Abigail, Cody, and Bill stopped by to pick up Elizabeth and Jack to take them fishing on the last day before school started. Bill and the boys were fishing by the stream while Abigail and Elizabeth sat in the shade on a blanket nearby, with Sunny lying belly up in the sunshine on a corner of the blanket next to Elizabeth.

"So, I can't help noticing that you and Bill seem…. closer." Elizabeth teased.

Abigail blushed. Then, looking at Elizabeth, she said, "The feelings have always been there, but my trust was the problem."

"What changed your mind?" Elizabeth asked, wondering if she could gain insight about Nathan.

"Henry!" Abigail said.

"Henry?" Elizabeth asked, shocked by her answer.

"He told me about the scheme with Nora, how estranged they had been, and even about Martin. Then Bill has proven himself over the years." Abigail said. "Being home again, the old feelings have strengthened again."

"Sooo, are you two courting now?" Elizabeth asked.

Abigail smiled and said, "Let's say we are close…. for now. He hasn't asked me yet, but I think Bill feels like he needs to prove himself a bit to both me and Cody."

"That is so sweet, Abigail," Elizabeth said with a soft smile as she looked over where the older man was talking to Jack. "So, if he were to ask, what would your answer be?"

"I actually talked to Cody already, and our answer would be yes," Abigail said, smiling, watching Bill with the two boys. Cody had been really excited at the prospect of Bill joining their family.

Looking at Jack and how happy he was, Abigail said. "I still can't get over how much he looks like his father, Elizabeth. He is such a good boy, and Jack Sr. would be so proud of him."

"Thanks, Abigail, though I don't think he would have been proud of the mother I have been," Elizabeth said sadly.

"Elizabeth, you can't go back and change anything. Have you made mistakes and hurt people as a result? Yes, you have, but you have begun making amends, and what you are doing about the mine and for the town, I know Jack Sr. would be proud, as will your son when he is older and understands." Abigail said she was glad for an opening to discuss the concerns that had been plaguing her and Bill lately.

"If it weren't for me giving Lucas a chance and courting him, maybe we wouldn't have been in the current situation. Maybe he would have moved on already." Elizabeth muttered.

"What matters now is how you proceed from where you are now. You and Nathan seem like things are going pretty well between you. So, tell me, where does your relationship with Nathan stand?" Abigail said.

"At this point, only friends, which I'm so thankful we have managed to get back to an easy friendship, but…." Elizabeth couldn't finish the sentence.

"But it just makes you want more?" Abigail said knowingly.

"Yes," Elizabeth said with a heavy sigh. "Though he did say that there was a possibility down the road for more, somehow, I think it's a small one. I can't say that I blame him because he doesn't trust me, and there's a good reason for that because I was stupid. I broke his and Allie's hearts callously and acted irresponsibly, even with my son."

"I heard some of it from the others, but I also gleaned a bit from what you shared in your letters. I sensed a desperation there that made me wish I had come back before now."

"Abigail, none of what happened is on you, and it's not on anyone else's shoulders but mine. I appreciate that you are trying to comfort me, but I've realized that not even grief can be used. I was afraid, pure and simple, and acted selfishly, only thinking of my needs. I had somehow lost myself along the way. Thankfully I'm back on the way to picking up the pieces of who I was, which was me before Jack died. The most important realization I came to was that to move forward, I need to be true to myself. That means facing those I've wronged and accepting any truths and boundaries they set. It also means allowing the feelings to be processed in their timing and not pushing my desires above theirs."

"That is a good start Elizabeth," Abigail said.

"Abigail, if you had seen how I acted out, you wouldn't want to be seen with me. I lashed out at him in front of everybody on more than one occasion, and then there was the whole conversation I had with him at the jail."

"The other night, I dreamt of allowing Lucas to spend the night with Jack and me. Of course, we slept on the floor, but I was in my nightgown, Abigail. Can you imagine me ever doing something like that? I could have lost my job over that, but I look back and wonder if it couldn't have been possible."

"Somehow, I don't think that you would have let it get there," Abigail said with a chuckle as Elizabeth shuddered in horror at her dream.

"Then there was one where I dreamt that I had agreed to marry him," Elizabeth said, giving another shudder. "Abigail, he never wanted to do anything with Jack, and I was so caught up in myself that I never noticed. Looking back now, I see that the only one who really sought out Jack was Nathan. But I think it has more to do with my son than me. Then I had a nightmare last night when a woman named Mei Sou came, and both Allie and Nathan were taken with her. Then I watched them get hurt when a man who claimed to be married to her came to town, but I woke up."

Oh, and I think the worst dream was I actually took Lucas's side over Nathan's when Lucas got into trouble. Spurlock had hit Nathan with a car, and in order to get Lucas out of trouble, Nathan would have had to let Spurlock go. I told Nathan that he should agree when he hesitated.

"Sounds like you have had a whole season of nightmares, Elizabeth," Abigail said with a smile.

"It certainly feels like I have dreamt two seasons of nightmares at this point," Elizabeth said. "Unfortunately, not everything I have thought about was just a bad dream."

Elizabeth was interrupted by Jack coming up with a fish in his hand. "Mama, look, I caught a fish."

Elizabeth jumped up, startled as he held it right up to her face in his excitement. At first, he looked at her in confusion, coming closer with the fish. In reaction, Elizabeth took an instinctive step back. When sensing a game afoot, both Abigail and Elizabeth saw a mischievous glint in the little boy's eyes and a smile that made him look just like his father. To the enjoyment of the others, Jack became even more insistent. "But Mama, don't you want to touch it?"

"No, it looks fine from here, Jack," Elizabeth said with a nervous smile. She looked at the others for help, but they all suddenly looked away. Elizabeth didn't miss the smirk on Bill's face and wondered if he had put him up to it.

