"Good Morning Mrs Thornton." Kate smiled as she stepped onto Abigail's back porch to feed Rip the next morning.

"Kate! Come sit by me." Charlotte patted the log she was perched on as she cooked a trout over the fire. Kate crossed the field to sit next to her.

"You know, Abigail is making French toast, you are welcome to breakfast with us." Kate said trying not to make a face at the smell of fish so early in the morning.

"Oh thank you, but I'm just going to eat this and be on my way. I want to make the next town by sundown." Charlotte said.

"Is it better? Not having a house?"

"Well I like it, but I never was one to put down roots for to long. Jack told you his father was a mountie right?"

"Yes."

"He never got a permeant position like Jack did. When we were first married we lived in a tent mostly because we were always on the road. Jack was born in that tent. When he was a baby we ended up in a little cabin for a few years, that's where Tom was born. We moved a little more when they were older, I was teaching school here and there, sometimes we would stay in one place for a year or so but during that time we didn't see much of Jack's father. If we wanted to spend time with him we had to be moving with him. After he died we settled down at my brother's place long enough for the boys to finish proper schooling but they we all took off on our separate ways." I don't like the idea of staying in one place for to long, a body needs the fresh air and change and to keep moving. To be free." Charlotte said squinting up at the early summer sun as it came up.

"I like the fresh air and freedom too, Hope Valley feels like enough of that for me after growing up in the city." Kate nodded Charlotte turned to her with a smile.

"You know, when I first came here, back a few years ago, I was expecting to find two very different girls. But you and Elizabeth surprised me, you both fit very well into this world, and your not all that different from myself." Charlotte gave Kate a wink.

"Kate! breakfast, don't make us late for school!" Cody called out the door. Kate glanced back waving him off before turning to Charlotte.

"Are you sure you won't join us?"

"No thank you, nothing like fresh trout for breakfast." Charlotte smiled.

"Well I have to go to school, but Abigail said to stop by before you go, she wants to give you something for the road." Kate said.

"I will" Charlotte smiled.

"You will come back soon?" Kate asked.

"I will." Charlotte nodded standing and surprising Kate by giving her a hug.

"See you soon then." Kate smiled heading back to the cafe.


"Hello, how was school?" Abigail asked as Kate and Cody came into the kitchen.

"Rosemary gave up the last hour doing math with the upper grades, she decided we all should sing instead." Kate said with a sigh as Abigail laughed.

"Maybe we should look into someone with a little more training teaching school the next time Elizabeth is gone." Abigail nodded.

"Kate you want to go play baseball?" Cody asked.

"No thanks," Kate shook her head.

"One hour Cody then homework" Abigail called as Cody nodded running out.

"So besides being forced to sing how was your day?" Abigail asked placing a bowl of fruit in front of Kate.

"It was good, I suppose it was nice to have a break from the usual lessons." Kate smiled.

"Speaking of which, you have some mail" Abigail said pulling out the telegram from earlier and handing it to Kate. She eagerly scanned the note.

"They made it safely and had a wonderful train ride. They will be home on the afternoon train on Friday" Kate read with a smile.

"Good. Do you have homework?"

"Rosemary can't even get through a lesson never mind give homework" Kate chuckled making Abigail laugh.

"I guess you are having a little vacation of your own this week then."

"I'm going to take Sergeant for a ride up to Jack's land. Lee said they would start building today. I'll be back in tome to help with dinner."

"Alright, go slow on that horse!" Abigail called as Kate headed to the stables.


"Oh I forget to tell you, Lee and a bunch of his men got us a wedding gift." Jack said as he and Elizabeth sat at dinner at a fancy restaurant that night.

"They did? What?"

"They are going to start working on the house this week, and Lee plans to put any of his extra men on it. He thinks he can have it up for us in a few weeks." Jack smile.

"Oh that's wonderful! Imagine if we are moved in by fall? I can't wait to curl up in front of that big fire place." Elizabeth reaching across the table and squeezing Jack's hand.

"Me either, keeping you warm on those chilly nights." Jack smirked at her, laughing when she made a face at him for being so forward in public.

"I'm so glad Rosemary and Abigail talked us into going away." Elizabeth sighed as their plates were cleared and Jack wrapped her shawl around her shoulders as she slipped her arm into his.

"Me too, it has been so wonderful having you all to myself."

"I could say the same. No threat of Mountie business to pull you away."

"Speaking of which, I left note with headquarters before we left. I said that I would no longer be taking positions like that anymore" Jack said softly as they walked down the street. Elizabeth looked up at him surprised.

"Well, not that I'm not grateful, but what made you come to that decision?" She asked. Being away from you, was the hardest thing I ever did. I love my job, I love being a mountie, but I love you so much more then all of that." Jack said. Elizabeth smiled laying her head on his shoulder.

"My father was a good man, he saved a lot of lives, and when he was with us he was a wonderful father. But he was gone more then he was home. And it was a lot of work for my mother, and it was hard on Tom and I to miss him so much. I lived that life, I lived the life on the road, taking every assignment, taking the dangerous ones, the indefinite positions away from home. But I'm done with that now. I don't want that life for our family. I'm not saying I will always be home, I will still have to do transports and short assignments, gone for a week or two. And if another war came up I can't promise you that I won't be given orders to go. But I won't be looking for that life again, I won't go by choice. I don't want you to ever be wondering when I will come back to you again." Jack said.

