A couple days later, the extreme cold finally broke. The temperature was normal for winter, but after the chill of the past weeks it almost felt balmy. Elizabeth's students were happily playing outside at recess by Tuesday. Since the sun was out, she decided to sit on the porch steps to soak in the rays. She watched as the children played a lively game of tag, then frowned as she realized her daughter and Opal were nowhere in sight.

She stood and walked down the steps, wondering where they might be. A quick look toward the pond showed that they were sitting by the frozen water, talking in an animated manner. Her worry evaporated, though she watched them for a few seconds longer. Both girls looked tired in class today, and she wondered if what had become a two-night sleepover had been too much for them.

Once recess ended, Elizabeth kept an eye on Allie and Opal. They paid attention and seemed like their usual selves, but something didn't seem right. Elizabeth couldn't put her finger on it. When she subtly asked how they were doing, both girls chirped that they were fine. Elizabeth tried to let go of the worry that gripped her, but for some reason she couldn't.

When she rang the bell to signal class dismissed, everyone bundled up and headed home with excited chatter. As they flowed out the door, Elizabeth caught sight of red moving her way. She saw Nathan hug Allie with a big smile, then walk into the classroom, turning his smile on her. "Hey," he said, his gait relaxed and steady. "How was school today?"

"Good," Elizabeth replied. She wondered if she should mention her concern about Allie to him, but since she had nothing concrete to say, she decided against it. "The kids are excited the weather has changed." She wrinkled her nose. "I'm not sure I could have handled much more indoor recess."

Nathan laughed, the rich sound washing over her. "I'm glad the cold broke too," he said, grinning. He looked around. "Can I help you close down the classroom? Bill said he has a parcel of land to show us. He thinks we'll like it."

Elizabeth's interest was piqued. They'd looked at a few plots before the cold set in, but nothing had caught their attention. "Sure," she said. "That sounds good."

They worked together to ready the classroom for the next day, then Nathan offered her his arm. Bill met them outside, riding up on Hero. He slid off the horse, gathering the reins in his hands. "You two ready to see this land?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Where is it?"

"Only a five minute walk from here," Bill said, motioning across the lake toward a grove of trees. "It's a pretty bit of land with plenty of space to build a home and raise a family." He grinned at Nathan. "It even has a creek that is perfect for fishing."

They reached their destination in no time. Elizabeth sucked in a breath as they took in the land. It was beautiful. The area was heavily wooded, but it would be easy to clear some trees and use them for lumber. Elizabeth immediately fell in love with it. It was private enough to feel like their own space, but the town was close enough to walk to everything. The creek was frozen solid, but it was substantial and would provide a good source of water for them in addition to the fishing. Nathan walked around, surveying the ground and the trees. Elizabeth stood with Bill, waiting for Nathan to circle back to them. Once he did, a big smile split his face. Elizabeth could almost read his thoughts, but he turned to her before voicing them. "What do you think?" he asked, slipping an arm around her.

She smiled up at him. "I think it's perfect."

His smile grew. "So do I." He tightened his hold on her, excitement dancing across his face. "Should we build our home here?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said, no hesitation in her voice. "I think this is a great spot for our family."

Nathan placed a hand on her cheek, gazing into her eyes. "Then we'll take it." The words were directed at Bill, but he never took his eyes from Elizabeth.

Their friend cleared his throat, breaking their connection. "Great," he said, a perceptive look on his face as his eyes swung between the two of them. "You can come to my office anytime this week to sign the paperwork and make a payment."

"How much is it?" Nathan asked, still holding Elizabeth close to his side.

Bill named the price. It was more reasonable than Elizabeth had expected. Nathan gave a nod. "I can pay you the full amount," he said.

Elizabeth's head jerked up. "You can?" she asked, unable to hide her surprise.

Nathan smiled gently. "I've been saving up for a long time," he said. "I always knew someday I'd want to buy land. I just never had a reason to settle down in one spot." His eyes caressed her face. "Now I do."

