Elizabeth sat quietly in the arm chair. She had cleaned up the table. The wooden box of pictures sat on the table, as she was unsure where to put it. She had wrapped the scrapbook for Ally and placed the gift under the tree for now. After that, she had retreated to the arm chair to wait for either Ally to wake up or Nathan to come home.
The former happened first and Elizabeth sat up a little straighter as Ally opened her eyes.
"Mrs. Thornton, what are you doing here?" the sleepy girl asked, confused at seeing her teacher. Elizabeth did not blame her.
"Judge Avery had to go into town," Elizabeth replied easily. "So I came out to stay with you."
"Is my Dad all right?" Ally asked, her concern quickly chasing the haze of sleep away. The girl pushed herself up into a sitting position.
"Your Dad is fine," Elizabeth assured her, getting to her feet. She knew she had to explain some of what had taken place to the girl, but she wasn't sure how much she should say and what she should leave to Nathan. Elizabeth also realized that she did not know the whole story herself. She did know that Ally knew that the Mounties were looking for her biological father and that Nathan was concerned about him showing up. "There was an incident in town, Ally," Elizabeth began kneeling next to the settee so she could face Ally. "I do not know all the details, but your biological father was involved. He was shot. Dr. Shepherd was trying to save him when I came here. Your Dad is fine though. I saw him and talked to him."
"Did Dad shoot my biological father?" Ally asked.
"I do not know for sure Ally, but I do not think so," Elizabeth told her, reaching for Ally's hands. "Your Dad was trying to stop the bleeding from the gunshot wound when the others and I came out in the road."
"Is Judge Avery going to put Dad in jail for real this time?"
Elizabeth shook her head. No matter what had happened, Elizabeth could not see Bill having Nathan arrested in connection to the shooting. Not right before Christmas and not after what Ally had already been through.
"I do not think so," Elizabeth replied. "Everything is going to be okay, Ally."
Ally nodded. "I do not care that my biological father was shot. He never cared about me so why should I care about him. However, I hope Dad was not the one who shot him even in self defense. It would just be something else that Dad would blame himself for even though it was not his fault."
"I hope so too, Ally," Elizabeth said, reaching out to pull the girl into an embrace. Elizabeth knew she needed the comfort of the hug as much as she hoped the gesture would be a comfort for Ally.
Elizabeth knew that Ally was right. Even if Nathan had shot in self defense, he would still feel guilty. Seeing Nathan's reaction to the Mountie getting shot in the prisoner transfer told her that much. Then there was the way Nathan had felt about Jack's death.
Yes, she had been angry at first that Nathan had not told her his connection to Fort Clay but she had meant it when she said she did not blame Nathan. Nathan had done what he had thought best in the situation he had found himself in. He had no control over his superior's reaction to that choice. He had not asked to be taken off of the training assignment that Jack had taken. It was not Nathan's choice that Jack had taken his place. Nathan had no way of controlling whether or not the landslide happened.
Yet, Nathan had still felt responsible for Jack's death. Elizabeth had been able to deduce that without Nathan saying so directly. It had been that guilt that had led him to Hope Valley so that he could look after a fallen brother's widow and son. What could be more noble than that?
As for not telling her, Elizabeth had come to terms with that as well. Nathan made a good point when he had said there was never a good time. It would not have been something you could easily bring up out of the blue. She had never bothered asking about Nathan's previous assignments. If she had, she truly believed he would have admitted to serving at Fort Clay. Perhaps he would have needed to be pressed to admit the connection to Jack even then, but the opportunity would have been there for her to ask questions and Nathan to provide answers. Or perhaps he could have worked it in when asked if he had known Jack, but Nathan had not lied when he answered that question. He had not known Jack. He had never met him. Jack was simply a fellow Mountie whom Nathan felt guilt over his death because Nathan felt that it should have been him, rather than Jack who had died that day.
Elizabeth could not imagine carrying a burden like that. She could hardly blame Nathan for having a hard time talking about it and yet, she had forced him to, in a very public manner. Though Elizabeth did not regret pressing Nathan for those answers, she did regret how she went about it. She should not have shouted at him in the middle of the street, during Bill's ceremony. That had been disrespectful not only to Nathan but Bill as well.
Holding Ally tightly against her, Elizabeth vowed to be a better friend to Nathan no matter what. He had faced the scrutiny of a town that did not want a replacement for Jack, in order to come watch over her. She truly believed Nathan had never intended to fall in love with her, but when he had, he had still treated her with respect. He had never forced her to do something she was not comfortable with. He had not used grand gestures to impress her. Nathan had simply been himself and offered her his heart. Even after she had chosen to let Lucas court her, Nathan had still been respectful. He had offered his help when appropriate and respected her choice.
