AN: Your patience is appreciated wonderful readers! Here's another chapter for you!

Elizabeth and Cassandra fell into an easy routine. Cassandra insisted on waking up early each morning to prepare breakfast, but Elizabeth insisted on packing their lunches; they'd walk to school together, Cassandra never complaining about the slow pace Elizabeth moved at now. At the end of the day they'd walk home, and prepare dinner together, unless one of the many women of Hope Valley decided to stop by with an "extra pot pie" or "Just a very simple soup" for them, which it seemed happened more often than not. After dinner, they'd sit in the living room while Cassandra did her homework, or read, and Elizabeth would work on her lessons. Then they'd sit and talk. Elizabeth was surprised by just how comfortable she was with Cassandra around; in a way, the girl's joy and enthusiasm reminded her very much of Julie. She still missed Jack of course, missed him with every part of her being, but having Cassandra in the house ket her from going absolutely insane without him.

"Mrs. Thornton?" Cassandra asked one night about a week into their arrangement. They were sitting on the sofa, each carefully stitching one end of a blanket.

"I thought I told you that when we weren't at school you could call me Elizabeth- After all, Gabe calls my husband Jack. It only seems fair." She smiled.

"Alright, Elizabeth." Cassandra smiled a little. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"How did you know that Mountie Jack was the one?" She asked, and Elizabeth smiled slightly.

"It's complicated, and yet it's very simple. It was an overwhelming feeling almost; Feeling as if I loved him more than I'd ever thought I could love another person, and just being terrified of losing him, but then being more scared of what it would be like if he was never mine at all. It comes down to knowing that you could never be happy with anyone else...That you've found your soulmate." as she spoke, her eyes drifted to the framed wedding photo on the mantle, and her eyes misted with fresh tears.

"That's how I feel about Gabe." Cassandra said dreamily. "I really love him, Mrs. Thornton."

"I know that you do." Elizabeth nodded.

"My mother thinks he and I are too serious." She continued, "But I don't think that we are. He's been my best friend since my family first came here...he knew my pa. I can't imagine ever being with someone else."

"I do understand where your mother is coming from Cassandra. You're only sixteen."

"I'm almost seventeen! I'll be finished with school by the end of the year, you said so yourself." she said defensively. "And Gabe is almost eighteen...we want to get married, Elizabeth."

"Married?" Elizabeth asked. Cassandra nodded earnestly. "Married."

"Yes, we do- my mother said that I wasn't ready to be married yet, that I needed practice with running a house. That's one of the reasons I was so keen to stay with you- that and I really wanted to help take care of you."

"I see." Elizabeth nodded. "Cassandra, I know that you love Gabe, and I know that he feels the same way about you, but you know, there is no harm in waiting to get married, just until you're, say, eighteen or so."

"But why should we wait when we know what we want?" Cassandra asked. "If you had met Mountie Jack when you were my age, would you have wanted to wait, even for one more year?"

"If I had met Mountie Jack when I was your age, I don't know that I would have been brave enough to defy my family to marry him. Everything happens in God's time, Cassandra." Elizabeth sighed. "I'm very glad that you and Gabe love each other, and I'm proud of how committed you both are to eachother. If you really want to get married, then maybe you should. But, you need to think of some things logically before then. You need to have a good place to live-"

"Oh, Gabe's already been workin' on that! He's been saving all his wages from the Mill, and doin' some odd jobs for folks around town, and he has his eye on the row house a couple down from his mothers- the couple in it's been lookin' to sell, and they're willing to let it go for a mighty good price, cause they're eager to go...and because it needs a bit of repair, but that's nothing my Gabe can't do!"

"If I were you, Cassandra, I'd say that if you really want to marry him, there's no harm in getting engaged but don't rush right into a marriage. Take a little time, buy the row house and get it fixed up before you get married. Enjoy the time with your younger siblings and your mother, and do learn how to be a homemaker, if that's what you want to do."

"Oh it is, Elizabeth! It really is!" She sighed dreamily. "But I guess that you're right...I'm just so excited to marry him. I've been in love with him ever since I can remember."

