Hello again! Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Just a quick note-I did update the story rating to K+, because things get a little steamy. I don't know if anyone is sharing this with younger kids, and I haven't done any explicit, but it IS their honeymoon and there IS a conversation that implies some things... Feel free to let me know if you think the rating needs to be raised again.

Chapter Seventeen

"I want Mama!"

Jack's whining and crying were only getting worse the more tired he got. He was having a difficult time with Elizabeth and Nathan being gone, and as a result no one in the Thatcher house had slept well last night. He had been fine their first night away, with the Coulters and Bill Avery still around to distract him, and the phone call from Elizabeth and Nathan had come at the perfect time for him to get ready for bed. But Rosemary, Lee, and Bill left for Hope Valley the next morning, leaving Jack with plenty of people to care for him but none of the adults as familiar, so he had been fussy all day. Getting him ready for bed the second night had been disastrous, Jack only being consoled and willing to go to sleep when Allie offered to stay with him.

Julie had been ready to call the resort, but Grace and Alice refused. "We are not interrupting their honeymoon," Grace insisted. "Jack will be fine." Archie, Allie, and Jack spent a good portion of the next day playing outside in the snow, hoping to wear the little boy out so that exhaustion would be in their favor that night, but luck was not on their side.

They all perked up at the sound of the phone ringing. When Mr. Christiansen announced it was Mr. and Mrs. Grant, Julie sank into a heap at the top of the stairs in relief, while Allie scooped up Jack and hurried down to the library to talk to their parents. She held him on her lap while he shared with them about the snow family they'd built in the yard and how many marshmallows Mr. Christy had put in his hot cocoa when they came inside. Nathan and Elizabeth told them about riding around the lake, and about the squirrel that had somehow gotten into their cabin, probably when Mrs. Campe came in to clean and leave the things they had requested to make breakfast in the morning. The little creature had made itself at home on the wood pile next to the fireplace and was sound asleep when they returned. Nathan teased that he wasn't sure which of them was more startled, Elizabeth or the squirrel, but he had managed to capture it under a blanket and move it outside before anyone was harmed.

Allie noticed Jack nodding off in her lap, and suggested she take him up to bed. Jack started to fuss again at the suggestion.

"We'll be back tomorrow, my sweet boy," Elizabeth promised. "The next time you go to sleep, Daddy Nathan and I will be there to read you a story and tuck you in. We love you so much!"

"Love you, Mama," Jack said quietly, losing the battle with sleep. "Love you, Daddy Nathan. Love Daddy and Allie and Nana and…"

Allie grinned as she put the receiver back to her own ear. "He is out. Let's just hope he stays that way when I move him. I love you guys! I can't wait to see you tomorrow!"

"Good night, Allie," Nathan said. "We love you, too. Thank you for taking such good care of your brother. I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

Allie shrugged, then realized he couldn't see her. "He was a little cranky, but it's okay. But I am really glad you guys are coming home tomorrow."

Nathan and Elizabeth chatted with Julie, Grace, and Alice each for a few minutes before settling down in front of the fire. While they missed the children intensely and could barely wait to see them again, both were a little sad that their honeymoon would end in the morning. By silent consent, they banked the fire and checked that the stove was out before moving to the bedroom for their last night alone together.

"I don't know how I'm ever going to look your father in the eye again," Nathan murmured, sliding her chemise off her shoulder.

"Why?" Elizabeth asked absently, distracted by the kisses he was trailing along her shoulder and down her clavicle.

Nathan groaned softly. "Because I've seen his daughter, his little girl, like this. Because I can't keep my hands off her. Because…" he trailed off as their lips met and they sank together into bed.

Later, Elizabeth lay propped against his chest as she gently traced the muscles and ran her fingers through the soft hairs. It was an act she had never experienced with Jack, both of them still too shy and intimacy too new to explore. Here with Nathan, she was completely comfortable.

"So should I be worried about what your mother is going to think of me?" she asked, half teasing. "In her mind, I all but seduced her son."

Nathan chuckled, hugging her closer. "I doubt that's how she sees you."

"But you're afraid of what my father thinks? You do realize he wouldn't be my father if he hadn't done this." She closed her eyes, cringing. "I'm sure he wants to imagine us like this about as much as I want to think about him and my mother…or as much as you want to picture Allie with the man she marries. I know I won't want to think about Jack that way."

Nathan's eyes went wide, and his face paled for a moment before flushing with anger at the unknown man in the future. "Allie…no…she….my little girl…"

Elizabeth chuckled softly, kissing his chin and distracting him from his murderous thoughts. "See? I'm sure my father is trying not to think about this." Then she laughed. "Julie and Rosemary on the other hand will probably grill me for details."

Nathan looked at her, appalled. "And you're going to tell them?"

