"Would you like something to drink, Allie?" Cody asked.

"Yes. Thank you, that would be lovely," Allie replied, her voice gruff. Clearing her throat, she said, "I'm sorry, I must be thirstier than I thought."

Cody reached for the basket his mother had packed for their trip back to school, but he froze before retrieving the cool water flask. He hadn't felt this awkward around Allie since their first date.

"Is everything all right?" Allie asked as she saw him stop, hand stretched out toward the basket.

Cody looked at her with a sheepish grin, "Why am I feeling so nervous."

"You are?" she asked, shocked by his response; she had thought it was only her feeling that way.

"Yes, and I think you know why Allie," Cody replied softly. "We haven't discussed it, but you saw me talking to your dad." Pausing, Cody waited for her nod before saying, "Now that I have his blessing, I can't seem to find the right time or the right way..." unable to find the right words, he trailed off with a shrug.

"Is there a right way?"

"Expectations are pretty high regarding this type of question; I hear how Anna talks."

"You know I am nothing like Anna, right?" Allie said emphatically, smiling to soften her words about her friend.

"You aren't like anyone else I have ever met, Allie," Cody said seriously. "I just don't want to disappoint you. I want this to be perfect."

"I don't need perfect, Cody," Allie assured him.

Cody bit the inside of his lip but didn't respond. He reached for the water, passing it to her with a smile.

Allie reached to take the water, but instead, she placed her hand over his and smiled. "Thank you, Cody," remembering Quinn's words to her, she said, "You could never disappoint me, ever."

The remainder of the trip flew by once they acknowledged the elephant in the room, and they could relax and enjoy spending time with each other. They laughed about the visit to Hope Valley and the time spent with family and friends. Allie was pleased to realise she wasn't as homesick as she expected. Having Cody by her side made home seem closer because he knew the places and the people she talked about. He knew her family, and she knew his. They had a shared history as well as a shared future.

Allie realised she was also looking forward to returning to school and the boarding house. She had missed Miss Bethany and her housemates, who she had grown close to all of them and couldn't wait to share the details of her trip home and hear what she had missed. She knew they expected her to return engaged, but they wouldn't ask her about it when they noticed her lack of a ring.

"Allie?" Cody said, "Would you spend the day with me tomorrow? I know you will need to unpack, but from mid-morning?"

They were standing in the foyer of the boarding house after he escorted her from the Train station. They didn't have long to linger over goodbyes as the Taxicab was waiting outside, full of Cody's cases.

"Of course. Do you have any plans? What should I wear?" Allie wasn't concerned much about clothes, which hadn't changed since she was a little girl; her question was practical.

"I was thinking of organising a picnic, maybe down at Lake Lag?" he suggested, referring to Lake Luganita, "It's nice near the Boathouse."

"That sounds lovely, Cody. I will see you in the morning." Allie leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. As she went to draw back, Cody placed a hand on her cheek, holding her face near his.

"I love you, Allie Grant," he whispered.

Allie's heart soared, and she swore it skipped a beat. She knew he loved and wanted to marry her, but he hadn't told her, at least not in words, not aloud. She couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face; he dropped his hand, this time when she pulled her head back.

Looking into his eyes, she said, "I love you too." Allie was delighted when his smile lit up his whole face, and he lifted her hand, kissing the back of it before letting it go. "I will meet you here tomorrow at 10:30; I will organise everything."

"See you tomorrow," she whispered before stepping back. "You need to go; the taxi will cost a fortune if you keep it waiting too much longer. Goodnight."

"Good night," Cody said, making no move to leave.

"Go," she laughed, pushing him gently.

"Okay," he said, laughing with her, "but only because I don't have to wait too long before I see you again." Cody leaned in quickly, kissing her lips and jumping back before she could push him toward the door.

