Elizabeth drew in a deep breath. She was standing outside of Nathan's shop, a shop he had just opened to the public. It had been a week since she'd last seen him. He'd stopped coming to the café, and she let him have some space, knowing he had things to sort through. She also wasn't sure she was quite ready to face him. Though she now knew that she loved him and wanted to fight for him, her nerves had taken hold. It was one thing to resolve to fight for love. It was another thing entirely to actually put it into action.

It would take a courage and strength beyond what she felt inside. For now, she felt the first step in getting their relationship back on track was to talk to him. Further avoidance might make things worse.

She pushed open the door. Nathan wasn't in the showroom, but Elizabeth took a few moments to admire his work. All kinds of furniture were scattered strategically around the room, creating a homey environment that spoke of his talent. It was obvious he poured everything into his work. Sold tags were placed on much of the pieces, telling her that others saw the value in his craft as well.

As the minutes ticked by and Nathan didn't come into the main room, Elizabeth decided to go looking for him. She made her way to the back door that led to his workroom. Peeking inside, she caught her breath.

Nathan was bent over a piece of wood, carefully carving something into it. An intense look of concentration filled his face. She didn't dare interrupt him and risk damaging his artistry. Instead, she watched him freely, taking the opportunity to memorize the planes of his face, the curl of his hair, the power in his muscles. A flutter began in her heart and made its way to her stomach. He was such a handsome man, made more handsome by the goodness in his heart. He wasn't perfect, but he was kind and generous and thoughtful. When he finally straightened and put down his tools, Elizabeth cleared her throat to alert him to her presence.

He glanced up. A panicked look entered his eyes when he registered who was standing at his door. His lips formed her name without making a sound. They stood staring at each other for nearly a minute, neither one making a move toward the other. Finally, Elizabeth plucked up her courage and stepped into the room.

"Hello, Nathan."

He swallowed visibly, his Adam's apple bobbing prominently. "Hi." He seemed rooted to the spot.

Elizabeth ventured further into the room. "I haven't seen much of you lately."

He swallowed again, closing his eyes for a moment. "I…I'm sorry. Considering how we last met, I just didn't know what to say."

She had now reached the workbench. Only a table separated them. "Nathan, do you remember our last meeting?"

His throat worked furiously. "No," he whispered. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I have no memory of that night." Shame washed over his features. "But I was told what happened." He looked at her then, pain and pleading in his eyes. "I'm sorry. If I'd been in control of myself, I never would have said those things to you."

A stab of pain nicked her heart. Never? The words seemed so final. "Why not?" she asked, the words slipping out before she could stop them. Nathan looked at her in surprise, but Elizabeth looked back without flinching. Let him see that she felt the same way he did. Life was short. She knew that firsthand. Why waste time needlessly?

He fumbled for words, nothing coming out for several seconds. "I…because…it's not…right," he stuttered. He coughed lightly, then continued, looking a little more in control of himself. "I can't offer you anything but friendship, Elizabeth. I'm too raw from Sarah's death and the circumstances surrounding it. I spent two years pushing away the memories rather than facing them." He drew in a deep breath. "I have to work through things before I can even begin to consider…love." He said the last word softly, as if it pained him. Before Elizabeth could reply, he went on. "And you, Elizabeth…Jack has only been gone a little over six months. You aren't ready for anything more than friendship either."

She felt a spark of indignation at his assumption. It was one thing if he wasn't ready. It was another thing entirely if he thought he could speak for her readiness. Planting her hands on her hips, she leveled a stare at him. "How do you know what I am or am not ready for?" she asked, one brow hiking up high. "That's awfully presumptuous of you to tell me what I'm thinking."

A spark lit in Nathan's eyes as well. "Is it?" he asked, a challenge in his voice. "Are you ready for a new relationship, Elizabeth?"

If he'd asked that a week ago, her answer would have been no. But that was before she'd received Jack's letter. That was before she'd searched her heart and found Nathan firmly planted inside. It was before she realized she was in love with him.

She came around the table. Nathan's eyes widened in alarm and he took half a step back before realizing he was prevented from going further by his own workbench. Elizabeth stopped a foot away, close enough to feel the heat emanating from his body and close enough to hear the rapid, shallow breaths coming from his lungs. She could feel his anxiety like a physical entity at her close proximity. He gripped the bench behind him, leaning back.

Elizabeth had to fight a sudden urge to laugh. What did he think she was going to do? Kiss him?

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, her eyes unconsciously slid to his lips. She remembered how they felt as they brushed against hers softly in the graveyard last week. A sudden longing to repeat the experience rushed through her, but she pushed it away. Now was certainly not the time for that. She had a question to answer.

