

An Outlaw's Vengeance

A Ghosts of Our Pasts Novel

A. M. Wagner

Copyright 2016 A. M. Wagner

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

# Chapter 1

Territory of Colorado, July, 1871

"Are you sure you still want to do this?" Ed Rhodes asked, handing his brother Jesse a folded up piece of paper from his pocket.

"Shit, I don't know." Replied Jesse, as he looked back towards the men who were unsaddling horses and setting up camp yet again. The area they chose for the night was tree covered, and nestled in a valley between rolling hills. As the summer sun sank, it cast tall shadows across the men and their horses, making the wooded area quickly grow dark.

Jesse sighed. It had been a hell of a few months to say the least. Jesse and his men had been following the Union Pacific railroad, heading west. Their goal: steal whatever money they could get their hands on. Jesse hated that this was what his life had come to, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He only wished he wouldn't have had to drag his brother Ed along.

They'd robbed the train seven times in the last few months. And at first, they had been able to earn enough money to satisfy everyone. Jesse and Ed were accumulating a good amount to put towards starting a legit life, and the other men were just happy to have a nice chunk of change in their pockets. But now everyone was becoming restless, and the tension between the men grew.

The last two times they hit the train they had come up empty handed. Not because there was no money to be found, but because each time they'd gotten onboard only to be met by a host of guns. What had started out as easy money was becoming deadly.

Initially, no one suspected a train to be robbed. After all, most of the time it was only carrying passengers, so someone wanting to make a quick buck was better off robbing a bank. However, Jesse and Ed had quickly learned there was good money to be made off the railroad. Supplies were carried to new towns that held value. Passengers moving out west carried all their wealth with them. And generally, no one on the trains posed a real threat to Jesse and his men. At least not at first.

Lately, more and more of the passengers were armed, and the last two trains had a sheriff onboard. No doubt word was spreading about a group of outlaws targeting the railway. And the result of that was turning deadly for Jesse and his men. Three of his guys had already been shot and killed during robberies, and another picked up by a local sheriff and hung. As for the seven who remained, they were quickly learning the risk associated with what they did. Robbing trains always came at a price. Sometimes you walked away with full pockets, sometimes you didn't walk away at all. And unfortunately for Jesse and his crew, lately the latter was the better probability.

Jesse tensed as he recalled how he had barely gotten out of their last robbery. He had jumped aboard one of the passenger cars, only to find an armed man pointing a gun at him. He shuddered as he remembered the sensation of the bullet buzzing past his head. He was lucky as hell that the man's hand shook as he pulled the trigger. Had it not, Jesse probably wouldn't be alive.

Yes, things were getting more and more dangerous every day. And thanks to their recently found notoriety, if anything of any value was being transported, you could now expect there to be at least one law man on board, and several more guns. Not to mention passengers were becoming aware of the string of robberies on the railway, and they were beginning to arm themselves.

Jesse thought about the risks of their next robbery as he looked down at the paper Ed handed him. His eyes flickered across the page. It was a wanted poster. Shit, he and the boys were becoming even more well known than he realized.

Looking back up at Ed, he saw a concerned look on the man's face. Instantly he felt guilty about the wanted poster in his hand. After all, he was the reason they lived the lifestyle that they did.

They were brothers, the Rhodes boys, as some of their men called them. Ed was the older by two years. Saying their life hadn't been easy was an understatement at the very least. Hell, if it weren't for Ed, Jesse would probably be dead already. Ed had always looked out for him, for as long as he could remember. He'd had his back in countless bar fights and brawls. He'd been his caretaker when he was sick, and his provider after their dad died. Ed did it all.

And what had Jesse managed to do? Turn Ed into a wanted man doing a job that was becoming more dangerous by the hour. Jesse knew he owed his brother big time. He just hoped he would someday be able to repay the insurmountable debt. A debt that had been accumulating since before Jesse could walk.

Their mother had died shortly after Jesse was born from complications with the childbirth, and their father had never let him forget that. He had taken advantage of every available opportunity to remind Jesse that it was his fault their mom had died. And as a young boy, Jesse had believed him.

Eyeing the three inch long scar on his forearm, Jesse could remember all too well the turning point in his and Ed's life. It was the night he owed his life to Ed.

Their father had stumbled home drunk after a night of drinking, something that happened all too often. But this night was different from the rest, and the details of it played out in Jesse's mind, as clear as if it had happened yesterday. He could remember being awoken by his father's shouts, and being grabbed out of bed as his father hauled him to the fireplace. 'You miserable piece of shit!' his dad had yelled, as he grabbed the iron prod that was sitting in the fire. Jesse had eyed the end of it, glowing red from heat. He would have run, would have fought, but ten year old him felt that he probably deserved what was coming. After all, it was his fault his mom had died.

Looking at Ed, Jesse saw him as a twelve year old boy again. He had run over to their father, pushing and kicking at him. Their father lost his balance and fell, but not before the hot iron had seared into Jesse's flesh. The pain was probably unbearable, or it should have been. But all Jesse remembered was seeing his dad fall backwards to the floor, and Ed picking up the iron, still hot and glowing red, and stabbing their father right in the stomach.

What happened after that was still a blur. All Jesse remembered was Ed grabbing him and their dad's pistol. Then they ran from the house, out into the night, never to look back. That was the last time they had seen of their father, and they both assumed he was dead.

It wasn't long after that they started stealing money and food to get by. For a few years, they had worked as hired hands on several different farms, but couldn't earn enough of a living to be independent. That was when Jesse had suggested they start stealing again, to 'set themselves up for the future,' he had told Ed. While Ed wasn't thrilled with the idea, he had gone along with it. And now here they were, outlaws, wanted for robbery.

Jesse shook his head at the memories. He didn't blame Ed for killing their father. In fact, if it weren't for him, Jesse was sure he wouldn't be around today. Their father had become increasingly violent towards them, and Jesse had figured it was only a matter of time until his dad killed him. He was pretty sure the only reason he had survived at all was because Ed was always there to intervene, always there to take care of him, to patch him up. Hell, even back then, his twelve year old brother had been more of a father than his actual dad had ever been.

"Thinking about Malcolm?" Ed asked out of the blue, surprising Jesse. Ed must have seen him looking at the scar on his forearm, and assumed he was thinking about their dad.

Jesse caught Ed's eye, and emotion making his throat tight, managed to say, "Thinking about you." He cleared his throat and added, "You've always had my back Ed. Even when I didn't deserve it, you were there for me. And I'm sorry that you got drug into this shit." He waved the wanted poster in his hand.

Looking at it more closely, Jesse examined the faces plastered on it. Guilt gripped his heart as he looked at the picture of one of the men who was no longer with them. Apparently word hadn't spread that Joey had been killed the week before, when he was shot by the driver of the stagecoach they had been after.

Jesse studied the picture of Joey. It wasn't right. He looked grim in the drawing. In reality, Joey had been one of the brightest, easiest to get along with person he'd ever known. He had been the glue that was holding the group together lately, and it cut at Jesse's heart that he had died because of the decision to go after the stagecoach.

After all, it wasn't what they typically did, they usually stuck to the railroad. But money was dwindling, and his boys were getting impatient. Jesse feared if they didn't land a big haul soon, they would split. They were outlaws after all. Which meant they did what they had to do to survive. But he needed them. Needed them for one more big job. So he had made the decision to go after that stagecoach.

Jesse peered at the bottom of the poster and saw, in big block letters, that there was a one thousand dollar reward for the capture of any of these men. Fuck. That would motivate people to start watching for them. Anyone with a gun will be on the lookout.

"Maybe we forget this next job and all go our separate ways." Ed said, interrupting his thoughts.

"You know the guys won't be happy leaving with so little money in their pockets. One more time, Ed. I think we need to hit the railway one more time." Ed didn't look convinced, so Jesse added, "Word is this next one will be carrying over twenty thousand. It's carrying supplies for a new settlement, and a lot of cash for a new bank. We hit this, and it may be the last one we ever need to do." Jesse hated the pleading sound in his voice.

"Shit man, a haul that big, you know what that means..." Ed trailed off.

"Yeah, it means heavily guarded." Jesse finished for him.

"And now with all the publicity from this shit," Ed pointed to the wanted poster, "it means they'll be expecting us."

Jesse let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. Ed was always right. And it was the exact reason why he was his consultant on every move they made. But even though Ed didn't want to do this, Jesse couldn't let it go. That amount of money held too much promise to walk away from.

"Let's ask the guys, make it a group decision." Jesse finally said, knowing they would all want a piece of that money.

Ed shook his head. He clearly didn't want to do this. But all Jesse could think about was the freedom they could finally have if they did. They could go to Texas or Mexico or wherever the hell they wanted, and they could forget their past. They could start over, and live the lives they had always wanted. They could earn a legit living. Ed could have the family he'd always wanted. And maybe Jesse would finally find the peace he was always searching for.

Jesse studied his brother's face. The two looked so similar, there was no mistaking they were brothers. Both had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Ed stood at about 6'1", an inch taller than Jesse. They both had their father's sharp nose, and their mothers warm smile and perfectly set teeth. Ed's face was more round though, while Jesse's features were more rugged. He always looked like he had just spent a month scrounging for survival. Which was in fact how they had lived most of their life. Ed just didn't show it. Jesse noted the hint of a beard starting on his brother's face, and felt his own jaw. Both were definitely in need of a shave.

"You know I would never ask you to do this if you didn't want to." Jesse said in a low, serious voice, giving his brother an out if he wanted to take it.

"Yeah. Just like you know I would never let you go into something like this without me." Ed responded.

Jesse nodded. Even if he asked Ed not to go with, to sit this robbery out, he knew his brother wouldn't. And it made him feel even guiltier about the situation. Because he knew that Ed would never let him go into this without being by his side.

"Alright, we let the guys decide what they want to do." Ed said, and turned to start walking back towards the main camp.

Jesse followed, hopeful that the guys would agree to this one last job. Deep down, he knew they would. While Jesse by no means enjoyed the outlaw life, it was the only option he had right now. Most of the other guys though, they were here because they wanted to be, they enjoyed the lifestyle. Some used to be farmers, one was a banker, two were workers for the railway before it's completion. They'd had a means to get by in life, but they chose this lifestyle instead. Whether it was for the thrill, the women, living outside the law, or what, Jesse didn't know. All he knew was that he and Ed were ready to be done. Ready to get enough money to set them up and start over. And while Jesse didn't dislike most of the other men, he was ready to leave them and settle down, to quit living on the go.

He rubbed his thumb across the wanted poster in his hand, eyeing the drawings of he and Ed. Settling down may have just gotten a little bit harder now that they had all been identified.

Once they reached the rest of the men, Ed sat down and leaned back against his saddlebags. His long legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. Jesse walked to the center of camp and checked to see if everyone was there.

The camp was small. A fire burned in the middle, big enough to scare off any wild animals that might be around, but small enough not to attract the attention of anyone who may happen to be out here. The men were all scattered around the fire, laying out blankets to sleep on, and saddlebags to rest their heads against. One man had made a makeshift tent with a large blanket. Lucky bastard, Jesse thought, as he saw a strike of lightening in the distance.

The horses had all been tied up around the perimeter of the camp, and were grazing contentedly. A couple of the men were laughing, another was drinking what Jesse assumed was whiskey, and two others had a deck of cards out. The mood around camp was surprisingly good considering the last couple weeks. He knew the men were irritated with the lack of money they'd gotten lately, and everyone was on edge from the loss of some of their men. But tonight, spirits seemed to be high.

Jesse let out a whistle to get everyone's attention.

"Alright, here's what's going on." He wasted no time cutting to the point and held out the wanted poster for everyone to see. "They know who we are and what we've been doing. There's a thousand dollar reward on each of our heads. Makes robbing the next train a little more risky."

There was silence from the men. One of the guys, Rob, had a worried look on his face. Couldn't blame the poor bastard, Jesse thought. He was only sixteen years old. Another man, Alan, looked positively thrilled to see his face on that piece of paper. The shit-eating grin plastered on his face said it all.

After several moments, someone finally spoke up. "This is no more risky than any job we've already done." said Thomas, the oldest man in the group at forty. "We go into every robbery expecting they are armed. Shit, I half expect to see a dozen law men on board lately. That's why we're cautious. We may be outlaws, but we ain't stupid." He finished with a smirk.

Thomas had been the first person to join Jesse and Ed in their train robberies. He was respected by every man there, and had recruited a majority of them. 'Power in numbers,' was what he had told Jesse and Ed as he started recruiting help. And he was right. The more popular the railway became, the more money that was just waiting to be taken. With that, however, came more guns, more run-ins with the law, and more risk.

Power in numbers had indeed been their saving grace. More than once someone in their crew had lucked out that another man was there to have their back. Jesse knew they owed a lot of their success to Thomas. He and Ed might be calling the shots in regards to when to hit the next train, but it was Thomas who coordinated every move.

"I agree," Jesse responded, "but what I want to do next may be more dangerous than any other job we've done." He paused, taking the time to gauge everyone's reactions. "Three days from now, a train will be coming through with supplies for a new settlement going up. It will also have cash for the towns new bank. Over twenty thousand dollars in cash and supplies."

There were some sharp intakes of breath and soft mutters from the men. They knew how big this was. Until now, they'd been going after hauls that sometimes had several hundred dollars. Once, they had gotten lucky and picked up two thousand from a wealthy man who had been taking the train to start a business out on the west coast. They all knew twenty thousand was a life changer.

Once the amount of money sunk in someone asked, "How do you know that?"

Thomas added, "We've been hitting the trains randomly until now. You sure this is true?" The skepticism in his voice was obvious.

"Yes," Jesse said, "I'm sure. At the last town we were in, I stopped at the general store looking for a new saddlebag. Man working there said they were out. Everything had been sent over to this new town going up. He said he would get more in about a week and a half, when the train came through with supplies. Said that train would also have all the supplies for this new town, in case I was heading south and wanted to stop there. I asked if that town would have a bank, claiming I had some business to do, and he said it should be up soon, that their safe and cash would also be coming in on the next train."

"And he just volunteered that information? You don't think he recognized you, from that there wanted poster in your hand?" Thomas inquired.

"No. He seemed friendly, just having a conversation with a customer. Besides, had he recognized me, I guarantee we'd be running from the sheriff right about now."

"So, what you're asking is, do we want to risk this next train now that we know people are looking for us?" Thomas didn't miss a beat. The man was smart.

"That's exactly what I'm asking."

"Well, I don't think there is a man here who would walk away from this." Thomas said to a chorus of agreements.

Jesse nodded, then said, "Alright, it's settled. Ed. Thomas. Let's start planning tonight."

# Chapter 2

Ed listened in silence as Jesse talked to the group of men. He felt uneasy at how eager everyone was to risk their lives for some money. Especially knowing that train was probably going to be heavily armed. Yet, the opportunity to get their hands on a large amount of money had everyone willing and ready to risk their neck.

Ed shook his head at the foolishness, but knew there was no talking them out of it. Just like he had known there was no getting Jesse to change his mind when he had first brought this robbery up. That amount of money was too good for all of them to pass up.

He couldn't blame Jesse though. After all, he knew Jesse was only doing it to try to give them both the life they never got the opportunity to have. It was Jesse's way of making it up to Ed for what had happened with their father. And it killed Ed that Jesse couldn't let go of his guilt, that he spent his whole life trying to repay Ed for some imaginary debt he felt he owed.

But the truth was, Ed didn't expect anything. Not because he didn't think Jesse was capable; the man very much was. But because he didn't feel like he had done anything that warranted being repaid for. What he did to his father... he would do over again in a heartbeat, even if Jesse hadn't been involved that night.

He hated Malcolm. Hated the way he blamed Jesse for their mother's death. The way he beat Jesse. The way he would come home drunk and yell at them. He had hated everything about the man, and didn't regret for a single moment killing him. He just wished he could get Jesse to see that. Maybe then he would lose the guilt that weighed so heavily on him.

Feeling tense, Ed reached for the bottle of whisky he kept in his saddlebag. He wasn't a drinking man, especially not after growing up with a father who swam in alcohol. However, once in a while he needed it to relax. The sting of the alcohol going down his throat, and the way it warmed his stomach, made him more relaxed than anything else could. But he knew his limits and he rarely got drunk. Shit, he could count on one hand the amount of times he had. And he usually woke up the next day to regret it. No, tonight he wasn't getting drunk, he was merely relaxing a mind that didn't want to slow down.

Taking another swig, he relished in the warmth spreading through him. It comforted him in a way. Consoled the lonely life he lived. Hell, he loved Jesse, and would do anything for his brother, but he wanted a stable life. He wanted to find a good woman to raise a family with. He wanted to give his kids the kind of life he and Jesse never got to have.

So maybe this next robbery wasn't such a bad idea. Maybe it was a means to an end. Yes, it was dangerous and reckless, but maybe it was his way out. Fuck, he didn't like what they were going into, but maybe Jesse was right. This could provide them with enough money to settle down and start over.

Tilting the bottle back, Ed took another long drink. He saw Jesse and Thomas motion for him to go with them, and knew they were about to start working out the details of the robbery. Shit, there was no going back now. Ed said a silent prayer that this all worked out before getting up and heading out into the trees to find Jesse and Thomas. He hoped like hell he wasn't going off to plan his own demise.

The night had become pitch black, with not a star in sight thanks to the storm rolling in. The darkness covered the area like a thick blanket, making them feel secure and hidden. The only light came from the dying fire at camp, the remaining small flames casting a faint glow on the faces of the men sleeping around it.

While the rest of the men slept, Jesse was with Ed and Thomas, discussing the job they had ahead of them. The three of them were on the outskirts of camp, passing around a jug of liquor and working through the details of what would hopefully be their last robbery.

"We can't do this like the others." Thomas was saying. "We can't just ride up, hop on, grab the shit and go. Won't work."

"If everyone's on board we should have enough hands." Ed said thoughtfully. "As long as we don't jump on just to look down the barrel of a gun." he added. The worry was clear in Ed's voice.

"Ed's right, we can't take any risks. We know that train will be heavily armed." Jesse said. There was no way that much money was making its way across the continent without someone's eye on it.

Thomas passed the jug around again, after taking a long drink for himself first. He looked deep in thought, which wasn't unusual when they discussed plans for a robbery. He took every single job they did seriously. Jesse thought it was because he felt responsible for all the men he recruited, as if it was his job to make sure they got out alive.

After a moment Thomas said, as though the idea has just come to him, "We have to stop the train."

Ed and Jesse both looked at him in surprise. Hell, that was not something Jesse ever expected to hear. And it sounded ludicrous, downright impossible. Not to mention dangerous as hell for everyone involved.

Ed spoke up first. " Stop a steam engine? You know that's tons of steel, and it's going to be moving full speed." The skepticism in his voice was obvious.

"We need to buy ourselves time." Thomas continued. "We can't do that by just jumping on and hoping we can fill our pockets and get off without being noticed or -"

"I fucking think they'll notice a stopped train." Ed said sharply, cutting him off. "Shit, what are you going to do? Corral everyone into one car, then grab the treasure?"

"Exactly." Thomas said, and Ed let out a slew of swear words under his breath.

Studying Thomas, Jesse thought for a moment that the man must be out of his fucking mind. Too much whiskey, he thought. But as he watched Thomas sitting there on a fallen tree, legs stretched out in front of him, boots crossed at the ankles, he realized Thomas was nothing but serious. Shit, he wasn't falling over, wasn't even slurring his words. Maybe he wasn't drunk. Maybe he was just crazy. The whole idea of actually stopping the train, which would be filled with passengers, half of whom were probably armed, was risky. Dangerous and risky. Two things all three men never did.

"Thomas, can I ask you something?" Jesse asked, trying to wrap his mind around Thomas' motives for such a risky move.

"Shoot." he said.

"Why are you doing this? Robbing trains. Fuck, now trying to take over trains. You got a death wish or something?" Jesse was starting to wonder if maybe Thomas wasn't the careful and calculated man he thought he was.

Thomas looked at Jesse for a long time, like he was trying to decide how much to say. After a sigh he said, "I have nothing to lose. Now, don't take that as I don't care what happens. I would never put you boys in harm's way. But me, I lost all I had a long time ago... " he trailed off. Jesse could see the memories coming back to Thomas, the emotion in his eyes. He and Ed sat in silence, letting Thomas take his time deciding if he wanted to continue.

"I used to have a farm." he said finally. "And a wife... an absolutely beautiful woman who I loved with my whole heart. When this whole railroad thing first started, some man in a suit came and knocked on our door. Said he was with the railroad, and they wanted to build it right through our farm. My wife and I...well, we fought them for as long as we could. They were trying to take our livelihood, take the home we had built for ourselves. Erin was three months pregnant at the time. We were just starting our family and the life we imagined for ourselves." Thomas cleared his throat that had become tight with emotion, and Jesse thought he saw the man's eyes mist over.

"Anyway, like I said, we held out as long as we could. One day, I had to go into town for some business, and I came back to find the farm burnt to the ground. The house, the barn, everything. I yelled for Erin, frantically trying to find her. And when I walked over to what was left of the house, I saw her. Erin was inside the farmhouse... she... she'd been locked inside, burned. I lost everything I lived for that day." He paused, then added, " If I were to die, right here, right now, I wouldn't give a shit. So that's why I'm robbing trains. In a way, I'm getting back at the railroad. And it's just dangerous enough that one day, maybe I'll be lucky enough to catch a bullet." Thomas finished and took a long drink from the jug.

Jesse and Ed looked at each other. They could see the pain in Thomas' eyes. They could hear it in his voice. Thomas passed the jug around again, and they all sat quietly, the air thick with emotion.

Finally, after some time, Thomas broke the silence that had engulfed them. "So here's what I propose we do. We derail the train. Put logs across the tracks, take it apart, something, anything to derail it. When that happens, we'll be ready, we'll have the advantage. We round everyone up, take their guns, and put them in one of the cars. Then, we take the money and leave. Easy. No one gets hurt."

Jesse studied Thomas. The man may not have anything to live for, but looking into his eyes, he knew Thomas would never suggest anything that would put the men in harm's way. He trusted Thomas. And this plan might just be crazy enough to work.

"Alright," Jesse said, "let's do it."

They spent the next couple hours working out the details. Finally, as they reached the early hours of the morning, they had agreed on the plan, and were ready to put everyone to work. Tomorrow, they'd start their attempt to derail a train.

Thomas walked back to his blanket by the campfire. The night was cool, a welcome relief from the heat of the day. Thunder rumbled in the distance. They had been missed by the storm, and Thomas was grateful for it. The last thing he wanted to deal with right now was sleeping on a wet blanket in the mud. He looked to the sky and thanked the heavens that the storm had moved north.

The campfire was barely a flicker when Thomas got to it, having died down after all the men fell asleep. He stopped and threw some more wood on it, hoping to get it going again. After a little coaxing it came back to life, and once he was satisfied it wouldn't die out, he left it to lie down on his makeshift bed.

He felt awful, like he was empty inside. He rarely talked about Erin, preferring instead to keep her memory to himself. Telling Jesse and Ed what had happened to her re-opened the wound left on his heart. Even after ten years, the thought of what happened to her felt as fresh as if it had happened only yesterday.

He pulled out the watch he kept in his chest pocket, and ran his thumb over the engraving on the back. It was the only piece of his wife that he had left, and the smooth, cool metal soothed him.

Closing his eyes, he could still picture Erin the last time he saw her. She had walked out of the house with him to his horse. Before letting him leave, she had given him a sweet, warm kiss. He saw her face clear as day. Those beautiful green eyes watching him ride off. The smile that lit up her face as she waved when he looked back. Her hair blowing in the breeze. The small bump of her belly under her dress...

Christ, her death still killed him each and every day. The pain never went away, and it never dulled. Nor did his hatred for the men who had taken her from him. To this day, he still hated himself for not being able to find the people responsible. He wanted nothing more than to kill the bastards who had taken away his wife. But unfortunately, robbing the railway that was responsible for his loss was the best he could do.

A tear ran down Thomas' cheek, and he swiped it away. Talking about Erin out loud had nearly done him in earlier. And now, the ache in his heart was unbearable. He'd wanted so much for himself and Erin. They wanted a big family, and it had taken years before she finally got pregnant. And just when he had thought they were finally getting what they wanted, all of it was ripped away from him.

Closing his eyes, he prayed that he'd be lucky enough not to walk away from this robbery. He was tired of the lonely life he lived, and of spending every day wishing he had his wife back. He was ready for peace of mind, and peace of heart. He was ready for the end. Then, just maybe, he could find Erin again in another life.

# Chapter 3

There was a slamming noise, like a door being thrown shut. Jesse's eyes popped open. It was dark, but he could see Ed lying next to him, still asleep. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to believe the sound had been part of a dream, that he had nothing to worry about. He closed his eyes again and pulled his blanket up over his head, as though to block out anything bad that might happen.

A moment later, Jesse heard another noise and froze. He held his breath, hoping if he didn't make any sound, he would be left alone.

"Where are ya?" a drunken voice slurred, followed by heavy, uneven footsteps.

Jesse opened his eyes again, fear running through him. He wasn't going to be left alone tonight. His father was home, and he was drunk. Jesse knew that meant a beating was coming his way.

"Ed!" Jesse whispered, shaking his brother awake. "Dad's home."

Ed's eyes shot open. "Stay here." he whispered, as he quietly got out of bed. Jesse watched as Ed made his way to the bedroom door on tiptoes, but before he could reach it, their father stumbled into the room.

"Jesse! Get over here!" he yelled, pushing past Ed towards the bed.

Jesse shrunk in fear, knowing what was coming. His father bent over him, and started hitting him, punching him in his face and in his chest. He could feel blood dripping from his nose, and his head began to pound. Instinctively, he tried to curl into himself, making himself as small as possible.

"Stop!" Ed cried, pulling at their father's arms. But eight year old Ed was no match for their father. Jesse watched as Ed was flung out of the way, landing hard on the floor.

Jesse tried to tuck his head into himself as he curled into an even tighter ball. Then, he put his arms over his head to try to protect himself, and waited for his father to be done.

Jesse awoke with a start. He was sweaty and his heart was pounding. He looked around him, trying to differentiate what was real and what wasn't. The campfire had gone out, and he could barely make out the silhouettes of the men sleeping around camp. He looked to his right and saw Ed sprawled out near him. He took a deep shuddering breath, and forced himself to focus on the fact that his father was not here.

It had been almost a year since Jesse had a nightmare about his childhood. He had them frequently after his father died, but as he got older, they happened less and less. For a while now he had been hopeful that he was finally over them, but tonight another one reared its ugly head.

The nightmares always left him feeling on edge. They unsettled him down to his very core. Usually, after he had one, he either sought out alcohol or a woman to take his mind off things. Right now, he only had one of those options.

Grabbing the whiskey Ed always had with, he took a long, slow drink. Instantly the warmth from the liquor had him feeling more relaxed. After a few more minutes and a couple more drinks, his heart rate returned to normal, and he was feeling calm again.

Jesse hated that his bastard of a father still managed to creep up into his life like that. He tried so hard to put the past behind him, and to focus on making a good life with Ed. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, his past still haunted him. No matter where he went, or what he did, he could never escape its hold on him, and he was starting to think that maybe he never would.

Cringing at the thought, Jesse took another drink before putting the whiskey away. He knew he would never be able to go back to sleep tonight. He never could after one of the nightmares. Instead, he laid back to watch the sky, waiting for the sun to cast its first light onto the day.

"This won't fucking work." Ed said, frustrated at the task at hand. He sat down in the grass near the railroad tracks, and gave Jesse and Thomas the best pissed-off look he could manage. Which didn't take much effort. He'd been pissed all day at what they were doing.

They'd been working on their plan to derail the train for two days now. Thomas had the idea of pulling out the steel spikes that held the tracks in place, then removing a section of the track. And sure, it sounded good in theory, but in reality, it was a back-breaking nightmare.

The train was scheduled to come through the area tonight, and still they were working on taking apart the tracks. And Ed seriously doubted they'd be able to move the heavy metal tracks anyway. It was hot, everyone was tired, and progress was slow. Not a good start to their plan for this robbery.

Ed picked up one of the metal spikes near him and threw it. "We need a backup plan." he said.

"No, we don't. This will work." Thomas said, his voice still holding the confidence it had the last few days.

"We're getting close." Jesse said. "In a few more hours, we'll be done."

"We'll never move those tracks. Shit, the horses can't pull those." Ed snapped.

"They don't need to. We only have to move them slightly, so they don't align right. The train will do the rest. Derail itself." Jesse reassured him.

"For fuck's sake... you better be right." Ed gave in, and got up to get back to work. He knew his attitude was miserable, so he ignored Jesse and Thomas and focused on what he needed to do.

This whole thing still didn't sit right with him. He knew they were walking into a mess. And even if the train actually derailed, it wasn't going to be as easy as Jesse and Thomas wanted it to be. They were still going to be met with guns. There were still, more than likely, going to be a few lawmen onboard. And Ed knew they weren't just going to hand over their weapons and let the train be robbed. They'd defend themselves, and it would be at the expense of someone's life.

Shit, he just wished Jesse wasn't so wrapped up in the amount of money at stake. Yeah, he and Jesse could start a hell of a good life with that amount of cash, but he would rather walk away from it and know no one was going to get killed rather than have the money. He and Jesse had always made it work, always found some way to get by. And they always would, with or without the money from this robbery.

Ed watched as the sun moved farther and farther to the west. He figured the train would be coming through in another five hours or so, after the sun had set. That was one reason they had picked this spot. They didn't want to risk attacking the train in daylight, so they had picked a location farther west on the tracks. It was about the only smart decision they had made about this, he thought disgustedly.

There was nothing he could do about it now though. They were too far into the process to turn back. Hell, the second Jesse had told everyone how much money was at stake they'd been too far in. No one was going to let this opportunity slip through their fingers. He just prayed everyone walked away from it alive.

Ed began pulling at another spike, feeling disheartened. He was tired of worrying about whether he and Jesse would live to see another day. He'd worried about that enough when their father was alive, and now he was worrying about it again. Every time they robbed a train, he feared something would happen to Jesse. And if they kept this up, it was only a matter of time before something did.

He and Jesse needed to get out, to leave this lifestyle after tonight. He was done hoping and praying they would live to see another day. Instead, they needed to put themselves in a place where they wouldn't even have to worry about that. They needed to find a place that was safe, a place they could settle down in and forget about all the shit from their past. Because if they didn't, Ed feared they'd be their own demise. And the last thing either of them wanted to do was lose each other .

