"So there's still a little more work to do." Jack said pulling the wagon up to the front of the house. Six weeks after coming back from their honeymoon and the house was just about ready to move into.
"Oh it's beautiful already" Elizabeth sighed as Jack climbed down. He helped Elizabeth down first before reaching into the back and lifting Kate out setting her on her feet. The house was big, over twice the size of the row house. The drive for the wagon was about 20 feet away and it lead to the barn, but there was a footpath from the wagon drive to the house with green grass on either side. The big porch in the front overlooked the field with woods on the edge of it. This was where Jack hoped to plant some apple trees come next spring. A swing hung from the porch by a big window that was the sitting room.
"Kate would you like to do the honors?" Jack asked handing her the key. Kate smiled unlocking the door and stepped inside. Elizabeth moved to follow her but Jack stopped her sweeping her off her feet into her arms.
"Jack!" Elizabeth laughed relaxing in his arms as he carried her through the door setting her down but keeping an arm around her.
"This is amazing" Elizabeth whispered. The whole house was open. From where she stood you could see the sitting room, dining area and kitchen. The stairs leading up were along the back wall of the sitting room. She had wanted it all open. The big house in Hamilton where she had grown up would often feel so isolated to be in a room by yourself. This way they could be together. To the left was the sitting room, a large fireplace and shelves along the walls for books. A large window over looking the porch and field. They had planed out where to put the sofa and her writing desk. She couldn't wait to put everything in. When she turned to the right Elizabeth gasped, there was a brand new long table and chairs in the middle of it and a beautiful hutch along the wall. Both rooms were open and bright with large windows. This is where they would spend most of their time with plenty of room for everyone.
"Oh Jack" She whispered running her hand over the smooth table surface.
"I know we said we would put the table in the row house in the kitchen, but I wanted to make our dining room table." Jack shrugged.
"It's so big!" Elizabeth cried, three chairs on either side and one at each end.
"Well, I just thought we would like to have friends over for dinner, and eventually, hopefully there will be little children in these seats" Jack said gently going to stand beside her squeezing her hand.
"That is a lot of chairs" Elizabeth chuckled
"I know, I may have gotten a little ahead of my self." Jack agreed with a grin.
"I'm not saying we wont need them though" Elizabeth said looking up at him through her eyelashes. He grinned at her kissing her gently.
Elizabeth closed her eyes for a minute imagining their children gathered around the table for dinner each night. She sighed with a smile opening them.
"Elizabeth, come see this" Kate called and they walked into the kitchen. The new stove was already there, as well as the ice box. Cabinets lined the walls, there was plenty of floor space for their table now to fit in the middle with the chairs around it.
They had decided it was practical to eat their less formal meals like breakfast here, especially when it was just the three of them. And Elizabeth liked the idea of being able to make dinner while Kate, or future children did their homework at the table right by her. She felt butterflies in her stomach, she and Jack had planed for children of course. There was not much room in the row house for a baby. But now that they were almost officially moved in, there were empty chairs and spaces just waiting to be filled with children.
"Did you see your room?" Jack asked. Kate shook her head as Jack reached around her opening the door.
"Oh!" Kate cried rushing in. She had a big window that over looked the fenced in field where Sergeant would graze, and also a view of the lake about a half mine away. Her bed and desk would come from the row house, but Jack had built her a wardrobe for her dresses which sat empty just waiting to be filled.
"It's wonderful!" Kate smiled giving Jack a warm hug.
"It needs some paint, but it should be ready soon." Jack said.
"It's perfect Jack" Kate smile.
"I have another surprise for you girls." Jack said leading them out of Kate's bedroom and to the door just by it. He opened it slowly as the girls peered around him. Kate saw it first letting out a squeal and hugging him again.
"Running water!" She yelled.
"Oh Jack!" Elizabeth gasped. They had talked about putting a hand pump in the kitchen for water. But she never expected Jack would put a bathroom inside the house complete with a tub to hand pump water into and a flushing toilet. She couldn't imagine how much work this had to have been for him and Lee and his men.
"Jack this is to much!" Elizabeth breathed as Kate raced into the bathroom to get a closer look.
