In Hope Valley, Mountie Superintendent Hargraves approaches Nathan and Elizabeth in the street. He tells Elizabeth that he has news about her late husband. Hargraves explains that a road crew excavating where Jack is believed to have passed found Jack’s Commissioners medal; he wanted her to have it. Nathan notes that this is the highest Mountie honor, and Superintendent Hargraves says that Jack is not one that is easily replaced.
As he makes to leave, Superintendent Hargraves tells Nathan that he’s sending a recruit his way in a couple of days. He’s the bottom of his class, but Hargraves is hoping that Nathan can turn him into a Mountie. As Hargraves leaves on his horse, he asks Nathan if he was supposed to be leading the mission on which Jack passed. Off of a knowing look from Nathan, Hargraves tells Nathan to take care of Elizabeth as he rides off.
Elizabeth tells Nathan not to pay any attention to Mountie Superintendent Hargraves. Bill approaches and asks them what Hargraves wanted, and Elizabeth shows him Jack’s medal. Elizabeth and Nathan share a kiss before Elizabeth leaves to pick up Little Jack, and Bill asks Nathan if the two of them are finally “a thing.” Nathan tells Bill that the two of them march to their own drum.
Elizabeth watches from her front door as Little Jack and Toby play baseball together outside. It’s Little Jack’s first day of school in a couple of days, and Elizabeth is balancing how to be both his mother and teacher. She also notes that Angela, Emily and Timmy are graduating this year, and Mike and Mei are away on their honeymoon, so Lee and Rosemary are covering for them at the saloon and hotel. Lucas and Lee are also beginning their plans to create a national park out of Capital City. Elizabeth reminds herself that while life is uncertain, the darkest of times can be followed by light.
Elizabeth shows Little Jack his dad’s medal and explains that it was given to him for having courage and being very brave. They decide to put it on the framed picture of Jack on the table, and Elizabeth says that it’s like he’s right here with them.
As Elizabeth, Little Jack, Rosemary and Goldie walk down the street, people in town greet them with big smiles. Rosemary tells Elizabeth that she and Nathan are the talk of the town and everyone is happy for them. Nathan approaches and Jack brings up his dad’s medal. Nathan tells him that some people say his dad was the bravest Mountie of all.
Toby and Cooper run by the group in the street on their way to the mercantile to see if Mr. Yost got the latest comic book shipment in. At the mercantile, Mr. Yost tells them that the comic books haven’t come in yet because demand is high, and Florence thinks these popular books can’t be good for the minds of children. Allie tells them that they should be reading real books, not ones with pictures. A stranger their age comments on their discussion, and the girls wonder who he is when he leaves.
As Rosemary and Lee have coffee with Lucas and Henry at the saloon, they mention that they need Lee in Capital City just for a few weeks to get things going with the park project. Rosemary and Lee tell them that they aren’t going to sacrifice their family life and seeing Goldie grow up together just to help revitalize Lucas’s political appearance after last year’s resort scandal. Lucas once more asks Lee to come to Capital City, but Rosemary firmly says no.
At the café, Minnie hems Angela’s dress as they discuss her next steps after high school graduation. Angela brings up the Schwartzman School in Hamilton where there are other students who are blind like her. Minnie asks if she would move to Hamilton and live alone, and Joseph tells Angela the school year is just starting; she has plenty of time to think about her next steps later on.
Lee tells Rosemary that maybe they’re being inflexible to Lucas’s ask to come to Capital City. Rosemary says that she and Goldie, and others in the town, need Lee in Hope Valley. Rosemary turns her attention to the fact that radio sales are going up and readership of the paper is down; she wonders if people would listen to the news on the radio. Lee thinks it’s a great idea. Lee then wonders why Rosemary is really worked up about him going to Capital City, and she mentions that they just had an argument with Lucas. While they have forgiven him, Rosemary thinks Lucas is still a wildcard, but Lee tells her it’s all going to be fine.
Elizabeth stops by Nathan’s office wanting to take him to lunch. As he gets himself ready, Elizabeth mentions that Nathan didn’t seem like himself that morning when little Jack mentioned Jack’s medal. Nathan tells her that he is trying to let go of the guilt around Jack’s death. They are interrupted by the arrival of Cadet Oliver Garrett, the young man Allie saw earlier at the mercantile. He meets Elizabeth and notes her last name, and then mentions how everyone speaks so highly of Jack at basic training. Elizabeth leaves Nathan so that he can start training with Oliver.
At the saloon, Lee joins Henry and Lucas who ask what it’s going to take to get Rosemary to agree to Capital City. Lee says nothing will, so Lucas proposes Lee going back and forth from Capital City to Hope Valley with Rosemary and Goldie visiting. Henry says that maybe there is one more thing that will change Rosemary’s mind…
At the schoolhouse on the first day, some of the older girls tell Elizabeth that Lilly doesn’t want to come to school. Elizabeth and Jack go to greet Lilly, who is scared by the prospect of being surrounded by the older kids. Jack whispers into his mom’s ear and then gives Lilly his dad’s medal so that she can be brave. Faith pins it on Lilly, and she and little Jack go inside together.