Allie watched him dart out the front door, her smile lingering as she waited for the sound of the car moving away. Only when the sound faded entirely, and she could no longer hear the engine did she turn and walk away, joining her housemates in the kitchen for tea and a snack.

Nathan looked up as he heard the knock on the Mountie office, leaping out of his seat when he saw Quinn in the doorway. "This is a nice surprise!" he exclaimed as he went to her.

"I decided to bring Harry to you; I know I am early, but I have to collect things at the Cafe for tonight," Quinn said, smiling as she watched Harry's reaction to seeing his father. Harry was leaning toward his father and would have fallen out of her arms if she weren't holding him securely. She released him when Nathan was close enough to wrap his arm around him.

"Are you sure you haven't taken on too much having everyone at the house?" Nathan asked, concerned. Sam and Avery were highly active children and kept Quinn busy all day. He was pleased she still sent them to Isobel several mornings a week.

He allowed his eyes to roam over Quinn's face, checking for signs of fatigue. He was pleased to see his beautiful wife showed no signs of tiredness. Harry was a happy, contented baby who slept much better than the twins at the same age. He and Quinn were both more rested now all their children were sleeping through the night.

"I am not the one who has taken on too much. I cannot believe you and Lee volunteered to mind the children so we could celebrate Isobel's bridal shower at home."

"We can handle the children; I stay with the children by myself all the time," Nathan protested, offended at the suggestion.

"I know that, but that's at home, not when they are surrounded by their friends." Quinn hid her smile as she saw the realisation of what the night truly held register in Nathan's eyes.

"Do you think we should spend the time somewhere other than the Saloon?" he asked. Lucas had turned the Saloon into a child-friendly space for the night, making sure the children had a designated place to play and had planned a special children's menu. The Queen of Hearts was closed to other patrons for the evening, and the attendees were restricted to children's fathers, plus Bill, Ned, Mike, and Henry.

"I think the Saloon will be fine, especially with Lucas's arrangements. He has gone to a lot of trouble." Quinn knew how much hosting the event meant to Lucas; he had spent weeks ensuring the place would suit the men's and their children's needs. Quinn had heard Jack telling Nathan about the toys Isobel had allowed them to borrow from the Nursery; his voice was excited. They couldn't change plans now.

"At least we will only have the toddlers to worry about, not the babies. Surely there are enough of us to cope with them."

"You would think so," Quinn teased. She had every faith in her husband's parenting skills.

Isobel looked around at the women assembled in Quinn's sitting room for her bridal shower. Everything was perfect. They were having a fantastic time, laughing while drinking tea and eating the beautiful food Minnie, Abigail, and Quinn prepared. She felt the need to pinch herself, unable to believe this was her life or she was this happy.

Isobel found it hard to believe that the worst time in her life led her to find the best future she could have ever hoped for. Looking around at the women, here to celebrate her upcoming wedding, she smiled. They were trusted friends and trusted her with their children, the most incredible honour they could give her.

Isobel had found freedom and purpose in Hope Valley once the malicious charges against her were dropped. She had set up the infant school but had also travelled with Faith and Rosemary to Brookfield, meeting Lillian Kinslow and seeing the Orphanage she ran. It inspired her, and when she returned from the trip, she shared her desire to replicate the Orphanage in Hope Valley, a dream Riley fully supported. They discussed the plan many times, and once married, she knew it wouldn't be long until she turned her dream into a reality. She glanced at Abigail Stanton, a smile spreading across her face. Abigail had encouraged her dream, offering her time and support to make it happen.

"Do you still think this was a good idea?" Nathan asked Lucas as the two men stood watching the children playing in the space created for them.

Lucas laughed, "I did not know a group of small children could be rowdier than my normal saloon patrons."

"I don't know how Isobel does it every day," marvelled Riley, who had joined them.

"How do you propose we distract them long enough to feed them?" Nathan queried, knowing how hard it could be to keep the twins focused long enough to eat.

