Nathan knocked on Elizabeth's door Saturday morning with Allie standing next to him. His niece was bouncing up and down on her toes, thrilled to be spending the day with Jack and the Coulters.

"Mrs. Coulter said we could play games and eat ice cream and read stories together!" she said, her excitement palpable. "And she said this afternoon we can have girl time while Jack and Mr. Coulter have boy time!"

Nathan grinned. "That's wonderful, Allie. It sounds like you will have a good day."

"It sounds like you will have a good day too," Allie said slyly.

Nathan opened his mouth to respond, but Elizabeth opened the door before he could say anything. Rosemary was right behind her, grinning at Allie and Nathan. "Hello," Elizabeth said with a smile. "Come on in."

Rosemary put an arm around Allie. "We're so excited to spend time with you and Jack today," she said. "What do you think about putting on a little play for Jack and Mr. Coulter this evening?"

Allie's eyes lit up. "Sure!"

Nathan chuckled. "I can see she's going to be in good hands."

"Of course!" Rosemary said. "This is going to be fun." She looked at Elizabeth. "Alright, I'll take Jack now. Time for you two to skedaddle!"

Elizabeth hesitated, hugging Jack to her chest and kissing the top of his head. She smiled at Nathan apologetically. "Just give me a minute. It's hard to leave him for a whole day."

Nathan nodded. "Take all the time you need."

Allie sidled up to Elizabeth, holding her arms out. "Jack, do you want to come play with me?"

Jack squealed his delight and launched himself toward Allie, who caught him easily. Elizabeth watched as the two of them headed to the door. Allie looked over her shoulder. "Have fun in Brookfield!"

Rosemary laughed. "Well, I guess that took care of that!" She looped one arm through Elizabeth's and the other through Nathan's, propelling them forward toward the door. "Go on, now! You two have fun."

They walked outside, where Allie and Jack were rolling a ball back and forth with Lee. Lee looked up at Nathan and smiled wide. "You be careful with my car, Nathan! Not a scratch, understood?"

Nathan chuckled. "No promises, Lee." Elizabeth glanced at him with wide eyes, prompting Nathan and Lee to hide smiles.

"I took Nathan out several times this week in the car, Elizabeth," Lee said reassuringly. "He's gotten very good at driving."

The ball Jack and Allie were playing with bounced against Elizabeth's leg. Jack toddled over to her and held up his arms. "Mama?"

Elizabeth picked him up, burying her face in his hair. "I'm going to miss you, my sweet boy," she said.

Nathan watched them, sensing how difficult it was for Elizabeth to leave her son. "He can come with us, if you want," he offered.

Elizabeth stared at him for a moment, and Nathan wondered if he'd said something wrong. Then a smile slowly formed on Elizabeth's face. "You'd do that for me?" she asked softly, her eyes piercing his.

"Of course," Nathan said, smiling at Jack. "I'm rather fond of him myself."

"No, no, no," Allie said, breaking into their conversation. "Jack wants to hang out with me today, don't you, Jack?"

"A'wee!" Jack said, reaching for her.

Elizabeth smiled, kissing his head one more time before releasing him into Allie's arms. She turned to Nathan and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek in front of everyone. "Thank you, Nathan," she said, her eyes bright. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you would be willing to include Jack on our date."

Nathan could feel his cheeks turning red, but he smiled back. "Anytime."

Lee and Rosemary were grinning from ear to ear watching Nathan and Elizabeth. "Alright, go on you two!" Lee said. "We'll be fine here with the kids. Enjoy your trip."

"Bye, Uncle Nathan. Bye, Mrs. Thornton!" Allie said. Jack waved his hand at them, smiling as he stood next to Allie, their hands joined.

"Bye!" Elizabeth called, sliding into the seat as Nathan held the door for her. He made sure she was securely seated before shutting it. He waved to the Coulters and the kids, then slid in next to Elizabeth. "Ready?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm ready."

They reached Brookfield about an hour before noon. Elizabeth was pleasantly surprised by the drive there. She and Nathan had kept up a good stream of conversation, along with pockets of silence that they were both comfortable with. Nothing had felt more natural than sitting next to him for those few hours, chatting about life and hopes and interests.

Nathan parked the car in front of the local hotel. Elizabeth looked out at the street. There were people everywhere, with booths lining the street. She smiled, looking at Nathan. "Are they having a festival?"

"Sure are," Nathan said, getting out of the car and coming around to open the door for her. "This is the Brookfield winter festival."

Elizabeth laughed with delight. "It reminds me of our Founder's Day celebration!" She glanced at Nathan out of the corner of her eye. "That was the first time I realized how adorable you can be when you stammer. 'The Founders would be p-proud,'" she said, mimicking his words from so long ago.

Nathan winced. "Don't remind me! That was not my finest moment."

Elizabeth laughed. "It was cute," she said, taking the arm he offered.

"Would you like to get something to eat before we take a look around town?" Nathan asked, indicating the hotel. "This hotel doubles as a restaurant, much like the saloon in Hope Valley."

