Hi Hearties,

This was a last minute idea that I was hoping to get up for Mother's Day. Unfortunately it didn't happen but I'm sure you'll still enjoy it today :)

Chapter 52

Jack, Elizabeth, Tilly and Abby sat on a picnic rug under the old Maple tree out the back of their house. It was Mother's Day and Jack had made arrangements with Bill so he could take the day off to spend with Elizabeth and their girls.

"You look tired." Jack stated sympathetically as he looked over at Elizabeth as Tilly ran off to play on the swing under the maple tree with Abby chasing after her.

"I am a little." She replied as she packed up the last of their leftover items from lunch and placed them in a basket to carry back to the house.

"I don't remember you being this tired when pregnant with Matilda or Abigail." Jack pointed out, knowing she was almost in her second trimester now.

"It may just be that I have two busy girls to look after this time around."

Jack moved closer to her side on the picnic rug and tucked a long curl of her hair behind her ear that the wind had blown in her face.

"Why don't you go take a nap? I can watch the girls." He suggested.

"They both need a nap too, I'll rest when they do."

"Let's head inside then." Jack said as he gently placed a necklace made of dandelions over her head which she wore it proudly. Jack had helped Tilly and Abby create it earlier that afternoon to give to Elizabeth for Mother's Day. She gave him a smile as he carefully adjusted her hair through the necklace. Once he was satisfied with its placing, he looked back up into her eyes.

"I can take the girls. You finish off the bed frame you're working on in the barn." Elizabeth suggested. They had started making plans to move Abby out of their room. Both girls had said they wanted to share a room and Abby had insisted that she needed a big girl bed even though she wasn't quite two years old yet.

"You're sure?" Jack asked with concern.

"I'm sure."

They stood up from their spot on the picnic rug and Jack went over to round up the girls. Once encouraging them towards the house he returned to Elizabeth and kissed her on the cheek before heading into the barn.

An hour later Jack entered the unusually quiet house and made his way upstairs. He knew Elizabeth had been finding it difficult to sleep lately so he mostly went up to check that she was napping.

He entered their bedroom and found Elizabeth asleep in the bed with Tilly and Abby snuggled up as close to her as they could manage. He smiled and then quietly headed back down stairs to find something to keep himself busy while waiting for them to wake.

Another hour passed, and Jack heard footsteps. Knowing they were Elizabeth's he quickly closed his sketch pad just as Elizabeth entered.

"You're drawing?" She asked as she stood by his side now. "Can I see?"

"I guess since it's almost finished you can." He said as he opened the book to reveal a sketch of Elizabeth, Tilly and Abby.

"Jack, this is amazing." She said in awe, noticing how much detail he'd put into the picture. "You did this just today?"

"I've been working on it for a few days. I was hoping to have it done this morning for Mother's Day, it just needs a few little finishing touches." He said, standing from his desk.

"It's beautiful. I love how you see me, and the girls too." She said, noticing how much thought and creativity it would have taken for him to draw this. She saw the preciseness in the drawing, almost as if it were a photo, and knew their faces must be deeply imbedded in his mind for him to be able to draw this from scratch.

She brought her hand up into his hair and leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, trying to show her gratitude of his gift and everything that it entailed.

"It's not so hard when I have beautiful subjects to draw." He said while giving her a smile, and a smile formed on her own lips when she heard his words.

"I love it Jack, thank you."

"I love you sweetheart." He told her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I love you." She said and then noticed a grin appear on his face "What?"

"You're wearing my shirt." He said, now paying attention to what she was wearing, shocked that he hadn't realised earlier as it was also the only thing she appeared to be wearing.

"I am…" She said cautiously.

"Not that I mind at all, I actually love it when you wear my clothes, but is there a reason for it?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"There is, but not the reason you're thinking Jack Thornton." She said with a smile on her face. "It's laundry day and most of my clothes don't fit so I didn't really have any other options."

"As alluring as you look in my shirt, I'm going to buy you some new clothes."

"Jack you don't have to do that, my clothes will be dry in a few hours." She insisted.

"Bella… I know you napped but you're still tired, you need a break. I'm going to take you out this evening and you'll need something to wear."

"It's Sunday, the Mercantile and Dottie's Apparel are closed. We can't possibly get anything this afternoon. As for dinner tonight, we don't even have a babysitter."

