A/N- This chapter has been half written for at least a couple of weeks, but life has been a little crazy. Some good (like spending last weekend with a dear friend visiting from an ocean away), some not (when you're supposed to be instructing your coworkers on how to use the new electronic medical records system and you don't understand it yourself...) but at least I've got Nathan to save me, right? AND I managed to finish in time for at least some people to read before tomorrow night's SNS discussion. Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"There she is again," Allie grumbled, annoyance clear in her tone.

Julie glanced covertly across the room, her eyes catching the young woman staring at them. They had heard enough of her yelling at the staff to know that she, too, was waiting for news from the fort. Julie and the children had at least gotten a message from Elizabeth, delivered by a very nervous young Constable, letting them know about the on-going search for Nathan.

"Do you think if we tell her what's going on with my dad, that she'll leave us alone?"

"I suppose it's worth a try," Julie replied. "You stay here with your brother, and I'll go see what she wants." She stood, schooling her features into the cordial but closed expression she had perfected as a Hamilton debutant. As she approached, the other woman's face lit up.

"You're Julie Thatcher!"

Smiling politely, she nodded. "I am. Is that why you've been watching my niece and nephew and I?"

The other woman beamed, smoothing her short blonde hair. "I'm Ramona Reich," she said, clearly pleased to make her introduction. "Actually, I saw that Mountie delivering a message earlier. I was hoping you might share what you know about what's going on. My fiancé, Constable Fiddler, was training at Fort Mudd. He was supposed to meet me here hours ago, but…" She trailed off, trying to appear worried, but Julie could see the calculating gleam in her eyes.

"My brother-in-law is at Fort Mudd as well," Julie explained. "There was an incident involving one of the training teams. They got separated from their instructor the first day out and he's still missing."

Ramona rolled her eyes. "I told John he should have chosen to go to Fort Clay instead of taking this course! After the accident there a few years ago, you know they are taking all kinds of extra precautions, while they brought in some last-minute replacement who's never led an assignment like this to cover here. No wonder the man got himself lost! What a mess," she grumbled. "We just need to get finished here and then hopefully we'll get a good assignment where he can start to make a name for himself." She paused, the gleam in her eyes brightening. "I don't suppose your father could put in a good word… Since John is training with your brother-in-law and all…"

Julie's eyes narrowed. "That accident a few years ago? My sister's husband was the man who died. And the instructor who's missing now? Her new husband, who, by the way, is more than qualified to lead this assignment. From what they know so far, his men deliberately left him behind. The other team found his horse about a mile from the fort, still with all his gear, while Nathan's team came back without a care in the world."

Ramona raised her hand and started to speak, but Julie stepped back. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to the children. My nephew might not fully understand what's going on, but he knows that his father died on a Mountie assignment before he was born, and that now his stepfather, my niece's father, has gone missing, also on a Mountie assignment. They need my attention and support far more than you do."

Julie turned and walked away with her head regally high, never glancing back.

Allie couldn't help but snicker when her aunt resumed her seat next to them. "Oh, she looks crushed! What did you say to her?"

Julie shrugged. "She's more worried about making a name for herself and her fiancé than she is about his or anyone else's safety." She was too angry about how the other young woman had belittled both Jack and Nathan to be concerned about offending her sensibilities.

It was a long day, waiting for news. When Elizabeth called from the fort commander's office to say goodnight to the children, she told them that Nathan's friend, Gabriel Kinslow, had joined the search. In Cape Fullerton finishing a case, he had heard about the incident at Fort Mudd and ridden out to lend a hand.

"I bet Uncle Gabe finds him," Allie declared confidently. "He and Dad think alike. He'll know where to look."

It had been quite a struggle to get Allie and Jack to bed; both were obviously tired but neither wanted to miss any updates from the search. After several stories and countless reassurances that she would wake them with any important news, Julie had just settled on the chaise in the sitting room when there was a knock at the door. She hastened across the room, hoping the sound hadn't awakened the children. Her eyes widened and her face paled as she took in the red uniformed man standing in the hallway.

"Miss Thatcher," he greeted quietly, seemingly aware of the late hour and children asleep in the other room. "My name is Constable Gabriel Kinslow. I am…"

"You're Nathan's friend!" Julie exclaimed quietly, stepping out into the hallway. She wasn't sure if this meant good or bad news…

Gabriel nodded, guiding her towards the pair of chairs next to the door of the suite.