"I think we leave them where they are and try one mouthful at a time," Bill offered as he stood with Henry and Mike, both wearing identical looks of horror.

"Wish me luck," Lee said. "I'm going in," he said as he grabbed a sandwich from the plate Lucas had Gustav prepare, heading for Lily.

Quinn stood on the Verandah of her home, ready to help Nathan carry the sleeping twins inside. She was trying to contain her laughter at the sight of the two men. Nathan had something she couldn't identify all over the front of his shirt, and Lee's hair was sticking up all over his head.

"Lee, what happened?" Rosemary questioned as she checked on Lily, asleep on the seat beside her father.

"I don't even know where to start to describe our night Rosie," Lee explained, sounding exhausted. "I am thankful she finally slowed down enough to sleep."

Quinn scooped Avery up from the backseat as Nathan carried Sam, "was it as easy as you expected, Nathan?"

"I would rather deal with a jail full of hardened criminals than try and feed our children when they are amongst a group of friends. Isobel deserves a medal for doing it every day." Nathan kissed his son's head, "All I want to do is follow this guy's example and sleep."

Allie slept better than expected and woke feeling rested and eager to spend the day with Cody. Over tea and biscuits, the previous evening, she had told Miss Bethany, along with Abbie, and Grace, her housemates, about her trip. While Allie wanted to spend time talking about her new baby brother, the young girls were more interested in hearing about her and Cody, particularly his talk with her father. Allie told them the truth; she didn't know what had been said, only that it had gone well.

Abbie and Grace speculated on how long Cody would take to ask her to marry him, but Allie didn't comment. Allie was determined not to try and guess anymore, she had told Quinn she didn't mind when it happened, and she meant it. Spending time with Cody was enough; they would spend the rest of their lives together, no matter how long he took to ask her to be his wife.

Allie was ready and waiting for Cody when he rang the doorbell, right on time. She rushed over and threw the door open, not caring if she seemed too eager; she was keen to see him.

Cody smiled when he saw Allie standing before him dressed perfectly for their picnic in her woollen knickerbocker pants and blouse. "Ready?" he asked.

"Ready," she agreed with a smile and took his outstretched hand. As she stepped outside, she realised it was a perfect day for a picnic and looked forward to the walk. Holding hands, they started toward the Boathouse for their picnic.

Cody spread the blanket on the grass and patted it, inviting Allie to sit beside him. As she made herself comfortable, he reached for the basket of food. He had told Allie he would look after the food, but he had reached out to Cat Montgomery for help. Mrs Montgomery had been happy to help and was almost as good a cook as his mother.

He and Allie ate in comfortable silence, enjoying the sunshine and peace. Once finished eating, they lay back on the blanket, hands touching as they stared at the sky. They had selected a spot in the trees near the Boathouse, a little away from everyone else.

"Are you ready for dessert yet?" Cody asked.

Turning to look at him, Allie said, "Not yet. The sandwiches were very filling." Grinning, she said, "I'll have to remember to thank Mrs Montgomery."

"You knew?" he laughed, "I was going to come clean... eventually."

"There was no way you had time to do all that after we got home last night." Allie squeezed his hand, "I am grateful you put this all together; there is no way I could have, and Mrs Montgomery is a good cook."

Cody waited a moment before saying, "You should try her carrot cake; it's almost as good as my mum's."

"Really?" Allie asked sceptically. She had tasted Mrs Stanton's cake, which would be hard to beat.

"Try it...just a bite," he encouraged. When Allie nodded, he reached for the basket. His hand touched the container with the carrot cake in it, but he didn't pick it up; instead, he reached for the velvet bag next to it. As his fingers closed around the soft material, he took a deep breath, telling himself not to be nervous; this was Allie.

Cody sat up and twisted to face Allie. When she saw him sit up, she sat up, too, so they were sitting side by side.

"Is there something wrong with the cake?" she asked, confusion wrinkling her brow.

