I've had this chapter more or less done (I can always find something to re-re-re-edit...) for over a week now, but wanted to let the emotions of the S10 finale to ease a bit. Let's be honest- most of you wouldn't have seen this last Sunday anyway.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Are you ready to continue?"

Nathan nodded firmly to the Commissioner and tried to keep his face even. Despite sitting mostly still for the last couple of hours, his shoulder was beginning to ache. If he gave in and acknowledged that, he would have to admit to all the other bumps and bruises also making their presence painfully obvious. Just a couple more hours he told himself. Then we'll be on our way back to Cape Fullerton. We'll relax for a couple days and then head home.

First things first, however, he had an assignment to complete. He had been clear and concise in his report, explaining why he'd left his team unsupervised and what he'd hoped they would accomplish in his absence. He had detailed how and where he had fallen and where Constable Kinslow had found him, as well as what he'd found for food and shelter as he made his way back to the fort.

"And did you, at any point, intend to leave your team alone to make camp for the night and then return to the fort unaccompanied in the morning?" Superintendent O'Reilly asked.

Nathan sighed. "I considered it," he admitted. "I think there could be value in watching the men from a distance. Far enough away to observe, close enough to intercede should they need it. But I wouldn't have done it without first consulting the fort commander and my fellow instructor."

"And do you believe that, had you been able to reunite with your team, they would have found a way to work together?"

"I honestly can't say. From what I saw of them in class here and then out on our mission…" Nathan shook his head. "There are always going to be people who are stronger leaders than others, and that's how it should be. There needs to be a hierarchy of sorts, a chain of command, or there would be chaos. But even the strongest leaders need to be flexible and take their team's thoughts and opinions into consideration. We can command service. We can order men to obey. But respect and loyalty have to be earned."

Neither Collins nor O'Reilly spoke, but both nodded their heads and offered brief smiles.

They had already heard from Gabe, his account of finding his friend in the woods adjacent to the ravine consistent with Nathan's own story. Constable Kinslow had explained his method of searching, suggesting that his previous interactions with Constable Grant gave him a slight advantage over the less experienced new graduates, and detailed the physical state he had found Nathan in- tired, sore, hungry, and bleeding, but determined to make it back to the fort. Gabe also explained where he'd found his friend; unassisted, Nathan would likely have made it back to Fort Mudd by the next afternoon, eliminating any doubts the incident may have caused regarding his ability to lead survival training.

Constable Fiddler told a different story, detailing how half of the team had shown no interest in taking charge, forcing Constable Hawke and himself to make all the decisions. When questioned as to why he had refused to search for Constable Grant, he became defensive. "I thought he'd left us! That's what I would have done if I were in charge. Make the men come to a decision. Watch them falter or fly."

"Well, I think we can all agree it's a good thing you weren't in charge," Superintendent O'Reilly commented. "You are dismissed."

Finally, it was Constable Hawke's turn to give his statement on the events, and then Nathan, the Commissioner, the fort commander, and Corporal Long would write up their reports for the inspector taking over the inquiry.

Nathan caught a glimpse of the hallway before the door closed; Elizabeth and Allie were still seated just outside. It wasn't surprising that young Jack didn't have the patience to wait with them, and he had been relieved when one of O'Reilly's clerks informed them that Gabe had taken the boy out to the stables.

As Brian Hawke was finishing giving his version of the events over the last few days, a story nearly word for word identical to John Fiddler's, they heard a commotion outside the door.


Elizabeth took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she tried to relax. She remembered her last few weeks being pregnant with Jack, and how she couldn't get comfortable no matter what. Sitting in a chair for a couple of hours certainly didn't help the situation, but she wasn't allowed in the room with Nathan during the interviews, and she wanted to stay close and offer her support.

"Mom, are you alright?"

Glancing over, Elizabeth saw her daughter watching her, her face drawn with concern.

"I'm fine," she assured her. "There is just no getting settled these days."

"Do you want to walk around a bit?" Julie asked. "Allie and I can stay here and wait for Nathan and-"

"Mama!"

They all turned to see Jack racing down the hallway, Gabriel jogging along behind him. "I petted Uncle Gabe's horse, Apollo, and I fed Newton a carrot!"

"My goodness," Elizabeth smiled, awkwardly leaning over to hug her son. "I'm sure Apollo and Newton were very appreciative of your attention. We'll have to make sure Sargent gets some pets and snacks when we get home, won't we?"

Jack nodded excitedly, but Gabriel was quiet, studying Elizabeth. "Are you alright?" he asked. "You seem a little pale."