At the café, Minnie serves Nathan and Oliver lunch. Nathan notes that he’ll get most of his meals at the café, and Minnie asks his name and where he’s from. He mentions that his dad passed a couple years ago and that his mom went back east. Bill enters and joins them, and Oliver brings up the book that Bill wrote. Oliver says he’s read his copy more than any other book he owns and that he’s interested in forensics.
Lee walks into newspaper office and startles Rosemary, who’s typing away at her desk brainstorming her news on the radio idea. She tells Lee that her idea is called “The Valley Voice Radio Hour” and asked how his meeting with Lucas went. Lee tells her that there is one thing they offered to sway them to Capital City: they want to name the national park after Goldie, which Rosemary likes the sound of.
Henry and Joseph play chess as Henry asks if Angela is still trying to go to college at the school for the blind. He relays that Minnie is determined to keep Angela close to home, and Joseph has faith that the right path will reveal itself. Joseph asks Henry if Lucas is off to Capital City, and wonders if Henry feels left behind. Henry notes that he has books to catch up on and crops to reap; Joseph offers to help with harvesting the hazelnut crops.
Back at the schoolhouse, Faith picks Lilly up after her first day. Lilly says school was great, and Elizabeth notes that Jack let Lilly wear his dad’s medal all day in recognition of extreme bravery. Lilly gives it back and they say goodbye as Nathan approaches to take Jack on his riding lesson. Elizabeth says she has some things to take care of before tomorrow and asks for Nathan to take Jack; Jack agrees. Jack asks to keep his dad’s medal on while they ride horses, and Elizabeth says yes; Nathan says he’ll make sure the medal stays safe. As Jack and Nathan leave, Nathan’s smile falls.
At the mercantile, Ned brings out the comic book shipment that he got in. Toby and Cooper start handing them out to all of the kids. Florence thinks that the comic books are a colossal waste of time and money. Cooper tells Mrs. Thornton that they should read the comics for school, and she tells them she will consider it.
At the stables, Nathan helps Jack brush Pal the horse. Jack asks Nathan if he knew his dad, and he says he didn’t, but he wishes he had. Little Jack thinks that his dad’s medal makes his mom feel sad and reflective, which he says means that she thinks about good and bad things. Nathan says it’s funny how we can feel two things at once. Jack tells Nathan that he is a hero, too, because all Mounties are heroes.
At the saloon, Bill joins Nathan at the bar and asks where the new cadet is. Nathan relays that Oliver wanted to stay in and review a few things, but that something with this new cadet isn’t adding up. Nathan doesn’t get how a kid that is that dedicated and on it could be at the bottom of his class. Nathan leaves to go check on Oliver and runs into Rosemary, who shares how Lee wants to go to Capital City since Lucas made an irresistible offer. Rosemary wonders if she’s being selfish in wanting Lee to stay, and Nathan says it’s understandable, but wonders how badly Lee wants to go. Rosemary says he hasn’t been this excited since Goldie was born. Nathan mentions that Lee is building a legacy, speaking of legacies, Rosemary imagines that Jack casts a long shadow for him. Nathan expresses that he is not trying to replace Jack, but he worries about little Jack growing up and being angry with Nathan when he’s older. Rosemary tells him to enjoy the time we have because no one knows what the future holds.
Lee gets ready to leave for Capital City and Rosemary mentions him coming home that Friday – although Lucas wants Lee to be at a dinner in the Capital that night, he declined. Lee tells Rosemary that they’ll talk every day, and she gets to decide at every step of the way. Lee says one last goodbye to them and Elizabeth, and he and Lucas leave for the train. Rosemary asks Elizabeth over for dinner that night, and Elizabeth says she’ll host the next night.
On the train to Capital City, Lucas and Lee discuss Lee’s role in this park project. Lucas tells Lee that they’re equal partners and that he can’t do this without him. Edwin sees Lee and Lucas on board and joins them in their train car, offering his services to the parks project. Lucas says they’ll talk and to come by his office.
At Elizabeth’s house, Nathan knocks on the door and comes in; they share a kiss. Nathan sees where they’ve placed the medal, and Elizabeth notes that she wants to keep it there because it’s important to her that he stay real to little Jack, and to her. Nathan agrees that he wouldn’t have it any other way. He gives Elizabeth a medal display box that he made for little Jack; she says it’s perfect and he’ll love it. Elizabeth tells Nathan that if little Jack ever wants to know more about his dad, they’ll tell him together. Nathan takes Elizabeth’s hand and asks if she knew that it’s a full moon tonight. They go outside to look at the moon together and share a kiss.