"No, darling," she promised. "What you and I have here is just for us." She shifted, punctuating her words with kisses up his chest and neck. "No one. Else. Needs. To know. Anything."

Mr. Campe arrived with the carriage shortly before ten the next morning. "I know your driver is going to be here soon, but I thought you'd like one more ride around the resort before you go." They quickly agreed, and Nathan helped Elizabeth into her coat and scarf before bundling up himself and helping Josiah carry their bags out to the carriage. Once again snuggled together under the warmed blankets, they sat back and watched the snow falling gently around them.

Mr. Kane was waiting for them when the carriage turned onto the main driveway. Nathan helped Elizabeth down then turned to get their bags, only to find Walter already putting them into the car.

"Thank you for the wonderful weekend," Nathan said, reaching to shake Mr. Campe's hand. "I can't think of a better place for us to have spent our honeymoon."

"And thanks again for Daisy and Dandy," Elizabeth added. "He'll never admit it, but I know my husband needed some horse time. Thank you for indulging us. I know that isn't part of your usual service."

Josiah grinned broadly. "It was our pleasure, I assure you," he replied. "And perhaps that's something we will look into for future guests."

He offered his hand to Elizabeth, but she leaned in to give him a quick hug. "Everything was perfect. Thank you so much."

Josiah beamed, his eyes dancing with happiness as he shook Nathan's hand again. "Come back again soon! And bring the children next time!"

Nathan and Elizabeth promised to return, assuring him Allie and Jack would love the resort as much as they had. They settled into the car and, waving behind them, started the ride back to Hamilton.

There was no one in the foyer when Mr. Christiansen opened the door and welcomed them, but the pounding of little feet racing down the hallway soon reached them. Letting go of Nathan's hand, Elizabeth dropped her bag and sank to her knees, reaching for her little boy.

"Mama!" Jack exclaimed happily, running into her arms. He clung tightly to her neck, for once not struggling as she hugged him close. Elizabeth had happy tears in her eyes as she snuggled her son.

Nathan watched them for a few seconds before turning to catch Allie as she jumped into his arms. Holding her just as tightly, he tried to hide his own tears of joy. "It's so good to see you, my sweet girl," he said quietly against her ear.

"I missed you and Mom so much," she confessed. Nathan placed her back on her feet but didn't let go of her. "How was your trip?" she asked.

Before he could answer, Jack reached for Nathan and Allie turned to hug Elizabeth. The tears and exclamations started over again. Then they moved as one down the hall towards the library, where the Thatchers and Grants were waiting to greet them.

Jack remained clingy for the rest of the day, spending most of his time in Elizabeth's lap. When it was time to get ready for dinner, Nathan offered to take Jack upstairs, nuzzling him under the chin in a way that usually made the boy laugh with glee. This time Jack scowled, pulling away. "Daddy Nathan is scratchy," he declared with a pout.

Everyone except Jack laughed. Nathan had forgone shaving that morning, intending the day to be an easy, lazy one. Unbeknownst to them, Grace had planned a small dinner party to welcome them home.

Allie laughed. "That's nothing, Jack. You should see him when he gets back from a week or two out tracking someone. He starts to look like a grizzly bear!"

"Are you planning on growing a beard?" Julie teased.

"No," Nathan hastily replied. "Definitely not. I just got lazy this morning, but I will remedy the situation shortly." Sharing a look with Elizabeth, he knew they were both thinking about a certain Hope Valley resident sporting both beard and mustache.

"Jack is right," Elizabeth teased as she watched Nathan prepare his shaving kit. "You are scratchy."

He met her eyes in the mirror, amused. "It didn't seem to bother you this morning. Or yesterday morning. The day before…"

Elizabeth flushed. "I never said it was a bad thing. It's different…and something else that's just ours. The rest of the world gets the clean-shaven, proper and professional man. I get all of you." She reached up as he turned to face her, running her fingers over the rough hairs along his jaw. "I like this look, but no more than a day or two's worth." She leaned closer, lightly kissing his cheek. "I like being able to see your face."

Nathan hugged her close. "And the whisker burns," he murmured. "We don't want any more of those." Elizabeth flushed, recalling the mild abrasions they had discovered this morning, most of them fortunately hidden by her blouse. The extra pink on her cheeks was harder to conceal but could be attributed to sheer happiness.

He was quiet for a moment, unsure how to ask and if he even wanted to know the answer. "How did you avoid…with Lucas…your cheeks…"

Elizabeth waited until he met her eyes again, saddened by the pain she saw in his. "It was rather easy," she admitted. "I never kissed him."

