"Happy birthday Billy!" Mary exclaimed with shining blue eyes as she leaned in toward her sleepy eyed son and kissed his cheek. "Wake up birthday boy."

          "Mama?" Billy wiped at his eyes then looked through his window and the sun was shining bright, reflecting off the tiny mirror behind his bed onto his face.

          "It's your birthday!" Mary said with an ear to ear smile and uncovered the cotton sheets from her son's body. "Time to get up now and see the bright shining sun. To go outside and enjoy the peaceful wind and laugh and love to know that today is your special day and I will make sure it will be." She grabbed Billy's hands, helping him sit up then he rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes.

          "It is my birthday," Billy said.

          "Yes, it is, sweetheart. I can't believe it was just eight years ago when you were just a little bitty baby in my arms. Now look at you!" Mary stood to her feet from kneeling by the bed and Billy stood up too when Mary pulled him into her body for a warm hug. "I knew the moment the doctor put you in my arms that you were mine and mine alone. Love at first sight." She pulled Billy back and looked down at him, smoothing away his light, feathery brown hair from across his eyes. "And nothing in the world can change that you belong to me." Mary bent down and kissed her son's forehead before she hugged him again.

          Trevor, older for his age than he looked, ran a hand through his thinning black hair then shoved his hat on and lowered the rim over his eyes. He stared at his little brother, half the size of him, but meaner than snake snot and a killer when he had the guts to. Nicholas kneeled down on one knee to examine the poor, defenseless farmer face down on the floorboards in his ranch home. His face was flat in the floor, his arms sprawled on either side of him, and his feet dangled with the shoelaces untied.

          "He is dead, Trevor." Nicholas said after he took the man's pulse. "I told you I could kill him, and this proves it."

          Trevor shook his head, "You didn't kill him you damn fool. I don't see a bullet in him. No blood! Nothin'!"

          The younger brother stood back up and rubbed the back of his neck. "You never believe me, do you? You can kill a person without having to see the blood. I broke his neck." He simply stated as if he did it every day.

          Trevor shifted his weight, hooked his thumbs in his pant loops, and looked sideways at his brother. "You did what?"

          "Snapped his neck," Nicholas pointed at the old man. "It's an easy doing, and you don't have to deal with blood. Don't have to cover your tracks."

          Trevor laughed out loud, his attitude suddenly changing. "Awe hell Nick! I didn't think you'd be this clever about killing! You've grown up!"

          "I had to back in that prison you broke me out of. Some of ‘em jailers taught me ways to kill using my hands. Simple works." Nicholas looked at his hands then and not a single scratch or scar cursed them. He felt down right proud of himself. He killed this old man because he wanted some answers but the old man wouldn't give him anything, and he killed him without thinking twice. He thought questions were a waste of time anyway and he figured with his older brother's smart thinking and easy access, they'd find the buried explosives within a day's work. They had to get started and then get on their way to Four Corners and find Chris Larabee and shove one of them explosives where it counts. Show the fast gunslinger that he wasn't the quickest, smartest man out in the old west anymore. That he had enemies who seek his blood and want revenge. Two enemies with explosives who knew how to use them...

          Mary skipped around her newspaper office excited and ready to start the day with work and preparing for Billy's birthday party. She wanted to get her papers finished and printed so she could spend all her time on her son's small gathering later this evening. She wanted to get started in the kitchen and prepare him a special birthday dinner, and the cake. Mary couldn't stand the wait to design and bake the cake. She wanted to make that part of the evening to be the most special for Billy.

          As the new eight year old played around outside the building with Jordan and Lily Potter, Mary could have the peace and quiet she needed to get things moving with her papers and without distraction she would be able to plan efficiently on how she wanted the papers to be done in a certain way so she could get rid of the boring work for now and get going on the exciting events of the evening.

          Judge Travis sent a telegram informing Mary he was on his way from the south to come and visit for his grandson's birthday, but he told Mary to keep it a surprise as he had told Billy last week he would be away for three weeks time and wouldn't have been able to make it back in time for his birthday. Sadness had wiped over poor Billy's face and the judge managed to postpone a few business dates so he could be there for the young boy.

          But this was a surprise for Billy, and Travis did not want Mary to spoil it.

          Mary stepped out of the double doors to her home and place of business to find Billy and the Potter children playing on the porch, exactly where Billy had told his mother where he would be. When the young boy saw his mother's bright smile touch his eyes, Mary bent down and moved his chili bowl haircut from his blue eyes.

          "Say Billy, who would like to invite to your birthday dinner this evening?" Mary asked. She looked at Jordan Potter with a smile, and suggested to invite the children and Mrs. Potter. Billy agreed with a wide grin and then Jordan took his little sister's hand and led her down to their home at the general store, the family's business, to ask their mother if they could.

          Billy turned to face Mary with his eyes dropping to the porch's wooden boards. Mary saw this uneasy look on her son's face and questioned it. "What's the matter, baby?"

          Billy looked at his mother again, his eyes lighting up suddenly. "I want Chris to come tonight."

          She felt her heart drop to her stomach, but she managed to give her birthday boy a smile. "I'm not sure he will be able to, sweetie. He's a very busy man."

          "But not too busy to come see me, is he?" Billy asked, looking so hopeful and waiting for Mary to give him an answer he wanted to hear.

          Mary didn't want to deny her son anything, especially on his special day, so she took a deep breath and told him she would try to find Chris and ask if he would like to join them for dinner. Billy rose on his legs and wrapped his arms around his mother's neck, and hugged her tightly. Mary about lost her balance on her heels, but she wrapped her arms around him to keep hold and she embraced him with more love in her heart for him.

          Billy let her go, and ran behind her toward Mrs. Potter's store to see if his two friends could come tonight or not. Mary turned around and watched her son fly like the wind on his tall legs, he got from his father, and he kept a hand on his head, keeping his hat from flying off as he jumped from one wooden porch to the next. Mary let out a small laugh, watching her son, admiring the person he came to be at a young age. For all the torment he had already endured with the death of his father and the threat he received the first time he stepped foot back in town afterward.

          Mary shook her head, crossed her arms over her chest, and then walked back in her office building to continue with work.

          The newspapers were finally finished and published and printed as the outside weather cooled and the sun hid behind some dark, heavy clouds. It was hard to see the fine print on the papers since the sun had disappeared and Mary had to squint as she carefully folded each paper for eligible reading without creases.

          Mary untied the ink apron that held any ink blots on her striped black and gray dress and tossed the splotchy garment on the back of a chair, gathered her papers, and opened the door after three hours straight of doing nothing but laboring over them.

          She put on her gleaming smiles and walked in the middle of the town, passing out papers, making small talk and gestures to the locals she'd handed papers to, smiling, and trying to put on a good front that came along with her free spirited soul at the current moment. She was in a high full of hope and wonder of what the night would consist of for her young Billy. Mary wanted to pass out the papers and be done with it so she could get back home and concentrate what she had been thinking about doing all day during work for her son's birthday dinner. What to make, how to make it, and what to really do special and out do herself from the other years.

          Mary passed JD and Buck, wanting to know where Billy was so they could wish the little guy a happy birthday, and Josiah passed her too, tipping his hat at her after taking a newspaper. Horses, carriages, and stagecoaches passed her in the streets and on her way down the lot to come across the part the most busy, she saw Gloria Potter walking her way.

          "Gloria," Mary said, smiling.

          "Mary," the older woman said, returning the smile. "Billy's over at my home with Jordan and Lily. Jordan mentioned something about a birthday dinner?"

          "Yes, that's correct. I want to put on a good show for Billy this evening, and I asked if your little ones would be able to join us. It would mean a lot to Billy. Having children his own age around."

          "And Billy is always welcome over at the home. You're right, there aren't many children around here. There never has been."

          "We're finally getting this town comfortable enough to raise children in. I know I wouldn't want Billy to be here with me if I knew it wasn't safe. Perhaps once the people see it is safe here now, more children will show up." Mary said, offering the older widow a gentle smile then offered to ask again about this evening. "Would you mind if Jordan and Lily came by for dinner?"

          Gloria shook her head, "No, I don't mind at all. What time?"

          "Does seven o'clock sound fine?"

          Gloria nodded, "Sounds just fine."

          Mary and Gloria Potter said their goodbyes and they'd see each other again soon.

          After Gloria walked around her, Mary continued on her walk to deliver and finish with the papers. No longer than a minute passed she spotted Chris headed towards her, only he wasn't. He had his hat lowered down just above his eyebrows, his duster blowing behind him in the late afternoon wind, and he carried with him his saddle heading in the direction of the livery. Mary suspected to go off on a ride, or his shack in the hills to get away from the town when needed.

          This would be a good time than ever to stop Chris before he left, maybe for good for the day, and invite him to dinner. With the newspaper in tow, she pulled them to her dress, and ran the short distance to Chris before he was lost in the horses within the livery doors.

          "Chris!" she yelled out.

          Chris turned toward the call of his name, and found Mary running up to him and as she approached, she put her hand on the wooden livery door as if stopping him from going in.

          Mary stopped, trying to catch her breath, her papers clutched in one arm. "Good thing I caught you now before it was too late."

          Chris narrowed his brow, "Excuse me?"

          Mary looked in the livery, gracing over all the beautiful horses. "You were on your way to leave, were you not?"

          Chris didn't give his reason for going to the livery and instead waited for why he was stopped in the middle of his business. Mary saw the wait in his green eyes, and she quickly shook her head to get rid of any girlie feeling she held tight in her chest.

          "I apologize for my rude call, but I need to ask you something. A favor really."

          "Favor?" Chris asked.

          "Yes, a favor from me for Billy." She shifted her weight and switched the newspapers to the other arm. "Today is his eighth birthday and I....he was wondering if you would like to join us for dinner this evening to celebrate."

          Chris wasn't stupid and he caught onto this little cat and mouse game he'd been playing with Mary since the beginning of time. "He was wondering?"

          Mary blushed, a sheet of reds and pinks outlining her cheekbones and the soft, gentle skin below her eyes. "Well....yes, Chris. I told him I'd ask you when I saw you."

          Chris did away with the small flirting and the uncomfortable presence he felt whenever Mary strode by him. He had feelings for the woman that was clear to him, but no one else knew, not even her. He would hide behind his love for her for as long as it lasted and until his heart wanted more for a change, a longing to stop the hunting for his family's murderer and finally rest and retire. Chris never thought Mary would be his next lover, and she might not be now but somewhere down the line he would claim her. Chris just hoped it wouldn't be too late until he did for Mary might not be around when he'd be ready.

          Pushing back the thoughts, and his heartaches, Chris looked at the woman, and shook his head. "I don't know Mary. Things around here haven't been settling right with me the last few days. I don't wanna ruin Billy's dinner because of me."