"Don't you worry your pretty little head, I'll have all this sorted." He said placing a kiss on her for head. "You sit down and rest while the girls are still napping, I'll sort this out."

Elizabeth sighed but agreed to Jack's suggestion. She wasn't sure she wanted to go out for the evening, but it sure did sound nice to spend some alone time with Jack and not have to cook dinner.

Half an hour later Jack returned. He hurried through the front door of their house with Rosemary in tow. The two of them carrying what Elizabeth gathered was an assortment of clothing items.

"What is this?" Elizabeth asked.

"Jack said you need clothes, so I brought clothes." Rosemary said casually as she headed into their parlour and Elizabeth and Jack followed her.

"Rosemary, you don't have to do this." She insisted.

"I know I don't have to, but I wanted to." Rosemary replied as she lay down the assortment of dresses, skirts and blouses over the settee in the parlour. "They're all from the dress shop, you may have to try them on before choosing, as I'm not sure of your exact size now that you're… expanding."

"Expanding?!" Elizabeth said with wide eyes as she felt Jack place a comforting arm around her. "I'm having a baby."

"I know that." Rosemary said casually as she placed a light pink coloured dress in Elizabeth's arms. "Try this one, it's beautiful, and I know it's your colour."

Just then Tilly and Abby came into the parlour, their eyes widening as they looked over the assortment of clothing.

"Pwetty." Tilly exclaimed before Abby copied her older sister and said the same thing.

Elizabeth smiled at the girls, now forgetting Rosemary's insinuation.

"Pick anything you like." Jack encouraged her.

"I'm not sure this…" She started.

"Try it on, I'm sure it will look beautiful on you." Rosemary said, trying to encourage her.

"Alright." Elizabeth said, and she hurried upstairs to try on the dress.

"Daddy, can Abby and I have a dress?" Tilly pleaded.

"Not today sweet pea."

Tilly slumped down onto the settee and sighed.

"Gosh where does she get that from?" Rosemary asked with a smile as she looked from Tilly and back to Jack. "She certainly hasn't picked that up from Elizabeth."

"I have no idea. She's obviously the spitting image of Elizabeth in the looks department, and she's so much like her in many ways, but then I realise she's also her own person. That or she's gotten her bad habits from somewhere else."

Rosemary smiled as she listened to Jack.

"This one however is our little wild adventurer." Jack said, picking Abby up and looking at her as she started to giggle, knowing that her Father was talking about her. "You've got Mummy's hair but everything else about you is all me." He said, noticing her hazel eyes, long eyelashes and the dimples in her cheeks as she giggled.

"Well let's hope she doesn't want to follow in her Father's footsteps too closely." Rosemary pointed out and she then noticed a confused look on Jack's face. "I can't imagine you or Elizabeth wanting her to be a Mountie one day."

"Women can't be Mounties." Jack pointed out, thinking that was a safe enough argument to dismiss that idea.

"No, but maybe in another 20 or so years…"

"Please don't mention that in front of Elizabeth."

"Oh Jack, I'm not being serious. It's unlikely to happen. It's just that even without you telling me, I see how much Abby is like you when you were a young boy."

"I know she is, Elizabeth notices it too. Just please don't mention this Mountie idea around Elizabeth alright. She already has enough to deal with at the moment, there's no point borrowing worry."

Rosemary nodded understandingly.

"Jack?" Elizabeth called out from the upstairs bedroom.

"I'll be right back." Jack said to Rosemary. "You'll watch the girls?"

"Of course." Rosemary replied, and Jack hurried out of the parlour and headed up stairs to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth…" Jack whispered as he saw her upon entering the bedroom.

She looked over at him as she heard the soft-spoken way in which he pronounced her name. His eyes were fixated on her while glazed over as if it was the first time he'd ever really taken in her beauty. She was familiar with this look though and she certainly knew it wasn't the first time he had paid such attention to her. She walked towards him and she noticed a small smile become apparent on his lips and his eyes awoke from their daze.

"You look beautiful sweetheart." He whispered.

"I don't even have the dress on properly." She smiled. "Can you help me?"

She turned around, presenting her back to him as the dress hung loosely on her body as she awaited for the back to be pulled in like a corset. Now they'd been married four years, Jack knew exactly what to do with the dress, but he let his hand linger while running it down the soft smooth skin on her back. He noticed her shiver at his touch, so he leaned in wrapped his arms around her while resting his head against her ear.

