by then, I'll be fine" Nathan muttered grimly, trying to sit up again, and falling back unsuccessfully. "I feel so dizzy…" Faith patted him on the shoulder. "Give it time" she reassured him. "You don't appear to have suffered any serious head trauma, so I think you'll survive." Allie, who stood leaning against the settee, arms crossed, sighed. "Well, that's a relief" she murmured, looking down at her uncle with a loving smile. "You just recovered from you last injury…" Nathan nodded from under the icepack and, smiling, reached a hand up to her. "I'll be just fine kiddo" he said quietly, giving her hand a squeeze. "And hopefully, I'll be back in the field with you again soon Lee." Lee nodded, but was interrupted by Faith, who agitatedly clucked her tongue. "I don't think that's a good idea" she cautioned. "What if those boys hit you again? You might not be so lucky next time." Allie gave a knowing nod in agreement. "Those boys can be pretty rough" she admitted. "I've seen them at recess. They don't go easy on anybody." Nathan shut his functioning eye and sighed. "I'll be careful" he reassured both Allie and Faith. "If you fall off the horse, you get right back up again. Right Allie?" Allie smiled and nodded. "Right" she grinned. Lee chuckled to himself. "You know, Rosemary wanted me to invite you over for dinner" he said as he stood up, taking Faith's coat off the rack, and handing it to her. "But I'm guessing that's not happening tonight, given the circumstances…" Nathan smiled and shook his head as best he could under the weight of the icepack. "I'm afraid not Lee" he admitted with a chuckle. "I don't think I can even see straight." Faith threw him a worried glance, but he quickly put up a hand to calm her. "I'm kidding" he reassured her. "I'm perfectly fine. I just need some rest." Lee nodded. "Be sure to take it" he warned, lifting his finger warily. "Allie… The Hope Valley Hitters are counting on you to make sure our coach here gets some rest." Allie laughed at the title Lee gave to her uncle and nodded eagerly. "Don't worry Mr. Coulter" she assured him. "Coach Grant is in good hands." Nathan nodded in agreement, before eyeing Lee more seriously. "Maybe we can reschedule that dinner Lee?" he asked. "I hate canceling you and Rosemary's plans." Lee chuckled. "I know Rosie will be disappointed that you can't join us, but with some persuasion, I think she'll agree to reschedule" he quipped. "For now, just rest up and take care of that eye. We need you on the field Coach."
It was nearly dusk as Faith left the Grant house and made her way out onto the dusty lane. Although her medical training told her that Nathan would be fine, she couldn't help but worry about him. She had never really stopped worrying about him since the day he had been shot. She swallowed as she remembered how thin and pale he had become during those difficult days. How frightened she had grown when his strength didn't return… How relieved she had felt when proper medicine and treatments were provided by Elizabeth… Faith's hands trembled as her thoughts remembered. He had been so sick; so helpless… And yet, he had needed her. Perhaps it was the feeling of being needed by him that she was clinging to. She felt that it was somehow the only way for her to be a part of his life, and she didn't want to let it go. No. Faith knew that his heart was with Dani. But still… She had never known anyone like him or felt for anyone the way she felt for him. Not since Jack Thornton… Nathan wasn't like Jack, but his presence calmed her and reminded her of how Jack's used to.
