The smoke was choking her and she could barely see Luke anymore. She coughed and tried to stay low to the floor but she feared she wouldn't get back up if she crawled down there. It was so dark. Everything was hot.

"LUKE!" she screamed, her voice so raspy. "Please, help me!"

Just as she caught sight of him again, she heard a crash and the ceiling caved in behind her. "NOOOOO!"

She sat up in bed, trying to breathe, her heart racing. It wasn't hot. It wasn't smoky. She was in her room. She was safe.

She picked up her phone. 5:48am two days before they would say their vows at The Bluff.

He was working so she texted him, needing to hear his voice and calm her mind and heart that he didn't really die in a fire. She didn't lose him like she had lost Nate.

"Hey, babe. What are you doing awake?" he said quietly.

"Oh, thank God!"

"Honey? What's going on?"

"I needed to know you were still alive."

"Of course I am."

"You weren't in my dream, Luke. I lost you." She couldn't hold her tears in and his heart was breaking listening to her sobbing over the phone.

He got up, took the phone with him, and told his crew he was heading out. "Babe, I'm coming. I'll be there in twenty. Hang on, alright?"

"Please drive safe, Lucas."

"I promise."

She paced her home as she waited twenty minutes. Finally, she saw his truck pull in and she ran out the door in his Denver FD t-shirt that barely hit her knees.

He took her in his arms and held her tight, letting her cry for a bit before leading her inside. He dried her tears with a tissue and tucked her curls behind her ears.

"My goodness, you are lovely early in the morning, sweetheart."

"You're alive," she whispered. "I can't lose you, Lucas."

"I'm here."

He was careful not to promise something he couldn't control. He would be as safe as he could because the last thing he wanted was to leave her alone again.

"I will always try my hardest to come home to you, Beth. I will be as careful as I can be and stay out of danger the best I can."

She knew that was all she could ask.

She looked down and gasped. "Lucas! I don't have pants on!"

He laughed and kissed her forehead. "Don't blame me. I didn't remove them."

"No but you could have told me."

"I liked the view," he said with a shrug.

"Is that so?" she flirted, stepping close and pressing up against him.

"Mm."

He kissed her sweet lips and let his hands move a little lower on her hips. "Seriously, you're so hot in yoga pants, but no pants…dear me."

"Thank you for coming. My dream just rattled me." She buried her face in his neck and he wrapped her tighter in his strong arms.

"I know."

"Mom?" three voices said in unison.

"Oh, um…maybe we should have called. I told you," Allie said, elbowing Ivy. "He obviously is heading to work."

"Girls, you're very early for our spa day."

"We are going to breakfast, remember?" Allie said.

"Dad?" Vannah said, walking in. "Wow, okay."

"Just a little clarification for all of you," Lucas said. "I just came from work. I did not stay here, not that we need to explain anything. We are adults."

"But Beth…doesn't have pants on so it looks…" Vannah said.

"Regardless, I've been here for about ten minutes." He turned back to Beth and kissed her, perhaps a bit longer than necessary. "I love you. Have fun today."

"You too. The guys are taking you out, right?"

"Later for dinner and the shooting range."

"You shoot?" Allie asked. "Cool!"

"Not as much as I'd like, but yes."

"I'd like to learn. Can you teach me?" Elizabeth asked.

"Absolutely. When we get back from our trip, it's a date."

"Perfect."

He kissed her again, then kissed all his girls' temples and walked out the door.

"Is there coffee?" Ivy asked.

"Not yet, but help yourselves. I'm going to shower and then we can go."

"Don't forget pants!" Allie teased.

"Funny girl," Elizabeth laughed.

…..

"I need to get something at the mall," Allie said, her cheeks turning pink.

"Sure, honey. How's newlywed life?"

"Judging from the color of her cheeks, I'd say good," Ivy said with a giggle.

"Its good. Yeah."

"I'm glad, Allie. Really." Elizabeth patted her hand.

