Reaching the row house occupied by Weises, Gabriel knocked on the front door. It was answered almost immediately by Walter. To Gabriel's surprise, Walter only opened the partway, though he did invite him inside right away. Stepping inside, Gabriel saw a worried looking Opal sitting at the table. No one else was in sight right away.

"Sorry about the door," Walter said before Gabriel could ask any questions. He waved a hand toward the wall that would be behind the front door if it was open. "We have not been able to convince her to move," Walter said quietly.

Looking in the direction Walter had motioned to, Gabriel spotted Byrony huddled under the coat rack. The little girl still wore her winter coat and mittens, though her hat and scarf were sitting on the floor beside her. Melissa Weise was settling back on the floor next to the little girl, having moved so her husband could open the door.

Walter dropped his voice further as he spoke to Gabriel. "Byrony huddled under the coats the moment I brought her an Opal home this afternoon. I could not convince her to move and I did not think picking her up and moving her was the way to handle it. I am thinking that like the closet, that spot is making her feel safe somehow. The only words she has said were, it is my fault. When Melissa came home, she got Byrony to let her take the hat and scarf off. Neither of us could get her to explain what is her fault. I am assuming it has something to do with Ally's accident."

Gabriel nodded. The man had good instincts with not picking the girl up and moving her no matter how awkward Byrony's safe spot was for the rest of them. Taking off his campaign hat, Gabriel sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Byrony. He placed the hat on the floor beside him as he addressed the girl. "Hello, Byrony. I came like I promised," Gabriel told the little girl.

Byrony looked at him with a tear stained face and more tears in her eyes. "Are you going to arrest me?"

"Why would I do that?" Gabriel asked softly, knowing that he needed to know what was going through this little girl's head before he could properly deal with the situation.

"Ally got hurt because of me. I was distracting Mrs. Thornton."

Melissa gasped at the confession. Gabriel's gaze flickered to the woman briefly to see tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Byrony, you did nothing wrong," Melissa told the girl softly in a shaky voice, one hand still resting on the girl's back. Gabriel had a feeling it was resistence on Byrony's part that kept the woman from gathering the girl in her arms.

"Mrs. Weise is right," Gabriel said softly. "Ally's accident could have happened even if you were not talking to Mrs. Thornton. It is a terrible thing that happened but no one is at fault."

"Anna is blaming herself because she dared Ally to walk the log," Opal said from the table.

Gabriel looked back at Opal. It was clear that Opal had been crying as well.

"Opal, come sit with me," Gabriel instructed gently.

The girl slipped from the chair and headed toward them. While waiting for Opal, Gabriel held his arms out to Byrony. The younger girl finally moved from her spot and went to Gabriel's open arms. Gabriel settled Byrony in his lap, and when Opal sat down next to him he put an arm around her shoulders.

"I know what happened at recess today was scary for everyone that was there, but it was no one's fault," Gabriel told them gently. He looked down at Byrony. "The fact that you were talking to Mrs. Thornton did not contribute to Ally's accident. Mrs. Thornton is use to being aware of multiple groups doing different things."

"She told the kids to be careful by the pond right before she sat down to speak to me," Byrony said. "She may have paid more attention to them if not for me."

"If Mrs. Thornton thought she was needed elsewhere more she would have gone. That is the thing about accidents, they happen in a split second. There is nothing anyone can do to stop him."

"I don't think Ally was going to take Anna's dare until Mrs. Thornton gave her warning," Opal supplied.

"Are you saying you blame Mrs. Thornton for Ally walking the log?" Gabriel asked.

Opal shook her head. "Ally still could have said no. I told her to just ignore Anna but she said she could do it."

"Walking a log is always a challenge but that is the thing about humans. We like to take challenges. To see if can accomplish something hard. It is what leads to innovations but sometimes, it also leads to making bad choices."

"So, Ally made a bad choice?" Byrony asked.

"Yes," Gabriel replied. "However, that does not mean we should blame her either or not feel sympathy for her. She needs our prayers and our friendship more than ever right now. No one is at fault in this situation. We simply need to be there for one another and for the Grants. Ally came through her surgery but we still do not know what kind of recovery she has ahead of her."