"Maybe I am," she said, her eyes traveling back up to Nathan's. "I'm finding that timing doesn't matter when you find the right person. Love happens when it happens."

Nathan swallowed for the third time since she'd arrived. He couldn't have missed her meaning, and judging from the look in his eyes, that terrified him.

Elizabeth had to refrain from moving closer, but she couldn't resist reaching out to touch his arm. "Did you mean it, Nathan?" she asked softly. "When you said you loved me?" She held her breath as she waited for his reply. His eyes that night told her the truth of the matter, but she wanted to hear it from him now. She wanted to know if he had the strength to be honest with her and with himself.

His eyes closed, his breaths increasing in rapidity. "Please don't ask me to answer that," he whispered. When his eyes opened again, the crystal-blue depths begged her for mercy. He couldn't lie, but he wasn't ready to speak the truth.

That was all the answer she needed.

She nodded slowly. "Alright. I won't." Pausing, she looked straight into his eyes. "Not yet."

His lips parted, fear written on his face again at her unspoken promise to bring the question up again at some point. Elizabeth's heart hurt for him. He'd been through so much, and he was burying his heart in an attempt to keep it safe. She wanted nothing more than to show him that it would be safe with her.

She stepped forward, coming into his personal bubble and placing a hand on his chest. His heart beat rapidly under her palm. "Elizabeth…" he murmured, his voice hoarse. His hands clenched harder against the wooden table behind him. Elizabeth wasn't sure if it was because he was nervous or if he was trying to resist reaching out to take her in his arms. She had a gut feeling it was the latter, a thought that made her soften toward him even more.

"I recently read something from one of my favorite poets," she said gently. "It resonated with me in a way I wasn't expecting. I think it might be something you need to hear." Her hand slowly moved over his heart. "'Always do what you are afraid to do.'"

Recognition flickered in Nathan's eyes. "Emerson."

Surprise filled Elizabeth. "You know the quote?"

Nathan nodded. "I read Heroism while I was in the Northern Territories," he said. A small smile tugged at his mouth despite his obvious emotional turmoil. "Those words resonated with me as well." His hands loosened until they left the table and came to rest at his sides. He looked down at the floor. "Words to live by."

Elizabeth's hand moved from his chest to his chin, gently lifting it until they were looking at one another again. "Yes, they are," she said fervently. "Especially when it comes to love."

Nathan inhaled sharply when she said the word love. Elizabeth kept her hold on his chin, forcing him to look at her. "Always do what you are afraid to do," she repeated, her words soft. She finally released him. "Maybe now is the time to start thinking about what that could look like." She lifted up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to the smooth skin of his cheek. "For us."

When she pulled back, Nathan's eyes were closed. His hands reached out toward her, but just as quickly he snatched them back, shoving them into his pockets. When he opened his eyes, raw emotion shone there. A multitude of feelings were communicated in his unguarded gaze: hope and desire and love fighting with fear and pain and trauma. Elizabeth sensed now was the time to leave. Nathan needed to think, and he couldn't do that with her there.

She smiled at him. "I'll see you later," she said, gazing at him with a tender expression. She turned to go. She'd made it to the workshop door when Nathan called her name.

"Elizabeth."

She glanced back over her shoulder. Nathan's hands were still in his pockets, his shoulders hunched forward in an endearing manner.

"Your table and chairs should be ready in a week."

He was thinking about her furniture at a time like this? She almost laughed at the blatant display of Nathan trying to regain a sense of normalcy. She let out a breath, then smiled at him. "That means I'll owe you dinner in payment."

He shuffled his foot, glancing down at the ground again. "You don't have to do that…"

"Yes, I do," she said, cutting him off. She wasn't about to let him off the hook. Any time they spent together was an opportunity for her to show him that they should give their love a chance. She smiled again. "I'm going to ask Colleen for a list of your favorite foods." Before he could protest further, she waved her fingers at him and ducked out of the room.

She smiled as she walked through the showroom. Nathan might be stubbornly resisting the idea of love, but she had resolved to fight for them. And she wasn't about to give up.

Gabe walked down the road toward Colleen's house, holding a container of chicken soup from the café. Rosemary had told him Colleen called in sick that morning. He thought the hot soup might help her feel better. It had always worked when he was younger and his mother made a batch of the savory meal.

As he got closer to the house, he heard a woman frantically yelling. His Mountie instincts kicked into gear. He began to run, hurrying toward the sound of the terrified yells.