"It's not. Nothing is to much for you." Jack whispered putting an arm around her waist and pulling her into his side and giving her a kiss.
"Now it's just water from the well. So if you want a warm bath in the winter you still have to heat the water on the stove." Jack said letting Elizabeth go so she could explore the room with Kate.
"Oh that's fine" Elizabeth said shaking her head in disbelief running her hand over the bathtub.
"Come on there is still more to see" Jack said smiling as they followed him out of the room and up the stairs against the wall. The hallway upstairs over looked the sitting room with a railing along the wall keeping it open so the large fireplace could heat the upstairs too. The first room would be Jack and Elizabeth's room. The windows faced west toward the back of the house where there was a quarter mile of land before the woods started. The room was empty, but Elizabeth already knew the bed, wardrobe and trunks that were in the row house now would still leave space in the large room.
"Jack this is beautiful" Elizabeth sighed standing in the middle of the room and looking around. Kate disappeared back through the door going to see the other rooms.
"I wanted to make it perfect for you." Jack smiled going to join her in the middle of the room.
"Anywhere you are with me is perfect" Elizabeth smiled as Jack leaned down to meet her lips savoring the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I just… I wanted to give you a house you dreamed of when you were little. I know it's nothing like what you grew up in.." Jack started
"Jack, I don't want you to ever feel like you have to live up to where I am from just because we are married now. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have anything as amazing as this." Elizabeth whispered cupping his cheek in her soft hand. He gave her a warm smile and she returned it as he bent to peck her lips again.
"Come on, there's still two rooms" Jack said pulling her back into the hallway where Kate was standing looking down into the sitting room. Jack stood in between two smaller empty rooms. Both had big windows and bright with sunshine.
"They are beautiful Jack" She sighed.
"I mean, Maybe we could put your type writer in one for now, just so it's not sitting empty, and we could make another the guest bedroom. Maybe put the extra bed frame in here for when people come to stay?" Jack suggested not wanting to overwhelm her.
"Who comes to stay?" Kate asked
"Well Julie, or my mother, or brother…" Jack said.
"Perhaps we should put the bed in one to use as the guest room. The other we can just leave, no sense in moving something in to move it out again." Elizabeth said softly so Jack could hear her. Jack grinned playing with the end of one of her long curls.
"Sounds good to me." He whispered.
"Hello, wow something smells amazing" Jack smiled letting himself into the row house.
"Elizabeth made chicken and dumplings." Kate smiled greeting him.
"And you are just in time" Elizabeth added pulling a pan from the stove as Jack went over greeting her with a quick kiss.
"Katie set the table please? How was your day?" Elizabeth asked as Kate put a plate at each chair and Jack started washing his face.
Wonderful, I ran into Lee on the way home and he the house should be ready to move in by next week." Jack said.
"Hurray!" Kate smiled.
"Oh that's wonderful, I can't wait." Elizabeth grinned at him as they sat down at the table.
"Me either, we should probably get a start on packing though. I can bring over a wagon load a day of things we won't need for the next week, that way it won't be so many trips on moving day."
"Good idea" Elizabeth nodded.
"It will be strange not living so close to people anymore." Kate said as they heard Rosemary starting to sing softly in the next house over, a common occurrence in the evenings.
"It will be wonderful" Jack smirked making the girls laugh. They were interrupted by a voice yelling outside.
"Jack! Jack!" It called getting closer. Jack was out of his seat and to the door in a second.
"Cat, what's wrong?" He asked opening the door before she got there.
"Bill needs you in town right away, he says its an emergency." Cat said catching her breath after running from town. Kate and Elizabeth were in the doorway as well as Rosemary and Lee had come out onto their own porch.
"What happened?" Elizabeth asked as Jack pulled on his serge.
"I'm not sure" Cat shook her head.
"Jack I'll give you a ride!" Lee called running to his car.
"Thanks Lee, lock the door until we know what happened, I will be back soon." Jack said turning to Elizabeth and giving her a quick kiss before rushing over to Lee's car.
"Be safe!" Elizabeth called after him as Rosemary hurried over.
"What do you think happened?" Kate asked as Rosemary slipped into the house and Elizabeth closed the door locking it.