          This time Mary shook her head, "No, Chris, you would be no interruption. He wants you to come. He really does." She gripped her newspapers tighter in her arms. "It would mean the world to my son if you'd join us this evening. Around seven?"

          How could Chris not agree? He wanted to, but on the darker side of his thoughts he knew Mary and Billy wouldn't be safe in his presence. Even if he was paid to protect the town, Chris had more enemies than he could count, or remember, and they'd crawl and destroy anywhere he stepped and had a good time in. Hell, the saloon was half destroyed because of him, the fights the seven had, the crazy drinking they do, and Chris on occasion. No, it wouldn't be a wise choice to oblige Mary's invitation.

          Then Chris thought about Billy, the young boy who reminded him a lot of his own son, Adam. They were about the same age, Adam a little bit older, would be nine years old now if he were alive, and Chris could just imagine what his face would look like if he discovered Sarah wanting to do something real special for him on his birthday. How she would go to great lengths to make sure their son was happy every second, and Chris wouldn't miss his son's birthday for the world.

          That's what it was like with Billy now. Even when he wasn't Chris's family blood, he still considered the little man as a son he'd always protect. He didn't want to let him down on his special day, and when Mary was going out of her way to make sure her son was happy.

          If Chris couldn't make it right with his feelings about his lost loved ones, then he could at least tempt to with Mary and Billy.

          "Seven?" Chris spoke up, looking back into Mary's hopeful expression. "All right."

          "Thank you, Chris." Mary said, and put a gentle hand over Chris's unyielding hand, and they stopped, took a breath, and gazed into each other's eyes. The quiet stillness shook Mary up, and Chris had to pull away before he did something he'd regret. Mary smiled at him again, never leaving his eyes then walked away.

          Chris glanced over his shoulder to watch her leave, the ends of her dress fluttering in the dirt as she continued to pass out newspapers and conversation with locals. He turned back to face the crowd before him, and then he tightened his grip on his saddle before heading into the livery.

          "Isn't that cute?" Trevor Mackey said, rocking back and forth in a chair in front of the saloon doors with his younger brother. He curved his lips into an ugly grin, showing off his rotted teeth, as he watched the little converse between Chris and Mary across the town lot.

          "Yeah," Nicholas said. "We gotta do something with that. You think that woman is a threat to us?"

          "Threat? She's the newspaper lady who appears to have an attraction toward our leading man." Trevor laughed. "She's no threat but we need to get rid of her."

          "Why do we need to do that for? She's an obvious weakness for Chris." Nicholas said at his observation.

          "No," Trevor said quickly. "It's the boy. Reminds him of his own son he lost a few years back." He gritted his teeth, laughing quietly to that thought of Chris being in misery and pain.

          "How do you know that, Trevor, the woman he was talkin' to is-"

          "Is the boy's mother. Mother and child should be a great notice that Chris has an enemy lurking around."

          Nicholas didn't like the kind of talk coming from a man he looked up to for guidance and the right ways of doing things in life. Yeah, he had a few bad apples on his plate but that didn't mean he knew right from wrong. Killing women and children, or even threatening their lives, shook him up and he wouldn't stand the time talking about to anyone, not even his older brother. He had to speak up.

          "Trevor, hurtin' the mother and child won't do us no good. They did nothin' wrong!"

          Trevor shot him a nasty glare, "Stop your whinin', Nick! They are the perfect opportunity to show Chris Larabee we mean business. Even if that means taking two innocent lives to prove it. So be it."

          Nicholas pulled away from his brother's glare and took a sip of his whiskey he held to his lips. He had to say something, put an end to his brother's plan that included the mother and child. Yeah, he wanted revenge for his father's death, he wanted that revenge by feeling Chris Larabee's blood running through his fingers, but he did not want a mother and child's death on his soul. Something he would never forgive himself for. Nicholas had to find a way to keep them out of it, and his brother from finding out the soft spot he never knew he had.

          The evening clouds darkened over Four Corners like a blanket and could see nothing in the dark sky but shining stars. It was the perfect evening to celebrate Billy's birthday and Mary couldn't have been prouder by the way the dinner began, turned out, and ended with Judge Travis laughing and the children following in his laughter at his jokes. The surprise of Billy's grandfather was a delight in the child's eyes and he was glad Chris came too.

          Chris sat at the end of the table, across from Mary at the opposite end and Judge Travis sat in the middle of the Potter children and across from Billy who had a side of the table all to himself. Mary dropped her dinner folk, and took a sip of her water in the fancy wine glasses she hadn't unpacked since their move from her and Stephen's homestead on the outskirts of Four Corners. She circled her fingers around the glass top; crossing her eyes with Chris's every other second, and every other laugh and gesture.

          Mary couldn't look away from his strong presence. The lively look he held this night, and for the first time Mary saw him with a glitter in his eyes with contentment. He changed his clothes to a nicer dark maroon shirt, and he wasn't wearing his usual duster. He was free from his gun belt for a change, hung with his duster on the coat hanger in the corner behind him. He didn't wear it but it was close enough to reach for in case of an emergency. But Chris shook his head, thinking there couldn't be any interruptions tonight given the fact the town hadn't had any gun plays for a week's time.

          So Chris sat back to enjoy the birthday dinner invitation and take it easy for a change and allow himself to settle down and control his emotions through anger and thoughts. This wasn't about him, it was about the proud eight year old sitting beside him with that big smile smacked across his face.

          "Did you enjoy your dinner, Billy?" Judge Travis asked then he took a sip of his beer. His grandson beamed with glee and Travis let out a loud chuckle that continued on until Chris's stern expression cracked, and Mary laughed as she set her water down, and then when the Judge didn't stop, the Potter children joined in and then the whole dinner table burst out in a fit of laughter. Chris didn't know what was so funny, he was baffled, but he joined in the laughing anyway because it felt good to do it.

          "I'm sorry, Judge, but what is so funny? Did I miss something?" Mary asked after a few moments of constant giggling.

          Travis shook his head, "Not a thing, Mary. I just needed the laugh." He looked across the table at his grandson. "I think we all did." He winked at Billy then before turning around his chair, excusing himself from the table, and disappeared behind the swinging doors to the kitchen.

          Mary looked at Billy then with a curious wonderment then at Chris who was looking right at her for an explanation to the Judge's unusual behavior. Chris leaned off his elbows and put his hands in his lap waiting for some kind of look to cover Mary's face but she gave nothing because she did not know herself what her father-in-law was up to.

          Then Judge Travis came back out of the kitchen holding two brand new fishing poles in his hands with a big smile. "For you, Billy!" he walked over to the bright-eyed boy and handed him one of the fishing poles. "I had these hand made by a friend of mine down by the homestead. Your grandma just sent them up to me as I arrived in town. What do you think?"

          Billy took the shiny fishing pole from his grandpa, setting the butt down and examining the metallic green body, and the strong wooden grip.

          "Grandpa," Billy exclaimed and jumped to his feet, and wrapped his arms around the Judge's waist. The pole fell in midair and Chris reached out and grabbed it just before it hit the floor. Billy was too excited to notice he had lost hold of it but luckily had a friend around to take it as he jumped up and down in the high heavens, waving his arms in the air.

          Chris laughed at this, shaking his head then he looked across the table again at Mary gazing right back at him. His laughter then faltered and he swallowed hard, trying to push back the sudden attraction he felt toward Mary. He had to get rid of it and the only way to do that was to uncover the gift he had secretly brought with him to give Billy.

          "Billy...." Chris said then stood from the chair to stand over the child. Judge took the fishing poles and set them aside as Chris took the floor now and pulled out the small gift wrapped in a fine leather handkerchief from his pocket and handed it over. Once Billy got situated back into his chair, Chris did the same and watched Billy unwrap it.

          A shiny blade popped into eyesight and Billy held up the pocket knife in front of the burning candles overhead. The boy was in awe and so was Chris as he looked at Mary then sideways at Judge Travis to make sure they were all right with the small, dangerous gift. They said nothing, did nothing, and just examined the small knife as Billy did.

          "Wow, Chris, it's...." Mary began but stopped in mid-thought.

          Billy looked over at his mother, "Ma, look at it! Isn't it neat? Thank you Chris!"

          "You gotta be careful with that knife now, Billy." Chris said quietly. "It's a Larabee heirloom. Been in the family for years. My grandfather gave it to me, and I...."

          Mary knew what Chris was going to say but she was glad he stopped his train of thought, his guidance to Billy. Fact of the matter was Chris didn't have a son anymore to give his personal belongings to. Special objects that had been in the family for years, and he didn't have anyone else to pass on what he needed to. Mary was glad Chris had chosen her son as that one person to help carry on the Larabee family tradition. Because he had to know Mary would accept anything he'd give her son. May that be advice, or razor sharp blades that came from the family....Mary was honored.

          "It's really something, Chris." Judge Travis said, kneeling to one knee to inspect the pocket knife better. "Something really special, Billy. Now you gotta take care of this. Always keep it. Chris gave you something special and you need not to disappoint him."

          "I won't, grandpa!" Billy exclaimed, looking over the nicely shaped blade.

          "Just be careful with it, Billy." Mary said. She looked over Chris one last time before standing to her feet and excusing herself out of the room.

          This was almost too easy, Trevor Mackey thought. To have to exchange the burning birthday candles with mini explosives was like warmth to the soul. It sounded and tasted so good to him. And in a few moments, the Travis boy and his mother would know exactly what trouble they were in for. They had a connection to Chris Larabee, and anyone close to the gunslinger would have to cost their life to make the man as miserable as possible to the brink of insanity.

          It was only too bad he couldn't get to his wife and son sooner than the hired assassins. Trevor would have been more than welcome to put an end to Chris's happiness without the money.

          Nicholas, with his dark blond hair blowing across his stare, he leaned against the wooden house panels that held up this building, The Clarion, he knew this wasn't right and that he had to stop Trevor from doing harm to an innocent mother and boy. He thought back to what he tried to figure out about what to do, but nothing came of interest when it included both the Mackey brothers ended up in jail for the rest of their lives, or worse yet, dead.

          He slammed his back against the panel, trying to calm down his nerves as he watched his brother mess with several dynamite sticks in their satchel.

          "What is y' doin'?" Nicholas asked sharply.

          Trevor didn't have the nerve to turn toward his brother and explain what so he snickered over his shoulder instead, "Givin' the boy my own present."

          Nicholas shook his head, his hair swaying against his clammy forehead, and moved closer to his brother and took the explosives from his hand. "No, Trevor. Not this way. You can't go harmin' a boy who did nothin' to ya."

          Trevor snapped the dynamite sticks right back out of his brother's hand. "What the hell's the matter with ya, boy?" anger boiled in his blood as he took his stare away from him. "We're here to put an end to Chris Larabee's life and the only way to make him sore's to harm the only two people who really mean something to him. People a lot like his own damn family."

