AN: I have been a little cheeky and combined my #hsmountiekids story with the Suspenders unbuttoned contest and told the story of what happens next (after the schoolhouse scene with Nathan and Elizabeth) from Allie's perspective.

I hope you enjoy and appreciate you reading.

Jill

Come on, Jack, let's go and see your Mum," Allie reached for Jack's hand as she spoke. "I'm sure she will be ready for afternoon tea." Allie smiled at the little boy, loving his enthusiastic reaction to seeing his mother. It might also have something to do with her promise to him that he could have a cookie once they arrived at the school. The two of them hurried to the schoolhouse, Jack talking a mile a minute about anything and everything.

Allie's smile dropped as she saw her father walking out of her classroom. She hadn't known he planned to see Mrs Thornton today. She was sure she couldn't be the reason, her schoolwork was current, and parent - teacher interviews weren't until after Christmas.

She wondered if his visit was about the announcement that Mr Bouchard was running for Governor. It was pretty shocking news.

Allie walked toward the school, trying to gauge her father's mood by his facial expression. As she drew closer, she could see something was troubling her dad; his blue eyes were l despite the smile he gave them both. What had happened in the classroom?

Allie dropped Jack's hand and reached out, hugging him. She felt him startle in surprise before squeezing her back.

"Are you all right, Dad?" she asked softly in his ear.

"I'm fine, Allie."

Allie released her hold on him and stepped back. He might say he was fine, but she could tell he was worried about something or someone. If he was okay, who was he concerned about?

"Did you want to come inside and have cookies with us?"

"I don't think so, Allie," he said frowning as he glanced back over his shoulder. "I should go."

After a quick kiss on her cheek, her dad tousled Jack's hair and walked away, his long stride rapidly taking him away from them. Allie stared after him, wondering if she should follow or give him space.

"Let's find Mumma, Allie," Jack squealed, dragging Allie up the stairs to the schoolhouse and leading her inside, deciding for her.

As Allie's eyes adjusted to the light inside the classroom, she noticed Mrs Thornton standing stiffly, her arms wrapped around herself. Even if her posture wasn't enough for Allie to understand something was wrong, the tear-stained cheeks were.

Allie rushed toward her teacher, wanting to ensure she was okay, frowning as she realised her father had left Mrs Thornton when she was undoubtedly upset. Anger toward him flared but only briefly. Her Dad loved Mrs Thornton; despite what he might say, there was no way he would hurt her or walk away if he knew she was this upset.

"What is it, Mrs Thornton? Are you hurt? Can I get you something? Should I get Mr Bouchard for you?"

"No!" Mrs Thornton exclaimed. "Sorry, Allie. No, please don't. I will be fine, I'm...A lot has happened today, and it all got too much for me."

Allie watched her teacher closely; glad she was okay as she struggled to find the right words. "Are you upset because you and Mr Bouchard will have to move away?" Allie asked her question quietly; she had hoped the news she had heard in town was wrong. "Did my dad say something about that and upset you?"

"Yes, but he didn't mean to."

"Are you really going to leave us?" Allie asked, her throat thick with emotion. She hated the idea of Mrs Thornton and Jack moving away. While Mrs Thornton had chosen Mr Bouchard, she still thought of the two of them as family.

"Do you want chocolate or chop chip?" Jack interrupted, approaching his mother, holding out one of each so she could choose. The interruption changed the dynamic of the conversation, and the moment passed between Allie and Mrs Thornton.

"Why don't you choose for me, Jack? I've had to make enough tough decisions today." Mrs Thornton crouched before her son, bringing herself to his level and kissing his cheek.

"You can have both." Laughing, Jack handed both cookies to his mother and darted eagerly back to where he had placed the bag of cookies.

"Both," Elizabeth muttered as she looked at the cookies Jack had placed in her hand. "If only it were so simple."

After they finished afternoon tea, the three walked from the school to the row houses. It was early afternoon, and Jack didn't want Allie to leave.

"Please stay, Allie," Jack begged. "We can build with my blocks."

Allie looked to Mrs Thornton for guidance.

"Please come in, Allie, unless you have other plans. We would both love it."

"I don't," Allie said as she followed Elizabeth inside. "Besides, we don't know how many more visits like this we will be able to have...right."

Allie saw Mrs Thornton flinch and knew she should have kept her thoughts to herself, but...she was devastated at the thought of them moving away. Deep inside her heart, she had always harboured the hope of Mrs Thornton and Jack, her, and her Father, becoming a family. While Mrs Thornton hadn't yet married Mr Bouchard, while they were all together in Hope Valley, there was a chance she would change her mind. If she and Jack left, that wouldn't happen.

"Oh, Allie. I'm sorry, but I can't talk about that...not tonight."

"But that is why you're upset, right? At the thought of leaving Hope Valley?"

"Yes, Allie. Hope Valley is my home."

"My Dad says home isn't always a house or a place, but a feeling that lives inside you, that you're home as long as you are with the people who love and support you. If you moved away with Mr Bouchard, wouldn't you take your home with you like you did when you came here?"

"I guess I would Allie."

"Then why are you so sad?" Allie could see Mrs Thornton didn't believe what she was saying, didn't believe her own words.

"Because I love everyone here too and would miss you so much."

"But..."

Once again, Jack broke the mood, tipping his blocks onto the rug and insisting on Allie playing with him. Allie quickly telephoned her father to let him know she was at Mrs. Thornton's, and he agreed to call in and collect her on his way home. While Allie was pleased, he had agreed, she heard the hesitation in his voice and knew he wasn't looking forward to seeing her teacher again that day.