"Food sounds great!" Elizabeth enthused.

Nathan smiled as he led her into the hotel. "There's a surprise in here for you," he said with a wink.

Before Elizabeth could ask what he meant, she heard a familiar voice. "Elizabeth!" She looked up to see Grace Bennett hurrying towards them.

"Grace!" Elizabeth exclaimed, wrapping her friend in a hug. "I didn't expect to see you here!"

"I work here," Grace said with a wide smile. "Didn't Nathan tell you?"

Elizabeth glanced at Nathan. He grinned. "Surprise!"

Laughing, Elizabeth nudged him slightly. "Nathan told me nothing about what we would be doing today except that we were coming to Brookfield."

Grace's eyes sparkled. "Oh, you're in for a real treat! I won't spoil the surprise, but I can tell you that you're going to love it!" She waved a hand at them. "Follow me. We've got a table ready for you." She sat them at the table, then said, "I could give you a menu, but I have to say the special today is out of this world. It's traditional fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans."

"That sounds wonderful," Elizabeth said, her mouth watering.

"We'll have that," Nathan said, smiling at Elizabeth. "Thanks, Grace."

Grace nodded. "Of course! Can I get you some coffee while you wait?"

"Yes, please," they said in unison, before breaking into smiles.

Grace looked between the two of them, a grin on her face. "I have to say, it's about time the two of you got together."

Elizabeth blinked. "What do you mean?"

"The last time I was in Hope Valley, the sparks were there between you two, but neither of you seemed to be doing anything about it. When Lillian told me you were coming here together, I was thrilled. I've never seen two people more compatible for each other." With a little nod, Grace headed to the kitchen to put in their order.

Elizabeth looked at Nathan, who had pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. "It did take us a while to figure this out, didn't it?" he asked, his eyes sparkling. He reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "Thank you for not giving up on me, Elizabeth. All those times I tried to push you away, scared to let you in." He shook his head. "I'm so glad you didn't let that deter you."

"We didn't give up on each other," Elizabeth said softly. "We both had our moments. But I'm thankful we've found our way here." She let herself get lost in the depths of Nathan's eyes as they sat there with their hands joined.

Grace returned with the coffee, unintentionally breaking their connection. Nathan slowly let go of Elizabeth's hand as Grace poured the coffee. "Your food will be out momentarily," she said before heading back for the kitchen.

Elizabeth frowned, a thought coming to her. "I thought Grace and Lillian ran the orphanage. Why is Grace working here?"

Nathan shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I think it might be to bring in some extra income for the children."

"That's sweet," Elizabeth said, taking a sip of her coffee. "They really care about those kids."

Nathan nodded. "I can't say most orphanages are happy places, but I hear this one is excellent."

"You have a friend here, right?" Elizabeth tried to remember if Nathan had ever said his name. "A fellow Mountie?"

"I do," Nathan said. "Gabe Kinslow. We've been friends for years, and have worked together several times. You'll meet him soon. I happen to know he's planning on attending the festival today."

Elizabeth smiled. "I would love to meet one of your friends outside of Hope Valley. If you like him, I know he's a good man."

"The best," Nathan said with a nod. "He's had my back on numerous occasions."

Before Elizabeth could ask what he meant, Grace arrived with their food, placing it on the table in front of them. "Enjoy!" she said with a cheerful smile.

Elizabeth took a bite, her eyes widening in surprise. "Grace meant it - this is delicious!" she exclaimed.

Nathan nodded in agreement. "The food here is very good. Brookfield might be small, but they pride themselves on the quality of their goods and services."

"I'm impressed," Elizabeth said with a smile. "And I'm excited to get to know the town better while we're here."

Nathan and Elizabeth walked arm in arm down the street at a leisurely pace, taking in the different booths and games that were available to the townsfolk. Elizabeth had been right; this festival was a lot like the Founder's Day one in Hope Valley. Nathan smiled to himself, breathing in the cool January air. Towns like Hope Valley and Brookfield were bastions of community and love. He was beyond thankful to be able to live where he did. Allie had flourished, he had made good friends, and most importantly, he had met Elizabeth.

The woman he loved more than life itself.

He pulled her closer, marveling that they had finally found their way to each other. He shuddered to think he could have missed out on loving her because of his own fears and worries. Elizabeth smiled up at him, leaning her head on his arm as they walked.

"Nathan!"

Nathan's head turned in the direction of the voice, and he laughed in delight. "Gabe!" The two men shook hands, then Gabe turned his eyes to Elizabeth. "Ma'am," he said respectfully. "You must be Elizabeth."

"Gabriel Kinslow, meet Elizabeth Thornton," Nathan said, formally introducing them as the two shook hands.

Gabe grinned. "It's a pleasure, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth smiled at him. "You as well. Nathan holds you in high regard. He said you've had his back several times."

"We've had each other's backs," Gabe said with a chuckle. "I might not still be here if it wasn't for Nathan. And I could say the same about him."

