NEVER FORGET

CHAPTER 17 HOPES OF SOMETHING MORE

SATURDAY BEFORE CEMETARY

Of all the times to get hurt on the job, this took the cake, Nathan thought. He had planned to go tonight and maybe ask Elizabeth to dance. Spending time with her, working side by side, felt good, and he began hoping for a chance. Recalling Allie's questions and answers yesterday, along with his feelings, began to create an urge to take a chance. Something about the dance tonight seemed very important to him. However, he woke up with a fever and chills. Allie had come to check on him and then ran out, saying she would get help. He heard the door close, and then 5 minutes later, it opened again. He initially thought it was a dream, but Elizabeth appeared in his doorway concerned.

Nathan barely registered that she was there before he felt a cool hand on his brow as she checked for fever. "Nathan, you are burning up," Elizabeth said in an alarm going to the basin to get him some water. Then helped him sit up enough to drink some water. As he lay there, he could hear Elizabeth rummaging around, and then he heard her return. Nathan opened his eyes to see her wetting a cloth and then felt the blissful coolness on his forehead.

"Allie came to get me to sit with you so she could get Faith," Elizabeth said, seeing the question in his eyes.

She cupped his cheek, and he didn't think he had felt anything so soft. He fell into a light doze to Elizabeth wiping his face and arms with the cool cloth. Nathan awoke to Faith probing his arm where the bullet had grazed him.

He looked over and saw that Elizabeth was assisting Faith, and based on how big her eyes got as the wound was revealed, it was infected. "Nathan, was this bothering you last night?" Elizabeth asked.

"It was twinging a bit last night, but I just thought it was because of the swelling pulling on the stitches.

"You didn't check the dressing as I told you to?" Faith asked.

"I fell asleep before I could, and I figured I would do it this morning," Nathan said sheepishly.

"Well, now, it is infected and has become serious, Nathan." Faith said, wincing as she saw it was draining. "I have to debride the wound and clean it up, which will not be pleasant for you, I'm afraid."

For the next hour, Faith, with Elizabeth helping, cleaned and redressed the wound. By then, he was in a lot of pain and felt like someone had put a hot poker through his arm. Elizabeth got some water for him and put it on the bedside table, and Faith gave him an injection of pain medicine.

"I'll be back later to check on you, Nathan," Faith said, picking up her bag and heading downstairs.

"I have to head over to the cemetery for the graveside service Nathan, but I hope you feel better," Elizabeth said, slipping her hand into Nathan's and brushing her other one down his cheek. Seeing that he had fallen asleep, Elizabeth placed a kiss on his cheek. Deep in thought, she stared at him quietly for a few moments before bending and whispering in his ear. She wouldn't have had the courage to do it while he was awake, but she was getting there. Then realizing the time, she turned quickly and left, missing the smile that briefly appeared on his face as he slept peacefully.

Faith was waiting downstairs for Elizabeth so they could walk together. "Elizabeth, may I be frank with you?"

"Sure, Faith," Elizabeth said a bit nervously. Seeing that Faith was just as nervous, she added, "I know I have been unreceptive in the recent past, but over the past four months, I hope that has changed." Elizabeth said.

"Oh, it has," Faith said with a sigh of relief. "I, for one, am relieved. I want to talk to you about Nathan. Before you say anything, let me finish before you do?" Elizabeth nodded.

"You and I have been close friends since my first days here. I'm sure there were times that I made you nervous about Jack early on. I know that you are aware that Nathan and I attempted to see each other romantically and that we kissed a couple of times." Elizabeth suddenly became very uncomfortable. She had avoided the conversation just because the thought of Nathan kissing another woman hurt. The fact that Faith had been on the receiving end of his kisses was hard to bear.

However, Elizabeth knew they had every right to pursue a romantic relationship. She had given up any right to Nathan when she had spurned him for Lucas.

"Faith, please, really, it's not my business what happened between you and Nathan. Neither of you owes me any explanation. I don't have any right to say anything about what happened. I promise you." Faith interrupted before she could finish.

"Elizabeth," Faith said exasperated, "Please let me finish?" Faith put her arm through Elizabeth's at her nod, and they began walking again. "I know the last thing you want to hear about is that the man you love tried to move on. But Elizabeth, it was just that. He tried. He couldn't. He kissed me, and it was all wrong for us."

Elizabeth sighed and said, "I appreciate what you are trying to do, Faith. But this whole conversation is a bit uncomfortable for me. I would rather we left it unspoken, to be honest."