Bill muttered something under his breath, once again breaking the spell. Elizabeth could swear she heard the word "lovebirds" escape his lips. Her cheeks heated. Nathan must have heard it too. He hid another smile, pressing his lips together. Elizabeth shot him a look, which only made the smile break free. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Well, he's not wrong on my end," he whispered in her ear, giving her a heart-melting look. Her heart responded to his words, beating a rhythm twice its normal rate. A long look passed between them. Something fluttered in her stomach, a desire to finally open herself fully to this man who loved so completely.

Before she could analyze the feeling further, Bill gave a brisk nod. "Alright then. I'll draw up the papers immediately." He smiled. "Congratulations, you two. I'm glad you have a place to call your own."

"Thanks, Bill," Nathan said, reaching out to shake his hand before the three of them started walking back to town. "I think my next step will be talking to Lee about lumber." He glanced back at the trees. "I wonder if he'll be open to turning these trees into lumber for us."

"I'm sure he will," Bill said. "Lee is a fair businessman. If you let him take some of the extra trees for his lumbermill, I'm sure he'll give you the lumber for your home for free. Kind of a trade."

"Hmm." Nathan nodded slowly. "You might have a point there. I'll ask him about that."

The men continued to talk business. Elizabeth was quiet, keeping close to Nathan's side. He'd never taken his arm from her shoulders, and she found she didn't want him to. She liked being tucked next to him, feeling his nearness and strength. A smile played on her lips. She loved just being with him like this.

And now they had a place to call their own. It was enough to make joy bubble up inside, excitement for the new chapter ahead of them.

They parted in town, with Nathan promising to be home right after his rounds. Elizabeth smiled. He'd been coming home earlier, eager to spend time with her and Allie and Jack. Elizabeth loved that about him. He was a family man through and through.

Her thoughts were still on her husband when she got home. She chatted briefly with Laura while she cuddled Jack close. Looking around, she noticed Allie wasn't in the room. Laura said she was up in her room. The unease from earlier spread over Elizabeth once more. Allie never stayed in her room after getting home. She was usually found with a book or a journal in the living room, or playing with Jack on the floor.

After Laura left, Elizabeth got Jack situated with his toys, then went upstairs to check on her daughter. She knocked on the door. A weak "come in" met her ears. Senses on high alert, Elizabeth came into the room.

Allie was lying on her back, a hand to her head. She looked at Elizabeth with glassy eyes. Elizabeth hurried to the bed, sitting on it and bending over her daughter. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" she asked, concern shooting through her entire body.

"Don't feel so good," Allie mumbled. "Head hurts."

Elizabeth placed the back of her hand on Allie's forehead. Her skin was warm and clammy, but a shiver ran through her as Elizabeth watched. She frowned. "When did you start feeling bad?"

"As soon as I got home," Allie said, closing her eyes. "Can you shut the curtains? The light makes my head hurt worse."

Elizabeth rose to fulfill her request. She walked to the pitcher on the dresser and poured a cup of cool water for Allie to drink. "Here," she said, offering it. Allie drank it in one long draught, then sank back into her pillows. "Thanks, Aunt Elizabeth. I think I'm just tired. Opal and I stayed up pretty late during the sleepover."

"I was wondering if that might be the case," Elizabeth said. She smoothed Allie's hair back, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You rest, sweetheart. I'll warm up some soup for dinner. Maybe that'll help too."

Allie nodded, her eyes drifting shut. Elizabeth sat with her for another few moments, then quietly went back downstairs. The sense of unease persisted, but she tried to shove it away. It was probably just a case of exhaustion. Hopefully her girl would be back to normal in the morning.

By noon the next day, Allie had a high fever and a wracking cough. Her entire body hurt. Nathan went into town to fetch Carson or Faith while Elizabeth stayed home with Allie, bathing her fevered brow with cool cloths. She had asked Lee and Rosemary to watch Jack while the sickness was in the house, hoping that he would avoid becoming ill too.

"Hang on, sweetheart," she murmured as Allie let out a pained moan. "We'll have a doctor here to look at you soon."

Allie didn't respond. Her head jerked back and forth on the pillow. Elizabeth silently prayed as she continued to apply water-soaked cloths to Allie's head.

Nathan soon arrived with Faith. Worry lined his face, creating deep grooves in his forehead. Elizabeth didn't often see Nathan like that, and her heart went out to her husband. She knew he was suffering right along with their daughter.