Ed let out a sigh, and continued to pull up spike after spike. As he worked, he said a silent prayer that everyone walked away from tonight's robbery.

# Chapter 4

Annalee Harper looked out the window at the passing scenery. From her seat in the trains third car, she could see open rolling plains in front of her. The hills gently sloped, their long grassy surfaces swaying in the breeze. Speckled throughout the grass were purple and yellow flowers, their petals dancing on the wind. Further off to the west, in the direction they were heading, she saw a tree line of tall evergreens reaching for the sun, and rising up beyond that, mountains. She figured they must be getting close to the Rocky's now, which meant she finally was getting close to her destination.

As she turned to look back to the book in her hands, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the window. She looked like a mess rather than her usual, well put together self. 'Appearances are everything,' her father and fiancé had often told her. Now, her long mahogany hair was falling out of its hair tie. Loose tendrils fell down the front of her dress and laid across her chest. Her brown eyes had dark circles under them, and she figured it was from the lack of sleep she was able to get on the train. Her lips, which were usually painted a shade of red or pink, were bare. She looked down at her dress. It had been the most plain piece of clothing she could find. One of the house servants had given it to her. And she was immensely grateful for that, as the brown dress would certainly not draw attention, unlike the bright silk gowns she had usually worn. Overall, Anna thought as she looked back at her reflection, she looked plain. Which was exactly what she wanted.

Letting out a sigh, she looked back at the passing terrain, noticing a wagon trail off in the distance. She was eager to step foot in the Territory of Colorado. Since the gold rush, small towns had been popping up all over the territory. The place she was headed, Zenith, was a small settlement going up in the heart of the gold rush. Once she got off the train, it would be three days of heading south by stagecoach, and she would be there. No better place to lose yourself, she thought, than a rapidly booming gold town with new faces showing up every day.

She was beyond ready to reach her destination. Seven days ago, she had snuck out of her comfortable home in Philadelphia, and started her journey west. She had read in the papers about all the people moving this way, searching for gold and brighter tomorrows. And she hoped with all her heart brighter tomorrows were also awaiting her.

Since her mom had died, Anna's life had turned into nothing short of a nightmare. Her mom was her confidant, her mentor, and the best person she knew. She had always encouraged Anna to read and to learn as much as she could. She could still hear the countless times her mother had told her 'One day, women will be in charge of their own destinies, and they'll need to be smart about it.' She knew this was in response to how both her and her mother's lives had turned out.

Her mom's marriage to her father had been an arranged one. It was a means for two esteemed families to grow in power. It was the same reason her father had arranged her marriage, to a soulless, possessive man whom Anna could not wait to escape. She had tried to keep quiet about her hatred for him, but her mother saw it, which was part of the reason she always encouraged Anna's independence. It wasn't until after her mother suddenly passed away that she realized she had to get out. That if she didn't, she would be trapped in a loveless life, married to a man only for the purpose of appearances and politics.

Her father knew she was unhappy. She'd begged him not to make her go through with the marriage. But he never listened to her wants or desires. He didn't care, because this marriage benefited him politically, and that was all that mattered to him. His daughter was to be married to one of the wealthiest men in Philadelphia. It got him into all the right social circles. So that's all there was to it. He wouldn't listen to her or her mother's protests on the matter.

Anna began playing with her fingers out of frustration. She could just imagine her father pacing about, worried about his reputation. How would he explain his daughter's disappearance? How would it impact his social status? Quite frankly, she didn't care if it hurt him, or what lies he told about her vanishing. In fact, it was probably better if they just assumed it was an accident of some sorts and she had died. At least then no one would ever think to look for her.

Looking up from her knotted fingers, Anna noticed a middle aged man walking towards her seat. He was dressed in black with a long jacket. A black hat completed the dark look. He appeared clean cut and well to do, she thought, eyeing the gold chain visible from his pocket watch.

"Excuse me," Anna said, catching his attention, "do you happen to know how long until the next stop?"

The man smiled warmly at her, removed the pipe he was chewing on from his mouth, and said they were a roughly six hours away. Anna thanked him, and the man nodded. As he walked past her to sit down in a chair towards the back of the car, Anna noticed a gun at his hip. She shot a quick look back at him, and saw him pull a bag of tobacco out of his chest pocket. That was when she noticed the sheriff's star pinned to the shirt under his jacket. She felt more at ease upon seeing that, and decided she felt comfortable enough to try to get some sleep once the sun went down.

She put her book back into her bag that contained the few belongings she had. Leaving her home had been a rush. She'd waited until her father left to attend some political event with her fiancé. Then, she'd grabbed a bag and had packed her two favorite books, a change of clothes, and her mother's watch. She had also taken what money she could find from her father, which had bought her the ticket for train she was currently on.

She was grateful she was in the nicer of the three passenger cars. The others looked like they were overfilled and uncomfortable. This one though was spacious, with seating for only eight people. It was obvious that the people in this car were the people who were better off in society. Or the ones striking it rich in gold, she mused.

Only three more days of this journey, and then Anna would be striking riches of her own. Riches, she hoped, that consisted of a new and fulfilling life. A life without her fiancé or her father. She hated that her dad had been unable to see how horrible Jackson was, and had continued to insist on their marriage. She hated the fact that he put his success over his daughter's happiness. And she hated that he had turned a blind eye to his family in the pursuit of wealth. Yes, a life without out them was exactly what she needed if she was to ever be happy.

Anna pushed down the thoughts of her fiancé before they had a chance to fully surface. There was no reason to think about him now. She was well on her way to getting out, and she wasn't going to let Jackson or anyone else stop her now. No, Jackson Crane, and her father, were now her past, never to stand in her way again. Because it was a past she didn't plan to ever look back on.

Pulling out the pocket watch from her bag, Anna saw that it was now eight o'clock. Soon, the sun would be going down, and while she was looking forward to getting some much needed sleep, that also meant they would be reaching the next stop after dark. The thought made Anna nervous. She had heard the stories about the wild west, about outlaws and scandal and untamed towns. She knew the train was going into a town that had barely been settled, and then she would be traveling onward to one still being built. But she figured her first stop would have to have a sheriff's office, especially since there was a sheriff onboard. And, if it had a sheriff's office, it should be safe, she told herself to regain some confidence that was suddenly dwindling.

The truth was though, she was scared. Scared of the unknown. Getting the train ticket had been the easy part. Once she stepped foot off the train, that was when the hard part began. She knew no one, and could only hope she had grabbed enough money to hire a stagecoach driver to take her the rest of her journey.

Anna made up her mind that the town would probably have a hotel she could stay at for the night, as most of the railway stops so far had. It would be safer to do that than to start her journey south at night. Anna thumbed the money in her bag. She was going to have to make it stretch, especially until she figured out where she was going to live and how she was going to make money. Hell, she thought, living in a tent would be better than the fate she was destined with Jackson. Anna shook her fears out of her mind, and instead focused on the skills she had that could earn her a living.

Her original plan had been to open a school. After all, there had to be children out here. She doubted it was only men moving to the gold, and if there were women, there were also children. Children who needed to learn to read and get an education. She thought about all the books she read at home. So many wonderful stories and topics to teach. While she had been planning her move, Anna had read countless stories in the local newspapers about the desperate need for professionals out west. Everything from bankers to doctors to blacksmiths. She had also heard that schools were few and far between, and knew she could provide an opportunity for the children whose families had uprooted to search for better fortunes.

Anna's mind settled, and she was determined to make this work. She had thought this plan through thousands of times before she left. She knew the only reason she was questioning it now was because the reality of it was so close. Only a matter of days away.

As the sun began to settle behind the mountains in the distance, Anna rested her head against the window. She let her mind drift off, thinking about all the possibilities that lay in front of her. Nothing was going to get in the way of her new life, she wouldn't let it. The sweet thought of freedom from Jackson was all she needed to drift off to sleep, hopeful of her future.

Sometime later, Anna awoke to a sudden jolt. For the briefest of moments, she wasn't sure if this was real, or if she was in some kind of dream. She was caught in the clouded middle of consciousness and sleep. But an instant later, the reality of the moment sunk in, and she was being violently thrown out of her seat to the front of the car.

There was no time to think, and on instinct Anna put her arms out in front of her to brace herself for impact. She slammed into the front wall, along with the all the other passengers in her car. Her outstretched arms had barely dampened the impact, and her head smashed violently into the front of the passenger car. Immediately, she felt a hard, throbbing pain in her head, and seconds later her world turned black.

What could have been minutes or hours or days later, she came to. She was disoriented, and had no concept of where she was or what had happened. But upon opening her eyes, the events of just a few minutes prior came flooding back.

Adrenaline pumped through her, and she suddenly became hyper alert. She tried to move, but the motion had her head pounding and the world spinning. She reached up and felt the left side of her head. It was wet. She brought her hand down in front of her face to find it covered in blood. She closed her eyes, her instincts screaming at her to run, to seek cover. Her heart began to race and her palms were slick from sweat and blood.

Taking a few steadying breaths, she tried to avoid the panic that was setting in. She could hear screams and shouts all around her, and horses running outside the car. She could hear men outside yelling, and a woman in the car behind hers crying hysterically. She opened her eyes again.

The scene in front of her was something from nightmares, but worse. Nightmares could be escaped. They were temporary periods of time, when one's mind was trapped, but never for very long. The fear and pain experienced during nightmares dissipated upon waking. The mind was free to forget what it had been thinking, the body to forget what it had been feeling. But there was no escaping the scene that was in front of her now, and she doubted she would soon forget it. There would be no waking up and the fear leaving her body. The pain she felt in her head wasn't going to miraculously go away. What was in front of her was real, and it made her heart beat even faster, until it felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest.

She realized that she had fallen into a sitting position at the head of the car after the impact. She tried to move, but there was a weight trapping her down. Across her legs lay a man, broken and bloodied. His head twisted at an unnatural angle that told her his neck had broken. His eyes were open, staring but seeing nothing. She shifted her gaze away, only to see that beside her, another man had gone through the front window, and had been impaled by a metal beam. She looked toward the back of the car, and in the darkness could make out the other passengers. They were slowly getting up, but they all looked disoriented, grasping at the shadows trying to center themselves. The ones who were close to her she could see were bloody, their clothes torn. Her heart hammered. Keep breathing, Anna told herself. You need to breathe.

A hand shot down in front of her. "Ma'am, can you get up?" asked a hurried male voice.

"I think so." Anna replied, accepting the outstretched hand and slowly getting to her feet, while pulling her legs out from under than man with the broken neck. She had no time to steady herself, as the man was rushing her to the side of the car.

"You need to take cover. Get outside, hide under the train." the man said.

She nodded and looked at him. It was the sheriff who had been in her car. He had her hand in his left hand, and his pistol in his right. He helped her out of the car, and she immediately got underneath as the sound of a gunshot went off. She flinched, and moved farther under the car.

Anna scrambled to make herself as small as possible, then looked out at the darkness surrounding her. Letting out a small gasp, she couldn't believe her eyes. The first two train cars lay in the grass in front of her, tipped on their sides, their wheels still slowly turning. Something in the second one had caught fire, and it gave off enough of a glow for her to take in the rest her surroundings.

Men on horses were riding around the cars, guns drawn. People ran in all directions, the scene one of utter chaos. The hollers and cries and screams going on around her were so jumbled together that Anna couldn't make out any of the words. Instead, it was just noise. Loud, indistinguishable noise. Until a gunshot went off, and then another. Soon, they were going off frequently, the loud blasts piercing the screams of the passengers.

Fear seized Anna as the gunshots continued on steadily. Just stay quiet and don't move...don't move. She sunk in on herself as much as she could, pulling her knees to her chest, and prayed no one would notice her.

Minutes later, a horse stopped in front her. She could see nothing but it's legs which looked black in the night, but she knew there must be someone on it. She tried to control her breathing, to stay as quiet and calm as possible. But all the while her heart pounded and her body shook. She put a hand over her mouth, trying to muffle the sound of her panicked breathing.

Suddenly, a gunshot went off right beside her making her jump. The man on the horse in front of her yelled out, "Nobody move and nobody else gets hurt."

The chaos suddenly died. She no longer heard people scrambling, only the muffled cries of children, whose mothers were probably holding them close.

The man dismounted the horse in front of her. All she could see was his dark pants and boots as he walked towards the car and stopped. She held her breath, praying he didn't look underneath.

"Everyone get in this car and sit tight!" he yelled.

Anna watched the legs of people as they climbed up into the car. She listened as the door closed on them, trapping them inside. Shutting her eyes, she said a silent prayer, hoping this would be over soon, and that the people in the car above her weren't all about to be killed.

Something fell to the ground near her, making her jump. "Shit," the man standing beside the car muttered.

Anna risked a glance at what fell, and her stomach dropped as she saw that it was a bullet. Double shit. The man was reloading his gun. She knew he would reach down to grab the bullet he had dropped, and when he did, he was sure to see her. It took all of a half second for Anna to know what she had to do. Run. Because if she didn't, she was as good as dead.

Quietly, she rolled over and scanned what was on the other side of the car. She didn't see anyone, or any horses. The night was dark on that side, the glow from the fire barely reaching it. Hopefully she'd blend in with the night. Mustering up what courage she had left, Anna began to crawl in that direction, out into the starless night.

# Chapter 5

"Fuck!" Jesse yelled once he, Thomas, and Ed were in the train car carrying the safe. "How did this go so fucking wrong?"

He was seething, unable to control his temper after what had just happened. To this day, Jesse and Ed had managed not to kill anyone in the robberies they committed. Sure, they had shot a few people, usually in an arm or a leg. There had been bullet wounds and other injuries. But never had they killed anyone outright, especially innocent passengers.

"Didn't think the steam engines would flip, making such an impact on the passenger cars. There was no way to know that would happen." Thomas said quietly.

"And why the fuck was Bobby out there shooting people?" Jesse hissed, ignoring Thomas' response.

Bobby was a hot head, everyone knew it. But until now, he had always been one to follow the plan. Get in, get out, no bullets if possible. Yet tonight, he had shot two men who turned out to be sheriff's point blank, and another man who had been running away from the scene.

"He said we couldn't afford witnesses anymore. I sent him back to camp." Ed replied, anger and frustration in his voice.

"Jesus Christ, there's going to be a whole goddamn train of witnesses. He knew that." Jesse paced in front of the safe. He could feel the heat in his face, his heart beating against his rib cage. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

Once he felt as calm as he could in the current situation, he said, "Ed, go tell the others to grab what they can. And I better not hear one more fucking gun shot. Thomas, get to work on the safe."

"You got it." Ed replied, and headed out towards their men who were standing near the car filled with passengers.

"How much time do I got?" Thomas called out as Jesse started making his way for the door.

"Thanks to the fire and all the gunshots, I'd say we should've gotten out of here about twenty minutes ago." Thomas nodded his understanding and had the common sense not to say anything else.

Jesse was livid as he got out of the car. The whole thing had been a complete fucking mess. Ed had started questioning whether or not this would work as they were taking out spikes from the tracks earlier that day. But the thing was, no one else wanted to believe that it wouldn't work. Everyone had their heart set on the big pay day that was coming their way. And that had been Jesse's first mistake.

He never should have told the men what was at stake. Money did things to a person. Greed made even the best men cowards and liars and cheats. And that was exactly what Jesse saw happening here tonight. His men had gotten greedy. It wasn't that Bobby didn't want witnesses, it was that he didn't want anyone standing in the way of the money that he now thought was his.

It was the same reason Rob hadn't stepped in when Bobby had started shooting off bullets. Sure, Rob was just a kid, but he had always been pure of heart. Not once had he ever pulled a gun on someone. Jesse would bet his life that Rob would have intervened with Bobby had so much money not been at stake.

Jesse stalked off behind the cars. How the hell was he going to handle all this when they got back to camp? Everyone knew it was their rally point, and they would be high tailing it out of there as soon as they regrouped. But Jesse didn't want to regroup. He and Ed knew this was likely their last job, but now Jesse wasn't so sure the rest of the group would take kindly to them splitting. Especially not after what he'd witnessed here tonight. His men had gotten a taste for money, and knew they would only want more.

However, that wasn't what he feared most. His bigger worry was that they would grow suspicious of Ed and himself. Hell, Jesse knew neither he nor Ed would ever tip off the law, or turn one of the other guys in. But now that they all had gained so much, they had even more to lose. And that fear of losing the payout they had just earned was more than enough to scare Jesse that any man in his group was capable of turning on the others.

Jesse rounded the last car, and started walking back up along the other side of it. His heart had stopped beating like a bat out of hell, and his temper had gone down, but his mind was still preoccupied. He and Ed had to play this smart. It might mean that they were stuck with the guys for a little while longer, but it also meant they'd have a better chance of walking out of the situation alive and with enough money to start over.

Busy as Jesse's mind was, he almost didn't notice the dark shadow moving across the grass a little ways up. It moved slow and low to the ground, almost like a cat stalking a mouse. He paused, then pulled out his gun and quietly started to inch closer to the shadow. Whatever it was, it wasn't terribly big, or very graceful for that matter. And the closer Jesse got, the more he was sure that it wasn't an animal. Which only meant one thing.

Jesse walked up closer to the shadow, and it stopped. He guessed it had heard him coming, and was now trying to figure out what to do. As he walked closer still, he could make out the form of two thin arms out in front of a body. There was no longer any doubt in his mind that this was someone from the train trying to make a run for it. Stupid, he thought. There was no place to hide out here. The nearest trees were where their camp was located. So if this poor bastard was headed that way, it meant a run in with Bobby, which meant the man crawling in front of him was as good as dead.

"Don't bother running." Jesse said as he got within fifteen feet of the man. "There's no place to hide out here."

At that, the shadow stopped, and abruptly got up on its feet. Jesse moved in closer, and was able to make out the silhouette of the man in front of him. Except it wasn't a man. The person standing in front of him had long dark hair falling in a tangled mess down their back. He could make out the shape of slender shoulders, and saw the outline of a woman's breasts. Yup, definitely not a man. Jesse got up close to the woman just as she turned around.

Her face was delicate and soft. Her lips full. But her eyes had tears running from them, and he saw blood had trickled down the left side of her face.

"If you're going to kill me, please, just hurry up and do it." the woman said.

Jesse realized he still had his gun pointed right at her. He quickly slipped it back into its holster, feeling bad for threatening the woman.

"I'm not going to kill you." he said, but based on what had transpired here tonight, he doubted that she believed him.

She surprised him when she turned away from him, and started walking in the direction she had been crawling. Jesse ran to catch up with her.

"Wait! You don't want to go that way." he said.

"And why not?" she had a hint of stubbornness in her voice, and it made Jesse smirk.

"There's nothing for miles that way. I would know, that's the direction I came from. And see those trees up ahead?" He pointed. "That's where our camp is. So if you were planning on seeking shelter there overnight, you would just have the misfortune of running back into us again."

Jesse watched the woman's face as she took in what he said. The tears in her eyes had dried, and instead he saw a fire in them. She was mad, and the stubborn set of her jaw made his lip twitch. He had the urge to smile, but was instead caught off guard as the woman turned towards him, pulled back her fist, and punched him in the face.

Thomas went to work on the safe right after Jesse left the car. But he didn't get very far. He couldn't stop his hands from shaking every time he reached for the knob. Christ, he needed to calm down or he would never get the damn thing open. He stepped back from the safe and leaned against the wall, willing his hands to steady.

Instinctively, he pulled out the watch in his chest pocket, and rubbed his thumb across the engraving. The smooth, cold metal once again helping to soothe him.

He couldn't believe how horribly tonight had gone. What was supposed to be a smooth, clean robbery had turned into a war zone. Never in a million years did he think the steam engines would flip, causing such chaos.

And Bobby going off like he did...the body count was climbing. Thomas felt guilty for recruiting Bobby. He had known the man his whole life. Knew what a temper he had. But he also knew he was loyal. He was the kind of man you wanted around when you were in trouble. He would always have your back. And until tonight, that's exactly how he'd been. He did what he was told, and he looked out for the other guys. But tonight, that temper got the best of him. Thomas should have known it would only be a matter of time before he lost it. And what with all the chaos tonight, it was no wonder the man had let bullets fly. In Bobby's mind, he was looking out for the group by taking out anyone who posed a threat.

Shit, this was a disaster. And holy hell did he feel responsible for it. He never expected things to get so out of hand. He thought derailing the train would have made things easier, and safer for everyone involved. When he played out how tonight was supposed go in his mind, not a single person got killed. Yet, the exact opposite was happening, and he felt like shit about it.

Putting the watch back in his pocket, Thomas took a few steadying breaths. He knew he needed to get going on the safe. Their huge haul of money depended on him getting it open. As he walked back to it, he pictured Erin on the day he married her. She had been so beautiful in her flowing white dress, with pink wild flowers in her hair. The image always cleared his mind and calmed his heart.

With steady hands, he reached for the safe, and got to work.

Anna pulled her fist back and held her knuckles. Shit, that hurt. She'd never punched someone before, and apparently didn't know the right way to do it. She glanced down at the hand she was holding, and saw some blood on two of her knuckles. Wiping it away, she was surprised to see there weren't any cuts under it. She looked back up at the man she had just punched. His lip was bleeding. Good, she thought.

"What the hell was that for?" he demanded. "Jesus Christ! That hurt." He was holding the bottom left side of his face. The corner of his lower lip was bleeding.

"What do you think it was for? You bastard!" Anna shot back, her temper flaring.

He didn't respond.

She was about to start walking again, but when she looked out at the darkness ahead, the reality of her situation hit her. She had nowhere to go. She could follow the train tracks to the next town, but that would probably be at least a couple days walk. And besides, she doubted the band of robbers was going to just let her walk away.

She suddenly felt trapped all over again. Ironic, she had fled her old life because she was trapped, and now here she was again, feeling the same way. She looked back at the car full of people behind them. Fear and dread washed over her for all those passengers. At least she wasn't trapped in the car with them, awaiting an unknown fate.

"What are you going to do with all the passengers in there?" she asked before she realized it.

Her question surprised him, and the man took a moment before answering. "Leave them. Someone will come along and help them. Or they can start walking the tracks until they hit the next town." he said.

"You're not going to kill them?" She couldn't hide her disbelief.

"No, we're not going to kill them. We rob trains. We don't murder people."

Anna couldn't hide her sarcasm and disgust at that. "I heard a lot of gunshots back there, and I don't think they were a friendly hello."

"One of the guys fucked up. Didn't follow the plan. None of the other men are going to shoot anyone." He turned to start walking back to the train.

"Wait! Where are you going?" she began to follow him, but why the hell she was doing that she didn't know.

"Back to the train to see if the guys are ready to get out of here."

"Will you let those people out of the car?"

"They'll be free to get out as soon as we leave." the man answered.

They were nearly halfway back, when Anna had to stop suddenly and crouch down. Her head was throbbing, and she could feel fresh blood slowly making its way down the side of her face. She was dizzy, and she felt disoriented. There was no way she would be able to walk anywhere for a while.

The world started spinning, so she laid down in the grass. As she looked up at the empty night sky, she couldn't help but feel like this moment was a crossroad in her life. The sky was as empty as her life had turned into recently, but it suddenly didn't feel so burdensome. Instead, it felt like it was the beginning of something new. It was as though the emptiness was no longer because of a lack of something, but a promise of room for something new and greater. Either that, or her head injury was making her delusional.

Anna laid in the grass for a few minutes trying to center herself. The earth still felt like it was spinning underneath her, and she started feeling nauseous. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on taking slow and steady breaths. In...out...in...out. After a few minutes of deep breathing, her stomach began to settle, and the spinning slowed.

She opened her eyes again when she heard footsteps walking up to her. She was surprised to see that the man had come back to stand over her. Looking at his face, she saw he was peering down at her. Worry was in his eyes, and etched in the lines of his face.

"You okay?" he asked.

"No, my head feels awful and I think I'm too dizzy to get back up."

"Want some help?" he offered, holding out his hand.

"No, just leave. I think you've done enough. The others will help me when they get out of the car." she replied shortly.

To Anna's surprise, the man sat down beside her in the grass. After a moment he said, "I'll wait with you until my men are ready to leave. Make sure a bear doesn't get you."

Anna looked up and he was smiling at her. She wasn't sure if she should be pissed off at the nerve of this man, or grateful someone was worried about her. Shit, she should be pissed. It was his fault she was in this situation anyway. He was a goddamn railway robber, the kind she had read about in the wild west stories circulating the cities back east. If anything, Anna figured she should be scared. She should be scared of what this man and his group of outlaws were capable of. She should be scared for the people trapped in the train car. She should be scared for herself, and the injuries she sustained.

But she wasn't. For some reason, she was calm, as though she had accepted that this was her fate, and it was just a stepping stone in her journey to a new life. She had gotten through so much already in her life, she may as well stay strong and add this to the list. Perhaps the reason she was calm, was because she knew she would survive. She always did.

"What's your name?" she asked the man after several minutes.

"Jesse."

"Well Jesse, I'm Anna. And while I appreciate you sitting here next to me, I highly doubt a bear is going to get me. So please feel free to leave at your earliest convenience."

"Alright, I will" Jesse replied, but just continued to sit beside her.

Anna gave up on getting him to leave, and instead sat up. Her head still hurt like hell, but at least she was feeling less dizzy. Reaching into the pocket of her dress, she grabbed her handkerchief. Then, taking the corner of it, she dabbed it against her tongue to wet it. Cautiously, she began dabbing at the blood that had begun to dry down the left side of her face. When she brought the handkerchief back in front of her, she was alarmed to see the amount of blood on it already.

Screw it, she thought, as she realized it was pointless trying to clean the blood off. Instead, she folded the handkerchief in half, and held the whole thing up to the side of her head.

Jesse eyed her. "You want me to take a look at that?"

"No, it's fine." Anna replied, not looking at the man beside her. Maybe if she ignored him, he would go away faster.

"You sure?" he probed.

Anna nodded.

"You still look pretty pale." he continued.

Christ, he wasn't going to quit. "Listen, I don't need your help. And I'd rather not talk to you. You just killed a bunch of people, robbed a train, and possibly ruined what was my one chance to start over in life. So sorry if I'm not in the mood to converse." Anna snapped. Her head might be starting to feel a little better, but her attitude was going downhill fast.

She was just about to try and get up, when suddenly the last car of the train exploded. Flames flew up into the night sky, taller than trees, illuminating the surroundings. Debris flew out from the explosion in all directions. The force of it pushed Anna back down into the grass, just as Jesse lunged on top of her, cradling her face against his chest.

# Chapter 6

Jesse looked down at the woman underneath him. She appeared to be alright, if a bit shaken. Quickly he got to his feet, and pulled Anna up with him. Panic flowed through him as he looked at the fire behind him, and immediately he feared for his brother. He needed to find Ed, and they needed to get out of here.

He turned back to Anna and said, "We have to go, now!" Then, as he started running towards the train, he yelled "Ed!"

Jesse couldn't believe this was happening. How in the fuck could things get any worse? As he ran towards the train, he took in the black smoke billowing from the last car. The car with all the passengers in it had been jolted and caught on fire. The few people who had survived the blast were now running away from the train, scattering out into the surrounding area. As Jesse got closer, he could feel the heat from the fire that now engulfed the last two cars.

"Ed!" he yelled again, his heart in his throat. He couldn't feel his legs as he approached the train. It was as if he was floating above the scene, looking down on it in disbelief. If anything had happened to his brother, Jesse would never forgive himself.

"Jesse!" someone yelled.

Jesse headed in the direction the voice had come from. He found Rob laying in the grass, his left arm bright red and burned. The kid looked terrified. Jesse crouched down and took a minute to look him over. He'd be alright, he decided, after finding no other injuries.

"Rob, you're going to be okay, you hear me?" Jesse told him in as soothing a voice as he could. Rob nodded, still looking afraid and in pain.

Jesse helped him up, then said, "Go find your horse. Head straight back to camp and wait. I'll find the others and meet you there." At the panic in Rob's eyes, he added, "I promise. Now go!"

Once Rob left, he continued to look for his brother. But as time passed by, he was getting more and more frantic. Where the hell could Ed be?! Jesse prayed he hadn't been in the last car with Thomas when the explosion went off. Fuck... Thomas...

Jesse ran towards the last car, which was still burning wildly. Walking around to the other side of it, he prayed he would find Thomas and Ed. As he searched the area, he found one the them.

He saw Ed, sitting in the grass a little ways out. Thank god. Jesse had never felt so relieved in his life. He ran towards his brother.

"Ed! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Where's Thomas?" Jesse rambled as he got up close.

"I'm alright. Just gotta get this here thing out of me." Ed tilted his head towards his shoulder.

"Shit." Jesse said, looking at the six inch piece of steel sticking out of his brother's shoulder. He needed to get it out.

Jesse checked out the back of Ed's shoulder. It didn't look like the metal went all the way through. Carefully, he pressed on the area, feeling for anything protruding. All he felt was smooth bone. Jesse sighed in relief. At least it hadn't broken any bones. Moving back to the front of Ed, he looked at where the metal met his brother's skin. It was bleeding, but not too badly. He hoped it wasn't in too far.

"I'm taking it out." Jesse told Ed, and without waiting for a reply, grabbed the metal and pulled.

Ed let out a slew of curse words and started falling forward. Immediately, the wound started bleeding heavily, the blood instantly soaking through his brother's shirt.

"Jesus mother fucking Christ!" Jesse growled, and grabbed his brother around the chest so he wouldn't fall forward. He needed to get his brother bandaged up, or he'd keep bleeding.

"We need to get you fixed up man. You gotta stand up though so we can get you back to camp." Jesse told his brother in a calmer voice. Ed nodded, and using Jesse to help support his weight, got to his feet.

Jesse couldn't believe this was happening. Couldn't believe how horribly everything had gone. And right now, he felt nothing but helpless. Focusing on his brother, he needed to figure out how to get him back to camp. There was no way he would stay upright in his saddle. Jesse thought about just taking him, but couldn't bring himself to leave. He needed to try to find Thomas, and the rest of his crew. He needed to know they weren't all dead.

Just as he was feeling completely torn and unsure of what to do, Anna came up beside him. She looked at his brother's shoulder with a horrified expression on her face.

"Oh my god... Is he okay?" she asked, her voice shaky.

As calmly as he could, Jesse replied, "We need to get this bleeding stopped. Listen, I need you to take him back to camp."