They took him to the edge of the forest. His heart lurched in his chest when he recognized Colleen running back and forth like a mad woman, shouting Allie's name. Her hair was spilling over her shoulders, a robe tied over her nightgown. Her eyes were wild with fright.

"Allie!" she screamed, heading into the woods.

Gabe caught up with her. "Colleen! What's wrong?"

She began sobbing when she saw him, collapsing into his arms. Gabe tried to balance both her and the soup, but he couldn't do both. He dropped the container and wrapped Colleen in an embrace. She spoke in halting, shaky words.

"I wasn't feeling well today and I fell asleep on the couch about an hour ago." Her body shook violently against him. "I'd just put Allie down for her nap, and I locked all the doors in the house before I laid down. But when I woke up, a chair was by the front door and it was unlocked and hanging open. Allie must have figured out the lock." Her sobs became more pronounced. "I don't know how she managed, but it's the only thing that makes sense." She gripped his serge, her eyes frantic. "I can't lose my little girl, Gabe! I have to find her!"

Fear clutched Gabe's heart. Allie wasn't even two years old. The woods around the rowhouses were extensive. He could feel panic slicing through him. He loved Allie like she was his own. If anything happened to her, he would be devastated.

He shook the thoughts away, forcing himself into Mountie mode. "She's a small child, Colleen. If she got out on her own, she couldn't have gone far." He placed his hands on her shoulders, willing her to calm down. "Try to breathe, sweetheart. This anxiety can't be good for the baby."

Colleen laughed, but it was a desperate laugh. "Breathe? My daughter is missing! I can't just breathe!"

He tightened his hold on her. "You have to try. Allie and the baby both need you right now. We have to sweep these woods as methodically as possible. If you're frantic, you might miss something, Colleen. You have to calm down."

She stared at him, clearly torn. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as tears continued to pour down her cheeks. "Gabe…" she said, her words choked. She buried her face in his chest, holding onto him like a lifeline.

The sound of hoofbeats met their ears. Gabe looked up. Relief rushed through him as he saw Bill riding toward them. The older man reined in his horse, taking in Gabe and Colleen. "What's the matter?" he asked, dismounting quickly.

Gabe filled him in. Bill's eyes sharpened, looking toward the woods. "We need to spread out," he said, taking charge of the situation. "I'll take the woods to the left. Gabe, you take the woods to the right. If we don't find Allie in fifteen minutes, I'll organize a search party in town."

The fifteen minute limit seemed to distress Colleen. A whimper escaped her, but she nodded. Bill placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, then looked at Gabe. "If either of us finds her, shoot once into the air with your gun. We can meet back here."

Gabe nodded. Bill rode off, and Gabe looked at Colleen again. His eyes took in her state of dress. Though he understood why she wouldn't have gotten dressed before rushing to find her daughter, he wondered if she would be more comfortable waiting at home. "Colleen, why don't you head back to the house and get dressed? I'll find Allie..."

"No!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "Do you think I care about how I look right now? My baby girl is missing and I'm going to find her!" The characteristic stubborn tilt of her chin reminded Gabe of all the times she'd put her mind to something when they were younger. He wasn't going to win this battle, and quite frankly, he'd known it was a long shot to begin with. There was no way Colleen would allow him to look for Allie while she stayed home and twiddled her thumbs.

He smiled, despite the circumstances. It heartened him to see the old Colleen making an appearance. "Alright," he said, reaching down to take her hand. "We'll find her together."

With that, he led her into the woods. They walked quietly, their eyes searching the brush and trees. Every so often, Gabe called Allie's name. Colleen followed suit. Occasionally, a sob sounded from the woman by his side, but she continued on, determined to find her daughter.

The fifteen minutes was nearly up when a cry reached Gabe's ears. He stopped to listen. "Allie?" he called.

The cry was followed by a whimper. "Unca Gabe!"

His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging through him. "Allie! Sweetheart, where are you?"

"Fe' down!" she cried.

Colleen was looking around in all directions, trying to figure out where the little girl was. Gabe forced himself to focus. "Allie, keep talking," he called. "How did you fall down?"

"A wock twipped me." Her cries grew louder as Gabe made his way slowly toward the sound of her voice. "I in a howe."

A hole? Gabe stopped, his eyes scanning the ground. "What kind of hole, Allie?" he asked, needing her to keep talking.

"Big one," she said. Her voice seemed closer. Gabe dropped to his hands and knees, crawling forward now. When he reached the base of a large tree, his hand fell through some grass into a hole.