"We found him. He's alright."

"Oh, thank heavens!" Julie gasped. "And my sister? How is she?"

"Elizabeth is stronger and more determined than most of the men at the fort," Gabriel chuckled. "She's had just about everyone running scared since she arrived."

Julie sighed with relief. "So, what happened? How did Nathan get left or lost or whatever?"

Gabriel's face tightened. "He and Newton were scouting ahead, taking a break from his squabbling team, when they encountered a mountain lion. Newton reacted like any horse would, stomping and rearing to try to scare it away. Nathan lost his hold on the reins and fell, then rolled into a ravine."

"Oh, my goodness!" Julie gasped, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

"Uncle Gabe?"

Neither he nor Julie had noticed, but the children stood in the doorway. Jack clung to his sister's nightgown with one hand while the other clutched Bear tightly.

"Is Daddy Nathan dead, too?" the little boy asked sadly.

"No!" Julie quickly scooped Jack up, hugging him close as Gabriel hastened to explain.

"Your dad is going to be just fine, I promise," he assured them, drawing Allie into a hug. "That's what I came to tell you." He looked at Julie, silently asking how she wanted to handle the conversation. It was too late for all of them to go down to the lobby to talk, and the hotel's restaurant was closed, but he didn't want to jeopardize her reputation by following her into a hotel room at night.

Julie gestured him into the sitting room of the suite, leaving the door to the hallway wide open. "I think it's better we talk in here."

Gabriel followed them inside, standing patiently by the door until she and the children were all seated.

"As I said, Nathan is going to be fine," he assured them. "He and Newton got separated from their team and Nathan fell into a ravine. He's got some scrapes and a few nasty bruises, but nothing broken. He's pretty tired from hiking back to the fort by himself, but once he's had some sleep and a decent meal, he'll be as good as new." He smiled as both children visibly relaxed. "And I bet seeing the two of you tomorrow will help him feel a whole lot better."

"Where's Mama?"

Gabriel's smile widened. "The last I saw, she was helping your dad to bed. The fort commander, Superintendent O'Reilly, ordered her and your dad both to get some rest. He and Commissioner Collins are going to want to hear Nathan's version of the story tomorrow, but for now everyone is taking a break. It sounds like your mom really kept the men at the fort on their toes until your dad was found." He dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I think they're a little bit afraid of her now."

Julie and the children laughed, all of them aware of just how frightening Elizabeth could be these days. "Wish she'd been around to scare off that lady today..." Allie added.

"What lady?" Gabriel asked.

Julie scoffed. "The fiancé of one of the trainees was here waiting for news," she explained. "Though once she recognized me, she was more concerned with how much influence my father could have on her future husband's postings and career advancement than she was for anyone's safety."

"Did she happen to mention his name?" Gabriel wondered.

"She did," Julie replied, struggling to remember what it was. "Fidget…Peddler…"

"Fiddler?"

"That's it! Do you know him?"

Gabriel smirked. "I know enough of him to know I definitely wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. He was one of the men on Nathan's team. He and the other three have some serious questions to answer tomorrow. It's not a formal inquiry, at least not yet, but facing the Commissioner and explaining why they left any man behind, let alone their commanding officer… I don't think the Fiddlers are going to be getting quite the opportunities she's imagining…"

"Constable, where are you staying tonight?" Julie asked as he prepared to leave. "I can call down and arrange for a room here if you like. I'm sure my father won't mind."

Gabriel smiled but shook his head. "Thank you, but I am going to head back out to the fort. I will stay in the barracks tonight, so I check on Nathan and Elizabeth in the morning. Once I give my statement about where and how I found Nathan, I need to head out so I can get back to Brookfield. I left Joe Moody and Tess Stuart as deputies while I had to be away."

Julie and Jack didn't recognize the names, but Allie giggled, aware of how the store owner and rancher's personalities might clash. "Hope you still have a town to go back to," she teased.

Gabriel tousled her hair before giving her a hug, then reached for Jack. The little boy studied him uncertainly for a moment, then allowed himself to be picked up. Giving in to the late hour and long day, he snuggled into the serge covered shoulder, his eyes heavy. He was nearly asleep when Gabriel handed him back to Julie. Nodding to her and Allie, he stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind him.

"Your Uncle Gabe seems like a good man," Julie said as she tucked Jack and Allie back into bed.

