That evening, Bill joined Gabriel and Billy for dinner. Gabriel had told Billy about the judge coming to dinner ahead of time so it wasn't a surprise. Even so, Billy was quiet while he helped Gabriel get dinner ready. Usually, the boy told Gabriel about his day with Maggie and Gabriel found that he missed the chatter. Knowing that a difficult conversation would be coming up after dinner, Gabriel did not push the boy to talk.

Bill arrived shortly before six. Knowing that Billy still did not feel at ease with Judge Avery, Gabriel answered the door and greeted their guest. Though neither man mentioned it, both Gabriel and Bill noticed that Billy had moved his chair closer to Gabriel's, thus putting him further away from Bill. The boy was quiet while the three of them ate, allowing Bill and Gabriel to carry the conversation. When they were finished eating, Billy moved to start clearing the dishes. For the first time since sitting down to eat, Gabriel spoke to Billy.

"The dishes can wait," Gabriel told him. "There is something we need to discuss."

The color drained from Billy's face as the boy sat back down. The reaction concerned both men, though Gabriel was the only one to react to it, as he slid his chair closer to Billy's.

"You are sending me away, right?" Billy asked, in a resigned and deflated tone. As he was looking in Judge Avery's direction, Bill knew that he was the one the boy was directing the question to.

"It is time to talk about a permanent place for you to live, yes," Bill told the boy. "I would like your input as the decision concerns you."

"The other judges just told me where I had to go," Billy replied.

"Well, I am not those other judges," Bill replied. "I want you to be somewhere that you won't feel like you need to run away again. Do you have an idea of what kind of place that might be for you, Billy?"

"I like where I am," Billy replied, the words not much more than a whisper.

"Do you mean in Brookfield or specifically with Constable Kinslow?" Bill asked.

Though he had one hand resting on the back of Billy's chair, Gabriel remained quiet. He knew the judge was trying to get Billy to request to stay with him as the request would look better on the paperwork.

"With Constable Kinslow," Billy said quietly looking down at his hands. "He's been kind to me even after I bit him. He didn't have to. He could have just passed me off to someone else but he didn't."

Gabriel looked over top of Billy's head at the judge. Bill gave him a nod.

"Billy," Gabriel said, looking down at the boy. "You understand that I'm going to be marrying, Miss Walsh, right."

Billy nodded.

"The plan is for me to be the one to move," Gabriel told him. "Miss Walsh and I plan on building an extension onto the house to give us an area of our own, but it'll still be part of the orphanage. If you stay with me, eventually you will be moving out to the orphanage, and I know you still are uneasy out there."

"I understand," Billy said, looking up at Gabriel. "It would be different though. I'd still belong to you. I wouldn't be there alone. I'd be safe. As for Miss Walsh, if you love her, she must be a good person. I'm starting to trust her. I'm just not there yet. If you kept me, I would listen to her and respect her, for your sake if nothing else. The same with Miss Bennet and Ms. Winters."

Gabriel nodded. "Then I think we can make it work, Billy. As long as all the paperwork goes through, you can stay with me."

"Really?" Billy asked in disbelief, as he looked from Gabriel over to Bill.

Bill gave the boy a nod and a smile. "I'll need to file the paperwork, and there is still a chance of it not being approved," he cautioned. "However, your great-grandmother is okay with the arrangement, which will help. As she's the only family member who has shown any interest in your well being, her approval will go a long way. I will do what I can do to make sure Constable Kinslow's petition for guardianship goes through."

"Thank-you," Billy said the words barely a whisper. "You really aren't like the other judges, Judge Avery," the boy added, before turning to Gabriel and putting his arms around him.

Quickly getting over his surprise at Billy's actions, Gabriel wrapped the boy in a hug. He knew there was paperwork to start filling out so the whole process could get started, but right then what mattered was the boy in his arms. Gabriel planned on holding onto Billy until the boy pulled away. He might not be able to make up for the lack of affection the boy had seen these past four years, but Gabriel planned on making sure Billy would not simply feel safe but loved while in his care.

Even as Gabriel comforted the boy, all the things that would need to get done ran through his head. Expanding the living quarters for the next few months would not be worth the paperwork with the force for a few months. Giving the way things worked, he and Lillian would be married before anything got approved any how. For now, he would see about building a frame for a mattress and putting up a curtain to give Billy a bit of privacy. A chest for his things would be good as well. He would check with Tess about buying the mattress. Billy would need to be enrolled in school though before he started, Gabriel wanted the boy to have more than two outfits, one of which really was only serviceable for play clothes and so his other outfit could be washed. The Wolfs' offer of hand me downs would prove to be helpful though that would mean a trip to Hope Valley. Perhaps Billy could even talk to his great-grandmother on the phone while they were there.

