A/N This takes on 10/25 of October. The school has been underway, and the town has settled into a new rhythm.

Elizabeth woke up a bit early. Hearing her mistress stirring around, Sunny headed across the hall to her room. Elizabeth soon heard the sound of claws clacking against the wood as the puppy entered her room.

"Good morning, pretty girl!" Elizabeth said, putting on a robe, "Do you need to go out?"

She giggled as the puppy let out a soft bark and began jumping around in a circle. Elizabeth gave Sunny a quick scratch behind her ears before they headed downstairs. After letting Sunny out, she put on the coffee. Leaving the door open for Sunny to come back in, she threw some logs on the fire.

When the dog returned, she shut the door and headed upstairs to prepare Jack for the day.

The arrangement with Cat worked well, and Jack loved his Auntie Cat and Gabby. Cat was thrilled to be occupied during the day and have extra money coming in. The two three-year-olds kept her hopping, but she confessed to Elizabeth that she loved every minute.

After getting breakfast and the dishes cleaned up, Jack and Elizabeth headed to Cat's house, where Rachel was already waiting to walk with her.

"Good morning, Jack," Rachel said as Jack ran up and hugged her. "Gabby is waiting for you and Sunny to play."

Jack ran inside, excited to see his friend Gabby. As Elizabeth drew closer to the women, she saw that both Cat and Rachel were upset.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked.

"We got a letter from Gabe last night, and it felt like he was saying goodbye, Elizabeth," Cat said, tears in her eyes.

"Then yesterday's headline didn't help matters," Rachel added as she handed the paper to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth sighed as she could see why they were so upset. The battles were getting fierce, and recently news of the skirmishes involving the Canadian troops on September 27th reached Hope Valley. Gabe's unit had been tasked with crossing the Canal du Nord. An area that German soldiers dominated. It was impassable by tanks, so they had to rely on mass artillery and machine gunfire to suppress enemy fire so the troops could reach them. All the while, combat engineers had followed behind, improvising bridges to allow more supplies to support the infantry once they got there. It seemed like every day brought word of a new battle breaking out. On October 14th, the fighting resumed on the Flanders front when King Albert relaunched his offensive.

Looking at the headline, FIERCEST FIGHT YET! Elizabeth began to read. The article discussed a fierce battle that had begun again involving Gabe's unit, and she couldn't help thinking of the other boys, James and Bradley, who were also fighting in that unit. The article said that on October 18th, the Canadian corps pushed across the Canal de la Sensee. They captured Denain on October 19th, securing the flank for the push across the Selle. On that day alone, the Canadian corps were able to liberate 40 towns and villages that had been occupied since August 1914. Then in a surprising joint night attack in the early morning of October 20th, the Third Army formation secured the high ground east of the Selle. After further securing the left flank, the Canadians swept around the city of Valenciennes in the north. Following a two-day pause to bring up heavy artillery, the attack was renewed on the 23rd of October with a major combined assault by the First, Third, and Fourth armies. The battle is still being waged and is particularly fierce along the LeCateau-Wassigny railway.

"Oh, Cat, Rachel," Elizabeth said. "I know this is hard, but as I mentioned to Cat before, you have to pray and probably avoid the papers for a while. I went through the same thing when Jack was in the North. It seemed like there were headlines about the Mounties taking on mass casualties every day. It probably seems like I don't understand, but I do. Rachel, why don't you take today off, and you and Cat relax with the kids and Sunny? Laura and I can handle school today." Elizabeth suggested. "Keep Emily home, too, if she hasn't left already."

"She left with Allie and Opal 10 minutes before you got here. Let her stay unless she is too upset, then send her home." Cat said.

"I sure will," Elizabeth said. Then after hugging both women, she headed toward the school. As she neared the Mountie office, she noticed that Nathan was back from rounds. Knowing that Laura was at the school, she went to talk to him.

"Nathan, do you have a few moments?" Elizabeth asked.

"For you? Always." Nathan said. "What's wrong?"