"You're cold?" He asked, and she felt the warmth of his breath on her cheek.

"I don't know…" She asked somewhat puzzled. "I was thinking about whether the butterflies in my stomach were because of you, or from the baby."

He smiled and stepped back before walking around till he was facing her. He placed his hand on her stomach hoping to feel something.

"Must've just been me." He said with a grin after feeling nothing. "I felt you shiver."

Elizabeth longed to wrap her arms around him and pull him in for a kiss, but she was holding up the lose fitting dress around her body.

"Why are you still smiling Jack?"

"Because I see you keep gazing at my lips." He said, his smile getting bigger.

"Oh." She said blushing.

"I'm glad I can still make you do that also." He said, taking a step closer towards her so they were only inches apart.

"Also?"

"The butterflies, the shivering, the lip gazing, the blushing. Just to name a few." He said teasingly, and he noticed she was speechless for a few moments.

"Two can play at this game. I saw the way you looked at me when you first walked in the room."

"Looked at you what way?"

"Like…" She started and then realised she'd been caught exactly where he wanted her to be as he wrapped his arms around her and waiting to hear her words. His unspoken words for her that he wanted her to know just from his gaze. "like it's your first time looking at me, and you're thinking I'm beautiful. It's the same way you also looked at me on our wedding day, and a lot of other days since."

He grinned, and her arms wrapped around him. They were embracing each other so closely now that there was no chance of her dress slipping to the floor, that was unless one of them made a move to step away.

"How did both these conversations somehow turn out to be a win win for you?" She said smiling.

"I don't think it was all bad for you was it?"

"No, it wasn't."

He moved in closer and their noses gently grazed each-others. Jack then leaned in and kissed her, and she sighed as their kisses continued. A moment later she felt his hands roam inside the back of the opening of her dress.

"Jack…" She said, thinking they should stop but she didn't feel convinced enough herself and her request to ask Jack wasn't at all convincing either.

"Rosemary's downstairs, and the girls…" She said as they eventually pulled away from each other and she pulled her dress back up.

"I know." He said feeling disappointed. He wasn't disappointed in her, just with the inability to fulfil both their desires due to their current circumstances.

"Later." She told him, and he smiled as he noticed she understood. "Could you please do my dress up now?"

"Of course." He said, and he walked around and faced her back again as he started to work on the strings at the back of the dress.

"Elizabeth? Jack?" They heard Rosemary call as they heard her walk up the hallway towards their bedroom. "Oh Jack." She said, as she walked in the room and noticed him working on the strings. "You've been married over four years now and you still can't work these things out?"

Rosemary gently pushed him aside and took the strings from his hands and started to adjust Elizabeth's dress herself.

Tilly and Abby then came into the room and climbed up onto the bed and watched Elizabeth as Rosemary worked on the dress.

"Mummy's a princess." Tilly said smiling.

"She is." Jack said, sitting down onto the bed and the girls climbed onto his lap. "You have the most beautiful Mummy in the whole world."

Tilly and Abby smiled as they looked up at their Mother.

"This dress is perfect for you Elizabeth." Rosemary said as she stepped back and admired the dress on her friend. "Not as beautiful as when you wore the wedding dress that I designed for you however, but this is still beautiful non the less."

Elizabeth and Jack shared and understanding look between them regarding Rosemary's words and they both smiled.

"You were the most beautiful bride I've ever seen." Jack said looking at his wife. His words were lost on Rosemary, but Elizabeth certainly heard them.

"Well I'm done here for now. I need to head home to nurse Beth but drop your girls off whenever you're ready."

"We're going to Aunty Rosie's tonight?" Tilly asked excitedly.

"For a few hours yes." Jack replied as he noticed Abby wasn't so excited as she clung onto him a little tighter.

"Mummy and I are just going out for a few hours. You can have a play with Johnathan and help Auntie Rosie with the baby, then Mummy and I will come pick you up." Jack informed his daughters, and he noticed Abby relax in his arms as her concerns dissipated.

Rosemary headed home, and Jack and Elizabeth packed up a few things in a basket for the girls to take to the Coulter's.

"I don't have anything to go with this dress. None of the buttons on my coats will do up." Elizabeth said, sounding disappointed.

"You could wear my serge, you know I always liked you in red."

"Jack Thornton I can not wear your serge."

