Elizabeth was walking back from her private library date with Lucas. He had offered to walk her home but she felt like being alone with her thoughts. She was relieved that she had chosen a suitor. But even Elizabeth knew that her head ha chosen Lucas, not her heart. But for the time being, she was on cloud nine. She looked at the sky and noticed that there would be rain coming soon. As she got closer to the row house, Laura ran toward Elizabeth.
"Mrs. Thornton!" Lauara said with a terrified look.
"What's wrong?" Elizabeth said with a concerned look on her face.
"It's Little Jack. He's gone" Laura cried.
"What?" Elizabeth cried.
"I was playing with Little Jack on the floor. I went to check on dinner. I turned my back for a minute and when I turned around, he was gone. The door was opened. I've been looking for him and I saw you coming. I'm so sorry Mrs. Thornton" Laura cried.
"It's okay Laura. He couldn't have gotten far." Elizabeth said
Hearing the commotion, Rosemary came out from her house.
"What is happening?" Rosemary asked
"Jack is missing" Elizabeth cried.
"Oh dear!" Rosemary exclaimed.
"Don't worry. We will find him. Come inside, both of you"
Rosemary called for Lee.
"What happened?" Lee asked
"Little Jack is missing" Rosemary said
Rosemary sat with Elizabeth on the couch. Elizabeth didn't know what to do. She couldn't loose Jack. Her only connection to his father.
"I'll call Nathan" Lee said picking up the phone.
Nathan will be the last person who wants to help me, Elizabeth thought.
Nathan was sitting in his office working on the last of his paperwork. Nathan got up from his desk and looked out the window. The lights were on in the library. Elizabeth and Lucas were having a private date celebrating her book and their new relationship. Nathan had been living in shock since yesterday. Elizabeth had come by his office to see him. She had told him that she loved him, but was not in love with him. Nathan would have been fine if she had stopped right there. Instead, she told him that she was looking for Jack in him. This crushed Nathan. She wasn't interested in him but was only looking for a replacement for her deceased husband, like he wasn't his own person.
Nathan finished his paperwork. He was about to turn off the light when he received a phone call. Nathan picked up the receiver.
"Nathan, it's Lee. Little Jack is missing. Come over to the row house" Lee said
"On my way" Nathan said.
Nathan walked out of the Mountie's office and jumped on Newton. Nathan saw the sky and saw that it was going to rain soon. Nathan loved Little Jack and would do everything in his power to find him.
Nathan rode out to the row house. Lee explained that Laura had been watching the young child. She turned her back and Little Jack walked out the door. This had been about three hours ago. Nathan didn't like that time period. Three hours is a long time. Why didn't Laura call him earlier? Those questions would have to be answered at a later time. Lee was going to take his car and search the town, while Nathan would go out into the fields to look for him.
"I want to come" Elizabeth told Nathan
"No. You need to stay here" Nathan told her.
"He's my child and I want to help find him" Elizabeth said
Why was this woman so stubborn? Nathan thought.
"I don't have time to go back and get you a horse" Nathan said
'I'll ride with you then" Elizabeth said
Knowing there was no sense in arguing with her, he agreed.
Elizabeth mounted herself on the horse and Nathan gave Newton the order to go.
"Jack!" Elizabeth screamed as they trotted along.
"Jack" Nathan called out.
"I will never forgive myself if something happens to him. He is all I have left of Jack" Elizabeth said to herself.
Nathan did not want to care about how Elizabeth feeling, but he felt bad for her. If something happened to Allie, that would be his last connection to Colleen.
As they were near the old Mines, Elizabeth called out Jack's name again.
"Mommy" a voice from inside the mine cried out.
"Jack. We're coming." Elizabeth yelled.
Nathan dismounted Newton first and helped Elizabeth down. Nathan led Newton to the entrance of the mine and told him to stay there.
"Jack!" Elizabeth shouted out again.
"Mommy!" Jack cried out.
"He's over there" Elizabeth said
There was Jack. Sitting on the ground crying. Elizabeth ran over to him and scooped him into her arms.
"Thank God you are safe" Elizabeth cried as she held Jack. Nathan smiled and was glad Jack was safe. Suddenly, there was a rumble and rocks began falling.
"Run over there!" Nathan said as he covered Jack and Elizabeth.
After a few moments, there were rocks piled in front of their way to get out.
"We're stuck!" Elizabeth cried out.
Nathan inspected the rubble and rocks. He took off his serge and gave it to Elizabeth.
"This will keep you both warm. The rocks can be moved. It's going to take time but we'll be able to get out." Nathan said as he began to move the rocks.
Elizabeth nodded and rocked Jack.
After about an hour of silence, Elizabeth walked over to the rubble and moved some rocks.
"I can help" Elizabeth said
Nathan shrugged.
"Thank you for helping find Jack. I know that you are angry with me right now but I'm glad you came" Elizabeth said
"I would never let anything happen to Little Jack, no matter how angry I am with you" Nathan said.
"So, you are angry with me" Elizabeth said quietly.
Nathan stopped moving rocks.
"Yes, Elizabeth. I am angry with you. How would you feel if someone came to you to tell you they weren't in love with you and oh, by the way, you weren't anything but a replacement for my deceased husband" Nathan said angrily.
"I didn't mean it like that" Elizabeth said
"Yes you did. All you did was see the red serge and morph Jack and I into one. We are separate people, Elizabeth. I would have given everything up for you. I love the Mountie's but I love you more" Nathan said
Elizabeth didn't say anything and went back to sit on the ground.
Nathan was halfway through the rubble when he heard a quiet voice.
"I was scared when I thought you were almost shot. I went back to that moment when I heard Jack was coming back. But as I was standing there, all I could think about is how you wouldn't be around and all the things that were left unsaid. When I saw you and hugged you, that was supposed to be the moment I tell you everything. But instead of following my heart, I followed my head and got scared. If I lost you like I lost Jack, I don't think my heart could take it. Instead of facing that fear, I turned to the safe choice. A man who could give me a life without a worry. But the more I think about it, the more I realized that is not the person I am. I know that you and Jack are different people. You both have different qualities that I love" Elizabeth said.
Nathan didn't say anything. He took in her words. What was she trying to say? Nathan just kept moving the rubble. He didn't want to get caught up in Elizabeth's web, again
Nathan had finally removed enough rubble for them to get by. Nathan led Elizabeth out while she was holding Nathan in his red serge.
"I think this mine might have magical powers" Elizabeth said
"What do you mean?" Nathan asked
"This is where Jack and I declared our love for each other. I was scared to be with a Mountie back then too" Elizabeth said
Nathan saw the rain and saw that Elizabeth saw the rain and they both stopped. Nathan took the blanket off the saddle and draped it around Elizabeth.
"I once told Clara that if I had to do this whole thing over with Jack, knowing the outcome, I would do it again in a heartbeat. And I can't believe it, but I have fallen in love with another Mountie to do this all over again with." Elizabeth said
Nathan was shocked.
"Really?" Nathan asked
"I've been listening to my head and not my heart. In his last letter, Jack told me to open my heart again. I'm ready to open my heart again. And I want to open it again with you, if you'll have me" Elizabeth said
Nathan smiled and stepped toward Elizabeth and kissed her. Not wanting to wake Jack, he did not kiss her with the full passion he would like to, but it was enough for now.
"I love you Nathan Grant" Elizabeth said
"I love you Elizabeth Thornton" Nathan said
THE END
