AN: Thank you for the responses to the last chapter! Here's another for you- It's full of action, I assure you! As per the request of one of my kind reviewers, Here's a brief recap of the last chapter:

Jack and Elizabeth arrived in Hamilton for Viola and Sir Lionel's wedding; Elizabeth and Viola bonded as Elizabeth was having her dress fitting, where Elizabeth let slip that Julie is having a baby. That night at dinner they met Charles's new lady friend Edith, who Elizabeth thought was just charming, but Charles was noticeably upset all evening, finally leading to him storming out of the house onto the terrace. Viola distracted Edith by showing her wedding gifts while Elizabeth went to talk to him, at which point he kissed her, and she punched him, all of which was witnessed by Jack, Sir Lionel, and Mr. And Mrs. Thatcher. Now you're caught up, Enjoy!

Jack had risen from the table when he had seen Charles approach Elizabeth. He hadn't been able to hear them, but he had seen clearly enough, even though they were shrouded in darkness. When he kissed her, Jack began going to the door, but froze when he saw his wife's fist connect with the man's face. When she ran past him, not seeing him, he was conflicted, having trouble deciding if he should go outside, and beat Charles senseless, or go after his obviously distressed bride. Charles saw him then, and approached him quickly.

"You- This is your fault, Thornton."

"Is that so?" Jack asked, stepping out onto the terrace. "Because I believe that you are the one who has caused my pregnant wife distress."

"Everything in my life was going so well until you came into the picture- she would have married me, you know. We were- we are, a perfect match." He nearly spat.

"Incidentally Elizabeth doesn't think so." Jack scoffed. His fists were clenched as he prepared for an attack, but he forced himself to remain calm. "It's late. You should go collect Edith, and take her home."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He asked, stepping in closer. "Somehow you managed to get Elizabeth and her family wrapped around your finger, but I can see you for what you really are. A nobody, using Elizabeth for her family connections."

"How dare you!" Both men turned to the door to see William Thatcher, his face red with rage. "Charles, I believe you've had too much to drink tonight. You should take Constable Thornton's advice and return home. I'll tell Edith that you'd taken ill, and have our driver take her home."

"Mr. Thatcher, I-"

"No. You have insulted my daughter, you have insulted my son in law, and you have broken my trust. Go home, Charles." William said. Once he had turned around, Charles lunged for Jack, who stepped aside.

"I wouldn't try that again." Jack warned.

"Scared, Constable?" He sneered, and lunged again. Jack's instincts kicked in automatically, and he quickly subdued him. William and Sir Lionel rushed out onto the terrace, and Jack looked at them.

"I'm sorry." He said, and William and Sir Lionel both burst out laughing.

"You've got nothing to apologize for Jack old boy, Charles was being an ass." Sir Lionel laughed. Jack bent down to check on Charles, but his father-in-law stopped him.

"Go to her, Jack. I'll deal with...that." William Thatcher said. Jack hesitated. "Now, when I gave you my blessing to marry my daughter, I told you that you must put her needs before your own. She needs you, son." Jack nodded, and quickly went after Elizabeth. He found her lying on her bed, staring at the canopy with empty eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked, coming to sit beside her. She rolled her face towards him, and took his hand.

"Charles kissed me."

"I know." Her eyes widened. "There are...quite a few windows that look from the parlor to the terrace. "

"No…" She groaned, and covered her face with her arm. "So everyone saw?"

"Just the four of us at the card table. Edith was with Viola in the gift room." Jack said, and she sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" He asked, gently moving her arm aside, and stroking her hair. She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"I didn't want him to kiss me."

"You made that pretty clear with your right hook." He said with a smirk, the sort of smirk that always made her heart race. She reached out her hands, and he helped her to sit up. "I'm glad that you did that."

"Oh?" She asked, leaning to rest her head on his chest.

"You're going to think it sounds foolish, But there was always a part of me that was afraid that you would have been happier if you would have chosen Charles." Jack said, and Elizabeth scoffed. "It's not so ridiculous, is it? You have all of those stories about your childhood with Charles...so many fond memories."

"Fond childhood memories aren't the foundation of love, Jack." Elizabeth laughed. "Though, I understand that it might have been difficult for you to hear the stories that way. That's the way that I felt when Rosemary first came to town, with all of those stories about you, the mischief you got into...the fond memories. But in the end, I was almost glad of it, because I came to know you so much better. That was what I was trying to do for Edith, but you see where that got me."

"I hadn't thought of it that way." He said. "I know that Rosemary can be a bit much," Elizabeth laughed. "That's an understatement, I know. But the two of you, you get along now. You're friends."

"We do. She can be such a sweetheart...when She wants to be." Elizabeth said. "So you're not mad?"

