Chapter 1: Don't Mention It

A/N:This story is part of the Common Starting Point Fanfic Challenge for January. As the name implies, all stories in this challenge will have the same beginning. This common begininning text is in bold. The bold text will appear in other stories. The bold text is used with permission of the original authors and the text following the bold is the work of the author posting this story.

PS- I habitually use "Gabe" where Gabriel is actually appropriate, and I drive my beta reader, Lynn nebula2 up the wall over it so please enjoy my rampant uses of "GABRIEL!" shouted throughout this story—and any other stories I write—in Lynn's honor. ;)

Disclamer: Characters of WCTH and WHC are the property of Crown Media and CrownMedia/GAG respectively.

It was cold—much like the trail they were on as they wearily tracked the Barrett Brothers. It had been more than a week on the trail trekking West through the Canadian wilderness and still they were no closer to apprehending the two.

If there was one consolation for Nathan, it was that the trail led away from Hope Valley. So although each step took him further from home, it also meant the criminals were further from those Nathan loved most as well.

Hope Valley was truly home—Nathan could feel that now. Allie had blossomed in Elizabeth's classroom and she had finally made real friendships with the kids at school. She really seemed to know who she was these days. There was a fire in her belly that Nathan loved as it reminded him more and more of his sister. Don't ever change, Allie, he silently thought. Just the thought of her warmed his heart.

The snow was falling heavily now, and with the wind picking up, it was getting hard to see beyond the horses. The snow was already getting deeper, and he and Gabriel would need to seek shelter soon. Storms came quickly in the mountains and it was hard to tell how serious one was until it was already upon you.

He looked over at Gabriel and he had the same look in his eye as he glanced at the clouds racing over the mountain. All of their Mountie training kicked in as they urged the horses into a trot searching anywhere for signs of a hunting cabin nearby.

The wind started to howl as Nathan and Gabriel trekked higher up the mountain. There was no time to turn back. Nathan pulled the flaps down tightly on his fur cap to shield his ears from the pelting snow while he strained his eyes through the cold, heavy blanket of white soaking and freezing everything around them.

Gabriel tightened his navy wool coat around him, flipping up the lapel around his neck, and finally covering the last traces of red serge that was his collar. He was nearly soaked through and the visible tremble of his gloved hands had Nathan on high alert. Without shelter, they would be subject to the freezing elements and unlikely to survive. Gabriel already seemed to be in the early stages of hypothermia even as he pressed on.

Cresting another ridge, their eyes darted across the landscape looking for any sign of shelter. Nothing. Nathan glanced quickly at his friend, who attempted a half smile. Gabriel's eyes told the truth of his despair. They would have to keep riding.

The back side of the tree-lined ridge shielded them slightly from the blowing snow as they rode down towards the barren valley, but it wouldn't be enough to protect them. The stone surface of the mountain was growing slick with frozen ice and one slip from either of the horses would have them trapped to their own demise.

They slowed the horses to ensure a better footing, but their fingers were growing numb after several minutes of painful tingling. Time was of the essence. The mountain path had long been snow covered, but the horses managed to find the way pressing forward through the trees.

Nathan gripped Newton's reins tighter hoping to God that they could catch a break. He had to return home. Allie depended on it, and he would do everything in his power not to let her down. Glancing behind him at Gabriel, his friend's shoulders seemed more slumped and his weary eyes were growing glassy. Gabriel's hands shook violently while his nose and cheeks appeared red and inflamed.

Nathan's breath puffed rapidly before him in jagged clouds. He found himself thinking of Allie and his mother whom he was hoping were both at their homes and warm in front of a fire. His thoughts turned to Elizabeth and Little Jack—the two people he had come to protect, but never imagined he would love so deeply already after only a year of moving to Hope Valley. They were magnetic, and Nathan found that his heart was fully drawn in. Somewhere on the other side of these mountains, they were out there—and hopefully they were alright.

The trees thinned into a clearing and whether he imagined it or not, there was a speck of brown in a sea of white. Had the thick snow not fallen off the edge of the roof at that exact moment, his trained eye might have missed it. But there it was—unmistakably now—a log cabin nestled between a grove of trees.

The snow covered path leveled out which allowed the horses to pick up the pace again in pursuit of the cabin. Once out of the cover of the trees though, the snow once again pelted them as it fell—chilling them to the core.

Nathan puffed out a visible sigh of relief. He turned back to see Gabriel nearly slumped over atop Apollo. "Gabe! GABRIEL! Stay with me! We're almost there!"