Anna was already shaking her head no, her hands in fists at her side. She said "I don't know what to do, I'm not a doctor."

Ignoring her, Jesse continued, "Head over to those trees I pointed out to you before. Make sure you keep him on that horse. If he falls, he'll injure himself worse."

"But why-" Anna started.

Jesse cut her off. "When you get there, you'll find a kid named Rob. Tell him you need whiskey, and pour it on the wound to help sterilize the area. Then find some fabric and wrap the area as tightly as you can. You can probably find a shirt or something and tear it into strips. Keep as much pressure on that wound as you can until I get there." He paused, then added, "I'm trusting you."

Jesse knew he was throwing all of this out at her quickly, but he needed her help, and didn't want to allow her the opportunity to say no. Ed's well-being depended on it. Everyone's did, because he needed to be able to leave his brother and find out if anyone else was alive. The idea that he was responsible for the death of his crew was eating at him.

"Why can't you come with?" Anna pleaded. She looked terrified of the task he had just given her, and Jesse felt guilty. He took in her blood stained face, her ripped dress, her knotted hair. He felt guilty for all the pain he had caused everyone tonight.

He grabbed her shoulders. "I need your help. I know I don't deserve it, but that's my brother and I need you to help him. I need you to go with him so I can stay here and see if anyone else is alive." He begged her with his eyes.

"Ok." Anna squeaked out. "Where is his horse?"

Jesse helped Anna up onto his brother's horse, then the two of them got Ed into the saddle. Just before she and Ed took off, Jesse caught Anna's eye and tried to relay to her how grateful he was. He thought she understood, because she offered him a nod before taking off.

Feeling like a failure of a man, Jesse headed back towards the train to look for the rest of the guys. It was his fault any of this happened. His own selfish desire had gotten them into this mess. He'd been so caught up in getting enough money to start over, that he'd put his life, his brother's life, and the rest of their crew's life in danger. He'd put all the passengers of that train in danger. He was responsible for the men that Bobby had shot. He was responsible for however many more were now dead. He was responsible for Anna. Just like he had been responsible for his mother. Maybe he was the worthless piece of shit his father had always said he was.

Jesse scanned the area around the train as best as he could. Any passengers that still happened to be alive were no longer around. They'd all scattered after the explosion. The one's who hadn't survived were still in the passenger car, their bodies burning. Jesse's stomach churned at the smell of burning flesh. Looking at the passenger car, he could see the blackened bodies lying inside. He saw a small body, the size of a child's, near the door, and lost it.

He fell on his hands and knees, his stomach turning. Before he could stop himself, he threw up in the grass. He stayed there, heaving for several minutes before forcing himself to stand up again. On weak knees, he made his way to the last car.

He found Thomas' body strewn in the grass near the car. Jesse had to force himself not to throw up again. The tangled mess of limbs in front of him told Jesse that Thomas had been thrown through the air by the explosion. His skin was blackened, charred like a piece of meat left over the fire too long. The only reason he knew it was actually Thomas in front of him was because of the pocket watch in his burnt hand.

He bent down and went through Thomas' pockets, searching for anything of personal value. The only thing was the pocket watch. Jesse had seen it before, saw the way Thomas always looked at it with a distant look in his eyes. Just a few days before, Thomas had shared that his wife had given it to him after she had gotten pregnant, and that engraved on the back of it were the words 'All my love.' Jesse took the watch from the blackened hand, and put it in Thomas' chest pocket. He knew that was where Thomas liked to keep it.

Forcing himself to move on, he desperately looked for others, but found no one. By now, the fire had died down in the safe car, so Jesse went over to it. He had no idea what could have caused that explosion, and he wanted answers. As he looked over what was left of the car, his breath caught. The safe. Something wasn't right.

He got as close as he could, and that's when he saw it. The safe door was open. Thomas had gotten into it. But what was inside the safe chilled him to the bone. There were black char marks all over the inside, and there was residue from the explosive on the floor of it. Had the explosion originated from outside of the safe, none of that would be there. It wouldn't have been possible.

Jesse's blood boiled. His hands turned to fists. This had been a set up. The explosives were inside of that safe. Someone knew they were coming for this train, and had decided to get rid of them once and for all, at the stake of every other passenger who had been on board. Thomas opening that safe had been the trigger on his own death.

Jesse took in the scene one more time, searching for some explanation, any clue that could help him piece together what had happened. That was when he noticed the body in the safe car, the body that had to be responsible for the explosion. Anger coursing through his veins, he ran to his horse and raced back to camp. They needed to run, and they needed to do it now.

As he rode, he looked back one more time. There was a shadow approaching the train. It appeared to be ten or so riders on horses. Jesse pushed his horse even harder. He needed to get back to camp and to his brother, and they needed to run, because they were being hunted.

When Anna got to the camp, she didn't know what to do, or how to get Ed off the horse, or where to find this kid she was supposed to look for. So she did the only thing she could do. She slowed the horse, and started yelling out "Rob!"

A young man came out from behind a tree, gun in hand. At seeing Ed slouched over on the horse, he put the gun away and came running towards them.

"J- Jesus, Ed. Is he... alive?" Rob stuttered.

Anna looked at the young, frightened man standing in front of her. He couldn't be more than sixteen years old, with dirty blonde hair and a long face. His eyes still held the innocence of a child's, and he looked scared and shell shocked. But Anna couldn't blame him, after all he had seen tonight. She wondered, though, how a kid like him ended up an outlaw.

He watched her and Ed, with wide, worried eyes. She answered him, "Yes, he's alive, but I need you to help me get him off the horse and patched up. Can you do that?"

She tried to be as reassuring and calm as she could be, even though on the inside she was panicking. Ed had slipped in and out of consciousness several times on the ride to camp, and she knew he was losing to much blood. If she didn't stop the bleeding soon, he would die.

"Yes ma'am." Rob replied, and came over to their horse. He had a lantern in his hand, and he sat it on the ground.

Together they worked to get Ed off the horse as gracefully as possible. He ended up half falling, half being lifted down, but eventually he was on the ground. Anna got down beside him, took off his shirt that was now soaked in blood, and laid him down next to the lantern. She finally got a good look at the wound. It wasn't deep, but the slash was wide, about three inches, and rugged. She figured that was why it was bleeding so badly.

To Rob she said, "I need you to go find me some sort of alcohol and a piece of cloth. Something fairly clean."

As Rob took off to get supplies, Anna recited the instructions Jesse had given her. Ed had passed out again at some point during the ride, and was still unconscious. She felt his forehead. No fever. She didn't have medical experience, but from her readings she knew that a fever was a sign of infection. That fact that he didn't have one made her feel a little better.

Anna glanced around the camp, searching for Rob, wishing him to get back quickly. She noticed the camp wasn't really a camp per say, but more of what she would call a gathering point. There was a small fire farther off to her right, one that she guessed Rob had built. But when she looked around it, she noticed a man sitting next to it, staring at her. While there was enough space between them that she didn't necessarily feel threatened, the total lack of emotion on his face chilled her. Immediately she thought about all the gunshots she had heard while lying under the train, and something inside of her screamed that it was this man who was responsible for them.

She didn't have any time to think about this, as Rob returned, her requested supplies in hand. She took the jug from him that contained some sort of foul smelling liquor and began to slowly pour some over Ed's wound. It must have burned like hell, because he flinched and his eyes opened as he let out a hiss.

"Fuck!" he spat out.

"Sorry!" She leaned back a little at his sudden outburst. He looked at her, confusion all over his face.

She quickly filled him in. "Jesse sent me back here with you to take care of this wound. Sorry if this hurts, be we need to stop the bleeding. And... Jesse said he would be back here soon." she tacked onto the end, trying to reassure him. His face softened. She added, "And my name is Anna."

He stared at her for a moment, then said, "Thank you, Anna. Do whatever you need to. But first, hand me that whiskey."

Anna passed the jug over to him, and he took several long drinks. Then, he handed it back to her, put his head down, and closed his eyes.

Immediately Anna got back to work on his shoulder wound. She slowly poured whiskey on the ugly slash until it ran clear, and figured that was as clean as she was going to get the area. She then grabbed the shirt Rob had brought her, and started tearing it into strips.

"Rob, help hold him upright so I can try to figure out how to wrap this." she said.

Rob grabbed Ed, and lifted him into a sitting position. Holding onto his good shoulder, Rob kept him up, as Anna attempted to wrap the other shoulder. She had no clue what she was doing. She wrapped this way and that, around the shoulder and the arm and the torso. She wrapped it from pretty much every angle she could, figuring that at least some of that must be applying pressure to the wound. Once she was done, Rob laid Ed back down.

Anna and Rob sat in silence, watching Ed, holding their breath that he would make it. She kept her eyes on the bandage, praying it didn't start bleeding through. So far, it hadn't.

"How's it feel?" Anna asked sometime later when Ed opened his eyes again.

"Hurts like hell, and I can't move my arm."

Anna smiled to herself. Apparently her wrapping had been somewhat effective. "I think the bleeding slowed. Just try not to move that arm or touch that shoulder."

"Got it." Ed said, and closed his eyes again.

He was pale. He'd need rest to recover from all the blood loss, but Anna thought he'd be okay. The bleeding seemed to have stopped, so now he just needed time to heal. And besides, she had done all she could do to help anyway. Ed's fate was out of her control.

Anna turned to Rob and asked "Is there any water or a way for me to wash up?"

Her hands were covered in Ed's blood, and she needed to get the blood off the side of her face. Not only that, it provided her the perfect excuse to sneak out of camp. While she didn't want to be alone out here to fend for herself, it was better than hanging around of group of murderers. No, she had no desire to stay at camp, especially with that man sitting by the fire.

Besides, she had helped Ed. She did what Jesse had asked. And now it was time for her to get out. She knew sticking around here would only end badly. Which meant her only choice was to walk to the next town.

Rob replied to her question, "There's a small stream, but it's a short distance away. I wouldn't go at night if I were you, but you can use this for your hands." He tossed her his water bag.

Anna nodded, poured some of the water into her hands, and began to wash up the best that she could. She didn't get very far. Her hands were somewhat clean, but she didn't have enough water to get to her own injury. She could feel the crusty blood from her head wound against her skin. It made her shudder. Right now, she not only needed to escape, but she also needed to take care of herself, and get her own wound cleaned up.

Looking around, she couldn't see where the stream might be, but she could faintly hear water running somewhere. The stream couldn't be far. She looked at Rob who was sitting next to Ed. If she went right now, they would never know she even left. She could walk to the stream and clean her head, then head back to the tracks and walk to town. There really was no reason she shouldn't leave right now, regardless of what Rob said. They were the bad guys after all, so what worse fate could possibly be out next to the stream. Lifting the hem of her skirts, she quietly headed in the direction of the running water.

Making her way through the wooded area, she tried as best as she could to avoid fallen trees and unexpected rocks. The land was rough, but as the sound of water got ever louder, it gently smoothed out. As she went, the light from the fire at camp grew smaller and smaller behind her, and her surroundings quickly turned darker. As she continued further, she was barely able to see the fire at all.

She looked around her. The night was now black. She could make out the trees in her immediate surroundings, but nothing beyond that. Still, the stream sounded close. It had to be up just a little ways. She looked back again and scanned her surroundings for the fire back at camp. She could no longer see it, and it made her feel nervous. The darkness was disorienting, and although she could hear the stream, she was worried she wouldn't find her way back to the railroad tracks.

The night closed in on her, suffocating her. Maybe she should have listened to Rob and waited at camp, at least until sunrise. She turned around, frantically scanning the woods one more time, hoping to see a glow from the fire. But she didn't, and the darkness started to feel even heavier.

Anna listened for the stream and decided it was best to keep heading in that direction, rather than wandering lost through the woods. Besides, she'd told Rob she wanted to go to wash up. Maybe he would come look for her. The thought made her stop dead in her tracks. Here she was, lost in the woods, hoping the bad guys who had blown up the train she was on would come find her. God, this was all so wrong.

She began walking towards the stream again. Maybe it would run towards a town or a farm. There had to be people who lived out here, especially with the railroad so close by. Eventually should would have to find somebody. And hopefully they would be able to help her get to the nearest town.

Crossing her fingers, she hoped she would find her way. She had so much she needed to do, her whole life at stake. She needed a place to live. And she needed a way to make money and get her school house up and running. But the unfortunate truth was that Anna felt that dream slipping. Just a few short hours ago, everything had seemed just within reach. Then it had been violently and abruptly taken from her. And now here she was; lost, alone, wandering the wilderness.

Determined not to let her dream slip, Anna kept walking. The stream sounded really close now. The trees had thinned out, and the grass here was taller. After walking blindly another few minutes, using the sound of running water as her guide, she finally found it.

The stream was more of a shallow, wide, babbling brook. Anna rushed to it, never having been so happy before in her life to see water. She drank several handfuls of the crisp, cold water, then pulled out the bloodied handkerchief she had used on her head before. She dipped it into the water and wrung it out several times, then started scrubbing at her face. The dried crusts of blood started to peel off, leaving her skin feeling cool and fresh.

After getting all the blood off her face, she applied the handkerchief directly to the wound. The bleeding had stopped, but her head was sore from the cut. She gently felt it, hoping it wasn't too bad. It felt about an inch long, but not very deep. She couldn't feel that any skin was missing, and her hair was all there. Probably just a surface wound, she thought.

Anna was finishing washing out the wound and the last of the blood from her hair when she heard something come up behind her. Before turning around to look at what was heading in her direction, she grabbed a rock from the stream, prepared to throw it at whatever was coming her way.

"It's not a good idea for you to be out here by yourself at night." It was Jesse.

Anna exhaled a sigh of relief, glad she didn't have to take on a bear with the little rock in her hand. "I needed to clean out my head wound." she said. And get away from you and your men, she thought.

"You done?" he asked.

"Yeah." she replied, and got to her feet.

"Good, I've got a horse for you. We need to leave now."

Unsure of what to do, Anna stayed put. Did he really expect her to go with him, after everything that had happened tonight? But what other option did she really have; stay here by herself and hope to come across someone eventually? Follow the railway and hope she got to the next town before an animal or something else got to her first?

For the first time that night, Anna took a second to really look at Jesse. She could see dark hair poking out from under the hat he was now wearing. It was too dark to make out the color of his eyes, but she thought they looked tired, as though he had aged a hundred years tonight. His face was handsome, she reluctantly admitted to herself, even with the grim set of his mouth. He was tall and lean, like someone used to doing physical labor. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and she could see a long thin scar running down his forearm. She wondered what it was from.

Jesse must have noticed her looking at him, because his face suddenly softened. He said, "I know you don't want to come with me, but right now, there's a group of sheriffs heading this way."

"They could help me!" Anna said, hope filling her. "They could take me to the next town."

"I think that's the last thing they would do." Jesse said, staring at his feet.

Anna was confused by that, and the tone in which Jesse said it made her uneasy. "Why not?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

"Because they're the ones who blew up the train, killing all the passengers and my men."

# Chapter 7

Anna looked skeptical, her face full of doubt. She probably thought Jesse was crazy, or just lying to her so she would cooperate. And hell, he didn't blame her for that one bit. He never would have believed a lawman to be responsible for that explosion had he not seen the evidence firsthand.

The body he saw in the safe car earlier hadn't been a passenger or one of his men. No, the man he saw lying in that car had been a sheriff. And the pistol in his hand, and sheriff star pinned to his shirt had been proof enough that he was responsible for the explosion. There had been no other bodies in the safe car, no other bodies even close to it other than Thomas'. Which meant that sheriff was the only one who could have set off the explosion. There was no other possible explanation

Jesse relayed what he had seen to Anna, and watched as what little color she had left drained from her face. He saw her lip quiver and knew she was frightened. The men whose job it was to catch the bad guys had just murdered a train full of innocent people, and that no doubt shook her beliefs about the nature and good intentions of men who were supposed to uphold the law.

"That...can't be." she finally said, stumbling over her words. "There has to be another explanation. It's just not possible."

Shit, Jesse wished there was. "If there is, I have no idea what it could be. Now we have to go. Those men at the train...if they find us, we're all dead. Including you, Anna. I doubt they would want to leave loose ends that could turn them in for killing a train full of innocent people."

Anna visibly shuddered at that. Feeling bad and hating how much time they were wasting, Jesse walked up closer to her and held out his hand. "Come on."

She hesitated, then ever so lightly grabbed his hand. Wasting no time, he tugged on her arm and walked back a little ways into the thicker part of the woods. There, Ed, Bobby, and Rob were waiting. Trying to give Anna a reassuring look, Jesse helped her onto Thomas' horse, then got on his own.

"Stay close, and stay quiet. Rob, make sure Ed doesn't fall off that horse." Jesse said. Then, without another word, he dipped his hat, and they were off.

Jesse rode up front to make sure they kept moving at a quick pace. They couldn't afford to linger in this area any longer. Not to mention the quicker they moved, the less likely they were to be caught.

His intention was to head west, to make their way to the Rockies and the protection of the trees. He figured they would then follow the mountains south, into the heart of the gold rush. It would be easier for them to hide in that wild, unsettled land. And hopefully they could stay hidden long enough to put some distance between them and the men back at the train. But to get there they had a lot of ground to cover first, and Ed was injured. Jesse feared it would slow their pace.

Glancing back every so often, he made sure his brother was still upright. Ed seemed to be doing better now that he was bandaged up. He was staying on his horse, and so far he was keeping pace with them. Even though he was pale as hell, he was hanging in there, much to Jesse's relief.

When Jesse had first rode into camp after the explosion, his heart had hammered, afraid of the condition Ed would be in. But when he found him, he was surprised to see Ed sitting up and fully conscious. He had checked Ed's bandage, and was amazed that it remained free of blood. Anna had done a hell of a job patching him up, and Jesse was grateful she had been there to help. Otherwise, who knew what could have happened to Ed.

Anna on the other hand seemed to be going downhill fast. When he had first found her, crawling away from the train, there had been a spark in her, a determination to save herself. Now, as they rode on through the night, that spark began to die out. Her shoulders slumped, and her face was pale. The reins hung loosely from her hands. Her deteriorating condition worried Jesse. He was not going to be responsible for one more death.

He slowed his horse until she was next to him, trying to get a better look at her. The cut on her head had started bleeding again. He could see the wet, fresh blood making its way through her hair, and down the side of her head. She looked exhausted, ready to fall off her horse. But they didn't have time to stop.

The sun would be up in a matter of hours, and they had to get to the tree line before dawn. It hadn't taken long once they left the stream to get back into open grasslands. And they were still out in the open now, several hours later. The open land made them vulnerable, and they would be an easy target come daybreak if they didn't get to the protection the trees offered.

Even though the tree line was getting closer with each step their horses took, Jesse knew they wouldn't make if they stopped for any significant period of time. However, looking at Anna, he didn't think she could keep going for a few more hours. So he did the only thing he could do, and slowed his horse to a stop.

"Hold up guys." he told the group, and led his horse to Anna's. Reaching her, he said, "Get off."

Anna looked at him with weary eyes. "Why? Going to leave me out here to fend for myself?"

"No. You're about to fall off that horse. I want you to get up here with me."

Anna didn't even argue. Without a word, she got off her horse, and let him help her up onto his. Her lack of fight confirmed Jesse's fear that she wasn't doing well, that she was losing some of the determination she had earlier.

He eyed the fresh blood in her hair again and a new wave of worry came over him. Having her along wasn't ideal, but he couldn't leave her behind. Not after the way she'd helped Ed. He felt responsible for her now.

He handed her his water bag and said, "Here, drink."

She took the bag and drank. Once she was done, he had Rob take Thomas' horse, and they were off again.

They had only made it about a mile, when Anna said, "Jesse, you have to stop. I...I don't feel well."

Against his better judgement, he stopped. "What's wrong?"

"Everything is spinning again. I can't focus... I'm... dizzy."

"We can't stay here, Anna. Can you hold on a little longer?" he asked as gently as he could, while growing wary of how much ground they still needed to cover. He felt like shit asking her to keep going, but he couldn't risk staying where they were.

Anna adjusted herself behind him, saying, "It feels like the ground is being pulled out from under me... I'm afraid I'll fall off."

"Shit, move in front of me then, so I can keep you upright." he said, getting off the horse so she could move up. He couldn't wait around here, but he wasn't about to let her fall off either.

Once she had moved up as much as she could, Jesse climbed on behind her. Putting his arms on either side of her, he grabbed the reins so they could get going again.

"You okay up there?" he asked. When she nodded, he heeled his horse to urge it forward, and put one hand on her side to hold her upright.

The miles went by, their pace hard on the horses and their riders. Eventually Jesse slowed their pace from a run to a walk. If they didn't preserve their horses, they'd have no way to travel, and they'd get picked off in a matter of days on foot. The never ending openness of the grasslands had them all on edge, but the darkness of the night kept them from panic. They were making good progress, and the promise of the ever nearing tree line encouraged them onward.

As the hours continued to roll by, Jesse noticed himself becoming acutely aware of the feel of Anna in front of him. She was small compared to him, and seemed delicate, despite the fact that she could throw a hell of a punch. He grinned as he ran his tongue over the cut on his lip. He'd never been hit by a woman before, and boy had she gotten him good.

With his arms engulfing either side of her, Jesse could feel the way Anna's torso fit easily in front of his wide chest, and every cell in his body was aware of how her back rested against him. Even now, hours later, his skin still tingled every time she rubbed against it.

He hated to admit that he liked the feel of her against him, but he did. Christ, he needed to pull himself together. The last thing he needed was to be attracted to this woman. A woman who was injured because of him, and being forced to flee the scene of a crime with a gang of outlaws. Fuck, what was wrong with him. He should be focused on saving Ed and himself, not the feel of Anna's back.

Initially, he had no intention of bringing her with him. He wanted her to stay with the train and wait. He figured help would be coming as soon as the train didn't get to its next stop on schedule. Someone would come and get all the passengers to safety. But shit, that had not gone as expected.

Right after the explosion happened, and he couldn't find anyone alive, he had known he couldn't leave her behind by herself. It would have only been a matter of time before an animal came across her, or someone came along and took advantage of her. A woman had no place being by herself in the wilderness of this area. The men were as untamed as the land out here. Leaving her would have only put her in danger.

Once Jesse discovered that a sheriff had set off the explosion after the safe was opened, his plan to bring her along was validated. He'd seen enough in his outlaw life to know that a crooked lawman would stop at nothing to keep people quiet about his misdoings. And keeping people quiet usually meant killing them.

However, what Jesse couldn't figure out about this situation, was what anyone had to gain from it. Suppose the explosion had managed to kill all his men. The person responsible would have to own up to it to claim the reward money. And owning up to it meant admitting to killing an entire train of innocent passengers, minus the few who got away. Shit, even out here in this unsettled, wild territory, a man wouldn't get away with that. He would be hung. So why would a sheriff shoot a safe filled with dynamite?

The answer suddenly hit Jesse clear as day. A sheriff may have set off the explosion, but a man of the law wasn't going to risk being hung for killing a bunch of innocent people just to get Jesse's crew. Hell, no man in the world would risk that. Unless, it was personal.

Jesse's blood turned to ice. Someone was trying to kill him and his men for personal reasons. The group of men who had shown up to the train after the explosion....shit, they must have been following the train, waiting for it. And after it happened and the flames had died down, they had closed in to verify that the explosion had killed Jesse's crew. It was the only explanation that made sense. And every fiber of Jesse's being told him this was the case, and that he needed to put as much distance as possible between him and whoever was after him.

But who the hell could that be? Jesse and Ed didn't have any enemies, other than the law and railway. Maybe one of his men had a past he didn't know about. A past that was now chasing them. Fuck, he needed to talk to Ed about this, to figure out what to do. They couldn't run forever, especially from an unknown enemy. Forcing his temper down, he focused on the first thing they needed to accomplish: getting out of the open grasslands.

As they continued on, the tree line eventually drew near. They finally reached the trees just as the sun started to come up in the east. While the dark receded, they made their way farther into the woods, the tree's offering a veil to hide behind. As they got closer to the mountain range, the terrain became rocky. But even though it slowed their riding, it acted as a deterrent for anyone following them.

After some time, they came across a small, flat, grassy area squeezed between a flat, rock face wall on one side and trees on the other. Jesse noticed there was a spring, and decided this was the best place to stop. Their horses needed water, and they needed rest.

He slowed his horse. "Let's stop here. Rob, see if you can find dry wood for a fire, and Bobby, head out and look for a rabbit or something to eat. Just don't wander out too far." Jesse warned as the two men headed off.

Jesse looked over his brother as Ed rode up beside him. "Feeling alright?" he asked, noting that Ed looked less pale.

"Yeah, hell of a lot better. Just sore. I'll take the horses to get water." Ed said. Then, voice low, he added, "We need to talk about what happened at the train. Somethings not right."

"Did you see something before the explosion?"

"Yeah." Ed replied, and dismounted. He turned to Jesse, "I'm worried, brother."

"Let's get a camp set up before she falls off this horse," Jesse nodded towards Anna, "then we'll talk."

"You got it." Ed said, and reached up with his good arm to help Jesse get her down.

Jesse frowned when he got down and saw Anna's face. She was pale as a ghost. He knew she wasn't doing well when he had seen the fresh blood in her hair, but she hadn't said anything most of the ride, so he figured she was hanging in there. In truth, she looked like hell. Grabbing his saddlebag, he took her by the elbow, and lead her towards the small grassy opening. He laid out a blanket for her.

"Sit." he said. When she did, he added, "You look like shit. We need to get that head wound taken care of and then you need to rest."

"Your compliments make me weak in the knees." she said, and looked at him, a hint of warmth in her brown eyes despite how frail she looked.

Jesse couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face. "I'm known for flattering the ladies." He winked at her.

Anna let out a small laugh. Even though he could barely hear it, the sound warmed Jesse's soul. He didn't know why she had this effect on him, but she did. This woman, who he happened to stumble upon, managed to bring a smile to his face even after the shit storm that was last night.

Shit, he needed to take her someplace safe, to wherever she had been traveling to. He was sure she had a family who would be worried about her. Hell, she probably had a husband who would be looking for her. He owed it to her to make sure she got to wherever she needed to be, and away from him. Away from the danger he had brought on her. Away from his group of men who were now being hunted. So why couldn't his stupid fucking mouth say that.

Instead, he got to work cleaning and dressing the cut on her head.

Ed leaned against a tree, watching the horses grazing up ahead. His heart was heavy from the loss of Thomas, and from all the destruction of last night. Thomas was a good man, who had been dealt a shitty hand in life. But Ed comforted himself with the idea that Thomas was better off now. Perhaps he got to see his wife again.

Christ, last night couldn't have gone any more wrong. So many people had died at their hands. Hell, they only had four men left to their crew. Bodies were dropping like flies lately, and if he and Jesse weren't careful, he feared they would be next.

Ed rubbed his shoulder. The thing was sore as hell, but he knew he'd be alright. He was lucky that piece of metal had gotten him in the shoulder instead the head or the gut. He wouldn't have walked away from last night if that had happened.

Pulling out his bottle of whisky, Ed took a swig, hoping to dull the ache in his shoulder and his heart. Just as he was putting it away, Bobby came out of the trees beside him. He was the last person Ed wanted to see right now. He was still livid at the way Bobby had gone off, killing all those people.

"How you doin' Ed?" Bobby asked casually. He had a large jackrabbit in his hand.

"Been better."

"Ahh... looks like that little lady must have patched you up real good though. You're still with us." Bobby said, as he stood in front of Ed. The lightheartedness with which he spoke irked Ed.

"Yeah. She did a good job." he replied, his patience running thin.

Bobby crouched in front of him then, his face suddenly serious. "You think it's a good idea we keep letting her hang around? I mean, at the first opportunity she'll probably turn us in." Bobby's eyes shifted side to side, as if waiting for someone to find them.

"I think Jesse knows what he's doing." Ed responded, not liking where this conversation was going.

"I don't know. I think this is going to be an issue. Maybe it's best if we deal with it before that happens." Bobby gestured towards his gun.

At that, Ed lost it. He leapt forward and grabbed Bobby by the collar with his good arm.

"You fucking piece of shit!" he yelled. "You so much as think about pulling out your gun again, and I'll make sure it's the last chance you ever get to think about it."

"You're threatening me? I saved your asses last night! I was the only one with the balls to take care of business!" Bobby yelled back.

"So shooting innocent people is just business as usual?!"

"It is if it keeps my ass out of the noose! Fuck!" Bobby pulled away from Ed.

"I mean it, Bobby! You better not even think of pulling that weapon on an innocent person again. That includes Anna." Ed called out as Bobby headed off to the fire Rob had made.

Jesus Christ, Bobby was losing it. He was so afraid of being caught, he was willing to take out anyone that could be a threat. And that was not a liability Ed wanted to deal with. He and Jesse needed to go their separate ways, to leave Bobby and Rob behind. That was becoming clearer to him with every passing minute.

Sure, Rob was a good kid, but the longer Ed and Jesse stuck around anyone from the group, the deeper into shit they were going to get. They had been waiting until they had enough money to split, but after last night, they couldn't afford to wait anymore. They didn't have as much money as they would have liked, but now the risk was too high to do anything about it. Now was the time for them to leave.

Ed leaned back against the tree. He felt more calm knowing that soon he and Jesse would be on their own again. After all, Jesse was the only one he could trust. Bobby and Rob were both a liability. Bobby would only get them in more trouble, and Ed knew Rob would sell them out to save himself.

Hell, he didn't blame the kid. He was young and scared and got pulled into something bigger and uglier than he had wanted. It wouldn't take much for Rob to crack should a sheriff get his hands on him. And that was why he and Jesse needed to distance themselves, and they needed to do it soon. Or else, he was afraid, they would lose each other.

Anna was surprised at the gentleness of Jesse as he cleaned and bandaged the cut on her head. Her head still hurt like hell, but after getting some more water into her and sitting still for a while, the dizziness was gone. She hoped it didn't come back again. It had hit her like a brick when she'd been behind Jesse on the horse, and she was surprised she'd managed not to faint as the sky had started whirling around her.

As soon as she'd said she wasn't feeling well, Jesse had quickly stopped and moved her in front of him. He'd been so careful with her, keeping the reins in one hand, his other on her side to keep her from falling. She was grateful for him, she realized. Because, if she'd been left alone by that train, she'd probably have passed out and been left for dead.