Elizabeth huffed, her smile faltering a bit. "I'm fine," she grumbled.

"Can Daddy go yet?" Jack asked, looking back and forth between his mother and the closed door across the hall.

"Not yet," his mother apologized. "Do you want me to tell you a story while we wait?"

"Or I can tell him a story and you can go walk around a little bit. Maybe moving will get the baby settled back down," Allie suggested, already reaching to pull her brother into her lap.

"Is it moving?" Jack asked, still fascinated by the kicks and pushes he could see and feel from his mother's belly.

"No, the baby's not moving right now. I think he or she is just stretching in their sleep," Elizabeth explained, pressing on the side of her abdomen as she felt another twinge.

Julie's eyes widened. "Sister, have you been having a lot of those pains today?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I have a lot of pain every day. One of the joys of pregnancy."

"But are they more frequent today? Harder?" Gabriel asked.

Elizabeth sighed heavily and struggled to her feet. "I'm fi—". Her words were cut off by an even harder cramp and a puddle forming at her feet. Looking up to meet everyone's alarmed gazes, a sense of panic started to set it.

"You're in labor," Gabriel said unnecessarily, stepping forward to help her back into her chair. "I'll go get the doctor."

"Umm…" one of the other men waiting in the hallway stepped forward hesitantly. "He's not here."

"What?!" Elizabeth exclaimed, breathing heavily as pain radiated around her back.

"Dr. Cale left about an hour ago," the man explained. "He said he was going into town to get more supplies and to have supper with a friend. I don't know when he'll be back."

"Go see if you can catch him!" Gabriel shouted.

"No no no no no…" Elizabeth whined. "I am not having this baby here. I am having it at home, with my friends and my doctor…. not here… not now."

Gabriel patted her hand and forced a smile on his face. "I don't think this little one is willing to wait the couple of days it's going to take you to get from here to Hope Valley," he pointed out practically. "But imagine the story you're going to get to tell everyone when you get back."

Elizabeth whimpered again.

Jack huddled against his aunt's legs, tears starting to form as he watched his mother. "Is Mama okay?".

Julie lifted the little boy onto her hip, hugging him tightly. "Your mama is going to be just fine," she said, though her tone wasn't very confident. "She's having the baby!"

The door to the office opened as one of the clerks leaned out to admonish them to keep it down. Allie ducked around the man and bolted into the room. "Dad!"

"Allie," Nathan started to scold. "We're almost done. Please be patient just a little bit longer."

"But Dad," she insisted. "We need you. Mom needs you."

Nathan's heart started to race, knowing what her next words were going to be.

"She's having the baby."

Things were a little chaotic for a several minutes. Commissioner Collins dismissed Nathan, advising him to return as soon as Elizabeth was settled. Superintendent O'Reilly again volunteered his rooms, pointing out that they would be far more comfortable and private than the infirmary, which wasn't equipped for childbirth anyway. While Julie fluttered behind them, Gabriel and Nathan helped Elizabeth back to bed. Allie and Jack waited in the hallway, too scared to go inside but afraid to go anywhere else.

"This better turn out well," Patrick muttered, looking at the Commissioner. They both stood outside the door to the office, watching and waiting.

"I can just imagine the headlines if it doesn't," Sam agreed, shaking his head. "The papers will make it seem like the RCMP has something against Elizabeth Thatcher- first Jack gets killed, then Nathan nearly dies… now she's having a baby at a wilderness fort…" They shared a look of apprehension before going back into the office to work on the incident report.

Slowly pacing the small room and leaning heavily on her husband's good arm, Elizabeth stubbornly refused to let anyone else touch her, insisting that she was not letting a random Mountie deliver her child. While her statement allowed nearly every other man in the fort to scatter to its farthest corners, Nathan was chagrined. He was about to take his arm out of the sling and hope that the excitement of seeing his child come into the world would numb the pain in his shoulder. Luckily, his friend stopped him.

"I can do it," Gabriel volunteered. "You know me. I'm not a stranger."

"And how many babies have you delivered?" Elizabeth huffed, glaring at him as Nathan helped her onto the bed.

"Two or three," he admitted. He left his serge draped over a chair and rolled his sleeves up before going into the washroom to scrub. When he returned, he knelt next to the bed, putting his hand comfortingly on her arm. "I know this isn't how you planned it, but we'll get through it. Just promise me you aren't going to do anything complicated," he added with a wink.

There was a knock and then the door opened slowly. "If I may, ma'am," Constable Kelley leaned cautiously inside. "I can help. My mother was our town's midwife. When I told her I wanted to join the Mounties, she insisted that I start going with her on deliveries. She said that there could come a day when I was the only one available to provide medical care, and that while she trusted the Mounted Police to train me on sutures and broken bones and all that, they couldn't teach childbirth."