"Hello" a voice cut through her thoughts suddenly. Faith whirled around, her thoughts scattering every which way as she looked to see who had called her. The voice belonged to Richard Shaw, whom she had seen arrive on the stage that morning. As she looked him over critically, she noticed that his eyes shone a lovely shade of blue. They weren't nearly as striking as Nathan's, but they were soft and pale. Kind even… Gathering her composure, she threw him a quick smile. "You must be Mr. Shaw, the new teacher" she mused, folding her hands over her leather bag in front of her. Richard smiled, a timid, yet infectious smile. "And you must be the doctor" he guessed, eyeing the monogramed bag in her hands. "Dr. Carter… It's a pleasure." He held out his small, slim hand to her, his eyes sparkling in their muted way. Her name rolled off his British tongue so perfectly that Faith felt her own tongue twitching to answer with the same, distinct accent. She caught herself however, and drawing in a quick breath, shook his hand and smiled. "The pleasure is mine" she replied, feeling her face redden as she felt the touch of his hand. "What brings you this way so late in the day?" Richard shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "I suppose I sort of wandered here" he explained. "I was exploring a bit. Wanted to familiarize myself with this place." He eyed her curiously and went on. "And you?" he asked. "I suppose you were seeing a patient?" Faith nodded. "Nathan…" she began eagerly, before catching herself. "Constable Grant suffered a minor injury." Richard's face clouded with concern. "I am sorry to here it" he murmured softly. "He seems a good man." Faith nodded, her eyes faraway with the thought of him. "He is" she murmured dreamily. "A very good man." Richard seemed to notice the dreamy look in her eyes, and a faint hint of disappointment came over him, though he hid it well. "Can I walk you home Dr. Carter?" he asked, a little more stiffly than before. Faith roused herself from her reverie and smiled. "Yes" she said softly. "Please Mr. Shaw." He smiled, falling into step beside her. "It's Richard" he corrected her gently. "Please just… Call me Richard." Faith smiled at his shyness and conceded as he wordlessly offered to take her bag. "Faith…" she answered, giving him a little smile. He laughed softly and pointed to the name on her bag. "Yes, I know" he joked, sending them both into a fit of laughter.
Dani was excited to drop off a batch of fresh bread for Allie and Nathan that she had made the night before. She knocked softly as the chilly morning light cast a pale yellow glow over her slender form. She shifted impatiently as the doorknob turned and looked up at Nathan with a cheerful grin before her jaw dropped in shock. There stood Nathan, smiling as he was, with a very black eye. She gasped a little and would have dropped the basket in her hand if he hadn't reached out and caught it in time. "Nathan!" she cried. "What on earth…?" Nathan smiled ruefully. "I know" he chuckled softly. "I'm not looking too good this morning. Someone hit me with a baseball. Nothing too exciting…" Dani gave him a sympathetic grin and lifting her hand, laid it against his darkened cheek, which shared some of the bruising. "That must have hurt" she admitted, before laughing a little. "But a baseball, of all things…" Nathan nodded and laughed with her. "I almost wish it were something a little more adventurous" he admitted. "Like a gunslinger, or a thief… I guess I'm not that lucky." Dani smiled and ran a thumb over the bruising. "I think you've handled more than you fair share of criminals" she pointed out. "A baseball is fine by me…" Smiling, Nathan bent down and kissed her forehead. "Then, it's fine by me too…" he murmured softly.
Preparing and eating breakfast did not take long, as Nathan, Dani, and Allie, who eventually came down to join them were famished. Even before the three of them had a chance to spend some time together, Allie was forced to leave for school. "Take care of that eye" she called over her shoulder to her uncle as she headed out the door, books in hand. "Thank you for the bread Dani! I'll see you later!" "Bye Allie" Nathan and Dani called after her in unison. As the door shut behind Allie, they both looked at each other and smiled. "Allie has been… looking after me" Nathan explained with a faint chuckle. Dani smiled. "That's sweet of her" she murmured, standing up from her place at the table. Nathan nodded lovingly. "It is" he agreed, unconsciously, lifting a hand to his bruised eye. "You know, the sooner you ice it, the sooner it will heal" Dani pointed out, clearing the dishes from the table. Nathan stood up and opened the icebox. "Yeah, I know" he agreed. "This is definitely not the first black eye I've ever had." Dani slid the dirty dishes into the wash basin and proceeded to pour two cups of coffee for them. "Oh?" she inquired casually. "You don't strike me as the fighting type…" Nathan held an icepack over the bruise and slowly made his way to the settee, where Dani quickly joined him. "Growing up…" he admitted, with some difficulty. "I was a pretty angry kid. When I was a little younger than Allie, I ended up in a lot of fights. I got beaten up quite a few times." Dani laid the cups of coffee down on the little table and nodded understandingly. "That sounds horrible" she murmured, taking a sip from her drink. Nathan nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah" he admitted. "Thinking back on it, it was. I was going through a lot of things then. I hated going to school because the other boys used to pick on me and call me 'the gambler's son.' I guess that's when I knew I didn't want to go down that route." Dani nodded slowly, leaning her arm on the back of the settee, and eyeing him sympathetically. "And you want to help these boys avoid that path too…" she guessed. Nathan nodded soberly. "I know exactly what they're going through" he explained. "At their age, I would have been right there, with them. Minnie and Richard both seem to agree that they've got problems at home." Dani shook her head slowly and sighed. "Poor things…" she breathed. "I can't say I blame them. But they need a better outlet than fighting in the streets." Nathan sipped his coffee seriously. "I can personally testify to that" he agreed. "And I think baseball is just the thing. It'll help them to use all that anger constructively and give them something to work for and be proud of. I'm not going to lie… Baseball helped me push through some of the toughest times."
