The next day, Nathan woke up with a smile. It was Christmas. Nathan got out of bed and put on something warm. Nathan looked in Allie's room to tell her Merry Christmas but she wasn't in there. Nathan went into Archie's room, but he wasn't there either. Nathan went out into the living room and put some wood in the fireplace. He lit a match and started a fire. As Nathan headed toward the kitchen, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Nathan looked out the window and saw Allie and Archie building a snowman. Nathan smiled and quickly put on his coat and went outside to help with the snowman. What started as building a snowman turned into a snowball fight between the three of them.
After the snowball fight, they went inside to eat breakfast and open gifts. Allie opened her presents first. Her eyes got wider as she kept opening her presents. Nathan had bought her clothes and books. But her favorite gift was the charm bracelet.
Archie opened his presents next. Nathan had bought him some clothes and books. It was Nathan's turn to finally open presents.
"Let me go get my present. It is in my room." Allie said running off to her room.
Nathan smiled. Archie pulled out a gift that he was hiding behind his back.
"This is my gift from the heart. I didn't make it but it is from the heart." Archie said.
Nathan opened the present. Inside was paint and toy soldiers that needed to be painted.
"I always wanted toy soldiers for Christmas." Nathan said.
Allie came back out into the living room.
"I know. And I know Santa never brought you any because he usually gambled the Christmas money away." Archie said.
Nathan smiled at the gift.
"Thank you, Archie." Nathan said.
"My turn." Allie said handing her gift to Nathan. Nathan opened the gift and a smile came across this face. It was a painting of Nathan and Allie in front of the barn that was burnt down.
"This is beautiful. You did this all by yourself?" Nathan asked.
"Yep." Allie said. Allie handed her gift to Archie. He also had a painting but this one had Archie and Allie standing together.
"Honey, this is beautiful!" Archie exclaimed. Allie stood proudly at her gifts. Archie took out Allie's present and gave it to her. Allie opened her present and gasped. Archie had sketched out a picture in wood of Allie and her mother.
"I don't know what to say." Allie said.
"That's really good Archie." Nathan said looking at the picture.
"I did a little woodworking when I was younger." Archie said proudly.
Nathan went under the tree and brought his presents out to Allie and Archie.
Allie gasped at the shelf that Nathan had made for Allie.
"Uncle Nathan, this is beautiful. I love the details you put in it." Allie said. Nathan smiled proudly. Archie opened his present.
"Thank you, son." Archie said showing his gift to Allie. Nathan had made a picture frame for Archie and put a picture of Allie and he from the Founder's Day festival.
After opening all the gifts, everyone hugged and thanked each other for the gifts. After cleaning up the kitchen, Allie asked if she could go give her gift to Robert. Nathan allowed her to go. Nathan had to go into town to pick up the oysters from Ned.
After picking up the oysters from Ned, Nathan headed back home. He changed and went into the kitchen to start dinner. Nathan heard a knock on the door. Nathan looked at his watch, it was only four o'clock. Nathan opened the door to find Elizabeth and Jack standing at the door.
"Merry Christmas!" Elizabeth exclaimed
"Merry Christmas!" Nathan said back.
"I know we are early, but I thought I could help you in the kitchen." Elizabeth said.
"That would be helpful. Thank you." Nathan said. Elizabeth put Jack down and Nathan helped her with her coat. Elizabeth was a simple red dress where the sleeves went only a quarter of the way.
"You look lovely." Nathan said.
"Thank you. And you don't look so bad yourself. The blue sweater brings out the blue in your eyes." Elizabeth said.
Nathan smiled.
Archie walked into the entryway.
"And you remember my father, Archie." Nathan said.
"Of course. Hello Archie. Thank you for inviting me over." Elizabeth said.
"Hello Elizabeth. I'm glad that you could make it." Archie said. Archie looked at Jack.
"And I'm glad Jack could make it too." Archie said smiling at him. Jack smiled back.
"Why don't you two go into the kitchen and I'll watch Jack." Archie said.
"Thank you, Archie." Elizabeth said. Archie grabbed Jack's hand and they headed into the living room.
Nathan showed Elizabeth the way to the kitchen.
"Your father is quite the charmer." Elizabeth said.
"He is something." Nathan said.
Elizabeth laughed. Nathan and Elizabeth started making the sauce for the spaghetti.
"So, the oysters?" Elizabeth said.
Nathan smiled.
"What about them?" Nathan asked.
"Where do you find oysters in this time of year?" Elizabeth asked.
"San Francisco, in America." Nathan said.
"You had them come all the way from San Francisco? That must have been expensive." Elizabeth said.
"It was but that's what Archie wanted and it is hard to say no when he gives you the Archie eyes." Nathan said imitating the eyes. Elizabeth laughed.
"Well, I think it was very sweet of you to order the oysters." Elizabeth said.
"They are all his to eat. I don't want them and Allie dramatically told me that she would rather die than eat an oyster. I'm sure he'll share with you." Nathan said.
"Uh no. Slippery cold is not what I enjoy in a meal." Elizabeth said. Nathan laughed.