"One year won't make so much difference in the long run, Cassandra. You'll have your whole life to be together. I think that in the end, you'll be pleased that you took this little bit of time for yourself." Elizabeth smiled at her.

"Hey- I thought I came to stay to help you out, and now it seems like it's the other way around!" Cassandra laughed. "I love you Mrs. Thornton- you're just like a big sister to me."

"I love you too Cassandra, and you are being a great help to me...after all, I still can't really get my boots on or off without help."

"I'm happy to help out!"

"I know. And that's one of the reasons that I love you!" Elizabeth smiled as their stitches finally met in the middle of the blanket.

….

September came about rainy and cold, but Elizabeth didn't mind it, as she usually felt it was much too warm. She felt bigger by the day, and didn't understand how that was possible, as the day before she had thought the same thing. Though she was glad to have Cassandra, and Abigail, and well, every woman in Hope Valley on her side, it did make her incredibly sad not to have Jack with her, though she was incredibly grateful that he had been there for the majority of her pregnancy, that he had gotten to feel the baby kick and move. Every day she prayed that he was safe, and that he would come soon. She'd gaze at his picture on the mantle, and feel his child moving within her, and at times she felt just overwhelmed by the feeling of love and then the feeling of sorrow his absence left. Some days, after Cassandra had gone to bed, she would just go sit in the nursery until she ended up falling asleep in the carefully crafted rocking chair, the well worn copy of Jack's book on top of her stomach. And that was exactly how Abigail found her one saturday morning.

"Elizabeth?" She asked as she gently placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. Elizabeth started and blinked a few times. "Sleeping in the chair again?"

"Hm. I suppose that I am." She yawned. "It's just as well, I'm never comfortable, even sleeping in my bed."

"Elizabeth, that can't be good for your back." She frowned.

"No, I'm sure that it isn't." Elizabeth said, stretching.

"Here." Abigail helped her out of the chair, and Elizabeth grimaced.

"What are you doing here so early? Not that I'm not glad to see you, I always am." Elizabeth explained.

"But it's only seven in the morning?" Abigail asked. "I don't know. Cody was wide awake early this morning, since Becky is supposed to come home within the week, he's just been so giddy. He's actually downstairs...I thought that we'd come and prepare some breakfast for you and Cassandra. I've brought everything for Apple pancakes, and, I know that you still can't stand the sight of bacon, so I thought we'd try a little bit of fried up chicken and potatoes- you need to eat something hearty in the mornings, because I know you haven't been up to eating much lunch. Cody tells me that at school you haven't had much at all."

"I just have a hard time focusing on anything, even eating. All I can think about is Jack, and the baby, it's all I can do to get through my lessons." Elizabeth shook her head.

"Why don't you go on and get dressed, and I'll go down and get breakfast ready." Abigail said softly. Elizabeth nodded, and went to her bedroom to dress in one of her soft maternity dresses. If there was one thing she had learned during her pregnancy, it was how much she really hated corsets- even when she had had the baby, she didn't know if she'd go back to wearing one! She unbraided her hair, and then tied it up with a ribbon. She pulled herself up, and opened one of Jack's dresser drawers, and ran her fingers gently over one of his simple flannel shirts, remembering the moments when she had buried her face in this very shirt when her husband had been wearing it.

"Please God, let him come home to me safe. Please, bring him home before our baby comes." She whispered, and crept out of the room, and carefully down the stairs. She heard Cody and Abigail quietly laughing and talking in the kitchen, and she went towards the sound.

"Good morning Mrs. Thornton!" Cody called, running over to her, and then stopping short. "May I?"

"You may." Elizabeth laughed, and Cody put his hand on her stomach, smiling when he was greeted with a kick.

"Woah!"

"It is very interesting." Elizabeth chuckled.

"Hm...Where do babies come from?" Cody asked, and Elizabeth's face turned pink.

"Yes teacher, where do they come from?" Abigail asked with an arched eyebrow.

"That, Cody, is something that I think you and Miss Abigail will have to discuss in the future." Elizabeth said with a smile. Rip ran in, and sat defensively at her feet, glowering dramatically at Cody. "Oh RIp, don't be so defensive! You know that you like Cody! He takes you for walks!"

