AN: Thanks so much to everyone who has read this little piece of literature! I'm just having so much fun writing it!

As soon as they were in the cafe, Elizabeth started towards the kitchen, dragging Jack along with her. She was very careful to hide the ring as she walked, hoping to make a dramatic reveal.

"Abigail!" She called.

"Elizabeth? I thought you were going riding with- Oh, Jack. Well I guess that explains that." Abigail said, glancing over her shoulder from the stove. She looked them over carefully, taking in all of the little details; Jack's suit, their grins, and Elizabeth's swollen lips, and gasped. "You're engaged, aren't you?"

"How did you know?" Elizabeth laughed, and extended her hand to her dearest friend.

"It's obvious when I look at you two! Let me see that ring!" Abigail said, quickly moving the steak she was cooking off of the stove so that it wouldn't burn. "Oh Elizabeth! It's gorgeous! Excellent work, Jack. I'm so happy for you both!"

"We're pretty happy as well." Elizabeth laughed, and Jack put his arm around her waist. "Thank you, Abigail. We just had to tell you straight away, you're so important to us."

"Well, I'm honored. So whens the wedding?" Abigail asked, brushing her hands over her apron and turning back to the stove.

"I don't know. We haven't really discussed it." Elizabeth said. "I can't imagine that it'd be too far off though. Jack?"

"Soon." he agreed with a nod.

"Will you get married here, or in Hamilton?" Abigail asked.

"Here." Elizabeth said at once.

"Are you sure?" Jack asked, squeezing her waist.

"This is our home, Jack. These people...they're our family. And I want to get married in the church you built." Elizabeth said. Jack felt his chest swell with pride, and he could barely keep from pulling her close and kissing her senseless.

"Well, I'd be honored to host the reception right here." Abigail offered.

"Oh Abigail, we don't want to-"

"It wasn't a question, Elizabeth. I want to do this for you." Abigail insisted. "You're both very important to me."

"Thank you, Abigail." Elizabeth said, and went forward to embrace her friend. "And I hope that you'll be my matron of honor."

"Oh, Elizabeth, surely Julie, or Viola-"

"It wasn't a question, Abigail, I want you." Elizabeth insisted, using her friends own words.

"Then of course. I'm truly honored." Abigail nodded, and hugged Elizabeth tightly.

"Jack and I are going to go for a ride."

"But we'll be back in time for dinner." Jack assured her.

"You two have fun." Abigail said, turning to the stove so that they wouldn't see the happy tears in her eyes.

"Oh- and if you could just keep this quiet until we've had a chance to discuss this further." Elizabeth asked.

"Of course." Abigail nodded. "I'm so, so happy for you both."

"Thank you." Elizabeth grinned, and then took Jack's hand. "I'll see you tonight!" they walked out of the cafe together, and towards the prison, where Jack had two horses waiting for them. Elizabeth frowned, and Jack looked at her curiously.

"What?"

"I was just thinking, maybe it would be better if we took a walk? It would be easier to talk that way." she explained. Jack merely shrugged. How could he complain when taking a walk meant getting to hold his Elizabeth's hand, and have her so near to him? They started off towards the mine without thinking about it, and Elizabeth squeezed his hand. "So, Soon?"

"Well, as soon as we can manage it. There are still things we have to consider before we get married." Jack said.

"What exactly?" Elizabeth asked.

"Where we're going to live, for one. I can't imagine you'd like to live in the prison." Jack laughed.

"And I don't suppose my room over the cafe is really an ideal home for two." Elizabeth smirked. "But where are we supposed to live do you think? We are obviously staying in Hope valley- Do you suppose we might be able to get one of the empty row houses?"

"Well, I'm sure that we could. But I was thinking that I could maybe, well, build us a house." Jack said. "I've been thinking about it for a while now. A nice house for the two of us, with...room to grow." Elizabeth smiled and felt heat creep into her cheeks as he spoke.

"I'd like that. Very much Jack. But how long would it take?" Elizabeth asked.

"Not too long. I could get the lumber from Lee's, and I'm sure I could get some help from the men in town. Two months- maybe three." Jack said. Elizabeth pouted a little. "Too long?"

"That sounds like an eternity." She sighed. "But it's more than reasonable, to build a house, and to get everything prepared for a wedding. It just seems so far away."

"I'd marry you tomorrow if I could. I'd marry you right here right now." Jack said. "But again, I don't think that you'd like living in a prison."