Have you been keeping up with the papers lately?" Elizabeth asked as she sat down in the chair across from him.

"I have," Nathan said, "It's definitely getting intense over there."

"Yes, it is," Elizabeth said with a sigh. "Well, I just left Rachel and Cat, and they are really struggling, and they're worried sick. I'm really worried about them, too, Nathan.

"I've seen them in town, and I'm glad they have each other for support during the waiting."

"So am I, Nathan." Elizabeth agreed. "Cat said they received a letter from Gabe yesterday, and she said it was like he was saying goodbye," Nathan just looked at Elizabeth and waited for her to continue.

"Of course, I didn't want to say that he might have been telling her goodbye because I think he probably was." Nathan looked surprised at her comments as she went on to explain.

"Before he left for the northern territories, Jack left a letter for me with Abigail that if something should happen to him, she should give it to me. Needless to say, it was a goodbye letter. When we talked about what happened, he told me that men would always send letters home to their loved ones right before a big skirmish. He said it wasn't good to go into the fight with things left unsaid, and writing the letters helped them get focused on the mission."

Once again, Nathan was surprised at how much Elizabeth understood about being a Mountie, a soldier, or even a family member waiting at home. He also understood because Bill had a similar letter for Allie, Jack, and Elizabeth if something should happen to him. He had written it and given them to Bill after the failed prisoner transport. Though he and Elizabeth had gone through all the heartache, he could never bring himself to get it back from Bill because he meant everything he put in there, even now.

Elizabeth released a heavy sigh and said, "I wish I had listened to him when he told me to open my heart to love again. But that's just water under the bridge, though, at this point."

Nathan didn't say anything. He just sat there, letting her talk.

"Anyway, I came because if you get an opportunity, maybe you could stop by and check in on Cat and Rachel?" Elizabeth asked as she stood up.

Nathan came around his desk, put his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, and gently squeezed it. "I will check in on them later, don't worry."

Nathan walked Elizabeth outside, where they said goodbye before she headed for the school. As he watched her walk away, he was reminded of the day she welcomed him, and it brought a smile to his face. She walked with confidence that made her skirt sway side to side and made her curls dance. Even though he couldn't see her face, he knew she would have a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes.

He was brought out of his daydream by Bill handing him a handkerchief, "you need to wipe the drool off your face,"

Nathan blushed, embarrassed to have been caught looking at Elizabeth. But Bill wasn't finished teasing and said, "Should I come back later after you stop daydreaming about Elizabeth?"

"Very funny, Bill!" Nathan said, rolling his eyes and pushing the handkerchief away. "What can I do for you?" Nathan turned and went back inside to sit at his desk.

"I was bringing you the case docket for the next week so you can plan ahead." Bill said, handing him the schedule."

Nathan glanced at it briefly as they discussed a few of them. "Thanks, Bill," Seeing that Bill wasn't making a move to leave, he raised a brow.

"What did Elizabeth want when she was here?" Bill asked, not even trying to hide his curiosity. "Are the two of you finally done playing around?"

"We aren't playing around, Bill. We are simply taking it slowly. As for what she wanted, she came by because she is worried about Cat and Rachel and how they are taking the news. She asked me to go by and check on them when I get a chance. Gabe wrote a battle letter, and they got it yesterday."

Nathan didn't need to explain about the battle letter because he already knew.

"I'll make a note to stop by myself, too. Those can be hard to receive, especially with all the fighting happening." Bill said.

"I'm sure Elizabeth and the Montgomery's would appreciate it," Nathan said.

"I heard that the wood supply for the school is getting low as well. Do you think you could take care of it later today?"

Nathan eyeballed Bill noting there was a certain look in his eyes that usually meant he was up to something.

"Of course, Bill," Nathan said.

"I guess I should get going then," Bill said, heading towards the door. "I'll let you get back to daydreaming about Elizabeth."

"Bye, Bill," Nathan said firmly, clearly exasperated. With a smirk and a wink, Bill walked out the door.