Tonight though, there was the paperwork that needed to be filled out so that Bill could get the whole process started.

A few days later in Hope Valley, Elizabeth sat on the settee with her back against the armrest, cushioned by a pillow and her sore feet up on the cushions. She had essays from the children in her lap as she read the assignments. In an effort to be more comfortable, she had removed her shoes, and though that helped some, her swollen feet were still protesting. Every day she weighed the choice of continuing to teach with taking leave until after the baby came. The winter days were long, tiring and cold, but Elizabeth knew that staying home with just Jack for company during the days would make the days seem even longer. Besides, the fact that Nathan had arranged for either Lucas, Lee or Jesse to drive Ally and herself to and from their home outside of Hope Valley to the little school house outside of town helped a lot. Despite her protests, Elizabeth knew that walk in the cold while pregnant would be long, tiring and as Nathan pointed out, potentially hazardous due to the snow and ice that lingered as January had given way to February.

Looking from an essay to Little Jack, who was sitting on a blanket on the floor, playing with the farm animals, Nathan had carved for him. Yes, her three-year-old was making the chickens moo instead of cluck, and the sounds from the cows sounded more like the baas from the sheep, but her three-year-old was having fun. Time would correct the mistakes and right now Elizabeth just wanted him to have his fun.

A crash from the kitchen brought Elizabeth out of her happy reprieve. If she could move faster, Elizabeth would have been halfway to the kitchen already. As it was she hastily tucked the papers aside as called out "Ally!"

Her thirteen-year-old daughter was immediately in the doorway between the kitchen and the sitting room. "Everything is fine. Don't get up," Ally told her.

The flour covering Ally's apron, shoulders, face and hair gave Elizabeth some idea of the source of the noise. "Do you need help?" Elizabeth asked, not for the first time that afternoon. Ally had wanted to cook dinner tonight as Gabriel was coming with the boy he was taking in.

"No. The mixing bowl just slipped out of my hands while I was mixing the dough. I'll need to start again but I promise, I'll clean everything up once the pot pie is the oven. You keep on relaxing. You did extra cleaning and have worked all day today. I don't want dinner to be too late. I know Mr. Gabe and Billy will be hungry when they get here."

"All right," Elizabeth consented, still thinking she should give the girl a hand. However, she was tired and now that her worry was subsiding, the ache in her feet was reminding her just how pregnant she was.

Elizabeth settled back into her reading as Ally disappeared from sight. She returned to her grading as Jack's chickens mooed their way around the little farm yard that Jack had 'fenced' in with his building logs.

With no more ominous sounds from the kitchen, Elizabeth got through several essays before hearing the front door open.

"Is that you, Nathan?" Elizabeth called out.

"Yes," came the reply. A short time later, Nathan walked into the room in his red serge, minus hat and gloves. His face was red from the cold. "Hello, Elizabeth," Nathan said as Jack abandoned his animals and hurried toward Nathan with a happy 'dad'.

Nathan greeted Jack as he picked the boy up. Jack gave Nathan a kiss on the cheek as Nathan made his way over to Elizabeth. Holding Jack securely with one arm, Nathan braced himself with the other hand against the back of the settee as he leaned down to kiss Elizabeth.

"How are you feeling?" Nathan asked as he straightened up. With Jack still in his arms, Nathan moved to the fireplace to warm up some.

"Tired and my feet are sore," Elizabeth confessed. "However, my daughter is in the kitchen making dinner for us and our guests, Gabriel is coming with Billy, and my husband is home safely. It's a good day. How was yours?"

"Boring and cold," Nathan told her. "In my books, that is a good day."

Elizabeth smiled. She started given Nathan more details of her day as Nathan let the fire warm him up. After a bit, Jack squirmed to get down. When Nathan complied the little boy went back to his farm animals.

Eventually, Nathan felt warmed through and he moved from the fireplace back to the settee. Reaching it, he lifted Elizabeth's feet and sat down resting his wife's feet in his lap. Silently, he began to massage one of them.

Elizabeth sighed. "That feels good."

"Your ankles look more swollen today then other days," Nathan commented after a few minutes. "Are you sure you're not overdoing?"

Elizabeth smiled. She liked being cared for though sometimes she couldn't help but feel a bit smothered by Nathan's good intentions. She had to admit that it was a good problem to have over being scared and lonely like she had been during her pregnancy with Little Jack.