"Why not?"

"You know why not." She said laughing.

"But you look good in anything, and even better in nothing…" He said suggestively.

"Jack…" She warned him before looking around for their daughter's, and when she didn't see them she leaned in and kissed him.

"I wasn't expecting that." He said with a grin on his face after receiving a kiss. He was surprised that she hadn't playfully chastised him instead.

"I didn't think you would be expecting it, but I thought if I gave you what you wanted then we'd get out of the house sooner."

"Well you didn't exactly give me everything I wanted." He said and then realised by the look on her face that she likely would chastise him now, so he continued before she could say anything. "You're… everything… I want." He said, pronouncing his words softly and gradually.

He noticed his words stopped her in her tracks, exactly as he'd planned. He grinned at her, realising his plan worked, and he noticed her relax.

"I want you too Jack, really I do, but now isn't the time." She said, and he followed her gaze that went across the room to their two daughters who were busy playing. "But it will be worth the wait."

"I know it will." He agreed. "You're my everything Elizabeth."

Her heart softened and the flutter in her stomach returned upon hearing his words.

He noticed her place her hand on her heart as she reacted to his words.

"So… will you wear my serge?" Jack asked with a sly smile.

"You had me for a moment there Jack Thornton, but you pushed your luck." She said, now broken out of her reverie, but she still smiled.

"I wasn't entirely serious. I guess I was tempted to ask because I found you alluring when wearing my shirt earlier today."

She shook her head and smiled at him.

"I love it when you wear my clothes, especially my serge."

"Later" She whispered to Jack as Tilly and Abby walked up to them.

"Mummy are you going to be a Mountie?" Tilly asked.

"No, she's not." Jack said a little too quickly.

"If women could be Mounties I think I would make a good one." She insisted while pulling Abby up into her arms and placing her on her hip.

"In some ways I'm sure you would but…"

"But what?"

"It's too dangerous." Jack said, knowing she wasn't going to take his words lightly but knew he needed to be honest.

"But that's ok for you?" Elizabeth queried him.

"I'm not a Mother."

"You're a Father and a husband." She reminded him as she repositioned Abby on her hip who was watching the exchange between her parents.

"Elizabeth… it's my calling." He reminded her, and she picked up on the anguish in his voice.

"I know…" She said her own tone now softening. She knew he was right, after all it was her own calling to teach that was what brought her to Hope Valley.

"Thank you for understanding. I know it's not easy." Jack said, feeling sympathetic towards her concerns.

She quietly nodded, and he took her hand before taking Tilly's and they headed out the door.

"You're not wearing Daddy's serge?" Tilly asked as she looked up at Elizabeth.

"No, I'm not."

"You're not going to be a Mountie?" Tilly asked, her question now getting more to the point of her concerns again.

"I'm definitely not going to be a Mountie." Elizabeth assured her.

"I'm glad Mummy."

"Why's that?" Elizabeth asked, concern apparent in her voice as she wondered how she envisioned Jack's occupation.

"Because I want you to stay home with us. Abby and I will be scared if you and Daddy both have to go away."

Elizabeth wanted to bring her eldest daughter into her arms, but she was already carrying Abby. She realised Abby needed her just as much, as although Abby wasn't old enough to understand the conversation, she did pick up on everyone's apprehension and uneasiness.

"Oh Tilly." Jack said, concern apparent in his voice as he picked her up. "There's times where I need to go away, and maybe there will even be times where Mummy may need to go away for a bit, but the both of us would never leave you girls at the same time."

"But you're leaving us tonight at the Aunty Rosie's." Tilly reminded her parents as she started to become even more apprehensive about her parents leaving.

"We're just going to the Café for dinner Tilly. We'll only be a few minutes away."

Tilly sighed while trying to process her thoughts. She did realise the distance between the Coulter's row house and the café wasn't so far. Jack lifted Tilly up onto the wagon before taking Abby from Elizabeth's arms while Elizabeth climbed up onto the wagon herself. Jack then handed Abby back to his wife and she placed her daughter on her lap while they waited for Jack.

"Tilly if you're really scared you can ask Aunty Rosemary to come get us at the cafe alright?"

"Alright." She said and felt somewhat more relieved.

Elizabeth placed a kiss on top of Tilly's head and then Jack motioned for the horse to head off and they made their way into town.

A/N Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it :)