"Have you actually delivered any babies, or did you just wait with the fathers over cigars and brandy?" Julie asked, unconvinced.

"I waited with a couple of the fathers, observed from across the room for a couple more, and actually delivered four babies before I left for Depot," he explained. "The first-time parents weren't very comfortable with me being in the room, but the women who knew me growing up and who knew my mom were more okay with it."

"What are you waiting for? Go scrub and get back here!" Nathan demanded, nodding towards the washroom. Gabriel stepped back, trying to hide his own relief as Constable Kelley returned and began to exam Elizabeth.

The younger man was polite and very professional. "I don't think you're quite ready to deliver yet, Mrs. Grant. It could still be a couple more hours."

"We are about to get very personal, Mr. Kelley," she replied. "I think that entitles us to be on a first name basis, at least today."

The young man smiled. "Elliott, ma'am."

"Elizabeth," she hissed back, wincing as another contraction wracked her body.

Nathan pressed a kiss on his wife's brow. "I'm sorry, but I have to go back. We're almost finished," he promised.

"Hurry," she said, squeezing his hand. "I don't want to do this alone again."

"You won't," he promised.

As the door closed behind Nathan, Gabriel took his spot next to the bed. "I know I can't offer the same support as your husband, but I've got strong shoulders to lean on and a couple hands you can squeeze if you need to."

Elizabeth smiled gratefully, clutching his hand tightly with the next contraction. Gabriel looked to the side of the room where Constable Kelley waited, not wanting Elizabeth to see him wince.


"You're not helping," Elizabeth grumbled at her sister. Julie had been pacing back and forth across the floor, pausing every few minutes to make sure Jack and Allie were still out in the hallway before resuming her aimless walk.

"I'm sorry," the younger woman replied, genuinely contrite. "I just don't know what to do. At home, we call the doctor, and he comes to the house, or we go to the hospital. It isn't proper for everyone else to be there for a birth. I don't know…." she trailed off, shrugging apologetically.

"I can stay." Allie stepped into the room, her look of determination not quite disguising the fear still in her eyes. "I haven't seen or helped with any births, but I can at least sit with Mom." She glanced at the clock and then back at her aunt. "You and Jack can go see what the cooks made for supper. If it's a nice as Uncle Gabe thought it would be, you can bring some back for us."

Julie looked both pleased and ashamed. "I can't let you do that," she said. "You're a child. I am a grown woman. I should be the one to stay."

"I'm old enough to have a baby," Allie pointed out. "Not that I'm doing it any time soon, but I should know what happens. Besides, I don't think Jack and I should sit by ourselves in the mess hall. It would be better if he had an adult with him."

Julie looked at her sister, waiting for her judgement. When Elizabeth nodded, she breathed a sigh of relief, leaning in to kiss her forehead before hurrying out into the hallway. "What do you say you and I go on a little adventure?" she said brightly, taking Jack's hand and leading him away.

"Thank you," Elizabeth smiled weakly at her daughter. "I'm happy to have you here, but only if you really want to be. I won't be mad if you want to run and join them for supper instead. I certainly can't eat anything right now."

Allie pulled the chair closer to the bed so she could put her hand over Elizabeth's. "I want to stay. If Dad can't be here, I want to be. Uncle Gabe is great," she paused, smiling at him, "and Mr. Kelley seems to have more experience than everyone else, but they aren't family. I want to do this with you."


Nathan was tense and anxious, clearly ready to be through questioning his men.

"Where's Kelley?" Fiddler demanded. "Why isn't he waiting here with the rest of us?"

"Constable Kelley has more important things to do right now," Nathan replied tersely.

Constable Hawke was about to argue when Superintendent O'Reilly interrupted. "Constable Kelley is assisting Mrs. Grant. It seems he has some experience with childbirth, so unless Dr. Cale gets back in time, he will be delivering her baby."

The young Mounties were thankfully silent as the inquiry continued.

"What do you think should happen to your team, Constable Grant?"

Nathan studied the three men across the room. "Obviously, I am a rather indebted to Elliott Kelley at the moment, but that aside… I do believe he and Constable Branson wanted to look for me. It was clear from their statements as well as the mission report that Constables Fiddler and Hawke pressured them into going along with their plans. There was a clear division amongst the team, even before I left. I think all four of them could do with further teambuilding exercises. Branson and Kelley should know when and how to stand up for themselves, while Hawke and Fiddler need to learn to follow instead of just lead."

