AN: Well it's about half as long as last week's chapter but where I want to go next feels like a new chapter. I also wrote a majority of this chapter this morning so you can have an update so be happy for even the short one! Thanks to Katie for the last minute look through for my typos and wrong forms of words! Hope you all enjoy!

The rest of their time in Hamilton went by quickly. Elizabeth was able to introduce Nathan, Archie and Ally to almost all of her extended family. Nathan quipped that if she quizzed him on names he would fail, while Ally was reveling in being part of a big family. Elizabeth had a feeling that Archie would have happily skipped these family functions if not for Julie. The Thatcher family's social butterfly had taken a liking to the older man and seemed to have made it her responsibility to make sure Nathan's father felt comfortable. Though she couldn't tell if her father-in-law was humoring Julie or genuinely enjoyed her company, Elizabeth didn't miss the smile on his face while her sister was at his side.

Elizabeth made a call to Rick Mortin about considering Elise Chastain as the permanent teacher for Hope Valley. Having talked to her friend about her education and experience teaching in Hamilton, Elizabeth gave the head of the Hope Valley School Board a glowing recommendation of the young woman. Rick asked for contact information for Miss Chastain so he could speak with her himself. Elise called immediately after the conversation saying that she felt it had gone well and that he had asked for her to send copies of her teaching credentials.

"And you are sure you don't mind giving up your teaching position, Elizabeth?" Elise had asked.

"I will be happy to leave my students in your capable hands, Elise."

In the following days, it was arranged that Elise Chastain would be employed by the Hope Valley School Board. Arrangements had been made for her arrival in Hope Valley in mid-January. Elizabeth assured Mr. Mortin that she would be happy to teach until Elise's arrival.

In what seemed like no time, trunks and bags had been packed for the Grant's family return West. With the staff helping with the packing and William taking care of travel arrangements, even Elizabeth and Nathan were able to enjoy the final moments of their visit. Her parents and Julie came with them to the train station and there was a lot of waving from windows until the train finally pulled out of the station.

Though her morning sickness hadn't seemed as bad during her time in Hamilton, the motion of the train seemed to bring it back. Elizabeth was thankful that it didn't seem as bad, though that didn't stop Nathan from doting on her. At first, she found his constant hovering aggravating as it went against her independent nature. However, when she thought about how often she had longed for a husband to help her through her pregnancy with Jack, she tried to relax and enjoy his attentions.

Still, by the time the train pulled into the station at Hope Valley, all the travelers were happy to be home. They were even happier to find that Lee and Henry were there with their automobiles to take the weary travelers to their respective homes.

As Henry pulled up in front of the Grant house, Faith and Vincent stepped out onto the front porch. Vincent had Nate in his hands, and upon seeing Jack, the duck started making a commotion. As happy as the duck to be reunited, Jack scurried from the car to greet his pet. Ally was right behind her brother.

"Thank you for the ride, Henry," Nathan said as he helped Elizabeth from the car.

"You are welcome," the older man replied. "I could stay and help with the luggage when Lee gets here if you would like," he offered. The luggage had all been loaded into Lee's car, who had driven Archie home.

"The ride home is more than enough. After the long train trip, I had not been looking forward to a trip home by wagon," Nathan assured him.

"My pleasure," Henry said before offering a farewell to them both.

With her arm securely through Nathan's, Elizabeth made the short walk to the porch where Faith was still waiting as Henry drove off.

"Welcome home," Faith greeted them.

"It's good to be home," Nathan replied for both of them.

"I am sure you would like some time to relax. However, we knew Jack would be anxious to have Nate back home and Tom and Gabriel are inside cooking supper so neither of you have to," Faith told them.

"I hope they are making enough for you all to stay and eat with us," Elizabeth said as she gave her friend a hug.

As they broke away, Faith chuckled. "They are. Though we are also prepared to take ours home with us if you were too tired for guests."

"We are never too tired for family," Elizabeth assured her. "Especially when said family cooked for us."

"Good," Faith replied. "I would love to hear about your trip. But first, let's get you inside."