          Nicholas knew he had no argument with Trevor because whatever he was going to do, he was going to do it, and he couldn't stop him unless he wanted for them to get made and thrown in jail for trespassing on someone's property. He allowed Trevor to act out in whatever way to make him happy then later he would have to tell someone before the finale came and went before he knew it.

          "What're ya plannin' to do then?" Nicholas asked.

          "Just give the mother and boy a scare," Trevor laughed wickedly. He took the smallest sticks of dynamite he had and stood on his legs then tip toes to unlatch the window that belonged to the kitchen of The Clarion building. Trevor widened his eyes with pleasure when he saw a bright blue and white cake with nicely written Happy Birthday Billy! in the center. He then looked to the side of the cake on the kitchen counter top and found eight white candles and he reached inside the kitchen and grabbed those candles and replaced them nicely with dark, ashy dynamite. The candles were little, enough not to give too much away that they were explosives, but the side effect were they were too small to do any harm besides blow up the cake itself.

          That should be an end to this evening filled with joy and family. Something the Mackey boys had never experienced.

          Trevor jerked his arm out quickly when he heard laughter coming from the other side of the door and floor creaks alerting him someone was on foot and heading toward the kitchen. Trying to keep his giddy in, Trevor quietly closed the window and bent down to be level with Nicholas, sitting in the grass.

          He put a finger to his lips, telling his younger brother to be quiet until they heard the explosion, then they could make a run for it, laughing and running until they were out of breath. Trevor had to hear it, and the screams and he wouldn't leave until he did.

         Mary didn't want to get rid of her happiness through smiles and tears for the people in the dining room. She had Judge Travis and Chris to share the joy and Billy had his grandfather, mother, the man he looked up to, and his two friends with him. The night couldn't be better yet. This was all for her son and Mary was only relieved Chris accepted the invitation and Billy was the happiest child in town, probably in the whole world at the moment.

          Mary swallowed down her unrepentant bliss and grabbed the small candle sticks and placed them gently into the butter cake. She counted eight candles altogether then found a book of matches in the cabinet above her and began to light the first candle. When she was finished, the happiness clogged in her throat dissolved, and she put back on her wide smile and picked the cake up with both hands and headed toward the door.

          Mary stopped just as she reached the door separating she from the others, and took a second to study over the candles that seemed to be flicking rather than just burning normally like any other candlewick. She wondered about the candles but from a loud rumble of laughter coming from the other side of the door, she put her wonders away and hit her back against the swinging door and Mary walked back in to greet her son with his birthday cake.

          "Happy Birthday, Billy," Mary exclaimed as she walked carefully toward her son and watching his eyes widen the closer she came.

          "Oh, WOW!" Billy cried out. His eyes were as big as saucers as Mary set the cake in front of his place, the candles flickering out of control.

          "You made that Mary?" Judge Travis asked, amazed.

          "Yes, I did." Mary had no problem being honest when it came to her work. She took a second to look away from her beaming son at Chris sitting at the end of the table. He was just as much surprised as the young boy he took into his care. Chris sat up higher in his chair and watched Billy look around the room, the lights flickering off the ceiling's reflection.

          "That looks some good, Mrs. Travis!" Jordan Potter said then clapped his hands. Lily joined in with him just the same happy as everyone else in the room. Chris glanced over at the two siblings and smiled. Mary could see the shimmer in his green eyes, the relaxation in his body, the peace of mind in his appearance. And Mary was happy she could do a little something to bring him those emotions again.

          "Can we sing the birthday song?" Lily Potter asked.

          Mary nodded, "Of course. Who wants to begin?"

          "I do!" Billy shouted.

          "No, silly, you can't. We're singing it for you." Jordan said.

          "I'll start," Judge Travis said. He took a deep breath, looking around the room before landing his eyes on his grandson. "Happy birthday to you..."

          Jordan and Lily joined with him, and Mary stood behind her son, a hand on his shoulder, also singing the notes. Chris eyeballed Billy, his smile widening with every breath he took, and bits of bashful red blemishes outlined his cheekbones. Billy was shy, embarrassed, but above everything, happy. His family, his friends were singing for him on his special day and Chris was just content to be in the room with all these loved people. The one feeling he thought he'd never again consider.

          As the song slowly came to a finish, the high pitched voices vibrated the room, and the candle lights above started to flicker, and so did the candles on the birthday cake. As Mary thought before, Chris found the candles something unusual, out of the sort, not like real candles.

          To his deepest instinct of a gunslinger, Chris sat up in his chair from his slump position and lifted his hat off his brow to look better in the dark room. Strangely, the candles were more sparking than flickering. The candles....Chris couldn't stop looking at the candles that Billy would soon put his mouth down toward and blow at. Soon that admiration about the gathering turned to strict bothersome as Chris watched the candles slowly die down to the wick. And regular candles didn't do that. He had to keep repeating that to himself over and over. Candlesticks stayed lit and waited to be blown out, not travel down the length of the candle. The only candles that did that were....

          Happy Birthday dear Billy! Happy Birthday to you!

          "Get down!!" Chris shouted and flung his body across the room on top of Mary and Billy. Judge Travis grabbed the Potter children and shielded them with his stiff frame as the cake exploded.

          Billy screamed out and Mary held onto her son, tucking his head underneath her armpit as Chris covered the both of them with his back to the exploding cake, coming and going in three, four bursts. Cake batter flew everywhere, soaring across the room, smacking against the walls, coming down on Chris's backside. The cake stuck to the ground by Judge Travis's face and he could smell the fresh smoke and flames, and a little scent of the blueberry icing. Cries began to wail out, and the Judge tried to calm the Potter children, but it was no use. The children were horrified, kicking and screaming under him.

          Chris shot up after he knew the worse was over and Travis and he caught sight of fire catching on Mary's satin curtains and Chris tossed the glass of water he had for dinner on the flames, and then suddenly the door flew open and Vin and Buck rush inside to see what had happened.

          Billy cried out loud and clear in the darkness, and over the roaring flames of the cake. With deepest strength, Chris jerked his body up after he knew the firework show was over and quickly pulled the dining cloth over the cake's flames to put what was left out.

          Mary cradled her son in her arms, whispering tender words into his ear as he cried harder. Judge Travis sat up and released the Potter children curled up in the other's body. Being young for his age, Jordan Potter did everything in his complete power to protect his little sister. After Travis knew Chris had put out the fire and the place was clear enough to stand up and move around again, he helped the Potter children to their feet. Jordan still clutched onto Lily as they stood.

          "You okay, son?" Travis asked the Potter boy. The boy didn't speak and Lily did more of the doing and cried out. The child was mortified at what had just happened and she was not alone. Travis rubbed her back to soothe her cries before standing to his own feet and looked around the place, at the mess and the cake batter splattered everywhere. He looked across the table to meet Chris's heated glare.

          He saw on the gunslingers face that this was no accident but bewildered as hell as to why this happened and who had the disgusting decency to do a thing like this to a child. Especially to a child he adored.

          The town had been peaceful for the last two weeks, why this all of a sudden on this night? Chris couldn't figure it out and that ticked him off. Someone had snuck behind his back and planted explosives into a child's birthday cake. Though they weren't large bombs they were enough to scare a little person and that heated Chris even more.

          "What the hell just happened?" Buck asked.

          Mary stood up, holding her son to her and glanced at Chris for any answers or suspicions he may had. Too shaken to ask any of the questions herself, Mary held Billy close to her chest, tightening her grip on him every time his cries deepened.

          "Is everyone all right?" Chris asked, checking the place out. He walked around the table to seek the other two frightened children. He bent down before Lily Potter in tears as she held her brother's hand. Cake batter was stuck in her brown curls, her tears running down her cheeks to soak up any other blue icing that made its mark on her frightened face.

          Chris was sympathetic for the child. He switched his look from the little girl to Jordan standing closely beside her, holding her hand just as strong. Chris reached his hand to the table and took a cloth, dabbed a tip in a glass of water, and brought his hand back down to wipe away the icing from Lily's face.

          "It's all right, girl." Chris said as softly as he could through anger. He then looked over his shoulder at his comrades. "Anybody have any enemies in town I should know about?"

          Judge Travis shook his head and ran a hand through his thinning hair. "Whoever the hell it is, they have some real gut to scare children like this. Thank God the explosives were minor."

          Chris closed his eyes, taking away Lily's streaked-teary face, and aiming his hate at the person who did this to these children. To one little boy who didn't deserve it, but did deserve the best dinner on his birthday. All he got was his cake blown to bits that his mother slaved over.

          Mary....

          Chris stood from the floor and looked across the kitchen at Mary, silent and crying, as Billy wept soundly on her shoulder. Chris would rather break every bone in his body instead of seeing a child cry. Let alone Billy who reminded him so much of his Adam. He cried out for the child but kept his distance because this was no time to get close to Mary and the boy. He had to find answers and the only way to do that was make his comrades take notice and follow his orders. Chris turned toward Vin standing behind him, and looked at one then the other.

          "Vin, go out and check the perimeter. Sometimes these guys like to watch." Chris ordered and Vin was gone the next second. "Buck, see if you can't go down to the saloon and do some questionin'. Scope the place out to see if anyone looks new in town."

          Buck nodded, "If these jokers are still in the area, you can bet they won't be leavin'." And then he left.

          As Chris was turning around, he heard a wail coming from outside the Clarion front doors and turned back around just in time to step out of the way of a running in hysterics Gloria Potter. Jordan and Lily perked up and ran into their mother's open arms and Gloria wrapped them in her strong, worrisome hold and cried.

          "My babies! Oh, my babies!" Gloria cried out. "Are you both okay?" she pulled away to look at both Jordan and Lily in the eyes to find only terror and tears. She pulled them back into her body and patted down their heads. As her children cried, Gloria looked up and into Chris's anger burning eyes for some answers.

          "What happened?" she asked, then as she did she looked over at Mary, still holding Billy tight. "Oh, my Mary....is Billy okay?" Mary didn't look up, but she nodded against Billy's soft hair. Gloria looked back up at Chris. "Mr. Larabee, tell me what happened?"

          Chris took off his hat to mess with and control his raging anger he did not want to reveal then. Not when everyone was in tears. "It's hard to tell this soon, ma'am. But whatever happened, I'll get to the bottom of it."

          Gloria accepted his answer then stood with Jordan and Lily hooked on her arms. She did not want to put herself and her children in danger anymore and instead of waiting around to get some answers, Gloria figured it'd be best to leave Mary and Billy, and their home up to the professionals. She knew she could put her trust in the men who protected the town day after day. She was not worried they'd get things set and back in order. What she was more worried about now was her children and how this event would do to them. She grabbed for their hands and led them out of the Clarion doors without another word spoken.

          Chris watched JD and Ezra running up to the Clarion just as they passed Gloria on her way out. The gunslinger walked small distance to JD and said, "JD, follow Mrs. Potter home. Make sure she gets there safely."

