"Morning" Jack smiled as Elizabeth and Kate left the cafe one morning after having breakfast.

"Morning Jack" Kate waved.

"Good Morning" Elizabeth grinned.

"Walk you to school?"

"That would be lovely" Elizabeth smiled as Jack fell into step next to her.

"I see you leaving Abigail's so often, I would think you still live there if I had not moved all your stuff over myself." Jack teased.

"I just can't seem to bring myself to wake up early enough to make breakfast when I know she will have one hot and ready and waiting for us, and taste better then I could ever make." Elizabeth shook her head making Jack laugh.

"Jack you should join us for breakfast tomorrow" Kate said easily.

"I think I will, tell Abigail I'll put my order in now. Pancakes, eggs and and a side of bacon." Jack grinned. He shared a glance with Elizabeth over Kate's head as they smiled at each other how accepting Kate was of Jack being more and more a part of their lives.

"There's Laura and Anna, see you later" Kate hurried off to greet her friends as they came closer to the school.

"Any other reason you went to see Abigail this morning?" Jack asked quietly.

"You noticed?" Elizabeth asked turning to him.

"It's kind of my job to notice these things. She is out of sorts lately, anything I can help with?" Jack asked reaching for Elizabeth's hand. Elizabeth gave him a smile, loving him even more for the way he was towards other people.

"It's Frank, they were getting along so well and she was happy again. I think they were working towards a relationship. But secrets of his past came up and it upset her. Unfortunately I don't think there's anything anyone can do. I'm just trying to be a supportive friend, it's hard to see someone so kind hurting." Elizabeth sighed.

"You are a wonderful friend. Time will heal wounds." Jack said running his hand up and down her arm comfortingly.

"Do you think people in relationships can have good secrets?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sure, every now and then" Jack nodded his mind going back to the house he was planning on building. He hadn't said anything to anyone except Lee who was sworn to secrecy, especially from Rosemary.

"Well I don't think it's a good idea"

"So you have no secrets?" Jack asked turning to her as they continued walking to the school.

"Do you?"

"Yeah, one or two." Jack shrugged. Keeping "good" secrets from Elizabeth was one thing, but lying to her was another and he had no intention of doing that. He turned to see her starring him down making him chuckle.

"I will gladly share them with you." Jack grinned.

"Please do!" She smiled.

"Ok, well, the first time we met I thought you were… attractive" Jack gave her a teasing grin making Elizabeth laugh lightly.

"That's your deep, dark secret?" She asked.

"Well not anymore since you pried it out of me" Jack shook his head pretending to be annoyed. Elizabeth shook her head laughing again. She didn't think she had ever laughed so much in all her life until she met Jack. He had a way of keeping her on her toes and challenging her that she adored.

"your turn" Jack said

"Alright, when we first met, I thought you were… kind of cute" Elizabeth said softly matching his teasing grin with one of her own.

"Kind of cute. Kind of cute?" Jack repeated as if trying out the words.

"Not like ruggedly cute? Not even handsome?" He asked narrowing his eyes at her.

"Well you did grow on me." Elizabeth gave him a little shrug as she made her way up the school house steps. She looked back giving him a grin before going inside. Jack returned it as he turned walking back to his office.


Jack slipped into the back of the school Friday as Elizabeth was wrapping up her lessons for the day.

"Everyone please finish your assignments" Elizabeth smiled crossing to the back of the class room.

"Hello, I just want to talk to the boys about the camping trip for tomorrow." Jack said.

"Of course, go ahead." Elizabeth smiled.

"Hi kids, can I have your attention for a moment. Any boys signed up for the camping trip tomorrow please raise your hand." Jack said addressing the class. Almost all the boys put their hands up.

"Alright troops, we will be meeting in the center of town early tomorrow morning. Bring your warm blankets, a change of clothes and your fishing poles." Jack smiled.

"Hurray!" The boys cheered.

"Do girls get to go too?" Sarah asked.

"I'm sorry this one is just for the boys." Jack shook his head.

"I don't see why the girls can't go" Emily spoke up.

"Well, maybe next time, when we can all plan ahead." Jack said. The girls nodded accepting his answer.

"Thanks, see you later" Jack said softly heading back out the door after giving Elizabeth a smile.


"Hi we're back" Kate called opening the front door as Laura followed her into the row house.

"Oh thank you, just in time" Elizabeth smiled looking up from the stove as Kate handed her the flour and salt they had bought from the mercantile.

"Sorry, we ran into Rosemary and she wouldn't stop going on about the theater Mr Coulter is building her." Kate smirked as Elizabeth gave her a knowing smile.

"Sit down and try these" Elizabeth put a plate of cookies on the table as they girls sat around it.

