Nathan woke up smiling; he had been having a wonderful dream, only to realise the reality was even better. He looked down at his wife, who was still sleeping next to him, amazed his dream of finding the perfect woman for him had come true. His gaze travelled over his wife's face, marvelling at how peaceful she looked in sleep. Quinn's face was always so lively and full of joy and energy; seeing her like this was astounding.

When they returned from their honeymoon, Nathan doubted there would be many mornings they could stay in bed, wrapped in each other's arms. Closing his eyes, tightening his arm around his wife, he willed himself back to sleep. Despite the temptation his wife presented, he was just happy holding her, and within moments, his breathing had changed, and he was back to dreaming.

Quinn woke to the new sensation of her husband's arms around her, his left arm under her head, his right draped over her waist. The heat of his chest pressed up against her back, and his warm breath on her neck was the most remarkable thing she had ever felt. Quinn shuffled back, wanting to be as close to Nathan as possible.

"Quinn, if you keep moving like that, I will not be responsible for what happens." Nathan's voice was deep and rough from sleep, but there was no doubt he was more than happy with what she was doing.

Quinn smiled when she realised Nathan was awake, and she could feel the evidence of what her actions were doing to him. Quinn shuffled even closer to her husband, throwing in an extra wiggle for good measure, pleased when he growled in her ear.

Nathan turned his wife over to face him, kissing her quickly. "Good Morning, beautiful."

"Good morning."

Quinn looked at Nathan; she always thought him the most handsome man she had ever seen. In the morning light, his hair dishevelled from sleep, light stubble on his cheeks, he took her breath away. Quinn slid her arms around his neck, playing with the curls resting there.

"Did you sleep well, Nathan?"

"Best night's sleep I can remember; it must have been the cabin and the fire." As Quinn threw back her head, laughing, the soft, smooth skin on her neck was a temptation he decided not to ignore. Leaning forward, Nathan placed hot kisses on her neck as his hand slid along her hip.

Quinn trailed her hands down Nathan's back, consumed by the feeling of his lips on her skin. Dragging his head up, she moulded his lips to hers, she kissed her husband with all the emotions inside her, delighted when he deepened the kiss and drew her closer to him.

Later, when Quinn lay in Nathan's arms, she sighed deeply, content as she listened to his heartbeat beneath her ear. "I think Mr Lewis was smart to loan us this cabin, it hasn't even been twenty-four hours, and I don't want to leave."

"And it's only the cabin that you don't want to leave?"

"Well, I wouldn't want to leave the horses behind if I was to go," Quinn teased with a smile. "Speaking of horses, you did promise me a ride today. Are we still going?"

Groaning, Nathan replied as he sighed, "Riding would mean getting out of bed, right?"

"Yes, it would, and it would involve getting dressed. On the plus side, it means coffee, food and fresh air."

"Fine, but remember whose idea it was to get up and who wanted to stay in bed."

Quinn and Nathan made quick work of breakfast and soon had Newton and Misty saddled. The day was perfect for a ride, with bright sunshine and a light breeze. The air was clear, and you could see for miles.

Quinn reined Misty in; she and Nathan had ridden fast across the meadow from the house, not racing but letting the horses stretch their legs. As Nathan slowed next to her, she held her hand out to him and squeezed it when it was in her grasp.

"Do you know the only thing missing from today?" Quinn asked.

"Allie"

"Allie," they said in unison

Nathan smiled at her, "I wish she could be here too; I know she needs to see the place before we make any decisions. If we do decide to live here, there will be many more rides with the three of us."

They continued their ride, pointing out different features they found. They took the time to sit, looking out from one of the ridges admiring the view, and eating the food they had packed and carried with them when they got hungry.

When they finished their meal, Nathan stowed the last of the food wrappers and walked back to the blanket. He looked to Quinn, sitting on the blanket, leaning against a tree. She had pulled some papers out of her saddle bag and was leafing through them.

"What do you have there?" he asked, curious to see what she had brought.

Quinn bit her lip, a guilty expression on her face, "it's the papers on Isobel Manning's case. I'm sorry," she exclaimed when he shook his head at her. "I know I should be focusing on us, but I can't get her story out of my head."

Nathan smiled as he sat beside her, "I don't mind you brought it along; I love your passion for helping someone you don't even know." He kissed her cheek and then lay down, putting his head in her lap. "I am more than happy to rest here while you read your papers; wake me when you're ready to go home."

Quinn smiled down at him, stroking his forehead where it lay on her lap, "I love you, Nathan. I wish I understood what bothers me about this case; besides being sure Isobel is innocent, there is something more, and I can't put my finger on it."

Cracking open one eye, he asked, "something about Isobel or the Pipers?"

"The Pipers, I suppose. If Isobel had stolen the jewels from them, why would she hide them so poorly, where they could be found by anyone who looked?" Quinn was frowning as she spoke, "why didn't they call the Police when they noticed the items missing? Why did they go straight to her room, not someone else's?

Nathan mulled over the questions she was asking, even though he knew she didn't expect an answer from him. "What do Bill and Sam think?" he asked, wondering what their theories were.