          JD nodded with questions he had to ask about what had happened. Before he did what Chris requested, JD looked around the dining room, already having his own speculations then he was gone.

          Mary looked outside the window where she stood and disgusted all the attention they were getting from the look of a crowd gathering around outside the Clarion. Billy's cry got louder and Mary rocked him back and forth, rubbing his head but he still wouldn't stop. She looked outside the window at the small crowd and suddenly she was livid and upset and in tears. Mary didn't like the attention and she told Chris so as she squeezed her son a little tighter. She didn't look at Judge Travis or JD and even Josiah as they all gathered in the doorway, trying to push back onlookers. She gripped Billy and turned to find the spiral stairway leading up to their bedrooms.

          Chris watched Mary and Billy leave then saw Nathan walk in the room, asking if anyone was injured. Just then Vin walked back into the room.

          "Find anything?" Chris asked.

          "Nothing but weeds and dirt," Vin said then added. "But Mary's kitchen window was cracked open."
          "Maybe she left it open." Josiah said.

          Chris shook his head. That didn't seem likely being in the middle of fall and the nights in Four Corners were ghastly cold. "Vin-Josiah-stand guard around here. Nathan and Ezra will come to replace you in a few hours." Chris turned to the door when Buck and JD walked back in. He asked the two if they could start cleaning the cake mess. Judge Travis offered to help the men, too, but he had to catch his breath and reconsider what had just happened a few minutes ago. Then he thought of his grandson and wondered how he might be feeling, to see if he was still crying.

          "It's all right, Travis. I think Billy needs you more up there instead of down here. We'll clean up the place." Chris said then exchanged handshakes with the Judge and watched him walk up the stairs with one foot in front of the other. Chris could tell he was still shook up about the sudden attack, but he had to side his emotions to the back of his head and concentrate on finding the bastards who did this.

          Nathan circled around the dining table, looking at the cake mess, the singed curtains, the fresh pork and potatoes Mary had fixed for supper. He bent down in front of the cake, the corners still together and examined the burnt dynamite. He was no lawman or detective, just a doctor, but he had his clues and suspicions. He looked over his shoulder at Buck and JD starting to clean the place up, and Nathan stood abruptly telling them to stop.

          "What's the matter?" JD asked, dropping his damp washcloth on the table.

          "Don't clean up just yet. I think if we look around here a bit, we might find some evidence to what happened exactly." Nathan said.

          "What do you mean? We know what happened. Someone planted sticks of dynamite into Billy's cake and it exploded. End of theory and any evidence." Buck said.

          "This could be an accident," the healer argued.

          Chris listened in and decided to step in, "Why do you suspect that, Nathan?"

          "I don't know, Chris. It's just a feeling I'm having'."

          "What?" Chris asked.

          "This could have been accident instead of attempted murder. We gotta look at both sides here. Maybe Mary accidentally bought the wrong kind of candles. Where did she buy them from, you know?" Nathan asked, walking around the table to stand by Chris.

          "She must have bought them in Mrs. Potter's store since it being the only store in town." Buck said.

          Chris shook his head, "No, I don't believe this to be some accident, and I don't believe Mary would have bought something that could have cost lives. The people she-" he drew his hands into fists and squeezed. "Drop that theory, Nathan."

          Outside the Clarion doors the crowd began to thin out and Vin told Josiah he was going to check out by the kitchen window one more time to make sure he didn't miss anything. Since it being dark and late in the night, it would have been hard for any man to find a clue or a piece of evidence but Vin wasn't like any other man. He use to hunt in the night, kill in the dark to the point of not seeing where he was going, not even a hand in front of his face. He was use to this, and he had to find something that could lead to the one responsible.

          As Vin rounded the corner of the building, he stooped down low beneath the window, feeling along the jagged edge of the wooded siding, sticking his fingers in the wet grass. It took him a minute in the dark to feel around what he might be looking for, and truth Vin didn't know what exactly until a small sleek stick slid between his fingers. He picked up what fell into his hand and put it up to his face, under his nose to sniff it, then brought it to his eyes to take a better look.

          It was small, almost the length of his index finger with a candlewick. The dynamite wick was wet and looked as if it had been lit but a dud. Vin felt around the grass again until he hand swiped over a mound of the same size, same feel, same black dud.

          To Vin's first thought was that maybe it had been a couple of local boys up to no good knowing it was Billy's birthday and they wanted to spook the little guy. That speculation left a nasty taste in his mouth, and he grabbed a handful of the dynamites, stood back up, and stalked back around the Clarion to the front doors.

          Chris stood outside the Clarion doors, arms loose at his sides, first still tight closing around his fingers. He thought about Mary and Billy and the fact that his birthday party had been ruined. A good decent night had been a disaster because someone decided to have a little fun. Hadn't the boy suffered enough after the bad guys who killed his father tried to come after him?

          "Chris," Vin said, coming around the corner.

          Chris turned his attention on the bounty hunter, "Find something?"

          "Yeah," Vin said and stuck out his hand full of the burnt candles. "Sticks of dynamite lookin' like birthday candles."

          Chris picked one up and looked at him in detail. "All duds?"

          "The ones that wouldn't work which might mean there might have been an even bigger explosion. One that might have cost lives."

          "Like Mary and Billy."

          Vin looked away from the gunslinger. "We shouldn't leave them alone, Chris. Not even out of sight until we uncover these guys."

          Chris looked away from Vin's concerned glare and back into the house. He watched JD and Nathan wipe down the table and carry the uneaten food back into the kitchen. His focused shifted when Buck came walking out and asked if they uncovered anything yet. Vin told Buck what he knew and Chris remained silent, remembering what had happened. Then Buck pulled at his hat brim and Chris jolted his look on his old friend.

          "What?"

          Buck wiped a piece of blue frosting from Chris's hat and stuck the left over in his mouth, tasting it. "Hmm, blueberry."

          Right then Chris remembered he was covered in cake batter. He looked down at his clothes. The clean shirt he washed earlier was smeared in mix, his black pants lit to a shade of blue splotches, and his boots were meshed with crumbs. He breathed in deeply, held his breath, then released and turned his back on Buck and Vin and headed down the street.

          "Where you goin'?" Vin called out.

         Mary held her tears in as she helped remove Billy's messy clothes and change him into some nice warm pajamas for bed. Mary didn't want her son to see how sad she was but her jaw trembled and her eyes matched the same as Billy's. Then she cried softly, releasing the tears, letting them fall down her cheeks. Billy kept quiet but shared her pain just the same. He did the motions Mary urged him to do by stepping out of one pant leg then the other and move to the bed and tuck his body under the warm blankets.

          As Billy rested his head on the pillow, Mary moved the hair from his eyes and wiped away his wet cheeks with a cloth by the bedside.

          "I'm so sorry, baby," Mary whispered and kissed his forehead. "I just wanted you to have a nice birthday and this is what happens. A day full of laughter and surprises...." She looked down at Billy when she caught herself in saying the surprises. "Oh, Billy. I'm so sorry."

          "It's okay, mama. It wasn't your fault." Billy mumbled through a mouthful of sorrow and freight. His small body began to tremble and Mary held him that much closer.

          After a while when the noise outside her home calmed down, and all there was to hear were the usual insects and owls, Mary stood up from the rocking chair she moved from the corner of the room to Billy's bed. She covered her son up with the thick blanket, kissed his forehead, then quietly crossed the room to leave his room for a moment. She leaned against his bedroom door, finally taking a deep breath when she heard Vin and Buck's voices from downstairs. She knew they were there to protect her and Billy from whatever enemy they had this time. God only knew what sick man had the idea of harming a little boy on his birthday. Mary was sick to her stomach just thinking about it. About a man hurting any child in the world. She had to swallow the bile in her throat, and as she did she leaned off the door and crossed the hallway to her own bedroom.

          Then she heard it.

          Mary turned a slight to the left with her hand still on her chest when she heard the odd familiar sound of a rope swinging. As if the rope had something heavy tied to it. The sound was so irritatingly scary Mary leaned against her bedroom door to try to make clear of the noise, and get as far away from it as she could.

          The creaking got louder, and she had to keep her yelp in when the painful sound sliced into her brain. Mary managed to gather her sanity though as she thought what else could possibly go wrong tonight. She took a couple of deep breaths, then moved forward until she was almost ear to ear to the creaking sound. When she couldn't move any further, she ran her hand along the wall for the back window curtain so she could have a better light from the moon. But as she pulled the curtain back, Mary ultimately regretted her wise thinking.

          She covered her mouth as the gushing blood of a piglet hung from the ceiling dripped onto the wooden floorboards. Mary tried everything in her power to keep sane as she turned away from the horrible scene, and ran straight for the stairs.

          Nicholas was getting uneasy about this whole thing. He didn't want to hurt the little boy and his mother anymore. They weren't the enemy, Chris Larabee was. Trevor was sick. To get back at Chris Larabee this way? How did he even come under the fact that Chris was having a liking toward this woman and her son? Nicholas didn't see the attraction in hurting a little boy, and he wanted no part of his brother's scheme anymore. The dead pig was a good trick, but not on the mother and boy. This was it. It was over. He would do something to get rid of his brother, put him away where he belonged, and he would figure that out why Trevor was gone, doing God knows what.

          "We don't leave them alone anymore." Chris demanded as he stalked around the Clarion. He glanced up the staircase where Billy continued to sleep, and Mary had just gone to before she came down and told Buck and Vin about the pig. She tried to keep her voice in a low tone, but she was scared and there were tears in her eyes that made Chris's stomach turn. He hated to see women cry.

          "Go up there, JD," Chris ordered as the young gunslinger ran up the stairs. "Lock Billy's door and stay in there until I say it's all right to come out." When he knew JD heard him, Chris turned to the remaining six gunslingers. "Josiah, take first watch out front, and Vin out back. Around 2 a.m. Nathan and Ezra take their places. Buck, you take JD's place around the same time."

          With everyone with their orders, the six gunslingers departed and went their separate ways. When Chris found he was alone in the Clarion first floor, he took a deep breath, rubbed his eyes to take the sleep away, then waited another second to walk up the stairs and knock on Mary's bedroom door.

          Inside, Mary held her arms so close around herself and tried to control her breathing, her scares, and the painful sight of the little pig strung up. She closed her eyes, holding her cries in. She cried for pain, and for joy when she thought of Chris, and the others doing everything in their power to help her and Billy. What had she done to deserve the protection of these seven determined men, and of one man who didn't have to be so kind to her son, who didn't have to care for her when he had to deal with so much more than she imagined. He just didn't have to, but he did and that tugged on Mary's heart. She was grateful for his help and protection.

          "Mary?"