Gabriel gave a half nod to his friend. His dazed eyes took a prolonged blink before he shook his head violently—trying to ward off the drowsiness. Gabriel stared down at his clenched fist on the reins feeling neither his fingers nor the leather of his gloves.

Apollo picked up the pace—as a well trained horse matching the gait of Newton—even without Gabriel's command. The dark eyed Mountie held on by squeezing his legs to the saddle, unable to trust the strength of his hands.

Nathan dismounted quickly finding the snow drifting around the cabin already up to his mid-thigh. He tromped through the thick snow—sinking deeper every few steps as he headed towards the cabin door. He had to use his gloved hands to dig out the entryway before he thankfully uncovered a scoop shovel near the doorframe—allowing him to clear enough snow to pull the heavy wooden door open.

Gabriel attempted to dismount while Nathan shoveled, but he discovered that he was unable to lift his legs to clear the saddle. Reading the dire situation, Nathan trampled over the snow drifts back to Apollo and forcibly yanked Gabriel's boots from the stirrups.

With his pulse in his ears now, Nathan grabbed his friend around the waist and pulled him from the horse landing them both backwards in the snow.

"Graaaaaaaaaaacefullll Graaaaannnnt." Gabriel managed to slur as his half-frozen lips trembled uncontrollably.

At least he still has his sense of humor. Nathan thought with a smirk. He placed a supporting arm under Gabriel's shoulders and pulled him up to his feet. He was mostly dead weight, but Nathan managed to half-drag him through the door and set him in a chair near the stove. Securing the door behind him, Nathan returned to his friend—taking his face in his cold gloved hands.

"GABE! GABRIEL! Stay with me! Don't go to sleep. Whatever you do….don't go to sleep. I have to secure the horses and get a fire started. Can you get your coat off? You have to get out of these wet clothes."

Gabriel gave a weak nod. He looked exhausted in every way, but there was a determination still glinting in his eyes that gave Nathan the confidence to take care of the horses.

Stepping back outside and immediately regretting it, the cold cut through his wet coat—biting at his cheeks and nose. Newton and Apollo waited untethered stomping at his return. Grabbing both their reins, he led them just behind the cabin to a lean-to that blocked most of the wind and weather. Whoever had left this cabin last, had thankfully left hay and a neat stack of chopped wood behind.

Nathan quickly unsaddled the two and tied a long lead rope to the fencing so they could more easily eat. He grabbed the horses' wool blankets that were under their saddles and their saddle bags before he climbed back through the snow to Gabriel.

The Brookfield Mountie had his coat unbuttoned and mostly off revealing his soaked serge underneath. The snow was still on top of his boots surrounding his leather chest strap and belt on the floor. Gabriel's leather gloves and fur hat lay where they were quickly cast off under the chair. Gabriel's hands shook, fumbling with the serge collar.

Nathan secured the door again and pulled off his boots at the door to manage the snow melt. He glanced around the cabin, and eyed a stack of logs next to the wood stove. With trembling hands, Nathan was relieved to see kindling prepared and stacked inside the stove with shredded newspaper.

Nathan pulled off his gloves, shoulder belt, outer leather belt, and soaked wool coat. He managed to grab a set of matches despite his trembling hand. A quick strike, set the kindling ablaze and Nathan blew gently as he added larger sticks and smaller wood to the stove.

He glanced back at Gabriel who was slumped over in the chair with his serge half buttoned, his eyes closed, and he was shivering violently. "NO! GABE! GABRIELLLL! C'mon Gabe! Don't do this. Stay with me, Buddy! Don't go to sleep."

Nathan blew once more on the embers and the twigs caught fire. He added some of the smaller sticks before turning back to Gabriel. Working quickly, he unbuttoned and removed Gabriel's soaked serge catching the feeling of his friend's cool skin with the back of his hand. He peeled off Gabriel's wet henley and wrapped his bare chest tightly in Apollo's wool blanket.

Gabriel's head slumped forward even as he murmured a quiet thank you. Glancing around the cabin, Nathan was relieved to find extra blankets and quilts on the bed. He grabbed a thick quilt and draped it over one of the kitchen chairs.

"Gabe…we need to get you out of your wet jodhpurs. I need your help. Stay awake." Gabriel nodded weakly—knowing the protocols as well as Nathan. Turning back to the wood burning stove, Nathan once again blew on the sticks bringing the fire to life. He added a few of the smaller logs stacking them in a teepee formation for greater surface area to burn quickly and heat the cabin.