"You're not mad at me?"

"No. I wasn't mad. I was hurt. I'm feeling better about it and just staying distracted by my own wedding."

"Mom, I realize I was impulsive and maybe we should have thought a little longer about inviting you all. I am sorry that I hurt all of you. Forgive me?"

"I forgive you," Ivy told her.

"Me too," Marley chimed in.

"Of course, honey. I forgive you. Now let's think about the details we still need to finish before Saturday. No more apologies necessary."

"Well, let's get our nails done and then we can hit the lingerie store," Allie mentioned.

"First breakfast," Vannah said. "I'm starved."

An hour later, Lucas pulled into the fire station.

"Chief, it's your day off," Flynn told him.

"I just need to get some paperwork finalized before I leave for three weeks."

"I got the paperwork," Joseph said from nearby. "You're getting married in less than 36, bro. Go get things done."

"I'm ready. I don't have things to do."

"Got the suits picked up?"

"Yep. Minnie has the flowers covered, I picked up our rings, Rosemary is handling the cake and appetizers."

"All packed for the honeymoon?"

"Yes, dude. Give me something to do, I beg you."

Joseph put his hand on Lucas' shoulder and smiled. "Go rest. Tomorrow is going to be amazing but you will be tired."

Lucas felt lost. His night out with the guys wasn't for another 10 hours or so. If he did nothing, his mind would only be on Elizabeth and his desire to see her every moment.

"Okay. So I guess I will see you at the range tonight?"

"Yep. I'll be there."

He walked back to his truck and his stomach growled. So he drove to Greg's Diner on the outskirts of the city. He and the guys would get takeout from there on occasion. They had the best biscuits and gravy.

When he pulled out front, he walked in and his heart grew. Beth.

"Hey," he said, walking over to the group of girls.

"Hon? What are you doing here?" Beth asked, reaching for his hand. He bent down and kissed her.

"To be honest, I'm out of stuff to do. The guys at work kicked me out and told me to rest. Then my stomach growled so I came here."

"This is a girls outing, Dad," Vannah said sweetly. "You don't have ovaries so you can't stay." The other girls all giggled and Beth squeezed his hand. She wanted to see him as much as he wanted to see her, she figured.

"He can eat with us," Beth protested. "Everyone scoot a little that way so he can get a chair in there."

Vannah frowned but realized there was no rule that said their girl's outing had to start with breakfast. "Fine, but you aren't going to the spa with us unless you want manicures and pedicures too."

"Got it, Van. Sorry to butt in."

"You're not, sweetheart. We are glad to have you here."

He put his arm around Beth's shoulders and kissed her temple. "I missed you," he whispered in her ear. "So much. I feel like I'm twenty five again and my hormones are raging."

She blushed and rested her hand on his thigh.

"That's not helping," he whispered again. She didn't move it though. She just wiggled her fingers and smiled.

Beth knew the girls wanted it to be just a girl's thing but she honestly didn't mind if he was around the whole time, except for when she bought a little lacy number for their trip. Or two.

"Alright what can I get you folks?" a young man asked.

Ivy's eyes shot up. "Jared? Since when do you work here?"

"I have been for a bit. Um, what can I get you all?"

Ivy couldn't help but watch him as he waited tables and took orders. She felt left out that she hadn't known he waited tables this close to Denver. On the other hand, they didn't talk much so she wasn't really that shocked.

As they ate their delicious food, she got up her courage to talk to him. She needed to. She wanted to be more than just friends. She would insist on going slow, but she missed him alot and she hoped he felt the same.

After the bill was paid, everyone walked out but she waited for a moment to talk to Jared.

"Hey," she said, catching his eye.

"Ivy."

"Can we maybe talk? Not now, since you're working. But maybe we can get coffee when you get an hour?"

"Coffee. Yeah, I guess. Maybe tomorrow?"

"It'll have to be after. Tomorrow is Mom's wedding so I'm busy. Sunday?"