"I'm not trying to cause you pain or hurt our friend Elizabeth. However, this has to be said because of where you and Nathan are headed. I don't want you to ever wonder about what happened between us or imagine there was more when there wasn't. If I were in your position, there would be times it would be an insecurity for me. We both realized that we were confusing rebound feelings for true ones. Does that make sense to you?"

"It does because it was what I was doing with Lucas. Unfortunately, in my case, I kept trying to force the scenario, hoping that maybe genuine feelings would result.

"I suspected as much as I watched you. Lucas never made you light up like Jack always did. You always had an air of desperation in your eyes, even when smiling. Those of us who truly know you could see it." Faith said.

"I made such a fool of myself, Faith, in front of the town and turned into something I couldn't even stand to look at in the mirror. I will say that I am not a fan of kissing bearded men." Elizabeth added, shuddering before the women broke into giggles.

"Are you ready to stop running from Nathan?" Faith asked out of the blue. Seeing Elizabeth's blank look, she said. "Elizabeth, there's something you need to be aware of. Remember we talked about how Jack made you light up?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said, wondering where she was going. "Well, the whole town has noticed a glow about you again, and your smiles are reaching your eyes. They noticed a certain tall, dark, handsome Mountie is responsible."

Elizabeth blushed and put her hands up to her face, embarrassed and a bit panicked. "Is it that obvious, Faith?"

"Oh, yeah, you are pretty much wearing your heart on your sleeve. However, you are not the only one showing those symptoms," Faith said slyly.

"Nathan?" Elizabeth said excitedly.

"Oh yeah, but he is just as afraid, if not more than you are, but he is definitely willing to move forward from the friendship. Elizabeth, if you want this, you must be bold and make the first overture."

"There were a few times I almost did, but I'm afraid of ruining what we have and pressuring him. I've never pursued a man, and I wouldn't even know what to do."

"Well, Fiona and I had some ideas if you are ready to make your feelings known. Because this will be the only chance you get, you need to be sure you are ready?" Faith said, raising a brow.

"Oh Faith, I have been ready since Nathan and I first talked, and I found out you weren't a couple," Elizabeth said, chuckling. Faith joined in with a chuckle of her own and then outlined the plan, which Elizabeth thought was brilliant, and she couldn't wait to put it into action.

As they reached the cemetery, Bill and Gabe walked over to the pair inquiring about Nathan. "He has a bad infection, which I was worried about. We debrided the wound, and I gave him something to help him sleep, but I'm afraid we will need your services a bit longer with the fever. I may have to open it fully if the infection doesn't show improvement over the next 24 hours. There is a lot of swelling that has put pressure on the sutures. Nathan will require frequent dressing changes and close monitoring throughout the next few days. Gabe, can you spend the night with him, and maybe I can set up a rotation during the day."

"How long do we need a Mountie for?" Bill asked gruffly.

"I would say that it takes at least a week until his wound has a chance to heal and won't reopen if he has to ride." Faith said. With the swelling, there is a lot of stress already on the sutures, and a wound as deep as his will require a longer recovery time if I have to do wet-to-dry dressing changes. But the good news is we probably caught it early enough that it is confined to the wound and not traveling."

"I'll make the call, Kinslow, so there won't be any mix-ups. The last thing I need is them to send some wet behind the ears Mountie barely out of the academy." Bill said gruffly before walking over to where Abigail was.

"I think he is warming up to me," Gabe said to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth laughed and winked. "Well, since he hasn't thrown you in jail yet, I would say that he at least tolerates you." Gabe chuckled at her comment and then offered his arm. Elizabeth took it, a grateful look in her eyes, and they walked over to where Joseph was waiting to start. Unbeknownst to the others, Nathan, not wanting to miss the ceremony, had snuck over and was observing the service from afar.

Jack immediately came over to stand with his Uncle Bill and Uncle Gabe. They had left Sunny at home because of the seriousness of the occasion. Gabe looked down at Jack and could see that he was feeling sad. Without hesitation, he reached down and picked him up as he had often seen Nathan do. At the boy's smile and brief hug, Gabe was reminded of Jack Sr.

Gabe had served with Jack and knew that it would still be emotional for her though Elizabeth had come a long way in healing from his death. They had had previous occasions where they spoke of Jack and his time in the North. It had been hard for him to see how much she had changed from the warm woman he knew her to be. Between her letters to Jack to the many conversations they shared when he and Jack shared a tent, he had come to know her. No one knew of the few letters she had sent Gabe when Jack mentioned he hadn't received any mail. During the last five months before the end of the conflict, she sent care packages to both of them and wrote letters. That was something that he had never mentioned to Nathan. But maybe it was time that he did.

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