Still in Gabriel's lap, Byrony looked over a Mrs. Weise. "You don't blame me do you?"

"Of course not, sweetheart," Melissa replied.

"Do you still want me to stay?"

"Yes," Melissa replied without hesitation.

"Even though I have not been cooperative this afternoon."

Melissa reached out to take one of Byrony's hands. "Sweetie, like Constable Kinslow said, I am sure what happened was scary for all you children. I was scared and I was not there. You could have broken every plate in my cupboard in your fear and I would still want you."

"And you won't change your mind?" Byrony asked.

"I will never change my mind," Melissa told her.

"Neither will I," Walter chimed in.

"I like having a sister," Opal supplied.

Byrony looked up at Gabriel. "I think I want to stay, sir," the little girl told him.

Gabriel smiled down at her. "That is going to make Miss Lillian and Miss Grace very happy," he told her, glad that he would have some good news to tell his wife in the telegram he planned on sending her. He would also need to tell her his intent to stay in Hope Valley for a few days. Even without the threat of Dylan Parks finding his way here, Nathan needed him for a few days. He planned on staying at least until Carson said Ally had a good chance of recovery. Longer if Nathan needed him.

Elizabeth moved the spoon languidly around in her bowl. She had eaten very little of the soup. Rosemary had even warmed the soup up for her once.

"You are not eating," Rosemary commented sympathetically as she sat at the table sipping a cup of tea.

Lee was sitting on the floor with Jack and the building logs. Though his original plan had been to stay at the café, Jesse had suggested Lee come wait with Rosemary and Elizabeth in case he was needed. Jesse had promised to bring word as soon as he heard anything. After eating, Lee had appointed himself Jack's entertainer, trying to distract the little boy who clearly understood that his mother was upset. The little boy was showing Lee where to place each log. Lee patiently placed each log where he was told, though no discernable structure was being created.

In response to her friend's comment, Elizabeth scooped some of the meat and noodles from the liquid and put it in her mouth. Not that she really tasted it, though she was sure it tasted fine. Rosemary was a fine cook. However, Elizabeth did chew it a few times and swallowed.

There was a knock at the door. Elizabeth felt her heart jump into her throat. Was it news about Ally?

"I will be right back, Jack," Lee told the boy getting to his feet.

Unfazed by his partner disappearing, Jack picked up a log and attempted to fit it together with the other ones himself.

Reaching the door, Lee opened it to reveal Bill standing there.

"Come on in," Lee said, motioning Bill into the house.

"Do you have news?" Elizabeth asked. She could hear the desperation in her own voice. For someone who had claimed not to be in love with Nathan, her feelings right now seemed to contradict that. More than anything she wanted to be at Nathan's side through all of this but she knew she did not have that right. Not after what she did.

Bill looked at Elizabeth as he spoke. "Ally came through the surgery all right. Carson said she is stable right now. He will not know what her recovery will entail until she wakes up. I figured people would want to know that she is at least over one hurdle though."

Elizabeth sank back in her chair. Ally had survived the surgery. The girl was still holding on to life. She felt relief at that news though her heart still hurt for Nathan. What would the days and weeks look like for him?

The memory of him leaving the clearing with Faith and Ally came back to him. She supposed that he would have Faith there offering him comfort. The fact that he would not be going through this alone should make her feel relieved. The image of Faith by Nathan's side did not bring her any relief though. She felt something else. Was it envy? Did she envy Faith for being able to be by Nathan's side through all this when she couldn't?

She couldn't be. It was not Nathan who broke things off with her. That had been her choice. She had chosen Lucas over Nathan. Nathan had every right to socialize with whom he wanted to.

Elizabeth looked back down at her soup. Lifting some in the spoon she held, she took a bite. If she was eating perhaps no one would ask her if she was okay or how she felt. She wasn't okay and she did not want to talk because all she felt was turmoil. As she ate, Elizabeth was aware of Lee stepping outside with Bill.

