Jack arrived, carrying John, just after 8 AM, for the trip up to the fishing cabin. Lisa was still getting their picnic lunch ready, but she almost ran to the door when she heard Jack opening it.

"Hi," she said, a bright smile, and she gestured for Jack to hand over John. He chuckled, passing him to her, and she peppered him with kisses while Jack stood back and crossed his arms, giving her a pitiful expression. She looked over to him, and he shrugged.

"I see the priority," he winked, and she laughed, stepping into his embrace with John on her shoulder.

"Good morning to you, Cowboy," she winked as she leaned up to peck his lips. "You two are here early."

"We can go," Jack hooked his hand over his shoulder and gestured like he would leave. Lisa grabbed his hand and shook her head.

"Not complaining, very glad to see you. I'm finishing our lunch, and I have a fresh pot of coffee."

Jack followed her into the kitchen. She still had the bouncy seat on the counter, and she put John in it, playing with his feet and smiling at him. Jack made work of getting a cup of coffee and refilling hers. He sat down at the kitchen bar counter next to where John was placed.

"You seem to be feeling a lot better," he noted.

"So much better," she sighed. "Thank you for seeing that I needed a reset. I got a good deal of sleep, even fell asleep yesterday after lunch. I finally feel like myself. That jet-lag this time really kicked my tail, which normally doesn't happen."

Jack nodded to John, "I think you're looking at one of the reasons the jet-lag was so bad." They both looked to John, and he was awake and alert, looking back and forth between his parents. Lisa frowned.

"Well, then I will take the jet lag any day because he's not going anywhere."

"No, he's not," Jack chuckled. "He did better last night sleeping. He slept almost five hours, which felt heavenly."

"Wow, he did?" Lisa asked, her eyes wide. "That is a miracle. Hopefully, this is a start of things to come."

"Hopefully," Jack nodded, sipping at his coffee. "The girls both enjoyed having him around. He's not been lacking for attention. Amy was all curled up with him on the couch last night like he was a kitten. It was sweet to see, and it let me work on my flies."

Lisa, who was packing up the food, paused and looked at Jack, "Are you planning to fish today? I didn't pull out any gear, and John can't be in the water."

He shrugged, "I know it's really late in the season, but sometimes, the best things come along later than expected," he stated, locking eyes with her and giving her a warm smile. She blushed, and she sighed.

"Jack, you just can't stop the flirting, can you?" She spoke to him in her own teasing tone, and added, "You know you were still doing plenty of it while I was pregnant."

He sipped at his coffee again, and he gave her a very slight nod, "I'm aware." Lisa couldn't help but chuckle and smile back at him. "You weren't so subtle yourself, Ma'am." She glanced his way and blushed, shaking her head at him.

"I think we are ready to go," she finally told him. "I made some sandwiches, a pasta salad, picked up a pie in Calgary, and threw in some grapes. Oh," she added, "bottle of wine for lunch and some coffee for the drive home."

He gestured to her, "You realize you don't need to win me over with food, by now, I hope?"

Lisa smiled brightly, zipped the bag, and she walked around the counter to Jack. He shifted and turned sideways in his chair. She stood between his legs, and they loosely embraced.

"It is awfully quiet without you two around," Lisa frowned at him. She ran her hands over his shirt, "Tell, me, though, how are things at home. We haven't had much time to talk about that. Anyone onto us?"

He looked down briefly and shook his head, "No, in fact, they've been surprisingly quiet. The night we flew in, they were all still up waiting for me, and they asked where John was. I told them Tim and I had dropped you two off at home. They asked me how the trip had gone, and I told them the flights home were a mess, but that I was glad to be home in one piece. I'm not sure they knew how to take it," he chuckled, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "I didn't say much, didn't want to say much, and I just wanted to go to bed. That's pretty much what I did, or tried to do. After I went into the bedroom, Tim knocked and pestered me about letting him bunk with me. I knew then I was a fool for leaving you at Fairfield, and I unpacked, repacked, and by the time I was ready to go, everyone had gone to bed. I didn't want any questions about where I was headed and didn't have to deal with them. I've gotten on them many times in the past for meddling in my private life, and I know that is some of the reason they haven't directly asked me what is going on with us. I think we've successfully left them in the dark."

"At least until Tim gets back," she frowned.

"I'll make sure Tim knows we're telling them on my birthday. By the way," he met her gaze, "I did tell the girls I'd like to have dinner with everyone that night. Lou offered to make dinner, ribs," he frowned.

Lisa made a face, "Honey, you have to tell her that as much as you like all meats, you really don't like ribs."

Jack waved it off, "I can't hurt her like that. She thinks it is my favorite meal. It would crush her, since she's been making it the last five or six years for my birthday dinner."

Lisa laughed, "So, you're going to just continue to suffer through ribs on your birthday?"

He shrugged, "Maybe next year, you can steer Lou in a different direction.

"Oh," she laughed and nodded, "so I have to break the news, okay."

"Maybe not break the news, but offer a new idea," he looked to her hopefully. She rolled her eyes and put her arms around his shoulders.

