Arriving home from a difficult day of rounds and paperwork, Nathan unbuttoned his serge jacket and threw it onto the back of the sofa. He went to the kitchen and pulled out a container of apple juice, pouring himself a glass. A smile spread across his face, as his thoughts returned to a late-night conversation over the same beverage several months prior, just a few row houses down the lane. Allie had been tending little Jack more frequently since losing him while playing hide and seek, the first time she had been asked to babysit.

A sudden urge to see the kids washed over him, and he emptied his glass in one giant gulp. Returning the juice to the ice box and setting the dirty glass in the sink, Nathan then grabbed his jacket and hat before retreating to his bedroom upstairs to change. Slipping into his favorite blue shirt with brown pants and suspenders, he quickly put on shoes and walked the short distance to Elizabeth's house.

Even though Allie had become a responsible babysitter for Jack, Nathan enjoyed spending time with them and would often "check in" when he got off work. His stomach growled when he smelled the dinner, he knew his daughter was cooking. If he were being honest, Nathan would admit he hoped Elizabeth would arrive just in time for the four of them to have dinner together again. It was something that was happening more frequently, and none of them seemed to mind. After a light rap at the door, Nathan walked right in and saw Allie looking a bit frazzled.

"Hey there, where's Jack?" he asked, hoping he wasn't going to have to play another game of hide and seek.

With a sigh, Allie sat down in a kitchen chair. "He's been acting a little strange today. I think having his uncle Tom here this past week kind of made him realize how sad he was to have never met his dad. It seems like Mrs. Thornton has a lot on her mind as well. I'll admit, it's made me reflect on my own loss and how much I miss my mom."

Unexpected emotion flooded Nathan, but he did his best to push it away. "Let me go see if I can talk to Jack and convince him to come down for dinner."

A look of relief washed over Allie. "Thanks, Dad. I'm almost finished."

Upstairs, Nathan peaked in Jack's bedroom and saw the little boy hugging his dad's Mountie hat. His heart hurt that both of these kids had experienced such profound loss. His greatest desire was to minimize their pain and be the kind of person they each needed in their lives. "Hey there, Mountie Jack. I think Allie has some dinner ready for you. Are you hungry?"

Jack shook his head and turned away. "No. I'm not hungry."

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Nathan picked up the wooden Mountie and horse he had carved for Jack when he was much smaller. He began talking out loud. "You know, when I was growing up, my dad wasn't around very much. My sister tried to cheer me up on nights when I was feeling angry or sad."

"What would she do?" Allie had slipped in unnoticed, intently listening to a story about her mom that she didn't remember hearing before. She sat on the floor near Jack and began stroking his hair as he leaned on his pillow. Both kids watched Nathan intently, waiting for him to continue.

Feeling transported back in time, Nathan closed his eyes to remember more clearly. "Colleen had the most beautiful singing voice. At night when I couldn't fall asleep, she would sing different lullabies to me."

"I remember you used to sing to me when I was scared, back when we would get transferred to a new post. Why don't you sing my favorite song to Jack to make him feel better? Would you like that?"

Jack nodded. "My mom sings to me sometimes when she's sad."

Just the thought of Elizabeth being sad sent a wave of emotions through Nathan. He would do anything to bring a smile to her beautiful face. Even though he didn't feel fully confident in his singing abilities, Nathan felt the lyrics come from deep in his soul as they rang out through his voice.

Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

From glen to glen, and down the mountainside,

The summer's gone, and all the roses falling,

It's you, it's you must go and I must bide.

Entering her row house, Elizabeth froze when she heard a beautiful rendition of Danny Boy being sung upstairs. She quietly tiptoed up the stairs and saw Nathan finish the first verse, with Jack and Allie completely enthralled with the beautiful melody. She closed her eyes and felt a tear fall down her cheek. This song had such deep and tender meaning to her, but how would Nathan have known that? She listened as he continued.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow,

Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow,

It's I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow,

Oh, Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so!

Memories of Colleen and the hurt of his father, combined with thoughts of Jack, consumed his thoughts as Nathan kept singing.

But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying,

If I am dead, as dead I well may be,

Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying,

And kneel and say an Ave there for me;

When his voice began cracking, Elizabeth immediately entered the room and joined him in the final verse. She sat between him and the kids and took his hand in hers for strength. Both kids' eyes widened, but the trance of the music kept them silent.

And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me,

And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be,

For you will bend and tell me that you love me,

And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!

Minutes after the song ended, Jack climbed into his mother's arms. "Isn't that Daddy's song, Mommy?"

Nathan's eyes met Elizabeth's and she shrugged. "Yes, Jack. I sang that song for your daddy when he left for the Northern Territories. It was his favorite."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Nathan began to apologize. "I used to sing that to Allie when she couldn't go to sleep, just like Colleen used to sing lullabies to me when I was a boy."

Elizabeth squeezed his hand that still held hers. "Don't be sorry. You have such a beautiful voice, and I do love that song." Coming a little more to her senses, Elizabeth stood up and moved toward the door. She cleared her throat and said, "Isn't dinner going to get cold soon? It smells wonderful, Allie. Thank you for preparing that for me. Why don't we all go down and eat together?"

"Sure," Nathan responded, looking down at his hand that still held heat from Elizabeth's touch. "Let's all go wash up." Running his fingers through his hair, Nathan let out a deep breath. How much longer could they go on this way before they made this arrangement something more permanent? It seemed to him that the four of them fit together perfectly, like a puzzle. Deep down, he knew this was the life he wanted to live forever; singing with the woman he loved, as they tucked their children into bed. Were his dreams finally going to come true?