Faith's examination didn't take long. She pressed her lips together, motioning Nathan and Elizabeth out of the room. She looked between them before her eyes landed on Nathan. In a voice that was deliberately gentle, she told them the illness. "Allie has influenza," she said, her tone grim. "Carson and I have seen several cases over the past few days. We don't know what started it, but I suspect the cold front weakened people's immunity." She bit her lip, her gaze shifting to Elizabeth. "Opal and Emily have it too. I would suggest closing down school for the foreseeable future, at least until we can get this under control. I would hate to see an epidemic start."

Elizabeth nodded. "Of course. What can we do for her?"

"Make sure she's as comfortable as possible. Try to keep her cool. Give her lots of liquids and maybe some steam therapy for her cough." She leveled a gaze at Elizabeth. "You've already been exposed, but I need you to be extra careful, Elizabeth," she said. "Usually people recover just fine from influenza, but you are pregnant. It would be much more dangerous for you if you caught this illness." She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm not saying you can't care for your daughter. But make sure you wash your hands frequently and wash your clothes often." Her eyes drifted to Nathan. "Same applies to you. I know you have to be out and about for your job, but be careful. We don't want this to spread."

"We'll be careful," Elizabeth said, her gut tightening in knots. Faith was right. She was already exposed to this virus. But she certainly wasn't going to stop caring for Allie. "We'll make sure to follow those precautions."

Faith nodded. "Good. That's all we can ask." She leveled a look at Elizabeth. "You make sure to alert me or Carson immediately if you come down with anything. We want to make sure you and the baby stay safe."

"I will," Elizabeth said. Nathan put an arm around her, nodding as well. "Thank you, Faith."

After their friend left, Nathan looked at Elizabeth. "Are you sure you want to be in there?" he asked, more concern creasing his eyes. "I don't want you to get sick, Elizabeth."

His concern touched her heart. She placed a hand on his chest, giving him a smile. "I'll be alright, Nathan. Allie is my daughter now, and I have to be there for her. I want to be there for her."

Nathan let out a breath, but he nodded. "Alright, then. Let's get our little girl better."

The next five days passed slowly. An outbreak of influenza did sweep through Hope Valley, though it seemed to be mostly mild cases. Much of Nathan's rounds were dedicated to checking in on those on the outskirts of town who were sick, making sure they had medical supplies and adequate food and water to help with recovery. Though he didn't see any bad cases, he worried for Elizabeth. Faith's words had struck fear in his heart, fear for his wife and her health. If Elizabeth got sick, how would it affect her? How would it affect the baby?

He knew he shouldn't borrow trouble where it might not exist, but he couldn't help the nagging concern. He prayed daily that Elizabeth would remain well and that Allie would heal. It pained his heart to see his little girl struggle for breath and remain in pain.

When he got home that evening, Allie was sitting on the couch, propped against Elizabeth. His wife was reading to the girl, using an animated tone of voice and different voices for the characters. He recognized the story as Louisa May Alcott, but he couldn't place which book it was.

Both girls turned toward him as he came in. Allie had lost the glazed look on her face, and she smiled weakly when she saw him. "Hi, Dad."

He came over and placed a kiss on her head, resting his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, Allie girl. How are you feeling?"

"Better," Allie said. "Much better."

Elizabeth was beaming. "Allie's fever broke," she said, relief in her voice. "And the cough is getting a lot better. We were going to do some more steam treatment after dinner."

Tears stung Nathan's eyes, thankfulness rushing through him. "I'm so happy to hear that!" He pressed another kiss to Allie's head. "You're on the road to recovery, kiddo."

Allie laughed, though the effort brought about a coughing fit. Elizabeth eased her upright, patting her back firmly until the coughs ended. Allie slumped against Elizabeth once more, looking up at her with bright eyes. "You've been so kind to me through all this," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "You were there anytime I needed you." Tears misted her brown eyes. "Thank you."

Nathan knew the words held a deeper meaning, and Elizabeth seemed to sense that too. Her own eyes misted and she pulled Allie close. "I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat," she said softly. "I love you, Allie."

A struggle waged in Allie's eyes. For a brief moment, Nathan thought his daughter was about to say the words back to Elizabeth. Then she settled against her stepmother with a little sigh. "I appreciate that, Aunt Elizabeth."