"Good, Soft in the middle" Laura nodded biting into one.

"Better then yesterdays, still not as good as Wednesdays though."

"I can't figure out what I did different" Elizabeth sighed.

"Why are you baking so many cookies Miss Thatcher?" Laura asked.

"She's learning to cook, so far she can make fried chicken, biscuits, stew, soup and now cookies." Kate smiled.

"My ma has been teaching me to cook since I can remember" Laura sighed.

"As it should be. No women in my family knew how to cook, we hired cooks for all our meals." Elizabeth shook her head turning back to the stove.

"Elizabeth is going to be the first one in our family. Next time we go to Hamilton you should surprise everyone and make a dinner." Kate said.

"Oh goodness Grandmother would faint if she ever found me in the kitchen looking like this." Elizabeth laughed gesturing to her flour covered apron.

"I wish we could go camping with the boys tomorrow, I bet they will have a lot of fun with Mountie Jack." Laura sighed.

"Yes, Emily was right it's not fair." Kate nodded.

"I know, maybe we can plan a girls camping trip. Would you like that?"

"Can we please do it tomorrow! We can go with the boys and it will be so fun." Laura asked.

"We don't have anyone to take you tomorrow, I think Abigail or Mrs. Montgomery would have to take you and we can't ask them last minute" Elizabeth chuckled.

"Why couldn't you take us?" Kate asked raising her eyebrows at her sister.

"Because I have never been camping" Elizabeth shook her head.

"But, you read so many books about it, I read so many books about it, how hard can it be? Besides if we go with the boys Jack will be there to help" Kate said narrowing her eyes at her sister. Elizabeth gave her a smile knowing Kate was using Jack against her and not able to fight it.

"I will tell you what, you girls go see if you can spread the word, If you can let all the other girls know to meet in the center of town tomorrow morning, I will take you camping." Elizabeth said smiling as they girls jumped up.

"Yay!" Laura cried as Kate gave her sister a hug.

"Go on make sure you tell everyone" Elizabeth laughed as the girls hurried outside.


"Alright boys we are almost there" Jack said as he lead the group of ten boys through the path in the woods to the clearing.

"We're not the only ones" Cody said close at his heels. Jack looked up, surprised to be greeted by the sight of Elizabeth with many of the school girls and a tent they were working together to put up.

"Elizabeth?" Jack asked

"Good afternoon Jack, I see you didn't make quite as good time as we did" Elizabeth grinned putting her hands on her hips smiling at him.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked.

"Well, the girls decided they wanted a little campout of their own" Elizabeth shrugged.

"So we had one!" Emily cried.

"Because girls can do anything boys can do!" Laura added making Elizabeth smile proudly at the girls gathered around her.

"Great, the things is you can't be right here" Jack said gesturing around the clearing.

"It's public land" Kate said putting her hands on her hips looking so much like Elizabeth Jack could have burst out laughing.

"Yes but this was going to be our spot" Jack sighed knowing he was no match for the sisters.

"I think there is room enough for everyone" Elizabeth said.

"Right, ok boys let's make camp over there" Jack said pointing to the far end of the clearing.

"Oh no Jack not there" Elizabeth said quickly.

"Why not?" Jack asked.

"Because it's covered in poison Ivey" Kate said making the girls giggle.

"Alright not there boys, let's set up here" Jack pointed to the spot next to the girls tent.

"Alright back to work!" Elizabeth sang ushering the girls back over to finish setting up.

"Miss Thatcher" A tiny voice called. Elizabeth looked down at Opal pulling on her skirts. Opel was the newest student having just turned five.

"Can girls really do everything boys can do?" Opal asked.

"I'll tell you a secret Opal, girls can do even more then boys can do." Elizabeth winked at her making Opal smile.


"Are you sure about this? You haven't has much experience in the wild" Jack said as he and Elizabeth watched the children playing a little while later. There were two large tents up one for the boys and one for the girls. Jack and Elizabeth both had their own small tents as well

"Jack, we are a stones throw from town I think I will survive" Elizabeth shook her head.

"You going to start the campfire by rubbing two sticks together again?" Jack teased.

"This time I am prepared" Elizabeth smiled pulling a book of matched out of her pocket.

"Oh good" Jack nodded faking relief.

"We will be singing songs together around the campfire later if you want to join us." Elizabeth offered.

"Oh no, the boys and I are going to be telling some ghost stories, but you are welcome to join us" Jack offered.

"Ghost stories?"

"Yeah" Jack nodded.

"Are you sure about that? Some of those boys are pretty young, they might get scared" Elizabeth warned him.

"Nahh, boys love scary stories" Jack grinned raising his eyebrows at her as he turned going back to cheering on the older boys who were racing up a tree. Elizabeth just shook her head watching him.


