When calls the heart: I'll be home for christmas

Chapter 1: The heart wants what it wants

The sunlight shone through the rumpled blinds splashing light onto Jack's face, he rubbed his eyes sitting up in bed he placed his feet on the floor. He walked over to the window to open the blinds,seeing that through the night a blanket of snow had settled itself on hope valley.

Suddenly, his nose picked up the scent of shepherds pie wafting through the vents, he smiled, shaking his head slightly. After getting dressed he descended the stairs of Elizabeth's tiny row house, Christmas music played softly somewhere in the living room. He smiled, this was definitely Elizabeth's favorite time of the year, a favorite of his too he had to admit.

As he approached the stove Elizabeth turned to give him one of her toothy smiles. "good morning." she said in an almost sing-song voice. "Shepherd's pie...for breakfast?" I asked. "Is there something wrong with that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow,Jack laughed. "No, no problem here, just...you really need a new recipe." he joked. Her jaw lowered. "Oh REALLY?" she asked."think you could do better?" she teased. "Tell you what, how bout tomorrow I show you how to make pancakes?" Jack suggested. "I suppose you call them flapJACK'S?"she asked with a grin."no...they're called pancakes." she slapped his chest playfully.

After a slight pause as she added another ingredient she turned to look at him. "So?" she asked, Jack lowered an eyebrow. "So?"he repeated. Elizabeth sighed in defeat. "Christmas, what do you want for Christmas?" Elizabeth asked. "Oh, you don't have to get me anything." she pursed her lips, looking at him like he was a misbehaving schoolchild. "that's not an answer." she replied. "Do I have to answer?" Jack asked. "Yes." she replied shortly. "Ok, wellll, I guess there is ONE thing I want." Jack hinted. "which is?" Elizabeth asked. Jack put an arm behind her back softly,pulling her to him. "I just want you!" he replied with a warm smile." Elizabeth smiled back, putting one arm around his neck,while exposing her wedding band on her other hand. "Hmmm, looks like you already have me." she grinned, pulling Jack to herself in a kiss. Even though they had shared many kisses in the last few years, her kisses just kept getting sweeter.

All of a sudden a horn-like noise pulled Jack from his mind. Just a dream, he sighed to himself, how could he possibly forget. Currently Jack was still with the troupe of mounted police somewhere in the northern territory fighting a relentless squadron of criminals and gangs. He was miles from Hope valley...miles from Elizabeth.

Once jack got his uniform on and made sure he had all his weapons, he joined the rest of the squad in the mess hall of their current headquarters. As he entered the breakfast line he caught the squad leader's gaze, he didn't even have to ask.He'd been asking the same question for weeks. "Jack...you know as well as I do that I can't let you go home unless another squad volunteers and finds the headquarters before we move out or have to change our location. You also know that at this time of year, when its so close to the holidays, that not many mounties that have families are willing to mount up." he said apologetically.

Jack knew this of course, but he wanted more than anything to be home for Christmas. "I WILL be home for Christmas!" He thought, trying, but mostly failing, to convince himself."Jack...this is why most mounties don't settle down, it only makes it harder to leave when duty calls." the squad leader continued,cutting into Jack's thoughts. "Yes sir." Jack replied dejectedly.

A love life WAS hard for a Mountie to maintain, that's why he had tried so hard for so long to resist his attractions to Elizabeth.Jack scoffed, "Ha, see how well that worked?" he said to himself."the heart wants what it wants." His heart argued back. He couldn't deny that fact...and what he really wanted right now, was to have Elizabeth back in his arms again.