Gabriel's hands were shaking too much to be much help with his belt buckle—although he had tried. Nathan's hands were warming slightly—mostly from the adrenaline, but also the early fire. His fingers were prickling again as they thawed. Every touch was painful, but there wasn't time to focus on his own pain with his friend in trouble.

Nathan pulled Gabriel's boots off and removed his socks—noting the deep red coloring on his toes and feet. He quickly undid Gabriel's belt and peeled off his jodhpurs and saturated long underwear. He wrapped him tightly with another blanket tucking it under him to trap his body heat.

Gabriel's eyes fluttered as he mumbled, "not…a…worrrrd…of…thissss." Nathan laughed to himself.

"You think I'm going to be spreading this story?! Let's just get you warm. We'll worry about stories later."

The fire was crackling now and Nathan turned to feed it bigger logs. His hands seared in pain with the heat as they continued to prickle with each movement. The flames were licking up the sides of the logs, creating a glowing bed of embers underneath. The warmth was beginning to radiate from the stove, which would only make Gabriel's wakefulness all the more challenging as he grew comfortable. It wasn't yet safe for him to drift off.

Gabriel sat shivering in the chair with his legs now pulled up to his chest to preserve his body heat in his quilt-wrapped cocoon. "Nathhhhhannnn. So….collllllllld. Hellllp." Gabriel eyed his friend with a desperate pleading emanating from his sorrowful brown eyes.

Nathan understood—having recalled the next step in rewarming a hypothermia victim from their days at the Academy. He peeled off his own serge which was moderately damp and felt the still cool cabin air hit his skin through his sweat-soaked henley. He peeled off the final offending layer, exposing his broad chest briefly though thankfully his long underwear had remained mostly dry. Grabbing the last quilt from the stack, Nathan wrapped it around himself. He rubbed his arms briskly—trying to keep the adrenaline and blood pumping through him now that he was becoming less physically active.

The woven rug provided some insulation from the cold wooden floor as Nathan helped his friend down from the chair to the rug and closer still to the fire. Nathan added another larger set of logs to the fire—changing the positioning to more of a horizontal log formation to preserve the longevity of the now blazing fire.

Gabriel shook pitifully on the rug clutching his quilt around him and Nathan slid in next to him bare chested for brotherly skin to skin just like the Mounties taught them. Nathan adjusted his quilt to cover their fronts while Gabriel's quilt was tucked in at their backs and they sat silently for a few moments shivering together while the wind continued to howl outside.

They both intently studied the flames which had a hypnotic effect as the danger of their situation started to settle in with them. Neither looked the other in the eye as they instead stared blankly straight ahead at the flames. A soft chuckle escaped Nathan's lips, shaking his rib cage slightly, giving way to a full roaring belly-laugh at the absurdity of their situation.

"Gllllllaaaad you'rrrrre havvvvvvinggg funnnn Grrrrrraaaaannnnt," Gabriel slurred.

Nathan continued to laugh as he trembled slightly. "Ssssorrry. It's just….you're a….terrible cuddler." He lost it again in a fit of laughter.

Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "You'rrrre bonyyyy annnnnd kinnnnnddd offff hairrrry," he retorted, shaking his head with a small laugh.

Nathan laughed, glad that Gabriel was still able to joke. If the teasing was keeping him awake and warming, then so be it.

Gabriel inhaled sharply.

"What is it? Are you ok?" Nathan's eyes assessed him quickly for signs of shock or heart attack. "Where does it hurt?"

"My handdddsss…my toessss, everrrrrythinnnng. It's…like…bee stinnnngs." Gabriel managed as his teeth chattered uncontrollably with a groan.

"You're warming. That's good. You've still got some feeling in your arms and legs then. That's really good, Gabe."

"Doessssnnnn'tttt… feeeeeeelllll…. goooooooddd." Gabriel huffed.

Nathan nodded sympathetically and rubbed Gabriel's arms with his hands—trying to generate more heat for him without casting off the protective blanket. The fire roared now and it's heat could be easily felt against their faces while it warmed the cabin air.

"I need to heat some water now that you're warming up a bit and get you some tea or something to warm your insides." He leaned back to look at his friend to judge his reaction to the loss of his body heat.

Gabriel exhaled jaggedly preparing for the quilt to move. He nodded and Nathan stood in just his long underwear and wool socks feeling the loss of heat himself. He turned towards the cabin bed and pulled off the top sheet wrapping it around himself like a cape. It wasn't particularly warm, but it was better than nothing.