"Alright, I'll do that for next year. I think she would be very wary if I tried to step in this year. She doesn't know what we know about us."

"Agreed," he said, both enjoying their closeness. "I'll suffer through the ribs."

"How about," she said, tilting her head at him and leaning even closer, "I make baked chicken the night after your birthday."

"Oh, that's my favorite," he sighed. She stepped back slightly and rolled her eyes.

"Really, so my stab in the dark at another dinner the night after your birthday just happens to be your favorite. Wow, Jack, I have no idea how that worked out."

He laughed, grabbing at her. She jumped back, but then she resumed her previous position, her arms around his shoulders. He pulled her in for a kiss, one that lingered and then deepened. The room was quiet, and they enjoyed their privacy until John decided to loudly proclaim his presence. They broken apart, heads together and smiled, both looking over at him. Lisa made a face and looked to Jack.

"Why is he trying to pull his foot up to his mouth?"

Jack sighed, "He's your son." Lisa smacked at him. "My son wouldn't do that."

"Well," she stepped back and gestured to the door, "then get your son loaded up so we can show him your favorite place in this world."

Jack stood, walking the coffee cups around to the sink, rinsing, and putting in her dishwasher-they'd talked about that, and she had him using the dishwasher more than washing things by hand finally. Lisa unbuckled John, checked his diaper, and handed him to Jack.

He made a face, "He needs changing, doesn't he?"

She smirked, "My son wouldn't. Yours does. I'm going to grab my coat and will put the food in the truck. I'll see you after you change your son." He smirked back at her, but winked as he stepped out of the kitchen to change John.

20 minutes later, they were on the road to the fishing cabin. It was the perfect getaway spot, and today was a beautiful late fall day for them to go. The snow from the storm had melted slightly with the sun and warmer temperatures yesterday, so there wasn't much on the ground. That was only a taste of what would come during the long, hard winter. That first snow was always a wake-up call that outdoor activities were about to be limited for months on end.

"I take it you told the girls you were going to the cabin for the day?" Lisa looked over and asked him. She'd just unbuckled and leaned over the seat to check on John. He was sleeping peacefully, which was making their drive already very pleasant.

"I did," he nodded. "They tried to talk me out of it. I just told them I wanted a day away before the weather really turned. I know they are biting their tongues not asking me what is going on, but it's fine. They'll find out next week. They asked if I was taking John today, and that's about it. It's kinda fun, messing with them a little," he glanced to her and grinned. She grinned too and shook her head.

"They do keep us on our toes with all of their relationships, job changes, just everything they all have going on. I mean, we haven't been perfect either, but wow." Her eyes widened, "I'm glad the family dynamics and drama are nothing new to me by now."

"They've stuck around me, bad attitude and all, though, for the last year. I know I've not been pleasant."

"I haven't been the best either, granted, I haven't been around them much. I was terrified about having John, terrified something would happen, that you would be upset about him, that when I realized you were happy about him, that you'd fight me to keep him at Heartland more and more-taking him away," she took a deep breath, her eyes welling up with tears. "I'm sorry. It's been a rough year, and yes, saying the girls have had their drama, well," she shrugged, "I've had plenty of mine."

Jack glanced at her, surprised at her admissions, and he quickly reached over to clasp her hand in his, tugging for her to look at him. "Hey," he said softly, "why didn't you tell me all of that? I wasn't going to take him. I just wanted you both back, and I didn't know how to get you, but I also knew I needed time with him. I'm sorry, Lisa, that you felt that way. We've both done our share of damage, but we're back on track. Correction," he nodded to her, "we have a new track, together."

"I know," she said, with a sad smile. She nodded, "I didn't realize how much I needed to say that." She let out a long breath. "The very first time I left him with you at Heartland, I broke down sobbing when I pulled out to the road. I just sat there in the car, terrified of everything. I didn't know what would happen. I hated leaving him, and to be honest, I knew then, I hated leaving you. I hated how everything was going and didn't see a way to fix it. I thought about how badly all had gone, how we had spiraled so far the wrong way, and I just saw it going further and further from anything I would recognize. I've been alone so long and was telling my mind that being alone was the only option, that we couldn't work past anything that had happened." She looked over, tearfully, to find Jack glancing between her and the road, a concerned look on his face, "I'm so glad it did, that what I couldn't see forward, somehow cleared and happened, that you came after me. I told you I'd decided to come back early and fight for us too, and I was, but I had no idea how to to do that and what it would look like, so," she let out a long breath, "I'm so glad you do. I'm really happy, Jack, and it's been so long since I have been and still fear something will change that."

He gripped her hand even tighter, pulling it and her toward his chest, "We're beyond that, only going forward together, now. We're a family, Lisa, and yes, we have one big mess of family back there at home, but we're a unit together. I told you I almost lost you before, and we're in this until you put me in the grave."

She shook her head, "Don't talk like that."

He gave her a sympathetic smile, "I'm not saying that to worry you, but that's what this is, no more regrets or looking back, just looking forward together."