If Elizabeth was disappointed not to hear words of love from Allie, she hid it well. Looking up at Nathan, she motioned toward the kitchen. "I made chicken noodle soup for dinner tonight. It had to simmer all day. It should be ready by now if we're ready to eat."

Nathan nodded, coming around the settee to help Allie to her feet. "Come on, kiddo," he said, helping her up slowly. Elizabeth rose to her feet as well. She seemed to sway slightly for a moment, her eyes closing. Nathan froze, staring at her. Was she getting sick?

"Elizabeth?" he asked, his heart in his throat.

She waved off his concern, opening her eyes. "I just stood up too fast. It makes me dizzy. The same thing happened when I was pregnant with Jack." She smiled, touching his arm. "I'm fine, Nathan."

His worry must have shown all over his face for her to make that comment. He nodded slowly, his eyes sweeping her face. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure." She got three bowls and filled them with the nourishing soup. After dinner, Nathan boiled some water and brought it to the table as Allie covered her head with a towel over the bowl to breathe in the steam.

Two days later, Allie was back to normal. Nathan was relieved to see her smiling face at breakfast that morning, chattering away as he made pancakes and bacon. He'd let Elizabeth sleep in, knowing how hard she had worked to nurse Allie back to health.

"It's good to see you up, Allie girl," he said, giving her a warm smile. "I'm so glad you're better."

"Me too!" Allie exclaimed. "It's no fun being sick. Are Emily and Opal better too?"

Nathan nodded. "Dr. Shepherd told me that they're doing very well. They both made a full recovery."

"Good," Allie said, taking a sip of her breakfast tea. She tilted her head. "Can we go see that land you bought today? Aunt Elizabeth was telling me all about it. It sounds pretty."

"Certainly," Nathan agreed, flipping some pancakes. "I think you're going to love it. There's the perfect creek for fishing on the property." He grinned. "Maybe you'll finally be able to beat me in catching fish."

"Da-aaa-d!" Allie said, rolling her eyes. "I've beaten you plenty of times!"

Nathan chuckled, turning the pancakes onto a plate. "I have no memory of that."

"Mm-hmm," his daughter replied, laughing. "We'll just have to see once the creek melts. Or maybe we can go ice fishing!"

Nathan considered that. "We haven't been ice fishing in quite some time. Maybe we could do that this winter."

"Yay!" Allie cheered. Nathan was happy to see her excited and lively. He grinned. "Alright, you're on. Maybe next weekend we can take a little fishing trip to the creek."

"Can we take Jack?" Allie asked, her hands wrapped around her teacup. "I think he would love fishing too. And then Aunt Elizabeth could have some time to herself. Maybe she'd like to write."

Nathan smiled. "That's very considerate of you, sweetheart. I'm sure she would love some time for herself."

Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Nathan turned to see Elizabeth making her way slowly down the steps. He started to greet her, then frowned. She was wearing her nightgown without a robe, something she never did. Her cheeks were flushed, and as she got closer Nathan could see a fine sheen of perspiration on her forehead. She swayed on her feet. Alarm filled Nathan. He hurried to her side, taking her arm to steady her as she reached the last step. "Elizabeth, are you alright?"

She looked at him with the same glassy look Allie had worn while she was sick. Her lips opened, but no words came out. All at once her eyes rolled back and she collapsed into Nathan's arms.

Fear shot through him. He lifted Elizabeth into his arms and looked at Allie. "Go to the Coulters and use their phone to call Dr. Carter or Dr. Shepherd," he instructed, trying to keep the panic from his voice. "Tell them your aunt fainted and needs immediate attention."

For a moment, Nathan thought Allie would remain paralyzed where she stood. Terror was written all over her face. But she gave a jerky nod and bolted for the door, barely taking the time to put on her coat before running for help.

Nathan carried Elizabeth to their room. The feverish heat emanating from her skin burned his body. He laid her gently down and found a cool cloth for her head.

"Stay with me, love," he murmured, wiping the sweat from her brow and cooling her face as best he could. He stayed with her until Carson showed up, breathing one prayer over and over again.

Please let her be alright.