You'll Know

When calls the heart doesn't belong to me. Some of the dialogue and scenes are taken from the episode "Don't go."

000

Elizabeth Thornton shut the door behind Lucas Bouchard. He had walked her home after their non-date celebratory dinner. He had been the perfect gentleman as usual, and the food and the conversation had been beyond her expectations. The only mar to her enjoyment of what by all accounts should have been a perfect evening was that try as she might she could not help but think about all the families that would be affected by the fall of Gowen Petroleum, she had brought up the topic once during the dinner but Lucas had been quick to change the subject and she had let it drop.

She tried but failed to suppress the nagging thought that maybe Lucas did not care about their employees and their families as much as he had said he did. Still, she could not deny that she Lucas had a lot in common and they certainly had a good time when they were together.

Although she knew that it wasn't very fair especially since she'd actually never dined with Nathan, although they had shared a meal with Allie's friends the night they'd had the sleepover, she tried to imagine what it would have been like if had dined with Nathan alone.

'Stop that,' she told herself quickly. It wasn't like Nathan had actually asked her to dinner and at the rate things were going he probably never would. Which is why she wondered why she always thought of him when Lucas asked her to go out with him. Added to which she had even told Nathan about Lucas' invitation to Union City and although Nathan had said she mattered to him he was still yet to ask her on a date.

Maybe he never would.

'He will,' she told herself, 'he was just taking his time, waiting for the right moment.' Honestly she couldn't wait for that moment.

A knock at her door had her walking to open it to let Rosemary and Jack in. Rosemary was in high spirits, Susannah, Lee's sister had been to visit them and the misunderstanding between the siblings had been sorted out. Lee had taken Susannah on a drive around Hope Valley, and of course a visit to his office.

"So how was the dinner?"

"It was perfect, as usual," Elizabeth replied. "We drank champagne and ate coq du vin and had the most amazing dessert."

"But?"

"What do you mean but?"

"Elizabeth," Rosemary put Jack into his crib, handed him his blocks, and turned to her friend, "I can read you like a book, and I know there's a but."

"I couldn't help but wonder how dinner would have been if I was with Nathan instead of Lucas."

"Nathan?" Rosemary put a hand to her heart, "did you he ask you to dinner as well? How did I not know this, I mean I was busy with Lee and Susannah's falling out but I'm sure I would have remembered if you'd told me this."

"He didn't ask me out," Elizabeth stated.

"But?"

"He did say that I mattered to him, and I think was about to ask me when the horse neighed."

"I can certainly imagine him stopping mid speech because of a horse," Rosemary laughed. "But what would you have done if they'd both asked you to dinner tonight?"

"I don't know," Elizabeth sighed, "probably declined both invitations."

"That would have worked for tonight," Rosemary sat down next to Elizabeth and took her hand in hers. "But, sooner or later you going to have to decide."

"I know," Elizabeth agreed, "but by not deciding I think I'm protecting myself from letting either of them in."

"Are you sure?" Rosemary asked her. "Maybe this is me overthinking things or seeing things that aren't there, but it seems to me that you have let one of them in."

"You think so?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"Elizabeth, you all have our own path," Rosemary assured her quietly, "When the time is right for you to choose you'll know."

"Thanks Rosemary," Elizabeth hugged her friend.

"You're more than welcome," Rosemary stood up and went back next door.

000

Elizabeth watched as Nathan and Bill rode out of town. She couldn't believe that Nathan had finally asked out her on a date. She had imagined that moment many times especially over the past few days but now that it had actually happened she was rendered speechless. She had thought that when Nathan finally asked her on a date she would say yes immediately, yet she had been unable to give him an answer.

Luckily, Nathan hadn't pressed her; like he ever would. Instead he had given her time to think about it, and Elizabeth was glad of it. She really needed to think about it because for some reason going out with Nathan seemed like a huge step.

She slowly made her way to the mercantile, there were quite a number of items she needed; more stationery, some wools and threads and she was going to bake cupcakes. She was just about to pay for her shopping when Fiona burst into the store.

Apparently someone had been shot.

Elizabeth was rooted in place when she heard someone outside say that Nathan had been shot.

She quickly walked outside and saw the Mountie wagon. There was a small crowd gathered and she joined them in time to hear Carson say that the man had died. She tried to peep inside the wagon and saw the red serge and boots.

Elizabeth took a breath, it seemed like there wasn't enough air available. This couldn't be happening. She had just joked with Nathan a little while ago. He couldn't be dead not when she had finally figured out the path she was meant to take.

She turned away from the group. She was going to leave Hope Valley, she would go back to Hamilton where life was simple and hide there.

She saw a red blur in her periphery vision and she looked and saw Nathan leading his horse slowly. Without thinking about it, she run to him and hugged him close.

Later, she would think about the propriety of running to him and holding him closely like that, she would think about what the people were going to say, and she would vaguely remember seeing Lucas in the street. She would think about all things and more later but for now holding Nathan close and hearing his heart beating rapidly in his chest she could only think about how wonderful it was that he was there with her.

She hadn't thought that she would decide like that, but Rosemary had been right, the time for deciding had come and she had made her choice.

000