"Speaking of, may I take him out now?" Cody asked.

"Of course, thank you!" Elizabeth grinned at him, and Cody called for Rip at the door.

"Come on Rip! Let's go boy!" Rip stayed put.

"My goodness, Rip, how lazy can you be?" Elizabeth sighed. "Go on boy!" The dog got up, and walked to Cody reluctantly. Elizabeth went to help at the stove, but Abigail held up a hand.

"Nope, Elizabeth, you sit. You're not lifting a finger." Abigail said firmly. Elizabeth sighed, and took a seat at the table. "And I brought...ta da!" Abigail announced, and handed her a full glass of lemonade.

"Ah, Thank you!" Elizabeth said, and took a long sip.

"How are you holding up? You're sleeping in a chair now?" Abigail asked gently.

"Afraid so. I'm just having a hard time sleeping, and so, sometimes, I just have to get up, and the nursery is where my heart always takes me...I still just can't believe that he did all of that for me, for us! I just, I sit and look at everything, sometimes I read a few pages of his book. Last night I couldn't get comfortable at all- I thought I may have felt a few pains, but I didn't think it was anything serious."

"Why didn't you have Cassandra come to fetch me?" Abigail asked.

"I didn't even call for Cassandra, I was so certain that it wasn't anything- it wasn't even as strong as the ones I had at Rosemary's wedding. The "midwife" in a book says that it's normal, to feel a few pains by this point- it calls them "practice pains"."

"Right, yes. I had a few of those pains back when I was having Peter." Abigail nodded sympathetically. "But next time, Please call for me. It's really no trouble for me to come at any hour of the day or night."

"You're too kind to me."

"There is no such thing as too kind, not to you Elizabeth." Abigail laughed lightly.

"I'm not so sure about that- you did sneak into my house to prepare breakfast for me on a saturday morning." Elizabeth chuckled. "I think I'm a little spoiled."

"If it makes you feel better, I'm also helping take care of my godchild." Abigail smiled. "And Rosemary sent me on a mission to be sure you were up."

"Why would that matter?"

"Have you forgotten? Today's your baby shower!" Abigail said. "Rosemary is already awake, and at the kitchen in the cafe working with Cat and Florence, and Dottie was on her way over with enough crepe paper to deck out the eiffel tower!"

"Oh goodness." Elizabeth sighed. "I asked her not to go through too much trouble."

"You know how Rosemary can be, Elizabeth. Everything is a grand production!" Abigail said, waving her spatula grandly. Elizabeth laughed quietly, and put her hand on her stomach again. "You still haven't heard from Jack?"

"It's been three weeks." Elizabeth said, shaking her head. "I just...I have to believe that no news is good news; that he's just so busy he can't write- that they would contact me immediately if...if…"

"You don't have to say it."

"Thank you. This is what he was talking about, when he said that mounties didn't get married. Because the separation, the not knowing is hard. It's driving me insane." Elizabeth sighed.

"But would you change being married to Jack? More I mean, would you have Jack change careers if you could?" Abigail asked.

"I might like him to, but a cushy office job is never going to be what Jack wants; he loves his job. And I love how dedicated he is to it. And I'd never ask him to stop, because I know he'd hate to do it...but I think that he would quit, for me, now, If I asked him to. But I would never make him choose. Am I rambling too much?"

"Never." Abigail shook her head, and slid two of the hotcakes onto a plate. "Here we go."

"It smells amazing!" Elizabeth said, her stomach rumbling.

"Elizabeth? I thought I told you I'd make breakfast so you could rest- oh! Mrs. Stanton, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here." Cassandra stood in the kitchen doorway still in her nightgown.

"That's alright Cassandra, I came to surprise you both! Go on and get dressed and come back down for breakfast!" Abigail ordered gently. Cassandra smiled and went back out. "She is so sweet."

"I know. She wants to get married to Gabe as soon as she's finished with school."

"I'd say she was a bit young, but then, I was about the same age that she was when I married Noah...maybe I was a bit young then, but if I hadn't married him then, we'd have lost a number of years, and I'd have hated for that to happen." She sighed. "It will work out for the best, Elizabeth."