"Getting the room ready for Gabriel and Billy and the extra cleaning may have been a bit tiring," Elizabeth conceded. "However, that is all done and the weekend is only a day away. I promise to do a lot of resting this weekend and my checkup with Faith is on Monday afternoon. I promise if she suggests that I stop teaching until after the baby comes, I will listen."

"Fair enough," Nathan conceded, as he continued to massage Elisabeth's feet.

"I hate to suggest it, as that feels good, but wouldn't you like to go change out of your uniform."

Nathan shook his head. Though it was usually one of the first things he did when he got home, today was different. "Gabriel asked me to be in uniform when I meet Billy. Given the boy's past, apparently he is uneasy around people, especially men. However, Billy's father was a Mountie. There is a chance that is why the boy started trusting Gabriel in the first place. The hope is that the uniform might help Billy feel more at ease with me and hopefully in the house."

Elizabeth nodded. Bill had filled in the gaps that Gabriel hadn't put into his telegrams to Hope Valley.

"I'm glad that Gabriel took that boy in. He's had such a hard childhood," Elizabeth commented, her eyes drifting to where Jack sat on the floor with his toys.

"Both Ally and Jack have lost a lot, but they always had someone to look out for them and they always will, no matter what happens."

Elizabeth nodded, her hand going to her round stomach. Despite its restlessness earlier, the baby was quiet now, though Elizabeth could sense he was all right. She smiled at the thought. Everyone was convinced she was going to have another boy except for Ally. Ally insisted she just knew she was going to get a baby sister. Though part of her wanted another son, for the most part Elizabeth hoped that this baby was a girl for Ally's sake. Either way, she knew the baby was coming into a family filled with love and that was the most important thing.

Time continued to tick by in the Grant's household. Elizabeth went back to trying to grade the essays. Nathan continued the foot massage for a while and eventually Elizabeth could honestly say there was only a dull ache in her feet.

Eventually, Nathan moved from the settee to check on Ally. The girl had gotten the pot pie in the oven and was working on cleaning up the kitchen.

"Would you like some help?" Nathan asked her standing in the doorway.

Ally glanced over at him and shook her head. "You'd get flour all over your uniform," she insisted. "I'll be fine."

"I will take care of the dinner dishes then," Nathan told her. "I appreciate your help, Ally."

"You're welcome," Ally said, beaming at Nathan's subtle praise. "Besides, I want to show Mr. Gabe that I can cook pot pie without him now."

"I'm sure he will be very impressed," Nathan told her as a knock sounded on the door.

Ally's smile turned to a look of panic. "Dinner isn't done yet. I was hoping it would be ready before they got here."

Nathan glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's still a little early for it to be Gabe, even if they made good time, so relax," he told her, turning from the kitchen to get the door.

Walking through the sitting room, Nathan was happy to see that though Elizabeth had stopped her reading, she hadn't tried to get up yet. He did notice however, that she was trying to cover her stocking feet with a throw blanket. Reaching the door, Nathan opened it to find Lee and Rosemary standing there. Though no longer right next door, the Coulter's had moved to an adjacent property and their home was visible from the back of the Grant home. The fact that both Lee and Rosemary were wearing smiles told Nathan that whatever brought them to his front door was not something to be concerned about.

"We know you are expecting company but we have something we wanted to share with you and Elizabeth," Lee stated after an exchange of greetings.

"Come on in," Nathan said, stepping aside. "Elizabeth is in the sitting room."

Lee and Rosemary stepped inside. Not intending to stay long, neither removed their coats as the headed for the sitting room. Nathan closed the door behind them and followed.

"Hi Rosemary. Hi Lee," Elizabeth greeted. "What is going on?"

Lee motioned for Rosemary to do the speaking. "I had an appointment with Carson today and he confirmed what I was suspecting but was afraid to say out loud. I'm pregnant. Carson said I'm almost three months along."

"Oh, Rosemary!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I'm so happy for the both of you," she said, knowing how much Rosemary longed for a child of her own. Adopting Bridget and Ivy had made her a mother, but she had confided with Elizabeth that the longing was still there.

Elizabeth moved to get up and give her friend a hug.

"No, don't get up," Rosemary told her, closing the distance and leaning down to hug Elizabeth. "In a few months, I'll know exactly how you feel and I hope others will be considerate to me."

Elizabeth laughed as she hugged her friend.

"Congratulations," Nathan told Lee, shaking his hand.

