When Elizabeth awoke the next morning, she was alone in the bed. Since marrying Nathan, that was not a common occurrence. In the fog of sleep that still held her, Elizabeth tried to recall why Nathan's side of the bed was empty. Remembering that he had taken the second half of the night for guard duty at the jail, Elizabeth relaxed. Given the possible assignments a Mountie could have, that one was relatively safe.

So was training new Mounties, a voice taunted in her mind.

Elizabeth pushed that thought aside. Jack was gone, taken by an act o mother nature. She had decided to move on with Nathan and worrying about 'what ifs' would only sour her time with him.

As the temptation of snuggling against Nathan and staying in bed was not there, Elizabeth got out of bed to start her day. As she did so, she could swear she heard Jack's voice whisper, "that is the Elizabeth I loved." Even if it was only in her mind, the thought that Jack was happy and proud of her moving on filled her with joy.

By the time Nathan walked wearily through the front door, both kids were dressed and breakfast was just being put on the table. Both Ally and Jack hurried to greet their father at the door. Elizabeth smiled at the sight. Despite being tired, her husband's joy of being with the children was visible. After giving them all a few minutes, Elizabeth called to the children to help her finish getting breakfast ready so they could all sit down.

Ally and Jack obeyed, the two kids scurrying to the kitchen to get the toast, butter and jam. Free of the children now, Nathan came over to greet his wife. The two shared a brief kiss 'hello' before Elizabeth sent Nathan to wash up for breakfast.

"The children and I will head into town early for the library program so you can have some quiet time to sleep," Elizabeth told him.

"Thank you," Nathan replied. "While I do not begrudge the time this delay in trial gives Tyler with his new family, I will be happy when a guard all night will no longer be necessary," he told her as he headed for the kitchen.

"So will I," Elizabeth said. "The bed seemed empty this morning when I woke up."

"I have to say, I am happy to hear that," Nathan teased.

Elizabeth shot her husband an exasperated look. "You know what I meant," she told him, going back to placing the silverware beside the plates. Nathan's soft chuckle told him that he did.

Soon, the four Grants were sitting around the table. After a short grace, they began to fill their plates. Though she had intended to do Jack's plate herself, and allow Nathan to start his own breakfast, her husband made the little boy's plate his priority. Humoring the boy when he asked for extra jam on his piece of toast and then cut the crust from around the slice of bread.

Though Nathan had a tendency to let his family do most of the talking, Elizabeth noticed he was quieter than normal. Seeing the tired expression despite his smile for the children, Elizabeth figured the quietness was due to lack of sleep. As soon as Nathan's plate was empty, Elizabeth leaned over and kissed his cheek before suggesting he go climb in bed. Nathan did not protest, taking time only to kiss both children's cheek.

Even without being told, Elizabeth noticed that both Ally and Jack were quieter than normal as they helped clear the table and do up the breakfast dishes. Her heart swelled with pride at her children's thoughtfulness.

Before leaving the house, Elizabeth quietly went upstairs to check on her husband. Nathan was already asleep, his breathing soft and even. Not disturbing him, Elizabeth slipped back downstairs with the children. With Nathan having to work during the night, Elizabeth was thankful for the summer arrangement she had made for Jack. Though Laura was still watching Jack during the library program, Elizabeth had been dropping her son off at the Campbell's farm. Jack had been enjoying spending time with the animals on Jed's farm and he felt like he was doing something special like Ally was.

After dropping Jack off with Laura, the girl was unfazed by their early arrival, Elizabeth and Ally continued on to the library. The walk was quiet at first. Elizabeth thought the silence unnatural for her daughter, but let it go. She and Nathan had agreed to be supportive but let Ally deal with things with her birth father at her own pace. She had reminded Ally she could talk to her last night when she tucked her to bed. Elizabeth did however reach out and put an arm around her daughter's shoulders. Ally responded by moving closer to Elizabeth though they still walked in silence for several more minutes.

"Mama, do you think Dad would be hurt if I chose to have a relationship with Dylan?" Ally asked. "I know he says it is my choice, but I don't want to hurt him. He may claim taking me in was the only choice he could make but I know it wasn't, not if my birth father could leave me."

"It was the only choice for your Dad, because he has a strong loyalty to family."