A trek outside in the snow to gather water was completely out of the question at the moment. Instead, Nathan rifled through the cabinets to find a couple of canning jars full of soup and beans. He grabbed a few pots from the lower cabinets nestled inside one another. He found a butter knife from the drawer and popped open the lid on the jar of beans, pouring them into the smaller pot. The quart jar of soup popped open just as easily and he poured the soup into the larger pot. He retrieved some matches from his brown leather belt pouch that still lay on the floor, and he managed to light the stove quickly.

Gabriel's teeth could be heard chattering from across the cabin, and his shallow breathing clued Nathan in that his friend was still awake and likely stinging all over.

"Honey, I'm baaaack." Nathan teased in a sing-song voice as he sat back down on the rug and wrapped up under the shared quilt again.

"Don'tttt," Gabriel chattered with an eye-roll.

"How are your hands?" Nathan asked cautiously.

"They hurrrt. Everrything hurts." Gabriel sighed and rubbed his arms and legs under the quilt.

"I'm sorry. The soup will be ready soon. Once you get that in you, you'll be able to get some rest. I'll remake the bed."

"But willl…you…tuuuuck meee….innn?" Gabriel batted his eyes playfully.

"You're the worst patient ever. I hope you know that." Nathan retorted with an eye-roll.

"At leeassst…I…know…how to cuddle," Gabriel chattered out with a gleam back in his eye.

"That's debatable." Nathan laughed again and this time Gabriel joined him.

What a pair they were. Two strong Mounties huddling together half-naked under a quilt before a roaring fire in a major snowstorm. The sound of Gabriel's laughter brought peace to Nathan's anxious heart. They were going to be ok, and for that he was thankful.

He didn't know what he would do if he lost Gabriel, and just the thought made him shudder. It wasn't a question that needed to be answered tonight, nor hopefully ever. This cabin was an answered prayer. Pure and simple.

The sound of bubbling on the stove had him once again tucking the quilts tightly around Gabriel and donning his sheet cape to stir their supper. He brought the soup down to a simmer while he searched the cabinets for a few bowls. There were two dinner plates, but only one small bowl so Nathan improvised with a mug for his own soup and added a couple of spoons. He turned down the heat on the beans and they slowly simmered while he returned to Gabriel with the rations.

Originally, he had planned to give Gabriel the soup bowl, but with his still trembling hands the mug with a handle was the better option for Gabriel to manage. With much to be thankful for, the Mounties bowed their heads and Nathan prayed.

"Dear Lord,

We thank you today for your hand of protection. For your provision of this cabin when we needed it most, thank you that Gabe is warming up and wasn't hurt worse. Thank you for this food, for our lives, and for the fire. Bless whoever left this cabin prepared…they saved our lives. Bless our families and friends back home and give them peace. Give us discernment and wisdom as we continue our search.

Amen."

"Amen." Gabriel groaned at the sound of a continued search and the thought of leaving this warm cabin.

Nothing was said for a few moments between them as they reflected on their harrowing circumstances and focused on getting food into their stomachs. Nathan was managing well and was feeling nearly normal now that he was sufficiently warm.

Gabriel, however, was still shivering occasionally. The pin pricks had ceased again and his skin was no longer cool to the touch, but his nose, chin, and finger tips remained unusually red and painful. His hand wasn't yet entirely steady which made eating soup on a spoon a bit of a challenge, but even holding the mug tightly in his hands seeped warmth into his palms again.

Nathan could tell that Gabriel was warming up, because the same mug ten minutes prior would have been too much for him to hold. Finishing his bowl of soup, Nathan rose again to stir and serve the beans. He ladled in a healthy portion for himself and sat back down next to his friend under the quilt.

Gabriel was about halfway through his soup, and already he looked more alert and like himself. "This is the best soup I've ever had. Mmmmm…chicken and noodle."

Nathan's eyebrows crinkled as he looked over at Gabriel's bowl of split peas, carrots, and onions. "You might be worse off than I thought, Gabe. There is no chicken or noodles in that whole soup. Pretty sure that's pea soup you're eating."

"Oh." Gabriel replied sheepishly. "Uh…it's good."

Nathan laughed. "Maybe we had better check your tongue for frostbite too.

Gabriel rolled his eyes and finished his mug. "Well….it's doing the job. It's hot…. and filling."