Allie grinned. "He's great. He and Dad were at Depot together and they help each other out on cases now and then." Seeing the curious look on her aunt's face, she added, "He and Miss Walsh are courting, but I hope they get married soon. Uncle Gabe is great with kids, so I know he'll love all the boys and girls at the orphanage that Miss Walsh runs."

Julie tried to hide her disappointment as she kissed the children goodnight again and went back out to lock the door and turn down the lights before going to her own room. "Elizabeth has all the luck," she sighed, then she shrugged. She knew she wasn't cut out to be a Mountie wife. But they sure are nice to look at.

Nathan forced himself to keep quiet, even though every inch of his body ached. Exhausted as he was, a part of him wanted to just go back to sleep, but he knew there were a lot of questions that needed answered. Even more importantly, he didn't want to worry Elizabeth any more than she already had been.

When Superintendent O'Reilly offered them the use of his rooms, he hadn't even considered turning him down. The fort's acting commander could have ordered Elizabeth back into town and Nathan to either the infirmary or the barracks; the fact that he was kind enough to let them stay together was definitely beyond the scope of his duties. Nathan had been confident he would fall asleep quickly once he was clean, warm, and fed, but he hadn't anticipated crashing before he'd even managed to get all the way into bed. He'd woken up briefly a few times through the night but didn't try to move. The first had been when he felt Elizabeth get cautiously into bed beside him, and he'd only had the energy to move his arm and place it loosely around her. At one point, he'd become aware of several swift and reassuring prods from her belly where it rested against his side, until she'd shifted positions trying to get herself and the baby settled. He had felt her get up a little bit ago and heard her moving around the room; he was almost certain she'd been laying out his uniform and cleaning his boots before she went into the washroom to freshen up and get herself ready. Now he heard her talking to someone in the hall. Considering the hour, it was too early to be her sister and the children, and she had laughed softly, so it was unlikely to be any of the men stationed at the fort. That left Gabe.

Nathan was distracted trying to listen to their conversation and momentarily forgot about his injured shoulder as he started to push himself up. He couldn't stifle a cry of pain this time, moaning as he rolled onto his back, his eyes closed tight as he clutched his sore arm.

Gabriel and Elizabeth both rushed to his side. Being far less encumbered, Gabriel got there first, and was helping Nathan to slowly sit up as Elizabeth reached them, settling herself beside him on the bed.

"I'll go get the doctor," Gabriel announced.

"Don't bother," Nathan grumbled. "I'm fine."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to argue with him, but Gabriel spoke up first.

"Tell me that again with your eyes open and when your jaw's not locked tighter than a vault."

Nathan tried to glare, but Gabriel's teasing had the desired effect of making him smile and start to relax. "Try to keep him quiet," Gabriel instructed Elizabeth. "I still think it's just strained, but I want the doctor to check that shoulder." Looking back at his friend, he scolded gently. "If you won't do it for yourself, think about Elizabeth and the kids. I'm sure Allie is going to want a big hug when she gets here, and you know Jack will expect you to pick him up. And if I'm not mistaken,' he paused, nodding towards Elizabeth's heavy belly. "There's someone else who's going to need a pair of strong arms to hold them very soon."

Nathan sighed, nodded resignedly. Once Gabriel had gone and it was just he and Elizabeth again, he turned to face her, reaching his good arm out to place his hand over hers. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For coming here. For staying. And for doing everything on your own while I've been away." He squeezed her hand. "You're not the only one who's been worried."

"I'm fine. We're fine," she assured him, leaning in to kiss his quickly.

"At least I was only gone for a couple of weeks," Nathan added.

"I never did ask, but why was this session so short?" Elizabeth wondered. "I thought these kinds of supplemental training would be longer."

"They are," Nathan explained. "Corporals Long and Duppen did the first few weeks together. Then Superintendent Fleming left suddenly for a family emergency and Duppen was in that accident. Long took over all the classes, but they prefer to split the men into smaller teams for the overnight. The instructors are better able to assess everyone that way. O'Reilly took temporary command for Fleming and brought me in to help finish up the classes and lead one of the teams."

"And is it usual for the class to be this small?"

Nathan started to shrug but stopped himself before he actually moved his shoulder. "There are usually more men taking the course, but some left when Fleming did and a couple were deemed unprepared to take part, so that left the eight here now."

