Chapter 51- A Dream of Us

Charlotte snuggled close into Nathan as he urged Newton into a steady gait and directed him up the mountain towards the meadow. Neither of them spoke, their individual thoughts drowned out by the even sound of Newt's hooves on the trail and the creak of the leather saddle underneath them.

Nathan's heart threatened to beat out of his chest whenever Charlotte adjusted slightly behind him. Her breath was warm as her lips would almost graze across the pulse point on his neck. Nathan's hand resting along hers would involuntarily clench in reaction. He swore once that Charlotte noticed the effect she had on him, because a soft giggle escaped from within her.

Nathan squeezed his heels into Newton's sides, moving the horse into a gallop, earning a squeal of delight from Charlotte. Causing her to tighten the grip she had on Nathan's waist.

They continued at that pace, until Nathan pulled back on the reins slowing Newton to a walk as he turned the horse down the path leading to their land.

"Wait," Nathan felt Charlotte straighten behind him, peering over his shoulder to see where they were. "We're not going to the meadow?"

"Not today."

"Nathan, where are we?"

Nathan sensed the apprehension in Charlotte's voice. "I know we've been busy with work and family, but remember a few weeks ago when I asked if I could take you somewhere? That there was something I wanted to show you."

"Mmmmm… hmmmm," Charlotte hummed against him as she again leaned closer. "I remember. You said that you had a surprise for me."

A few moments later, they came into the clearing and Nathan heard Charlotte gasp.

"Nathan…" Charlotte's voice trailed off.

"This was what I wanted to show you. Your surprise." Nathan's thumb rubbed back and forth on Charlotte's knuckles.

"It's beautiful," Charlotte stated. Clearly full of wonder and awe.

Nathan gracefully swung his leg over Newton's neck and slid off to the side, before turning back and reaching for Charlotte. She smiled and leaned forward, placing her hands on his shoulders as he helped her from Newton's back. Nathan's hands slid slowly up Charlotte's sides as she came to join him on the ground.

"You are beautiful," Nathan reached up and tucked a piece of hair that had escaped Charlotte's braid during the ride.

Charlotte blushed and turned away shyly. Her eyes scanning their surroundings. Taking in the site.

The mountain breeze bent and lifted the prairie grass in rhythmic waves around them. Like the waves of an ocean. Charlotte thought. A green sea flowing around the roots of a pine and aspen forest.

Her jaw dropped in realization.

"Is there something wrong?" Nathan asked, noting the change in Charlotte.

"No," Charlotte shook her head. "There is nothing wrong, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"I've been here before."

"What?" The shock carried in Nathan's voice. "What do you mean you've been here before?"

"Well… not here, here. But I've dreamed about it before."

"You've dreamed about it? When?"

Charlotte turned slightly towards Nathan. Here expression, sheepish. "On the cattle drive in Brookfield. The night when I sang and then we fell asleep beside each other, holding hands. It was the first time in a long time, I had slept so peacefully. It was the first time since my attack that I had remembered a happy dream upon waking."

"You dreamed of this place?"

"I dreamed of us," Charlotte's cheeks again blushed at her admission.

Nathan reached over and took Charlotte's hand in his, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "Tell me this dream of yours."

"You don't want to know about my dreams."

"Charlotte, of course I want to know about your dreams. How else am I supposed to help them come true?"

"Sometimes I feel like I'm already living a dream. Like this all can't be real. You can't be real."

"I am very real darling. What we have is real. Now show me what this vision of our future looks like."

"Are you sure?"

"Humor me."

Charlotte smiled as she started them down the path, Nathan leading Newton along behind.

"Well in my dream, we were walking along this riverbank, talking about what we both envisioned for our future."

"Much like we are now."

"Yes. Much like we are now," Charlotte chuckled.

"So, what else did you see in your dream?"

"This area," Charlotte pointed to a spot a little way up the hill from the river. "Would be the perfect place for a garden full of vegetables and flowers. It's close enough to the river for watering, but also an easy walking distance to the house."

"The house?" Nathan's lips turned up into a smile.

"Yes, the house," Charlotte's eyes glittered in the afternoon sunlight as she continued her explanation and led Nathan further up the hill to the flat open clearing.

"Right here," Charlotte released Nathan's hand and twirled around in the tall grass. "A layout like Lillian and Grace's. When you come through the front door, which would go about there, you instantly enter the living room. Family pictures lining every wall, table, and bookshelf. There would be big windows here to the east so you can see the sunrise and then even bigger ones here on the west outlining a large fireplace in the middle. That way even in the wintertime, you can watch the sun set over the mountains while snuggled in by a crackling fire. The dining room would be through here, with big bay windows, perfect for reading or a Christmas tree. A hutch full of pretty dishes and linens could line this wall over here, just below the stairs."