Standing outside of Elizabeth's house, Bill looked at it. His heart ached for Elizabeth just as much as it ached for Nathan and Ally. He had heard the desperation and pain in Elizabeth's voice when she had asked for news. This accident would have affected her with any of her students, but this went beyond this. This reminded Bill of how Elizabeth had been when Jack had been in the Northern Territories. She had jumped at any bit of information. She had gone to the mercantile hoping for a letter. Yes, it had been worse when she had gotten news of Jack's death but Bill knew what Elizabeth was afraid to admit to even herself - Elizabeth loved Ally like a daughter and she loved Nathan.

At first, Bill had not been in favor of the match. He had not wanted Elizabeth to go through the fear and uncertainty that came with being involved with a Mountie. He had hoped the two would remain friends. However, he had slowly seen the attraction build between the two of them. He had watched Elizabeth start to heal through her interactions with Ally and Nathan. He had gotten to know Nathan and as he had, Bill had started to root for the union.

If only Bouchard had stayed wherever he had disappeared to last winter. Bill felt certain that Elizabeth would have been able to come to terms with the fear that loving Nathan caused her if Lucas had not confused her more. If he had not offered her a way to hide from the chance of getting hurt so deeply again.

Accept that denying those feelings had not protected her from feeling hurt through all this. All it was doing was alienating her from offering and accepting comfort.

"What is going on, Bill?"

Lee's question brought Bill back to the more immediate need.

"I need your help with something," Bill said, looking at Lee. "The Mounties sent word that they had a prisoner escape this morning. That prisoner happens to be Nathan's brother-in-law."

"The one who tried blackmailing him last spring?"

"That would be the one. There is no indication that he is coming to Hope Valley but giving the current situation, Constable Kinslow and I are withholding the news from Nathan until at least tomorrow. However, I want some help keeping a look out for this guy. Can you gather some of the men and have them meet me at the saloon in an hour? I want to make sure that as many people as possible know exactly what this guy looks like and knows to let me or Constable Kinslow know if they do spot him."

"You got it," Lee said without hesitation. "How dangerous is this guy?"

"As long as no one confronts him, we do not think the general public is in danger. However, he and Nathan have history that goes beyond last spring. Ally is vulnerable right now and given that he asked for money to go away the last time and Nathan's concern for her safety, Dylan does pose a danger to Ally and therefore Nathan. Nathan will do anything Parks wants if Ally is in danger."

"Well we just can't let that happen," Lee said, confidently. "I'll start rounding up as many men as I can find as soon as I let Rosemary know what is going on."

"Thank you," Bill replied. As Lee headed back into Elizabeth's home, Bill started down the little row of homes, wanting to spread the news of the successful surgery and of the meeting to the families that were at home.

Darkness had fallen by the time Dylan Parks found a hunting cabin to provide some temporary shelter. Knowing that people would anticipate him heading for Hope Valley to confront his brother-in-law who had sent him to jail, Dylan had headed in the opposite direction of that little town. The horse he had stolen from one of the Mounties he had escaped for had been left at a livery in the first town south of Union City. Dylan had taken another horse and then changed directions. He was hoping the Mounties would continue searching south for him.

He did intend to settle things with Nathan Grant. He'd had enough of his do-gooder of a brother-in-law. They had never understood one another. That he could have tolerated. Nathan's interference in his marriage to Colleen had been something he could not tolerate. So what if he had hit his wife on occasion. She had given him reason too. Colleen's fall down the steps had been an accident though he had been able to tell that Nathan did not believe that. Nathan would have made trouble for him and so he had left.

More than once, Dylan had wondered what tales Nathan had told Ally about him. Not that he really cared. He had never wanted children to begin with. He had wanted Colleen to give the baby up for adoption. Colleen had refused. It was one of the few things his wife had stood up to him about so he had relented. Nathan was welcome to her.

However, he still needed money. He needed a way to disappear, now more than ever. The key to accomplishing that was Allison. Dylan knew that if he could get a hold of that girl then his brother-in-law would do anything he asked. Dylan also knew he could not rush right to Hope Valley. He needed to let the search for him die down a little first and then strike when people had started to let his guard down.

Until then, he would lie low in hunting cabins. The cabins were kept stocked with food and as long as he did not remain too long in any particular one, he should be able to go unnoticed for the next week or so and then he would make his way to Hope Valley. Perhaps he could time his arrival in the little town for Christmas. You were supposed to be with family at Christmas time, after all.