They were both quiet for a moment. Elizabeth was content to just enjoy having Nathan beside her again, while his thoughts were more serious. "I'm sorry to put you through all of this, especially now."

Elizabeth shook her head. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes, I do," Nathan insisted. "Leaving you and kids was bad enough, but then this happened…. All the extra pain and worry I caused you…"

Elizabeth shook her head, looking down at their joined hands as she tried to put her thoughts together. "When Jack was in the Northern Territories, I worried constantly. Was he safe? Was he hurt? Would I hear if he had been injured? How much longer would he be up there? Would he still be the same man when he came home? What if he changed his mind about wanting to marry me? What would I do if he were killed? Honestly, I drove myself crazy over all of it. I don't know how my friends put up with me." She laughed softly. "And then he did come home, and he was fine, and we started planning our wedding. All my concerns were gone. They didn't matter anymore. Even when he accepted the offer to go to Fort Clay, I wasn't worried. We would postpone our honeymoon trip, he'd do his job, he would come home, and then we would start our life together. I believed him when he assured me over and over that it was a safe assignment. Obviously, I missed him terribly, but the possibility of him not coming back never crossed my mind." She stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath. Her voice was softer when she continued. "That's why it was so hard when he died. I should have known. I should have worried. Maybe if I had, he would have made a different decision that day, refused to take the men out or not sacrificed himself for them. If I had argued with him before he left, maybe he would have turned the whole thing down."

"From what I've heard of Jack Thornton, I don't think he would have changed anything," Nathan said matter-of-factly. He tightened his grip on Elizabeth's hand again as he added, "He would have worried about you more, but he would still have done what he felt was his duty, to the very best of his ability, no matter the cost."

Elizabeth sighed, nodding. "The RCMP was always going to come first. He wanted to be with me, to raise a family and grow old together, but I don't think he even realized how much he needed to do his duty. He was always going to be looking for the next good fight to fight." She frowned, adding, "I think, deep down, a part of him was trying to finish what his father started. Thomas Thornton didn't finish his last assignment, so Jack was going to do it for him. I can't be mad at him for that."

"You are allowed to be mad at him if that's what you need to process everything. And I wouldn't blame you for being mad at me for forcing you to go through the same thing all over again."

"It wasn't the same. Yes, I was unhappy about you taking this assignment, but you talked to me about it before you replied. Jack told me after he'd already accepted. You were honest. You never tried to downplay the possibility of something going wrong, but you made a point to reassure me that you knew what and who you were leaving behind. I can't say that I enjoyed having to face my fears head on, literally surrounded by the people who took Jack away from me, pregnant…"

Nathan chuckled. "I imagine you have the men here more scared of you than they were their strictest instructors."

Elizabeth blushed, recalling her terse words and short tone when she'd addressed everyone yesterday. Most of them had been doing their best to see to her comfort and keep her informed. She was certain, however, that a couple of the men from Nathan's team were just trying to worm their way into her good graces so she would vouch for them and lessen their potential punishment. The other two had been guilt-ridden, practically tripping over themselves trying to help her do so much as pick up a pencil.

"I should probably apologize to Patrick and most of the men," she admitted, a rueful smile on her face. "I would hate to leave them all thinking you're married to a selfish shrew."

Nathan laughed heartily, wrapping his good arm around her.

Any further discussion was interrupted by Gabriel's return with the fort's doctor. The grey-haired man spent several minutes prodding Nathan's shoulder and gently moving his arm around. He agreed with Gabriel's diagnosis of a bad strain and instructed Nathan to keep his arm in a sling until he got back to Hope Valley and the doctor there could reevaluate him. He then looked over all the other scrapes and bruises covering Nathan's body, particularly the cut along his hairline.

"If you have any dizziness or problems with your memory, you get to the doctor immediately. That's an order, Constable."

"Yes, sir," Nathan replied solemnly.

The doctor turned to face Elizabeth, his eyes getting a bit wider as he took in her very advanced pregnancy. "And you, my dear. How are you feeling?"

"Other than a regrettable familiarity to a beached whale, I'm fine," she assured him. Glancing at her husband, a soft smile lit her face. "Now that I know Nathan's going to be alright, I'm wonderful." Nonetheless, she allowed the stern but gentle man to take her blood pressure and listen to both her heart and the baby's.