"I agree with Constable Grant's assessments," Corporal Long added. There were a few more things he'd planned to say, but he could see that his fellow instructor was nearing his breaking point. Even without the latest development, Grant had had a very trying few days. Long decided to add his other remarks to his final report and let the inspector follow up, rather than bring them up for discussion now.

"We will take your suggestions into consideration when we make our decision," Commissioner Collins stated before turning to the new constables. "While the investigation is ongoing, the four of you will be suspended, without pay. I don't think I need to remind you of the seriousness of this matter. This could mean the end of your careers, gentlemen."

Fiddler and Hawke were clearly displeased but wisely kept their thoughts to themselves. Branson at least had the decency to look contrite and nervous.

"You are dismissed," Superintendent O'Reilly announced. "If you aren't going home, make sure you leave word where you will be staying, so the inspector can reach you if he has any further questions." The young men saluted and left quickly.

"Grant." Patrick turned to Nathan, who quickly stood at attention. "I want to thank you for your help on this assignment. You obviously prepared your team well if they were able to continue the mission without you."

"Thank you, sir," Nathan replied, pleased at the recognition but eager to get back to Elizabeth.

"Now go!" Patrick commanded, sharing an amused look with Sam as Nathan quickly saluted and then all but ran out the door.


"Now what is this I hear about someone having a baby?"

Everyone looked up with relief as Dr. Cale hurried into the room.

"I know you're used to making the society pages, but now everyone is going to know you as the first woman to give birth at Fort Mudd. If it's a boy, we just might have a new recruit."

Nathan saw the momentary look of panic in Elizabeth's eyes at the doctor's teasing. "We have plenty of time before we have to consider his or her career choices," he assured her. "And no red or brown serge for at least the first year. I promise."

As he'd hoped, Elizabeth smiled at his joke before taking another deep breath. He put his arm around her shoulders. "Now, let's meet our baby."

Julie and Jack returned from supper, relieved to hear that the doctor had arrived. Julie resumed her earlier seat outside the commander's office, gazing anxiously down the hall. Patrick and Sam waited in the office, seemingly working but also watching and listening. With Nathan and the doctor present, Gabriel had slipped out, and was trying to distract Julie and young Jack in hopes of getting the little boy to fall asleep and his aunt to remain calm.

Everyone stopped abruptly as the sound of baby's cry filled the air. The door opened and Allie danced out into the hallway.

"It's a boy!" she exclaimed. Stooping down, she picked Jack up, spinning him around the floor. "We have a little brother!"

Despite his less-than-ideal delivery location, Thatcher Collin Grant was perfect, and not just in his parents' eyes. He had already demonstrated his powerful lungs, and Dr. Cale's exam found an equally reassuring heart rate, healthy color, good reflexes, and strong muscles. Add his ten tiny fingers, ten little toes, fuzzy reddish-brown hair, and bright blue eyes, and everyone found him irresistible.

"Can I hold him?" Allie asked.

Elizabeth carefully placed the now sleeping baby in her arms, watching as Allie sat in the chair beside the bed. Jack leaned over her lap, studying their brother.

"He looks like you, Mama!"

"I think he looks like Dad," Allie argued good-naturedly. "Those ears are all Grant, and his eyes are the exact same shade as Dad's."

"Just remember, most babies have blue eyes when they're born," Nathan tried to explain.

"True," Gabriel chimed in, standing near the door to give the new family some room. "But between the two of you, I think there's a pretty good chance they're going to stay that color."


The entire fort turned out to see the Grants off the next day. Given Elizabeth and Nathan's conditions, Julie had wisely arranged for a couple of cars to drive them all back to Cape Fullerton. Gabriel would follow, bringing Newton, before heading for Brookfield.

"You need to see a doctor as soon as you get back to Hope Valley," Patrick instructed Nathan. "You are medical leave until then. You may resume modified duties with the doctor's approval, and it will be at their discretion when you return to full duty. Do you have any questions?"

"No, sir."

"Then Constable Grant, you are dismissed."

Nathan saluted and waited for the fort commander's nod before he turned to hold Thatcher while Elizabeth got into the car.

"And Nathan- congratulations." Having missed the births of his first two children, Patrick was especially pleased for his colleague's obvious joy.

"Thank you, sir." Nathan beamed before easing into the backseat beside his wife.

Allie and Jack waved excitedly from the other car as they pulled away. Elizabeth leaned against Nathan's good shoulder, Thatcher sleeping soundly in her lap. Nathan pressed a kiss on the top of her head as the car bumped around a bend and the fort slid from sight.

"Let's go home."