Nathan followed along as Charlotte continued to lead him through her dreams of their house. He saw it too. It was a big dream, but one he couldn't wait to give to her.

"And here. This whole side of the house would make the most incredible kitchen. I would put the sink right here, so while doing dishes we would look out over the river and pasture full of cattle."

Nathan's heart sped up when Charlotte finally used the term 'we' in her description of their home. "A pasture full of cattle?"

"Well maybe at least a few," Charlotte answered. "A big red barn would be perfect over there. Again, just the right distance from the house. With stalls for the horses and maybe a place for a few chickens and a milk cow. With a fenced-in pasture off to the side here. And what are your thoughts on putting in a workshop for your woodworking projects? It could be right off the side of the barn here, with a small wood burning stove to keep you warm in the winter."

She really had thought of everything. Parts Nathan had envisioned too, but he hadn't even considered a workshop. "I would love that. You forgot to mention the porch."

"I already described the porch to you. In Brookfield, remember?" Charlotte winked.

"Ah, yes!" Nathan chuckled. "A wrap-around porch, with hanging baskets and window boxes for flowers, correct?"

"You got it! Don't forget about the rocking chairs."

"How could I forget the rocking chairs?" Nathan joked, which earned him a playful slug on the arm from Charlotte.

"Or maybe we should have a porch swing instead?

"Both?" Nathan asked. "It is a big porch."

"I like the way you think, Mr. Grant."

Mr. Grant. Why was it when she called him 'Mr. Grant' did Nathan's heart seem to skip a beat?

"I think you've covered almost everything," Nathan stated, coming to stand by Charlotte. Newton nickered beside him, no doubt feeling a bit dizzy being led all over the property as Charlotte and Nathan discussed their plans for the future.

Charlotte reached forward to scratch the loyal steed behind his ears, in the spot right below the headstall of his bridle. The horse nuzzled into her embrace. "What did I miss?"

"You didn't say anything about the upstairs. I thought in Brookfield, you mentioned always wanting a two-story house. Tons of bedrooms," Nathan was feeling brazen. "Are you expecting to fill them all with kids?"

He was being more forward and direct than usual, but he needed to know exactly what Charlotte was picturing.

"Maybe four bedrooms?" Charlotte hid her face in Newton's mane, shielding the rosy hue that flushed her cheeks. "I know that may seem like a lot, but Allie deserves her own room. Even though she will be going off to college soon, I always hope she thinks of this as home and knows she has a place here to call her own."

"Allie's grown up so much this summer. She's no longer a little girl."

"Nathan, she'll always be your little girl."

Nathan smiled as he turned his attention back to the clearing in front of him, picturing every detail Charlotte had brought to life for them over the past few minutes. "Allie's space is only one of the bedrooms."

"What?"

"You're forgetting about the other bedrooms. You said you saw four, but you only talked about Allie's."

"Oh, yes." Charlotte remembered. "Allie's room, a boy's room, a girl's room, and then a guest room for any visitor or family member. A bathroom upstairs would also be a lovely addition."

"No master bedroom in this dream of yours?"

Charlotte blinked. "I guess… I didn't really think about that."

"I shouldn't be surprised. Always thinking of others' comfort before your own."

"Nathan, this has been fun, but why are we doing this? Whose land is this?"

"Bill purchased it when he first came to town ten years ago." The truth, just not one hundred percent the truth.

"And he never wanted to build out here? It would make a beautiful home."

"Bill always likes to be at the center of the action, which means being in town for him. Being out here, he would be afraid of missing out on some excitement."

"It is a little way out of Hope Valley. A bit of a ride every day for work."

"I don't think I'd mind. It would be… peaceful."

"It is quiet here. Don't get me wrong, the row houses are nice, especially my neighbors, but this. This would be bliss. Every single day."

"I agree. I've always loved this place too."

Charlotte again looked around them, this piece of property was like a little slice of heaven on earth. Bill was a lucky man.

Suddenly Charlotte reached over and grabbed Nathan's hand.

"Come with me," she directed. "You can leave Newt; he won't wander far. I actually think he's getting a little tired of following us around anyway."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Not far."

It wasn't far. Before long, Charlotte had led Nathan to the very top of the hill at the edge of the tree line.

"Wow!" Nathan exclaimed looking out over the property. "It really is something, isn't it?"

"Have you ever brought Allie here?" Charlotte asked, taking a seat on the ground.