"It was still his choice. He could have left me to someone else. He could have put me in an orphanage but he didn't. Despite having a four-year-old child making his life harder, he chose to love me. I know he will always be there for me. With Dylan, I think I would always wonder if he would just leave me again if things got hard. Uncle Nathan is my father, but Dylan is still family. I would like to have him in my life, just not as my Dad. Does that make sense?"

"It makes perfect sense. As for your Dad, the important thing is that you love him and that you remember that he will always love you. He will understand you wanting to let Dylan into your life. There is nothing wrong with that. Just know, that you will always be our daughter."

Beside her, Ally let out a sigh of relief.

"I got the family that I always wanted when you married Dad, and I didn't want to do anything to change that, but Dylan is family, despite his mistakes."

"That is a very mature outlook," Elizabeth told Ally. "I am proud of you. Sometimes, when family does not fit the roles we expect them to, it is hard to love them. My parents and I have gone through some rough times because of my choice to come teach here. This wasn't the life they would have chosen for their daughter but it is the life that is right for me. I am glad they can finally accept my life choices and that we are close again. The relationship I have with them is different now then when I was living at home, but I feel like it is stronger now. The situation with Dylan is different but the concept is the same. You two will never have the relationship that once existed, but it does not mean that you cannot create a new relationship."

"Do you think Dad would accept Dylan as part of our family?" Ally asked.

Elizabeth contemplated that, thinking of what she had observed and what Nathan had said about Dylan. Nathan had used terms like Ally's birth father, Colleen's husband and brother-in-law to refer to the man. "I think your Dad does accept Dylan as a part of the family despite not liking his past actions. Much like your grandfather. Just because your Dad tried to protect you from your grandfather hurting you like your Dad was hurt by his actions, did not mean he did not see him as part of the family."

"Family is complicated," Ally declared.

Elizabeth chuckled. "Yes, it certainly can be," she admitted.

"Can we invite Dylan to dinner at our house?" Ally asked.

As Nathan had told her that Dylan had told Ally to decide when their next meeting would take place, the question did not surprise her. "How about we invite him to eat with us following Sunday service?" Elizabeth suggested. "I am not sure you have been aware, but Dylan has shown up for church services though he has not socialized. Perhaps with a diner invitation we might get him to mingle with other members of the congregation. I think socializing with others is important for him."

"Sunday sounds good," Ally confirmed. "Perhaps Dad can come with me so I can extend the invitation before Dylan leaves the work site this afternoon. If he is awake that is."

Elizabeth smiled. "If your Dad is not awake, I can walk over with you, if you would like."

"No offense, but I hope Dad is awake," Ally confided. "He makes me feel safe and braver but I appreciate your offer, Mama."

Ally looked up at her with an apologetic expression on her face. "No offense taken," Elizabeth assured her. "Your Dad makes me feel safe and braver as well."

Ally smiled but did not pull away as they continued their walk into town.

"We will store your trunks until you have a way to take the Mrs. Harrison," the conductor assured her.

Viola nodded her consent. In one hand she held a fancy bag that held the things that Margaret and she had been using during their travels. Her other hand clutched Margaret, her three-year-old daughter's hand. Viola was not sure where the girl's insatiable curiosity from. It definitely was not from her, and from what Viola had seen, her husband tended to stick to what he knew as well. Which made her wonder about his parent's marriage but Viola pushed that thought from her mind. Now was not the time to dwell on those issues.

"Thank you," Viola told the conductor. "I hope that will be later today but it might not be tomorrow. My family was not expecting me."

That was putting it mildly. As far as Elizabeth knew, she and Sir Lionel should be on their way home to England. Her parents would think she was still in quarantine in New York, making sure she did not come down with the Spanish flu that had taken Lionel's life. She had told her father she would call him when the New York doctor had cleared her to travel. Instead, once she got the clearance she had headed for Hope Valley, not Hamilton.

"No worries, ma'am," the conductor assured her. "Is there any other way I can be of assistance?"

"Could you point me in the direction of the Mounted Police Office? It is my brother-in-law's posting."

The conductor smiled. "Let me talk to the delivery driver. Hope Valley is a bit of a walk but I am sure the delivery driver will not mind giving you a ride into town."

"Thank you."

The delivery driver did not mind at all. Soon, her bag was tucked in among the crates heading into town and Viola sat on the wagon seat beside the driver. She kept both arms around her daughter as Margaret peered around at her knew surroundings.