"Not at you." He said, and she laughed. "I might have exchanged a few...words with him."

"Words?" She asked skeptically.

"Yes, words." Jack said. "And he might have gotten a bit aggressive, and I had to...Subdue him."

"Subdue him?!" She gasped.

"I think he was drunk, Elizabeth." Jack said. Elizabeth pursed her lips.

"Come to think of it, when he kissed me, He did...Well, he tasted like alcohol." She sighed, and carefully traced her fingers over his features. "I'm glad you're alright. I love you, so much. I love you, and I love our baby...I love being a Mounties wife, I love sharing your bed, and your house. I'll never regret my choice Jack, ever. I love you."

"Not as much as I love you." He said, and gently caressed her growing stomach. "And I love you." the baby kicked against his hand then, as if to reciprocate the sentiment. Elizabeth and Jack looked at each other and laughed, reveling in the joy of their future together.

…..

Breakfast was much more pleasant that dinner had been, but Viola seemed to be a bit on edge, which no one seemed to notice except for Elizabeth, who kept looking at her while pushing food around her plate.

"You aren't eating, Beth." Her mother said, making a slight tsk-ing sound.

"I'm afraid I'm not feeling up to eating this morning. For the most part I'm over my morning sickness, but occasionally, it strikes." She said. Jack put his hand on her knee under the table, and gently traced a circle with his thumb. She smiled reassuringly at him, but she looked a little pale. "But don't worry, I'll be ready to eat by lunch time, and then I'll eat so much you'll be amazed."

"I never had sickness when I was expecting any of you girls. Maybe that means it will be a boy." Grace suggested with a wide smile. Elizabeth almost contradicted her, and admitted that she thought it was a girl, but instead, she shared a conspiratorial look with Jack. "I think I'd like a grandson. I've never had a baby boy in the family; I think it would be great fun!"

"Boys do run in Jack's family, but as you said before, Girls do run in ours." Elizabeth shrugged, and took a sip of cold orange juice, which she nearly spit out when she felt the most powerful kick she had felt so far against the front of her stomach.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked, and she nodded.

"Someone's child is just being a little active this morning." She said, and he smiled at her, resisting the urge to reach over and feel it for himself. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside of the dining room.

"What in the world is that?" William asked, looking up from his paper.

"I haven't the faintest idea." Grace said, sipping her tea. Viola rose from her seat at the exact moment the door burst open.

"Julie!" Viola cried, rushing around the table to embrace her.

"Julie?" The rest of the table asked almost simultaneously. Elizabeth rose as quickly as she could with her shifted center of gravity, and went to join them.

"What on earth!" Elizabeth laughed, and Julie pulled her into the hug.

"My thoughts exactly." William asked, throwing down his paper. The girls separated, and stood in an unbroken line staring at him. "I thought I made it clear you were no longer welcome here."

"I was invited." Julie sniffed.

"Elizabeth how could you!" Grace gasped.

"What? It wasn't me- Not that I wouldn't have invited her, but this isn't my home anymore, it's not my place to invite anyone." Elizabeth said.

"Well I certainly didn't invite her, and neither did your mother!" William scoffed.

"Well it was obviously me." Viola said, stunning everyone to silence. "She's my sister, and I'm getting married. We've had quite a while to get used to the idea now, so I thought that it was best that we let bygones be bygones, and see Julie again. I asked Sir Lionel for his permission, which he gave, and bought the train fare, and I'm not ashamed."

"That wasn't your choice to make, Viola." William said icily.

"Father, please, don't be this way. Besides, she's here now. She came all this way- Is Tom with you?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh, no. He couldn't take anymore time off of work." Julie explained.

"With or without your husband, you are not welcome here." William said. Julie took a sharp breath, nodded, and turned on her heel, but both Elizabeth and Julie caught her.

"Would you choose to never meet your grandchild?" Viola asked.

"What?" Grace gasped, laying the napkin she had been clutching to her chest on the table.

"It's true. Mother, father. I'm pregnant." Julie said, turning to face them. She laid her hands on her stomach, which, while significantly smaller than Elizabeth's, was still noticeably distended.

"Pregnant?" WIlliam asked quietly. Julie nodded. Grace gasped, and rose to embrace her youngest daughter, and both women looked at each other with tears in their eyes. She kissed her cheek, and looked pleadingly to her husband. "I'd like to speak to Julie alone." Julie nodded, and took a seat at the table. Jack claimed Elizabeth"s hand, and they walked out together.

"Viola, I can't believe you brought her here!" Elizabeth said.

"I decided that enough was enough. She'd learned her lesson." Viola shrugged.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, This morning has been a little much for me. I think I'd like to have a lie down." Grace said, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead.