          Was it real? Was his voice there behind her at the door? Did he open it, and she not heard it? Mary took another deep breath, opened her eyes, and looked over her shoulder to see Chris with half his body inside her bedroom. They locked eyes, their gazes slowly searching for what the other needed from each other. Mary felt a sudden burn in her stomach, and a throbbing between her legs she hadn't felt for a long time.

          My heart aches for you, Chris. Why can't you see how much I care? Why won't you let me hold you and make all the pain disappear? Please, just let me hold you.

          The thoughts bashed Mary around in the head mentally. She wasn't expecting her thoughts to fly free, and she turned back to face the window, and the town that never sleeps. She wanted Chris that much she knew and craved, but she didn't know whether Chris would accept her, or turn away like he had done many times.

           Chris walked the rest of the way inside her room, the most private area a woman can call her own. He wasn't sure if he was wanted, if she even cared he showed up to see if she was okay. But when she looked at him, his heart skipped a beat, and he cursed himself for doing it. Maybe he wasn't wanted by Mary anymore. He didn't think he would be after the episode with Ella, and those letter damn letters she keeps sending. However, Mary had to know this wasn't about him or Ella now. It was about a little boy, and keeping him safe, and finding those cowards who ruined his birthday. Mary had to know that, and Chris had to know for his sake that she was okay.

          "Mary?" his deep, throaty voice said into the darkness of the room. When Chris listened and heard nothing, he took that as a good sign and he closed the bedroom door, and walked across the wooden floorboards and stood beside her.

          He watched her profile shift from confident to worn out. Mary was a stubborn, determined woman and Chris had no idea why this personality put heat in his body whenever she came around him. Not wanting to admit it to himself, but the fact was he liked Mary. More than he wanted to, and more than he thought he would after their first introduction.

          Chris wanted to touch her. He wanted to grab her by the shoulders then wrap his arms around her and hold on until the tremors in both their bodies eased. Chris had never felt this uneasy before, and never about a woman except Sarah. He almost forgot the feel of being alive until the tremors came to him, and he was forced to face the truth that his heart was in need of love, and completion. He wanted Mary. How would she react if he told her?

          Without thought, Chris moved his hand up the length of her arm and pushed away a loose curl from her long braid.

          To his touch, Mary's thoughts went and all reason and doubt vanished with them. Chris had never touched her in this way before. Like he had reason to, like he did it everyday of his life. His rough fingers felt good against her delicate skin, and she began to cry.

          "Tell me," Chris whispered in the cool night as he watched Mary's eyes open and close as she tried to hold in her sobs. It was pointless, and Chris caught the single tear with his finger Mary let loose. "Mary, tell me...."

          Mary then looked up, her thoughts in the back of her head telling her to stay put, to not put her feelings and emotions out for all to see, for this man to burn with his rough words and bitter tongue. Mary pushed back all she had felt for Chris back when he decided to leave the town with that woman. She didn't care now. She had Chris right in front of her, burning green holes in her blue eyes.

          Then she did something she never thought Chris would let her do. Mary leaned into his chiseled cheekbone, she placed her hands on his stiff chest, and then she found his lips and kissed him.

          She kissed him slow, dragging out every moment against his lips as possible. As much as Chris would allow her to. With her hands on his face now, Mary moved forward and her breasts met his chest.

          Chris held his hands by his sides while Mary kissed him. He wasn't sure how to take this kiss, but he knew he would and take it slow and willingly if she was. And as soon as her lips met his, Chris lost the battle against sanity.

          He placed his hands on her waist, and brought her lower half inward to rub against the bulge behind his zipper. Mary had wrapped her arms around his neck now, and brought him even closer.

          Chris about lost his breath and he pulled away for only enough time to catch a gulp of fresh air, and to look into her eyes. He read the look in Mary's eyes as easily as he read tracks in the forest. She was hurting. He knew what would make her pain go away, but feared the long run it would merely be replaced by a greater one if he didn't leave Mary...and well enough....alone. But dear God, he was tempted.

          "Mary, look at me. Open your eyes and look at me."

          Mary, still holding onto Chris's neck for dear life, opened her eyes and tears blurred her vision. "What do you need from me?"

          His question was so unexpected; Mary had to hold onto her shock. She gently shrugged her shoulders Chris almost missed it.

          With a throaty groan, he leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "Neither do I, baby. I don't know even know why I came in here tonight."

          Mary found her voice, "You came in here to see if I was okay, and when you saw me crying instead you forgot."

          "A woman in tears does make a man forget." Chris agreed, then kissed her nose. "But damn if I'm worried what I want to do will make things worse between us."

          Then I'll take the worry out of your head.

          With that thought, Mary closed her bedroom curtain and cupped his face, bringing him down closer to her lips again, and kissed him. She dropped her hands to his stern shoulders and dug her nails into the fabric of his duster. Chris watched her like a hawk. His legs buckled, his feet shook, and his heart began to beat rapidly. He had to pull away before the desire in his body took over. He had to ask one question.

          "Are you sure you want to do this, Mary?"

          Instead of voicing her answer, Mary kissed him again, this time gentler, softer, and slow. Moments later, she was on third button of his black collared shirt when a sudden knock at her door intruded.

          Chris held Mary's hands on his shirt, and pulled away from her sweet tasting body.

          "What is it?" Mary called out.

          "Mrs. Travis," it was Ezra. "Excuse my intrusion, but have you seen Chris anywhere? I think we may have found something, or someone."

          Mary looked at Chris, and her eyes widened as he released her hands and started buttoning his shirt back up.

          "No, I haven't seen him." Mary said quickly, and Chris shot his head up to look at her. It was right to say she hadn't seen him when in fact he was half naked inside her bedroom. No one else needed to know about this. Not even his men.

          "Gratitude anyhow. Goodnight, Mrs. Travis." Then Ezra was gone.

          Chris stood up and straightened his clothes further then turned to face Mary.

          "That was smart to say," he said.

          "My personal life is mine alone," Mary said. Then she looked at her hands, looking defeated.

          "Hey-" Chris leaned forward, and cupped her chin in his hand. "I told you I would protect you, and Billy. I don't plan on forgetting about this either. You and I have something here to finish."

          "Finish?" Mary asked, her question lingering high in the air. "I've never made a date for making love. What do you plan on doing about it after we have?"

          Chris leaned the rest of the way in and kissed Mary hard on the lips. "Making love to you, Mary, will be an adventure all on its own. You will kill me, then l will come back to you and do it again, and again. I am not going to let you down this time." Then Chris was gone, off her bed, out of her bedroom, and out under the stars leaving her with more hope in her heart than she ever had.

          Underneath the midnight stars, Vin paced about the jailhouse front with his hands gripped firmly on his gun belt. He was lost in his thoughts he didn't even see Chris approaching him.

          "What do we have?" Chris asked in his usual demand of a voice. Buck and Ezra came out of the jailhouse to meet the lone gunslinger and the bounty hunter.

          "Sorry, Chris. It was nothin'." Vin said, gritting his teeth.

          "What do you mean nothin? Ezra, I thought you found someone?" Chris barked, now irritated his time with Mary was interrupted for nothing.

          "We found someone in the saloon talking about what happened at the Travis home. He said he had something to do with it, and he was drunk clearly to the whites of his eyes."

          "If he confessed to doing the disturbance, why didn't you do something about it?" Chris wanted to know.

          "Because Inez had to come and get me to get that drunken scum out of there. He had been there all night. She had her eye on him so he wouldn't try to sneak some free whiskey. No way could he had done it when he was sitting there the whole time." Buck explained.

          "Maybe someone's working for him," Chris thought.

          "Negative on that," Vin jumped in. "The man's been here for little over a week. He came in alone because I helped him get settled in the hotel with his luggage. He paid me for it. Looks as if he's a rich sonofabitch, and he's wasting all his earnings on drinking and women."

          "One way to make a living though," Buck added.

          Vin shot him an angry glare. "One way, my friend. But not the right way."

          Buck focused again, and shook his head. "He's not the one behind the stunts. He's just a fat, old greasy scumbag. He's not smart enough to hire a couple of men and scare a little boy. The man may be filth but he ain't cruel."

          Chris didn't understand any of this. The man fit the description perfectly. "Where is this man at?"

          "We threw him in a jail cell. Let him sleep off his crazy drinking, and save some money for a night." Buck said.

          "Fine," Chris said. "Then we wait to see if there are any other explosions why he's in there. If there is, and he's still locked up, then release him."

          "Chris, this still doesn't fit right with me. Rich men can hire anyone they want if the money is good. That drunken slum can be the man behind it all, and his springs are all over town planting bombs." Vin said, his voice edgy and worrisome.

          "Then let the poor bastard rot in that cell for all I care. If he is behind all this, scaring children, and innocent people, and he does have men around town, then I suggest you start looking for more clues. We will all look. I just can't have anyone else scaring that little boy. Understand?" Chris said.

          Vin nodded stiffly, then slowly walked away from the group already on the mission to search for anymore clues. Then Buck and Ezra departed in the same direction, and Chris was left alone in front of the jailhouse with nothing but Mary, and criminals hiding out in his town.

          Trevor stumbled into the humble shack his younger brother found for them to hide in for the time being. He was drunk, and fell helpless on his back from the amount of booze his body ached to throw out. It was pointless now as Trevor fell asleep in the comfort between two bearskin blankets with his head lolled to the side, his mouth hanging open, and drool seeping out.

          Nicholas sat quietly in the corner on a broken wooden chair, missing a leg. He leaned against the wall, watched his brother's clumsy, drunk body thrust through an excuse for a door, and stumble on the ground. When he waited for Trevor to stop his mumbling, drop the beer bottle, and finally fall asleep completely, he moved from his seat, kicked his brother's boot double checking one last time, and then walked out in the fresh, clear Sunday morning sun.

          He stretched his long legs, his back, and took a deep breath. It was a beautiful, crisp day indeed. Though, he knew he wouldn't be able to enjoy it for long. What he had planned out all last night after the event of the explosion, and the little surprise Trevor left for the mother in her hallway, Nicholas would not come out alive.

          He had the memory of his father to think about when it came to Chris Larabee, and even the thought of helping the man who ruined his family was just as sickening as hurting a child, Nicholas knew what had to be done.

          Trevor would hate him, but he didn't care. He had stuck by his brother's cruel ways for too long to care. And when he had the sick idea to hurt an innocent mother and her child, that was the bottom line and Nicholas had to pull away.

          Chris walked out of Virginia's Hotel feeling sorrier for himself than ever. He had the chance to go back to Mary last night and finish what they started, but he had to remember that Mary was not just any woman. She was a woman of class, of responsibility, of honor and he would not ruin her by taking her then leaving her in the dust like he had done so many times with so many other women. Mary was different. He needed to give her his respect.

          And there would be plenty of time to be with her.

          Chris fixed his hat on his head and walked away from the hotel's main doors and started toward the jailhouse to see if their only resident was awake and talking yet.