"Before we do that," Nathan said, making Faith pause after one step toward the house. "We need to talk to you alone for a moment."

"All right," Faith said, turning back her gaze going from Nathan to Elizabeth as she tried to figure out what was going on.

It was Elizabeth who spoke up first.

"I think I am expecting, Faith, and I was hoping to come in and have you confirm it."

Faith's worried expression changed into a smile. "I would be happy too. I do have two appointments in the morning, but nothing is scheduled after ten a.m. Can you make it then?"

"I'll have her there," Nathan said.

Faith reached out and hugged Elizabeth again before the trio moved for the house.

"Our parents know but the kids don't," Elizabeth cautioned.

"I won't tell anyone, even Gabriel, until you give me the okay."

"Once we have confirmation, we plan on telling people," Nathan said reaching for the front door. Opening it, he held it for the two women before following them inside. As they did, they heard Vincent telling Ally about his Christmas puppy he had been able to finally take home the evening before.

"I decided to call her Twila," Vincent was saying. "We picked her up at twilight but that seemed like too long of a name."

Elizabeth smiled. It was good to be home.

The next day, after seeing Laura back off to Hamilton at the train station, Nathan found himself pacing the small confines of the infirmary. Behind the curtain, Faith gave Elizabeth an examination. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous. Having a baby was a perfectly natural thing. Other than her touchy stomach, Elizabeth seemed perfectly healthy.

"Can you please stop pacing?" Elizabeth called from behind the curtain. "You are making me nervous."

"Sorry," Nathan muttered, making his way to a chair on the side of the room. He sat down in the chair to finish waiting, subconsciously bouncing his left knee.

The next minutes that passed seemed to drag on for Nathan. In actuality, it was less than ten minutes before Faith slipped through the curtain, keeping it pulled around the bed. Nathan got quickly to his feet, his mouth opening but the question on his mind not coming out.

Faith smiled. "Relax, Dad. Mother and baby seem perfectly healthy," she said, trying to assure him.

"Then she is?"

Faith nodded.

Nathan gave a sigh of relief and then enveloped Faith into a hug and twirling her around. As he placed her down, Nathan realized what he had done and his cheeks tinged with red. "Sorry," he said quietly.

"No worries," Faith said, chuckling. "Though that is probably the most enthusiastic thank you, I have ever received in my short career. Would you have reacted the same way with Carson?"

"I may have," Nathan told her. "Though he would have been a bit harder to spin around," he admitted.

Faith chuckled, and then went to her desk to put down the folder clutched in her hand. A short time later the curtain around the bed was pushed back. Elizabeth didn't even have a chance to speak before Nathan enveloped her in a hug.

"I am so glad you are excited about this," Elizabeth told him, her arms around him as well.

"Excited doesn't half cover it," Nathan assured her before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I am half tempted to run down main street shouting the news."

"What news?"

Looking up, Nathan spotted Gabriel standing just inside the infirmary door. The Mountie was removing the Stetson from his head. Though he kept one arm around his wife as he kept her at his side, Nathan addressed the question.

"Elizabeth and I are expecting a baby," Nathan told his friend.

A grin broke out on Gabriel's face. "Congratulations," he said. "Looks like we'll be raising these kids together then."

Faith had moved to her husband's side. "I am kind of relieved to have someone to go through my first pregnancy with," she admitted.

Elizabeth looked up at Nathan. "I have a feeling this one will feel completely different from when I was expecting Jack. I have a husband and two other children in the house. I won't feel so alone."

Nathan pressed a kiss to her forehead and then looked back to Gabriel. "We still need to let the kids know, so if you could keep this between us for the rest of the day that would be appreciated."

"My lips are sealed," Gabriel assured him. "Now, let's hope that I get good news as well and my doctor here says I can lose the sling," he said, smiling down at his wife.

"Even if you do, you are still going to have limitations until you build the strength back up."

"Yes, dear."

Nathan and Elizabeth chuckled at the exchange before saying good-bye to their friends. They had brought Ally and Jack into town with them, dropping them off to visit with Bill while they completed their task. They had not said what errand they needed to complete, and they had hoped the kids would be distracted enough with telling their honorary grandfather about their Christmas that no one had watched them from the window.