When the wagon pulled to a stop in front of The Queen of Hearts, the driver put on the brake and climbed from the wagon. He then turned to help Viola down. Retrieving her bag, he handed it to her.

"The Mounted Police Office is just over there," the driver told her, nodding his head in that direction. "Would you like me to walk you over, ma'am."

"No. I am fine. Thank you, though," Viola replied, grasping her daughter's hand tightly as Margaret looked around at the new environment.

"Have a good day then, ma'am," the driver said. He tipped his hat to her and then went to start unloading crates from the wagon as a well dressed, dark-haired, bearded man came out of the saloon to greet him.

Pushing the two men out of her thoughts, Viola checked the street before starting across the street with her daughter. Margaret kept stopping to look at things and Viola wished she did not have the bag in her other hand so she could just pick the three-year-old up and carry her. Perhaps she should have called ahead and told Elizabeth to expect her. She knew her sister would have made sure she was met at the train station. A little part in Viola's mind though was afraid that her sister would have told her to just go home to their parents. Though they had been close in their younger years, she and Elizabeth had grown apart as they got older. While Viola was happy to follow the norms that her father's wealth and status demanded, Elizabeth had wanted something else from life. Viola had never been able to understand that. She had never understood why Elizabeth had come to this town to teach let alone why she stayed. She couldn't fathom while Elizabeth would turn down Charles' proposal and a comfortable life of leisure to stay out here and marry Jack Thornton. When Jack had been killed, Viola had fully expected, along with their mother, that Elizabeth would finally come home to Hamilton but she hadn't. Elizabeth had stayed here, in Hope Valley.

It was a choice that Viola had never understood until she had attended to her sister's wedding to Constable Grant. Watching Elizabeth and Nathan that day, she had seen genuine happiness on her sister's face. A happiness that their parents had managed to find in their own marriage but Viola knew had been missing from her own.

Reaching the Mounted Police Office, Viola reached up with the hand holding the bag and turned the knob pushing the door open. Stepping into the office, Viola came to a quick stop when she saw the Mountie at the desk.

"You are not my brother-in-law."

Viola cringed at the comment. What would the Mountie think of her?

However the man, gazed casually back at her, a friendly smile on his face. "Unless Rachel had a sister that she has not mentioned to me, no. I am not your brother-in-law," the man replied getting to his feet. "Constable Tyler Randall, ma'am. Would it be Constable Grant that you are looking for?"

Viola nodded, feeling flustered. Just hopping a train and coming to Hope Valley on a whim had been such a Julie thing to do. Had Elizabeth and her husband moved onto another posting and the news had not reached her yet.

"Constable Grant is still posted here in Hope Valley. I am here temporarily while we have an occupant in our cells," Tyler informed her, nodding to the cell.

Viola let her gaze drift there momentarily. A man lay on bed in the cell, staring up at the ceiling. She looked back to the Mountie.

"Nathan did an overnight guard duty and went home for some sleep. I take it your family was not expecting you?"

Viola shook her head. "It was a last minute choice and I am starting to think a bad one. I am not even sure where my sister's home is. I know it is outside of town."

"That it is," Tyler told her, coming around the desk. "Let me walk you to the café. You and your daughter can get something to drink and I will find someone to take you out to the Grant place."

"I don't want to put anyone to any trouble," Viola said.

"No trouble at all, ma'am," Tyler assured her, he said reaching out for her bag.

Viola surrendered it to him, relieved that someone was helping her figure out how to make contact with her sister in this little town. She was not sure what she would have done otherwise.

"Thank you, Constable," Viola told him. Reaching down, she lifted Margaret into her arms. The little girl was staring at the Mountie in fascination. As Tyler reached for his hat on a hook by the door, Margaret watched him.

"This hat is a little too big for you, little lady," Tyler told the girl noticing her interest. "But I love the flowers on your own hat. It is very pretty."

"Thank you," Margaret replied politely.

Tyler opened and held the door for Viola. Stepping outside, he escorted her to Abigail's café. The sight of the familiar name put Viola a bit more at ease. She remembered meeting Abigail a few years ago when both she and Elizabeth were at the Thatcher home. Tyler held open a door to the building and Viola stepped into what was clearly a more private entrance to the establishment. Abigail was at the stove and looked over at their entrance.

"Viola!" Abigail exclaimed, recognizing the woman. She put down the spoon she had been stirring a pot with and moved toward them. "Elizabeth didn't say she was expecting you."