"Thanks," Lee replied.

"Did I hear the word pregnant?" Ally asked, coming in from the kitchen.

"You did," Rosemary replied. "Bridget and Ivy are going to have a younger sibling not much younger then your new sister or brother," she told the girl.

"That's great!" Ally said. "I'd hug you but though the kitchen is cleaned, I'm still covered in flour."

Rosemary laughed. "That you are."

"As no one else is, I take it there wasn't a flour fight," Lee commented.

"No. Just me being clumsy," Ally replied. "I need to go get myself cleaned up. Congratulations Mr. And Mrs. Coulter," the teenager said before disappearing. Footsteps could soon be heard going up the stairs.

"And we should go before your guests arrive," Rosemary said. "I just needed to share the news."

"I'm glad you did," Elizabeth told her.

The Coulters left soon after and Elizabeth asked Nathan to go upstairs and get her slippers. She had no desire to put her shoes back on even though guests were coming. She knew Gabriel wouldn't say anything.

Ally was cleaned up, back downstairs and had her pot pie staying warm on top of the stove when there was another knock on the door. Nathan and Elizabeth were on the settee while Allie was on the floor playing with Jack.

Elizabeth and Ally both looked to Nathan as he got to his feet.

"Wait here," Nathan told his family. "We don't want to crowd, Billy."

Getting to his feet, Nathan went to the door again. As expected, Gabriel was standing on the front porch now, his arm around the shoulders of a young boy. Nathan could see immediately how frightened the boy was, as he pressed himself against Gabriel's side.

"Hello, Gabe," Nathan said, refraining from giving his friend a hug right then for the child's sake.

"Hello, Nathan," Gabe replied. "This is Billy. Billy, this is my best friend, Nathan Grant."

"Hello, Constable Grant," Billy said quietly.

Nathan knelt down so he wasn't towering over the boy. "Hello, Billy," he replied, holding out his hand. "My wife and I are happy to have you visiting with us," he said.

Tentatively, Billy reached out and shook Nathan's hand briefly before letting go.

Nathan got to his feet and addressed Gabriel. "Elizabeth and the children are in the sitting room," he told Gabriel. "Why don't you and Billy go in and say hello and warm up a bit before dinner. I'll take Apollo out to the barn and get him settled and bring in your things."

"Thank-you," Gabriel replied.

Gabriel ushered Billy into the house as Nathan grabbed his gloves before heading outside to take care of the horse.

Gabriel praised his god daughter's chicken pot pie, which had Ally beaming all throughout dinner. Though they tried not to put Billy on the spot, the Grants did try to make Billy feel included. By the time they were eating dessert, Billy had relaxed quite a bit, though everyone could tell he felt uneasy.

Nathan was just finishing his pie when there was a knock at the door. "I wonder who that is," Nathan commented, wiping his mouth with his napkin and sitting it down on the table as he got to his feet.

Opening the door, Nathan found himself face to face with Billy. The former Mountie was bundled up and Nathan could see a fair amount of gear on his horse.

"What is it?" Nathan asked.

"Are Gabriel and Billy here already?" Bill asked.

Nathan nodded. "They got here about an hour ago. Why?"

"A telegram came in from Union City. Ned delivered it to me as it was urgent. Union City is getting a snow storm. They are reporting white out conditions and it is headed this way. I told Ned to let the towns further away in the storm's path to know when it hits us. I've got Jesse making sure everyone near town is alerted to it. I need help getting the word out to others in the surrounding area. People should be home but I want to make sure they know to stay put."

"Of course," Nathan replied. As he and Bill were discussing the areas they would each cover, Gabriel joined them at the door.

"Do you need my help?" Gabriel asked.

Both men's first instinct was to say yes. However, Bill and Nathan were both aware that Billy had moved from his chair and was standing in the doorway to the dinning room to keep Gabriel in sight.

"I'd feel better if you stayed here with Elizabeth and the kids," Nathan said, nodding his head toward Billy.

Gabriel glanced in Billy's direction and nodded his head in understanding.

"I'll go saddle Newton for you while you get supplies and say good-bye," Gabriel said.

"Thank you," Nathan said.

"Billy, do you want to come out to the barn with me?" Gabriel asked.

Billy nodded.

"I'm going to head out and get started," Bill told him. "I'll let Lee and Rosemary know about the storm. Be careful."

"You too," Nathan replied.

Bill left and while Gabriel and Billy bundled up against the cold Nathan made his way back to the dining room to let Elizabeth and Ally know what was going on.