"No, that's OK," Elizabeth said with a chuckle, taking a step back, not liking the look in her son's eyes. Jack advanced, and she retreated again with a nervous giggle. Suddenly the fish wiggled, and Elizabeth ran with Jack right behind, chasing her. His boisterous belly laughs were infectious, and even his poor mama couldn't help responding as she looked for help.

Nathan and Allie entered the clearing just in time to see Jack chasing his mother with the fish and her trying to solicit help from the others. Nathan and Allie looked at each other and then watched in amusement as Elizabeth was screeching and Jack was giggling. Sunny ran behind them, barking and occasionally tripping over her ears as they dragged. He could see that Elizabeth was enjoying the game because she giggled. But there was a desperation in her eyes that showed her aversion to being anywhere near that fish.

Spotting Nathan, she quickly ran up behind him and Allie, knowing they were the one thing to distract Jack. The Grant duo had looked at her amused as they saw the expression on her face.

Seeing Nathan standing there, Jack said, "Hey, Mountie Nathan, I caught a fish, but Mama won't touch it." To add to the effect, he added a pout, but the mischievous look was still there. Oh boy, Elizabeth, I hope you are ready for this next phase of parenting. It had seemed like yesterday that he had gone through it with Allie.

Nathan chuckled and then tried putting on his best Mountie face, which was not easy as Jack went to move past him with the fish. He could feel Elizabeth shudders and tighten her grip on his arms even though she giggled.

"Whoa, hold up there, partner," Nathan said, trying to hold back a grin. "Let me see your fish."

"You know Mama doesn't seem to want to touch it, Jack. But I bet she's proud that you caught your first fish." Elizabeth peeked around from Nathan's shoulder and nodded with a smile.

"Some girls just don't like to touch slimy stuff, but Allie does, don't you, Allie?" Nathan said, trying to distract the four-year-old from his mother.

"I sure do, Jack," Allie said, picking up the clue from her dad. "I like to touch all kinds of slimy stuff."

"That's because you're special, Allie and why you're my best friend," Jack said with a giggle as he held the fish up for her to touch. Allie, clearly touched, just hugged him, unable to speak. Then she made a great show out of touching the fish, to Jack's delight.

Nathan said softly, "That she is Jack," His eyes glistened as he glanced down at Elizabeth peeking out from behind him. He could see that she was experiencing the same emotions as him. He could feel her still gripping his arms tightly. Nathan struggled to stay focused as the tingles at her touch made his heart race. The four of them were in their own place as they stood there. It would have surprised Nathan and Elizabeth that if asked to describe what they felt in one word, it would have been HOME.

"Anyway, why don't you let me have it, and I can show you what to do next?" Nathan said. Jack proudly handed the fish to him.

As Nathan took it and started to turn, Elizabeth said, "Don't you even think about it, Nathan Grant." He turned to look at her peeking out from behind his arm and just smirked, brow raised. Elizabeth giggled and finally felt safe enough to come out from behind him. Then he laughed as she quickly went over, smacked Bill on the arm, and said, "You were a big help."

Elizabeth had gone back to join Abigail on the blanket nearby and watched Nathan, Allie, and Jack walk over to where Bill was. Nathan carried Jack's fish, and Allie walked beside Jack with an arm around him. It was the most beautiful sight she had seen other than when she first saw her son.

Abigail reached over, laughing as Elizabeth tried catching her breath and composing herself. "Welcome to the joys of being the mother of a boy."

Elizabeth laughed and said, "Did you see that look that he gave me?"

"I sure did," Abigail said. "Reminded me of his father when he was about to pull something. You know what else I saw?"

"No, what?" Elizabeth said.

"I saw a man in love with a mother and her son. I saw a woman who was just as in love with a father and his daughter. It's so obvious you love Allie as much as he loves Jack. It's nothing to do with them being your children. That is what makes it so beautiful, and I think meant to be." Abigail said. Seeing her doubt, Abigail said, "Do you remember what I told you when Jack left for Cape Fullerton?"

Elizabeth just shook her head. Abigail smiled and said, "If two people, or in this case four people, are meant to be together, then they will find a way back to each other."

Later they all walked back together with enough fish for a family fish fry. After checking with Abigail, Elizabeth turned to Nathan. "The least I can do to thank my Mountie for his heroic actions is to ask him and his sweet daughter to join my son and me for dinner." She gave him a playful smile and a mischievous twinkle. When he glanced over to Allie, he saw her and Jack giving him puppy dog eyes. He smiled, knowing there was no way he could pass up an invitation so sweetly asked. Without realizing it, Elizabeth was already recreating the dinner at the café that was stopped at the last minute.

"Well, I guess you have some dinner guests, Mrs. Thornton," Nathan said, offering his arm to her as they walked. Abigail and Bill had walked ahead to give them privacy while Cody ran off to find Robert.

The Grant Thornton families had no idea of the beautiful sight they made walking together toward the café with Sunny walking along beside them.

"Bill! Come here!" Abigail said as she observed from the window. As he came over, she asked, "What do you see?"

"Something that's long overdue and a welcome sight for these tired eyes. I see a family that was meant to be and a couple who love each other. In a word, I see HOPE!"

Abigail looked over at Bill in shock. "You wrote Hope on your ornament when Jack visited here for Christmas."

Bill said nothing but winked and headed back to the stove. Abigail wasn't fooled for a minute and raised a brow.

He responded saying with a grin, "I don't know what you are talking about,"

Abigail laughed and said, "Oh yes, you do, but I'll let it go." Then he shocked them both by kissing her on the cheek as he said, "Thank you, Abigail."