"Thank you." Anna said as Jesse finished with her head.

"You're welcome." He smiled at her.

She tried not to notice, but Anna couldn't ignore how handsome he looked as he smiled. In fact, she found herself completely torn about this man. She'd been angry and hurt and upset about what had happened on the train, and all of that had been because of him and the men he was with. Yet, he'd been nothing but kind and gentle to her since the explosion. The fact that he had trusted her to take care of his brother told her he wasn't some cold-hearted criminal just looking out for himself.

So how did he end up an outlaw robbing trains and killing people? Her mind told her to keep her distance, to get away from him as soon as it was safe to do so. But her heart told her he wasn't the bad guy the events of last night had painted him to be.

"You should get some rest." he said. "You can sleep here, we'll be close by. Bobby is out looking for food, I can wake you when it's ready if you want something to eat."

"Yeah, thanks." Anna replied, and Jesse got up and left, leaving her to sleep.

Anna laid back on the blanket, resting her head on the saddlebag behind her. She was exhausted to the point that she couldn't see clearly, her eyes refusing to focus. Yet as she laid there, her mind would not stay silent.

She thought about her mom. If she'd still been alive, Anna doubted she would have left. She'd still be in Philadelphia, engaged to Jackson. She'd still be going about her day to day routine of reading and talking with her mother about the world, about science, about literature. But she couldn't see her future beyond that. She couldn't see the life she would have in Philadelphia. All she could see was her being unhappy forever with Jackson, and that was the extent of it.

Maybe the circumstances she found herself in now were the start to a new and better future. This may not be the way she envisioned starting over, but here she was, in the Territory of Colorado, lying next to some of the most beautiful mountains she'd ever seen. All she had to do was part ways with Jesse and his men once they hit the next town. From there, she could go wherever she wanted. So why did the idea of leaving Jesse to go out on her own like she had planned scare her?

Anna knew why. She knew exactly why. It was because of what Jesse had told her before they'd started riding towards the mountains, about the sheriff causing the explosion. He could have made it up, lied to her so she would go with him. But the way his voice had cracked when he'd told her, and the look of worry and fear on his face, told her that he wasn't lying. And the thought unnerved her. She couldn't wrap her head around why someone who was supposed to uphold the law would set off an explosion knowing it would kill innocent people. The whole situation didn't make sense to her.

Anna shook the whole confusing mess from her head, and instead focused on trying to sleep. She'd never make it through another night of riding if she didn't get some rest. Trying to block the images of the previous night from creeping into her mind, she focused on the sounds of the horses grazing nearby, and finally, for the first time in a week, she slept soundly.

# Chapter 8

Later that day, Jesse found himself next to Ed, sitting at the edge of the spring. The horses were nearby, drinking water and grazing contentedly. The day was overcast and cool, and it was a welcome relief from the scorching July heat.

Jesse had tried to sleep, but with so much running through his mind, he'd only managed to catch a few hours. Ed must not have been able to sleep either, because shortly after sitting down next to the spring, Ed came over to join him.

They both sat silently for some time, reflecting on the events of last night. Ed sat still, gazing into the spring, while Jesse fidgeted, picking blades of grass and throwing them into the water. With so much on his mind, it was impossible for him to relax. He found himself getting more and more wound up as the day continued.

Ed finally broke the silence, saying, "Bobby has to go."

This didn't surprise Jesse. After last night, and the way Bobby had gone off, Jesse wanted nothing more than to make a run for it with just his brother. He was starting to feel that the only sure way he'd be safe was if he only had Ed in tow. And as for Rob? The kid had a family, parents who needed him. He was better off going home than spending his life running. He'd been a silent presence in their robberies. Hell, Jesse doubted the kid even knew how to fire his gun. Rob wasn't identified on the wanted poster. He was a nameless face. He'd have the best chance out of all of them to start over and blend in.

"I agree." Jesse said to his brother. "He's unstable. The longer he stays with us, the more trouble he's going to cause. Shit, I wouldn't put it past him to kill us both, take our money, and run."

"He threatened Anna earlier. He's afraid she'll turn us in. Thinks we should get rid of her before she becomes an issue." Ed said with caution, as if afraid he'd piss off Jesse.

Which he did. "He so much as fucking looks at her wrong and he'll be meeting the end of my gun." Jesse replied, his temper rising.

It surprised him just how protective of Anna he felt. Then again, he didn't want any more blood on his hands. Especially of the person who had probably saved Ed's life. And besides that, he trusted Anna. For whatever reason, he knew she wouldn't turn them in, even if she did have the chance.

"I said pretty much the same thing." Ed replied, still looking into the clear spring water.

"We need to split today. You and me. And not just because of Bobby, but because we have bigger issues on our hands." Much bigger issues, Jesse thought.

Jesse proceeded to fill his brother in on what he had seen back at the train. About the sheriff he suspected had set off the explosion. About the group of riders who had made their way to the train after the fire had died down. He also shared his speculation that this was a personal attack against someone in their group. About how he feared they had been targeted for a specific reason.

Ed sat silently, absorbing what Jesse had shared. After some time, he said, "I was in the safe car with Thomas, before the explosion."

Jesse looked at his brother, surprised. "Did you see anything? Were you there when he opened the safe?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I think everything you said is right on the money. When I was in there with him... Thomas told me he was close to getting it open. That's when we heard something towards the front of the car. Turns out there was a hidden door behind the front panel. Anyway, I went up there to check out the sound, and the front panel slid to the side." Ed paused, replaying the events in his mind. Jesse stayed quiet, listening intently, trying to absorb everything his brother was saying.

Ed continued, "A big guy lunged out at me. He already had his gun drawn. Thomas and I didn't even have time to react. He told Thomas to open the safe... I guess I figured he had hitched a ride on the train and he was after the money too. But then I saw that god forsaken star pinned on his chest... I lost it. I lunged at him, but he out maneuvered me. Bastard was quick. He forced me out of the car, told me to go sit in the grass." Ed stopped, as if deep in thought.

After a moment, as though he had reached some kind of conclusion, he said, "I'm guessing now he didn't shoot me so he wouldn't tip the rest of you guys off. Anyway, I did what he said. He kept one eye on me and one eye on Thomas the whole time.

"Once Thomas got the safe open, I heard him say 'shit.' He sounded defeated, like a man about to be hung. And that was when I knew something was really wrong. I had thought the sheriff had his gun on Thomas, but I'm guessing now it was aimed at the safe."

Ed took a steadying breath, then added, "Shit, Jesse, you won't believe what that sheriff said to Thomas before pulling the trigger."

Jesse sat there, silent. He had no idea what could have been said. Not a single fucking clue what could have come out of that sheriff's mouth that had his brother so worried.

When Jesse didn't say anything, Ed continued, "He said, 'You can thank Jesse for this when you see him in hell.' And then he pulled the trigger."

Jesse sat there, stunned, his brain turning, trying to make sense of what Ed had just said. Of all the possible things that sheriff could have said, this was the last thing he would have expected.

"Are you sure he said that?" Jesse asked, feeling uneasy.

"Heard it clear as day. Jesus, Jesse, who the fuck could you have pissed off enough that they would try to fucking kill you and everyone around you?"

Jesse had no clue. He and Ed had spent their whole life together. Every robbery they did had been together. He couldn't think of why anyone would single him out for revenge. And as far as he knew, the only people he had pissed off had been because of the robberies. And even then, until last night, they'd never killed anyone. They hadn't stole someone's child. They hadn't raped someone's woman. They'd taken money and things. And that was it.

"Shit man, I don't know. There's no one who stands out from any of the robberies." he finally answered his brother.

"I thought the same thing. I can't think of any single person who would want revenge so badly that they would take things to this extreme. Not one fucking person." Ed said.

From behind them, a female voice said, "Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with the robberies." Jesse and Ed looked around to see Anna leaning against a tree behind them.

She continued hesitantly, "I mean, it sounds like you're assuming someone is after you because of the robberies, but you can't think of anyone it could possibly be. That sounds like it leaves just one other option: it's someone else. Someone not involved in the robberies."

Both men sat in silence and just looked at her. She had a point, Jesse thought. He waved her over and she sat down next to him. His brows came together as he saw that she still looked a little pale.

"How's your head?" he asked softly.

"It's feeling a lot better now that I got some sleep. Dizziness is gone." she smiled.

Jesse stood up and gently took her head between his hands. He angled it slightly to the side so the part of the bandage covering the wound was facing up. "Bandage looks good, not bleeding through." he said, then sat down next to her again. He was surprised by how relieved that made him feel. He'd been worried about her, but he was just realizing now how concerned for her he'd actually been.

Ed grabbed Jesse's attention again, wasting no time getting back on topic. "I don't think there's anyone not involved with the robberies that we've pissed off."

Jesse nodded his agreement.

"Then maybe it's somebody that one of your guys knows. You know, like a wife or parent who is upset their loved one is now an outlaw. Or someone they pissed off at some point in their life." Anna suggested.

Jesse looked at her. "Huh, never really thought of that."

"It's possible." Ed added. "But we've only got two people left alive to question about it."

At this point Jesse didn't know what to think. He thought it was a long shot that this was because of one of his guys. And after all, Thomas had done the recruiting. If someone wanted revenge for that, Thomas would have been the one they were after. But then again, it was an even longer shot that someone from Jesse's personal life was out to get him.

The only really consistent person in his life was Ed. They'd both worked for a few different people in the past, but had always left on good terms. Jesse had a handful of one night stands in his past, but those women all knew he wasn't going to stick around. And besides, he doubted any of them would want him dead. Other than that, Jesse and Ed stuck to themselves.

"Maybe we should talk to Bobby and Rob, see if there's anyone in their past who may be out to get at them." Ed suggested.

"I think that's the only choice we have right now." Jesse agreed.

At that point, Anna chimed in again. "That one, Bobby, he has a coldness about him. A lack of empathy. I saw it last night when I was patching Ed up. Maybe he has something to do with this."

Jesse said, "I admit he went fucking crazy last night, but I doubt he has a long lost mother who hired people to kill the man who turned her baby boy into a criminal."

"Let's just talk to both of them, separately, and go from there." Ed said. Then continued, "I'll talk to Bobby, if you want to take Rob."

Jesse nodded. He'd rather not deal with Bobby right now, especially now that he knew he had threatened Anna. He doubted he'd be able to keep his cool long enough to get any useful information from the man.

Ed continued, "And Jesse... I think we need to make our split after that."

"I agree. Let them sleep a while longer though while we gather our thoughts. We don't want to spook them, especially Bobby. Who knows what he might do if it sounds like we're accusing him of something." He gave Ed a glance that implied he better speak carefully to Bobby. Jesse went on, "Let's plan to head out again in a few hours. I want to avoid staying in one place for too long."

Ed agreed and headed back over to where he'd been sleeping earlier, leaving Jesse and Anna sitting at the edge of the spring.

As soon as they were alone Anna blurted, "You really can't think of anyone who would want to kill you?"

Jesse flinched at the accusatory tone of her voice. The words stung, but he could see her side of things. To her he was an outlaw, a criminal who robbed people and got them killed. It would be easy for her to think he deserved what had come his way. Shit, lately he'd been thinking that maybe he did deserve what came his way. Not because of what he'd done, but because he had ruined Ed's life. He'd taken away Ed's hopes and dreams for himself, and had drug him along on his sorry excuse for a life. There was no doubt in his mind that Ed would have a family and stable life right now had he not intervened with Jesse and their dad, thus setting off what had become the sorry excuse that was Jesse's existence.

Jesse had wanted that money on the train to start over fresh, giving Ed the chance to have the life he wanted. But last night had turned up empty, and in the process he had lost most of his men, most of the passengers on that train had been killed, and now Ed was yet again being drug through Jesse's problems.

He noticed Anna still watching him, waiting for an answer. "I know you think of me as the bad guy, but everything I have done in my life has been to try to give my brother and me a new life. I have never killed anyone. And until last night, none of the passengers in any of the robberies we did had gotten killed."

Anna looked at him, surprised. "I'm sorry I thought the worst... It's just that, last night, well, it was horrific. I saw people die. Innocent people. I guess I just assumed this was business as usual for you."

For some reason, Jesse felt the need to explain himself, to show her he wasn't the person she thought he was. That he wasn't the person she saw last night.

He said, "When I was a boy, Ed saved my life. Since then we've spent our whole lives together. We worked for some farmers for a while, but weren't making enough money to start our own lives. So I got the idea to steal the money instead. Shit, I never intended for anyone to get hurt. But everything I have done was to try to pay back Ed for what he did for me, because without him, I wouldn't be here."

Jesse hated the feeling of vulnerability, and holy hell was he feeling it now. Anna's silence at what he shared had him feeling even worse. Shit, he shouldn't have said anything. He should just let her think he was the bad guy she assumed he was. It would make it easier to send her on her way if she thought he was the scum of the earth. But what had he done instead? He opened the story to the darkest fucking moment of his life. And he hoped like hell she wouldn't ask about what he just said.

"What did he save you from?" she asked.

Shit, shit, shit. He looked at her. She looked sad. Sad for him. It cut straight to his heart. He'd never shared with anyone what had happened over the course of his life, but for some reason, looking at her face, he felt like she deserved to know. After all, he was the one who had opened this book, so he may as well finish it.

He decided to tell her everything. And once he started, it just came pouring out. He couldn't stop. Every detail, every moment of that night Ed had killed their father came rushing out. Every job they'd had, every train they'd robbed, he shared it all. When he was done, he looked at her, and was surprised to see tears escaping her eyes.

"Those better not be for me." he said, and reached out to wipe one away.

"I'm sorry I judged you. I had no idea of the circumstances of your life, and it was wrong of me to paint you in a bad light." she squeaked out.

Hell, she had every right to paint him in a bad light, but the fact that she was apologizing for it was almost too much. He didn't deserve her tears or her apologies. If anything, he should be the one apologizing to her for all the hurt he had caused her in the last twenty-four hours.

"Look, you have nothing to apologize for. What I did last night caused you terrible pain, and for that, I am sorry." On impulse, Jesse reached over and grabbed her hand, surprised when she didn't pull it away.

After sitting there hand in hand for a while, Anna said, "Jesse, I think you and I are more similar than you realize."

"What?" Surely he hadn't heard her right.

She clarified, "We are both just people running from our pasts."

Jesse didn't have time to ask what that meant, because Ed had come back over. He dropped Anna's hand. Had they really been talking for that long?

"Ready to talk to Rob?" Ed asked.

Jesse nodded, then to Anna said, "There's some food by the fire. You should eat something before we head out again." Anna nodded and left.

What the hell had she meant 'running from our pasts.' Well, sure, he was. He was always trying to escape that night and all the pain and trouble he had caused Ed since then. But what could she possibly be running from. He doubted Anna would even be capable of hurting a fly, much less another person. So what could she be trying to escape?

The thought dawned on him. Maybe it wasn't something she had done to someone, but someone she was trying to leave behind. Every bone in his body ached to talk to her more, to hear what had happened in her life that had made her want to run. But he couldn't. Right now, he needed to make sure he and his brother would be okay. He needed to go find Rob and try to figure out who the hell could be after them.

Anna ate what she assumed was rabbit. She was so hungry, she didn't even care about the savagery with which she ate. After she finished, she went back and packed up her makeshift bed, her belly full and her body content.

As she rolled up her blanket, she couldn't help but think about everything Jesse had shared with her. He'd been so open, so honest, that it made her heart ache at the pain of what his father had done, and the lifetime of guilt that had left for him. She didn't condone the decisions he had made or the actions of him and his men, especially last night, but now she understood them. And she felt for him, yearned for him to get the fresh start he so desperately wanted. Because until then, she doubted he would ever find peace within himself.

Anna looked at her hand, the one Jesse had held, and could still feel the warmth of his palm against hers, his long fingers interlaced with hers. She couldn't understand why that simple gesture had made her heart burn, and her breath catch. Even though he wasn't the bad guy she had thought he was, she knew she shouldn't get involved.

Shaking the thought of Jesse's big, strong hand out of her mind, she got back to packing up. She was just finishing putting the saddle bag back on her horse when Ed and Jesse rode up to her, ready to head out. She realized Rob and Bobby were nowhere to be seen.

"Where are the other two?" she asked, still scanning the woods around them.

"They're going north, away from us." Jesse said.

"Why? Are one of them the reason someone is after you?" she asked hopefully. Maybe they had figured out who was trying to get them, and could now separate themselves from the danger. Maybe Jesse would get the fresh start he wanted.

"No. Neither of them could think of a single person who would want them dead. Which means the person after us is someone we know." said Jesse.

Ed added, "Didn't wanna risk them hanging around us anymore, so we told them to leave and get as far away from us as possible."

Jesse looked at her then, and in all seriousness said, "This also means as soon as we hit the next town, we're leaving you there. It's too dangerous for you to be affiliated with us. You should be anonymous enough to blend in there and finish going wherever you were headed."

Anna was disheartened. They still didn't know who was after them. She also couldn't believe they were going to leave her. Sure, she knew getting away from them was the best thing to do. The farther she was from them, the safer she would be. The person looking for Jesse would never even know to look for her. But for some reason, she didn't want to be left alone. And even more so, she didn't want to be left by Jesse. He had bared his soul to her when he told her about his past. And she wasn't ready to just let him go. Which was absolutely stupid, she told herself. He was a wanted man, now on the run from an unknown enemy. And here she was, wanting to go along for the ride.

She thought about all she had wanted for herself, and realized she could get that anywhere. She could resettle anywhere her heart desired. She was far enough away from Jackson to feel comfortable making a life of her own anywhere they headed. And although she hated to admit it, Jesse made her feel secure, like he wouldn't let anyone get to her.

At that, Anna knew she had made up her mind. She was going with Jesse and Ed, wherever they were headed. She told them so.

"I'm staying with you guys." she said stubbornly.

"No." Jessie said, barely letting her finish her words. "I'm not risking your life anymore. I already put your life in danger last night, and I won't do it again."

"That's not for you to decide. I have no one out here and no place to go. I've made up my mind and I'm going with you. So don't bother trying to change my mind now." She said with as much sternness as she could muster.

Jesse just looked at her, a slow smile spreading on his face. That was all Anna needed to know she had won. She got on her horse and took off, looking back to see the two men close behind.

# Chapter 9

As the sun began to dip behind the mountains, Ed, Jesse, and Anna slowed their horses to a leisurely walk. Anna rode in front, followed by Jesse, and Ed brought up the rear. From back there, Ed could see how often Jesse's eyes looked over Anna, and it made him uneasy. Hell, it was clear Jesse was in over his head. Ed saw the way his brother watched Anna, the way he was protective of her. He was getting feelings for this woman, and that worried Ed.

Right now, Jesse's only focus should be getting the hell away from the danger that followed them. Not only was the law on their tails, but now they had an unknown enemy to worry about. Their life was at stake, and Jesse bringing Anna into this was only going to be a distraction to him, and a danger to her.

Ed pulled up beside his brother. "You sure about letting her come along? You know we're in a dangerous situation here..." he trailed off.

"Shit, I know." Jesse replied, a mix of emotions on his face.

Ed studied him, then suggested, "Wouldn't be too hard to ditch her at the next town."

"Ed... shit, I can't do that." Jesse said defensively.

"And why the hell not?"

"Because I don't want to abandon her somewhere where she has nothing. Fuck, I don't know. I feel wrong leaving her. And she saved your life. I think we owe it to her to decide what she wants to do."

Ed eyed his brother skeptically. He knew there was more to it than that. He saw it clear as day on Jesse's face.

"And what's the other reason you're not telling me?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Jesse let out a small laugh. "Christ Ed, you could always read me like a book."

"I'd say it's more like you wear your heart on your sleeve." Ed mused.

Jesse turned serious again, and said, "I can't leave Anna because she's running from something too. I don't know what, but she hinted she was trying to get away from someone. I can't just leave her on her own after that. I mean, you and I know better than anyone else what it's like to try to run from someone."

Ed nodded. He sure as shit knew what that was like. They were living it right now.

Jesse continued, "I'm not okay leaving her to fend for herself. I feel protective of her."

"As in you have feeling for her and don't want to see her get hurt by someone else's hands." Ed said. Shit, if Jesse wouldn't admit his feelings for Anna were keeping her with them, then Ed would do it himself.

Letting out a long breath, Jesse said, "You're right. I don't know why, but I can't stand the thought of someone hurting her."

Ed smiled at his brother then. While he didn't necessarily like having Anna along on this dangerous ride, he decided that if it was important to Jesse, then it was important to him. After all, he wanted so badly for his brother to find happiness. To make peace with his demons. And if having Anna around helped that, then Ed was fine with it.

"Just keep your dick in your pants when we're sharing a campsite." Ed joked, letting out a laugh.

"Jesus Christ, Ed." Jesse said between laughs.

The two of them lost it, bursting out in side splitting laughter. The wear and tear of the last few days made them feel delusional, and soon they were crying from laughing so hard.

God, it felt good to laugh again, Ed thought, gasping for air.

Just then Anna stopped her horse and turned around to look at them. "What are you two doing back there?" she asked, confusion on her face.

Ed looked at Jesse. His face immediately turned bright red, making Ed laugh even harder.

"Ugh... nothing." Jesse stumbled, clearly not knowing what to say.

Anna stared at them, probably trying to decide if they were crazy, Ed thought.

Finally, Ed gathered himself enough to say, "I was just teaching Jesse here the etiquette of camping."

Jesse shot daggers at Ed with his eyes, while Anna continued to look at them like they were crazy. Ed laughed again, then rode up towards her.

As he passed her, he said, "I'll take the lead for a while. It'll be dark soon and hard to see."

Anna fell in line behind him, and Jesse stayed in the back. Ed grinned to himself. Damn, it felt good to smile, and to laugh about something. He realized it was just what he needed after the last couple days. Despite everything that was going on, it had lifted his spirits.

Looking ahead of him, there was no sign of anyone else out here. The moon was out tonight, and it illuminated the land just enough for him to see slightly into the distance. He figured they should be fairly safe if they continued to ride through the trees, so he continued on the course they were on.

Grabbing the bottle of whisky from his bag, he took one long drink, then settled in for a long night of riding.

After three days, they finally saw a town up ahead nestled next to the mountains. Jesse and Ed decided they would stay there tonight, so they could all freshen up and get a good night's sleep on a real bed. Anna didn't argue. She felt like they had been riding for years at this point. Her body was so sore, she could hardly sit on her horse without wincing every time it moved.

The last three days had been utterly exhausting. The only time they stopped was to sleep or for the horses to get a break. Jesse had hardly said anything to Anna, and she figured it was because he felt vulnerable around her, after all he had shared about himself. Which was fine with her. She knew he had been wondering about her, ever since she had told him she was also running from her past. She could see it in the way he watched her, his eyes questioning who she was and why she was out here by herself. The less they talked, the less she had to worry about him asking questions about her life.

Yet, at the same time, she felt guilty. Jesse had trusted her enough to open up about himself, and risk bringing her along with them. After all, she could easily turn them in if she really wanted to. The reward money for their capture was no small amount. Still, she couldn't help feeling that Jesse deserved her honesty in return. He'd shared the darkest part of his life with her, and she hadn't told him a thing about herself.

They finally reached the town as the sun was beginning to set. As they got closer, Anna was surprised to see they were in Zenith. She had made it to her destination after all. But as she took in the town around her, she was glad she wasn't staying. The town was halfway constructed. Wagons and horses were parked everywhere. Drunk men roamed the single street that ran down the middle of the town. There were tents pitched anywhere there was space. The only completed buildings were a saloon, an inn, a general store, and a bank. A dozen more half constructed frames lined the road.

Anna knew this was a gold rush town, it was the reason that she had wanted to come here. The anonymity it offered was exactly what she was looking for. But as she looked around at the chaos, the men chasing women, and the half constructed businesses, she realized this wasn't what she wanted. She wanted someplace quiet. Someplace to build her school. Someplace that held hope and promise. What she saw here instead was debauchery and greed.

She let out a little sigh of relief that she had decided to go with Jesse and Ed. Wherever they were headed, it was bound to be better than this place.

The three of them made their way straight for the inn to tie up their horses. While Jesse went to get them some rooms, and Ed headed for the saloon, Anna decided to go to the general store to see if she could find a change of clothes.

She knew she looked horrible. Hell, she felt horrible. It was a good thing she didn't have a mirror, because she was pretty sure she wouldn't even recognize herself in it. Her dress was torn and bloodstained, and her entire body from head to toe was covered in what felt like an inch of dust. God, she needed a hot bath, needed to wash away what lingered of the last few days.

The general store was two buildings down from the inn. Anna made her way to the store, careful to avoid the men roaming the street. Once she was there, she wasted no time getting inside and closing the door on the chaos. Peering around the store though, she was dismayed to find mostly building and mining materials.

"Shit," she muttered.

"Excuse me?" said a male voice.

Anna turned around to find a little old man standing behind her. He had pure white hair, and his face resembled that of a cowhide, probably from a life of working outside. His smile though was contagious, and Anna could tell he was a spitfire of an old man.

"I'm sorry," Anna apologized. "I was hoping to find a change of clothes here, but I don't seem to see any."

The old man eyed her, no doubt taking in the blood that stained her dress.

His expression softened and he replied, "Sorry miss, we've been waiting on supplies for quite some time now. We were expecting several wagons today to restock the store, but nothing so far."

"Do you know of any other place I might look? As you can see, I'm desperately in need." Anna looked down at her fraying hem.

The old man gave her another once over before saying, "Ah yes, you do look as though you've had a rough journey. I can point you in the direction of someone who may be able to help. Go to the saloon and ask for Madam Lin. She will likely be your best option."

Anna thanked the old man, who in return gave her a big smile as she left the store.

The sun had nearly set now, and the street was dark except for the glow coming from the windows of the saloon and the inn. Up ahead, the saloon bustled with people coming and going, some so drunk they barely managed to walk. There were horses tethered to every open spot along the side of the road, and groups of people clustered here and there.

The amount of people around surprised Anna, as she figured a town that wasn't even fully built wouldn't draw a crowd. Taking in all that was happening around her, she realized she'd clearly been wrong. Apparently, the promise of gold was stronger than the comforts of home.

Reaching the saloon door, Anna went inside, hoping to quickly find Madam Lin and avoid the drunk men stumbling about. Scanning the room, she saw Jesse and Ed sitting at a table in the corner. They looked deep in conversation, ignoring the people around them. Which was fine with her. The room was filled with women with their chests bursting out of their tops, and for some reason, the fact that Jesse wasn't paying them any mind made her happy.

Don't lie to yourself, a little voice inside her said. She knew damn well why it made her happy. The thought of him enjoying the company of these women made her jealous. Hell, the thought of him looking at them pissed her off. Shit, this was not good. Shaking the thought of Jesse and these women out of her mind, Anna headed to the bar.

"What can I get for ya?" the man behind the bar asked.

"I'm looking for Madam Lin?" Anna replied. She noticed the hint of a smile on the bartender's face as she said the name

"Ahh... one of Lin's girls." he said, taking in her face and chest.

Anna quickly felt uncomfortable. "Look, uh, if you could just get her I would-"

"Second floor, first door to the right." he cut her off. Anna nodded, and headed straight for the stairs, glad to be out of the bartender's sight.

Reaching the second floor, Anna suddenly knew the reason for the bartender's eyes on her. The hallway was filled with men and women engaged in all sorts of provocative behaviors. Half of the women were topless, and more than a few had a man with a hand or mouth on their breast. Some of the women were leading men into the rooms that lined both sides of the hall. She could hear the animalistic sounds coming from them; moans and grunts and everything else you could imagine.

This was a whore house. Or at least, this floor functioned as one, Anna realized. She had been sent to see a whore, and the thought infuriated her. Just as she turned to leave, a little Asian woman stuck her head out the door beside her.

"And what is a lady such as yourself doing up here?" the woman asked.

Anna nearly tripped, caught off guard by the woman's sudden presence. Trying to regain her composure, Anna studied the woman who was now standing in front of her. She was several inches shorter than herself, and much thinner. Her black hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and her face had no makeup on it, unlike the rest of the women up here. She was conservatively dressed, her clothes hiding anything that might make a man's eye wander. Anna grew curious of this woman who was the exact opposite of everyone else up here.

"I, uh, am looking for Madam Lin." Anna said, starting to believe she may have already found her.

"You've got her." Lin confirmed, taking all of Anna in before adding, "If you're here looking for work, we may be able to work something out."

"Oh god no!" Anna said a little too forcefully as she realized Lin owned this brothel. In an attempt to compose herself she added, "The man from the general store sent me here. He, ah, said you might be able to help me with a change of clothes."

Anna suddenly felt ridiculous, asking a brothel owner to help her find clothes. It's not like she needed a silk gown. After all, she'd be back on the road tomorrow, so she may as well just keep what she had on. But as she looked down at the blood on her sleeves and the rips in her dress, she figured she should at least be wearing something that didn't make it look like she had just murdered a small family. And besides, she was tired of looking at those stains and remembering how and why they got there. Screw it, she deserved some fresh clothes.

"Ah yes, I think I have something for you. Come inside." Lin said, and quickly gestured Anna into her room.

Anna looked around the room, amazed at what she saw. The room was large and open, with material in all colors and textures lining the walls. Dresses and pants and shirts hung on lines that had been strewn across the room. There was everything from work clothes to ball gowns. She couldn't hide the wonder on her face as she stepped forward to feel the cool yellow silk of one of the gowns.

"I may run a brothel, but my passion is this." Lin said, gesturing to the clothes in the room.

"I never expected this when I when I came up here." Anna confessed, still looking around in awe.

Lin laughed, then got straight to business. "No one does. Now what are looking for?"

Eyeing the satin gowns in front of her, Anna longed for one. She wanted to feel the softness against her skin, the coolness of the light fabric. She wanted to feel beautiful and desired and cherished. And a little part of her wanted Jesse to see her for the woman she was; the well put together, independent, and beautiful woman her mother had raised. But, unfortunately, that wasn't an option right now.

"I need something for traveling, something that won't make me stand out." she told Lin.

"Ah, are you looking to hide?" Lin asked. The woman didn't miss a beat.

Anna nodded, unsure how to answer.

"And would this have anything to do with the two men you rode into town with?" Lin pressed.

Lin's question surprised and worried Anna. Did they stand out that much? Were Jesse and Ed that easily recognized? She suddenly hoped she hadn't made a mistake by going with them. After all, associating with outlaws wasn't exactly good to begin with. But traveling with well-known wanted men? Well, that could lead her into all kinds of trouble.