"They have the same questions as me; it doesn't make sense. I have so many questions," she finished. Chewing her lip, she said, "I need to understand what the Pipers stood to gain from this. Once we understand that, we can prove Isobel innocent."

"You're sure she is?" Nathan questioned. "You haven't even met her, Quinn; what makes you so sure?" Nathan wasn't questioning Quinn's judgement; it was more curiosity due to the strength of her conviction.'

Quinn smiled down at him, "besides my gut instinct?" she said lightly. "I trust Sam and Bill; they interviewed her and believed her; that's enough for me."

"Me too then; you should trust your gut too, Quinn." Nathan closed his eyes again as she ran her fingers through his hair, enjoying the feel of her fingers on his scalp. "That feels good, Quinn," he whispered before opening his eyes again, smiling up at her. "Take as long as you like to read about Isobel, but please don't stop doing that."

Quinn grinned; didn't he realise that she never wanted to stop touching him, "I promise I won't; touching you is hardly a chore, Nathan," she said, laughing at him, "it's one of my favourite things to do."

Nathan smiled again and stroked her cheek, "how did I get so lucky?"

Quinn rolled her eyes, "we both got lucky; now rest while I do my reading."

They spent the afternoon reading, resting, and talking. When Nathan woke from his nap, he realised Quinn had put the papers down and was daydreaming, still running her fingers through his hair.

Eventually, they had to head back to the cabin; they didn't want to lose light and wanted to get home in time to cook dinner and settle in for the evening. There were still several days of their honeymoon to go, so they felt no pressure to rush, but they didn't want to be riding back in the dark.

That evening, Quinn finally cooked for Nathan, disappointed Allie couldn't be there to join them. It was a simple meal, but the novelty of cooking together, as man and wife, had them both smiling as they prepared it.

Quinn set the table, complete with candles for ambience, not that they needed anything to create a romantic mood; being together was enough. They lingered over their meal, comfortable to talk about a range of topics, including old cases for them both, books they had read, and funny stories about Allie as a child.

After dinner, Nathan lit the fire and offered to draw a bath for Quinn, who jumped at the idea. Quinn assumed he would set it up in the washroom, but he surprised her by setting it up in front of the fire. The tub was huge, and Quinn couldn't wait to relax in the steaming water.

"Are you blushing? I can't believe you are still blushing in front of me after ... after everything," Nathan teased her. Looking at her, he grew serious, "I am sorry, Quinn, would you prefer it in the washroom? I just thought it would be nice in front of the fire?"

Quinn screwed up her nose, "stop worrying, Nathan, it is lovely in front of the fire; it's perfect. I was thinking about the tub size and wondering if it was big enough for the two of us," she admitted, explaining the blush.

Nathan took her hand and drew her toward the bath, "only one way to find out," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

There was more than enough room for the two of them to relax in the tub beneath the warm, soapy water. Quinn lifted her hand and wiped the damp curls off her forehead. Nathan, who sat behind her, raised the sponge and ran it down her arm. He had been lazily washing the same arm for several minutes, not that Quinn was complaining.

"I am sure it is my turn to wash your back," Quinn suggested lazily.

"Mmmh, I'm sure there's still time for you to do that; the water isn't stone cold yet."

When Quinn laughed, her body shook and caused ripples on the water's surface. Nathan looked at the two of them in the bath, legs stretched out before them. He loved how they fit together; his larger body moulding around her softer, curvier one.

"It may not be stone cold, but it is cold; let's get out before we freeze to death."

Quinn stood in the bathtub, water coursing off her skin; she looked over her shoulder at Nathan and caught him staring at her. He looked so cute when he realised she had seen him and shrugged as if to say, 'what did you expect.'

Quinn let the heat from the flames help dry her. After getting out of the bath, she wrapped a towel around herself and held one out for Nathan. When he rose, the water dripping off his hard muscles, he was magnificent, and she marvelled at the beauty of Nathan Grant.

Once she was warm, she turned to Nathan and saw he was watching her again, his eyes dark with desire. Dropping her towel, she slid her arms around him, rose on tiptoes, and placed a kiss on his lips. Nathan didn't need any further encouragement and carried her to their bedroom. He put her on the bed and covered her body with his, never breaking their kiss.

Quinn was disappointed when she rose the next day, and Nathan was gone from their bed. Sitting up, holding the sheet to her chest, she stretched her hand out to his pillow and felt it, frowning when she realised it was cold and he had been gone for a while. She thought she could hear him bustling in the kitchen, then realised she could smell coffee.

Quinn looked around for her robe and saw it hanging over a chair, but Nathan came into the room carrying a tray before she could put it on.

"Good morning," he said, pausing as he saw her in their bed, sitting up, hair tousled and a smile for him on her lips.

"Good morning. I missed you when I woke up, but I could probably forgive you for leaving if you have coffee."

"Coffee and a kiss," he said, setting the tray on the bed and kissing her cheek. "Ready for another day of riding?"

"Yes, I can't wait to explore the rest of the land."

Nathan and Quinn rode the property again, exploring the land south of the house. Quinn couldn't help it. Whenever she thought of the cabin, she thought of it as home. She would have to talk to Nathan about what they wanted to do; maybe they could get Allie to come and see the house sooner rather than later.