          "Mr. Larabee?" a deep voice said, and his body stepping in Chris's way. Instantly, Chris was blinded by the sun's rays and he dipped his black hat down further on his forehead then looked up at the man who stopped him.

          "Who are you?" Chris asked when he settled on a clear vision of the man before him.

          Nicholas took a deep, shivery breath. "Mr. Larabee? Chris, right?" he said, trying to make his voice sound less nervous and more excited.

          "Yeah, but who are you?" Chris asked again.

          Nicholas stuck out his hand. "Chris, I can't believe you don't recognize me." He waited for Chris to take it, and when he did, he held on tight until Chris met his strong gaze.

          "Sorry, but I don't know who you are. I think I would-" Chris tried to get his hand back but the man wasn't letting up.

          "I wouldn't think you'd remember me." Nicholas said, sounding less thrilled. "I have been looking for you for a long time."

          Chris looked into the man's dark blue eyes, and saw no light there as he just had. "Give me back my hand."

          "You gotta listen to me, okay? Listen...." Nicholas looked over his shoulders, then off in the distance to make sure no one cared to bother him. Then his gaze shot toward the shack he left his brother in. "I have information on the explosion. Last night in the boy's birthday cake. I-"

          "You responsible?" This time it was Chris to tighten his grip on the man's hand.

          "Listen to me, Chris....you're damn lucky I am even doing this. Yeah, I did it but it's nothing what my brother plans on doing tonight. That's why I am came to you first."

          Chris studied the man with question. "Why you doing this? Why you going against your brother?"

          "Because he isn't well. You probably don't remember but in your teen years you shot and killed our father in cold-blood." Nicholas tightened his hand on his end. "Me and Trevor watched the whole thing. We were only boys then. Young boys and our father was only one left to protect us. Trevor wants to kill you with his bare hands, and so did I. But the way I grew up in this world I'd never wish that upon any child growing up now. You may have took my brother's innocence, but I won't let him rob another child of theirs."

          Chris's eyes grew wide with anticipation. He could not remember for the life of him why he had to kill a man in cold-blood. He would never do something like that, not unless he had reason to. "What did you say your name was?"

          "Mackey. Nicholas Mackey, and my brother is Trevor Mackey. Our father was Charles Mackey." Nicholas said and paused. "Do the names ring any bells, Mr. Larabee?"

          Mackey? Mackey? Charles Mackey? Charlie Mac? The bank robber. The thief, the murderer of two innocent young men. Killer of John Lipton, the bank owner.

          Chris worked for Mr. Lipton when he was a young man, just turned seventeen, trying to earn some extra money to help out his mother and baby sister. His mother had used all her money to bail him out of jail when he got in that brawl at the rail splitting contest. She slapped him on the back of the head over and over for costing his competent to lose an eye.

          But the money had nothing to do with what happened at the bank that rainy day back in Indiana. His friends, Brian Michaels and Luke Waters, were killed trying to protect the bank's money by Charles Mackey. And Mr. Lipton who resisted in giving the money away to some starving pig, hungry for money.

          That's right, now Chris remembered.

          "That's right," Chris snarled. "I killed your father." He found his father's old pistol under his mother's bed, went out to the Mackey land, and shot and killed Charles Mackey for revenge. The bastard deserved it. Chris felt no regret. Soon after the killing, Chris fled from the town, from his mother and sister, because he was a wanted man. That was his only regret. He had to leave his family behind.

          "I know you did," Nicholas growled. "But I'm willing to pass that for the sake of another soul that could be ruined."

          "What is your brother's plan, Nicholas?" Chris demanded to know. This was about business, not lost memories down guilty lane.

          Nicholas hesitated as he thought what he was about to reveal would betray his brother's trust, and might kill him. But the little brother was beyond caring. He knew what had to be done.

          "Trevor plans to take out the Clarion. He has already planted several explosives around the building. All he has to do is press the trigger and kaboom!"

          Nicholas tugged his hand away quickly and walked past Chris in the opposite direction from where he came from. Chris stood still in the middle of the block and held onto his breath. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. With all the strength his held in his legs, and Nicholas' words sticking to his brain like mud he rushed toward the Clarion and slammed open the door.

          Nicholas wasn't proud for what he did, but he was damn proud for the way he handled it. He didn't think he could control his cool around the man who so willingly killed his father twenty-years ago. When he was talking to Chris, all he could think about what getting the truth out behind his brother's plan, give Chris enough time to warn the mother and child, and then get the hell out of town while he still had the chance.

          He wouldn't take Trevor with him this time either. He was out on his own this time, officially. To start a new life with someone, maybe have some kids. Hell, he wasn't the kind of man to have a kid with. He was evil. He'd been jailed, beaten, taken for the worse kind there was in the world.

          He just needed to start over. Having a new life and share it with someone was to come later. All he needed to think about was to leave, and without Trevor.

          "Chris?" Mary exclaimed as she pushed out of her chair behind her desk from his sudden intrusion. "What is the matter?" she took one look at the look on his red-beaten face, and her eyes steadied. "Have you found the man who did that last night?"

          Chris nodded, then moved his foot in front of the other, but decided to not take any chances. He didn't know what Trevor Mackey looked like, or where he was. All he knew was to get Mary and Billy out of the Clarion and on safe pastures.

          "Mary, you have to get out of here. Where's Billy?" Chris barked.

          Stunned by his harsh voice after he was so gentle last night, Mary swallowed hard and wondered what the matter was. "Billy is with JD and Casey. I'm the only one here. Unless...." She lowered her voice and stopped what she was about to say when she saw Chris's switch from her to the ceiling. She followed his stare.

          "What is the matter, Chris?" Mary said, her worry showing in her strained voice.

          Chris shushed Mary right away, and told her to come toward him. When she hesitated, but suddenly anxious to get out of her office and follow him, she glided across the floorboards and Chris grabbed her by the waist and pushed her out of the Clarion.

          He closed the door, and guided her across the town to the Hardware store and stood under the balcony to block the hot sun. There where they were clear of the Clarion building, and Chris had his eyes locked good on the town to make sure no one looked out of place.

          Mary was worried, and scared as ever when she looked at Chris, and his hard gaze on the town, and his hand locked on her elbow.

          "Chris, what is going on? You haven't said a word why you are acting this way."

          "Something's wrong. Something will happen to the Clarion at any time today. I was warned." Chris said, not looking at her.

          "What are you talking about? Is it the same man who tried to hurt Billy?" Mary was confused.

          "Yes, it is the same man, but it's not one, it's two men. Two men are trying to hurt you and Billy to get back at me for killing their father twenty-years ago. It's revenge they're after, and somehow, someway, they saw you and Billy as my weaknesses."

          Mary was stunned again. She never suspected she and Billy were Chris's weaknesses. The man was down right perfect, and fearless. He didn't have weaknesses, and if he did it couldn't be her and her son.

          "Why do they think we are, Chris. Tell me."

          Chris was caught in the moment and looked down at her beautiful blue eyes full of concern for his well being as well as her own and Billy's. "You are my weakness, Mary. You have been for a long time now." He had to tell her the truth. "I just could never tell you. You two remind me so much of....Damnit! Now isn't the time to tell you all this. I have two murderers on the loose in town, and one ready to blow up your newspaper. I need you to get as far away from the Clarion as you can. Where's the Judge?"

          Mary exhaled from Chris's stubbornness, and the way a man expresses his feelings. And he was right. This wasn't the time, if she and Billy were in danger, she would have wanted to know about it and now before it was too late.

          "He left this morning. He had a trial to go to in Austin." Mary said, then grabbed the side of Chris's rough cheek and made him look at her. "I am not going anywhere. You have me. All you gotta tell me is for how long? Because I hope you'll keep me in your life forever. As for this," she gestured toward her building. "Get my things. I will not have my home blown up and everything inside blow up with it." She stood before him, and crossed her arms over her chest. "Or I will get it myself. I've worked real hard on this paper, and I can't afford a new wardrobe right now."

          Chris gritted his teeth, still locked on what she told him before about keeping her forever. He would, but not now. Not when he had unfinished business with Ella, and other enemies who would soon find him like the Mackey brothers had.

          "I will go get your things. Just leave here now." Chris urged and pushed her away from the Hardware store and she walked down the walkway to the jailhouse to alert the others of what Chris found out.

          Trevor woke up abruptly with a piece of Swiss cheese stuck to his fat cheek. He had his eyes closed still, and he sensed something not good in the shack Nicholas rented out for them. He smelled something foul close by, and he licked his lips and the tip of his tongue caught the edge of the old cheese, and he peeled it off his face.

          Trevor opened his eyes then and threw the cheese down on the ground and groaned out loud. When his focus cleared, he saw it was nearly dark, and the shack around him too quiet. He threw off his hat that lay lopsided on his head, and rubbed his eyes to get free of his throbbing hangover.

          How did it get to be so late, he wondered, and where was Nicholas?

          "Nick?" Trevor called, but no answer. He turned his big torso around, his belly getting in the way of what he tried to look for, and his little brother was no where to be found.

          He cursed under his breath, and took a deep breath then exhaled. It was getting too late. The sun would soon be all the way out and he wanted to see the looks on Chris Larabee and his men's faces when they saw that newspaper building blow to smithereens with the woman and boy inside. He wanted to see Chris fall to his knees and cry out in the night about why this had to happen. Why the woman he cared so much for had to die with her son. Why it all had to happen again just like his own wife and son.

          Trevor chuckled as he got to his feet. He was still a bit wobbly and he held his head with both hands to control the spinning in the small room. He still couldn't believe Nicholas was no where to be found. He wouldn't want to miss seeing Chris Larabee suffer yet again by another failed attempt to rescue a woman and her child.

          He searched his coat pocket for the matches he brought with him to start the explosives. He scratched his near balding head, jealous his brother still had the full head of hair, and then headed for the door to walk out in the cool, fresh night air.

          "Chris, it's been over six hours. I think someone may have fooled you," Mary said as she sat outside the jailhouse doors with Chris and Vin standing with her, and Buck and Billy played with the new rocks Billy found when he went on a hike with JD and Casey earlier.

          "Nobody fooled me, Mary. I know this man, and his brother. Just wait." Chris stated.

          "We've been waiting for the last-"

          Billy interrupted, "Six hours, ma, I know."

          Buck and Vin held in their laughter at the boy's mock.

          Mary shot her son a glance, but said nothing as she watched him put his attention back on his neat looking rock collection. "I'm starting to believe you've been had, Chris. By the Mackey brothers, by yourself....I have work to do. I don't have anymore time to just stand here and stargaze. I need to go home." Mary stepped off the jailhouse porch and into the dirty road. She looked up at Chris, standing high on his rock in front of her, his chest at ease, his glare on her not so much.

