"Mountie Nathan's here, come on!"

Little Jack came barreling out of the doorway, his mountie hat atop his head. Elizabeth laughed as she watched her little boy run quickly down the stairs toward Nathan. "Hi, Mountie Nathan!" that little boyish smile on the little one caught onto Nathan's features.

"Hey," he smiled, "It looks like you're all ready to go, but wait!" he pulled out a little badge and bent down to his level looking him straight in the eyes. "A mountie must have a badge,"

"Really for me!?"

With a nod of his head, he slowly stood up as his eyes caught Elizabeth and noticed she was looking right at him. A smile on her face as she watched the scene in front of her. "Hello, Nathan," she called as she walked down the steps herself.

"Wow, you look -" she was simply in riding boots and pants. It was nothing spectacular but to Nathan, she looked incredible. "Great," he stumbled over his words.

"Ready to chase down some bad guys," she playfully winked at him not even realizing what she was doing. "You look quite dashing in red," she added, her eyes did in fact gaze up and down over him briefly.

He stumbled ever so slightly, "I - thank you,"

"Do I look good in red too?" Little Jack perked up looking at his mother.

Elizabeth snapped out of the trance she was in because, for a small moment, she had gotten lost in Nathan she'd forgotten everything else around her. But a smile crossed her face as she looked down at Little Jack. "You look very handsome," she approvingly nodded her head.

Before any more could be said Bill was riding in on his horse, looking 'alarmed,' "There's been a robbery!" he shouted.

Nathan quickly turned around, giving a shocked disbelief. "What!? A robbery!?"

"A robbery!?" Elizabeth herself put on a show. "Nathan! I thought we were just going on rounds today!"

"That was the plan," he nodded, looking down at Little Jack, "But, plans change," he smirked, "And, Little Jack here seems to be ready for some action - I mean he has the badge and everything,"

"Can we go get them!?" he squeals out in excitement.

"Well, I guess we better," Elizabeth says with a stern look.

"Quit the talking and get on your horses already!" Bill shouts out, "He's going to get away!"

"Right," both Elizabeth and Nathan say at the same time trying not to laugh, giving each other a look.

Elizabeth gets on her horse, and Nathan picks up Jack to be on his horse with him and soon they're trampling through town.

—-

They arrive in town, and sure enough one of Nathan's friends is seen with a bag, "Not the mounties!" he shouts, "Not the mounties," but all he does is take off running around in a circular motion.

"Stop right there!" Bill shouts.

"You won't get away with this!" Nathan adds in.

"Oh my," Elizabeth shouts as she tries her hardest not to laugh.

Nathan gets off Newton, grabbing Little Jack with him. "Come on, we've got to get him!" he shouts, his hand in Little Jack's as they both start running toward the man with the bag.

"Stop! Stop! I'm getting you!" Little Jack's little voice screams out, a very determined look on his face.

Elizabeth was in the background trying her best effort not to laugh at the spectacle that the entire town was now watching.

Soon enough Little Jack's little fingers were on the man's coat, "Got you!" he shouted out gleefully. "I got you!"

"Go Little Jack, go!" it wasn't only Elizabeth shouting, it was other people around town.

Nathan grabbed out the handcuffs and put them on the man, "Tell him you're going to jail," he whispered to Little Jack who shouted out with much pride, "You're going to jail"

"Good job, Little Jack!" Bill shouted out. Elizabeth and others clapping in the distance.

—

Inside the jail, Elizabeth and Bill stood in the distance watching as Nathan and Little Jack locked him up.

Nathan was talking to Little Jack, telling him a story he'd once heard about how Little Jack's father had once been in a similar situation and he too came out triumphant just like his little boy.

And, Elizabeth stood there watching in admiration of Nathan. In love with Nathan. Her heart was heavy for the grief of Jack, for the conversation of Jack, but the importance of keeping him alive meant the world to her.

The man talking to her son meant the world to her too. Nathan did so much for the two of them and as she watched them she couldn't help but wonder - what if? She'd rejected him two years ago out of fear and now as she sat there watching her son and him she knew - she knew she hadn't followed her heart. She chose out of fear and all she wanted to do was join in on their conversation with her hand in his and she couldn't.

She felt it was too late. Her fear made her lose her heart.

Bill spoke up watching her with a knowing glance, "You're in love with him,"

"Yeah…" Elizabeth spoke softly in a trance, "Wait, what." she shook her head, biting her lip.

"You're in love with him," he repeated.

But this time Elizabeth could no longer deny her love for him.

She lived so long trying to convince herself everything she felt for him was because of Jack but in truth she was in love with Nathan Grant and the idea of losing him the way she lost her late husband was too hard to bear.

But now her heart had gotten louder and she couldn't ignore it anymore. She couldn't run from it. She couldn't lie to herself. And she couldn't even lie to others.

She was helplessly in love with Nathan Grant.

"Yes, but we all know I messed that up," she spoke softly.

"No, you didn't." he shook his head, "He never stopped loving you," he told her. "Why do you think Mae and Faith didn't work? He gave up on you because he wanted you happy, he didn't want to interfere with you and Lucas… but he never stopped… he just accepted the fact that love wasn't for him -" because Nathan Grant couldn't love another.

Elizabeth was it for him. Always would be.

Elizabeth turned to look at Bill, then back at Nathan, and remembered the conversation they had that first night Allie babysat.

Had he truly given up on love because he knew somewhere deep down that his heart would forever be hers?

Her heart broke at that thought. Her heart broke at the thought of how much pain she put him through.

Could she really fix it?

There was nothing more that could be said because soon Nathan and Little Jack were walking over, "I told Little Jack we can go get something to eat at the cafe. I'd say we deserve a good meal after that,"

"I think you're right," Elizabeth said.

And with that the three of them went to Cafe, Bill insisting he had too much work to do to join.