When Nathan rode back into Hope Valley that evening, it was almost dark. It had taken longer than he'd expected to deliver the supplies and he hadn't even met with Bill yet. Nathan couldn't fathom what Bill needed to talk to him about, especially at this time of night. Either way, after settling Newton back in the livery, Nathan made his way over to the judge's office only to find a note stuck to the door.

Nathan-

Change of plans. Meet me at the jail instead.

Bill

Shaking his head, Nathan pulled the note from the door and tried in vain to keep his frustration at bay. What is so important that Bill can't wait until morning? Nathan wondered, his irritation spiking. Even though he wasn't looking forward to the conversation he had to have with Elizabeth, Nathan just wanted to go home. He had no patience left. He was spent.

As Nathan crossed the street towards the jail, he took off his hat and ran a rough hand through his hair. He hoped whatever Bill had to say was short so he could still make it home in time for dinner.

Stepping up onto the platform, Nathan reached for the doorknob and shoved it open. But when he stepped inside, it wasn't Bill that he saw. It was Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth," Nathan breathed out, trying to get his bearings as he shut the door behind him. "What are you doing here?" It was then that he noticed the table, set for two, in the middle of the room. "What is all this?" he asked, before Elizabeth even had time to answer his first question.

"It's a date," Elizabeth said, with a small smile.

"A date?" Nathan repeated. That's not what he thought she was going to say. "Now?" Of all times and places.

"Right now," Elizabeth said and Nathan heard the resolve in her voice. "Just you and me. No distractions. No interruptions."

"Can I at least go home and change first?" Nathan asked, glancing down at his serge and the hat in his hand. But Elizabeth shook her head. As she crossed the room towards him, Nathan just watched her, shock and confusion still radiating through him. It was then that he realized what Elizabeth was wearing. It was her white blouse. The white blouse. The same one she'd worn when she'd broken his heart the first time and the same one she'd been wearing when they'd shared their first kiss. And Nathan knew his wife well enough to know that her wardrobe choice wasn't random or accidental.

Stopping in front of him, Elizabeth gently took Nathan's hat from his hands and hung it on the hook by the door. Then, she took both of his hands and held them.

"You are perfect just the way you are," Elizabeth said and by the look in her eyes, Nathan knew she meant it.

Nathan swallowed hard. Gazing down at his wife, Nathan suddenly knew that he would do anything for her. He would quit the Mounties. He would have a thousand hard conversations. He would lasso the moon. He would move heaven and earth for Elizabeth. Whatever he needed to do for her, whatever made her feel happy, safe, and loved, Nathan knew in that moment that he would do it. His love for her was just that strong.

Suddenly, Nathan realized that this wasn't a normal date. This was about the two of them. And something much, much bigger.

Elizabeth stared into the deep ocean blue eyes of her husband, trying to communicate a thousand words in one look. She watched as emotions flashed across Nathan's face. They moved too fast for her to catch every one, but Elizabeth didn't miss the love that shone in his eyes when he looked at her.

"Is Allie watching Jack?" Nathan asked her, breaking the silence that had filled the Mountie office. Elizabeth nodded in confirmation.

"She said she would cook dinner and then help Jack get ready for bed if we weren't back yet."

Nathan just nodded, but didn't move his eyes from Elizabeth's.

"Here, come sit down," she said then, leading Nathan towards the table.

"Did you do all this?" Nathan asked, as he pulled out Elizabeth's chair for her.

"I had a little help," she admitted as Nathan took his own seat across from her. "Bill and Rosemary."

"I should have known those two were involved somehow," Nathan replied, giving her a faint but rueful smile. Elizabeth just chuckled.

"They do always seem to be in the middle of everything, don't they?" The pair was silent for the next few moments as they filled their plates with some of the food that Bill had prepared. They'd been eating for several minutes when Elizabeth finally broke the silence.

"Nathan," she said, her voice soft as she brought her gaze to meet his. "We need to talk." At her words, Nathan's eyes fell and he set down his fork.

"I know," he said. A second later, he glanced up and met Elizabeth's gaze, his eyes telling her that she should go first.

"You said this morning that you're fine. But Nathan," Elizabeth started. "I know that's not true."

"You're right," Nathan admitted, after a second. "I'm not fine. I just didn't know how to tell you that this morning." When Nathan didn't elaborate, Elizabeth shifted in her chair. She knew she had to come clean about what she'd overheard that afternoon.

"I heard you talking to Bill." At her admission, Nathan, who had been staring hard at the tabletop, immediately snapped his gaze to hers.

"When?" was all Nathan asked, as his eyes narrowed. Elizabeth bit her lip before answering.

"This afternoon," she admitted. "I was going to come talk to you while the students were eating lunch."

"What did you hear?" Nathan asked then, but Elizabeth had a feeling he already knew what her answer was going to be.

"I heard everything you told him about last night," Elizabeth replied, but she knew there was only one thing that mattered. "I-" With Nathan's eyes on her, she suddenly faltered, glancing away. "I heard you tell him that you want to quit the Mounties." Elizabeth dared a glance back up at Nathan, but he was just staring at her.

"That's right," Nathan said, his voice flat. "I was planning to tell you tonight."

"So, you're really quitting?" Elizabeth questioned, hoping more than anything that it wasn't true.

"Yes."

"Maybe you should think about it a little more before-"

"I've made up my mind, Elizabeth!" Nathan burst out, dropping his napkin on the table as he stood, causing his chair to make a loud scraping sound against the floor. "I'm quitting and it would just be a waste of time to try and talk me out of it."

"No!" Elizabeth couldn't keep the word from exploding from her lips as she rose to her feet as well. "Nathan, you can't!"

"Why not?" Nathan asked, throwing up his hands as he stepped across the room. "The fact that I'm a Mountie makes everyone else's life harder. It'd be better for everyone if I just quit."

"Nathan," Elizabeth protested as she started to cross the room towards him. "Can't we just talk about this?" At her words, Nathan spun to face her, his eyes flashing with anger and hurt.

"What is there to talk about?" he questioned, his voice rising. "All being a Mountie has ever done is caused you pain. It would be stupid for me not to quit."

"That's not true," Elizabeth insisted. She reached out to him, but Nathan moved away, wincing as if her touch would cause him physical pain. Elizabeth felt like her heart was cracking.

"How can you say that?" Nathan burst out. "What happened last night is living proof that it's not worth it."

"Not worth it for me or not worth it for you?"

Nathan just stared down at Elizabeth. "Does it matter?" he countered.

"Yes, it does. It matters because-"

"Stop trying to change my mind, Elizabeth," Nathan interrupted, as he took two more steps away from her.

"But why-"

"Because I can't lose you too!"