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.