"I know Commissioner Collins and Superintendent O'Reilly are waiting for your statement, but once you're through, I am advising that you be put on leave for at least three or four weeks. You need to allow that shoulder to heal up properly. You can brush your horse—carefully—as your arm allows, but no riding until you've been cleared by a physician.

"Yes, sir."

The man gathered his instruments and placed them back in his bag before taking his leave. He paused in the doorway, glancing back. There was the slightest hint of a smile as he added, "I imagine a new baby won't help you get much sleep but rocking him or her will be another good way of gently stretching that shoulder. Just don't overdo it." With a brisk nod, he left, closing the door behind him.

"Think you can manage by yourself, or do you need Elizabeth and I to help you get dressed?" Gabriel asked.

Nathan's cheeks flushed as he recalled his state of undress. Logically, he knew that even if he had managed to get a shirt on last night, the doctor would have needed to remove it to do his exam. Still, facing his friend only half-dressed was a little bit embarrassing, especially as it seemed Gabe was in the mood to tease. "I can manage," he grumbled.

"I can help," Elizabeth chimed in. "Or at least, I can try."

"Actually, I think you might be of more use to me," Gabriel replied. At Nathan's sharp look and raised brow, he explained. "If my friend here were a little more coherent, he could tell you that there are usually strict rules about mealtimes. If you miss it, you're out of luck until the mess hall opens for the next meal. The two of you slept through breakfast, and lunch is nearly over. But I think if our injured Constable's very pregnant wife were to ask the cooks for something to eat…" He grinned knowingly.

"I can say on very good authority, she is very hard to say 'no' to," Nathan said, smiling.

"Ok, while you wipe that lovestruck look off your face and get dressed, your wife and I will go find you something to eat," Gabriel teased.

Nathan's eyes narrowed again, but Elizabeth laughed, leaning in to kiss him before waddling across the room to join Gabriel. "I'll be right back," she promised. "Well, as fast as this one allows me, anyway," she added, rubbing the side of her belly.

Nathan had managed to get pants and a short-sleeved shirt on but left his suspenders hanging at his sides. He was struggling to get his socks on one-handed when he heard a commotion outside the door.

"Come on!" Jack yelled.

"Hurry up!" Allie added impatiently.

"Wait a minute!" He heard his sister-in-law exclaim. "Your Uncle Gabe said your dad was awake and getting dressed. We should wait for him and your mom to get back before just barging in," she explained.

Jack turned and started knocking as hard as he could on the door. "Dad! We're here! Can we come in?"

Julie couldn't help but laugh at the boy's antics, especially when Allie joined in.

"Dad! Dad!"

Nathan crossed the room as quickly as he could. He had barely cracked the door before the children pushed it open and fell into him. Jack clung to his father's legs, while Allie flung her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly as a few tears escaped.

"I'm okay," he promised them. His left arm around his daughter, he raised his right arm carefully to gently tousle Jack's hair. "I am so happy to see you guys. I missed you so much!"

Both children scrambled to talk, telling him about their fears, the things he'd missed around Hope Valley, the places they'd visited in Cape Fullerton with their Aunt Julie, and how much they'd missed him. Julie stood just inside the door, relieved to see her sister's husband really was safe and mostly sound. The kids hadn't noticed his ginger movements or how he was guarding his right arm, but she saw the sling draped over a chair and knew he was trying not to let them see that he was hurt.

"What is going on here?" Elizabeth exclaimed, stopping in the doorway to watch her husband and children.

"Dad's okay!" Jack cried, beaming brightly.

"And I'm sure seeing you two has made him feel even better," Gabriel added, coming in behind Elizabeth with a tray of food. "Why don't you help me get the table set up for him and your mom so they can eat some lunch."

"I'll just finish getting my shoes and socks on," Nathan said, making his way back to the chair beside the bed.

"I'll help!" Allie chimed in.

"Me, too!" Jack added.

To everyone's amusement, they did just that. Allie pulled her dad's suspenders onto his shoulders so Elizabeth could get his arm settled in the sling. Jack tugged Nathan's socks onto his feet, stopping periodically to tickle him the way his dad did to him. It took Nathan, Gabriel, and Allie to tug his boots on, and then the children sat on the floor in front of him, working determinedly to fasten the lacings. Gabriel had to help Jack a lot, but soon enough Nathan was ready to go.

