The mood in the cafe that evening was a somber one. Allie was at a sleepover with Opal, blissfully unaware of the fact that her father was trying to find her. Nathan sat at a table, his head in his hands. Elizabeth sat next to him, ever present, just as worried about the situation as he was. The Coulters, Lucas and Fiona, Lillian and Gabe, Carson, and Bill were all sitting or standing around, acting as support in Nathan's distress. Bill had even closed the cafe early so they could all figure out a plan.

Nathan appreciated the support. But he was afraid there was not much to be done.

He knew the law favored biological parents, even if that meant a child went to a home that wasn't right for them. Nathan was only Allie's uncle. Matthias was her father. He knew the chances of keeping Allie with him were slim.

"There's got to be something we can do," Lee exclaimed, pacing back and forth slightly. "Allie has been with Nathan for eight years!" He put his hands on his hips. "Bill, you're a judge. Isn't there something that can be done here?"

Bill crossed his arms. "I don't know, Lee. That depends on certain factors." He looked at Nathan. "Does this Matthias have a criminal record?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he does," Nathan muttered. "But no, not that I know of."

"I'll call Mountie headquarters tomorrow and have them check," Bill said. "If he does have one, that'll work in our favor. Was he ever abusive?"

Nathan shook his head. "No. He was an alcoholic, but he never hit Colleen or Allie."

"If he was an alcoholic, how could he be granted custody?" Lucas asked, leaning heavily on his cane. "That doesn't seem right."

"We would have to have proof that it's been a consistent problem in the last few years," Bill said. "And the chances of us getting that proof are near impossible since we don't know where this man has been."

"Does the fact that Nathan has been Allie's guardian for so long really mean nothing?" Carson asked. "It seems ludicrous that the law would favor a parent over a guardian simply based on biology. Isn't there something there we can do about that?"

"I don't know," Bill said. Nathan looked at his friend, hearing desperation in his voice. He knew Bill cared a great deal, even if he didn't always show it. He looked around at all his friends. Every one of them was trying to think of something to help keep Allie in Hope Valley. Despite his fears, he felt an overwhelming gratitude for every person in the room.

Gabe tilted his head, a slightly hopeful expression lighting his eyes. "I think I remember something similar to this," he said. "I had a Mountie friend who wanted to adopt the boy he had guardianship over, but he couldn't because he wasn't married." He looked at Bill. "Would it make a difference if Nathan were married?"

Nathan and Elizabeth both looked up at that, staring at Bill. Bill raised a brow. "That's a good point, Gabe. I'd have to check the laws to be sure, but I think that might be a way out of this mess."

"But that would mean they'd have to get married in a few days!" Rosemary exclaimed, looking wide-eyed. "That's not nearly enough time to plan a wedding!"

Elizabeth looked at Nathan. Her eyes were clear, and she reached out to take his hand. "You said you wanted to go slow," she said, a smile finding its way onto her face. "And you remember what has happened every time you've said that?"

Nathan felt a smile of his own appear. "Are you saying you would be okay with getting married already?"

Elizabeth laughed lightly. "If you recall, you were the one who wanted a long engagement. Not me. Would you be okay with getting married already?"

"Absolutely," he said, not even needing to think about it. "I love you, and we're getting married anyway. Why should the timing matter?"

"Exactly," she said, her smile widening. She looked at their friends. "I guess we're getting married a little sooner than planned."

"A little sooner?" Rosemary gasped, her hand over her heart. It took her all of five seconds to recover from her shock, and then she jumped straight into planning mode. "Well, I already took measurements for your dress, and I have all the material. I can get the dress made by the weekend. I assume we would have this wedding on Saturday?"

"That's a good day," Lee agreed. "And we can have the whole town pitch in to help set up for the wedding."

Carson laughed. "If we could get Jesse and Clara's wedding set up in an afternoon, I think we can do Nathan and Elizabeth's in a few days."

Lucas smiled. "The saloon is available for your reception. You can decorate it however you would like."

"Oh, and this time we could have the wedding outdoors!" Fiona exclaimed. "The weather is perfect this time of year, and we still have the arbor from the Flynn wedding. That would be beautiful out by the pond, like they originally intended."

"And the cafe and saloon can both provide food and beverages, right Lucas?" Bill asked, warming to the idea.

Lucas nodded. "Of course. And I know Gustave would love to bake the wedding cake."

"How can I help?" Lillian asked, looking at Rosemary.

"Can you sew?" Rosemary asked. Lillian nodded. "Then we could use some wedding decorations for the saloon. And we'll need to gather some flowers for the wedding itself and for the reception…"

As Rosemary went on, Elizabeth slid her hand into Nathan's. He held on tight, watching in amazement as their friends planned their wedding quickly and efficiently. He shook his head, overcome with emotion. "We have the best friends in the world," he said softly to Elizabeth.

She smiled and nodded. "We sure do."

Elizabeth ran her hands over the lacy material of her wedding dress. "Rosemary, you've outdone yourself," she said, tone awed. "How did you make an entire dress in two days?"