Even if Nathan could never trust her with his heart again, she knew he deserved a better friend in her than she had been to him this past year.
Bill stood in respectful silence as Nathan had spent a few moments with his brother-in-law's corpse. It was a bit of closure that Bill knew Nathan would need. When Carson had asked if Nathan had next of kin information, Bill was not surprised when Nathan had told Carson he would inform Parks parents about their son's death and be in touch with further arrangements for the body. When Faith had suggested that Nathan let her or Carson examine him just to be sure he was all right, Bill had chimed in with his support of that idea. Nathan had consented to letting Carson examine him while Faith and Bill waiting on the other side of the curtain. Other than some bruising already appearing on Nathan's back, Carson gave the Mountie a clean bill of health.
Now, Bill walked in silence beside his friend. He was at a loss for words. This was not how Bill had anticipated this situation ending but part of him thought it was for the best. Dylan Parks was no longer a danger to his daughter and brother-in-law. He had paid the ultimate price for his crimes.
Bill recalled his sighting of Jack Sr. following Nathan into town and then Lucas' account of seeing a figure in red serge during his struggle with Dylan over the gun. Perhaps it had been the divine handing out justice tonight.
"What were your plans for tomorrow, Bill?" Nathan asked as they walked down the road going past the row houses.
"I have my god son's birthday at two o'clock and then I was going to the school concert tomorrow evening. Why?"
"I feel like there should be some kind of memorial for Dylan for Ally's sake. He may have been a horrible father to her, but he was her biological father. I think even if she doesn't realize it, she needs to say good-bye. She needs closure. I think even I need closure on some level. His parents will probably have a proper burial, but I have no intention on traveling for it."
Bill nodded. "I will talk to Joseph tonight. The two of us can come up with something. Will one o'clock work for you?"
Nathan nodded. "Thank you, Bill."
Bill reached out and put a hand on Nathan's shoulders. "Whatever you or Ally need, Nathan, I am right here. Just ask. Even if that asking is in a haphazard fashion, I will be there."
Nathan simply nodded again.
"I know a man died tonight. A mother and father lost a son. However, right now I just feel relief. Relief that Dylan Parks can no longer hurt Ally like he did Colleen. Relief that Colleen finally got the justice that she deserved."
"Those are perfectly valid feelings, Nathan. You do not need to grieve Park's passing. Not after everything he put you through. The fact that you are respecting the feelings of his parents and his connection to Ally is enough. You are treating Parks with a dignity that I am not sure he deserves but which I know will let you keep your self respect."
Nathan took those words in with silence. As they approached his home, he looked over at Bill. "Could you tell Lucas that we are doing the memorial? Only he can decide if it will help him with his own feelings, but he should know about it."
"I will take care of that," Bill assured him.
Nathan nodded and then headed up the steps and entered his home.
"Dad!" Ally cried out before Bill had even had a chance to follow Nathan through the front door.
As Bill stopped inside, Nathan was wrapping his arms around Ally as Elizabeth moved from where she had been sitting beside the girl.
"Thank you for not putting my uncle in jail tonight, Judge Avery," Ally told him. She was looking at him from over Nathan's shoulder. "I need him here with me. He is the only Dad I have ever really known."
"Your Dad did nothing wrong tonight, Ally. He handled himself with dignity in a tough situation. You should be proud of him, because I am," Bill told the girl.
"I am too," Ally said, not letting go of Nathan.
"Unless you need me to stay, Nathan, I am going to go. Faith will be here in a few hours to help care for Ally tonight but I think you and Ally need a little time alone."
"We'll be fine, Bill," Nathan replied, the words slightly muffled as he had his face hidden against Ally's hair. "Can you make sure Elizabeth gets home safely?"
"I will," Bill replied, not bothering pointing out that it was something that Nathan did not need to ask him to do. The fact that despite everything he had been through tonight, Nathan had remembered Elizabeth, spoke volumes about how Nathan felt about Elizabeth.
Bill waited for Elizabeth to get her coat on. He then escorted the woman from the house.
"What happened tonight, Bill?" Elizabeth asked, as she walked next to Bill. The older gentleman had an arm wrapped around her shoulders as he held her close to him.
"Parks surprised Nathan and Abigail in an attempt to get to Ally so he could use her for leverage for money and safe passage out of the area. While Parks was distracted, Lucas jumped him and attempted to get the gun away from the man. The gun went off in the struggle. Parks did not make it, Elizabeth."
Bill felt a shudder go through the woman. He held her a little tighter as they continued to walk.
"At least Lucas, Nathan and Abigail are all safe," Elizabeth stated.