"That means so much to me. But I want this to be something you are doing for you, not just for me." Elizabeth looked up at him.

"It is, I promise you it is selfish on my part as well. I still want to be a mountie and serve my country. And I feel like I can do that and still come home to you every night. This is what I want." Jack said firmly.

"You are my favorite person Jack Thornton" Elizabeth smiled up at him as he ducked his head to kiss her outside the door to their hotel.

"Well, what a coincidence, your my favorite person Mrs Thornton." Jack smirked before pulling her inside with a playful force that made her giggle.


"Come on Rip" Kate called to the old hound dog as she and Rosemary made their way down the road to the row houses.

"That old dog" Rosemary chuckled as they both turned back to watch him plod along a few feet behind them not in any rush.

"How is everything at Abigail's?" Rosemary asked.

"It's wonderful. Abigail's feels like a second home, I think it probably always will. But I will be glad when Jack and Elizabeth are back." Kate smiled.

"I'm sure you will. Life has been quite busy for you three the past 2 weeks. What with Jack coming home, planing the house, the wedding, now they are away again." Rosemary nodded.

"It will be good to get back to normal, once we find our new normal." Kate nodded.

"You should be moving into the new house soon right? I know Lee is rushing to have it done, and Jack plans on helping when he is back. Lee said no more then six weeks and you should be moving in."

"Yes, I took Sergeant for a ride there yesterday, the have the walls of the main rooms up. Jack said after this week we aren't allowed to see it until it's done."

"By the way Lee talks about it, it's going to be quite the house." Rosemary smiled.

"I'll be glad for a little more space, what about you and Lee? Are you going to buy some land?" Kate asked.

"Oh I don't know. I would like a bigger house, but certainly not a farm and garden like Jack and Elizabeth. It would be nice though."

"Maybe after Lee finishes out house he will build one for you two." Kate smiled.

"Perhaps, but I am content where we are for the time being. Although I am sad we won't be neighbors anymore." Rosemary frowned a little as they stood outside their side by side houses.

"Me too, but We moved out of Abigail's house and we still see her everyday. We will still see you too." Kate smiled.

"Yes, well good. I'm not sure I ever had friends like Jack and Elizabeth." Rosemary smiled.

"I have to get some new clothes for the next few days, and probably do some dusting" Kate said climbing the steps.

"Of course, I will start dinner, you just come by when your ready. And Lee said he will give you a ride into town back to Abigail's later so don't worry about being home by dark."

"Thanks, see you in a little while." Kate smiled.


Friday afternoon Kate tuned Rosemary out as she watched the dirt road leading into Hope Valley. She had hardly glanced from it since lunchtime.

"Kate, Kate! Kathryn Thatcher are you listening!" Rosemary called as Laura elbowed Kate.

"Oh Yes Mrs Coulter" Kate said.

"Let's focus on school now and other things later right? Thats what Mrs Thornton would want" Rosemary said. Kate nodded narrowing her eyes at Rosemary for bringing Elizabeth into this. Finally Rosemary dismissed class thirty minutes early and everyone ran out into the summer weather to enjoy their weekend.

"Kate want to go fishing?" Anna asked.

"No thanks, I want to wait for the wagon." Kate said heading over to Jack's office where Rip was sleeping on the porch.

"Come on you lazy dog." Kate called patting her legs as Bill came out and Rip stood up with a sigh.

"I have never seen a loss mobile creature in my entire life" Bill chuckled.

"He misses Jack, he always sleeps more when Jack is gone."

"Well I bet he will be glad to see them then, they should be coming soon right?"

"I hope so" Kate nodded.

"Well, you be sure and tell Jack I don't want to see him around this office until Monday morning, that man deserves a nice long vacation." Bill said.

"Yes sir I will" Kate smiled heading down the road as Rip trailed after her.

"Come on boy, let's see if we can get a treat from Abigail and then we can wait for them" Kate said climbing the steps to the Cafe when a cloud of dirt down the path caught her eye. Just on the edge of town the wagon was pulling up with Jack driving.

"Yes!" Kate yelled jumping off and running down the porch with Rip at her heels barking away. As soon as they were in view Elizabeth started waving and Jack stopped the wagon in the middle of the road before they even hit the town letting Elizabeth quickly climb down as Kate rushed to her.

"Hi! Oh my goodness look at you!" Elizabeth laughed gathering Kate into her arms as Jack jumped down and Rip barked and ran around the three of them.

"I missed you so much!" Elizabeth sighed letting Kate go.

"I missed you too!" Kate yelled as Jake swept her off her feet giving her a hug as Elizabeth tried to quiet Rip.

"How was your trip?" Kate asked.

"Wonderful, We brought presents" Elizabeth smiled.

"Come hop in! Let's take a ride by the land and see how the house is coming along. This is the last look you two get until it's done!" Jack smiled as Kate crawled into the back of the wagon and Jack and Elizabeth sat back up in the drivers seat. Kate stood behind them holding onto the back of the bench.

"This weekend I'm going to put a second bench back there." Jack said nodding to where Kate was.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well, it's no car, but every family needs a good wagon to travel together in." Jack smiled.

"This is ours!" Kate cried.

"Happy wedding" Jack smiled as Elizabeth gasped.