"Did we stand out that much?" she finally asked Lin, feeling somewhat defeated.

"No, my dear. You don't. The only reason you don't blend in to me is because I'm the sheriff's wife, and I've seen the wanted poster for your boys."

Oh shit, this was bad. Anna prayed she hadn't just led Jesse and Ed straight to their deaths. She should have been more careful about what she said to Lin. Hell, she should have just gone straight to the inn and avoided contact with anyone. That would have been the safe and smart option. Besides, how could she have ever guessed the local seamstress was also a brothel owner and the sheriff's wife. There is no way she could have predicted that. Yes, staying at the inn and going right to bed should have been the choice of action tonight.

Frazzled, Anna pleaded, "You can't say anything to your husband."

"And why not? Is one of them your lover?" Lin asked suspiciously.

"Ah, well, no, not exactly. But they aren't the bad men everyone thinks them to be. Trust me, I don't agree with what they've done, but there's a reason for it. And, I guess they are kind of my way out of my own situation." Shit, her explanation sounded lame, even to her.

"I see, a modern day Robin Hood are they?" Lin inquired with a tilt of her head.

"Well, not Robin Hood perhaps, but they are just looking for a way to have a better life." Anna hoped Lin would just accept her explanation and drop the subject.

"Ahhh... And what situation are they getting you out of, Miss?"

Anna sighed. It was clear Madam Lin wasn't the type of woman to let things fly. She was smart, and didn't miss a thing. No doubt she was gathering information to decide whether or not to tell her husband about the outlaws who were sitting downstairs right now. Anna resigned to answering Lin's question.

"My fiancé back in Philadelphia wasn't good to me. He would hit me... and... he tried to rape me. So I left and made my way out here, hoping to start over." she paused, unsure how much to share.

After a moment, she decided she may as well just say it all. Lin would be satisfied with no less.

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "My plan got interrupted when the train I was on got robbed. I went with those two men I came in with, because at the time I had no other option. I was the only one around who survived the explosion of that train, and if they had left me there, who knows what would have happened. I could have died. So I went with them. And now, after knowing everything I do about them, I'm staying with them because I have nothing to lose. And honestly, I trust they won't let anything happen to me."

Madam Lin studied her intently. It made Anna feel nervous, and she began playing with the ends of her hair. Finally, after several minutes, she went over to some clothes hanging at the back of the room.

"Come here, Miss Anna. I believe I have just the thing to make you blend in."

A flood of relief washed through Anna as she realized Lin wasn't going to turn them in. She was grateful for this woman, and she smiled as she headed towards the back of the room.

#  Chapter 10

Jesse couldn't believe his eyes when he noticed Anna coming downstairs. Christ, had she really been up in the brothel? Didn't she know the kinds of things that happened up there? The fact that there were few women to begin with, doubled with her being in a saloon at night, would make any man assume she was a whore he could do what he wanted with. Jesse's blood boiled. And as Anna made her way to his and Ed's table, he couldn't help but watch the other men in the saloon. If one so much as looked her way he was afraid he'd lose it.

"What?" Anna asked, her smile fading as she sat down across from him and took in what he could only assume was the sour look on his face.

He continued to scowl.

"I don't think cupid over here approves of you spending time with the whores." Ed slurred, elbowing Jesse.

Irritated, he said, "Christ Anna, what if someone thought you were working up there? And what the hell were you doing up there anyway?"

Glaring at Jesse, she said, "I think my blood stained clothes and lack of visible skin would have sufficed in keeping the gentlemen at bay."

At that, Ed burst out laughing.

"Oh ha ha. Very funny." Jesse's scowl deepened.

"I was getting new clothes." Anna said, clearly annoyed with him. "I was sick of walking around covered in blood."

Jesse noticed for the first time that she wasn't wearing the brown dress she had been since he met her. Instead, she wore brown pants and a white shirt. He also noted the heeled boots she'd been wearing were gone, instead replaced with brown work boots.

Anna must have noticed him looking her over, because she mumbled, "I thought these would be better for traveling. And would make me stand out less. You know, blend in with the guys."

Nodding, Ed said, "Oh yeah, just one of the guys. Other than those fine titties of yours, right Jesse?"

Anna looked at Ed, shocked. Jesse stepped on his brother's foot, hard.

"Shit, what was that for?" Ed cried, reaching down to his foot.

Ignoring his brother, Jesse moved the bottle of whisky on their table out of his brother's reach. "You're cut off man. Jesus."

Anna giggled then, and turning to Ed said, "Well geez Ed, that's the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a while."

Ed bowed his head. "I aim to please. Now, if you two will excuse me, I do believe there are some ladies upstairs that could use my services."

"Oh no you don't." Jesse got up and grabbed his brother's arm. "You'll regret that one in the morning. Here, go back to our room and get some sleep." He handed Ed a key.

"Alright, alright." Ed said. "But only because Anna here has spent enough time upstairs already for the both of us."

Jesse chuckled and at that, Ed left the saloon and headed for the inn.

"Is he usually like that? I mean when he isn't robbing trains and running from unknown killers?" Anna asked.

"Nope. He's usually a straight shooter. He's just drunk."

"I'm guessing he doesn't get drunk very often then?"

"Nah, only other time I saw him drunk was when we decided to start stealing money." Jesse poured Anna a drink, then added, "Sorry I got upset. You don't strike me as the type of woman to step foot in a brothel. Figured you didn't know what you were getting into."

"I didn't." Anna laughed nervously. "I only found out it was a brothel when I went up there and saw some pretty, um..."

Jesse saved her the embarrassment of explaining. "I can imagine."

"Anyway, Madame Lin, she owns the brothel, but she also happens to make some of the most beautiful clothes I've ever seen. You wouldn't believe it, Jesse. Every type of clothing you could imagine, in so many colors. There were even ball gowns. Gowns that would probably rival the latest fashions in France."

Jesse noticed how her face lit up talking about what she had seen. And yet she had chosen clothes that would make her blend in. She was either really practical, or as afraid of being found as he and Ed were.

"I can't imagine there's much need for gowns around here." he said, taking a drink.

Anna smirked. "I said the same thing. Apparently lots of men come out here to mine and leave their wives back home, or fetch for them when they've got enough money. Anyway, Madame Lin said these same men frequent her girls, then feel guilty about it, so they come to her to buy fancy gowns to send back to their wives."

Laughing, Jesse said, "Well it doesn't surprise me that they frequent the brothel. But I have to say, I'm pretty impressed Madame Lin found a way to make even more money off the poor bastards."

Anna laughed and finished the whiskey Jesse had poured her. Her cheeks were red, he noticed. No doubt from the liquor. He grabbed her glass to pour her another drink.

"Oh, no, that's okay. I should probably go get some sleep. Aren't you tired?"

Shit, he was exhausted. But right now, he didn't want to lose her company. Truth was, he was enjoying the alone time with her.

"Yeah, I am." he admitted. "Come on, I'll walk with you to your room."

As they walked to the inn, Jesse couldn't help but start wondering again what Anna was doing traveling out here by herself. Most women who came to these parts were with their families, or their husbands had sent for him. It was dangerous for a woman to be living alone out here, yet Anna hadn't said a thing about coming here to be with someone.

He'd been wanting to ask her, but hadn't been able to find the right time to do so. Shit, who was he kidding. He'd been dying to ask her the last few days, but was too much of a pussy to bring it up. Hell, he knew it wasn't any of his business, but he couldn't stand not knowing who she was any longer. He needed to know why she was alone out here. He needed to ask.

Jesse bit his tongue until they got to her door. "Why are you here?" he spit out before he could change his mind again.

Anna froze, the door to her room half way open. She looked stiff and uncomfortable. Fuck, he should have kept his mouth shut.

"Look Anna, I'm sorry. But I can't help but wonder why you were traveling out here by yourself." Too late to go back now, he thought.

Anna turned around to face him. For what felt like an eternity she looked at him, as if trying to figure out what, if anything, she should say.

Shit. "Um, sorry. I'm going to go to bed. I'll be right down the hall if-"

"My fiancé used to hit me." She cut him off.

Christ. Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't that.

"Then one night, after my mother died, he tried to force himself on me. I hit him in the head with a glass plate. The next day I started planning my escape, and now two weeks later, here I am."

Her voice was emotionless, but one look in her eyes was all Jesse needed to know she was still suffering. He pulled her into his arms and held her.

After a few minutes, he said, "Christ, Anna, I'm sorry."

She pulled away. "You have nothing to be sorry for." she said as she walked into her room and sat on the bed.

Shit, he didn't know what to do. Standing there in her doorway, he didn't know if he should go in and comfort her, or leave and give her some space. The only thing he was sure of was that he wanted to beat the living hell out of her fiancé. He dug his fingernails into his palms as he walked into her room and shut the door. If she didn't want him here, he figured she would say so. He sat down next to her on the bed.

Several minutes passed and still Anna said nothing. Shit, he was getting anxious. But what the hell was he supposed to say in a situation like this? Looking around the room, he saw the bath he had told the innkeeper to bring up. He went and stuck a finger in the water. It was still warm.

"Anna," he said softly, "I had a bath brought up for you when we got here. It's still warm. Why don't you get in and relax and I'll give you some space."

"No." she said, surprising him. "I mean, don't leave. I feel better with you around."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. But maybe you could bring up something for us to drink?"

"Of course." he responded, and started heading for the door.

Once the door closed, Anna went over to the tub. The water was still warm, but no longer hot. Perfect for a warm July night. And a bath was just what she needed. She was filthy, she was anxious, she was tense... Christ, she needed to just relax. Taking off her new clothes, she folded them into neat little squares and sat them on the end of the bed. Then, she dimmed the lantern in the room, and got in the bath.

God it felt wonderful. She had never felt so dirty in her life. She grabbed the bar of soap on the edge, and started working it into a lather. She couldn't wait to wash her hair, and for it to smell clean and fresh instead of dusty and dirty. She scooted down in the tub and dunked down under the water. When she came back up, Jesse had returned, bottle of whiskey in hand.

He poured her a glass and handed it to her, careful not to get any closer than necessary for her to reach it. Anna smiled to herself. He was working really hard at not looking below her shoulders. She could tell by the way his eyes darted back and forth across the room.

"Jesse." she said.

When he looked at her she offered him a smile, trying to get him to relax. Because there was no way in hell she was going to relax if he kept this up.

He returned the smile and sat down on the floor next to the tub. No doubt so that he wouldn't be able to see anything other than her head. Which made her feel good that he was respecting her privacy. But at the same time, Anna didn't feel ashamed or nervous to be naked in front of him. The soapy water hid most of her body, and for whatever reason, she trusted him, completely. She knew he would respect her.

"Do you think your fiancé is looking for you?" Jesse asked suddenly.

Anna finished her drink as she thought about her answer.

"I don't know." she finally said. Then added, "A part of me thinks yes, because our engagement was arranged and it bettered both our families politically. He potentially had a lot to lose in that sense. But on the other hand, I doubt Jackson wants to deal with any speculation or rumors about me. In that case, I think maybe he will make something up. That I got in an accident or something. That way he could squash any rumors that might impact him negatively."

"So you were being forced to marry him?" Jesse looked at her incredulously.

"Yes. I never even met him before we got engaged. Actually, I only finally met him minutes before our engagement party."

Jesse poured himself another drink, silently taking in every word she said.

She continued, "From that first moment, I knew it wouldn't work, that I couldn't be with him. He was so cold, never showed any emotion... any care. Turns out he was exactly the type of man I thought he was.

"My mom, she was the glue that held my world together. I never told her how bad things actually were, because I knew she would stand up for me and I didn't want to cause friction between my parents. Anyway, after she died, I had nothing left. And I had nothing to lose. So I took what money of my fathers I could find, traveled out of Philadelphia, got on that train, and came out here."

"What were you going to do once you got here?" Jesse asked gently.

Anna laughed, "That's the ironic part. I was actually traveling here, to Zenith. I had wanted to open a school so that kids out here had a chance at an education, to learn to read and write. But now that I'm here, I can't wait to leave. It's not the quaint boom town I had thought it was going to be. Now I see why they call it the wild west."

"So now what?"

Grabbing the soap again, she started washing her hair. "Now I go with you."

Jesse sighed and finished his drink. Setting the glass on the floor, he got up and held out his hand for the soap.

Looking at his hand, Anna hesitated, then gave him the soap. He walked around behind the tub, and started working a lather into her hair, then her neck and shoulders.

"Lean forward." he commanded. She did as she was told.

He started scrubbing her back next. And god did it feel good. The way his fingers gently prodded her muscles had her immediately feeling less tense. The soreness from the last few days of riding started to ease, slipping away through his fingers.

He slowly worked his way up and down her back, and she couldn't help but be aware of the feel of him, of his presence, of the rate of his breathing. She shivered as his hands went over her shoulders and down her arms. And for some reason, she felt like this was exactly where she was supposed to be, at this moment, with this man.

At least until he said, "Anna, if you go with me, you're never going to get that school house you want. Ed and I have been on the move our whole life. And now that all of this has happened, it's not going to change anytime soon."

She held her breath. So this was his way of telling her she should stay here. Fat chance in hell that was happening.

"This place, this town, it isn't what I want. So I'm going with you guys. Maybe at some point I'll change my mind, and you can leave me at some other little town, but not this one." she said.

Jesse started to rinse her hair and back, saying nothing.

Anna hated that she was about to resort to guilting him into taking her with, but what choice did she have. She refused to stay here by herself. And she knew he wouldn't leave her here if she said she didn't feel safe, which in fact she didn't.

But before she got the chance to say anything, he said, "Are you sure you want to do this? Live on the run?"

There was no hesitation. "Yes." she said.

In one swift motion, Jesse moved to the side of the tub, put his hand on the back of her neck, and kissed her.

His mouth was soft and warm on hers. He parted her lips with his tongue, and his kiss turned hot and eager. In an instant, Anna knew the real reason she wanted to go with him. She was falling for him. Against all odds and every logical thought, her heart had warmed to him.

She kissed him back with a fire that had been growing inside her the last few days. Putting her arms around his neck, she pulled him down closer, deepening the kiss, not caring that she was getting his shirt wet.

Several moments later, Jesse pulled back. Anna looked at him and could see the passion in his face. His cheeks were flushed, his lips parted and damp. He was breathing heavier than before. Looking farther down, she saw he was aroused, that he wanted her. His erection strained against his pants.

"Anna, I think I should go back to my room so you can get some sleep."

She looked at him, confused. The liquor in her must have been working, because she found herself feeling brave. She didn't want him to leave.

"Your body says otherwise." she said.

His eyes grew dark and hungry. "You have no idea how bad I want you right now. But we both need to get some sleep for tomorrow." He bent down and kissed her forehead, then said, "I'll see you in the morning."

And with that he left. Once the door to her room closed, she pulled her knees to her chest, feeling exposed. Tears sprang to her eyes. She felt foolish and embarrassed.

Trying to put on a brave front, she ignored the tears now threatening to escaping her eyes, got out of the tub, dried off, and crawled into bed.

Jesse closed the door to Anna's room and let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Every part of him told him to turn around and go back in there. Fuck, he wanted her. He'd barely been able to keep his eyes off her body since he'd gone into her room and found her in the tub. Now all he could think about was the curve of her neck as he had washed it, the feel of her back under his hands, the softness of her lips, and the eagerness with which she had kissed him. Shit.

It wasn't right for him to get involved with her. Not only was he risking her life by letting her go with him, but he couldn't be with her after everything she had shared with him tonight. What kind of asshole would he be to take advantage of her vulnerability? She had just shared the darkest part of her life, the part that made her want to run across the country. She'd opened up to him about her fiancé and what he had done to her. And here he was, thinking about fucking her in every way possible. Christ, he was a piece of shit.

Willing his body to cool down, he headed down the hall towards his room. Once inside, he saw Ed was passed out on his bed. Trying desperately to keep the images of Anna out of his mind, he crawled into his own bed, and forced his eyes shut, hoping like hell he would be able to get some sleep tonight.

# Chapter 11

The next morning, Anna awoke just as the sun came up. Before she was even out of bed, the images of the previous night with Jesse flooded her mind. However, instead of feeling upset like she had last night, this morning she felt relieved. Relieved that Jesse had the willpower to leave her, even though at the time she didn't want him to.

The way he had kissed her with such passion, and the way she had responded to him, she knew last night could have easily turned into something she would regret. Hell, she admitted she was falling for him, she admitted she had enjoyed everything about that kiss, and that she had wanted him. But she knew it wouldn't have been right. Last night would have ended up being a mistake.

She had spent the night talking about Jackson and the horrible things he had done, and being with Jesse after that would have been wrong. It would have felt... impersonal. Like a little piece of Jackson would have been haunting her the entire time. If anything was going to happen between her and Jesse, she didn't want lingering thoughts of Jackson running through her mind. At the thought of that, she grimaced, hating that he still had an effect on her life, and some control over her decisions.

Getting out of bed, Anna quickly got dressed and combed her hair. Looking in the mirror, she couldn't help but smile at her reflection. Amazing what a bath and being clean could do for the psyche.

She was just getting ready to head for the door, when there was a knock on it. Her heart fluttered, hoping it was Jesse. Opening the door, she couldn't help but be happy that he was standing on the other side.

Before she had a chance to do anything, he said, "Anna, I am so sorry about last night."

She smiled at him, clearly catching him off guard.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked.

"You. Thank you for listening, and being there for me last night. It's not easy for me to talk about Jackson, but you made me feel secure enough to open up. And thank you for respecting my boundaries when I... uh... wanted to take things further with you." she blushed, embarrassed about what she had just admitted.

Jesse ran a hand through his hair and let out a long breath, looking relieved that she wasn't upset with him. "I'm glad you told me about your past. And believe me, I don't ever want you to feel trapped in a situation like that again." Then he pulled her into him, and kissed her, this time soft and gently. After a moment, he pulled back and asked, "Are you ready to hit the trail again, Anna."

"Yes." she said breathlessly, the feel of his kiss still lingering. He grabbed her hand and together they went to meet up with Ed.

Exiting the inn, they turned to walk towards Ed and their horses. Anna couldn't help but feel content this morning. She had opened up to Jesse last night, and he'd been nothing but supportive to her. Even after their awkward ending, and the embarrassment she had initially felt for being turned down, she was now grateful for the way that Jesse had handled things. His respect for her was endearing, something she'd never gotten from Jackson.

Jesse gave Anna's hand a squeeze, and she turned to give him a smile. That was when something caught her eye at the edge of town.

She focused her attention to the scene up the street, and noticed something that unsettled her. A group of six men were riding down the road, their attention fixed on Ed, Jesse, and herself. She studied them, and noticed that none of them appeared to be lawmen. Which meant they weren't here to hang Jesse or Ed. But as they continued to approach, she watched how their hands hovered near their weapons, how their eyes never left the three of them.

Panic flooded through her as she realized that these were the men who had been following the train. The ones that were after Jesse. There wasn't a doubt in Anna's mind about it.

She quickly elbowed Jesse, and nodded in the group's direction. She could see his body instantly harden as he saw what was coming down the road. His hand instinctively moved to hover over his pistol, and he placed himself in front of her.

"Ed." Jesse whispered, barely loud enough for his brother to hear.

Ed turned from what he was doing, and at seeing what Jesse was looking at, pulled out his gun, careful to keep as hidden as possible behind his horse.

Jesse turned back to Anna. "Get on your horse and run. We'll be right behind you."

Anna didn't have time to argue. The group of men were getting closer by the second, and the closer they got, the more likely someone would start shooting.

Jesse grabbed her arm and practically threw her on her horse. She was barely situated in the saddle when chaos erupted.

A bullet buzzed past her horse, startling it. The horse reared up on its hind legs, and she held on for dear life, one hand barely managing to keep a hold on the reins while the other held tight to the saddle. As the horse took off at lightning speed down the street, she wrestled with the reins, finally getting the animal under her control.

It had taken only a matter of seconds for the horse to run to the end of town, and she pulled on the reins to slow the animal now that they were away from the advancing group of riders. She knew she should keep running, but she had to see that Jesse and Ed were behind her.

She glanced back to check on them, and saw their horses were running down the road without riders. Frantically, she searched up and down the road, but saw no sign of either of them. Forcing down her rising panic, Anna turned her attention back to her horse and where they were headed. She feared for Ed and Jesse, but she couldn't go back. Doing so would end up with her in the middle of a gunfight. She would offer no help, and would probably only make things worse.

Saying a quick prayer that Ed and Jesse had found cover, Anna kicked her horse and continued to ride south out of town. With shaking hands and a heavy heart, she didn't look back.

Eventually, after what felt like both an eternity and only seconds at the same time, she couldn't hear gunshots anymore. But she didn't want to risk slowing down. She knew someone could easily catch her if she didn't put more distance between herself and the town, so she kept riding as fast as her horse would take her.

Some time later, she came across a stream. Only then did she stop and look back. But there was no sign of Ed or Jesse.

Anna was worried. She didn't know what to do, so she forced herself to believe that Ed and Jesse would be coming for her. But how would they ever find her in the vast wilderness?

She got off her horse and led it to the stream for water, all the while running through her list of options. She knew if Jesse and Ed managed to get out of town, they wouldn't be stopping anytime soon. Not with those men so close behind. And she knew they wanted to go south, to try to get to Mexico. So she made up her mind to do the same.

Confidence filled her. After all that she'd been through, she wasn't going to give up now. And she knew Jesse wouldn't leave her out here by herself. He would look for her. So she just had to make sure to put herself where he would be looking.

Following the stream with her eyes, she saw it headed south, the direction she needed to go. She decided she would follow it. Jesse and Ed's horses would need water, so they would want to ride near a water source. Hopefully, if she followed the stream south, they would eventually cross paths. After her horse had gotten a break, she climbed on and got back on her way.

The farther she rode, the more the trees around her thinned. Eventually the land opened up into a more dry, desert terrain. At some point, most of the trees were gone, replaced by shrubs and other desert plants. The stream she was following slowly narrowed until eventually it was barely a foot wide. Still, she followed it.

She'd been riding all day, and knew the sun would set in a couple hours, but there was still no sign of Jesse. She hoped like hell they had gotten out of there. The thought of them being caught, of Jesse being killed, broke her heart. Her hands betrayed the confidence she was trying to keep and started to tremble.

She forced herself to think they made it, and that they were still behind her. She needed to maintain the confidence she had been feeling earlier, to keep her wits about her if she were going to make it on her own out here.

The first thing she needed to do was find a safe place to sleep for the night. She knew riding through the night in unknown lands was dangerous. Especially for a woman on her own. She needed to find shelter, someplace hidden in case anyone else was out here.

Scanning her surroundings, she hoped to find some sort of natural landform that could provide her shelter. The land to the west of her was rugged mountains. To the east, an open plain. She decided her best bet was to stay near the mountains, and look for an outcrop or a cave that might provide some shelter. She led her horse away from the dwindling stream and closer to the mountains.

After another hour or so of searching, she finally came across a little cutout at the base of the mountain. She could see the back of it from here, so it was doubtful any wild animals were calling it home. And with the sun quickly setting, she decided this was the best she was going to do.

She quickly went about setting up camp, making use of what little daylight she had left. She found enough small twigs and dried shrubs to keep a fire going, and got one started at the opening of her little den. Thinking about the times she had camped with Ed and Jesse, she was careful to keep it small so it wouldn't draw any attention, but big enough to keep out any snakes or creatures who wanted to crawl into her bed. She unrolled her blanket at the back of her little cave and sat down on it.

Now that she had finally stopped for the day, she realized how thirsty she was. She hadn't stopped to drink all day. Grabbing the saddle bag that doubled as her pillow, she rummaged around for her water. When she pulled it out, something at the bottom of the bag caught her eye.

Peering in, she was surprised to see a gun and bullets at the bottom of the bag. She pulled the gun out and checked to see that it was loaded. Holding on to it, she felt it's weight in her hand. Strange, she had never seen it before. In fact, she was positive it hadn't been in there before. She'd made camp a handful of times now, and never before had a gun been in her saddle bag.

Jesse. He must have put it in there. The thought unnerved her. She knew they were running from someone dangerous. She'd witnessed that this morning. But she'd always been more worried about Jesse and Ed than she was herself. After all, no one was coming after her. But the gun she was holding was a reminder that she was in just as much danger as they were, as long as she was with them. And even though they weren't here now, the danger was still just as real. And it would stay that way, as long as she was alone out here.

Shit, either way the situation was dangerous. With Jesse, she had someone hunting them. By herself, she was just an easy target for anyone who wanted to harm her. Maybe a little less easy now, but still, she had never shot a gun before. And this was the untamed west, even wilder than the stories she had read back home.

Laying down, she kept the gun close. She knew she needed sleep, and it offered her a false comfort. Still, after some time, she couldn't force her mind to shut down. She was worried. She had thought for sure Jesse and Ed would have found her by now.

The fire was fading, and she reached her arm out to add some branches to it. After laying there and watching the fire for what felt like hours, she finally felt herself starting to drift to sleep.

Hours later, she awoke to the sound of footsteps. Instantly her heart pounded and her senses went into overdrive. She opened her eyes just a tiny slit. It was still dark out. Her fire had died leaving only hot embers behind, and she was far enough away from it to be completely hidden in the darkness. Good. She grabbed the gun by her hand.

The footsteps got closer. They sounded like they were right around the corner of the cave she was in. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to defend herself. She stood up slowly, and aimed the gun in the direction of the footsteps.

Someone stepped around the corner with a gun pointed directly at her head.

"Anna?" a male voice said.

"Oh my god, Ed!" Anna dropped her arm to her said and ran to him. Before he knew what happened, she had him in a hug. "Oh god, Ed. I'm so glad it's you! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." he said, hugging her back.

Relief flooded through her. They had made it. Well, Ed had made it. Anna stepped back, a sense of dread spreading over her. Where was Jesse? Why wasn't he here as well?

Voice starting to shake, she asked Ed, "Is Jesse okay? Why isn't he with you?"

"He's alright." Ed answered, but his mind seemed preoccupied. He made his way to her blanket and sat down.

Something wasn't right. Dear god, something wasn't right. Her mind started racing. Trying to keep calm, she went about restarting the fire. Once it was going again she looked at Ed, really looked at him, for the first time since he arrived. He looked like he had seen a ghost. He was pale. His face was vacant of any emotion, but his eyes held a deep fear.

"Ed, talk to me. Where's Jesse?" she demanded.

"He's setting up camp a little ways back." he finally said.

"Then why are you here?"

"I came to scout out the area, make sure no one else was around. Saw the glow from your fire and thought I better check it out." he said, distracted.

"Well, it's just me." she smiled. She was so antsy to get to Jesse that she walked towards her saddle bag to pack up as she spoke, "We should go to Jesse."

"Anna, wait."

"Why?" she couldn't understand why Ed didn't want to get back to him.

"Look, he's not okay."

"But, you said he-"

"He...he isn't injured or anything, but, Christ, he's not okay. He's about to fucking lose it." Ed said in a defeated tone.

Anna looked at him, confused. What could have possibly happened back there to make both of them so...broken.

"Ed, I'm sorry and I don't mean to be pushy. I just thought it would be best to all be in the same place. I... I really don't understand what's going on."

"We found out who's after us." he blurted.

Shouldn't that be a good thing, Anna thought. Wouldn't being able to put a face to whoever was after you make it easier to escape? Now they knew who to look for, or more likely who to avoid. Sure, whoever it was would still probably be after them, but wasn't this one step closer to be done with the whole thing?

Anna fidgeted with her hair, the silence between her and Ed growing heavier.

After some time, Anna prompted, "So, who is it?"

"Our father."

# Chapter 12

Surely she hadn't heard Ed right. This had to be a bad dream, and at any moment she would wake up in the soft bed of the inn. After all, if something was too unreal, too profoundly insane to actually be a possibility, then it had to be part of a dream, didn't it? Something so outrageous, and so shocking, had to be an illusion of her mind.

But there was Ed, as real as you could get, sitting at the back of the cave she called home for the night. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be real. The amount of pain this would cause Jesse... it just couldn't be true.

Anna put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to hide the shocked expression she knew was on her face. Her heart dropped to her stomach. She was at a loss. A loss of words, a loss of reaction... she had no clue how to absorb what Ed had just said. Her knees started feeling weak, so she went and sat next to Ed on her blanket. Her heart was breaking for Jesse.

She couldn't imagine what he was going through. His whole life, he'd carried the guilt of being responsible for killing their mother. He carried the guilt of putting Ed in the situation of supposedly killing their father. And now, to know the one person who had ruined Jesse's life, who had been responsible for instilling that guilt, was alive and out to kill him... Anna didn't know what to think, or where to even begin.

But as the shock wore off and the silence started to eat at her, the wheels in her head started turning. She began to wonder what had happened after she rode out of town. How had they found out about their father? What could have possibly happened with those men, those riders who had been following Jesse and Ed, that had led them to believe their father was involved?

Anna shuddered at the idea that their father could have been one of the riders. Or that he could have been watching Jesse from afar, following him, waiting for the right time to make a move. She couldn't fathom what that would be like for Jesse, to know his father had been the one hunting him, trying to kill him. It made her sick to her stomach.

Unable to stand the silence anymore, or the thoughts running through her mind, she worked up the courage to ask Ed what had happened.

Gently, she asked, "Are you sure your father is behind all this? How do you know?"

Ed raked his hands through his hair. His expression was grim, and his shoulders slumped, like her was carrying the weight of the world on them. Finally, after letting out a long sigh, he explained everything, vividly recalling each moment as it happened...

The first shot rang out, barely missing Anna as she fled. Ed and Jesse dove behind the water trough behind them, seeking any cover they could find as more shots started coming their way. Ed crouched down as low as he could, trying to make himself as small a target as possible. He looked over at his brother, to see him helplessly watching as Anna rode off, and eventually disappeared out of town.

At hearing the first gunshot, the street emptied. Women screamed, fearing for their safety, as they ran into nearby buildings, or sought shelter behind half constructed walls. Men pulled their weapons, backing into any space they could find that offered protection. Ed knew they didn't want to get caught in the crossfire of a gunfight, but they armed themselves should it happen. This meant Ed and Jesse were left alone behind the water trough, forced to defend themselves on their own against the six men riding towards them.