Nathan cleared his throat, hoping to cut Gabe off. He wasn't sure he wanted Elizabeth knowing about the two close calls he'd had in Brookfield. "How's Lillian?"

Gabe looked at him, brows raised. "Fine," he said, though Nathan could tell from his tone that something was going on.

"Lillian?" Elizabeth asked, a smile spreading over her face. "Are you sweet on her?"

Gabe's cheeks turned a little red, and Nathan laughed. Gabe punched his shoulder. "Yes," he admitted as they started walking down the street. "Unfortunately, I'm not the only one who is."

Nathan looked at Gabe. "What do you mean?"

"You remember Sam?" Gabe asked. Nathan nodded, recalling the young man Gabe had asked to watch over Lillian when they had been going after Sinclair. Understanding lit his mind. "Oh."

"Yeah," Gabe said, kicking a rock.

Elizabeth looked between them. "So you're in competition for Lillian's heart?"

"Pretty much," Gabe said with a shake of his head. His face suddenly darkened. "In fact, here they come now."

Elizabeth and Nathan followed his gaze, seeing Lillian coming toward them with the children, Sam at her side.

"I'll be right back," Nathan said, wanting to ask Lillian a question. He headed toward the group of children, leaving Elizabeth and Gabe to chat.

"Hello, Lillian," he said.

She smiled. "Nathan! Good to see you." She looked past him at Elizabeth and grinned. "I see you and Elizabeth have finally gotten together."

Nathan blinked. Lillian had never seen him and Elizabeth together. "How…?"

She chuckled. "Grace and Gabe might have filled me in on the two of you."

Nathan laughed. "Word travels fast." He smiled at the children. "Is the recital still happening at noon?"

"It is," Lillian said. "And we'll be starting in just a few minutes. Sam is going to make an announcement for the town so everyone can head to the field where the little theater is set up."

"Perfect," Nathan said. "Thanks, Lillian."

"Of course," she replied. "Alright, children let's go!"

Nathan smiled as they headed for the field, then walked back to Gabe and Elizabeth. As he got within earshot, he heard Gabe utter words that made his heart freeze.

"Has Nathan told you about the time he almost got blown up?"

Elizabeth's face blanched and her eyes widened. Fearing she was about to fall over, Nathan hurried toward her, putting an arm around her. "Are you okay?"

She turned her eyes toward him, blinking rapidly. "You almost got blown up?"

Gabe looked sheepish. Nathan pursed his lips.

"Uh...I think I'm going to go see if Lillian needs any help," Gabe said, seeing a chance to make his exit. "Nice to meet you, Elizabeth."

"You too," she said faintly. Nathan tightened his hold on her and led her between two buildings, away from the curious eyes that were watching them in the street. He let her lean against the wall, keeping a hand on her arm. "Are you alright, Elizabeth?"

Tears were sparkling in her eyes as she looked up at him. "I know your job is dangerous, Nathan, but hearing about it makes it that much more real." She sniffed, wiping at her eyes. "You almost got blown up?" she asked again.

Nathan let out a breath, seeing no point in hiding it from her. "Yes," he said gently. "But 'almost' is the key word here. All that happened was the blast threw me a bit and knocked the wind out of me. I was fine, and we got the bad guy."

Elizabeth's throat worked, and she came forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He could feel her shuddering breaths, and he just held her, knowing she needed to process what she had just heard. They stood like that for a few minutes, then Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Nathan," she said. "I don't know why that affected me so much. It was just a shock." She paused, then spoke again. "Can you promise me something?"

Unsure what she was going to ask, Nathan simply nodded. Elizabeth continued. "I need to know these things from now on. If you go on a mission, I don't want you to sugarcoat it for me when you get back. Please promise me that you'll tell me what happened, and not try to hide things to spare my feelings. Even if you have a close call."

Nathan nodded, framing her face in his hands. "I promise, Elizabeth. You'll get nothing but the truth from me."

She nodded, blinking back the tears. "Thank you," she said in a whisper. "I love you, and I won't deny that I'm afraid of losing you. But it would be worse not to know what you go through."

"You have my word," Nathan said gently, brushing some hair from her face. "I love you so much, my sweet Elizabeth, and I will always do everything in my power to come back to you."

She smiled, eyes locked on his. "I know you will."

Nathan's eyes drifted to her lips, and he bent his head until his mouth met hers. He wanted to kiss away her fears and worries and to show her how much she meant to him. He wasn't always good with words, but he hoped his kiss showed her everything he felt.

Elizabeth's arms wrapped around his waist, and she kissed him back with a passion that took his breath away. He could feel her emotion, and he responded to it with a tenderness that he hoped calmed her fears. After a few moments they broke apart, and Elizabeth leaned her head on his chest once again.

Nathan heard Sam calling out that the performance was starting soon, but he continued to hold Elizabeth, gently stroking her hair. They would get to the recital soon enough. For now, Elizabeth needed comfort, and he was content to wait until she was ready.