Author's note: This is set some time early in season 10 (before the wedding/Lucas running for Gov.) This part of the Suspenders Unbuttoned March Challenge for a blackhole character. This challenge was mostly lost because of the promos released, but I had started this before the promos were released, so I am finishing it and publishing it as part of the challenge.

Chapter 1

Nathan was standing in front of the jail, having a cup of coffee and looking over the town on a nice spring afternoon. He was thinking about taking Allie fishing after school since it was so nice. He watched as people moved about Hope Valley and he was glad that he had stayed a few years back when he had been offered the inspector's position. Yes, there had been some hard times, like Elizabeth telling him that she didn't love him, but Nathan was still convinced that she was lying to herself and that she was still afraid because of what happened to her. She might have been planning a wedding with Lucas, but Nathan saw the way that she looked at him still. There was a part of him that wished that he was bold enough to just walk up and kiss her because then there would be no doubt that she would melt in his arms and finally know her heart.

As Nathan was standing there, he saw a car coming toward the jail. He threw the last of his coffee to the dirt, set his mug down and straightened his serge. He wasn't sure who was in the car, but if it was a superior, he needed to be ready. Nathan stood tall as the car coasted to a stop and a young man that Nathan had never seen before stepped out. Nathan watched as the young man looked around the town and then up at him. The young man looked at him and then pointed to the car.

"Is this okay here?" The young man asked.

"For a little bit." Nathan said. "Can I help you find something or someone?"

The young man continued to look around and was amazed at how much hadn't changed and yet he could see how much had actually changed. Nathan saw the young man looking around, like he was trying to remember. Nathan wondered if the young man hadn't been in Hope Valley before, so he decided to try a different approach.

"Sorry." Nathan said. "I am Constable Nathan Grant and welcome to Hope Valley."

The young man shook his head and tried to focus on the Mountie standing before him.

"I like the new name." The young man said. "I think it fits the town better."

"So you have been here before?" Nathan asked.

"Yes." The man said. "For a short time, about ten years ago. I worked in the mine when it was called Coal Valley. When the mine closed, I moved on to work in another mine to provide for my mother and brothers. That was until other opportunities presented themselves. I guess if you are here, then Mountie Jack is no longer here."

"I am sorry." Nathan said. "Constable Jack Thornton was killed in the line of duty five years ago."

"Sorry." The man said. "I hadn't heard that. Did he ever get together with Miss Thatcher?"

"Yes, they were married shortly before he was killed." Nathan said. "I am sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Sorry." The young man said. "Wyatt Weaver."

"You must have been young when you worked in the mine?" Nathan said.

"I was sixteen, almost seventeen." Wyatt said.

Just then, Wyatt saw Henry walking toward them and when he saw them, he stopped. Henry looked at the young man that was standing with Nathan and thought he should know him, but couldn't place him.

"Nathan." Henry said.

Henry nodded to the young man.

"Mr Gowen." Wyatt said.

"Henry." Nathan said. "Was there something that you needed?"

"I was just going to let you know that we got the new shoes for Newton." Henry said.

Henry then turned to the young man.

"I am sorry, do I know you?" Henry asked. "You look familiar, but I can't place you."

"Wyatt Weaver." He said. "I briefly worked for you here, about ten years ago."

"Oh." Henry said.

"No hard feelings." Wyatt said. "We are all different people then we were then. I am just glad to see you still around."

"Thank you." Henry said. "I will leave you be. Nathan, see you later."

Nathan nodded, then Henry turned and left the two men. He was suddenly overcome with memories that he would have wished were left buried. Once Henry had walked away, Nathan turned back to the young man in front of him.

"So what was it that you wanted?" Nathan asked.

"Sorry." Wyatt said. "I had been looking for Miss Thatcher, I guess Mrs Thronton now, but if Mountie Jack died, I figured she left. I have something for her."

"She is still here." Nathan said.

Nathan pulled out his pocket watch and then looked back at the young man.

"She should be letting school out in about thirty minutes." Nathan said. "If you want to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, then I will walk over there with you."

"That sounds good." Wyatt said. "Since Mountie Jack is no longer here, I guess I will have to talk to you about the other part of my idea."

"Thank you." Nathan said. "I will listen, but I don't know if I will be able to help you. I know that there are still some people here that were here when the mine was open, but unfortunately, I am not one of them. I came here about five years ago."

"That is fine." Wyatt said.

The two men went into the jail and Nathan poured each of them a cup of coffee, then they went back to the porch to sit since it was a nice day.

"So what would you like to talk about?" Nathan asked.