"Fuck!" Ed yelled, as a bullet hit the water trough near his head. He didn't get much comfort knowing the only thing standing between him and a bullet to the head was a foot-wide wood trough, made of boards barely an inch and a half thick.

Jesse dared a quick look over the trough, and fired off two shots. "Shit, they are going to be right on top of us in a minute!"

Ed knew they wouldn't last long behind their sorry excuse for cover. He needed to buy them time. In a snap decision, he decided getting the riders off their horses might be their only shot at making it out of here alive. Cautiously, leaning around the side of the trough, Ed fired off three shots, aimed at the feet of the rider's horses, hoping to startle them.

His plan worked. The horses spooked and bucked, their whimpers mixed with the curse words of their riders. Two of the men fell, their horses running off down the street. Another man dismounted, letting his horse go as it continued to rear up on its hind legs. Ed watched as the horses ran by, bucking wildly.

Risking another look, Ed peeked around the trough again. The three riders who were still on their horses were hanging back, keeping some distance between themselves and Jesse and Ed's hideout. He may have just bought them time, but they were sitting ducks as long as they stayed behind this godforsaken water trough.

"Jesus Christ, how do we get out of this one, Ed?" Jesse asked, then flinched as a bullet went into the wood near his arm.

"Hell if I know!" Ed reached over the trough and fired off his last three shots. He reloaded and said, "I only saw five men just now, where's the other?"

Jesse looked around his side of the trough. The sixth man was slowly making his way further up the street, trying to get at them from another angle. He fired and hit the man in the leg. They heard him cry out 'God damn it!' as he fell to the ground.

The other five men began to move in closer on Jesse and Ed. Shots started coming down heavy on them, bullets splintering the wood as they hit the trough. More bullets buzzed by over their heads, hitting the front of the inn and breaking the windows. The ground they sat on was turning to mud, as the water drained out of the trough through the bullet holes that now covered it. It was only a matter of time before one of them got hit.

"We gotta move!" Ed hissed at Jesse. "There's no way we can outshoot them, and this water trough is about to fall to fucking pieces with all the holes they're putting in it!"

"Shit, the inn is the closest building we got." Jesse said.

The inn was roughly twenty feet away, but right now, it felt like a mile. To run to it, out in the open and exposed, and get through that door unharmed seemed like an impossible feat. But what choice did they really have at that point.

Ed reached over the trough to shoot again, but before he could pull the trigger, a shot rang out from the other side of the street. He looked up just in time to see a shotgun being pulled back inside a window on the second story of the saloon.

The men in the street whipped around, pointing their guns blindly, unable to find where the shot had come from. A moment later, the shotgun reemerged from another window. The shooter fired, this time hitting one of the men right in the chest. He collapsed to the ground, a pool of blood soaking the dirt around him.

"What in the hell?" Jesse said, peering around his side of the trough.

"Now's our chance!" Ed said, nudging his brother.

They wasted no time taking advantage of the confusion. Reaching over the top of the trough, they both began shooting at the gang of men in the street. As bullets began to rain down from both sides, the men in the street ran for cover. Those still on horses got off and dove behind anything that would offer protection. Another man was hit in the process, blood pouring out of his neck and down his torso.

"Three left." Ed said, as silence filled the air. The sudden quiet was unnerving.

Everyone was camped out, not wanting to catch a bullet while waiting for someone to make the next move. The silence in the air was thick. The only sound came from the last man who had been shot, his breathing heavy and rapid, with a gurgling sound that escaped from his throat.

Ed looked over the trough again. There wasn't a soul in sight. The town looked like a ghost town.

Just then, a shimmer coming from the second story of the saloon caught his eye. Peeking around a curtain, looking directly at him, was Madam Lin, the brothel owner Jesse had told him about earlier. She lifted her shotgun, nodded, and disappeared again.

"You see that?" he asked Jesse.

"Yup." he said, and started reloading yet again.

The silence stretched. No one daring to make the first move. Half an hour passed, and the stillness around them grew agonizing.

"Shit, we can't sit here forever." Jesse growled, growing impatient.

Ed knew he was right. The longer they sat here, the more likely those men would regroup and come at them again.

Ed nodded, "We gotta make the first move."

"Think this town has a sheriff?"

"If they do, he sure as shit isn't in town at the moment."

Jesse considered that, then said, "Good, let's take these bastards out once and for all so we can get on with our lives."

Ed nodded his agreement, he was done being hunted by these men.

Jesse continued, "I'll make my way down the street. Between the three of us," he nodded in Lin's direction, "we should be able to get eyes on the last three guys. One of us should be able to get a shot off. Hopefully it spooks them out enough to hit them."

Ed grabbed Jesse's shoulder, "Be careful, stay low."

Jesse nodded and inched his way out from behind the water trough.

Seconds turned to hours as Jesse made his way down the street. Ed kept his pistol rested on the top of the water trough, ready to fire the second he saw someone. He looked up and saw Madam Lin in yet another window, eyes fixed on the street, shotgun ready.

Finally, Jesse found cover behind a wagon that had been abandoned in the street when the shooting began. He looked at Ed and gestured towards the general store. Ed could barely make out the hint of an arm sticking out from behind a pile of seed bags. He prayed Jesse had a shot, because neither he nor Lin would be able to hit the man from their angle.

Jesse raised his pistol and fired. The man fell from behind the pile, blood pouring out of his chest. Two left.

Ed noticed movement across the street. A man quickly glanced out from behind a pile of wood, and just as quickly disappeared again. Neither Ed nor Jesse were able to get a good aim at the man. He was totally protected by the wood pile from their angle. However, Ed did notice that the wood was in an open lot next to the saloon. If the second floor had a window on that side, Madam Lin would have a clear shot at him.

Ed got her attention, and motioned towards the wood and the man behind it. Madam Lin offered a curt nod of her head, then disappeared. Moments later, he saw the barrel of her gun protrude out of a window on the side of the building. She fired one shot, and the man went down.

Ed looked at Jesse, and mouthed "One to go." Jesse nodded, and they both scanned the street.

Moments later, a man stumbled out from behind a half completed building. His arms were in the air, pistol in one of his hands.

"Don't shoot!" the man pleaded. "Please, don't kill me. I give up, I surrender." He threw his gun on the ground. "Please!" he begged, his hands shaking.

Ed and Jesse looked at each other, neither one knowing what to do. But before they had the opportunity to figure it out, Madam Lin made the decision for them, and shot the begging man in the back of the head. He collapsed instantly.

"Jesus Christ!" Ed yelled, as he came out from behind the water trough at last.

Jesse made his way towards Ed. Both were looking at the men lying dead in the street, trying to see if they could identify any of them, when Madam Lin came running towards them, gun in hand. They both looked at her, mumbling words of thanks.

She brushed them off. "I don't take kindly to people showing up in my town and frightening my patrons." she said, matter of factly. Then, looking directly at Jesse and Ed, she added, "I also don't take kindly to wanted men drawing those types of people into my town."

Fuck, so someone had recognized them. Ed felt his posture turn defensive as he looked at Lin and the shotgun in her hand. If wouldn't take much effort for her to put a bullet hole in him or Jesse right now. But at the same time, he couldn't do anything to her. It went against his nature to harm a woman, not to mention a woman who had just saved their lives. Hesitantly, he put his trust in her, waiting for her to make the first move.

As tension filled the air between the three of them, Lin finally said, "If you two leave right now, I won't tell my husband you were here."

"Your husband?" Jesse asked, surprised. Ed was also confused as to what her husband had to do with the situation, and he looked at her questioningly.

"Is the sheriff." she supplied. "He's escorting a wagon train to town with much needed supplies and should be back tonight. I recommend you leave before then."

"Yes ma'am." they both muttered awkwardly, feeling at the mercy of Lin's generosity.

She continued, "You can take two of my horses. They are around back."

Jesse nodded, and Ed said, "Thank you, ma'am." Christ, this woman was too good to them. And he had no fucking clue as to why she was willing to help them so much.

"I also strongly suggest that you find Miss Anna. It's not safe for a woman to be alone in this here territory." Madam Lin stated; a command, not an option. They nodded again. And with that, Madam Lin returned to her brothel.

At Lin's statement, Ed had no doubt that Anna's visit to the brothel last night, and the relationship she had with Lin, had just saved their lives. Thank god Jesse had brought her with, or the two of them would likely be lying behind that water trough full of bullet holes.

Jesse turned to Ed. "Shit, who would have thought she would be the one saving our sorry asses."

Ed nodded, then said, "Jesse, I didn't recognize any of those men."

"Fuck, neither did I."

"So who in the hell is behind this?" Ed asked.

They heard a noise behind them. Turning, they saw the man whose leg Jesse had shot struggling to breath.

Jesse walked over to him, his boots kicking up dust as he went. Crouching down, he asked the man, "Who are you working for?"

The man laughed, then began coughing. Ed looked at the pool of blood around his leg. It mixed with the dirt to form a thick, dark brown puddle. Ed's throat tightened as he looked at it, feeling like he could smell it, even though the man was downwind from him. Judging by the size of the puddle, the man had lost a lot of blood, and Ed figured he would likely die soon. Which meant he needed to start talking, and he needed to do it now, or they may never find out who was behind all of this.

Jesse must have also noticed the amount of blood, because he kicked the man in the leg that had been shot. The man let out a moan from the pain. "I asked, who are you working for?" Jesse yelled at him.

The man looked straight into Jesse's eyes, his face growing more pale by the second. Finally, giving in, he said, "Malcolm."

"Jesus Christ." Ed said quietly, barely more than a whisper. His heart stopped, and his mind clouded, as though unable to comprehend what this meant for he and Jesse.

"Malcolm? Malcolm who?" Jesse spat at the man. Ed could see his brother's body tense, preparing for what was coming next.

"Malcolm Rhodes."

For an instant, time stopped. Nothing existed except for Ed and Jesse. The man bleeding out in front of them disappeared, as did the buildings around them. The only sound Ed registered was the slight whistle of the breeze blowing past him, cooling his sweaty face. He was surrounded by a cloudy whiteness, a thick blanket of security. And for the briefest of moments, he felt no fear, no worry or heartache, no anger or disgust or guilt. Just...innocence.

Until he looked at his brother. The darkness around him snapped Ed back to reality.

Jesse's whole body was tense, his hands in tight fists, the knuckles white from the strain of his clenched fingers. Ed could see the anger boiling inside him, like steam building in a pot with no escape, ready to blow its lid at any second. Ed knew if he didn't get Jesse out of here now he would lose it.

Without notice, Jesse pulled out his pistol and shot the man between the eyes. "Fuck!" he yelled, on the edge of losing control.

Ed came up to him and grabbed his shoulders. "We need to leave, and we need to leave now." Because if they didn't, Ed knew without a doubt that Jesse would look for Malcolm, that he would want revenge. And with how worked up he was right now, that was likely to end as a foolish mistake that led to his death.

"It's not possible!" Jesse yelled at his brother, anger pouring over every inch of him. His shoulders quivered under Ed's grasp.

"Jesse, we need to get out of here. We'll figure this out once we've put some distance between us and this town."

"You killed him. We both saw him there... dead on the floor."

"Apparently we don't know what we saw, now let's move." Ed said, dragging his brother by the arm.

They needed to get to their horses, and get the hell out of town. That was all there was to it. They'd figure out what to do later. But right now, Jesse needed distance. Distance between him and this town. Distance between him and these men. And distance between him and their father, who couldn't be far behind them.

Ed drug him to the horses in a state of total disbelief. How in the fuck was this happening? His hands shook as he saddled his horse. It took every ounce of strength he had to keep it together long enough for them to get supplies at the general store and head out of town.

Where he and Jesse were going, he had no idea. Christ, he didn't know what to do, other than ride like hell to give Jesse a distraction as they covered as many miles as possible. Besides, how could either of them know what to do in a situation like this? It wasn't every day you found out your supposedly dead father was trying to kill you.

"Let's head south like we planned. We'll probably come across Anna heading that way." he finally told Jesse after they were a good distance out of town, figuring Anna was about the only good thing his brother had right now.

"Yeah." Jesse said, his voice distant.

And so south they rode.

# Chapter 13

Anna sat next to Ed, completely stunned and in total disbelief. Not knowing what to do, she twisted her fingers together, playing with them in an attempt to calm herself. With how wrecked Ed was, she felt like she needed to hold herself together, to be the support for Jesse and Ed. But, she had no words, only a racing mind. She couldn't imagine the pain Jesse was in, or Ed for that matter. Her heart ached for the both of them.

Finally, Ed said, "I don't know what to do."

Anna's heart broke for Ed. Here was the man who had always had Jesse's back, who had always been there for him. And yet here they were, in a situation where he was completely helpless. Anna looked at the sadness in Ed's eyes, at his slumped posture. He was a lost man.

"What we need to do is go back to Jesse." she said with more composure than she felt. "We don't have to talk or do anything, but he shouldn't be left alone right now. I'm guessing his thoughts are driving him crazy. His whole world was just turned upside down."

Ed sighed, "You're right. Let's go." He got up and went to his horse. Anna watched as he walked, his shoulders still slumped as if he were carrying a large burden.

She wasted no time throwing her things together, putting out the fire, and getting on her own horse. Ed led the way, and she followed close behind. Not a word was spoken.

Sometime later Anna saw a glow on the rock face up ahead. They were getting close to where Ed and Jesse had made camp. Her already rattled nerves went into overdrive. She had to see Jesse. She had no idea what she would say, or what she would do. But she needed to see for herself that he was there. And she hoped that he would want to see her, that maybe she could offer some kind of comfort.

She cringed at the thought. Maybe he wouldn't want her to see him. Maybe he wanted his space. No doubt she was about to walk in on one of the worst moments of his life, and maybe he didn't want her to see him like that.

Shaking her head, she forced the thoughts aside. Even if he didn't want to see her, he shouldn't be alone. She had no problem giving him his space, as long as he wasn't left alone with his thoughts consuming him.

They got to camp and dismounted. The camp had been built inside a cave, quite a bit bigger than Anna's little one had been. A small fire was at the entrance, and Jesse sat not far from it, his back against the cave wall. A half empty whisky bottle laid by his side.

Anna looked at him, expecting to see hurt and pain and anger across his face. Instead, she saw nothing. There was no hint of emotion on his face. He looked numb.

She nudged Ed, "Has he been like this the whole time?"

"No, he's been pissed all day. Judging by that bottle there, I'd say he's drunk himself into oblivion. Which doesn't sound half bad right now." He went and sat next to Jesse, grabbing the whiskey bottle and helping himself to a long drink.

"Well, great. Two men drinking themselves into oblivion." she murmured to herself. As soon as she said it, she felt guilty for the judgement. This was probably their way of dealing with what had happened that day, and she had no right to judge. After all, was there even a right way to deal with all that had happened to them today?

She looked around the cave. The camp consisted of nothing more than the small fire. Not knowing what else to do, she went about making herself useful and rolled out each of their blankets. Then, she grabbed a lantern and went to collect wood for the fire. Once she had an armful, she went back to camp to see the fire almost out. She got it going again, and went over to check on Jesse and Ed.

They hadn't moved, but the liquor bottle was now nearly empty. Both men looked about ready to pass out.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." She bent down and helped Ed to his feet.

He didn't protest. Didn't say a word. He leaned some of his weight into Anna, and she helped him stumble to the bed she had rolled out for him. Once there, he rather ungracefully fell onto the blanket, and passed out.

Anna went back to help Jesse next. He had stood up, one hand against the stone wall for support. She went to him.

"Let me help you over to your blanket." she said, grabbing his arm. He shrugged her off, and the action stung. Damn it, she was only trying to help.

"I... can make it." he slurred.

"Right into the wall." she replied.

He turned his head to look at her, but wasn't able to focus. A second later, he fell backwards into the wall. "Shit."

"You can hardly stand, let alone walk. Now let me help you." she demanded, hands on her hips. She wasn't going to let this stubborn man tell her no.

His silence was enough of an answer for her. She grabbed his arm and put it over her shoulders, taking as much of his weight as she could. Luckily, they made it to his blanket without any more tumbles.

He laid down, but reached out and touched Anna's leg before she could leave. "Thank you." he said.

"You're welcome. Now get some sleep, or you're really going to feel like hell tomorrow."

Jesse nodded and closed his eyes. She stood there for a little while, watching the rise and fall of his chest. Within minutes, he fell asleep, and Anna hoped that the events of the day didn't haunt him in his dreams.

Sighing, she went over to the almost empty liquor bottle, and took it back to her blanket with her. She finished what was left of the whiskey in two long sips. The liquor instantly warmed her stomach, and helped settle the anxiety she had been feeling.

She was scared of what tomorrow brought. After all that had happened to her since the train robbery, and especially after today's events, she had no idea what the future held in store for her. Hell, she had no idea what tomorrow held in store for her. What was the plan now that they had no one tracking them? Would they still run to Mexico? After all, Jesse and Ed were still wanted by the law.

And what about their father? He was alive. Against all Ed and Jesse had thought, he was alive, and he was out to get them. Anna wondered whether he would keep looking for Jesse. Or if Jesse would go looking for him.

She shuddered at the thought. There was no doubt in her mind that Jesse would want to go after his father. And that scared her. She was afraid his desire for revenge would be the death of him. That in searching for his father he would either be caught by the law or killed by Malcolm. Neither option a fate she was willing to accept.

Anna tried to reason with herself. Jesse wasn't a reckless man. He wouldn't put her or Ed or himself in danger. But then again, having the earth pulled out from under you could no doubt turn even the best man down an evil path.

Completely unsure of her future and worried about what Jesse might do, Anna forced herself to think of something else. As she stared into the fire, she let memories of her mother fill her mind, and eventually she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Jesse awoke to a splitting headache. Christ, he felt like he had been run over by a train. Twice. Which honestly would have been less surprising than what had happened the day before. He closed his eyes, and the events of yesterday played out before him.

His father was alive...

All these years he had thought Malcolm was dead. That Ed had killed him that night by the fireplace. But now, none of what he thought he knew was true. And he didn't know how he should feel. Anger and relief and betrayal and hatred all coursed through him at the same time, leaving him unsure of where he stood.

He admitted, he was happy Ed wasn't responsible for Malcolm's death. He felt a sense of relief that Ed didn't have to live with that. Yet, he felt a new sense of guilt. Guilt that their father wanted to kill them. That it was yet again his fault that Malcolm was coming after him. Shit, coming after them. This time, it wasn't just Jesse he was after. It was everyone Jesse associated with, which had meant his men back at the train. And it meant Ed. And now, he worried, Anna.

His stomach rolled at the thought. If Malcolm found out Anna was in any way involved with them, there was no doubt in his mind she'd also become a target. Fuck, he was good at ruining people's lives.

Anger started to roll over him yet again. He wanted that bastard dead, and he wanted to be the one to do it. He was done living on the run, full of guilt and shame for the life he and Ed had, all because of their father. And he knew the only way to get over it, was for him to deal with the issue himself, once and for all.

"How you feeling?" he heard Anna ask Ed. It sounded like they were near the front of the cave.

"Like shit." his brother responded, and Anna laughed.

The sound went straight to Jesse's heart. Christ, it killed him that he had gotten Anna into this situation. But he couldn't just cut her out. Not anymore. As much as he hated himself for it, because of all the pain he'd caused her, he couldn't let her go. She was the only bright light in what had become a sea of darkness.

After a while, he worked up the will to sit up. His head had been feeling a little better than when he first woke up, but the movement of sitting up had it pounding again. He looked around and saw that Anna was gone, and Ed was making his way to the cave opening. He went to join him.

"Shit, it's bright out." he said when he got to Ed.

His brother nodded, shielding his eyes from the sun. Judging by how far into the sky the sun was already, it had to be late morning.

"Feel as awful as I do this morning?" Ed asked, a slight smirk on his face.

Jesse let out a small laugh. "I think I feel worse than I ever have in my life." Ed let out a laugh and Jesse asked, "Where's Anna?"

"Went to the stream with all our water bags. Something about us needing a lot of water because of, and I quote, 'all the fucking alcohol you idiots thought it was so wise to drink last night.'"

Jesse let out another laugh, and shit did it feel good. He hadn't realized how desperately he needed something to smile about this morning.

"I'll go over there and see if she needs some help." he told Ed, eager to see Anna.

"Jesse, wait." The look on Ed's face was serious. Jesse stopped in his tracks.

"I just wanted you to know, that even before yesterday, before we found out that dad was still alive..." he paused and cleared his throat. "I never blamed you for what happened. Not once. I chose to go after him that night, and I would do it again. So lose the guilt. I chose this life as much as you did."

Jesse surprised Ed as he walked up to him and grabbed him, pulling him into a hug. After a few moments, Ed hugged him back.

He knew Ed didn't blame him for what had happened with their father, even if he never said it before. Just like he knew Ed didn't blame him for their mother. But hearing Ed say it out loud was a weight lifted off his shoulders. For the first time in his life, he felt like he could really breathe.

He let go of his brother and backed away awkwardly. Ed nodded at him, and went back into the cave, leaving Jesse to head for his horse to go find Anna.

It was roughly fifteen minutes to get to the stream from the cave, he remembered from last night. Anna had probably just gotten there, and Jesse found himself eager to get there as well.

He had no clue what he and Ed would do now. But the one thing he was sure of, was that Anna was going to be a part of his future. He couldn't imagine leaving her somewhere, in some town where she knew no one. And he couldn't picture ever forgiving himself if he let her walk out of his life. Not before he figured out what it was about her that had him wanting her so close.

Hell, maybe she was destined to go off and meet someone else and settle down and have a family. Or maybe she was meant to be in his life. He wasn't willing to accept the first without testing the latter.

He saw her horse up ahead, and his heart rate increased. Even after the worst day of his life, this woman managed to make him forget, even if just for a second, that anything was wrong in the world. There was something special about her, and it pulled on his heart strings.

Reaching her horse, he saw she was downstream a little ways. He dismounted, and started to head in her direction. He noticed that the stream widened to about three feet here, and Anna was standing right in the middle of it, the water only reaching her mid-calf. As he got closer, he couldn't help but take in every inch of her.

She had taken off her shoes, and rolled her pants to her knees. Although she was a good six inches shorter than him, her legs were long. She was a slender woman, but he could make out her breasts under her shirt. He could see where her nipples pressed against the fabric, little peaks in the white cloth.

His eyes moved up her neck to her face. God, she really was beautiful. Her dark hair fell in gentle waves down her head and shoulders. Her features were delicate, but her lips were full. They had felt so good against his when he had kissed them.

As Anna bent over to fill another water bag, he couldn't help but take in the shape of her. He longed for her to be bent over like that in front of him...

Christ, he needed to get a grip. Staring at her while he fantasized about all the things he craved to do with her was not what she deserved. She'd helped Ed when he'd been injured. She took care of them last night. She risked her life being with them, and yet she stayed. Hell, she'd been through so much in her own life, and yet here he was, watching her with the worst intentions on his mind. He was no better than her fiancé. Shit, he was an asshole.

Forcing the images of Anna out of his head, he walked toward her. "Need some help?" he tried to ask as coolly as possible, but his voice was tight. Jesus, he needed to chill. It was going to be a long trip if she kept having this effect on him.

She walked over to him and smiled. "Here, take these." She handed him two full water bags.

His hand brushed hers as he grabbed them, and he felt a shiver run up his arm. Good lord, what was his problem? Thankful for an excuse to get some space, he headed up to his horse and left the bags there.

After taking a few minutes to collect himself, he headed back towards Anna. God, he was wound up. He was on edge from the disaster that had been the train robbery. He was on edge from the shootout yesterday. He was on edge from finding out his father was still alive and out to get him. And he was on edge from Anna, because she had managed to make her way into his heart without even trying, and it made him uneasy.

She'd said she had no one and no place to go, but that still seemed a better option than with him and Ed. They were outlaws. They were wanted men who would always be looking over their shoulder. They had no place to live, and not enough money to make the fresh start they had wanted. And on top of all that, a ghost from their past had just come back into their lives, a ghost who wanted Jesse dead. Yeah, really good stuff he had to offer a woman. But shit, he wasn't willing to let her go.

Anna was sitting at the edge of the stream when he got there. Her feet were still wet, with little pieces of grass stuck to them. He sat down next to her.

"So, ah, thanks for taking care of me and Ed last night. I'm sure we'd both be feeling a hell of a lot worse right now if you hadn't drug our sorry asses to bed."

"It was no problem." she said, not looking at him.

"We really appreciate you getting water and setting up camp and helping out and all." Shit he was rambling.

"Jesse, you're welcome." she said briskly, then in a soft voice, added, "Ed told me everything that happened yesterday."

"I figured he did."

"I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what you're going through." He could hear the pain in her voice, and it only made him feel worse. Not because she was sorry for him, but because he was dragging her along in his issues.

"Yeah, makes things a little more complicated doesn't it?" he said.

After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "So... what are you going to do now?"

"Shit, I don't know." Liar. He knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to kill Malcolm himself.

"Jesse, maybe he'll stop looking for you, since you killed everyone he hired to find you." she said hopefully.

"Could be... I don't know. But what I do know is that there is still a price on Ed's and my head, so even if we don't have to worry about Malcolm anymore, we still have the law after us."

Anna surprised him when she said, "Let's keep going to Mexico. I think we are already in New Mexico, so why don't we just keep going. No one will be looking for you there. You and Ed could start over like you wanted. I'm sure there's a need for schools there, so I could do that. I don't know, you guys could have a farm or ranch or business or something..." She trailed off.

Jesse laughed. "And when did you decide all this?"

She blushed. "Last night... I couldn't fall asleep after everything that had happened. And besides, we can't run forever."

"We?" he asked incredulously.

"Jesse, you're the only thing I know right now, the only thing good in my life. So yes, we."

She must have saw the smirk on his face, because she started rambling. "I don't mean we, like you and me. I mean we, like you and Ed and me. I'm not saying you're with me... you can be with anyone you want. I'm just saying we go there together, the three of us...ugh, I'll just shut up now."

Jesse smiled. The fact that she wanted to be with him warmed his very soul. Without a second thought, he turned toward her, took her face in his hands, and kissed her.

# Chapter 14

Jesse's lips were soft on Anna's. His hands slowly moved down to her neck, his thumbs tracing the planes of her skin. Anna let out a small moan and kissed him back. She didn't know what he did to her, but his kisses managed to ignite a spark in her, a burning desire for him, for his mouth, for his body.

Anna parted her lips and deepened the kiss, her tongue making its way into his mouth, caressing him. She moved her hands to him, twining her fingers in his hair. In response, he kissed her passionately, exploring her mouth with his tongue, his hands moving down her neck to her shoulders and her back. Before she knew what happened, he had them both laying on the ground, his hand roaming over her hip. Slowly, he worked his way up her side, stopping just below her breast.

She longed to be touched. She wanted to feel his hands on her, to feel the warmth and strength of them. When is mouth finally broke away from hers, she was dying from anticipation of where this was going.

"You okay with this?" he asked, running a hand down her arm.

She nodded and touched his chest. It was solid under her hand, and she could feel the firm ripples of muscle under his shirt. She ran her hand lower, over the planes of his stomach, towards the edge of his shirt. Grabbing it, she began to work it off him.

Throwing his shirt aside, she took in his form in front of her. God, he was beautiful. His shoulders were wide and strong; his torso began to narrow towards his hips. She noticed a slight trail of dark hair running from his belly button into his pants.

She reached out to touch him, then hesitated. She had never touched a man before. At least not this intimately. Jackson had been the only man in her life, and she had refused to touch him.

Jesse must have noticed her hesitation. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing." she said, then ever so lightly laid a hand on his chest.

His skin was warm and soft. It was tan from the summer sun. She longed to be close to him. Something about him made her stomach flutter. And when he'd been kissing her just before, her pulse had quickened, and she'd felt a dampness between her legs. She knew her body wanted him. But as she stared at him, at his strong arms and wide shoulders, she got nervous.

"Anna, will you be honest with me if I ask you something?"

She nodded, knowing exactly where this was going.

"Have you ever been with a man before?"

She looked away, suddenly embarrassed. "No." she said, cringing at the raspiness of her voice. He grabbed her chin and made her look at him.

"You don't have to be embarrassed. And we can stop whatever this is, whenever you want."

Anna began picking at her hair. She shouldn't be embarrassed, but she was. She'd never had the chance for romance in her life, and she felt the need to explain.

"I was told when I was sixteen that I was to be engaged to Jackson." she began.

Jesse grabbed her hand. "You don't have to explain yourself Anna."

"But I want to. I feel like you should know."

He nodded, his thumb running over her knuckles.

"I didn't meet him until our engagement party when I was eighteen. And from the first night we met he was awful to me. The way he watched me move, the way he got upset anytime I spoke to another man... he said I made him look bad. That he had a reputation to uphold and I was hurting it. My father and him pushed for us to get married when I turned twenty, but my mother adamantly refused to let it happen.

"Anyway, I'm saying this because for the first time in my life, I get to make my own decisions. I get to decide who to be with. And for some reason, my stupid heart chose an outlaw."

Anna sighed, she felt like she just spilled her soul. For the first time in her life, she was in control of what she did. And while the freedom was intimidating, she knew deep down that being with Jesse was what she wanted.

He watched her, as if considering what to say. Then, putting her hand over his heart, he said, "Well I'm glad that little heart of yours chose me."

Anna could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, and knew she was blushing. She looked at her hand on his chest, and felt the warmth of his skin. Slowly, she moved it down his stomach, then back up over his shoulder and down his arm.

Leaning in closer, she put her mouth on his, kissing him softly. Within seconds his hands were in her hair, pulling her in and deepening the kiss. His tongue danced with hers, exploring her mouth. Then, he moved his lips to her earlobe and worked his way down her neck.

A small moan left Anna's throat as he nuzzled her neck. His hands made their way to the bottom of her shirt, and in one swift motion, he pulled it up and over her head.

Jesse's hand found her breast, and he slowly rolled his thumb over her nipple. At his touch, the soft pink of her flesh instantly hardened into a firm little peak. Anna arched her back, craving more.

"Jesse," she whispered, as his mouth dipped to her breast. He was sucking on her, rolling his tongue around her nipple, first her left, then the right one. A shiver ran through her, and a throbbing began between her legs.

As if her could read her mind, his hand dipped down to her waist, his mouth never leaving her breast. With skilled fingers, he worked open the buttons of her pants. Then, he kneeled between her legs, and slowly began work of removing the last of her clothes.