After they finished settling the horses into the stable and were on the way back to the house, Nathan grabbed hold of Quinn's hand and stopped abruptly.

"Quinn?"

"What is it, Nathan? Are you okay? You're frowning?"

"I've been thinking about the cabin. I love it here; I see us here, you me and Allie. I don't want to live in the row house any longer." Nathan stared at Quinn, trying to gauge her reaction to his words.

"So, I guess Allie is missing school tomorrow so she can give us the stamp of approval on our home," Quinn said, smiling at him. "What if she hates it?" she asked, eyes widening.

"She isn't going to hate it; how could she?"

"That's true; what was I thinking."

That evening as they sat by the fire, Nathan poured Quinn a glass of wine and said, "when we do this, there are other changes we'll have to make other than moving."

"Like?"

"It's a little far out of Town for Allie to walk to school, so she will need another way of getting there, the same for you, Quinn. You can ride Misty in the fine weather, but not in the rain or snow."

"Are you thinking of a car, Nathan?" Quinn said, her voice conveying her shock.

"Well, not for Allie. I was thinking of a bike and a horse when we find the right one. But for you, yes, a car."

"Oh, can I please be the one to tell, Bill? He will be so annoyed that the Mountie is buying a car." Quinn clapped her hands together, laughing at the thought of Bill's reaction.

"No way, if anyone gets to upset, Bill, it's going to be me," Nathan said, wrapping her in his arms.

"So, in the space of a couple of weeks, a wedding, a house and a car. Is there anything we have missed?"

"Well, only an addition to our family, but that might take more than a couple of weeks." Nathan winked at Quinn, grinning when she blushed.

"Well, Nathan, while the timing might be out of our control, all we can do is make sure we create every possible chance of it coming true." Quinn winked back at Nathan and reached over to brush against his ribs, where she had been happy to discover he was ticklish.

"That sounds like an invitation which I will never say no to," Nathan said as he laughed and twisted away from her fingers. Lifting her into his arms, he carried her down to their bedroom, and as he laid her on the bed, he said, "I love you so much, Quinn. I am so glad you chose me."

"I choose you for eternity, Nathan Grant."

The following day Quinn was pleased to wake and find Nathan still in bed with her. She knew he was awake, so she asked, "how much ribbing are we going to get for a) turning up in town during our honeymoon and b) cutting it short so that Allie can join us?"

"A lot," Nathan said, laughing. "How much do you care?"

"Not even a little bit," she said, smiling.

"So, are you ready to get out of bed and head to Town?"

"Now, let's not be hasty, Nathan. It's our last day alone in our house; let's make the most of it."

And they did.

Allie was helping Minnie set the tables at the Cafe when she heard Bill exclaim, "Well, I didn't expect to see you two today; what are you doing here? Sick of him already, Quinn?"

"Hardly, Bill."

Allie's squealed as she dropped the cutlery she was holding and bolted through the diner towards the kitchen. Minnie and the other patrons laughed at her unbridled enthusiasm and joy.

"Dad," she cried as she threw herself into his arms, and he lifted her off her feet.

Nathan hugged Allie; his eyes squeezed shut to hide his emotions; he had missed his girl so much.

Quinn looked on, her eyes misting at seeing her husband and Allie, her daughter.

Allie turned in her father's hug, searching for Quinn. When their eyes met, Allie's smile grew bigger, and she launched herself with just as much enthusiasm into Quinn's Arms.

"I have missed you, Q," wiping the tears from her eyes. "I didn't realise how much until I saw you two."

"We missed you too, Allie," Quinn said, hugging her tightly. "So? Q?"

"Is that Okay?"

"Of course, Allie, whatever you wanted it to be. My nickname growing up was Q, or Kiddy Q or some variation, but always Q."

Bill and Nathan stood together watching the two women, both smiling.

"So, what did bring you two back, Nathan?" Bill asked quietly.

"Mr Lewis knew what he was doing lending us the cabin," Nathan explained to Bill.

Bill snorted, "so you're buying it?"

"If Allie likes it, then yes. I hope we can move in there immediately and not even go back to the row house."

Bill looked horrified, "But I spent two days moving Quinn's things in, and now I have to move them again?"

Nathan slapped him on the back, "thanks for offering."

Allie rode with her parents to the cabin. She loved the sound of that, 'her parents.' Once the greetings were out of the way, she was excited to see the house. She was so pleased her parents wanted her opinion, and she believed them when they said they wouldn't move if she didn't like it.

As Allie toured the cabin, she wondered if there was anything she didn't like. As Quinn predicted, she fell in love with the front bedroom and instantly pictured herself sleeping there, reading books, and doing her homework. Allie's tender heart ached when she heard about the house's history but agreed with her Dad that this was a house that needed a family to love it, and her family would.

"I would love it if we could live here," Allie announced her decision as they stood in the kitchen of the home. "I will miss our row house Dad, it is the first house we have lived in long enough to settle in, but this house is forever."

Nathan and Quinn didn't say anything; they reached out for each other's hand and held it tight.

"Then, welcome home, Allie."