"Hand!" Allie called. She was right below him. Gabe pushed the grass aside. The sunlight filtered through the trees, illuminating a dirty and scared Allie looking up at him. Strong relief filled him. She appeared to be unhurt.

"Hey, sweet girl," he said soothingly. "I'm going to get you out of there, okay?"

She nodded, tear stains on her cheeks. Gabe looked back at the woods. "I found her!" he yelled. Colleen had been searching the ground ten yards away. At his words, she came running.

Gabe turned his attention back to Allie, laying flat on his stomach and reaching down to put his hands around the girl's small waist. "Up we go," he said, pulling her out. When she was back on solid ground, Allie clung to him, crying. Colleen fell to her knees beside them, pulling Allie to her and shedding her own tears of joy. Gabe held them both, his body weak with the knowledge that they could have lost Allie. He could only imagine how Colleen must feel.

She was currently pressing kisses all over Allie's little face. "My girl…my sweet girl," she murmured, over and over. Eventually, she looked up at Gabe, gratitude shining in her eyes. "You found my girl," she breathed. Before he realized her intent, Colleen kissed him full on the mouth, her relief expressed in physical affection. Gabe's heart began pounding for another reason entirely. The kiss wasn't long, but it was intense, leaving him completely rattled. Colleen's attention then turned back to Allie.

Gabe staggered to his feet. "I'll signal Bill," he said, his voice raspy. Colleen nodded, looking up at him with shining eyes. "Thank you, Gabe," she whispered, holding Allie tight.

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Not after that kiss. He shot once into the air. Allie jumped at the sound, starting to cry softly. Gabe holstered his gun and went back to his girls. "Give her to me," he said gently.

Colleen shook her head, holding her daughter tighter. "Not yet," she whispered.

Gabe insisted. "Colleen, we need to get her back home. We need to get you back home. Rosemary said you were sick today."

Colleen flushed. "Not sick, exactly," she said. "More like…well, I don't know how to explain it. Queasy, perhaps. My stomach has felt upset most of the day."

Gabe helped her up. "All the more reason to get you home," he said. "I'll carry Allie. You need to take it easy, love. You're getting closer to your due date, and stress can cause early labor."

Colleen relinquished Allie into his arms. "I'm sure I'll be fine," she said, walking close beside him. Gabe held Allie close in one arm and wrapped the other around Colleen.

"Be that as it may, I'll feel better when you're at home again resting," he said.

Colleen smiled, resting a hand against his chest. "Always the protector," she murmured.

Gabe resisted the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her until they were both breathless. Now that he'd gotten a taste of her, his resistance was growing weaker. He wanted to show Colleen just how passionately he loved her, but he knew that would be a foolish move. It couldn't be about his feelings. He had to consider her and all the emotional trauma she had been through. But someday, he hoped he could kiss her with all the love in his heart and know she returned the kiss because she loved him back.

Dealing with unrequited love was much harder than anything he'd experienced before.

They finally made their way back to the road, where Bill was waiting. His expression was one of relief when he saw Allie in Gabe's arms. The four of them made their way to the rowhouses in silence. Right before they made it to the steps of the Grant house, Colleen let out a cry.

Gabe looked at her in alarm. "What is it?"

She whimpered, placing a hand on her stomach. She clutched Gabe's arm, her breaths coming in quick gasps. After a minute, she looked up at him with wide eyes. "That felt like a contraction," she whispered, panic obvious on her face.

Gabe sprang into action. "Bill, go find Carson immediately. Then find Nathan and tell him to come home." He gently took Colleen's arm. "And ask Rosemary or Elizabeth if one of them can keep an eye on Allie until we figure out whether Colleen is in labor."

Colleen let out another whimper at the word labor. "I'm not ready, Gabe," she said. "It's too early!"

He wrapped an arm around her as Bill galloped off to fulfill his instructions. "It might be a false alarm," he said, trying to keep a soothing voice. "For now, let's get you into your bed. Maybe rest will keep the contractions away."

She nodded, her face pale. Gabe led her up the stairs and into the room she shared with Allie. Placing the little girl on her bed and giving her a book, Gabe then helped Colleen. He pulled back the covers and assisted her into the bed, tucking her in gently. She allowed it without protest, telling Gabe just how scared she was. He rested a hand on her stomach, feeling how firm and round it was. Just then, another pain seized her. He felt her stomach contract under his palm, shocked at how powerful it seemed. Colleen moaned, her head tilting back and her eyes squeezing shut. Gabe let her hold onto his other hand. She gripped it so tightly he winced.

He felt a momentary panic himself, but he tried not to show it. Right now, Colleen needed him.

He had to be strong for her sake.