Anna sighed as his hands ran up and down her legs, first taking off her pants then her underwear. She had never felt like this before. Never craved someone's touch as she was now craving Jesse's. Everything he did electrified her. Every touch of her skin left her wanting more. This beautiful man in front of her made her feel more alive than she'd ever felt before.

"God, you're beautiful." Jesse said, kneeling between her legs, his eyes taking in every inch of her.

Sitting up, she reached for his pants.

"No." He said, and gently laid her back. "I'm not done yet."

"What do you mean? Don't you want to-"

She had no time to finish. His mouth was back on hers, kissing her with a hunger and desire that left her panting. His hand reached down between her legs, stroking her thigh, slowly moving towards the apex of her legs.

He ran his fingers over her core. "Oh my god, Jesse." she said breathless.

His touch had her hips grinding, begging for more. His fingers tantalized her, stroking her up and down. She dug her fingers into the grass beneath her.

Jesse moved himself down her body, positioning his entire self between her legs. Then, he lowered his head, and licked her most intimate parts, making sweet slow strokes up and down her core.

The tension in Anna built, her back arching. She ran her fingers through his hair, willing him to keep going. Just when she thought she couldn't take much more, he slipped his fingers inside her.

Anna exploded, spasms running through her body. Her legs tensed, as waves of pleasure rolled over her.

Jesse laid beside her, gently stroking her breasts as she came down from the high. Anna smiled to herself. She didn't know a man could make you feel this good.

"Jesse, that was.....it felt so good." She smiled, then looked at his pants. He was hard, his pants drawn tight over him.

Suddenly she got nervous. Why had he put so much effort into her, yet not use her to pleasure himself? Every insecurity she'd ever felt in her life about being with a man, about pleasing a man, came running back to her.

"Jesse," she said, her voice tight, "why didn't you... have me? Don't you want me?"

He smiled at her, a hint of humor in his eyes. "Oh, I want you. More than you know. But this is your first time, Anna. I didn't want to hurt you, so I figured we'd start slow."

She sighed, relieved. Then added with a smirk, "By slow do you mean pleasing me beyond my wildest dreams?"

He laughed, "Well then, you are quite easy to please, because we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet."

She bit her lip in anticipation, and Jesse leaned in to start kissing her neck again.

"Wait." she stopped him. "I want to...I want to see you."

He nodded, and stood up.

Anna reached for his pants, her hands suddenly unable to follow orders from her brain. His erection was right in front of her, and she could see how large he was through his pants. She willed her fingers to work as she set in on the buttons.

Once she finally had them open, she worked his pants down his legs. Looking at his nakedness, she understood why he had wanted to go slow with her.

He was huge. Bigger than what she had imagined was behind his pants. His erection jutted out, throbbing. She reached a hand to it, and grasped it. Jesse jerked.

Anna thought about how he had stroked her, how good it had felt having his hand in between her legs, and used it as a guide. She gently started stroking his penis, her hand barely big enough to handle his size.

Jesse put his hand over hers. "You can hold it tighter," he said as he tightened his grip over her hand, "like this." He began moving his hand over hers, up and down the length of him. Anna followed his lead and he dropped his arm to his side. She continued the stroking motion, her hand firm around him.

"Oooh, Anna that feels so good." he said, his voice tight. On impulse, she stopped her hand, and put her mouth over him. He gasped.

She began moving her head back and forth, making the same stroking motion as before, only this time with her mouth. She had to admit, having that huge part of him in her mouth wasn't the most comfortable thing, but the tremble she felt go through him was all the encouragement she needed to keep going. She tightened her lips around him.

"Fuck, Anna, stop." he said, pulling away. "You're going to make me come."

Before she could respond, he was on top of her again, his hand back between her legs. Instantly, Anna could feel herself getting wet again, her core tightening at his strokes.

"Anna, if it hurts, tell me and I'll stop." he said, as he continued teasing and taunting her with his fingers.

She nodded, so worked up she couldn't find words. Then, she felt him slide into her, gently and slowly, his arms braced on either side of her.

"You okay?" he asked, concern on his face.

"Um, yeah. Just... it feels like a pressure inside me, pressing against me."

"You'll get used to me as we go." he said, and began slowly easing in and out.

With each thrust in, she was amazed at how full she felt, as if he took up every bit of space there was. After a few minutes, she began adjusting to him, opening for him. The pressure she had felt before went away, replaced by a burning need for him.

He began to pump faster, sliding in and out in a steady, rhythmic pace. Her hips met his movements, yearning to feel him, to meet him with each thrust.

The tension in her began to build. She dug her fingers into his back, willing him to keep going. She felt like she was going to explode all over again.

Jesse reached down between her legs with one hand, and his thumb rubbed her in just the right spot. She lost it, her body tensing and releasing as waves of pleasure rolled over her yet again.

Jesse let out a moan, and pulled out just as he was reaching his climax. Anna felt something warm spray onto her stomach. She looked down to see Jesse panting over her, his cock still large and throbbing over her stomach, dripping the thick white evidence of his climax all over her.

He met her eye, as if suddenly embarrassed. "I, uh, didn't want to risk...you know..." he trailed off.

Anna, still recovering from her own climax, realized that she hadn't even thought of that. Stupid, she thought. The last thing she needed was a child.

Looking at him, she nodded her agreement.

Jesse laid down beside her and put an arm over her chest, his breathing still ragged. His skin was glistening and slick from sweat, but she didn't care, and wiggled in closer to him.

"That was wonderful, Jesse." she said, barely above a whisper. He kissed her in response.

Anna smiled to herself. Wonderful was an understatement. She'd never felt so close to someone, so trusting and comfortable with them. Jesse made her feel wanted and special. He made her feel like the most important person in the world. He made her feel...loved. Something she never thought she'd feel from a man.

He interrupted her thoughts. "We better get you washed up before Ed comes looking for us and finds you like this. I'd hate to have to beat the shit out of him for seeing you naked."

Anna laughed, and Jesse leaned in to kiss her, soft and slow, before pulling her up and into the stream with him.

"What in the hell is taking you two so long?"

Jesse looked up from where he was sitting with Anna to see Ed's pissed off face coming towards them.

"Sorry Ed. We took a little dip in the stream and were just getting our shoes back on." he said as he gave Anna a wink. She blushed instantly. Her poker face needed some work, he thought, laughing to himself.

"Dip in the stream my ass." Ed said, looking between the two of them, a smirk on his face.

"We're ready to go now." Anna said quickly, clearly uncomfortable with Ed knowing what had actually gone on here.

Ed took total advantage of her discomfort. "I wouldn't want to rush the two lovebirds. Perhaps I should go back to the cave so you two can get back at it?" Anna looked at him, horrified, as Ed burst out laughing.

Jesse elbowed his brother as he headed towards the horses. "Knock it off, Ed."

"Haha, all right, all right." he gave in. Then added in a serious tone, "Jesse, we need to figure out what the hell to do now."

Jesse sighed. Being with Anna earlier, he had completely forgotten about his troubles. He had been completely lost in her, wrapped up in every inch of her soft smooth skin, entranced by every curve of her body. For the first time in his life, he felt like nothing else in the world mattered. His only concern had been loving Anna, and he did.

He knew he was getting in over his head, that he had no right to fall for a woman like her, but he couldn't help how he felt with her. She ignited a passion in him that no other woman he'd ever been with had. Shit, he had to admit it. He loved her. And it scared every ounce of him.

After all, what kind of life did he have to offer her? A shitty one, that was the kind. He knew that whatever he and Ed decided to do next, he needed to think about how it would affect Anna. Because she was now a part of his life. A part he wasn't willing to give up. Which meant he and Ed needed to figure out their next move, and it needed to lead them down the path of settling down somewhere to start a new life. That was what Anna deserved. To settle down and start the new life she was seeking out. A new life that didn't include being hunted by the law or their father. A new life that never included her fiancé.

Jesse's hands turned into fists just thinking about the bastard. If he wasn't on the other side of the country, he'd teach that man a thing or two about how to treat a woman.

He looked over at Anna, who was standing next to her horse, rubbing its neck. Her hair was loose and fell in waves down her back. He unclenched his fists as he thought about running his hands through her hair, down her back, over the curve of her ass. He felt himself get hard. Christ, he needed to focus.

"What do you think is our next move?" he asked Ed, as much to distract himself as to actually make a plan moving forward.

"I think we only have one option. Keep heading south to Mexico."

"I think you're right." Jesse said, still watching Anna.

It was the only option left. As much as he wanted to find Malcolm and kill him, he knew he put Ed and Anna in danger by staying here any longer. They needed to get to Mexico, a place where the law wouldn't be looking for them, and he could give Anna the life she deserved and Ed the life he'd stolen from him.

"What about Malcolm?" Ed asked, clearly surprised Jesse agreed with him to keep moving south.

"We took out the entire crew he had hunting us. I doubt he'll come looking for us himself. Shit, if he's anything like I remember him, he'll be too drunk to stay on a horse long enough to come find us."

Ed nodded, "Alright then, decision made. Let's head out."

"Where?" Anna asked, coming up to them.

"Mexico." Jesse said, hopeful that they may all finally get the life they longed for.

Ed added, "And we better get moving." He made his way towards his horse.

"Mexico sounds perfect." Anna said, as Jesse moved in closer to her.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, amused that she was looking forward to Mexico, a place that was just as dangerous as the unsettled land they were currently in.

"Yeah." she said. After moment she added, "I was afraid you would do something reckless after you found out about your father."

Her confession surprised him. Shit, he wanted to do exactly what she was afraid of and find his bastard of a father and take care of matters for himself. But he wouldn't. Not at the risk of losing Anna and Ed in the process.

"I won't do anything to jeopardize your safety, Anna. Or Eds, or mine." he said and took her hand.

She smiled up at him. "Good." she said, then surprised him by reaching up on her tiptoes and planting a light kiss on his mouth. "Now, let's go before Ed gets all worked up again." she joked.

Jesse watched her walk back to her horse. Despite everything that had happened lately, he felt like the luckiest man in the world.

Later that day, Anna found herself next to Ed, with Jesse up ahead a ways. She'd spent most of the ride passing time by replaying the events of this morning. Her skin still tingled at the thought of Jesse's hands on it. Her most sensitive parts throbbed as she recalled the feel of him, pleasing her until she couldn't handle it. Jesse had sparked something in her, and she was dying to be him again. She smiled to herself.

"You're sure in a good mood this afternoon." Ed said, smirking at her. She blushed. Damn it, just the thought of Jesse had her feeling silly as a schoolgirl.

"I had a good morning." she responded.

No reason to hide it. Ed knew exactly what had gone on between her and Jesse this morning. It had been written clear as day all over her face.

Ed chuckled, then turned serious. "Anna, I'm happy for you and Jesse, don't get me wrong. You make him happier than I've seen him in a long time. But please, be careful, for his sake and yours." Ed warned.

The tone of his voice had her worried. She knew she wouldn't do anything to hurt Jesse. And she doubted he would do anything to hurt her. Ed's warning didn't make sense to her.

"What do you mean, Ed? I wouldn't hurt Jesse." she said, feeling the need to defend herself.

"I'm not saying you would intentionally, but me and Jesse, we have a lot of demons in our past. Shit, Jesse carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. If something were to happen to you...Hell, I've seen the way he looks at you. It would break him."

Anna rode silently next to Ed, absorbing what he had just said. After some time, she said, "I love him, Ed."

Ed looked at her, taken aback by the words that had just left her mouth.

She started rambling, "Oh, please don't tell him I just said that. I know it seems stupid and unreasonable and it's probably a bad idea... but I can't help it. There's so much good in him, Ed. I can't help but fall for him a little more every day."

Ed looked at her and smiled, "I won't say a word. Just please, promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise." she replied. Then, feeling uneasy about having just admitted to Ed that she loved his brother, she rode off ahead of him.

Ed watched Anna ride off, still worried about her and Jesse. He knew that Anna wouldn't intentionally hurt him. She was a good, kind hearted woman. But he feared she would be Jesse's undoing.

Jesse had enough to worry about on his own. And now, he also had a woman running from her fiancé to worry about. On top of that, should anything happen to her on the ride to Mexico, he knew Jesse would lose it. She was, after all, the only thing currently keeping him together. Without her, he would unravel. Ed was afraid that Anna, the woman his brother had fallen for, would end up being his downfall.

He looked at the two of them, riding side by side up ahead, and just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad would happen.

He thought about Anna's fiancé, the person Jesse had said she was running from, and felt uneasy. Anna wasn't concerned about him looking for her, but Ed worried otherwise. He doubted a man of high social status, who was possessive of her, who needed her for political gain, would just let her walk out of his life.

His fear was that Anna hadn't walked out of her old life as easily as she would like to believe. And he knew that if her past were to show up, it would kill Jesse. There was no way her fiancé would just give her up. Just as there was no way Jesse would do so either. And this, Ed thought, made for a deadly combination.

Ed shook his head. Shit, maybe he was just being paranoid after everything that had happened. Hell, his father coming back into their life had spooked him, chilled him to his very bones. And maybe that was why he was afraid Anna's fiancé would come back into her life.

Pushing his fears aside, he reasoned with himself. He was just being paranoid and protective of Jesse. He always had been. And Anna was good for his brother. She brought out a light in him that had been missing Jesse's whole life.

Finally, after wrestling with his thoughts for some time, Ed was content that things would be okay, and he felt relieved. Kicking his horse, he ran to catch up to Jesse and Anna.

# Chapter 15

The day seemed to never end. The scorching sun was relentless, and there was not a cloud in the sky to offer any shade. Before leaving this morning, Jesse and Ed had decided to follow the stream they were at as long as it continued south. That way, they would all have cool water to help combat the heat of the day. But now, after a several hours of riding, the stream had dwindled, and turned into a dry creek bed.

Anna wiped the sweat off the back of her neck for what felt like the millionth time. She was sticky from the sweat, and it was collecting dust from the dry earth. The combination had her mood spiraling down fast.

"What's that frown for?" Jesse asked, slowing his horse so he was riding beside her.

The three of them had been mostly silent since they set off, other than Anna's uncomfortable conversation with Ed, so it surprised her that Jesse had noticed the scowl on her face.

"I'm just ready to be done traveling." she answered.

"I am too, Anna. I haven't had a place to call home most of my life, and I'm more than ready for that now." he said, smiling warmly at her.

"How long do you think it will be until we reach Mexico?"

"Hopefully no more than a week." Jesse said, taking off his hat and wiping his brow with his arm. The combination of dirt and sweat left a mud-like streak across his forehead. Anna looked at him and laughed.

"Here." she laughed, handing him a handkerchief from her pocket. "You have a little something on your forehead."

Jesse took the cloth and wiped his brow again. This time, his skin came out clean. "Just you wait until Mexico, it will be hot like this all the time." he said.

"Goody." Anna replied, the thought of being this miserable all the time making her cranky.

"Haha, don't you worry. We'll find you a place right close to a river or something."

Anna smiled, but it was short lived. Her brow creased. What would they do once they got to Mexico? None of them had a place to live. And she felt like the odd man out. She couldn't just expect Ed or Jesse to help her. They had their own struggles ahead, finding a place to live and a way to make money. And what would that mean for her and Jesse? She hoped it wouldn't mean an end to whatever they had started.

She decided to ask before the thoughts consumed her, and kept her up at night. Because quite frankly, she didn't want to be on her own once she got there. Jesse had turned into her support since leaving home. He was someone she could count on, and the thought of them leading separate lives unsettled her.

"Jesse, what happens once we get there?" she asked quietly.

She could feel Jesse's eyes on her, but she couldn't make herself look at him. She didn't want him to see the emotion in her face, the fear of being without him, and the hurt that would come with losing him.

"I don't know." he finally said. Then added, "But we'll make it work. You and I, we'll make it work."

Relief filled Anna. She couldn't bare the thought of not having Jesse nearby. There was no denying it, she was in love with him. And she didn't care if it was stupid or foolish, because he made her happy. He made her feel whole. And he made her feel loved.

She managed to give him a smile, then said, "I trust you. I trust the three of us to make this work."

Jesse nodded, then reached his hand out and gave her arm a squeeze.

They rode in silence the next few hours, Ed up ahead, and Jesse staying back beside her. The sun would set in a couple hours, and Anna knew that soon they would start scouting out a place to set up camp. She was scanning their surrounding options when she noticed something that stood out in the distance. There was a darkened figure amongst the barren landscape.

"Jesse, look up ahead there. Do you see that?" Anna asked.

Jesse stopped his horse and looked in the direction she was now pointing. "Ed!" he yelled. "Up ahead!"

"It looks like a building." Anna said, barely able to make out the peak of a roof.

There were no other buildings around it. Just one small, and what looked to be square, structure. She noticed a windmill off to one side, and a line of some kind on the other.

"I think it's a house," she told Jesse, then added, "there's a windmill and something on the other side."

He nodded. "Looks like a fence or corral. I'd say that's probably a ranch up ahead."

They had caught up to Ed at this point, and he echoed Jesse's statement.

"I don't see any animals. Think anyone lives there?" Anna asked, hoping no one did. The last thing she wanted was to stumble across someone who might recognize Jesse and Ed.

"Don't know." Ed said, hand over his eyes to shield the sun as he looked ahead.

"Maybe we should stay clear of the place, just in case." Anna said, suddenly getting a bad feeling.

Ed said, "I don't know. It might be nice to have shelter for the night. I'd feel a lot safer with something against my back."

"There has to be a canyon or cliff or trees or something out here eventually." Anna said, hating the pleading sound of her voice.

Jesse jumped in, "Anna's right, there could be someone there who recognizes us. But Ed's right too. If we want to stop for the night, we can't stay out here in the open. We'd be easy targets." He shot Anna a sympathetic look, then added, "Ed, let's ride ahead and check the place out, make sure it's abandoned. Anna, wait here, we'll be back in a little bit."

This was a bad idea, she could feel it in her gut. Something wasn't right. But she had no clue how to explain this feeling to them without sounding crazy. After all, there was no evidence to suggest that they were in harm's way.

Letting out a sigh of defeat, Anna nodded, but still couldn't shake the bad feeling. "Please, be careful." she said

"Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it." Jesse said, giving her a reassuring look.

As the two rode off, she followed the dust that rose from their horses hooves as they galloped towards the house. She figured it would only take them five or ten minutes to get there, which didn't leave her with a whole lot of time to do anything. Still, she was tired of sitting, so she got off her horse, stretched, and started milling around the area, looking at the pebbles in the dirt and the cacti growing in little patches. She recalled a book on plants she had once read, and how you could eat certain types of cactus. Staring at the small round ones in front her, she couldn't recall whether this was one of those types. Regardless, she had no desire to get past the prickly spines covering the entire thing.

Looking back towards the building in the distance, she could no longer see Ed and Jesse. She figured they must be on the other side of the building, scoping things out, and would be back soon. She went back over to her horse to grab her water bag, when she noticed a group of three men on horses riding towards her from the west.

Shit. She knew something wasn't right. She should have listened to her gut when she started getting that bad feeling. She should have said something to Jesse and Ed before they left. She should have warned them, or gone with them. What had her mother always told her? Follow your instincts. She should have listened to them earlier.

The men grew closer, and Anna felt uneasy. She doubted anything good could come of this. After all, what would three well to do men be doing way out here? She hurriedly scanned her surroundings, desperate for a place to seek refuge. But there was no place to hide, and besides, she knew they had already seen her. They were riding directly towards her. Which meant only one thing: she had to stand her ground, because if she ran, they would catch up to her. The bad feeling she had in her gut intensified.

Quickly, she rummaged in her saddle bag for the gun she knew was in there. Grabbing it, she made sure it was loaded, then stuck it in the small of her back. No point in hiding now, she made her way to the other side of her horse, and waved her hand towards the riders. She prayed they weren't dangerous, and that her friendly gesture would make them realize she wasn't a threat to them either.

The three men closed in, and Anna was relieved to see none of them had weapons drawn. As they got closer, two of the men stayed back, while the one who had been in the center rode towards her.

"Evening ma'am." He called once he was within ear shot.

"Good evening." She said in as calm a voice as she could manage, all while her heart hammered out of her chest.

Once he approached, she noticed he was a middle aged, clean cut man, with a graying mustache. Her eyes also immediately darted to the sheriff star pinned to his chest. At once she felt relieved for herself that she was in no danger, but terrified for Jesse and Ed. Oh god Jesse, please don't come back right now. Because if he did, if Ed did, she had no doubt in her mind that they would be recognized and arrested, if they weren't shot on the spot.

Trying to mask her worry, she asked, "Can I help you with anything Sheriff?"

"Well yes, actually. That's the reason we rode over here once we spotted you. But now that I see you're a woman out here by yourself.... Well, I'm wondering, do you need help ma'am?" He eyed her suspiciously, as if he couldn't fathom why a woman would be out here in the middle of nowhere by herself.

Heck, she didn't blame him. She couldn't fathom why a woman would be traveling out here unaccompanied.

Thinking on her feet she said, "Oh no, thank you, sir. My husband just rode ahead to find a place for us to camp for the night. We're making our way north, hoping to settle down in a little mining town." She offered what she hoped was a genuine smile to go with her lie of a story.

"You sure you're okay ma'am?" he asked, clearly not fully believing her.

"Yes." she assured him, then trying to distract him added, "Now what was the reason you rode over here for?"

The sheriff reached into his shirt pocket and handed her a folded piece of paper. "We got a lead that some outlaws were heading in this direction. Have you seen any of them, ma'am?"

Anna unfolded the paper and felt the blood drain from her face. Right there, in the middle of a handful of faces, were drawings of Ed and Jesse. She was holding their wanted poster. Absently, she noticed they had Jesse's jaw wrong. It should have been more defined. She shook the thought away.

Trying to compose herself, she pretended to study the images on the paper. "Hmmm...I don't think I have seen any of these men. There have been very few people out here" she said, and handed the paper back.

Just then, she saw Jesse riding back towards her, no doubt having noticed the group that had approached her. Instinctively, she reached her hand behind her back, feeling for her gun. She knew, without a doubt, that she would use it if she had to.

As Jesse approached, she yelled out to him, "It's okay! Finish setting up camp! I'll be there in a minute!" Dear god, please turn around!

Her palms started getting sweaty. She could hear her heart pounding against her rib cage. If Jesse came up here, things ended in one of two ways: him or the sheriff and his men dead.

The sheriff said to her, "Is that your husband? Perhaps he has seen one of these men."

"No! I mean, it's not likely. We've been traveling together the whole time, so we both would have seen them." Shit, she was rambling, but she couldn't contain her nerves anymore.

Jesse had stopped, far enough away that she was almost positive the sheriff wouldn't be able to make out his face clearly.

"Still, I'd like to talk to him myself." he insisted.

Anna had been so focused on the sheriff and Jesse, that she hadn't noticed one of the other two men ride around to the back of her. Not until she heard the click of a gun.

"Ma'am," the second rider said, "I'd recommend taking your hand off your gun."

Anna dropped the hand that had been fingering the pistol at her back, and turned around to find a gun pointed directly at her. She raised her hands in the air, and that was when she saw Jesse riding full speed towards her.

Oh god, no...

# Chapter 16

Jesse was blind with anger as he watched that man pull a gun on Anna. He was filled with worry and dread. And he felt helpless. So he did the only thing he could think of - he hauled ass in Anna's direction.

As he got closer, he realized he didn't have much for options. There was no place nearby for him or Anna to take cover, so starting a gun fight was out of the question. And he couldn't just sweep in and whisk her away. They would be shot before they made it fifty feet. Which meant there was only one move he could make. He had to turn himself in.

The instant Anna had yelled at him to leave he knew she was talking to either a law man or bounty hunters. It was the only reason he could think of that she would tell him to go away. She was trying to save him from something. And he was going to leave. He had every intention of turning his horse around and heading back to the abandoned farm to wait for her. But that was before that bastard pulled a gun on her.

Jesse slowed his horse and forced himself to calm down as he came up to Anna and the three men. A tiny part of him hoped that he wouldn't be recognized, and the situation would diffuse itself. After all, he was just one of many wanted men, most with crimes far worse than his own. It wouldn't be unlikely that other outlaws were trying to blend in and hide out here. There was no better place to do it than in this untamed land.

Once he was several yards out, he got off his horse, and started walking to the group, his hands in the air. He could hear the crunch of the dry earth with every step he took, the dried little plants breaking under his boots. The sun was hot on the back of his neck, and in conjunction with what he was about to do, it made him feel like he was suffocating. His heart pounded, and he forced himself to take several deep breaths. He'd never get out of this alive if he didn't get control of himself.

He felt the weight of his pistol at his right hip. It was clearly visible to the men ahead of him, yet it's weight still offered a small comfort to him. And he knew he'd use it if that son of a bitch didn't take his gun off of Anna.

He stopped ten feet away. "What's going on here?"

Casting a quick glance at Anna, he could see the fear in her eyes as she watched him. He absorbed the three men, studying their faces. Each of them had a sheriff star pinned to their shirt. He noticed the one in front of Anna closely looking at his face, no doubt comparing him to his picture on the wanted poster. With a sinking feeling, he knew there was a good chance he wasn't getting out of this one. He just hoped like hell Ed had listened to him and stayed put at the house. There was no reason for them both to get caught. And he needed Ed to look after Anna. Who knows what would happen to her should he and Ed both be captured.

Anna broke the silence. "I was just telling these men that we were about to go make camp for the night." She looked directly at the sheriff in front of her and offered a curtsey like gesture. "So if you would please excuse us, we'll be on our way."

He watched Anna, inching her way out of the line of the gun. All three men were now looking at him, and he watched as Anna took full advantage of it, moving farther and farther back.

The man with the gun must have recognized Jesse, because in an instant, he adjusted his position and had the gun pointed right at him. Shit.

"Jesse Rhodes?" he called out.

"What can I do for you?" Jesse replied, keeping his hands in the air. This was it, they knew who he was, and there was no getting away from them now.

"Son, we're going to need you to come with us." the center sheriff said, then added, "Any of your men with you?"

Jesse shook his head. "I'm alone."

"And what about her?" the sheriff with the gun said, tilting his head towards Anna.

"I picked her up in the last town, made her come with me." he said, hoping to keep Anna as uninvolved as possible. But he knew he failed miserably when he saw the amused look on all three men's faces.

"Really? Because she claims she is traveling with her husband and that she's never seen Jesse Rhodes before." the center sheriff said, pulling out his gun.

Fuck. No doubt they now knew Anna was traveling with him. His heart hammered as he made his move. Slowly, he reached for the buckle to the belt that held his gun and bullets.

"Don't move!" the sheriff with the gun yelled.

"I'm turning myself in." Jesse said calmly, as he undid the buckle and his only source of protection fell to the ground.

All three sheriffs eyed him suspiciously, probably wondering what his game was, he thought.

"She's not involved in any of this." Jesse said, nodding towards Anna. "Let her go on her way."

He heard Anna gasp, saw her subtly shaking her head at him. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring look.

Anna must have registered it, because she sighed, then said, "Please, just let me go on my way. I wish to get away from this man."

"We'll escort you to the nearest town." the middle sheriff offered with a kind smile to Anna.

"No. I can make it on my own." she replied with a stubborn set to her jaw.

"As you wish." he responded with a nod.

Anna wasted no time. She got on her horse, and rode towards the house in the distance. Jesse knew she was heading for Ed, to tell him what had happened. He also knew that the two of them weren't going to just leave him to be hung. They would come after him. He just prayed it was soon.

As she rode past him, he could see the tears on her cheeks, but she refused to look at him. His eyes followed her as she rode off, taking in her silhouette against the setting sun. There was a heavy ache in his heart, and it tore him up that those tears were for him. Yet, he was glad to watch her go. He didn't want to drag her down with him. He'd sacrifice himself to save her, every time.

The middle sheriff got off his horse and walked over to Jesse. "Hands out, son." he said, as he held out a pair of handcuffs.

Jesse held out his wrists, and the sheriff snapped them on. The metal was snug against his skin, and it rubbed at his flesh when he moved. There was no way he'd be able to slip out of them, at least not with his hands attached.

The two made their way to Jesse's horse. The third sheriff, who had yet to say anything, approached with a rope, and tied Jesse's horse to his own. Then, the three of them made their way north, back to Zenith, he assumed, as it was the closest town in that direction.

As they rode, Jesse wondered who had tipped them off. He doubted Madam Lin would go back on her word, but as far as he knew, no one else had recognized them.

He asked, "So, how did you boys know where to come looking for me?"

The sheriff with the gray mustache, the one who had done most of the talking and who was obviously in charge, answered, "Innkeeper said he rented two rooms to a man who looked an awful lot like you."

Huh... so the innkeeper had known who he was. Fucker had sure been good at hiding it. Jesse said a silent prayer of thanks that Anna and Ed hadn't been with when he got the rooms, or they'd probably both be handcuffed too. Still, it unnerved him that he was more recognizable than he thought. Apparently word was spreading quickly about them.

Then again, had the tables been turned, Jesse would sure as hell keep a lookout for someone who could get him a nice amount of money. It's why they offered rewards for criminals like him. Plain and simple, money talked.

They rode well into the night, keeping a steady pace. The terrain had turned more rugged and rocky, and there was more plant life. They were likely getting close to the Territory of Colorado once again. It wasn't until the moon was directly overhead that they stopped to make camp. Jesse watched as they built a fire, and hoped to hell it was big enough for Ed and Anna to notice. Because without those two, he had no chance of making it out of this alive.

"Ed!" Anna cried out, as soon as she was close to the abandoned house. She frantically looked around for him.

When Jesse had turned himself in, she knew it was only a matter of time before they hung him. And she knew that she needed to find Ed, and they needed to go get him, because otherwise he didn't stand a chance.

It had killed her riding away from Jesse. Her heart broke that she had no other options, that she couldn't help him. She hadn't even been able to bring herself to look at him when she'd left, because doing so would have made it impossible to leave. And that would have only ended with the both of them in trouble.

Still, she knew what she had to do. The second she left him, she had ridden as fast as she could towards Ed. The sun was slowly making its way to the western horizon, threatening with the dark of night. Which meant they needed to follow Jesse and the sheriffs as close as possible. Otherwise, she was afraid they would lose them for good, as tracking them would be near impossible at night time.

"What the fuck happened over there? Where's Jesse?" Ed yelled out to her as he stepped out from behind the house. His face was creased with worry.

"They took him! They have him. We have to go get him Ed... we have to go now!" she squeaked, her emotions fully catching up to her, making her throat tight.