"Lillian and Clara helped me," Rosemary said, pins in her mouth as she adjusted the dress, making sure it swirled gently around Elizabeth's feet. She pinned a few places together, then stepped back. She smiled. "Perfect!"

Elizabeth looked in the mirror and smiled. "This is beautiful," she said softly. Taking Rosemary's hands, she squeezed them gently. "Thank you, Rosemary."

"Anything for my best friend," Rosemary replied with a cheeky grin. "And you made me your maid of honor, so how could I not do something for you?" Her eyes widened. "Oh! That reminds me, I also finished the bridesmaid dresses for Fiona and myself. Would you like to see them?"

"Of course!" Elizabeth exclaimed, following Rosemary into the back room. Rosemary pulled one of the sea green dresses from the rack and held it up. "What do you think?"

"It's gorgeous!" Elizabeth said, hands clasped in front of her. "You made three dresses in two days?"

Rosemary laughed lightly. "Like I said, I had help. Lillian, Clara, and even Fiona helped with the dresses. They came together quickly. Thankfully we had all the material we needed right off." She held up another, smaller dress of the same lovely green. "And this is Allie's dress."

Elizabeth smiled, mixed emotions rising at the mention of Allie's name. A bittersweet feeling filled her as she ran her hands over the material. "That feels lovely," she said quietly. "Allie will love it."

Rosemary saw the look in her friend's eyes and without a word enveloped her in a hug. They stood there for a few moments, with Elizabeth fighting tears. Even though they were getting ready for their wedding in the hopes of being able to keep Allie, the chance remained that Matthias could come to town and take her away. Bill hadn't yet found anything contrary to what Gabe had said, but he also hadn't found any confirmation.

"Elizabeth, are you okay?" Rosemary asked gently.

Elizabeth took a shuddering breath, pulling back a little. "I'm just so worried," she said. "What if Bill can't find a way for us to keep Allie?"

Rosemary raised a brow. "A few days ago you told me that things would work out the way they are meant to. Do you truly believe that?"

Elizabeth smiled through her tears, knowing where Rosemary was going with this. "Yes."

Rosemary gave a nod. "Good. Then let go and let God. You don't have any control over this situation, but He does. It'll work out the way it's supposed to."

"But what if I don't like how it works out?" Elizabeth asked, voicing her fear. "What if it works out like it's supposed to, and I don't like the outcome?"

Rosemary's eyes softened. "You know that better than anyone," she said, compassion in her voice. "You passed through one of the greatest tragedies a person can face, and you've become stronger because of it. And look at how beautiful your life has turned out." She nodded. "Trust the timing, Elizabeth. It'll work out. Somehow, someway, it'll work out."

Elizabeth took a deep breath, trying to take Rosemary's words to heart. "You're right," she said. "I need to trust."

The door opened, and Rosemary turned with a smile to see who it was. She shrieked and launched herself in front of Elizabeth. "Nathan! You can't be in here!" she squawked, arms akimbo, trying to hide Elizabeth from his sight.

Nathan looked bewildered. "What in the world…?" He started laughing as he realized what was going on. "Are you trying to hide Elizabeth because she's wearing her wedding dress? You realize I'll be seeing it in three days?"

Rosemary shooed him toward the door. "You turn around this instant, Nathan Grant! You are not allowed to see the bride in her dress before the wedding!"

He held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll face the door while Elizabeth changes."

"Changes?" Rosemary asked.

"You did remember that we're supposed to meet Gabe and Lillian for lunch, Elizabeth?" Nathan asked, facing the door with a smile.

"Oh!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Yes, I remembered. I just lost track of time. Rosemary, can you help me with these buttons?"

They worked quickly, and within five minutes Elizabeth was back in her normal clothes. She hugged Rosemary one more time. "Thank you for everything," she said with a smile. "I love you."

Rosemary smiled back. "And I love you. You're the best friend I've ever had."

They walked into the main part of the room where Nathan was waiting. He offered Elizabeth his arm as they left the shop, both of them waving at Rosemary as they walked toward the cafe.

"How are you feeling about all this wedding planning?" Nathan asked. "Is it too overwhelming?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Surprisingly, no," she said. "We've had to do hardly anything. All our friends have been doing the work for us. Rosemary always shoos me away when I try to help with something." She laughed softly. "I think everyone thinks we're under so much pressure with Allie's father, they just want us to focus on helping her and let them worry about the wedding."

Nathan nodded. "There's something powerful about the love of a community," he said, sounding awed. "I've never seen anything like this place. Hope Valley is special." He smiled at her. "And how are you feeling about actually being married in three days?"

"Honestly?" Elizabeth said, grinning up at him. "I can't wait to start a life with you."

He smiled at her. "You're not nervous at all? This is all happening so fast."

She raised her brows. "Are you nervous?"

"A little bit," he admitted. "Starting our lives together so quickly, trying to make a good, united home for Allie and Jack. It's a little daunting." He smiled. "But I know we can do anything as long as we're together. So however this turns out, I'm just glad that we'll be going through it together."