"She asked what I would have done if I had known Jack when I was her age...and honestly, I don't know. I was too stubborn then. I just wanted to be a teacher. Men were the last thing on my mind!" Elizabeth laughed. "I'm glad I met him here. William Thatcher's princess was hardly a perfect match for a Mountie."

"I don't know...he was awfully smitten with you the first time he saw you- of course, that was before he knew who you were, but it certainly didn't take him long to decide it didn't matter to him." Abigail set a hot dish of hash on the table. "As I said before Elizabeth, Love does have a way of making everything work out for the best."

…

"I have to admit, Rosemary, this baby shower may have been exactly what Elizabeth needed." Abigail said, watching with a fond smile as Elizabeth laughed whole heartedly as the little girls did their best to diaper their dolls with the cloth diapers she had received as a gift from the Sullivans.

"I knew that it would be! A party by Rosemary is guaranteed to put a smile on any face!" Rosemary gestured grandly. She truly had done a wonderful job, arranging a shower to rival any seen in New York! Carefully frosted cookies were shaped like the stork, carrying a tiny pink bundle, there were apple sweets and snacks of every variety she could find a recipe for, and pink lemonade too! Each guest had put a slip of paper into the jar, stating their guess on the baby's gender, weight, and the day it would be born- of course, only time would tell who had won that particular game. Elizabeth had received wonderful gifts; in addition to the diapers, she had gotten clothes, hats, toys, even children's books, and a book of short stories written by her older students, and illustrated by the younger ones, a gift thoughtfully arranged by Cassandra. Even her mother had sent her love, and a silver rattle, because she had read "That the grandmother must always give the gift of silver!". The games had been simple, and yet surprisingly fun, and Rosemary had even painstakingly typed out copies of a list of ways to spot which woman at the party would be the next to have a baby.

"Everybody, look!" Emily called suddenly, drawing everyone's attention to the saucer in front of Rosemary herself. Rosemary looked down slowly, and saw two teaspoons rested gently on the edge of her saucer.

"Oh no." She sighed.

"Mrs. Coulter is going to be the next one to have a baby!" Emily cried, and clapped with delight.

"I hate to disappoint, but I am not having a baby anytime soon!" Rosemary chirped in her usual sing song voice.

"Oh, I don't know Rosemary, the list you typed up says, and I quote "The teaspoons never lie!"" Clara said with a wry grin. Rosemary turned absolutely pink.

"Goodness, she's stunned speechless!" Abigail laughed. "I think that's a first."

"I- you- Oh goodness me, look at that, I'd better go check on the oven- the thing in the oven, I've got to - yes!" Rosemary rose gracefully from her seat and went to the kitchen as everyone resumed normal conversation. Elizabeth rose carefully from her own seat, and went to follow.

"Alright, what was that all about?" Elizabeth asked, entering the kitchen, and leaning against the wall.

"What? Nothing! This is your party, Elizabeth, let's not draw the attention to me!"

"Rosemary doesn't want attention? Now that is a first." Elizabeth thought.

"I've got fresh hors d'oeuvres coming up in just a moment!" Rosemary crooned. Elizabeth studied her carefully.

"You're not pregnant, are you Rosemary?"

"What? No! Of course not!" Rosemary said. "Why? Do I look fat? I specifically asked Lee if this dress made me look wide!"

"You don't look fat, Rosemary, you look as lovely as ever." Elizabeth assured her. "You're just, acting more strangely than usual."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Elizabeth raised a brow. "Alright...well, there is the tiniest, slight possibility that I maybe, potentially could be with child."

"ROsemary, that's wonderful!"

"Is it?" She asked.

"Well, isn't it?"

"Don't get me wrong Elizabeth, I think that it's wonderful that you and Jack are having a baby, I really do...but, honestly, I've...I've never really been very good with babies. When I was growing up, Jack was always better with kids than I was. And then when we were courting, he and I agreed there would be no babies, because it'd be too hard if he were to get called away...Oh, I don't mean to bring that up!"

"It's alright Rosemary. Go on." Elizabeth stayed very composed, though her heart throbbed painfully in her chest.