Nathan stiffened, pulling away slightly. "But you and he…"

She shook her head. "We never kissed, not more than a peck on the cheek once or twice. I never wanted to kiss him. It never felt right." She leaned closer again, her lips just barely brushing his. "Not like this." She kissed him passionately, leaving no question of where her feelings lay.

Nathan reluctantly pulled away after a moment, his forehead resting against hers as they caught their breath. "We are never going to make it downstairs in time for dinner if we keep this up," he said, trying to be logical. "Someone is going to come looking for us soon."

Elizabeth laughed quietly but stepped away, leaving him to shave while she got ready for dinner. She had been hoping for a quiet evening with her family, but the Kensingtons and Inneses would be arriving shortly. She styled her hair and freshened her make-up, smiling at the gown pressed and laid out carefully on the bed. She was glad she had allowed her mother to buy it for her, knowing it would complement Nathan's new suit.

Nathan paused in the doorway, watching as Elizabeth stepped into a stunning gown. The rich blue, nearly the same shade as his uniform jodhpurs, made her eyes shine brilliantly. It was more formal than he was accustomed to seeing her in, but he knew even a "casual dinner party" in Hamilton was more of an affair than the most formal occasions in Hope Valley. Coming up behind her, he helped fasten the buttons up her back and then wrapped his arms around her waist to hug her close, pressing his now smooth cheek against hers and closing his eyes, breathing her in.

"It's just dinner with a few friends," she teased. "And the children will be there, so it's not going to be as formal as my mother is surely hoping for."

Nathan sighed. "But it won't be just us and kids…and who knows what Jack is going to do with a bigger audience."

They both chuckled, resigned, then she turned to help him with his tie. When he shrugged on his suit coat, she reached to straighten it and brush off some imaginary dirt, her fingers lingering on his chest. Their eyes met, sharing a promise. Later.

They met Julie, Allie, and Jack in the hallway. Alice Grant had volunteered to get Jack cleaned up and dressed, but the little boy was adamant that he go down to dinner with his parents. Nathan held Jack in one arm, his other hand resting on Elizabeth's back. Allie practically skipped along beside them, excited to attend her first "real" dinner party.

"I'm sure Mother will make sure that Simon is seated near you," Elizabeth assured her daughter. "So, you'll have one person your own age to talk to."

Nathan stiffened. Elizabeth looked up and snickered at his hardened expression. "He's just a boy, coming to dinner with his parents. He's not going to propose or anything," she teased. "And if you keep looking like that, he may not even stay through the appetizers, though I don't think Allie will appreciate you scaring him away. He's just a friend."

Nathan looked at her and sighed. "I know that. I do," he insisted. "But she's…" He shrugged helplessly, gazing at his precious daughter.

"Just as long as I don't have to dance with him again," Allie interjected. "I don't think my toes can take another round of that."

Nathan finally smiled again, chuckling with Allie and Elizabeth as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Jack tightened his hold on Nathan's neck as they entered the dining room and he saw all the people gathered inside. Nathan kissed his forehead and whispered something in his ear and the child's giggle drew everyone's attention to the family now framed in the doorway.

Elizabeth's blue gown made both her eyes and Nathan's seem brighter, and her silver jewelry and hair combs coordinated with his grey suit perfectly. Allie's dress, another of Grace's purchases, was a lighter shade of grey. Jack wore navy pants and a white shirt, with a gray sweater overtop. No one could miss the sheer happiness they all exuded.

Nathan was surprised everyone fit comfortably at the dining room's long formal table. William was seated at the head with Grace to his right. Madeleine Kennedy-Innes and her husband were next, then Simon, Allie, Elizabeth, and Nathan. Grace had placed Jack at the other end of the table, hoping the extra space would keep any mess off the other guests. Julie sat opposite Nathan, then Alice and Archie Grant, Charles Kensington, his parents, and finally Agatha on William's left. Nathan's head spun as he tried to remember the names of Madeleine's husband and Charles' parents.

"Smile," Elizabeth whispered, her hand on his leg under the table. "They're here to celebrate us, not interrogate you. Just relax and try to enjoy yourself."

Nathan placed his hand over hers, reaching with the other to move Julie's water glass out of the path of Jack driving his apple slices around the table. He envied the boy's simple snack, eyeing the flaky fish and cream filled pastries in front of him as an appetizer. "Do I even want to know what this is?" he asked quietly.

Elizabeth caught Alice's eye and they shared a smirk, watching Archie and Allie give their plates the same quizzical expression. "They're salmon puffs," she told them, shaking her head with mirth. "I used to ask for them at every special dinner." She looked up the table to her mother. "Thank you for remembering."

Grace beamed at her daughter, then turned back to her conversation with Adele Kensington. Dinner proceeded with plenty of easy conversation and only a few mishaps from Jack—a plate knocked to the floor before he'd finished eating his chicken and carrots, the water glass Julie caught just before it spilled into her lap, and some of the whipped cream from atop his cake rubbed into his hair.