As the night grew late, Mrs Thornton and Allie worked together to make dinner and dessert and clean up. When Mrs Coulter called in, Allie offered to settle Jack into bed, and they went upstairs, leaving the adults alone to talk. Allie could feel the women's eyes on them as they walked away and knew they were waiting for them to be out of earshot before speaking.

After reading Jack two bedtime stories and telling him a story she made up on the spot, he finally fell asleep. Allie snuck quietly from the room, not wanting to wake him on her way out.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Allie could hear Mrs Thornton and Mrs Coulter talking. Mrs Thornton sounded upset again, her voice slightly louder than usual. Allie paused, not sure what to do. Should she wait until Mrs Coulter left, or should she go downstairs? She was sure they wouldn't appreciate her overhearing them squabbling. Standing at the top of the stairs, unsure of what to do, Allie froze as their voices drifted up to her, clearer than before.

"What do you want me to say, Rosemary? Of course, I am upset about leaving Hope Valley."

"Have you tried talking to Lucas? You could tell him..."

"Tell him what? 'You said you were happy with me - living in Hope Valley, and it was a lie.' Should I tell him, 'I'm sorry, Lucas; I know you are my fiancé, and I should want to go to Capital City with you, but I don't love you enough to go.'

"Elizabeth!"

"Should I tell him I have made a huge mistake? That I picked the wrong man and wish I could go back and make a different choice? Is that what you want me to say, Rosemary?"

Allie's heart was pounding as she listened to Mrs Thornton. At the end of the last sentence, she had burst into tears, and Allie could hear Mrs Coulter trying to comfort her. Allie turned away and stumbled back to Jack's room, closing the door so she couldn't hear any more from downstairs. She sat in the rocking chair as her shaky legs threatened to give out, her mind whirling.

Allie had never heard Mrs Thornton or any other adult talk like that. Her Dad never spoke that way, not to her; he was always calm and in control; he never yelled at her or raised his voice. Hearing Mrs Thornton talk like that, as though...her heart was breaking, brought tears to Allie's eyes.

Mrs Thornton and Jack could not go with Mr Bouchard; they couldn't leave Hope Valley. Mrs Thornton and her dad belonged together; she loved him, and he had always loved her. Allie had known in her heart they should have been a family, and now, it would seem her greatest hope could become a reality.

Allie thought about what to do next, trying to figure out how to make it happen. She couldn't talk to her dad about what she had heard; she couldn't admit to eavesdropping, even if it had been by accident. She could send him an anonymous note, or find a way for the four of them to spend time together, or maybe just the two of them? Each time she thought of something, she discarded it, finding a flaw in her plan. The thing she did know was that she couldn't stay upstairs forever.

Allie stood at the top of the stairs, listening to see if she could work out where the women were. As she started to walk down, she heard Mrs Coulter speaking.

"I love you, Elizabeth, and it breaks my heart to see you hurting like this. Dragging these things out does no one any good; you must tell Lucas what's in your heart."

Allie heard the door open as Mrs Coulter continued speaking. "You need to tell Nathan too."

Allie heard Mrs Thornton gasp as her father asked, "Tell Nathan what?"

Allie's eyes went wide. She wouldn't have to find a way to get them talking after all! As she skipped down the stairs, she saw the three adults standing in the doorway of the row house, staring at each other awkwardly. Allie could see Mrs Coulter was flustered at being caught talking about her dad, and Mrs Thronton's face was red as she stammered trying to find the words to explain.

"Hi, Dad," Allie called, not surprised when he didn't respond as he stared at Mrs Thornton. "Is Scout outside? I should take him home and feed him," Allie walked past her father and the other adults. "See you at home."

Mrs Coulter followed Allie out, making her own excuses to leave. Allie smiled. Surely, her dad and Mrs Thornton would work this out finally.

Allie didn't mean to eavesdrop again; it was an accident. Scout wouldn't go back to their house insisting on sniffing every single blade of grass next to Mrs Thorntons, plus, Mrs Coulter hadn't closed the door behind her when she left.

"Elizabeth, what is it that you wanted to tell me?"

Allie grinned, Go Dad, she thought. Make her tell you how she feels.

"Nathan, it's complicated; there is so much happening, so much to decide."

"Elizabeth. You need to be true to yourself, true to what's in your heart?"

"Nathan..."

"Elizabeth, please."

Allie bit her lip as she listened, waiting anxiously for Mrs Thornton's response to her dad's plea, shushing Scout as he snuffled in the grass at her feet.

"I don't want to leave Hope Valley. I don't want to go with Lucas to Capital City. I don't want to be the Governor's wife."

"Okay, so they are all the things you don't want. What do you want?"

'I want you, Nathan. I want everything you offered me, everything I said no to before. I want Allie and Jack and you and I to be a family. I love you. I'm in love with you."

Allie waited, desperate to hear her father say that was what he wanted to. Why wasn't he saying anything? Why didn't he tell her he loved her too?

Allie raised herself on tiptoe, peering through the side window of the row house while straining to hear her father's words. Allie clapped her hand over her mouth to smother the excited scream bubbling up in her throat.

He wasn't talking because he was kissing Mrs Thornton... at last her wish had come true.

"Let's go home, boy," she whispered to Scout. "I think everything is going to work out just fine."