"I don't know, hopefully nothing to terrible, put Jack's plate in the oven please hopefully it will stay warm until he's back." Elizabeth said.
"Poor Jack, worked all day and didn't even get to eat his dinner" Kate whispered putting the plate in the oven and sitting down to her own.
"Rosemary can I make you a plate?" Elizabeth asked.
"Oh I already ate with Lee, but I can keep you ladies company if you would like" Rosemary offered.
"Of course" Elizabeth smiled.
"Well anyway Lee and I have been talking about building a house, but he is just so busy you know. And truthfully we don't need anymore room. Although it would be nice to have a bigger kitchen" Rosemary went on as Elizabeth poured her another cup of tea. Dinner was finished and they sat around the table waiting to hear what had gone wrong in town. All three of them jumped when there was a knock at the door.
"It's me" Lee's voice called. Kate jumped up hurrying to let him in.
"What happened?" Rosemary asked.
"I'm not sure, Jack had me drop him off just outside and said I should come back here." Lee shrugged.
"Did you see anything?" Kate asked.
"Nothing out of the ordinary from what I could see" Lee shrugged as Elizabeth offered him a cup of tea.
"No thank you, we should go." Lee said.
"Of course, let you girls get back to your night, hopefully Jack is back soon but let us know if you need anything" Rosemary said.
"We will thank you, good night" Elizabeth said as Lee and Rosemary left.
"Jack's plate has gone cold by now" Kate said.
"I suppose it has." Elizabeth sighed, she was so proud of her dinner and Jack didn't even get to try it.
"I'll wash the dishes" Kate offered when suddenly they both heard a gunshot in the distance, then another and another. Kate turned to Elizabeth wide eyed.
"That was from town." Elizabeth said
"What was it?"
"It was a gunshot, go to Rosemary's" Elizabeth said quickly slipping her feet into her boots.
"What? Where are you going?" Kate asked.
"To see what just happened." Elizabeth said the front door already opened.
"No! Elizabeth!" Kate cried running after her.
"Kathryn! Go!" Elizabeth said already making her way down the path as Kate ran next door banging on the door.
"What's wrong?" Rosemary answered it quickly instantly worried when she saw Kate standing there.
"We heard gunshots from town. Elizabeth is trying to go there!" Kate said quickly.
"Lee!" Rosemary called.
"Yup I'm on it!" Lee said hurrying down the path and into the dark after Elizabeth.
"Come on, come in," Rosemary quickly ushered Kate into her house.
"What do you think happened?" Kate asked.
"Well I am sure I don't know but there is no cause to worry yourself sick over it. For all we know someone had to much to drink at the saloon and decided to act silly shooting into the air.
"Come on now, why don't you and I have some tea and just wait for them to come back with news." Rosemary said guiding Kate over to the table.
"Elizabeth!" Lee called chasing her shadow down the lane.
"Elizabeth this is not a good idea" Lee said again when he caught up with her.
"There were gun shots Lee, multiple shots, Jack would never be the one to fire first so someone started shooting at him." Elizabeth said as she walked so fast Lee had to jog to keep up with her.
"We don't know that maybe…"
"I know that Lee." She said firmly.
"Alright, alright but please stay hidden and with me until we know what happened alright? Truthfully I'm a little afraid of what Jack will do to me if something happens to you." Lee said.
"Alright" Elizabeth agreed. They walked the rest of the way silently, the town was silent when they got there. Night had fully fallen and they had no trouble hiding behind the first building they reached in town. There were muffled voices and Lee put his finger to his lips as if he had to remind Elizabeth to stay silent. He glanced around the building and Elizabeth watched his face instantly fall.
"Lee, Lee what is it?" She asked quickly.
It's … oh…" Lee couldn't seem to get out the words as Elizabeth circle around him finding a small group gathering outside Jack's office. In the dark she could see Bill wrestling a man on the ground and another laying nearby. It only took her a second to recognize the man on the ground as she let out a gasp.
"Jack!" Elizabeth forgot she was hiding, she screamed when she saw him laying on the the ground.
"Jack!" She yelled again running for him as Bill pulled a handcuffed man off the ground.