After they were finished with the sauce, they put the noodles in to boil. Nathan mixed up the batter for the pancakes and would wait until the noodles were almost ready to make the pancakes.
The door closed and Allie came home.
"Hi Mrs. Thornton!" Allie exclaimed.
"Hello Allie." Elizabeth said. The two hugged each other.
"How did Robert like his gift?' Nathan asked.
"He loved it. He gave me a journal." Allie said.
"That's nice." Nathan said.
Allie went to her room to change and play with Jack.
"Don't you dare." Elizabeth said.
"What?" Nathan asked.
"I can see the wheels turning in your brain. Don't you dare look in that journal." Elizabeth said.
Nathan laughed.
"I wasn't going to!" Nathan exclaimed.
"Sure." Elizabeth said.
"If the journal happened to fall off her shelf and the wind blew it open and I happen to walk by, I might read it." Nathan teased.
Elizabeth put her finger in the pancake batter and put some on his nose.
Elizabeth back up laughing.
"You think that's funny?" Nathan teased.
Elizabeth nodded and kept laughing.
"How about this?" Nathan said putting his finger in the batter and getting closer to Elizabeth.
"Don't you dare." Elizabeth said. Nathan inched closer and Elizabeth squealed in delight.
"Is everything okay in here?" A voice said. Nathan and Elizabeth turned and saw Archie standing there.
"We are just getting ready to make the pancakes." Nathan said licking his finger.
"Uh huh. Stop fooling around. The kids are getting hungry." Archie said.
"Yes, sir." Nathan and Elizabeth said in unison. Archie walked out and Nathan and Elizabeth looked at each other and laughed.
After eating dinner and cleaning up, everyone headed into the living room with cookies that Elizabeth had made. Allie showed Elizabeth all the clothes she received. They sang a few Christmas carols and played some charades. As it got later in the evening, Archie started having one of his cough attacks. Nathan helped him to his bed.
Archie laid in his bed and Nathan put the covers over him and Nathan sat on the side of the bed.
"Are you going to help me paint the toy soldiers tomorrow?" Nathan asked.
"Only if you want me to." Archie croaked out.
"I do." Nathan said with a smile.
Nathan patted the bed and started to get up when Archie grabbed his arm.
"Son. I don't have any things to give you except my wisdom. Don't let her get away." Archie said.
Nathan smiled. He kissed Archie on the forehead.
"Merry Christmas." Nathan said. Archie smiled. Nathan left and closed his door. He saw Allie on the way to her room. She was going to get ready for bed and then write in her journal. They hugged and said Merry Christmas to each other. It was just Nathan and Elizabeth now.
Elizabeth was sitting on the couch with a present on her lap.
"This is for you." Elizabeth said handing him the gift.
Nathan smiled. He opened the gift. Nathan pulled a compass out.
"It so you can always find your way home, where ever that may be." Elizabeth said.
"Thank you." Nathan said.
Nathan went under the Christmas tree and pulled her gift out. Elizbeth unwrapped the plaque and gasped.
"Nathan. This is beautiful." Elizabeth said.
"It's the Emerson quote you told me before I went to court." Nathan said.
"This is lovely." Elizabeth said.
"I thought maybe you could put it up in the library. Inspire other people." Nathan said.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said wiping away tears from her eyes.
Nathan smiled.
"It's getting late, I should get going." Elizabeth said.
"Did you walk here?" Nathan asked.
"Yes. It's not that far." Elizabeth said.
"It is pretty far. If you don't mind, I would like to give you two a ride home." Nathan said.
"That would be nice." Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth packed up Jack and followed Nathan outside. Nathan brought Newton out and helped Elizabeth on. She was holding Jack and Nathan would hold the reigns.
"Do you mind if I put my arms around your waist to keep you from falling?' Nathan asked.
"That's fine." Elizabeth said. Nathan put his arms around her waist and Elizabeth put her hands on his hands. This made Nathan's heart flutter. Nathan and Elizabeth didn't talk for the ride home. They took in the silence and the beautiful night.
Once they reached Elizabeth's house, Nathan helped Elizabeth and Jack down.
"I want to thank you." Elizabeth said.
"For what?" Nathan asked.
"For making this Christmas the best I have had in a long time." Eizabeth said.
"I'm glad that it was enjoyable for you." Nathan said.
Elizabeth smiled. They said their goodnights.
Nathan didn't realize it now, but that was when he fell in love with Elizabeth.
Before heading home, Nathan went and stopped by the cemetery. He dismounted Newton and stood in front of Colleen's grave.
"Merry Christmas." Nathan said.
"We missed you today. I wish you were here so I could hear you sing Christmas carols off key." Nathan said with a smile.
"I tried to make it the best Christmas for your daughter. But I think having you here would have been the best Christmas for her. We celebrated with Archie too. You would be shocked at how much he has changed. He is not the father we grew up with." Nathan said.
"And Elizabeth came over. I don't know how to feel about her. I can feel my feelings starting to change but I don't want to hurt her by leaving in June. It's all confusing and I think she is still grieving over the loss of her husband." Nathan said.
Nathan smiled at the grave.
"I love you, Colleen." Nathan said. Nathan said a little prayer for Colleen and then went back home.