"Okay," she said, a tearful eye, but she wiped at it. He gestured to the bag she'd put in the backseat. "Why don't we get some of that coffee going and you tell me about your dinner with Ben, hmm? That's been a good thing, reconnecting with him, and I'd love to hear about your evening."

Lisa filled their travel mugs, checked on John, and when she was situated again, she was in much better spirits. Shaking off the ghosts of their past was hard, but necessary, and she turned sideways as best she could with her seatbelt to talk about her nice dinner with Ben.

"It was great to see him again, and so soon," she smiled. "We met for drinks at his hotel, beautiful hotel," she raved. "The bar area was gorgeous, all dark wooden beams. It looked so modern, but at the same time fit the landscape here so well, almost a rustic, classic looking bar. We laughed a lot," she smiled at Jack. "We had dinner at a steakhouse down the street," she paused and reached over and put her hand on Jack's thigh, "not at the Italian place I like." Jack chuckled at that, and Lisa rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I'm taking you back there, soon. We are going to eat at this place I keep hearing about, and we're not going to deal with people we don't want to see. In fact," he looked over at her and snapped his finger, "I'm taking you there for our one-month anniversary. I know you like to mark occasions, and yes, that's what we are doing."

"It's a date," she smiled widely.

"You have a good steak then?" Jack asked.

"Delicious, but," she pointed at Jack, "not as good as Heartland beef. Oh, before we went to dinner, Ben and I went to his room where he had a gift for John. He was so sweet. I mean, Jack, he doesn't know anything about babies, but he found time to go out and buy him this adorable outfit. He said it looked like one he'd seen in baby pictures of himself, and he is right. I know what picture he's talking about, and John will look simply adorable in it. Oh, maybe I'll have him wear it for your birthday," she said, almost giddy. "So precious, a little plaid outfit."

"Well, I'm glad you had a nice dinner," he added, "and that was nice of him to get John a gift."

"It really was. He had it wrapped at the store and all, so it was just a big effort from him. We walked from the hotel to the restaurant, and I stopped after one glass of wine there," she laughed, "knowing I had to drive back home. I was really glad I'd fallen asleep earlier in the day because it ended up being a late night. I still got a decent sleep, so thanks again for making sure John was situated."

"Glad I could," he nodded. "Lou made a lasagna last night, and while Ty and Amy were out, Lou and Peter had some friend of his visiting, so we still had a full house. They all stayed up way too late talking, and I was glad I had the excuse of John to get to bed early. I'm feeling a lot better too."

The trio continued on their drive, Jack taking a call from the guy they were meeting, confirming the time, and before they knew it, they were pulling into the fishing cabin. There was still a good bit of snow at the cabin, the elevation keeping it just that much colder. Jack nodded to the door.

"I'll get a shovel to move that snow there, not bad, but no reason for you to have to step over that much. Let me get a fire going. I know we have some business, but John needs to be warm and inside."

"I'll get him and the food," Lisa offered. "Oh, I have this adorable snowsuit for him. Oh," she sighed, "it's been too long since I've last been here. This was a good idea, Jack. I think it will be a really nice afternoon for a walk along the river."

Jack looked over, Lisa now with John out of his car seat, a blanket over him to shield him from the cold, "Never thought I'd be here," he said, just looking at Lisa. She gave him a quizzical look. He gestured, Remember back to the first time I brought you here. I was really glad to share it with you, but I hated that I got caught up in my memories of Lyndy. That wasn't fair to you."

"Jack," she shook her head, "I wanted to know. I needed to know, and I asked you to tell me all about her. She was part of you, a large part of you, and I knew that day I had to know where you'd come from, what you'd dealt with in your past."

"Just not the way I imagined that going, me blubbering on about a lost love, about spreading my wife's ashes. I wanted to step forward, but I kept feeling myself being pulled into my past. You were the first person I brought here after Lyndy died, and that wasn't by accident. I just never could have seen this," he said, nodding to Lisa and John. "I'm very glad that we're here. I'm glad you persisted and didn't let me just constantly wallow in my past. You were always delicate about respecting my memories but hoping for more, knowing I might not be able to cross that bridge. So," he said gripping her arms, "thank you too. I'd probably be a miserable old man, maybe living like some hermit here, without you. I'm excited to be here. I had a lot of memories in this ramshackle of a cabin," he chuckled and Lisa did too, smiling at him. I am really, really excited, though," he paused and met her gaze, "to start a new chapter here with you, with John, excited for us. I want to be here to show him how to fish, how to chop wood, how to be a man. I want to walk into some 'Lisa-designed' fancy but rustic cabin," he winked. "I want that, and I want those memories. I can die a happy man living with all of this, with you, with him, so thank you for coming today. This is the first step toward a new future here. We've got the house in France, and yes," he rolled his head and smiled, "I did have a very nice time this trip. John will have that world, and I'm glad he'll have this one too."

"Me too, Jack, all of it."

"Let's get you both inside, and we can start the planning. Travis, the guy who is going to start making this happen, should be here soon, and we can get to work.