"I'm ok" Jack said as Elizabeth sunk to the ground next to him the knees of her skirt landing in a puddle of his blood.
"Jack you were shot!" Elizabeth had tears in her eyes as Lee was racing across the street to the infirmary and Abigail was rushing out of the Cafe.
"He pulled a gun on him when Jack's back was turned the cowardly bastard" Bill angrily spun the handcuffed man around making him almost fall to the ground again as he shoved him into the jail.
"Jack, here, here just lay still" Abigail said quickly putting a blanket under Jack's head as Elizabeth held his cheeks her tears falling onto his face.
"I'm ok really, it just knocked the wind out of me." Jack said trying to comfort her his face contorting in the pain he was trying to hide.
"Carson is here" Lee called and Abigail stood up stepping back allowing Carson room but Elizabeth refused to move.
"Jack, what happened?" Carson asked.
"Just my shoulder, I think it went through" Jack said. Elizabeth was relieved to see him alert and talking.
"Lee help me get him up" Carson said. Jack winched as Lee helped Carson sit him up and Carson cut away the side of Jack's shirt.
"Your right, went through, I'm going to have to clean it and give you some stitches but there's not much blood loss so and it looks like it missed anything vital. Your a lucky man Jack." Carson said.
"See, I told you I'm fine" Jack told Elizabeth rubbing her back with his good arm.
"Shot is not fine" Elizabeth cried almost angry that he was playing it off as nothing.
"Let's get you cleaned up and stitched up" Carson said as he and Elizabeth helped Jack to stand. Elizabeth put herself under his good arm so he could lean on her to walk across the street.
"I will go tell Kate everything is ok" Lee said.
"I better go with you, is it alright if she comes here Elizabeth?" Abigail asked.
"Yes, no sense in trying to argue with her she will probably just sneak out anyway" Elizabeth said helping Jack up the steps.
"That's my girl" Jack grinned.
"What happened? Where's Jack and Elizabeth?" Kate asked opening the door before Lee could even climb the steps to the porch of his row house.
"There was a drug runner in town, Bill spotted him and before he went in to grab him he wanted Jack for back up. But the man knew Jack from the fight up north and when Jack was turned he shot him, that was the gunshots you heard." Lee said. Rosemary grasped clutching her neck and Kate went as white as a sheet as Abigail grabbed her arms.
"But Jack is ok, he just needs some stitches, Carson is fixing him up, Elizabeth is with him and everything is just fine. He will be back home tonight. I saw him for myself." Abigail said quickly.
"Lee! You lead with that first!" Rosemary cried smacking Lee's arm.
"I want to see Jack" Kate said already making her way to the door.
"Of course, we knew you would, come on I will walk you" Abigail said.
"Let me give you ladies a ride." Lee offered.
"That's alright, you have been back and forth to town enough times tonight I hear. We will make it in a short walk." Abigail assured him.
"Let us know if you need anything." Rosemary said.
"Thank you" Kate nodded as Abigail left with her, they walked in silence for a while before Kate looked up at her.
"Abigail, have you ever shot a gun?" Kate asked.
"No, I never had to, I know plenty of women who do though." Abigail said.
"I never even touched one. Elizabeth either, she doesn't like them. She tells Jack to put his away as soon as he gets home from work. She doesn't like him walking around the house with it."
"They can be frightening things if they are in the wrong hands." Abigail nodded softly.
"What about the man who shot Jack?"
"Bill but him in the jail cell. I'm sure the transport will be here tomorrow. I suspect Bill is going to give him a rough night, this won't be a prisoner he orders breakfast for from the cafe tomorrow. I think Bill is going to give him no more then bread and water."
"What makes people do bad things?"
"Greed I suspect, anger, loss of hope. I'm sure there are many reasons." Abigail sighed as they neared the town.
"Come on, you wait here let me go see what's going on." Abigail lead the way into the infirmary. Kate sat down on the chair in the front room as Abigail went through the doorway into the back.
"Kate is here." Abigail said glancing into the room. Carson Shepard, the new doctor in town was easing Jack's arm into a sling as Elizabeth hovered over them watching.
"Great let's go home." Jack said.