"I'll come with you." Viola offered, knowing that her mother was still not entirely recovered from her illness.

"I could use a bit of air, I think." Elizabeth said, pulling Jack towards the terrace. "A walk in the garden sounds just perfect Jack." He followed her gladly. Once they had made it past the terrace, into the tall hedges that blocked the house from view, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned into him. His arms quickly ensnared her waist. "What a day."

"It' not even noon yet." He chuckled. "You really didn't know that Julie was coming?"

"I hadn't a clue. Yesterday afternoon I told Viola that Julie was expecting, and she seemed...distracted after that. She disappeared for a while after rejoined our mother, didn't say where she was going. She must have gone to purchase a train ticket and send a telegram. It's too bad Tom couldn't come...but I suppose he did spend quite a while with us in Hope Valley."

"Yes, he did. What do you suppose your father is saying to Julie?"

"I'm not sure. He didn't seem angry, If anything, he seemed too calm. I only hope he won't say anything he'll regret...for that matter, I hope she doesn't say anything she will regret. Something they have in common, they're both extremely stubborn, extremely set in their ways."

"Sounds like someone else I know." Jack said, and Elizabeth feigned hurt.

"Who? Me?" He chuckled, and kissed her forehead, her nose, and then finally her lips. "See, that's how you should treat your pregnant wife."

"Note taken." She slid her hands down so that they rested on his chest. "I love you Elizabeth."

"Jack, I love you too." The baby kicked between them. He put his hand on her stomach, as did she. "And I love you most. I can't believe how active she is. So alive, and getting stronger. I can't believe that in a matter of weeks she's gone from little flutters to real kicks and movements...How six months ago she didn't exist at all. It's crazy, Jack. But I'm so happy, Happier than I've ever been in my whole life. I hope that you know that."

"I was never happier in my life either. You and the baby, you're everything to me." He kissed her, and then kissed her again, but they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"Pardon me. Viola said I'd find you, both of you out here." Elizabeth gasped, and Jack instinctively moved her behind himself. "No, please, there's no need to do that. Believe it or not, I came to apologize."

"A rather bold move, Charles." Elizabeth said, narrowing her eyes.

"I know. Whether or not you believe me, Mrs. Thornton, Constable, I am truly, deeply sorry for what happened here last night." Charles said, taking a step closer. "I know it's no excuse, but I was…"

"Drunk?" Jack asked, at the same moment Elizabeth offered up "Intoxicated?"

"Not myself." Charles concluded. "I have moved on, Elizabeth, I swear. I really do care for Edith."

"That isn't what it looked like from where I stood, Charles."

"I know what it must have looked like. I regret it more than you could possibly imagine. It's just...Knowing that you were gone, that you were married, and then seeing with my own eyes...I wasn't ready for it. I reacted badly. I loved you, Elizabeth. My whole life, I was in love with you."

"I'm sorry Charles, but I made it perfectly clear on several occasions that I did not reciprocate your feelings. I don't believe you can hear the word no." Elizabeth said, taking Jack's hand.

"I can, Elizabeth. I swear it. Please, give our friendship another chance. Everything can be the same as it was before." Charles begged. Elizabeth looked at her oldest friend, and then at her husband, who was watching everything warily.

"I"m sorry Charles, but it can't be." He opened his mouth to protest. "I'm married now, Charles. And I love Jack very much...And however much you might want to, you don't respect that. You don't respect him, and I can't have friends who won't respect my husband. I'm sorry that it had to end like this, Charles. I'm not angry at you any more, I'm still glad that you're going to be working with my father, and wish you and Edith all the best...But our friendship, especially the way that we knew it, is over. Goodbye, Charles."

"Goodbye, Beth." Charles said, in disbelief, turned around, and walked away.

"Elizabeth, you didn't have to do that for me."Jack said, noting the redness of her eyes, shining with unshed tears. She shook her head, and put her hands on his shoulders. "You're hurting, Elizabeth. I can see it in your eyes."

"I'll admit that I am, Jack. I love Charles, But not half as much as I love you. Not a quarter." She insisted, but even as she spoke, tears began to spill. He lifted his hands to brush them away, and she caught one, and kissed his palm. "Anyone who disrespects you, disrespects me...and he disrespected us both...I'll always care about him, I'll treasure the memories of our childhood. But from here on out, the good memories I have will be shared with you, Jack. You...and our child." She Said, smiling despite her tears.

"Elizabeth-"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore Jack. Just...Hold me." She laughed quietly, the tears continuing to fall in torrents.

"Alright." He conceded, wrapping his arms around her, and holding her while she cried. They stayed like that for a long time, neither one of them in any hurry at all to end the moment.

AN: So there it was! Who else is excited for season four?!