"No," Nathan answered, following Charlotte's lead, and sitting beside her. "You're the only person I've shared this place with."

"Thank you," Charlotte squeezed Nathan's hand. "I've loved my surprise and it's nice to get away sometimes. Just the two of us. Especially with how busy we have been with work."

"And how busy we have been with my family."

"We haven't had much of a chance to talk about your mom since she told us about her diagnosis and Archie. How are you doing with all that?"

Nathan took a deep breath. "I will be honest, I'm not quite sure. I've been so busy at the office and with different cases, that I'm just trying to take it all one day at a time. How else are you supposed to handle the news that your mom is slowly losing all her memories and at some point, she may even completely forget who you are?"

"I can't even imagine, Nate. It's a heavy burden to carry by yourself."

"Thankfully I'm not by myself." Nathan's gaze turned towards Charlotte. "Not anymore. You've been there for me more than any other person ever has. Well, maybe you're tied with Allie."

"I'll happily be in the same category as Allie," Charlotte chuckled, before deciding to change the topic to something a little lighter. "Wouldn't this hill be perfect for sledding down in the winter?"

"I haven't been sledding in… forever. Colleen and I went maybe a time or two when we still lived on the farm growing up. We didn't have enough money for an actual sled, so Colleen stole a couple of mom's baking sheets from the kitchen. Maise was so mad when she found out that the pans she wanted to use to make bread had been sliding down the snowy hills all over the farm."

The image caused both Nathan and Charlotte to laugh.

"Well, if you haven't been sledding in forever. When was the last time you rolled down a hill?"

"I don't know if I've ever rolled down a hill."

"Never?"

"Not that I remember."

"It's time to change that. Last one to the bottom, is in charge of Sunday dinner?" Charlotte challenged.

"Charlie, when are you going to learn it's not in anyone's best interest if I lose? We all run the risk of starving or getting tired of eating trout."

"Then you better get rollin' Nate." Charlotte winked before getting into position and beginning her descent down the hill. Her laughter echoing off the mountains around them.

Nathan followed suit, laying to his side, and rolling after Charlotte. As he picked up speed the world around him became a blur. One continuous view of grass, trees, mountains, sky, and sun. Over and over again. He felt drunk and out of control, while at the same time completely free and happy.

What was it about Charlotte? At one moment they could be having such an adult, heartfelt conversation and then sensing a need for change, she made Nathan feel like a kid again. Charlotte had a way of making each day seem special in one way or another. Holidays, birthdays, and every small moment in between were magical in Charlotte's presence.

Imagining the rest of his life spent that way, made Nathan want to slow down and speed up all at the same time. Slow down, because he didn't want to take a single moment spent with Charlotte for granted and speed up, because… well he couldn't wait to start his life with her. As husband and wife.

As the slope of the hill started to level, Nathan's spinning world began to ease. On each turn, he tried to spot Charlotte, but he was too late and suddenly Nathan's body collided with hers.

Instinctively, Nathan tried to shield Charlotte away from the ground and not crush her under his weight. He wrapped his arms around Charlotte's body and with another half turn they came to rest on the verdant grass a short distance from the river's edge.

Charlotte lay on top of Nathan. Their legs tangled together. Nathan's hands rested gently on Charlotte's hips. He could feel the flutter of Charlotte's eyelashes against his cheek. Their noses brushed as Charlotte's hands pressed against Nathan's suspenders, pushing her body up slightly to look into Nathan's eyes. Her thumb ran along the edge of his shirt's opening, the feeling of Nathan's bare chest below Charlotte's fingertips made her breath jagged and rushed.

"I…" Charlotte's mind couldn't form words as she felt Nathan's left hand slowly trail up her back.

Suddenly a sense of bashfulness came over Charlotte and she pressed further away from Nathan, rolling to the side to sit on the ground beside him.

"I'm sorry," her voice was husky. "I just…"

Nathan pushed himself upright, so he was sitting beside Charlotte. He reached over and laid his hand on top of hers. "I know. Charlotte, you never need to explain to me. I'm sorry if I was rushing…"

"No," Charlotte interrupted. "No. You are not rushing anything. Nathan, you have the patience of Job for dealing with me and all the baggage I have. I swear I take two steps forward, one step back."

"I don't know if I'm that patient," Nathan chuckled. "But I hope you know I will never purposely do anything to hurt you. And remember two steps forward, one step back is still progress."

"Nathan, I feel some days all I do is hold you back from living the life you should already have by now. The big house with kids running around and a wife who can be everything you deserve," tears began to well in the corner of Charlotte's eyes as she looked out over the river.