"I'm going to come out and see you in a few days. The wound looks good but make sure you wash and dress it twice a day for a week." Carson said handing Elizabeth a basket of wraps and ointment for him.
"Of course." Elizabeth nodded.
"Leave that sling on until I tell you so those stitches don't tear. And nothing crazy, I'm telling you Jack rest that arm, no work no lifting until I tell you otherwise." Carson said firmly.
"I won't" Jack said. Carson raised his eyebrows not believing him, Abigail knew just how he felt. Jack was not one to sit around the house all day.
"I'll make sure of it." Elizabeth nodded.
"If the wound starts bleeding again, you have a fever or it gets infected come see me right away."
"Yes of course" Jack nodded standing up.
"We will" Elizabeth nodded clearly the only one of them paying attention.
"I mean it Jack, no stunts." Carson said.
"No stunts. Thank's for your help Carson." Jack nodded shaking his hand.
"Thank you, I will take care of him." Elizabeth promised.
"See you soon" Carson nodded opening the door as Kate jumped forward.
"Jack!" She cried.
"Hey! There you are, what's with the look huh I'm fine" Jack assured Kate pulling her into his good side. Kate didn't say anything just held onto him tightly as they walked outside slowly.
"Jack, here let me give you a lift back." Bill said standing outside with a wagon.
"Thank you" Jack nodded as Elizabeth and Bill helped him climb up into the back.
"I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow morning. I know you usually come in on Saturdays but I think you all need your rest." Abigail said giving Elizabeth a warm hug.
"Thank you" Elizabeth sighed into her hug before Bill helped her climb into the back next to Jack, their feet dangling off the sides.
"Up we go Kate" Bill called lifting her into the front seat before climbing up himself.
"Alright everyone ready back there, I'll try to avoid the bumps." Bill called.
"All set" Jack nodded. Bill whistled to the team and they started back home.
Kate and Elizabeth went into the house while Jack and Bill stood on the porch talking about the work Bill would have to do to take over for Jack the next few days.
"I have to say, this is the longest night I think I ever lived." Elizabeth sighed pouring a cup of tea as Kate pet Rip.
"Were you scared, when you saw him?" Kate asked softly.
"I was very scared. Luckily he wasn't to badly hurt, it could have been much worse." Elizabeth nodded sitting down at the table.
"I was scared when you went running after gunshots." Kate nodded sitting down next to her.
"I know, The whole time Dr. Shepherd was stitching Jack up, Jack was telling me what an awful idea that was. I suppose I couldn't think of anything else to do."
"Maybe not go running after gunshots on your own."
"Oh if I didn't send you to Rosemary's you would have been right there with me." Elizabeth shoo her head. Kate smiled a little in agreement.
"And I would have lectured you both on that." Jack said closing the door behind him as he came in sitting with them.
"Never come running after me if I go somewhere dangerous. I can only do my job fully if I know you girls are somewhere where I know you are safe." Jack said.
"Well let's just pray we don't have shots exchanged in our little town again." Elizabeth said softly.
"Yes" Kate agreed.
"It's late Kate why don't you head up to bed. We all had a rather trying night." Elizabeth sighed. Kate nodded standing up, she gave Jack a hug then Elizabeth before climbing the stairs to her room.
"Are you hungry?" Elizabeth asked getting up and getting Jack a glass or water.
"No, I'm just tired, this medicine Carson gave me is making me sleepy." Jack sighed.
"Well come on then. Abigail is bringing by breakfast in the morning. Let's go get some sleep" Elizabeth nodded taking Jack's hand they went upstairs too. Elizabeth changed into her nightgown and braided her hair off to the side as she always did before slowly helping Jack change, trying to be careful of his arm. She helped him lay back before crawling in next to him, blowing out the candle.
"I think we both may have nightmares tonight." Elizabeth whispered softly.
"Nothing to be afraid of. I am just fine." Jack shook his head.
"I wish you would stop saying that, you were shot today Jack, that's not fine." Elizabeth said her voice getting almost angry.
"Your right, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to worry." Jack sighed as he put his good arm around her pulling her to lay next to him. His tone softened the edge in Elizabeth's voice.
