OK, yes, I know. It is technically 12 little letters, but they are all four-letter words, so that counts, right? And I just had to write it, I couldn't help myself.

I really look forward to seeing the new relationship develop once we know what it is, and I guess this is my attempt at reassurance that things will unfold the way I dearly wish them to.

Hold Your Hand

He felt like he needed to pinch himself, could barely believe what had just happened, but if it was a dream, he didn't want to wake up. Even though he'd been unable to give up on her, it still felt a little surreal that Elizabeth had finally chosen him.

It had been quite the few days in Hope Valley; Rosemary had been scared into falling from her horse by the Pinkertons, and decided to re-start the town newspaper, Jesse had been found after going missing on the mountain, Elizabeth was in a tug-of-war with the board of education, and that was just the start of it.

Florence and Ned had also recently gotten married, and Elizabeth had taken the opportunity at their reception to tell him she didn't blame him for Jack's death. Nathan hadn't been expecting the conversation, and the relief he'd felt in her words had driven him to reach for her hands. To his surprise she had accepted his gesture in the moment, and their joined hands had seemed to bring them both comfort in the resolution of this outstanding matter between them.

Since that night, their relationship had undertaken a significant shift, with the synergy between them clearer than it had been in quite some time. Nathan had felt freer than he could recall being in a very long time, and Elizabeth seemed to have regained some peace, with her countenance appearing calmer and more steadfast than it had been for a while now. Moments they'd shared felt natural, comfortable and open, with no secrets left between them to cause reservation or resentment.

Lucas and Elizabeth were no longer seeing each other, and that lightened his heart even further. He'd noticed a distance growing between them over time, initially thinking it might be wishful thinking on his part. Then he recognized they definitely weren't spending as much time together, and that even when they were together, they still seemed separate from each other. At the wedding, they'd sat together in church, but he didn't see them together once at the reception. Then Lucas had made comment about him not pressuring Elizabeth, before she'd asked him to step outside.

With things so busy around town, and him up and down the mountain looking for Jesse, he and Elizabeth hadn't had as much of a chance to speak as he would have liked. However, that had finally changed and now he knew she had finally made the choice to be with him. Even though this was the outcome he had been hoping and wishing for, Nathan also appreciated that this journey had not been an easy one for any of them. So, whilst they were both certain in their decision, he also wanted to acknowledge the gravity of the road they had travelled, and the value they placed on their relationship. There were so many misunderstandings, missteps and barriers in their past, he wanted to do everything he could to make sure those didn't come into the future with them. Nathan needed to do this right, and was actually looking forward to the opportunity to openly show her what she meant to him, and suddenly realised he could start now.

Nathan smiled at her softly and asked, "Elizabeth, may I hold your hand?" A reciprocal smile glowed back at him as she replied "Always", offering him her hand before they walked away together.