Bill smiled as he walked back to his office, knowing that Elizabeth was staying late at school to work on some projects. She would be all alone and have a bird's eye view of a certain Mountie chopping wood. It wasn't often that he went along with Rosemary's matchmaking schemes but this idea he was completely on board with.

Later that day, Elizabeth was finishing up with some grading when she heard the sound of someone chopping wood outside. Her heart started pounding as she immediately pictured Nathan in her mind from the last time she saw him chopping wood for the jail though he wasn't aware of it. Watching that man do anything had become her secret delight and torment. She stood up and walked to the window when she heard whistling. To her shock and delight, it was none other than Nathan out there chopping wood.

Thinking that everyone was gone, he took off his serge and carefully laid it over the banister. Elizabeth was frozen in place as the memory of the day she had warmed his serge replayed in her mind. Suddenly the room felt really warm, and Elizabeth began to fan herself. 'Why is it so hot in here?' she thought.

As she continued to watch, she noticed how his muscles rippled and pulled his Henley taught across his well-defined chest. 'There's that stubborn curl again, just flying free. Elizabeth thought with a smile. No matter how much Nathan tried to push it out of his eyes, it would only fall back down. She allowed herself to wonder what it would be like to be free to go down there and brush that lock back and then capture his lips in hers. She had been dreaming of it since she returned from Hamilton. What would it feel like to have him deepen the kiss and….

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes?" She said with a sigh.

Nathan looked at Elizabeth in amusement, wondering what had her so enthralled. She was brought out of her thoughts as she realized that Nathan had called her name. To her mortification, she realized that Nathan had caught her thinking about him though hopefully, he didn't know it.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Nathan asked.

"Um…. Well, I just…." Elizabeth was scrambling for words as a blush turned her face red. She couldn't help but notice that his serge, though on, was still unbuttoned, which wasn't helping.

Nathan just raised a brow in question. "I'm just thinking about some stuff I want to do," Elizabeth said, finally able to form a thought. "What brings you here?"

"Bill asked me to come by this evening and chop wood for the school," Nathan replied as he started buttoning his Serge.

"What are you still doing here?" Nathan asked.

"I had some papers to grade. When I have essays, it's easier to do if I don't have Jack around. Now that he is older, he wants more attention after not having me during the school day. However, it is easier now that we have Sunny." Elizabeth said. "I'm done for the day, so I should be getting home to Jack."

"I'm finished, too, so why don't I walk home with you?" Nathan said.

"That would be very nice, Nathan," Elizabeth said shyly. The walk home was comfortable as Nathan told her about his conversation with Bill and his talk with Cat and Rachel. Both of them felt the ease that had become more evident the more they got to know each other.

As they neared the row houses, Allie came running up with a string of fish in her hand. "Dad, look at the big fish I caught today."

"Wow, Allie! Those fish are huge," Nathan said. "Looks like there's more fish there than we can eat in one meal."

"Why don't we share with Mrs. Thornton and Jack?" Allie suggested. "Mrs. Thornton, you should come and taste the fish that Dad makes. It's his best dish if you ask me."

Nathan looked at Elizabeth and said, "Well, what do you say?"

"Jack and I would be delighted, Allie. Thank you for the invitation to dinner. I just have to drop off my things and get Jack. I have an apple pie that I can contribute to the meal."

"Apple pie is Dad's favorite," Allie said with a smile. "If you want, I can pick up Jack, and he can help me with the fish. He seems to really enjoy it,"

"You know, Allie, I think Jack would enjoy that. Just let Emily's mom know that I said it was okay." Elizabeth said though Nathan saw her shudder thinking about the process. He chuckled as he recalled that day jack chased her with the fish.

Nathan went on to his house to change and begin dinner preparations while Elizabeth put her stuff away and grabbed the pie. Dinner that evening was a lively affair, and they enjoyed a relaxing evening at home. Later Nathan and Allie walked them home after the dishes were done. The kids lay in the field looking up at the stars while Nathan and Elizabeth sat on her steps with a cup of tea, watching their children and enjoying the quiet contentment.