Dani nodded supportively. "I can understand that" she related. "Carter used to gather newspaper clippings of the games when we were younger. He was as big fan." Nathan looked at her in surprise. "Really?" he marveled. "You never told me that. Did he have a favorite team?" Dani smiled thoughtfully. "I believe he liked the Cubs" she mused. "Although I think he was really a Tiger's fan at heart." Nathan's mouth dropped open in surprise. "You're kidding?" he breathed, completely floored by this new discovery. "So am I!" Dani's eyes grew big. "Really?" she cried, laughing. "What are the odds? Anyway, he used to keep me updated on the latest statistics. It gave us something get excited about, even when we had nothing. We both got a chance to shake Ty Cobb's hand once. He came to Montreal support a few charities and took a moment to interact with some of the poorer kids in town." Nathan's eyes shone with excitement and interest. "You shook Ty Cobb's hand?" he gasped, hardly believing it. "What was he like?" Dani laughed at his boyish enthusiasm. "I only shook his hand silly" she giggled, giving him a playful nudge, before her eyes softened distantly. "But he was kind. I could see it in his eyes." Nathan beamed at the praise given to his favorite athlete but forced his tone to match the seriousness in Dani's. "I guess, when you've got nothing" he thought out loud. "It helps to have something to give you a little hope. My sister Colleen used to get annoyed by my baseball card collection, but every week she always asked if the Tigers won." Dani smiled at his vulnerability and laid a hand over his. "That was very sweet" she murmured. Nathan nodded and smiled. "It was" he agreed. "She was very sweet…" There was a thoughtful silence, before Dani's fingers enclosed around Nathan's big hand as she edged in a little closer. "Do you still have your card collection stashed away somewhere?" she asked playfully. Nathan gave a short laughed, but to her dismay, she saw his face contort into something that looked more like a grimace. "Not exactly…" he admitted sheepishly. "My Dad, he uh… He pawned it… To pay a dept." Dani stiffened and sat up a little straighter. "Oh Nathan!" she cried indignantly. "Are you serious? I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up…" Nathan shook his head and smiled. "There's nothing to be sorry for" he assured her, with a chuckle. "It's not your fault that my past tends to be a bit of a downer." Dani smiled and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "Well," she murmured with a warm smile. "You're not alone in that." Nathan smiled and nodded. "I know' he admitted, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "Besides, I'm more excited for the future…" Dani lifted her head toward his and eyed him expectantly. What was he saying? Nathan's face mirrored the seriousness that overtook her. "I'm looking forward to that day" he said slowly and intently. "When we can both go and see a Tiger's game together." She stared at him for a moment, then saw his face breaking into a mischievous smile, causing her to laugh. "Nathan, you little scamp!" she cried, tossing a cushion at him as he ducked. "Do you want another black eye?" Nathan laughed heartily. "I guess I should know better than to tease you" he grinned. "After all, you did slap me pretty hard when we first met." Dani giggled and blushed. "Well," she murmured softly, before leaning forward and giving his cheek a quick peck. "Here's a kiss to make up for it."