"I will second that sentiment," Bill replied.
"Bill, this might sound silly but I think Jack's spirit might have been looking out for people tonight," Elizabeth said quietly. "When I got outside tonight, I swear I saw Jack briefly standing near Nathan. I know it sounds crazy and I would just dismiss it as nerves except that when Little Jack went missing he insisted that his Daddy told him to stay in one place until someone found him. Do you think Jack might actually be looking over us? I know it sounds crazy."
"Not as crazy as it would have sounded to me this morning," Bill told her. "When Lee and Nathan were leaving this evening, I thought I saw Jack Sr. following Nathan myself. Like he was going with Nathan to protect him. Lucas says he thought he saw a figure in red serge during his struggle with Dylan over the gun. Of course Lucas is attributing it to shock, but perhaps Lucas was not the only one trying to get control of that gun tonight."
"Jack said he would be looking over me the rest of my days in his final letter to me," Elizabeth told him. "I have a feeling he would not be so proud of some of my behavior of late if that is so."
"Even so, Jack would have still loved you through it all. Just like I have, Elizabeth," Bill told her.
"Jack wanted me to find love again. Instead, I have been running from the love that is real. The love that feels like a piece of yourself is gone when that person goes. The kind of love that I shared with Jack."
"It is never too late to stop running, Elizabeth," Bill told her.
"Do you think Nathan still loves me?" Elizabeth asked, turning her head so that she could look up at Bill.
"Despite everything he went through tonight and the task he faces with telling Ally that her biological father died tonight, Nathan still asked me to make sure you got home safely. That sounds like a man who still cares to me."
"Do you think Jack would approve of Nathan?"
Bill paused. He thought of some of the dangerous situations that Nathan or Elizabeth had faced over the past few years. There was the time that Dixon had held Elizabeth hostage in the saloon. There was the day of the windstorm. There was the prisoner transfer that Bill still could not understand how it wasn't Nathan who had been shot. Then there was tonight, that easily could have gone so differently.
"Risking sounding like I am losing my mind, I am actually starting to think that you and Nathan might have a guardian angel. I think that Jack protected Nathan for your sake tonight Elizabeth. So yes, I think that Jack would approve of Nathan," Bill told her. He paused a moment before adding, "and if it means anything to you, so do I."
"That means a lot to me, Bill," Elizabeth told him.
After Bill and Elizabeth left, Nathan had picked Ally up and moved to the armchair with her. With Ally in his lap, Nathan simply held his girl close. Dylan may have played a part in creating her, but Nathan knew that Ally was his girl. She had been since the moment that Colleen had passed away.
"Ally, I have something to tell you," Nathan eventually said. He was not sure how long he had been sitting simply holding her.
"Mrs. Thornton said that my biological father had been shot. Did he die?"
"Yes," Nathan replied. "Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Carter tried to save him, but they couldn't."
"I am sad he died but I am relieved that it was him and not you. You were there for me when he left me. He never loved me but you do. I love you, Dad."
"I love you too, Ally," Nathan told her.
"Was he trying to hurt you again?"
Nathan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Protecting her from things was one thing. Lying to her was something else, and not something he was going to do. "I can't say what his intent was. Perhaps he would have left us both alone if he had gotten the money and the safe passage that he wanted."
"And if he did not get those things? Would he have hurt us then?"
"Yes, Ally. I believe he would have. However, that did not happen and you want to know why it did not happen?"
Ally looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. "Yes."
"It did not happen because the people of this town are looking out for us, Ally. Tonight, Mr. Bouchard took advantage of your biological father being distracted to get the gun he was pointing at me away from him. It was during that struggle that the gun went off and your biological father was shot."
"Is Mr. Bouchard all right?"
Nathan nodded. "He is. He is kind of shook up about what happened, but he will be all right once he has time to process everything."
"So, Mr. Bouchard saved your life?" Ally asked.
"He did," Nathan admitted.
"Perhaps it is time to forgive him like I have Mrs. Thornton," Ally stated.
Nathan smiled. "I think Mr. Bouchard would appreciate that very much, Ally," Nathan told her, remembering Lucas' admission that he had done what he did for Ally's sake.
Ally looked over at the table where, Lee had piled the things he had brought from the party. "Hope Valley is a special place. I am glad we came here, despite how things turned out," Ally said. "I know we both had some heartache recently, but the fact that everyone is trying to make Christmas special for us despite my accident makes up for it in a lot of ways."
"I could not have said it better myself, Ally," Nathan told her, as he held her close against him.
Despite the fear and uncertainty of the last couple of weeks, Nathan had a feeling this was going to be a very special Christmas after all.