"It must be. You sound better. You've stopped slurring. You sound pretty normal…for you at least." Nathan coyly smiled as his friend recognized his sarcasm.

"You're hilarious." Gabriel deadpanned, "if I wasn't so exhausted, I'd punch you right in the arm."

"Some thanks for saving your life." Nathan retorted with a raised brow—shoveling in another bite of beans.

"You dropped me off my own horse! Dragged me inside….Some red knight you are."

"Sorry, Princess. You weren't much help." Nathan chuckled to himself and nudged his friend's shoulder.

"How do I get myself into these situations with you?!" Gabriel glared playfully in mock offense. He drank the last of his soup.

"You're just lucky I guess. There's no one I'd rather share a quilt with on the Force than you." Nathan batted his eyelashes with a lop-sided grin.

"Gee thanks. No offense, but I hope it never happens again." Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"Fine by me." Nathan responded with a laugh.

Nathan stood again to fill Gabriel's mug with some beans and brought his dishes to the sink. He brought Gabriel back a steaming mug of beans and added another few logs to the fire. He wrapped his sheet tightly to himself as he searched the cabin for any spare clothes.

The cabin was small with one big open room containing a kitchen, pot-bellied stove, a single bed, a few chairs, and a bookshelf with a variety of cookbooks and novels. The foot of the bed had a wooden chest with a simple latch and no lock.

Pressing his luck, Nathan lifted the lid to find a few sets of buckskin leather pants and jackets from the fur trappers that frequented this cabin. Grabbing a spare cotton shirt, he tossed the sheet back on the bed and threw the shirt over his head followed by one of the fringed jackets. The pants were a little short, but otherwise fit fine.

He found a plaid red flannel shirt, a knitted red stocking cap with a long tassel, and a pair of leather moccasins. Seeing that the moccasins were too small for his own feet, Nathan brought them over to Gabriel for an extra layer of warmth.

"Here. Looks like some fur traders and voyagers have left extra clothes here. Can you get these on?"

Gabriel nodded and slowly unwrapped himself from the quilts. His hands were finally steady and although exhausted he had no trouble adjusting his clothing. Nathan noticed that his fingertips and nose were still very red for the amount of time they had been inside warming.

Satisfied that Gabriel could manage dressing himself, Nathan grabbed a few of the blankets and remade the bed. Gabriel hobbled over slowly, kicked off the moccasins, and climbed under the sheets.

"Thanks Mum." Gabriel replied as a smirk crept across his face.

"Don't get used to this. You're insufferable, you know that?" Nathan smiled shaking his head. "Good night, Dear. I'll check the horses."

Within a few minutes, soft snoring permeated the quiet cabin. Nathan cleared the dishes and slid back into his cold boots and donned his fur cap. He crept quietly from the cabin, though he probably didn't need to worry.

The wind had died down and snow was slowly drifting across the clearing. The top of the mountain ridge was only about a hundred yards, but with the visibility they had before Nathan was amazed that they had found this cabin at all.

Miracle of miracles. He thought. Rounding the cabin, he found Newton and Apollo happily munching on hay under the lean-to. He inspected the makeshift stall and finding everything in order, he headed back into the cabin to warm up again.

Nathan collected the discarded wet clothing from the cabin floor. He started hanging the uniforms and long underwear from a long stick that was suspended from the ceiling with wire. It made a very handy drying rack that hung safely near the stove, and was likely used by both trappers and hunters alike.

He washed up the few dishes in the sink before feeding the fire for the night and unrolled his bedroll on the rug. It wasn't the worst sleeping accommodations…at least he wasn't sleeping on rocks or out under the stars tonight.

He rolled to his side and watched the flames dance across the logs. He thought of Allie and Elizabeth and began to pray for them as he gave over to exhaustion—thankful to be alive.

A/N:

This frozen cuddle is the history that gets referred to by Nathan & Gabriel in Ch 13 of But Now I See.

GABRIEL! 3x shouted just for Lynn nebula2 who always catches my inappropriate uses of "Gabe" as a narrator.

Thank you to Eoin MacLean for his help with my many Mountie uniform & cold weather gear questions. *He was the one to point out that historically the wool coats were navy and not black like on the show.

The one room small cabin is modeled off my father-in-law's hunting cabin including the hanging stick drying rack. *this is also the cabin my husband proposed to me at and we later married just down the hill with the cabin in the background.

The "red knight" phrase first appears in nebula2 's story Aftershock as a nickname that Colleen has for Nathan. I absolutely love it & it was the first fanfic I had ever read.

…