"I don't know. I think I'd like living almost anywhere with you. But I suppose a home of our own would be better. Certainly more private." Elizabeth laughed.

"Definitely more private." He agreed. "And I promise, I'll get started on our house straight away. I have some money saved up. It isn't much, but it's enough to get us started."

"I have some money." Elizabeth said, and before Jack could protest she held up a hand to silence him. "Don't worry, it isn't my father's money. My wages, from teaching. I haven't spent much of them since I arrived here. So I earned it fair and square, and I want it to go towards building our life together. Okay?"

"Okay." Jack nodded.

"Jack, I promise you that I won't ever ask my father to give us any sort of financial help. I know you can provide for us." Elizabeth assured him.

"I can't provide you with the life you're used to." He said. "Private train cars, and all that."

"I don't need any of that. I only need you." Elizabeth promised. "And for the record, I'd rather sit with you in a crowded, public train car, than by myself in a fancy, private one."

"I love you." Jack said again, and Elizabeth stepped in a little closer. "So that's it. We'll build a house."

"I'd like that. I'd like living in a house that you built." Elizabeth grinned. "More than I like teaching in the school you built me...Where will it be?"

"I have a spot in mind. A little further than the school house, but not too far from town to walk." Jack said. "I actually, may or may not have purchased some land, in the last week or so. Just in case."

"What if I would have hated the idea, and demanded that we live somewhere that was ready now?" Elizabeth asked.

"Then I would have gotten you a row house." Jack shrugged. "But I would have always worked to convince you that it'd be better to build our own place."

"Well then, I suppose it's a good thing that I agreed straight away. It'll certainly save time." Elizabeth laughed.

"Would you like to see the place?" Jack asked.

"Of course!" Elizabeth said with a soft smile.

"How about we go there tomorrow? Have a picnic, at the sight of our future home?" He asked. Elizabeth felt a chill run down her spine at the words "our" and "home".

"That sounds lovely Jack." She nodded. They walked in silence for a moment. "I suppose I have to write my family about all of this."

"I can't imagine they'll be thrilled about it." Jack said, looking down at his feet.

"Julie will be ecstatic." Elizabeth insisted. "And as for my parents, and Viola, I couldn't care less what they think! I don't care if they're furious, and they decide to disown me and never speak to me again. I've made my choice, Jack. I love you, I want to be with you, no matter what anyone says."

"Well, I hope it doesn't come to that. Disowning you I mean." Jack sighed. "Though, really, it would only be their loss. I can't imagine why anyone would ever willingly cut you out of their life." Elizabeth bit her tongue, not wanting to bring up the fact that only days ago, it had seemed that that was exactly what Jack was trying to do.

"I'll have to learn to cook." Elizabeth said. "I mean, really learn. And It couldn't hurt to learn a bit more sewing...and knitting. All of those things."

"I know how to cook. I can even sew a little, Though I've never tried knitting, but I'm sure that we'll be fine." Jack assured her.

"Yes, but I'm the woman. I want to be able to cook a meal that's actually edible for my husband. I want to fix your buttons when they come loose, and I want to knit a blanket for….well…" Elizabeth trailed off, blushing as she thought of the baby they might have one day, and what it would take to make it…

"Fair enough. But don't worry about it too much. I'm marrying you because I love you, not because I want someone to do all of the housework." Jack said. "But I'll admit, that does sound nice."

"Furniture. We'll have to get furniture too." Elizabeth gasped. "And curtains, I don't know how to make curtains."

"Elizabeth-"

"I'm not even sure how to make biscuits correctly!" Elizabeth said, suddenly feeling that perhaps she wasn't quite as prepared for the challenge of being a wife and mother.

"Hey." Jack said, stopping, and turning towards her. He put his hands on her upper arms, and kissed her. "There's time for all of that later. Abigail can teach you how to make biscuits, and sew curtains, or we can buy some. I don't care if you never make anything by hand during our entire marriage, and I don't care if you do and they turn out to be disasters. I will still thank God, everyday, that you agreed to be mine."

"Oh Jack." Elizabeth sighed, and wrapped her arms around him. "But they won't be disasters. I'm a Thatcher. Thatchers never back away from a challenge."

"Soon you'll be a Thornton." Jack said as they resumed their walk.

"Well, from what I've seen, Thorntons aren't likely to back away from a challenge either." Elizabeth said with a sly smile. "Elizabeth Thornton. I like that, very much."

"So do I."

AN: There you have it! The next chapter, They break the news to their families, and everyone in Hope Valley!