"Sure. Let's get coffee on Sunday."

"Great. I'll text you, alright?"

"Sure," he said with a nod. "I need to get that table. "See you, Ivy."

"See you."

"Did you talk to him?" Marley asked quietly.

"Yes. We are having coffee on Sunday."

"Well, that's a good start."

"Yeah, I think so too. Plus there is no hurry. I want to go slow. Its the only way this will work."

Dr. Yost had assured her that good communication between her and Jared was the best place to start a relationship, even if it turned out they would be only friends.

The girls got in the car and waited as Uncle Luke and Beth said goodbye. Again.

"All right, let's go to the spa!" Beth said, a grin on her face. She was ready.

….

Guy's night, shooting range

Lucas was grateful for his friends. Really. They were definitely brothers to him but he wasn't feeling this. He wasn't doing well hitting his target. His mind was on Beth.

"Dude, good thing your job doesn't depend on hitting a target."

"Well, it sort of does. The firehose needs to hit its target," Flynn pointed out.

Tim was just as distracted. He missed his wife too. She was busy with the girls so she wasn't home otherwise he'd sneak out early and head home.

After a couple hours at the range, Lucas was glad to head to dinner. He wanted to eat so he could get home and sleep. The faster he went to sleep, the faster tomorrow came and the faster he would be Beth's husband.

At Elizabeth's almost empty house, she and all the girls sat on the couch and the floor, watching a movie and eating popcorn with cans of soda all around. As they finished their first movie, the doorbell rang.

Beth got up and looked out the window by the door. "Oh my. Helen?"

"Hello, Elizabeth. Is my son here?"

"No. Um, he's out to dinner with the guys from the station. Would you like to come in?"

She hesitated but then nodded, walking in the house.

"I'm glad you're here, Helen. Did you bring Martin as well?"

"No. He insisted on staying behind. He has a friend that will come stay with him and help while I'm away."

Elizabeth nodded, feeling awkward. She opened her arms for a hug. "Its nice to meet you in person."

"You too," Helen said, stiffly hugging her back.

"Well, come with me and I will introduce you to my daughters."

"Grams?" Van said, seeing her grandmother for the first time in a long time.

"Hello, Savannah." She hugged her granddaughter just as stiffly as she had ELizabeth.

"Helen Bouchard, this is Allie, Ivy and Marley, my daughters. Girls, this is Lucas' mother."

"Hi!" they said, waving with big smiles on their faces.

"We are going to watch a movie," Allie told her. "Would you like to join us?"

"The pizza should be here soon," Marley said.

"Pizza?"

"Yes. We are also having soda's and virgin margaritas," Ivy mentioned.

"I don't want to be in the way…."

"You won't be," they all told her.

"Come on, Grams. Please come sit by me," Van said, taking her hand.

"Alright, dear. I will stay for a bit."

The doorbell rang again so Beth went back to look out the window, thinking the pizza was early.

"Vi? Julie! Oh my goodness. Tonight is certainly the night for surprises." In Julie's arms was her four year old daughter Annie and next to Vi was her twelve year old daughter Grace, named after their mother.

It was definitely a full house now and that was wonderful. It kept her mind on family and love and that's what the weekend was certainly all about. She wondered at times how Lucas was doing at his boy's night out but for the most part, she was busy.

"May I ask where you are staying, Helen?" Beth wondered.

"I have a hotel room in the city."

"Lucas doesn't know you are here, does he?"

"No."

"Well, he will be happy to see you. You don't need to stay in a hotel. The girls are all camping out in the living room so I have a bedroom free for you."

"Nonsense. A hotel room is less trouble."

"Helen, it would be no imposition, I assure you."

"Please, Grams?" Vannah asked, walking in and taking her hand.

"Alright, Savannah. If you insist and if Elizabeth insists that its no imposition."

"Its settled then. I'll show you to the room where you can rest."