"Come here, young man," Nathan said, holding Jack still as Elizabeth wiped his hands and face before picking him up. "I think it's past your bedtime."

"But I'm not sleepy." Jack yawned despite his protest. They took him around the table to say goodnight, letting him exchange kisses or handshakes with everyone before carrying him upstairs to get ready for bed. As promised, Elizabeth and Nathan both stayed with him until he fell asleep, reading stories and swaying gently in the rocking chair until he was dreaming peacefully.

Nathan pulled Elizabeth to a stop in the hallway before they went back downstairs. "Think anyone would miss us?" he asked, only half teasing as he glanced at the door to their room.

"Unfortunately," she sighed, stopping for a kiss before leading him back towards the stairs. She and Nathan were now sharing the room he had been using before the wedding, and Allie would take her old room for future visits. Elizabeth had decided there was something awkward about making love with her husband in her childhood bed, while passing her room and its things on to their daughter felt right. Jack would get a new room if any younger Grants came along.

They rejoined the party as most of them adjourned to the library, the elder Kensingtons offering their congratulations to the newlyweds and taking their leave. Allie and Simon sat in a corner, comparing notes on the Shakespeare plays they were both currently studying. William, Archie, Charles, and Conrad Innes were debating the merits of sea versus over-land trade routes. Grace, Alice, Agatha, Julie and Madeleine chatted about the new style of shorter dresses, with only Julie believing it was a trend that would catch on. Elizabeth and Nathan reluctantly parted, she to join the fashion discussion while he was sat with the other men but kept a close eye on the teenagers. The groups reconvened after a while, as Mr. Christiansen directed the pouring and preparing of drinks. Elizabeth and Nathan stood together in front of the fireplace, struggling to stay focused on conversation with their friends and family when they both wanted nothing more than to go upstairs and lock their bedroom door.

"I hear you two had quite an exciting time with the one of these at the cabin."

"What?" Elizabeth's eyes widened briefly before she tore them away from Nathan's equally started gaze to face her sister. "How did you…"

Julie glanced between Elizabeth and Nathan, puzzled by their flustered looks. "Allie told me. Since when are you afraid of a poor little squirrel?"

Elizabeth felt Nathan's quiet sigh of relief as he chuckled and pressed his lips to the top of her head. "Yes, dear. Since when are you afraid of a poor little squirrel?" he teased.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him, then started giggling herself. The look she gave him promised retribution later, but Nathan tightened his arm around her, and they told Julie the full tale their little forest visitor.

Eventually the guests departed, and everyone made their way to bed. Elizabeth sat with Allie for a bit, brushing and braiding her hair while they talked about the evening. She was glad to hear that Allie had enjoyed her first adult party and promised her they would plan a Hope Valley version once they were settled into the new house. When Elizabeth finally made it to their room, she found Nathan already in his pajamas, reading in bed. She hastened to brush her teeth and wash her face, donning her nightgown before settling in beside him. As eager as they had both been for romance earlier, at the moment it felt good to just be together. Nathan curled his arm around her, and they shared the book, a collection of Emerson's works.

"Do you hear that?"

Nathan put the book down and they both went still, listening intently. The faint sound of a child's whimper reached them, causing both to jump out of bed. Nathan's longer legs meant he was out the door and into Jack's room several steps ahead of Elizabeth. When she caught up, he had already lifted their little boy from his bed and was holding him close.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked, brushing the hair off Jack's forehead and kissing his cheek.

Jack nestled against Nathan's chest, tears still brimming in his eyes. "Bad dream. Scary men. You and Daddy Nathan were gone. Daddy wasn't there. I couldn't find Allie…"

Nathan held him tight and rocked gently, pressing his lips to the little boy's head. "Your mama and I will always come find you," he promised. "Allie, too. And I know your Daddy is watching over you. Even if you can't see him, he'll be there if you need him."

The wind gusted outside, and a branch scraped against the window. Jack whimpered again, burying his face in Nathan's neck.

Nathan and Elizabeth's eyes met over Jack's head, and they shared a moment of silent understanding. Elizabeth reached down to retrieve Bear while Nathan turned towards the door and the trio made their way back to Nathan and Elizabeth's room. They settled into bed, Nathan and Elizabeth facing one another with Jack in between them. Secure now that his parents were near, Jack fell back to sleep quickly. They watched him for a bit, then settled down themselves, their hands clasped on their little boy's chest.

I know things are moving kind of slowly; I promise to stop the day-by-day accounting and move things along. I just need to prove their happily ever after, especially with the nauseating S9 promos ramping up. It might be overkill, but if I need to get those images out of my head, I want to erase them from yours as well.