"No," he croaked. "No," he said, his voice back to normal. "I want you to taste the cake, but before you do, I wanted to ask you something...give you something."

Butterflies swirled in Allie's stomach; it was going to happen now. After convincing herself she could wait, she wouldn't have to.

"Allie, You are my best friend, the person I can talk to about anything, turn to for support whenever I need it. I know I can count on you, and I want you to know you can count on me the same way." Swallowing nervously, he swept his hair back from his forehead and said, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I know we agreed we have to finish school first but, I don't want to wait to show you and everyone else what you mean to me. I need you to know that when I think about my future, it's you I see by my side. Forever." Cody opened the drawstring on the bag and retrieved the ring; holding it out to her, he said, "Allie Grant, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?"

Tears welled in Allie's eyes, and her throat was thick with the same unshed tears, "yes," she whispered. "Yes!" she exclaimed louder as she threw her arms around him, the force of her hug knocking them over.

Cody laughed at her enthusiasm as he desperately tried to hold onto the ring while softening their landing on the hard ground.

"Allie," he cried as they rolled to their sides, "the ring!"

Laughing together, Cody sat them both up again and placed the ring on Allie's finger. He watched her gaze drop to her left hand and waited, wondering, and hoping she would like it.

"It's beautiful, Cody, but..."

Cody knew she was concerned about him being able to afford something so beautiful, so he quickly explained the ring's history.

"That's an amazing gesture," Allie said, a smile shining through her tears. "I can't believe she gave this to us."

"Why not? Everyone knows we are perfect together," Cody said, leaning over to kiss her.

"Perfect," she agreed, staring into his handsome face, her eyes bright with joy.

"I'm so excited," Quinn said, smiling at Nathan as they stood together at the train station. They had left their other children with Isobel so they could collect Allie and Cody from the station. It was the first time they would see the young couple since they became engaged, and Quinn couldn't wait. Allie had told her about the proposal, of course, but she wanted to hear it from her in person to see the excitement in her eyes.

"Me too, Quinn. I can't wait to see her." Nathan replied, his smile genuine. "I knew she would be engaged the next time we saw her, and I am happy for her and Cody. They are going to make each other very happy, I know it, and that's all I want for her."

Allie and Cody were the first ones off the train, and Allie ran to her father, throwing her arms around him before doing the same to Quinn. Cody approached more slowly, weighed down with their luggage. When he reached them, Nathan held out his hand, shaking Cody's. When Nathan released Cody, Quinn drew him into a hug.

"I've missed everyone so much," Allie exclaimed. "The trip home seemed to take forever."

"We've missed you too. Everyone has," Quinn said. "We have planned a special dinner at the Cafe tonight; that way, you can catch up with everyone before we head home," Quinn explained. "Minnie has offered to let you both freshen up at the Cafe; I hope that's okay?"

"That's fine with me, Quinn," Cody said, earning a grin from her for remembering to call her by her first name.

Allie sat beside Cody in the Cafe at a table with their friends. She had greeted everyone, showing off her ring and telling the story of the proposal over and over until her voice was hoarse. Her cheeks were aching from smiling, and she couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy. Glancing around, she caught Isobel's eye and smiled, pleased to see her look equally delighted. Her wedding was in two days, and Allie couldn't imagine looking as relaxed as Isobel.

"Ready to go home, Allie?" Quinn asked. "We need to get the twins home, but you can come home later if you like."

Allie looked at Cody and nodded her head; she was more than ready to go home.

"I'm tired too, Quinn. I am going to head home; we could leave together." Cody said, rising and holding his hand out to help her up. "I can drive Allie; that way, we can do everything in one trip.

Allie lay in bed that evening, pleased to be home. She had suggested that her parents give her room to one of her siblings, but they refused. Her Father had extended the house instead, taking Mr Lewis's word that it would be easy. Deep down, she was pleased that her room was still her room. It was nice to come home and find things unchanged.