"You are the life that I want, Charlotte. In the past, I'm not sure if I've ever been forward enough to tell you that. I didn't want to pressure you, but I think you need to know what I have in my heart. What you've described today. I want that. Lord knows I've wanted it for a long time, but that life would only be complete if it is you as my wife. Because at the end of the day, you're the person I want to come home to. You're the person I want to tell how my day went. You're the person I want to share my happiness, sadness, frustrations, and success with."

Charlotte released a heavy breath. "That's all I've wanted too; I just never know if I can be enough for you. If I can ever get over… what I've been through."

"Charlotte, whatever we are able to... share. That will be enough for me because you will always be enough for me. Never doubt that."

Charlotte squeezed Nathan's hand, but then something caught her attention along the tree line where Newton was grazing.

"Is that…" Charlotte's voice trailed as she pushed off the ground to stand, brushing off the grass that had collected on her skirt.

Nathan moved to stand as well and followed Charlotte's gaze, even though he already knew what she most likely spotted.

Charlotte grazed past him as she started to walk towards the aspen grove at the edge of the clearing. Nathan followed closely behind.

"I can't believe it," Charlotte's voice was giddy as she turned back to look at Nathan. "You did this?"

Nathan's hands pushed into his pockets. Suddenly self-conscious.

"You built a tree swing?"

Nathan nodded his head, watching Charlotte's fingers glide down the rope to the wooden seat. "You mentioned having one at home growing up and it was a special place that held a lot of memories. I wanted us to have a place to create those memories here too."

Charlotte bent lower to inspect his handy work.

"Nathan…" Her breath caught.

"Ah… yes. The carving. It's not perfect, but I wanted this tree swing to have something a little special."

Charlie + Nate was scrolled into the wood with delicate forget-me-not flowers hand hewed into the swing's edges.

"It's almost too beautiful to sit on," Charlotte turned to face Nathan, moving to sit down on the swing. "Almost."

Her love beamed from every feature of her face. Their rays directed exclusively on Nathan.

"Give me a push?" Charlotte gently asked.

Nathan smiled and walked closer. He reached forward and touched Charlotte's hand that gripped the rope of the tree swing. As he came around behind her, Nathan's hand slowly trailed up Charlotte's arm, feeling her soft skin under his fingertips, before he leaned forward, pushing the wood seat of the swing forward.

He kept pushing Charlotte. Watching as she rose further and further into the sky. Charlotte's giggles caused Nathan to feel as though he too were on the tree swing. Soaring high, then rushing backwards too quickly, the sensation causing his stomach to turn light.

Nathan couldn't wait any longer. He had to ask. Would this time be different?

"Charlotte, you know what I said earlier about you being the life I want? That you're the person I long to come home to?" Nathan asked but did not wait for an answer before continuing. "Since the first day I met you, I realized you are both my home and my greatest adventure."

Nathan gave Charlotte's seat another strong shove and then took a couple steps toward Newton who was chomping on grass a couple feet away. He glanced over his shoulder to see Charlotte still pumping her legs, continuing her climb into the sky.

"The dream we talked about today. The property, the house, the kids… what we mean to each other," Nathan reached into his saddle bag and felt the velvety texture of the material. "I want to build that dream with you. Together as..."

Before Nathan could pull the satchel from the saddle bag and return to Charlotte, he heard her feet skid across the ground and come to an abrupt stop.

"Nathan, what time is it?" Charlotte asked, twisting the swing slightly to the side to look at him.

Nathan quickly shoved the contents in his hand back into the saddle bag and turned to face Charlotte. Her question finally registering with him, Nathan looked at the position of the sun in the sky. "I don't know… maybe 4:30?"

"Oh, my goodness," Charlotte sprang up from the tree swing and in a moments time was at Newton's side.

"What?" Nathan questioned, seeing the level of concern across Charlotte's face. "What's wrong?"

"We've been so busy, we completely forgot Fred's adoption ceremony is tonight! We have to get back as soon as possible. Gabe, Chuck, Tess, Lillian, Grace, and the children are probably already in town!"

The color drained from Nathan's face. How could he have forgotten about Fred's adoption ceremony? Nathan quickly mounted Newton, before reaching down to help Charlotte aboard.

"Better hang on again, darling," Nathan wrapped Charlotte's arms around his waist and urged Newton into a gallop, quickly covering ground back to the main road leading into Hope Valley.

His question would just have to wait for another time.

*Lots of fluff and dreaming happening in this chapter!

And since last chapter had the buttons, we bring in a little bit of the suspenders in Chapter 51... Enjoy :)