          "You're not going anywhere," Chris declared, his patience thinning. He stared at her, her eyes so blue, so fresh, so clear as she crossed those arms of hers across her chest again, and a hint of a smile on her soft, sweet tasting lips he remembered so clearly last night. In the most inappropriate time to be thinking about Mary intimately, knowing they had something to finish between them, and maybe something more, Chris erased the heated confrontation of last night and glared at Mary harder.

          "You are not going anywhere, Mary. Listen to me, Damnit...."

          "I am tired of listening to you, Chris. I'm going." Mary said, and uncrossed her arms to scoop her son in her arms. "Stay here with Chris and Buck, Billy, okay? Mama will come back for you when supper is ready." She gave Billy a strong hug then let him go so he could go back to play with his rocks. She crossed her gaze from Billy, to Buck, then back at Chris. "Will you watch over him while I get supper ready? You all are more than welcome to come eat with us if you'd like."

          Vin looked at Chris, then Buck. "I'd like that, Mary, but you can cook it at the hotel. I'm sure the chefs won't mind you help them out."

          Mary looked almost offended then shook her head. "My home is safe. I'm going home to my own kitchen and making something for dinner." With that, Mary turned around and headed for the Clarion, knowing Chris was burning a hole in the back of her head.

          Trevor cursed again when he had no luck finding Nicholas in the saloon. He figured he went to get himself something to eat, but nothing. Even that pretty bartender, Inez, said she hadn't seen a man that fit Nicholas description.

          The plan and reason they came to Four Corners could not wait. With or without Nicholas around, Trevor had a mission to complete and a promise to make his father. He would have enjoyed it better if his brother was around, but he couldn't think of Nicholas skipping town on him. He wouldn't leave him like that. No way. He knew his brother. He wouldn't leave.

          Several minutes later, Trevor was sitting in a rocking chair outside the saloon, just two buildings down from the Clarion with the matches locked in his hand. Any minute he would find the right time to go and light the explosive. The woman hadn't been in the building all day, and that made Trevor a little uneasy. He never had a clear shot when the perfect time would be.

          Then there it was. The beautiful blond woman walked away from Chris Larabee at the jailhouse, but she left her son with his men. He watched her leave, and she passed him on the way to the Clarion. It was only took seconds for her to disappear inside, and Trevor made his move.

          "You let her go back, Chris?" Nathan asked as he walked up the trio still hanging around the jailhouse.

          "Didn't have much choice. She just went on her own will." Chris said.

          "Aren't you going to follow her then?" Josiah asked. "She left Billy. That must mean she's still weary about the threat. She wouldn't want to put her son in danger."

          "Instead she put herself like the stubborn woman she is." Chris dared and stepped off the porch and headed toward the Clarion.

          Mary was getting tired of Chris's mixed feelings about her. He wanted to protect her, that was a given, but that's all he wanted to do. It was as if last night meant nothing to him today. She had waited a long time for Chris to care, and when he finally did last night, she didn't have enough time to take advantage of it. They were interrupted, and he never came back to her to finish what they started. However, he did say they will finish. He said those words. She had to believe him it was true. The man always kept her word.

          The cool air seeped through the cracked kitchen window. Mary looked up and out the window at the damage last night's scare did to the glass. She did her best this morning to get whatever was left from last night's cleanup, but it was no use. The dark blue icing would forever be painted on the kitchen window.

          Mary thought about the cool air again, and she smiled to herself as she chopped up red tomatoes for the pot of spaghetti she planned to make for tonight's dinner.          All she needed was the water to boil the noodles in. After she was done with the tomatoes, she lifted the round, metal pot from the cabinet above the stove and walked around the back of the house to retrieve the water.

          Then even if she wanted to see it, it would be too late. The spark came at her like a raging bull, and the pot was knocked from her arms, and she fell back in the mud. The fire caught the back of her house, and the curtains immediately caught the flame.

          Before she could see the man who set her house on fire, someone behind her grabbed her underneath the arms and yanked her hard around the side of the building to get away from the fire. Then suddenly a blast struck the man carrying her down and he covered his body over her to protect her.

          Protect her....

          "Chris!" she screamed, smelling his masculine scent, holding on his strong arms as they wrapped around her.

          "Stay down, Mary," Chris shouted and covered her head. He then looked up and saw Trevor Mackey's crazy smile as he lit another explosive close by them. He never saw Mary, Chris thought, and wondered how the hell that was. She was right there in the way of one of his explosives.

          In the way?

          Chris quickly looked over Mary's small figure and found that she was okay. She was hurt except for a few dirt smudges on her face, and mud all over her dress.

          The second explosive hit, and Chris jumped off Mary, and pulled her up with him just before the back of the Clarion blew apart to shreds.

          Mary screamed and ducked her head then she tripped, and Chris fell in the dirt with her. With pieces of wood flying everywhere, Chris discovered they were in front of the Clarion now, and he was on top of Mary, holding her tight.

          Trevor cursed. He cursed loud and clear for anyone bothering to listen. The woman wasn't in the building! She was not in the back of the building where he had expected her to be. Where he let off the first explosive, she was no where to be found. He planned it out so perfectly, but she was gone.

          Damn you, Chris Larabee!

          The gunslinger was too fast for him. But it wasn't over. Not it wasn't. He would get that woman and kill her in front of Chris with his own two hands if need be. He didn't need the explosions anymore. He needed a distraction instead. He saw Chris haul Mary around the side of the building, and Trevor played dumb to make Chris believe he didn't see them.

          Not as smart as you thought, Larabee.

          With all grunt and strength, Trevor lit off the last explosive and he escaped around the back alley leading to the livery and there he found his horse and rushed through the open doors just as the last explosive went off and everyone in town ducked to dive the flying shards.

          This isn't over, Larabee.

          Chris lay flat on top of Mary as he tried to protect her from the flying wood. Vin and the others ran up to the Clarion just as the last explosives hit that knocked them all on their belly.

          "Chris," Vin yelled as he gathered his strength and ran the rest of the way toward Chris and Mary on the ground. Then what Vin saw next caught the fear in his eyes.

          Mary took a deep breath, held her cries in, and felt the pressure of Chris's body against her. "Chris..." she cried, "Is it over?" It wasn't over. It was never over. It had just begun. Without time to really catch her breath, Mary was yanked by the arm so hard she thought her arm was ripped off. When she discovered it wasn't, and Chris had no time to reach for her, she was grabbed by the hair and a big arm reached around her midriff and pulled against his stiff chest.

          "Mary!" Chris shouted when he wasn't able to grab any piece of her as she was yanked so freely from his arms.

          "Chris!" Mary screamed as the man on the horse whipped around and galloped out of town with the woman he wanted to kill.

          "Let me go!" Mary kicked and screamed as Trevor tightened his grip around her waist. "Let me go, now!"

          Trevor couldn't take it anymore. She was hitting him so hard, biting his flesh, scratching her nails on his face, he had to stop the horse and knock her out cold. Where he was taking her, there could be no fighting. It was too dangerous to have an uncontrollable rider where his passenger was a maniac.

          As he neared the edge of the cliff, the gravel shifted in from the downfall to the single drop twenty feet high into wild rapids below. This would be end of Mary Travis for sure. He would dump her body here and ride off in the midnight sky and find Nicholas.

          It started to rain when Chris realized what had just happened. One second he was laying over Mary, shielding her from the explosion, the next she was pulled from his arms and a man ran away from her, wild on his black stallion like a bat out of hell.

          The rain came down now as a pour and Chris got to his feet and without waiting for the others, he ran toward the livery to retrieve Pony. He only heard Vin's voice in the backdrop as he disappeared behind the doors.

          Chris un-roped his horse and threw open the livery doors and galloped outside in the pouring rain as fast as the horse took him.

          "Chris, just wait a second," Vin yelled, but it was no use. The lone gunslinger dressed in black was beyond caring what to do next. All he could think about was the woman stripped from his arms, and she now in danger's way. Chris had to get Mary back. He couldn't let her die on his watch. He couldn't let her die period. He kicked Pony to make the ride faster as he lead in the direction Mary was taken.

          Nicholas saw the explosion from the distance. He watched steadily and close for Trevor to make it out alive, and he wished and hoped Larabee listened to him and made sure the woman and her son weren't in the building. He prayed to the heavens they weren't. They didn't deserve his brother's rage against one man. They had nothing to do with their past. They didn't need to die. He tried to explain that to Trevor millions of times but he didn't care. He wouldn't listen.

          So, now here Nicholas stood with his horse by his side. The quiet of the nightfall atmosphere, and the sudden change in reality that took him to the point of sanity when he saw his older brother, the man he looked up to and respected all his life, take the woman he wanted to kill as his hostage because he saw she wasn't in her home at the time of the explosions. He knew his brother would be thinking he had been tricked, and Chris Larabee had done it. How could he face his brother when he told him the truth. And he would tell him the truth.

          It wasn't until he saw his brother and the woman riding quickly away from town, and then it started to rain. He had to get to him and reason with Trevor. He had to tell him the woman wasn't part of this anymore. He had to let her go or he would be getting more than he had when the plan started.

          Nicholas stirred up on his horse and galloped away hard and fast as the rain stabbed him in the face as he rode.

          Mary was holding her head when she came to. Her head throbbed, and she felt a bump above her temple. She tried to open her eyes, but the hard rain spiking her face made it impossible to do.

          With her eyes closed she searched her body for any other wounds but found none. She said a quick pray then found the strength to move up on her elbows. When she did in this position she was able to open her eyes, but not well. The wind pushed the rain to a sideward pour. Mary tried to balance herself on her elbows, and when she did that she sat further up until she was sitting completely in the wet grass.

          There she was able to look around for her kidnapper, but he was nowhere to be found. Taking this as her only opportunity Mary sat all the way up, ignoring the ache in her head and wrestled to her feet to run as fast as she could. Only she didn't get too far. When he spoke and she heard the click of a gun being triggered, all her senses blanked and she locked her legs in position.

          "Not so fast, my sweet Mary." Trevor moaned.

          "I'm not your anything," Mary said, closing her throat from crying out. When she looked beyond where she stood, she saw she was close to the edge of a cliff, and where she heard rushing water just below.

          "Oh, but you are my hostage so that means you are mine."

          Mary heard him coming closer, his breath nearing the back of her neck, the scared shiver that sent down her spine. She was scared. Where was Chris? Where was her protector?

          "What do you want?" she asked through clenched teeth from the chilly wind.

          Trevor moved closer to Mary where his mouth reached the top of her head, the water dripping off the brim of his hat. "Revenge." He whispered so close to her, she about jumped out of her skin.

          "For what?" she had to ask so she could live longer. Keep the conversation up to stay alive and give enough time for someone to come for her rescue.