"Well I am going to worry, of course I am going to worry when you are working like that. You playing it off like nothing doesn't help."
"I'm sorry. It was a bad night, he got the best of us. But Bill and I handled it and he's going away for a long time. I'm sorry you were so worried." Jack sighed.
"I'm just glad your home now." Elizabeth whispered putting her head down on his chest while Jack brushed her loose curls behind her ear before running his fingers up and down her back.
"The most important thing to me is coming home to you. I'm never going to let anything get in my way of that. Even a man with a gun."
"Good, because I love you, a lot."
"Well that's good to hear, because I love you a lot too." Jack smiled. Elizabeth put her head up kissing him slowly before tucking back into his arm to fall asleep.
"You should not be doing that." Kate sighed watching Jack saddle up Sergeant three days later.
"I need to go check on the house." Jack said.
"Lee told you it was all set, they have a few things left to do but he could take care of it." Kate told Jack again as Jack struggled to tighten the strap with one arm.
"Give me a hand would you?" Jack asked.
"And take the wrath of Elizabeth when she finds out I helped you with this… no way" Kate shook her head not moving from the front steps.
"I have been sitting around this house for three days. I am not a man who sits around. I am perfectly capable of going on a little ride and looking at a house." Jack muttered finally getting the saddle on as he moved the reigns over Sergeant's head. Kate sighed stepping down taking them from Jack's hands and securing them.
"If Elizabeth asks, you were gone before I was home. I had no means to stop you." Kate said.
"Deal, you and me little shadow, we make a good team." Jack winked at her swinging onto Sergeant and Kate handed him the reigns.
"Yeah, I love putting my life on the line for you. If you fall off Elizabeth is going to have both our heads." Kate chuckled watching him.
"Well, at least we will be together, I'll be back before dinner." Jack grinned nudging Sergeant into a walk as he headed down the path. Kate shook her had watching him as Laura came down the path.
"Constable Thornton is all healed?" Laura asked.
"No, he's just stir crazy, and playing with fire." Kate said leading Laura back into the row house.
"Wait until Elizabeth finds out." Laura chuckled.
"She won't ever knew that we knew he was leaving, that's the deal." Kate said making Laura laugh.
"Do you and Jack often gang up on your sister?"
"Sometimes, not to often. Sometimes it's Elizabeth and I against Jack, that's funny because Jack has no idea what to do when we do that." Kate laughed.
"Poor Jack." Laura smiled as they opened their books for homework. Elizabeth came in a little while later with her books in her hand.
"Hello girls, my aren't we working hard. I was expecting to find you two outside enjoying the sunshine." She smile.
"I wish! This essay is the worst." Laura sighed making Elizabeth laugh.
"But I know you can do it." She smiled going over to the kitchen to start dinner.
"Wow, you really don't get any bonus points do you?" Laura asked turning to Kate.
"You have no idea" Kate sighed making Elizabeth laugh.
"Where's Jack?" Elizabeth asked glancing around the house.
"I'm not sure, he was gone when I came home." Kate shrugged sharing a look with Laura.
"Probably went for a walk somewhere.
"Laura will you be joining us for dinner?"
"No thank you, I have to be getting home now anyway." Laura said picking up her books and papers.
"See you tomorrow." Kate said cleaning her own homework to get ready for dinner.
"So where has Jack really gone?" Elizabeth asked putting her hands on her hips as she turned to Kate.
"Well how should I know?" Kate asked beginning to set the table.
"Because your doing that thing where you do chores without being asked, which means you always know something." Elizabeth said raising her eyebrows.
"I am not" Kate shrugged.
"I know you Kathryn Thatcher don't think you can get away with anything with me." Elizabeth said firmly.
"I think he went out to see the house with Sergeant." Kate said softly.
"That man." Elizabeth rolled her eyes shaking her head just as Jack came into the house.
"Hello everyone." Jack smiled.
"You just can't help yourself can you?" Elizabeth sighed giving him a smile.
"I was careful." Jack smiled going over to kiss her hello as Kate just shook her head finishing cleaning the table.
"I know, but sometimes you still make me crazy." Elizabeth laughed.