"I was just always so comfortable with that- which I know wasn't normal, because all of the other girls my age always went on and on about babies and children, and I never really thought "Goodness, I'd better just get right to it and make myself one of those!" If anything, I was always relieved that I didn't foresee them in my future." ROsemary sighed as she arranged food on a platter. "Then I met Lee, and I know that he would like children- I believe at one time he said five! I was almost too afraid to marry him then- but how could I not when I love him so darn much, you know?"

"Well, if you love him so darn much, would it really be so terrible to have his baby?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, it wouldn't be terrible… and that's honestly what frightens me" She sighed. "You know, there's no use worrying over it now. I'm probably not. I'm only a few days late. It's probably nothing at all." With that she swept into the main room with her tray. Elizabeth took the opportunity to just have a seat in the quiet, and ran her hands over her stomach.

"That's Rosemary. She's chaos, but the good kind." Elizabeth said gently. Her peace was short lived as the back door of the cafe opened, and Cody poked his head in. Rip ran in at once, and sat at her feet.

"Sorry Mrs. Thornton! I didn't mean to disturb you!" He said.

"That's quite alright Cody. I'll bet you came in for the cookies, didn't you?" He nodded. "There's a whole tray over there. You'd better grab a couple and run. You wouldn't want Rosemary to catch you."

"No Ma'am!" He nodded, and did as he was told. As he was about to slip through the door again, he stopped. "Oh, wait! I almost forgot! I stopped over at the mercantile to get a peppermint stick, and Mr. Yost asked me to bring you this!" He said, extending an envelope. Even without holding it, Elizabeth could see who it was from.

"Yes, thank you Cody!" She took it, and tore into it eagerly, her heart beating wildly.

My Elizabeth,

Darling, I miss you more each and every second of each minute that we are apart. You're the first thought I have in the morning, and the last thought I have before I bed down for the night. I'm sorry that I haven't written before now, but it's been very busy! Just remember, we agreed that no news meant good news.

The days are long, almost endless. Sometimes we are waiting in silence for what feels like hours, hiding in low brush, waiting for our target to pass. Sometimes we're on our horses, chasing after this crook, or that crook. The sitting in wait is the worst. My hands itch to grab your photograph, which I keep in my pocket at all times, or to write to you, but I know that even the smallest sound could give us away, and so I force my hands to be still.

I've received your letters, and you cannot imagine the happiness that they brought me. It sounds foolish, but I swear that they even smell like you, like home. They've made some of the other men mighty jealous, especially after I showed them your photograph. They said "Hardly seems fair that a fella like you could end up with a girl like that". I know they're only joking, but they're right, Elizabeth. You're the most perfect woman in the world, and by some miracle you love me. I'll never understand it- oh, and if they seemed jealous at the mere mention of you being my wife, you should have seen their faces when I told them you'd soon be having my child. I wish I had a photograph of the moment for you!

There are a few other men here with wives back home, but for the most part, they're older than we are, and they always give me a sympathetic pat on the back when I pass by. They know how difficult it is to be away from the one that you love more than anything, but they're more adjusted to it than I am. I hope I never have to adjust to it. If after this I never have to leave you again, I'll be happy. It's funny. I used to crave danger, and adventure, but now, I'm in the thick of things and all that I crave is you. You, home, even biscuits from Abigail's- even your biscuits! I look back on the Jack that you first met, who wanted a transfer out as quickly as possible, and I want to smack that kid on the mouth. He didn't realize just how lucky he was.

I'm so grateful that your father had me assigned to Coal Valley- though in the first months of our courtship, and even our marriage, I'm sure that he regretted it thoroughly!- I'm so blessed to have met you. I'm so blessed to love you and to be loved by you.

I hate to say it, my dear, but It appears I'm out of time, if I want this letter taken back to town today, which I do. I'll write as soon as I'm able- there's no word on when I'll be allowed to come home, but I have hope that it will be before long.

Pray for me, Elizabeth.

All of my love,

Your Jack.

AN: I know that I'm late in updating again! I've just had a crazy weird work schedule lately! But here it is! Thanks for your patience!

Is Rosemary pregnant?! Will Jack be back before the baby is born!? Will Gabe and Cassandra wait to get married?! Only time will tell!