          "Not your business," Trevor snapped and hit Mary on the back of the neck with the butt of his pistol, and she fell hard in the grass. "You don't tell women nothing. They don't need to know nothing. They shouldn't know. All you women are meant for is to cook, clean, and make love to us men. That's all. You're not supposed to read, write, teach, be proud about your nation, or tell a man what to do. No way, lady."

          Mary scrambled to find her feet, but she came up empty. She dug in her once clean nails into the earth, and grasped the mud and grass. When she had a handful, she chugged it at Trevor and hit him right in the eyes. He yelled out, and Mary found this to be her ticket to get her hide out of there. She reached to her knees, then her feet, and when she thought she had a good running distance, she was grabbed from behind in a twirl like manner with Trevor's strong arm and he held her tight against him and he slowly backed up to the edge of the cliff, and Mary screamed.

          "Let her go!" someone yelled and Trevor took aim at the voice only to find it to be Nicholas.

          When Nicholas reached the cliff, he saw his brother sitting on a rock big enough for two bottoms, waiting for the woman to wake up he guessed. When she did, he saw Trevor grab her, then hit her with his gun. Then the woman tried to escape from him by throwing mud in his face, but Trevor was too quick and he grabbed her again. It looked as if he about lost his balance when he did he backed further toward the edge of the cliff. That's when Nicholas thought best to intrude.

          "Trevor, I said let her go," Nicholas said again, now holding his own pistol held high on his brother.

          "Nick, what the-what are you doing pointing that thing at me? Where have you been, man?" Trevor asked, moving away from the cliff with Mary still kicking at him. He put his pistol on Mary's throbbing temple and she immediately stopped.

          "Trevor, don't make me kill you," Nicholas said as he neared his brother and Mary.

          "Kill me? I'm your big brother. I practically raised you. Why would you kill me?" Trevor was stunned by his little brother's words.

          "And what a hell of a job you did, dear old brother. You raised me to be a killer. I hated doing it. Each and every death you made me do. All those innocent people. Well, not anymore brother. Not anymore. This time I'm in charge, and I'm gonna kill my last human being. You...."

          "Nicholas! Stop talking to me like that right now! I didn't raise you to talk-"

          "Shut up, Trevor!"

          Mary watched the dueling brothers, and she was scared out of her wits. She had a gun pointed at her head with a crazy man on the other end. She didn't want to die. Where was-

          "Chris!" Mary screamed, and just after she did, Trevor whipped around with her and was too late for Chris's sudden pounce from out of nowhere. The push was too hard to keep balance on two legs, and the big man went down like a rag doll from Chris's strong push.

          With Mary stilled clutched to him, Trevor scrambled back on his two feet and Chris tried his hardest to pull Mary free but it was useless. He got the big man down, he figured he could pull Mary free. It wasn't going to happen unless the man was dead. He had a death grip of her.

          "It's over, Trevor. Let her go," Chris shouted the last words as he tried again to pry Mary free.

          "Nicholas! Help me!" Trevor pleaded, looking over Mary's wet curls at his brother.

          "No," Nicholas said flatly. "Not this time, Trevor." And before he could think another lost memory of the time when they were children, and why it was wrong to kill your only brother, all the family you had left, he pulled the trigger and the bullet sailed through the rain and right into the cranium of Trevor Mackey.

          The big man went limp, and Mary thought by now she could get free and fly into Chris's arms, but she wasn't so lucky still. Closer to the edge of the cliff than she thought, her heavy wet dress weighed her down and the wet mud mixing with wet grass and slippery heels and hands, Mary lost balance as she threw the body's arm off of her that she saw she was quickly falling off the cliff.

          "Chris, I'm slipping!" she screamed for her life as Chris saw this too and leaped over Trevor's body to grab Mary by arm. She was going down quicker as he tried to get a good grasp on her slippery clothes.

          "Nicholas, Damnit, help me!" Chris shouted with fear in his voice.

          "Chris, I'm falling! Don't let me go, Chris!" Mary looked up into his deep, scared green eyes and felt the warm tears fall down her cool cheeks. "Please, Chris!"

          Nicholas grabbed the back of Chris's slick duster and helped pull him back to pull Mary back but the mud kept sinking, and Mary kept getting further and further down the cliff.

          "Chris!"

          Chris's hand was slipping. Nicholas slipped in the mud and tried to reach for Mary but the further he went in, the quicker the mud dropped beneath him.

          "No, please!" Mary cried when she was at her fingertips in Chris's hands.

          "Hold on!" Nicholas yelled as he reached again for her shoulder, and the dress she wore was deadly and it slipped from his hands instantly.

          Then she fell. Her body dropped freely from the cliff down into the icy depths of the rushing waters.

          "No!!" Chris screamed as he watched her fall and before he knew it she was swallowed by the dark waters. He leaned on his knees and tore off his duster and boots and gun belt, and just as Vin and the others came riding out of the trees, Chris took the ultimate plunge into the icy waters.

          "Chris!!" Buck shouted but it was too late.

          Swallowed. Chewed. Spit out. I need air. I need to breathe. I'm so cold. So very cold. There's so much more I have to say. So much more...but I've disappeared.

Cold. Drowning. I love you, Billy. I love you...

          Mary came up out of the water. Her body was limp. She was freezing. Her toes curled in her heels. Her dress weighing twenty extra pounds. Chris grinded his teeth together so he wouldn't bite his tongue. He was so cold. So very cold. The water was icy and with the blowing rain, it wasn't helping with his mood either.

          The rushing water carried them to a patch of dry land off to the side and Chris had to struggle to get Mary's deadweight body out of the water. Once he was on the land, he leaned over her to check her pulse.

          She wasn't breathing.

          "Oh shit," Chris breathed as he ripped open her dress and put his ear to her heart to see if he heard it pounded.

          It wasn't.

          "No, Mary...." Chris cursed again and tipped her chin up and started giving her mouth to mouth. He wasn't sure if he was doing it right, or he was doing it at all. He didn't know how to revive a drown victim, but he was going to do the best he could. He had to. He loved this woman.

          "Mary, come on!" he breathed into her mouth again, hoping to get some air back into her body.

          Nothing.

          "You can't die, Mary, you can't!" Chris screamed at her, hoping that would wake her to her senses. When that didn't work, he pounded a punch on her chest in both a fit of anger and hope.

          Seconds later, her blue eyes, now red rimmed, shot open and water came out of her mouth, Chris leaned her on her side to let the water she swallowed spill out. Then she coughed, over and over, and her throat felt as if it were on fire.

          Chris shifted her on her back again, and when she opened her eyes to look at him, she started to cry.

          "Chris...." She both cried and laughed. "You're still here. You....saved my life. You are always here when I open my eyes."

One Week Later...

          The nighttime air was cool against her face as she read by the freshly lit fire. Life was back to normal, Mary thought. The explosion damage did little to the front of her home, but it took out half of her kitchen and most of her back office. All things would need to be replaced like printed paper, books, and notebooks. Luckily, none of the old newspaper clippings her late husband collected were harmed. Construction on her home would start next week once the rain let up, and things would definitely be back to normal.

          Especially her relationship with Chris. After the accident with the Mackey brothers, and her near death experience, he had kept his distance and Mary had no idea why. He saved her life. She felt she had to own him something in return, but he had not been around to let her.

          Granted, she was still feeling ill from the experience and she had not been herself since it happened. She almost died, who wouldn't be feeling sick afterward?

          But Chris saved her life. She would never be able to thank him.

          Mary flipped the newspaper over she received from Buck as a get well present from another town. Since Mary had not been able to continue on her paper for the time being, Buck took the pleasure in still letting Mary do what she loves, and that was terrorize other people's work and their newspapers. But now she was more thankful for something to read since half her books were destroyed in the explosion.

          When she turned the paper over to the front page, she read the big article on the Mackey Brothers. She shivered when she looked at Trevor Mackey's prison photo. The man had tried to kill her more than once. Not succeeded and his life ending instead made Mary believe she was damn lucky to have Chris in her life.

          Nicholas Mackey confessed to the killings of fifteen farmers along the west coast, and he stated in the article he was proud of finally putting it to an end, and pay for what he's done. He also said he apologizes to the woman and her son for his brother's bad temper. It was never meant to aim toward them. It was all meant for Chris Larabee. Never her.

          Now cold again, and her headache back, Mary wrapped the blanket tightly around her body. She leaned her head back against the rocker and slowly rocked herself back and forth, enjoying the quiet.

          There was a knock at her door.

          Mary moaned softly, then asked who it was.

          "Chris."

          Her heart skipped and her eyes shot wide open and she suddenly wide awake.

          "Come in," she said, and started to stand up. When Chris opened the door, then stepped inside and closed the chill from outside out of the room, he saw Mary strain to stand. Only then did he shuffle across the room so quickly, Mary didn't have time to look at him, just his hands that held her shoulders.

          "No, sit back down, Mary. You're still too weak." He said gently.

          Mary looked into his green eyes, "So are you."

          "Not as weak as you are. Nathan said you might have a few cracked ribs, remember? So, don't do anything stupid."

          "Stupid, Chris? When I didn't listen to you about the explosions, I was real stupid then, huh?"

          "You really want me to answer that?" he joked.

          "Not really," pause. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be on patrol now."

          "Not tonight," Chris said then kneeled in front of her. "Tonight, I wanted to come see you. See how you've been doing."

          "Now you want to see how I am?" Mary scoffed. "When you saved my life, you dragged me into Nathan's and left me there without any other word. What happened?"

          Chris rubbed his hands together, trying to find the right words. "I can't explain this very well."

          "What?"
         

          "Feelings I have for you now. Before-they were all mixed up. After what happened at the cliff. Your life slipping through my fingers and then letting you go. I thought I lost you. I thought it was over." He looked at her, searched her concerned eyes. "But then," he set free a smile. "When I found you, I prayed to God. I've never prayed to God before. Ever. I hated him after my family was killed. I never spoke of him, or prayed until last week. And it worked. You're here, now, alive and breathing."

          "Oh, Chris...." Mary choked and took Chris's nervous hands and held them to her. "It's not over." She searched his eyes. "It's you I meant to live for. I want to live for you if you'll let me."
         

           Chris swallowed down the fear in his throat of knowing what she said had to be true. He needed to live again. He needed to feel alive. He needed her.

          When he finally discovered that burning truth, he tightened his hands in hers and stood up, taking her with him.

          "Mrs. Travis, I do believe I owe you something."

          Mary looked at him with puzzled eyebrows. "You don't owe me anything."

          "Yes, I do." He brought their connected hands to his lips and kissed each of her knuckles. He looked her while he did it with those dark, seductive green eyes. "Something I have wanted to do for a long time now. Something you want from me. Are you up for the challenge?"

          Mary's heart fluttered and that throbbing need between her legs came back. "Yes," she said on a shaky whisper.

          "Then come to bed with me," Chris said as he grabbed her face and kissed her.

THE END