Before Wyatt could answer, they heard running on the boardwalk and Little Jack came barreling up to Nathan.

"Mountie Nathan." Jack called. "Mountie Nathan."

"Yes, Jack." Nathan said.

Jack held out his hand and showed Nathan the small heart stone in his hand. It was a few minutes and Rosemary came up.

"Sorry, Nathan." Rosemary said. "He saw you and he was too quick. I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"It is fine, ma'am." Wyatt said. "He was excited to see him. I remember my brothers being the same way with Mountie Jack."

"You knew Mountie Jack?" Rosemary questioned.

"I lived here briefly about ten years ago." Wyatt said. "Sorry to hear that he passed."

Rosemary looked at the young man, tilted her head and looked at him again. She knew the the young man looked familiar but she couldn't place him.

"Sorry, I don't remember you." Rosemary said.

"Wyatt Weaver, ma'am." He said. "I worked in the mine for a short time before it closed. If I remember correctly, you came back to try and win Mountie Jack back because you had been engaged at one time. I hear that Mountie Jack married Miss Thatcher, so I hope things worked out for you as well."

"Yes, they did." Rosemary said. "I married Lee Coulter who came to open a sawmill after the mine was closed. We were actually married before Jack and Elizabeth. You were the young man who Jack talked about that was really smart and he asked you about the definition of words."

"Yes, ma'am." Wyatt said.

Little Jack looked between the adults and then he looked at the man sitting with Mountie Nathan.

"You knew my daddy?" Little Jack asked.

Wyatt smiled at the young boy.

"Yes, I did." Wyatt said. "He was a wonderful man and I know that he loved your Mama very much. I am sorry that he is gone."

"He is in heaven." Little Jack said.

"Yes." Wyatt said. "But you know that he would have loved you so much. He always loved playing with the boys and spending time with the children."

Little Jack smiled.

"Are you a Mountie too?" Little Jack asked.

"No." Wyatt said. "But my brother might be soon. He is going to finish his schooling next year and he wants to be a Mountie.

"I will start school next year." Little Jack said.

"That will be fun." Wyatt said. "If you work hard and listen to your Mama, I am sure you will grow up to be anything you want."

"I am going to be a Mountie like my daddy." Little Jack said, proudly.

Nathan and Rosemary exchanged a look.

"I think that is great." Wyatt said. "I hope that happens."

"Jack." Rosemary said. "We need to go, Mountie Nathan is busy."

"Bye." Little Jack said.

He took Rosemary's hand and waved to the two men as he walked away.

"He is sweet." Wyatt said. "He must have been born just before Mountie Jack died."

"Actually." Nathan said. "Jack never met his son. He didn't even know that Elizabeth was expecting when he passed away in a landslide a couple months after his wedding."

"Oh." Wyatt said. "Sorry."

"It is fine." Nathan said. "You didn't know."

"I have been in the States for the last six years." Wyatt said. "After I left the mine, I moved my mother and brothers back to Toronto so they had better opportunities."

"What were you doing in the States?" Nathan asked.

"I was working in Philadelphia." Wyatt said.

"I want to know more." Nathan said. "But we should head over to the schoolhouse."

"I am so glad that Mrs Thornton got a schoolhouse." Wyatt said. "When I was here, she was teaching in the saloon, but I know that Mountie Jack wanted her to have a schoolhouse of her own."

"Well." Nathan said. "From my understanding, he built her one. I never had the chance to meet Jack Thornton, but from everything I hear, he was an excellent Mountie and a wonderful man."

"He was great." Wyatt said. "He really helped my brothers, who were struggling after our father had died and I had to go to work to support the family."

"Sorry about your father." Nathan said. "I know that it isn't easy when the person who is supposed to support you is gone. I was lucky and my mother was resourceful and she was able to provide for me and my sister. But it seems like you have done well for yourself and have been able to provide for your mother and brothers."

"Yes." Wyatt said. "I have been lucky, but I have had people along the way that have helped me. For that I am grateful. That is why I try to always help others, especially those that are less fortunate than I have been."

The two men walked to the schoolhouse in silence. People turned to watch as Nathan walked with a man that they hadn't seen before. Some people stopped to look closer at the young man and wondered who he was and if he was sticking around. Wyatt had grown into a fine young man. He was tall, in fact he was maybe an inch or so taller then Nathan. He was also slender, but you can tell that he worked for a living as the sleeves of his shirt were tight on his biceps, so you could see that he had muscles. Many of the women stopped and looked at the young man, even the married ones. Everyone was wondering who it was, but no one had the courage to go up and ask. They wondered if it wasn't a relative of Nathan's who had come to town.