"Leave those for me," Gabriel insisted when they'd finished eating. "I'll see that they make it back to the mess hall." He stopped, smirking at Elizabeth. "Though I think the cook and his assistants are a little bit in love with your wife now, so I doubt they'll be very upset about it. She smiled politely at them, and touched her belly, and they were willing to get her anything she asked for. I wouldn't be surprised if supper tonight was a little nicer than usual, thanks to her."

"I'm sure the men will thank you," Nathan chuckled as his wife blushed. "I'm hoping I can get everything wrapped up this afternoon and that O'Reilly will let me go back to the hotel with Elizabeth and kids. I'm sure he'd like his rooms back."

Gabriel grinned mischievously. "Oh, it was rather interesting having him in the barracks last night. You know there's usually some ribbing and taunts, but everyone just quietly got ready for bed and went to sleep."

As the group made their way down to the fort commander's office, Nathan explained the different areas of the fort and the duties of the various men they came across. Everyone they encountered nodded politely or saluted Nathan, though several men ducked their heads and turned away, hurrying in another direction when they saw Elizabeth coming.

"What did you do to them?" Julie laughed after it happened again.

Her sister merely shrugged. "I just asked that they bring my husband back and stop trying to make me sit down," she explained. "I admit I might have been a little bit tense, but…"

Nathan grinned, proud that his wife had found the strength to stand up for herself, instead of giving in when faced with one of her worst fears.

"Personally, I think it's quite funny that all these young, handsome men in uniform are afraid of one little woman," Julie laughed. "They have no qualms about facing rumrunners, guns, and Mother Nature's worst, but a pregnant woman terrifies them."

When they reached the fort commander's office, Nathan and Elizabeth went inside to talk to Patrick while Gabriel waited outside with Julie and the children. He couldn't help but see the attention the vivacious red head was drawing; admittedly, there weren't often women inside the fort, let alone a society lady like Julie Thatcher, but it still made him want to keep a close eye on things. It didn't escape his notice that two of the men admiring her were John Fiddler and Brian Hawke.

Slowly making his way around the yard, he came up behind them unnoticed. "I'd be careful if I were you," he warned. The younger men glanced back, surprised by Gabriel's harsh glare. "The young woman you are salivating over is Constable Grant's sister-in-law, and the girl his daughter. I wouldn't expect either of them are going to give you the time of day." He smirked as he continued. "Besides, I know for a fact that your fiancé is waiting for you in Cape Fullerton, Constable Fiddler. I would think you would be more concerned about her than trying to impress someone else."

The men tried to slink away, prepared to hide back in their barracks until it was time to answer questions about the incident. As they turned to leave, however, they were stopped.

"So, you're the ones who left my dad to die," Allie said bitterly.

"We were just following orders…"

"It wasn't our fault…"

Allie scoffed, offering both of them her signature eye roll. Normally, she would be more respectful to her elders, and especially to fellow men in uniform, but she'd overheard her Uncle Gabe talking to them and couldn't stop herself from confronting them. "The other two, the ones who actually wanted to look for him, apologized to Mom, Jack, and I before they went into the inquiry. Mom said she forgave them, but you two…she said the two of you have done nothing but try to butter her up. I hope the Commissioner and Superintendent O'Reilly know how selfish you are. I mean… instead of admitting what you did to my dad, you're out here, trying to justify your behavior to me, a child. Seems pretty pathetic if you ask me."

Faces red, they scurried off. Gabriel looked down at Allie. "You know your dad isn't going to be happy if he finds out about that little outburst, right? Entertaining though it was, there could be consequences."

"It was totally worth it," she replied smugly. "Dad can't say or do anything to them, other than maybe fail them in the course here, but I don't have to follow the same rules. They deserve to be reprimanded. They should be punished."

"And they will be," Gabe assured her. "But let your dad and the incident review board do that."

"Fiiiine," she huffed, watching as Hawke and Fiddler hurried back to the barracks.

"Looks like your mom's not the only scary woman in the family," Gabe teased, jostling her shoulder before putting his arm around her. "Good job." Then he leaned down to whisper, "Just don't tell your mom and dad I said that."

A/N- I really am going to try to be better about regular updates. My plans for the next chapter might have taken an unexpected twist today, so I'll have to see how that plays out. I was absolutely against this idea originally, but now... there might have to be a little more angst and drama before I manage to get the Grants all home safely. (Don't worry. As you can clearly see, I am incapable of dragging out my attempts at angst and drama very long, so if I do this, it will resolve quickly. No cliffies! :-)