Now, with Elizabeth's hand tucked in the crook of his elbow, Nathan led them back down the street. Though they exchanged quick greetings with neighbors and friends, the happy couple kept moving. The chill in the air aided that, as those they passed were trying to get to their destination as well.

Reaching the Office of the Judge, Nathan opened the door and let Elizabeth precede him inside. Stepping in behind her, Nathan pulled the door shut behind them and took in the scene.

Bill was sitting in his chair, feet propped up on the desk and Jack nestled in his lap. The boy was happily telling his god father about the big ships he got to explore. Ally was perched on the desk next to Bill's boot, filling in details for her little brother's story.

At the sound of their entrance, Jack looked toward the door, stopping his story in mid thought. "Hi, Dad! Hi, Mama!"

"Hi, my sweet boy," Elizabeth replied. "Have you been good for your Grandpa Bill?" she asked.

"I have. Telling him 'bout Grandpa's ships."

"Did you ask permission to sit on his desk, Ally?" Nathan asked his daughter.

The girl nodded as she looked back at her father. "I did. Grandpa Bill said it was all right."

"I put my feet up there. She isn't going to hurt anything," Bill confirmed.

"Are you done with your errand?" Ally asked.

"We are," Nathan said. "Your mother and I were thinking we could have an early diner at the café before heading home."

Both kids cheered and Jack asked, "Can Grandpa join us?"

"It's fine with me if you invite him," Nathan said.

Jack looked from Nathan to Bill. "Can you eat with us?" he asked, expectantly.

"I would love to," Bill replied with a smile. "The thing about paperwork is it doesn't go anywhere if you leave it sit."

Nathan, Elizabeth and Ally chuckled at the comment while Jack looked perplex. Bill reached out and mussed the boy's hair. "You will get it one day."

"Before we go though," Nathan said, getting everyone's attention again. "Your Mama and I have some news."

Nathan motioned Elizabeth toward one of the chairs across from Bill. After making sure Elizabeth was seated, he took the chair next to her.

"I just had a visit with Dr. Carter," Elizabeth said. "I had a suspicion of why smells and the train ride were upsetting my stomach and I wanted her to confirm it."

"Are you expecting?" Ally asked, excitedly.

"Yes, dear," Elizabeth replied.

"Even my own daughter was able to put things together quicker than me," Nathan muttered.

Elizabeth chuckled as she patted his arm. "Sometime in August we will be welcoming a new member to the family." She looked across the desk at Jack. Her son looked confused. "You will be getting a little brother or sister then, Jack."

"But I am the little brother," Jack countered.

"And you will always be my little brother," Ally told him. "But both of us will be big siblings to another brother or sister."

Jack frowned. "I don't want to. I like being little."

"Don't worry kid, you are always going to be your Mama's little boy no matter how big you get," Bill told Jack, giving him a hug. "And you will always be my first god child," he added before looking up at Nathan and Elizabeth. "I do get to be god father again, right?"

Nathan and Elizabeth chuckled. The former exchanged a silent message with his wife before replying. "Yes, Bill. You get to be this new child's god father as well."

"Will you still love me?" Jack asked, his lower lip sticking out.

Nathan put an arm briefly on Elizabeth's arm urging her to stay seated even as he got to his feet. Walking around the desk he lifted Jack from Bill's arms and hugged him closely. "You will always be loved, Jack. You are my first son. Nothing will change that, and you know what?"

Jack shook his head.

"The new baby will love you as well. You will gain people who love you not lose them."

"You promise?"

"I promise," Nathan assured him.

Jack leaned his head on Nathan's shoulder, his tiny arms around his father's neck. It looked as though they would need to spend the interceding months trying to get Jack used to the idea of a young sibling. He hoped they had said the right things to start the process. Nathan was also glad they had decided to wait until their ride home to mention stopping by the Campbell's to pick out a dog for their family. He had a feeling it would be a welcome distraction for them all.