Author's Note: Nathan witnesses Elizabeth on the dance floor with Lucas. They exchange a look between them and heartbroken, Nathan decides to leave the Founders' Day Dance. Elizabeth seeing Nathan's hurt expression can't continue the dance.

After the Dance

That look… It went straight to her heart, and then he walked away. She thought that she could just shake it off, but in reality, she couldn't. Her eyes met Lucas', and she gave a halfhearted smile and tried to focus on the dance. But she couldn't get that look out of her mind. Finally, Elizabeth stopped dancing and said, "I'm sorry, Lucas, but I need to excuse myself. Thank you for a lovely dance."

"Of course. Thank you for asking Elizabeth. "Have a good evening.", Lucas responded as he gave a partial bow. Elizabeth smiled at Lucas and made her way out of the saloon.

"Where did he go?", Elizabeth thought to herself as she frantically looked up and down the boardwalk near the saloon. She had to talk to him. She had to explain. He needed to know. Elizabeth figured that she'd start with the Mountie office and go from there. So she headed down the boardwalk towards the Mountie Office, but as she got closer, she could see that the office was dark. Elizabeth paused, hands on her hips, and let out a huge sigh, trying to figure out where she would look next.

All of a sudden, out of the corner of her eye, she caught the glow of a light coming in the direction of the library. Elizabeth took a deep breath and quietly whispered, "Always do what you are afraid to do. Lord, help me be brave enough to say what I need to say."

When she got to the library door, she quietly and cautiously opened it. There she found Nathan seated at the table by the door with his back towards her, looking up at the sign that he had made and given her.

"Hello, Nathan.", she said softly.

Nathan turned suddenly, surprised to see her there. She came around the other side of the table to sit across from him. Just as she sat, he was about to get up, but Elizabeth reached over and touched Nathan's arm and said, "Nathan! Wait please!" He looked down at her hand and then back at her.

"Elizabeth, why are you here? Go back to the party.", Nathan said in a slightly detached tone.

"Nathan, what's wrong? Why did you leave the dance like that?", Elizabeth asked with a concerned look on her face. Nathan looked away and shook his head. "Nothing's wrong; it was just time for me to go, Elizabeth. It's been a long day.", Nathan said guardedly.

Elizabeth sat back, crossed her arms in front of her, and studied Nathan's face for a moment. "Why do I have the feeling that there's more to it than that? What's really going on with you, Nathan? You seem upset.", she asked as she stared at him intently.

Nathan looked back up at the sign and then covered his face with his hand as he took a deep breath. "Well, it's probably better to get it over with. It's already been too long as it is.", he said as he looked at her blue eyes, studying her for a moment. Elizabeth simply waited there, puzzled but waiting all the same.

Nathan took another deep breath, folded his hands in front of him, and looked down at his hands as he began to speak. "Elizabeth, I was the one that Jack replaced at Fort Clay. Colleen had just passed, and I needed to take leave in order to take care of Allie, make arrangements, and simply to grieve. I'm sorry that I haven't told you sooner. There's just never been the right time to tell you. I wanted to, but I just didn't know how.", Nathan said as his eyes began to fill with tears. He looked at Elizabeth hesitantly and saw her sitting there with her hand over her mouth and tears in her own eyes.

He looked up at his sign again and continued, his words shaky: "I felt guilty about the accident when I learned of it when I came back from leave. Although I had never met Jack, I knew that he left behind a wife and child. I put on for a transfer to Hope Valley because I felt that it was my responsibility and my duty to look after you and protect you both."

Elizabeth had tears streaming down her face, but despite her own inner turmoil, she reached over, grabbed Nathan's hands, and looking at him sincerely, she said, "Nathan, please don't feel guilty. Jack may have replaced anyone on that mission, but it just happened to be you. "Honestly, I don't blame you for his death, Nathan." She squeezed his hands and maintained eye contact with him through the tears.

Nathan's own tears streamed down his face, and he sat there for a moment, looking back at Elizabeth and stroking the backs of her hands with his thumbs. Once he had his bearings about him enough to speak, he said, "Thank you, Elizabeth. It means a lot to me that you don't blame me for Jack's death."

Elizabeth smiled at him in response, squeezed his hands once more, and commented in return, "Nathan, I appreciate your honesty in this situation; I know that could not have been easy."

Nathan simply shook his head. The two of them sat there for a few moments in silence, holding hands and with eyes filled with tears. Then, Elizabeth nervously pulled back from Nathan's grip and looked behind her, up at his sign. When she turned back to Nathan, she shyly smiled.

"Well, since we are being honest with one another, I have a little confession to make. Nathan, since you arrived in Hope Valley, I've been drawn to you. Originally, I believed it to be because you were a Mountie like Jack. Then I discovered, though, that beyond the Serge, you two are very different. Also, I thought the draw was because we both had the same desire to help Allie succeed. Yet I discovered it went beyond Allie.", Elizabeth paused, took a deep breath, and then looked back at Nathan.

"Nathan, it terrifies me to the core to say this for so many reasons. I'm interested in you, Nathan. Normally, I wouldn't say something like this, especially so soon after Jack's death, but that sign and your honesty, they help me be brave. And, Nathan, I suspect that maybe you might feel the same way too? I sensed it the other day here in the library and then again tonight as you walked out. Your look broke my heart. That's why I'm here. I had to tell you.", she said as she waited patiently for his response.

Nathan sat there dumbfounded, but then finally responded by saying, "You chose to dance with Lucas, and why wouldn't you? He has a lot to offer."

Elizabeth shook her head, grabbed his hands, and looked intently at him. "Nathan, I couldn't find you! So yes, I chose him. He was there. But Nathan, you are the one I came after. You are the one who helps me be brave when everything within me wants to run."

Nathan's tears were streaming down his face at this point. "I've been drawn to you too, but I felt like I was betraying Jack and his memory if I pursued what I was feeling.

Elizabeth squeezed his hand, nodded through her own tears, and replied, "I understand more than you know. But I am also brave enough to admit that after losing Jack, I don't want to miss an opportunity that life gives me again because of fear. Your plaque helped me see that." She let go of his hand and pointed up to his handiwork that hung there.

"So, the question is, are we both brave enough to give this—to give us—a shot?", Elizabeth asked as she looked at him with a new sort of confidence in her face.

Nathan took a deep breath, stared at the sign once more, and then looked back at Elizabeth. "Elizabeth Thornton, would you like to go to dinner with me one night this week?", he asked with a new spirit of boldness as well.

Elizabeth smiled back at him and responded, "I would love to Nathan. I really should be getting back to Julie and Little Jack. Would you walk me back?"

Nathan smiled at her, stood from his spot, and replied, "I'd be honored." He walked over to Elizabeth and offered her a hand to help her up and then his arm to her as she stood. She looked at him, smiled brightly, and put her arm through his. They strolled over to the lights, turned them off, stepped out onto the boardwalk, and began the next chapter of their lives, together.