The crickets chirped as Jack sat in the boys tent after a long night.

"But what if a ghost comes!" Miles cried.

"Well there are no real ghosts" Jack said.

"But you said! In your story" Timmy nodded. Most of the boys were watching Jack wide eyed.

"Alright, how about a new story, about a friendly dog?" Jack offered.

"Dogs are scary too!" Robert cried.

"Oh this was a bad idea" Jack sighed.

In the tent next door Elizabeth tucked Emily's blanket tighter around her, the littlest girls already sleeping.

"Thanks for taking us camping Miss Thatcher, this was fun" Anna said from where she, Kate and a few of the other girls were talking quietly on the other end of the tent wrapped up in their blankets.

"Can we do this again?" Rachel asked.

"Of course we can" Elizabeth assured her.

"Girls can do anything boys can do" Laura nodded.

"And don't ever forget that" Elizabeth nodded pulling Opal's blanket up so her sleeping body was covered before making her way to the four still awake older girls.

"There's still a lot of talking in the boys tent" Kate said.

"I'm sure Jack will settle them down soon, you girls go to sleep soon alright." Elizabeth said softly as they nodded.

"Come get me if you need anything, watch out for the little ones" Elizabeth said putting a hand on Kate's head to wish her sister good night before leaving the tent to make her way over to the warm fire. Jack came out to join her a little while later.

"Did you have any trouble putting the boys to bed?" Elizabeth asked as he sank onto the log beside her.

"Nope" Jack shook his head quickly.

"So why are all the younger ones in your tent?" Elizabeth asked glancing back at Jack's tent.

"Well like you said some of them are pretty young." Jack nodded.

"Mmmhmm" Elizabeth asked smiling at him waiting for him to go on.

"Ok, maybe… maybe we should have sung songs with you guys." Jack laughed making Elizabeth laugh with him as he took his defeat. She caught her breath sighing into the fire feeling Jack's eyes on her. She turned to see him watching her closely.

"What?" She asked

"You look comfortable here" Jack said turning serious.

"I am" Elizabeth nodded.

"This far from civilization. No automobiles, mansions, French clothing stores?" Jack asked.

"No noise, no crowds.." Elizabeth went on.

"Yeah just bugs, bad weather and wild animals" Jack shrugged.

"Bright stars, babbling brooks, fresh caught trout" Elizabeth countered him.

"Well it sounds like you could live out here" Jack said serious once again.

"You know, I think I could" Elizabeth nodded

"Well I don't mean in a tent, I'm talking about a house, a nice stove, a bathtub" Jack said softly watching the flame jump. Elizabeth turned to him suddenly realizing what Jack was saying. He was talking about an actual house, them living together, in a house.

"a nice warm comfortable feather bed" She added and he turned to her seeing she was totally on board with this idea.

"Waking up next to the one you love every morning." Jack said gently.

"Sounds heavenly" Elizabeth whispered. Jack leaned in cupping her cheek gently as his lips found her's and they allowed themselves to melt into each other for a minute before gently pulling away aware of the children sleeping close by. Elizabeth sighed in content as Jack's forehead rested on her's for a minute before he surprised her kissing her again quickly chucking to himself as he pulled away and she wrinkled her nose at him smiling. Elizabeth hummed happy tucking herself in Jack's side as his strong arm came around pulling her closer, kissing her forehead.

"I think I would like to write about life here" Elizabeth said softly as they watched the fire.

"If I'm lucky I will get published one day, it's just a dream of mine." She admitted in a whisper.

"Well, dreams have been known to come true" Jack said gently tucking her into him a little tighter. Elizabeth looked up at him smiling as he kissed her forehead again sweetly making her warm despite the night spring chill as she curled into him happily.


"Come on Rip! Come on boy!" Kate laughed playing fetch with Rip in the back yard the next night.

"Chicken is in the oven" Elizabeth smiled closing the oven door.

"And the wine is poured" Jack said handing her a wine glass. They both stopped grinning as they watched Kate play with Rip in the grass the lazy dog barking and running circles around her worried when she pretended to fall down making them both laugh.

"The place looks great" Jack said glancing around the house.

"and so do you" He added softly placing his hand on Elizabeth's arm drawing her attention to him.

"Why constable you make me blush" Elizabeth whispered a little pink flooding her cheeks.

"I want to make a toast, to your decorating skills" Jack said raising his glass.

"It still isn't the Ritz" Elizabeth shook her head.

"No, but they say home is where the heart is" Jack said.

"Then my home is right here" Elizabeth said softly raising her own glass. They gently clinked them together smiling at each other before glancing back at Kate playing outside laughing at her as Jack put his arm around Elizabeth's waist holding her tight.