"That is because she wasn't," Viola admitted.

"Well, she will be happy to see you," Abigail assured her.

"I thought the lady and her daughter could relax here while I arrange a ride out to Nathan and Elizabeth's home," Tyler said.

"Of course," Abigail replied. She motioned Viola to the settee. "Have a seat. Would you like some lemonade?"

"That would be nice, thank you," Viola said moving to the settee.

Tyler placed her bag on one of the chairs nearby. "I will be back soon," the Mountie promised and then was heading out the door.

Sinking down onto the settee, her daughter in her lap, Viola was ashamed of her assumption that this little town would be uncivilized. Perhaps things were more simplistic than she was use to, but the people had been very nice so far. Perhaps even nicer than some were in the city.

As he was taking the evening shift at the office today, Bill having said he would do the overnight, Nathan was in uniform as he and Ally made their way across their yard toward the Coulter's property. The workers there were packing it up for the day. Many greeted Nathan and Ally as the father and daughter approached. The two returned the greetings as they made their way to Dylan who was covering some materials with a tarp. The man finished securing the tarp and turned to face them.

"Hello, Nathan. Hello, Ally," Dylan said casually.

"Hello," Nathan said, his hand resting on Ally's shoulder. His daughter had said she wanted to be the one to extend the dinner invitation.

"Hello," Ally echoed. "I was wondering if you would like to join my family and me for the midday meal after church this Sunday. You could come home with us after services."

Nathan noted the surprise that flitted across Dylan's face. Nathan wondered if the man had been wondering if there truly would be a next time after the first meeting.

"I would be honored, Ally. Thank you," Dylan replied.

"I'll see you then," Ally said. She hesitated and then stepped forward and gave Dylan a quick hug.

Given the quickness of the gesture, Dylan was unable to return the gesture. However, Nathan did see unshed tears glistening in his eyes.

"Bye," Ally told him and then turned to head back home.

"Bye," Dylan echoed.

Nathan waved a hand to his brother-in-law as he turned to follow Ally. With a couple of long strides, he was soon at her side.

"I am proud of you," Nathan told her as they crossed the property line, knowing they were now far enough away to avoid being overheard.

"I just hope that being nice to him doesn't mean he tries to take me away," Ally said, voicing that fear of being taken away from Nathan once again.

Nathan put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. "No one is taking you away from me, Ally. All the paperwork is officially filed for that."

"But Mama's adoption of me could still be challenged, right?" Ally asked, looking up at him.

"It could," Nathan admitted. "I do not think you need to worry about that though. Besides, even if it is contested, nothing would change. We would all still live together. We are family no matter what pieces of paper say."

Ally nodded but remained quiet even as they noticed Henry's car pulling into their driveway.

"What is Mr. Gowen doing here?" Ally asked.

"I am not sure. Let us go find out though," Nathan replied, his arm around Ally's shoulder allowing him to steer her in the direction of the driveway.

Henry had stopped the car and was getting out of the vehicle as Nathan approached.

"I have a visitor for you, Nathan," Henry replied, reaching for the back passenger side door and opening it.

Nathan was surprised to see Elizabeth's older sister, whom he only met the day of their wedding, stop out of the car.

"Aunt Viola!" Ally exclaimed, clearly as surprised at Nathan.

"Hello," Viola said, even as she helped Margaret out of the car. "Sorry to show up unannounced. I hope you do not mind."

"Of course not," Nathan said, noting that Sir Lionel was not with his wife and daughter but feeling that right now was not the time to bring attention to that fact. "Our door is always open to family."

"Thank you," Viola replied.

"I brought her trunks out with me," Henry said.

"Ally, why don't you take your Aunt and cousin inside to your Mama. I will help Henry with the luggage."

"Yes sir," Ally replied, stepping forward and claiming Viola's free hand. "I know the home is nothing like Grandma and Grandpa Thatcher's home, but it is warm and cozy. I think you will like it."

"I am sure I will," Viola replied hesitantly.

Nathan went to join Henry to retrieve the trunks.

"You have a lot of family showing up all of the sudden," Henry commented.

"We do," Nathan acknowledged. "I am hoping Viola's appearance is not quite as complicated as Dylan's appearance was. Something tells me this is not a simple visit though."

Henry nodded and the two men went about getting Viola's things from the car.