They passed the cafe, and Elizabeth frowned. "Aren't we supposed to be meeting Gabe and Lillian?"

Nathan nodded. "We will. But first I want to show you something."

Intrigued, Elizabeth let him guide her down a path around the pond and into the trees. Within a few minutes, they came to a small clearing near a little lake. Nathan stopped. "What do you think?" he asked.

Elizabeth smiled. "I've been here many times. Sometimes I even journal out here. It's so peaceful, yet so close to town."

Nathan took a deep breath, a little vulnerability in his eyes. "It's for sale," he said. "I want to buy it. To build our house here."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "Here?" she asked, her voice a breath. "Really?"

Nathan nodded. "What do you think?"

Tears sprang to her eyes. "Yes! Yes, of course! I love it here," she said, throwing her arms around him.

Nathan grinned. "I'm glad. I'll talk to Mr. Jenkins this afternoon." He laughed, swinging her up in his arms and twirling her around. "We have a place of our own!"

His joy was infectious, and Elizabeth laughed along with him. He set her on her feet and pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled away, the grin returned. "We can talk to Lee about the lumber after the wedding. I have some blueprints I'd like to share with you, and I want your input on how the house should look."

Elizabeth kept her hands at his waist, smiling. "This is such good news, Nathan. I'm so happy."

"Me too," he said. He let out a breath. "And I'm hopeful that we will be able to keep Allie." He looked down at her. "Gabe had mentioned adoption, which I know would be required if we want to keep custody of her. What do you think about that?"

Elizabeth smiled, remembering her conversation with Allie. Clearly, Allie hadn't shared those thoughts with Nathan yet. "I think it's a wonderful idea, and I would love to adopt her," she said honestly. "It would be my honor to be a mother figure to Allie."

Nathan framed her face in his hands, kissing her again. "I knew you'd say that," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. "You have a beautiful mother's heart, Elizabeth. It makes me so happy that you see Allie as your own."

"That's because she is," Elizabeth said simply. "I love her very much. Just like I love little Jack very much." She winked. "And you."

Nathan laughed. "That's a relief." He winked back. "And I love you." He took her hand. "Now we can go meet Gabe and Lillian."

Later that evening, Nathan and Allie sat on the settee, each reading a book. One of their nightly traditions was reading together quietly. It was one of Nathan's favorite parts of the day.

A knock sounded at the door. Nathan glanced at the clock with a frown. Who would be knocking at seven thirty in the evening? They weren't expecting anyone, and Elizabeth was going over wedding details with Rosemary and Fiona.

Allie looked up. "Should I get it?"

"No, I've got it," Nathan said, rising from his seat and placing the book on the table. He walked over to the door and pulled it open, expecting to see Bill or Lee. His blood froze in his veins.

Matthias.

His brother-in-law looked at him with a cocky grin. Time hadn't been kind to him. He looked older, and his scraggly beard was badly in need of a trim. His hair was long and unkempt, and he smelled of whiskey. He gave Nathan a look that was much too arrogant. "Hello, Nate," he said. "Long time no talk."

"Don't call me Nate," Nathan said sharply, crossing his arms. "What are you doing here, Matthias?"

"I'm here for my girl," Matthias said with a sneer. Allie poked her head around Nathan, her curiosity having brought her to the door. Matthias pointed at her. "And there she is!"

Allie's eyes widened, and she backed away behind Nathan. "Uncle Nathan, what's he doing here?" she asked, fear in her voice.

"He's leaving," Nathan said, cold steel in his voice. Allie was still under his guardianship. Matthias wasn't going to touch her unless Nathan was forced to give her up. And he would fight that with everything in him.

"I'm not going anywhere without Allie," Matthias said, crossing his own arms. "I'll stay here all night if I have to."

Nathan stepped closer to his brother-in-law, staring him down like he did criminals. "You will leave my property or I will lock you up for trespassing," he said quietly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You have ten seconds to make your choice."

Matthias looked like he wanted to push the point, but he must have seen that Nathan meant every word he said. He sneered. "The law is on my side, and you know it. I'll get her back. Just you wait and see!" He turned and walked toward town, disappearing into the night.

Only after Nathan had shut the door did he realize he was trembling. Allie looked at him, fear bright in her eyes. "Why was my father here?" she asked, shaking all over. "Why is he in Hope Valley?"

Nathan pulled Allie to him, hugging her tightly. He wanted to shield her from reality, but he knew he couldn't. "He wants to take you back," he said, his voice breaking.

"No!" Allie cried, burying her face in his shirt. "I don't want to leave you!"

Nathan knelt, looking up at Allie. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen," he said. "You have my word."

Allie calmed slightly, nodding. "I know you will," she said. "You've always protected me, Uncle Nathan." She thought for a moment, and then she said, "Is this why you and Mrs. Thornton are getting married on Saturday?"

Nathan nodded. "It is."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she whispered. "I love you, Uncle Nathan."

His heart broke, and he prayed fervently that his marriage to Elizabeth would allow them to keep Allie with them. "I love you too, Allie."