She was in a panic. Her hands shook, and she felt like she could hardly catch her breath. She tried to steady herself, but she couldn't calm down. All she could think about was Jesse dangling lifeless at the end of a noose.

"Woah, calm down." Ed reached out to her and helped her off her horse. He sat her down on a tree stump and got her some water.

After she finally drank a little, he asked, "Who took Jesse?"

A little bit more calm, she explained, "A group of three sheriffs. I'm guessing someone in Zenith must have recognized him, and told the sheriff he was heading south. They came looking for him, but found me. I tried to get Jesse to go away, Ed! I really did!"

"But he didn't."

"No, one of the sheriff's pulled a gun on me and that's when he came and turned himself in... so they would let me go... selfless bastard..." Moisture started clouding Anna's vision again. She felt like it was her fault Jesse had to turn himself in. If only she'd been more cautious and aware of her surroundings.

"Get on your horse, we're going to get him." Ed said, then added, "Still have your gun?"

Anna nodded, and without another word, they were heading back in the direction she had just come from. They reached the spot where Jesse had been taken, and had managed to find the groups trail heading north. Shortly after that though, the sun set.

Beyond worried, Anna couldn't sit still in her saddle. The night was black as ink. There was no moon tonight, and thanks to some heavy clouds, there was not a star in sight. Anna shuddered to think how easy it would be for them to get off course like this. To lose Jesse forever.

Unable to contain her worry anymore, she asked Ed, "Where are we going? How do you know which way to go?"

"The trail was heading north. I'm pretty sure they would take him back to Zenith to do a public hanging." He cleared his throat. "So that's where we are going." His voice was tight, as he was obviously worried about his brother.

"You're sure we're still headed in that direction?" she asked, unable to tell her left from her right with how dark it was. She had no clue how Ed could have any sense of direction right now.

"Yes." he said firmly.

She didn't persist. If Ed said they were going the right way, she had to believe him. She knew Ed wanted to find Jesse as badly as she did, and he wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize that. She forced herself to trust his judgement.

They rode for several hours. The night was eerie, with the only light came from the occasional lightning strike in the distance. The only sound around them was from their horses' hooves in the dirt, and the soft rumble of thunder. Eventually, the lightening got closer and the thunder louder. A storm was rolling in.

They had to be getting close, she thought. She doubted that the sheriffs would ride straight through the night, especially not with bad weather coming in. Which would mean they would have to make camp somewhere, and that would allow her and Ed to catch up to them.

Anna held on to that thought, trying to remain as hopeful as possible. She couldn't imagine what she would do if they didn't get to Jesse in time.

It was strange to think that just a short while ago, she had come out here with nothing to lose. Now, she felt like her entire future was at risk. She was on the edge of losing her happiness, of losing the one man who had ever made her feel love. She shuddered, and pushed the negative thoughts out of her mind. They would find Jesse. They had to.

Anna scanned her surroundings as the first light sprinkles of rain began to fall from the sky. Everything was so dark, she couldn't distinguish anything around her from anything else. She was engulfed in a pool of black. The only variation to that was Ed, who was a gray shadow amongst the endless night.

Without warning Ed stopped, and she pulled up beside him. He was looking ahead, as if trying to make something out in the distance. She followed his gaze and saw the slightest glow of light bounce off a rock wall. It had to be a fire. Her heart swelled with hope.

"Looks like a campfire, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah, and I'm guessing we know who is around it."

Ed nodded, then asked, "You feel comfortable with that gun of yours?"

"I guess. I've never shot one before. But I'm not afraid to use it." It wasn't entirely false. Yes, she would use it if it meant saving Jesse, but the thought of shooting someone terrified her.

"Alright," Ed said, "let's go get our boy."

# Chapter 17

The rain was coming down hard. Waves of it washed over the dry earth, mixing with the dust to form a layer of slick mud. The air smelled fresh and clean, like it did in the springtime. Jesse inhaled deeply, filling his lungs as full as possible with the fresh, sweet air. Under other circumstances, he would have been thrilled about this downpour. But right now, his only joy was each lungful of air. He savored the freshness, knowing that if Ed and Anna didn't come get him out of this mess soon, this could be his last chance to enjoy the rain.

Jesse was at the very back of the outcrop they had made camp in for the night. The three sheriffs were around the fire, trying to keep it going as water encroached further into their camp. Since the rain had started, they had constantly been having to move the fire farther back into the outcrop. Now, there wasn't much room left for it to move. Jesse was sitting against the back wall of rock, with not much space left between him, the sheriffs, and their ever struggling fire.

He silently hoped with all his might that they kept the fire going. It would be the only way for Ed and Anna to find him at night. The glow that bounced of the rock face was a beacon, his only saving grace. Because as soon as they got back into town tomorrow, he was a dead man. And he very much doubted Ed and Anna would be able to save him anymore at that point. And he didn't want them to. It would be too dangerous for them to show their faces in town. No doubt everyone would be on the lookout for Ed by then.

Laying his head back against the rock, Jesse closed his eyes. He pictured Anna, lying naked underneath him by the stream. She was beautiful, and her soul was kind. It had to be for her to fall for a guy like him. He wished like hell things had gone differently for them. That he had met her under different circumstances. That he wasn't a wanted man. He wanted to give her the life she deserved. A stable life, somewhere where she could open the school she had talked about. Someplace where he could earn a good living for them. A place where he and Ed didn't have to hide. But every day, that dream seemed more and more out of reach. Especially now.

If he got out of this, he vowed to get to Mexico and start over. No more pussyfooting around. No more thinking about getting revenge on his father, or questioning what he was doing or if Anna should even be along for the ride. He wanted her in his life, and he was done doing anything that might fuck that up. His only goal now was to escape his current situation and never look back. He had a life to start with Anna.

Jesse opened his eyes, feeling damp and chilled. He saw that the fire had died down to a mere flicker. Shit. As he watched the last few flames dance and die, his hope for that new life began to fade. His beacon of salvation was gone.

Desperate, he took in his surroundings again, hoping to see a way to escape that he hadn't noticed before. Dismayed, he realized the same thing he had when they first made camp here: he was trapped. His only way out was to physically go over the sheriffs between him and the entrance. And he knew that would result in being shot. He also knew the three of them weren't dumb enough to all sleep at once. At least one of them was bound to be awake at any given time, making sure he didn't make a run for it, so sneaking out wasn't an option either.

"Shit." he muttered under his breath.

"You say something boy?" the sheriff who had pulled the gun on Anna said.

He seemed to the be hot headed one of the group. He was the first to act, the first to draw his weapon. It was clear, though, that the oldest of the three was the one in charge. Jesse figured this was Madam Lin's husband. If Jesse did get out of this, he owed it to Lin to see that her husband returned to her in one piece. After all, he owed her his life.

"Oh, just realizing that there's no way I'll be able to sneak out past you boys." Jesse answered the sheriff, a huge grin plastered on his face. If he couldn't get out, he could at least get under the sheriff's skin a little bit.

"You don't want to try?" the hot headed one said, putting his hand on his gun, daring Jesse to make a move.

"Nah... not right now. I like the element of surprise on my side." Jesse responded, shit-eating grin still on his face.

The sheriff's face grew red with frustration. Jesse laughed at how easy it was to get under his skin.

A second later, the sheriff pulled out his pistol, and pointed it directly at Jesse's head. "I can't wait to walk you to the noose myself, you stupid son of a bitch." he said, anger and disgust flowing through his voice.

Jesse continued to laugh.

"Christ, Hank. Cut it out." the older sheriff said. "And put your gun away, you trigger happy bastard."

"I will, as soon as he stops fucking with me." he snapped. Jesse continued to chuckle.

The older sheriff let out an exasperated sigh as he worked to reignite the embers left behind by the fire. "You know Hank, I should have listened to my wife when she said not to bring you. You know what she told me? That your short temper would be the death of you, of us. But I told her 'Oh no, he'll be ok. He's a great tracker and I need his help.' But you know what, I shouldn't have-"

The older sheriff was cut off by the third sheriff, the quiet one who kept to himself. "All of you, shut up!" he said, slowly getting up and looking out at the dark, rain filled night.

"You hear something?" the older sheriff whispered.

He got a nod in response.

Instantly, all three sheriffs were on guard, weapons drawn. Their earlier squabble forgotten as they joined forces against an unknown sound.

Jesse strained his eyes to see anything in the dark. He couldn't make out a thing. He could hear nothing except the rain and the quiet footsteps of the sheriffs as they made their way to the opening of the outcrop.

He watched as the sheriffs checked out their surroundings. The older one stayed in the outcrop with Jesse, while the other two went out into the rain to check if anything was out there. Moments later, they reconvened around where the fire had been, hot embers still the only thing that remained. Their warmth cast the faintest of glows on the sheriff's faces.

Jesse let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. A part of him had thought maybe Ed and Anna had found him, and that he'd get out of this situation and live to see another day. Sorrow surrounded him as it became clear that was not the case.

"Was probably just an animal looking to get out of the rain." he vaguely heard one sheriff say.

"I wouldn't worry about it. There's not much out here." another added.

Laying down on the hard dirt floor, Jesse quit listening. He made himself as comfortable as he could with his hands cuffed, and thought about how he could save himself. If he could get to one of the sheriff's guns, maybe he would at least have a chance of getting out. His hands were cuffed in front of him, so he'd still be able to use a gun. He wasn't above taking one of them hostage to bargain his way out of here.

He was plotting the details of getting to a gun when he heard the horses outside whinny and rustle around. Moments later, a clap of thunder shook the earth, and the horses ran past the outcrop, water and mud splashing with each hoof step.

"What in the hell?" the older sheriff said.

"The horses got loose!" yelled the hot headed one as he ran out into the rain.

"Shit!" the third sheriff yelled, and followed the other out into the night.

It was too convenient. Those horses didn't get loose on their own. It would have provided too much opportunity to Jesse for the fates of the world to let that happen. After all, life had never before thrown him a bone. Why should he start getting lucky now? Which meant one thing: every ounce of his being told him they were set loose by Ed.

Wasting no time, he got up and into a crouching position, ready to bolt at the first sight of Ed. What he didn't expect to see was Anna stepping out from around the corner, gun in hand and pointed directly at the older sheriff who had stayed behind.

"What the-?" the sheriff said, shocked to see Anna.

"Sheriff." she said. "I came to take Jesse with me." Her voice shook, giving away her nerves. But her hand held steady. Not once did the gun in her hand waver.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that. He's a wanted man, miss. I suggest you separate yourself from him before it gets you into trouble too." the sheriff said, clearly trying to intimidate her.

Jesse saw a side of Anna then that he had never seen before. A desperate, dark side, that said she wasn't above hurting the sheriff to get him out of here.

Her spine straightened, and her face turned stern. "Drop your gun." she said, ice in her voice.

"Excuse me?" the sheriff said in disbelief.

"I said, drop your gun! On the ground!" she stepped towards him, and cocked her gun.

Seeing her seriousness, the sheriff gave in. He dropped his pistol on the ground, then put his hands in the air. "Don't do something you'll regret, miss." he said in warning.

"The only thing I would regret is leaving here without him." she tilted her head in Jesse's direction. "Now, throw me the keys for the handcuffs."

He tossed them at her feet. She squatted down to grab them, her eyes never leaving the sheriff. Then she took a quick glance at Jesse.

"Jesse, get up and start walking out of here." she finally said to him, her tone still cold.

He did exactly as he was told, and kept his mouth shut. He got up, walked behind Anna, and towards the opening.

He looked back and saw Anna following him, her gun and eyes still on the sheriff. Jesse poked his head out into the rain, only to see Ed right around the corner, gun drawn, watching for the other two sheriffs.

As soon as Anna was beside him, they stepped out into the rain. "The horses are down that way." she said hurriedly, pointing behind Ed.

Ed added, "We need to move quick. I'm guessing the other two will be back soon with the horses. It didn't look like they ran too far."

They ran to their horses, boots slipping occasionally in the slick mud, none of them saying anything. Anna had put her gun away, but Ed still had his drawn, watching their surroundings.

Once they reached the horses, Anna held out her hands, motioning for him to give her his own, "Here, let me get those off you."

Jesse held his hands out to her, and she made quick work of taking the handcuffs off. As he watched her, his entire body warmed, forgetting the chill of the rain. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and never let go.

As soon as his hands were free, he grabbed Anna and kissed her hard on the mouth. And she responded instantly, her hands coming up to his face. He allowed himself a few more seconds to enjoy it, before forcing himself to break contact.

He leaned his forehead against hers. "We have to go." he said.

She nodded. "Jesse..." she started.

He looked up to see moisture forming in her eyes. "Shhh....it's okay. We're ok." he said, and pulled her into his arms for a brief moment.

"Thank you for saving me." He whispered, then took her hand as they went to get on their horses.

"We don't stop till Mexico." Ed said, once they were all mounted and ready to go.

"Agreed. Those bastards will be hot on our tail the whole time." Jesse said.

Without another word they headed out at a run. The rain was still coming down hard, and the night was still pitch black. It offered a false sense of security that they would blend in with the night, and put some distance between themselves and the sheriffs. Although Jesse knew it was foolish to get comfortable any time soon.

As the storm eventually moved past, and the cloud cover gave way, stars illuminated the land just enough for Jesse to get a sense of where they were. They had covered quite a bit of ground during the storm, and now found themselves back in the more arid terrain of the Territory of New Mexico. All around him was open space, only the occasional tree or desert shrub offering any sort of variation to the land. The mud that had splattered the horses during the storm had dried, leaving crusty, dirty patches all over their bodies. Jesse felt his own clothes becoming dry, no longer sticking to his wet body.

After several more hours of hard riding, the sun finally started to peek over the eastern horizon. Only then, once they could see no one following them, did they slow to a walk. The relief Jesse felt was tremendous. Perhaps they had lost the sheriffs overnight. He could feel the tension begin to seep out of his shoulders.

He looked at Anna who was riding slightly ahead of him. When she had come into that cave for him, had risked her well-being to save him, he knew without a doubt he was in love with her. There was no more questioning it. And he knew she was in love with him. There was no reason for her to come for him, other than because she loved him. And that made him happier than he could explain.

She looked back and caught him staring at her. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"Everything is perfect." he said. "Absolutely perfect."

She gave him a smile, so warm it sent any remaining chill from his damp clothes right out of him.

They continued to ride until the sun was directly overhead, and the heat of the day had them all wet again, this time from sweat rather than rain. Jesse could see Anna starting to slump in her saddle, and knew they all needed a few hours rest.

"Ed!" he called up to his brother. "Let's stop for a few hours and rest."

"Okay. It looks like there are some trees up ahead a little ways. Let's get there and stop, so we can have some shade." Ed replied.

They made their way to the patch of trees and found it was surrounding a spring. As soon as they stopped, Jesse dismounted and rushed over to Anna.

"Here, let me help you down. You look exhausted." he offered.

She had dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was a mess. Despite that, he couldn't help but think how wonderful she looked to him. He grabbed her saddlebag and laid out her blanket for her to lie on. She wasted no time kicking off her shoes and lying down to sleep.

"I'm going to take the first watch and let Ed sleep, then I'm coming back here for you." he told her, and kissed her on the forehead.

She smiled and closed her eyes. As he walked over to his brother, he looked back to see her breathing slow and steadily. She had already fallen asleep. God, he wished he could be there next to her.

Instead, he told Ed, "Get some shut eye. I'll keep a look out."

His brother nodded, "Wake me in a few hours and I'll take over."

Ed headed off to find himself a place to crash, while Jesse found a tree to lean against while he kept an eye on their surroundings. There, he stood watch over the two most important people in his life: the people who had just saved him, and that he loved dearly for it.

# Chapter 18

Anna awoke to movement behind her. She rolled over to see Jesse lying down beside her on the blanket. She noticed that it was still daytime, and felt disorientated. Had she slept all through the night? Or had she only been asleep a few hours?

"Go back to sleep." Jesse whispered once he saw she had woken up.

Rubbing her eyes, she asked, "How long have I been out?"

"Only a couple hours. I just switched off with Ed to catch a few hours of sleep. We'll head out again before nightfall."

Still disorientated and groggy, Anna had no trouble falling back to sleep. Especially now, with the comfort of Jesse right beside her. The last thing she remembered as she drifted off was Jesse putting his arm around her. It felt big and solid and protective, and she felt completely at ease as she fell back to sleep.

Jesse stirred beside her sometime later, waking her up. The sun was beginning to set, and the trees around them had them masked in shadow. She looked out and saw the horses lying near the spring, but Ed was nowhere in sight. She rolled onto her back, and looked over at Jesse.

He had dark stubble covering his face, and his hair pointed out in every direction. He looked disheveled, and rugged. And Anna couldn't help but smile at him, thinking he looked sexy.

She was grateful her and Ed had been able to find him last night. It had been exceedingly hard to keep her wits about her as she stormed into the outcrop to get Jesse. She had been scared of what she was walking into. And scared that if she made the wrong move it would end badly for Jesse. But she'd managed to stay calm and get him out of there. And now, here he was, lying right beside her, and it felt right.

Jesse opened his eyes to catch her staring at him, smile still on her face. Quickly she looked away, feeling embarrassed to have been caught.

"What's that smile for?" he asked in a teasing voice.

She looked at him. "Just glad you're safe and sound again."

"Uh huh...I think you were admiring my studliness." he teased again.

Blushing, she admitted, "Maybe for a little bit."

He laughed and leaned over her, kissing her warmly on the mouth. Slowly, he positioned himself so he was between her legs, and then his tongue met hers.

Anna responded, craving him. She deepened the kiss, her hands making their way up and down his chest, then his back. She liked the feel of him over her. He was strong and solid and real. She had been so afraid last night that she wouldn't get to be with him again. To feel his presence, to savor his touch. But here he was, very present, and very handsy.

His hand had made their way up under her shirt to her breasts. As he kissed her, he teased her nipples, tugging on them with his fingers. Anna let out a moan, and arched towards him.

Jesse had just started to kiss his way down her neck, when someone beside them cleared their throat.

Anna and Jesse looked up to see Ed had walked over. Jesse immediately pulled his hand out from under her shirt, and got off her. Anna felt her face heat, no doubt it was bright red by now. She avoided making eye contact with Ed.

Ed cleared his throat again, "I, uh, know you two would like to get reacquainted and all, but we've got to head out soon."

Jesse laughed, "We'll start packing up, Ed."

"Uh huh, I'm sure you will." he eyed Jesse skeptically, then went over to ready the horses.

Anna cringed. She'd been so caught up in what Jesse was doing that she had completely forgotten about Ed. She asked Jesse, "Did you know Ed was here?"

His lip twitched, and he said, "I figured he was, but I thought I might be able to luck out and get some action before he came around."

Horrified, Anna threw one of her shoes at him. She felt embarrassed, but at the same time couldn't help but laugh. Poor Ed, he definitely got more than he bargained for.

Grin on his face, Jesse caught the shoe and brought it back over to her, saying, "You are quite the firecracker, Anna. I'm glad I have you on my side."

She laughed and took the shoe. Putting them on, she got up and started packing up with Jesse. Just as she was about to head over to the horses with her saddle bag, Jesse came up to her and grabbed her hands, pulling her to him.

"Anna, I just want you to know that I really am grateful for you, and for what you did last night. Shit, you saved my life. And when we get to Mexico, I'll do anything in my power to give you that new life you came out here for. I'll make sure Jackson can never get to you again." Jesse bent down and kissed her softly on the lips before she could say anything. Then, he grabbed the saddlebag and walked over to Ed.

As she watched him walk away, Anna knew he was meant to be in her life. And she realized she would do anything in her power to make sure that didn't change. Even if that meant stealing him from the sheriff, she thought, a smile on her face.

Ed helped Jesse get the saddlebags on the horses as they readied to leave. He shot a look at his brother, thankful they had been able to find him last night. After the sun had set, he'd worried they had lost him forever. Shit, he hadn't known which way to go, and had only told Anna that he did to keep her calm. It had been sheer luck that had brought them to Jesse and the sheriffs.

Now, he was determined to get to Mexico without any more hiccups. He knew it was only a matter of time before something got deadly, and he didn't want to wait around for the opportunity to get them.

He told Jesse, "Look man, we can't afford anymore shootouts or run-ins with the law. We've got to get someplace safe before one of us ends up dead."

Jesse nodded his agreement.

Ed continued, "Thomas used to tell me about a place right over the Mexican border that he frequented after his wife died. He called it Purgatory, though I doubt that's it's actual name. Said it was dangerous and full of trouble and men who didn't want to be found. Which was why he went there, to disappear. I think maybe we head there until we figure out what to do. No one will find us there, and it will give us a chance to figure out our next move and get familiar with the area."

Jesse seemed to consider this, then said, "What about Anna? You feel comfortable taking her there?"

Ed looked back at her, then answered his brother honestly. "No. I doubt it's a place for a respectable woman. But right now, it's no worse than being chased by lawmen. Shit Jesse, we have to stop running eventually. It's dangerous as hell out here. This place will at least offer us someplace to stay for a while without the threat of being caught." He paused, then added, "Just until we get a plan."

"Alright, that's what we'll do then. Go to Purgatory." Jesse finally said after some time, a hint of amusement on his face.

Ed nodded and got on his horse to begin the long ride to Mexico. He hoped they would get there within the week, he was so fed up with living on the run. All he wanted right now was a safe place for him and Jesse to rest their heads at night. And he hoped this town Thomas had talked about could temporarily offer that.

He wasn't worried at all about he and Jesse going there, the two of them had been through enough scraps in their life to know how to get out of a sticky situation. But having Anna with made him nervous. If wanted men flocked to this place to seek refuge, then he doubted it was anyplace you should take a lady.

Looking ahead at Anna riding beside Jesse, he realized she didn't have a convenient way to carry her gun. Instead, she kept it in her saddle bag, which didn't do much good if it wasn't close by. First order of business once they reached this town would be getting her a holster so she could carry that gun at her side.

Ed adjusted his position in the saddle. They had a long week ahead of them. If they wanted to hit Mexico anytime soon, they'd have to ride like hell, stopping only when necessary. And while he hated the pace, he knew that's what they would end up doing. Taking their time would be too dangerous. There was no doubt in his mind that those three sheriffs would try to track them as far as they could. And he didn't want to hang around and to see if they were actually able to follow them.

He and Jesse were so close to making it, to having the freedom to choose what to do with their lives, that he hated the idea of anything slowing them down. All he wanted was to move fast and get the hell out of here. Jesse's life depended on it. His life depended on it. And now Anna's life depended on it. Settling in, Ed prepared himself for a long, sleepless journey. A journey that he hoped held a peaceful, safe life for him at the end.

After six long, tiresome days of traveling, Anna was beyond grateful to see a town up ahead in the distance. Ed had figured that they passed into Mexico sometime late last night, and that they would reach their destination today. Now, early in the afternoon, they were at most an hours ride out from their new temporary home.

While she was happy to finally reach the place they would be staying at for a short while - God knows she was as sick of her horse and traveling as a person could be - she was also nervous. Her skin prickled with the anticipation of what laid ahead. And as they rode ever closer, her mind swam with the information she had learned about this town.

Both Jesse and Ed had talked to her on several occasions about this place, warning her that she needed to keep her gun on her at all times. Ed had explained that the town was a common hideout for wanted men. That the place was dangerous and rowdy, and likely filled with every kind of criminal you could imagine. He had said it was a lawless place, and that the man who told him about it had described it as 'the manifestation of all that was wrong with mankind.' But Ed had also said that it was a refuge, a safe haven of sorts, in that no one would come looking for them there. Which was exactly why it was filled with all the worsts kinds of people.

However, this town being a refuge was all Anna needed to hear to be convinced that staying in Purgatory was the best option for them. If Jesse and Ed were safe there, then she would make sure to do whatever she needed to keep it safe for them, and for herself. And if that meant arming herself and staying out of the way, she would do it. Jesse and Ed had fought so hard to get to this point in their lives, and she didn't want to stand in their way.

Over the last few days, Anna had overheard Jesse and Ed multiple times talking about finding some land and building a ranch on it. Every time they talked about it, she could see the hope and desire in their eyes, like they knew their dreams were just within reach. And now that they had finally made it to Mexico, she felt like the world was at all of their fingertips. Jesse and Ed were finally getting a fresh start, and she... well, she got to be with Jesse, and that was all she needed right now.

As they approached the town, Anna noticed a wood sign with faded lettering that said 'Bienvenido a Siguanaba." While she didn't know Spanish, she did recognize the language, and assumed that Siguanaba was the actual name of this place everyone referred to as Purgatory. She wondered briefly why nobody called the town by its actual name, then decided that it was probably because Purgatory was a more fitting title, what with all the criminals who called the place home.

Making their way into town, she knew the first thing they needed to do was find a place to stay. She was relieved to see that this town was actually somewhat established, with a dozen or so building lining either side of the street, and several smaller buildings that she assumed were houses on the outskirts of the town. There was a saloon, of course, and a bank and blacksmith, and all the other traditional businesses you would expect to find in an established area. However, she was surprised to see a church set some distance back from the main street. Looking around, she doubted that many of the people here frequented it.

As Anna kept an eye on the people around her, she couldn't help but notice how every single man she saw had two pistols at his hips. But she didn't see any sort of law enforcement. It occurred to her that the people in this town probably took justice into their own hands, and it left an unsettled feeling within her. Now she saw why she needed to keep herself armed. Not a single person that they passed looked like an upstanding citizen, but rather an eclectic mix of criminals. Purgatory was right, she thought. The men here may not be seeking forgiveness, but they sure as hell were sinners.

Several men watched her as they rode down the street, and their eyes unnerved her, leaving her feeling exposed. She wished she had her gun on her right now, rather than it lying useless in her saddlebag. Having it visible at her hip would at least send the message that she could defend herself. Focusing her gaze forward, she hoped like hell their stay here would be short.

Halfway down the street they saw the inn. Once they reached it Jesse said, "I'll see what we can do about getting some rooms for a few days. Ed, take Anna to the general store and see if you can't get her a holster for her gun. I'm sick of all these bastards looking at her like a piece of meat."

Anna looked at Jesse, thankful he'd also seen the way the men had looked at her. It gave her a sense of comfort knowing her wouldn't let them get to her. Jesse offered her a reassuring smile, then dismounted his horse to go make living arrangements for them.

Ed said to her, "I think that's the store just a few buildings up. Let's leave our horses here and walk down there." Anna dismounted and was getting ready to go, when Ed added, "Bring your gun with. We want to make sure your holster fits you right." She nodded and grabbed her pistol.

She made her way down the street with Ed, her pistol at the small of her back. Feeling hyper alert, she noticed every pair of eyes that watched her. Maybe she was being paranoid, but this place left her feeling vulnerable. When they finally reached the general store, she wasted no time getting inside and closing out the men roaming the street.

Once inside, Anna was surprised to see a woman working behind the counter. The woman gave her a smile and a nod in greeting, and then seeing Ed, gave him an even bigger one. Looking over at him, Anna could see his cheeks redden as he tipped his hat to the woman.

"What can I do for you folks?" she asked, still looking at Ed.

Ed seemed to be at a loss for words, so Anna chimed in. "Hi, I'm looking for a holster. Would you happen to have anything that would fit someone my size?"

The woman finally broke eye contact with Ed and said, "Yes, I do have something. I actually have a few in stock. I try to keep some small ones on hand all the time. That way when new women, such as yourself come into town, I can help them out." The woman paused, then added, "Although I'm sure you and your husband already know that this isn't the safest town. Which is probably why you're here."

Anna smirked. Clearly this woman was fishing for information, trying to see if Ed was available. Hell, she was surprised the woman couldn't tell he was single by the way he kept looking at her. Actually, the googly eyes were starting to make Anna uncomfortable, so she got back to business, interrupted their awkward glances at each other.

"Ed here, he's not my husband. Just kind enough to escort me through town. But if you could show me what you have, hopefully I can find one that works."

The woman stretched her hand out to Ed, "Ed, I'm Beth. Beth Williams."

Ed grabbed her hand, then muttered, "Ed Rhodes. It's nice to meet you ma'am."

Anna couldn't contain herself at the obvious attraction between them. They were eyeing each other like a dog seeing a bone for the first time in a year. Yet, they awkwardly danced around it.

Hating how uncomfortable the two were making her, Anna grabbed Beth's hand from Ed's, and said, "Beth, I'm Annalee Harper. It's nice to meet you. Now, let's go look at those holsters."

Beth reluctantly let Anna lead her to the other side of the store. As they began to look at the holsters, and try them on for size, she could feel Ed's gaze on her. Turning around, she shot a glare at him.

As if embarrassed, he said, "I'll wait just outside the door. Let me know when you're done."

Finally, after Ed had stepped outside, Beth focused on helping her pick out a holster that would fit her small hips. "Here, try this one." she said, holding out one of the shorter of the belts.

Anna grabbed the leather belt from Beth. It was dark brown, with a holster for one gun, and holdings for about a dozen bullets. Anna fingered the smooth leather, then put it around her waist so it rested just at the top of her hips. She closed the buckle, surprised the belt had enough holes to allow her to tighten it around her small frame. Taking her gun from the small of her back, she placed it in the holster.

She spun in front of Beth, as though she was showing off an evening gown. "How does it look?" she asked Beth with a big smile.

Laughing, Beth said, "It looks like you'll be the best looking dangerous woman in town."

Anna laughed, then asked, "Do many women come through town? You mentioned keeping small holsters on hand for the ones that do."

She couldn't imagine many women making their way here. It definitely was not a town you brought a family to, so she couldn't imagine men bringing their wives. Then again, she couldn't imagine that most of the men who spent time here were the types to get married.

"Some." Beth responded. "But most are just passing through and only stay briefly. Most of my business with women comes from girls who had been kidnapped and forced to come here. I try to help them out, give them a means to protect themselves." The distant look in Beth's eyes as she said this made Anna curious as to Beth's reason for being in this town. Forcing down her curiosity, she headed to the till to pay for the holster.

But as Anna reached in her pocket for what little money she had, the woman waved her off. "It's on the house. I never charge a woman who is just looking to keep herself safe, especially in this here town."

Anna smiled and said thanks, but couldn't hold back her curiosity anymore. "I'm guessing you're a single woman by the way you looked at Ed... so what are you doing running a store in this kind of place?"

"Oh, I didn't always run this store. It just kind of happened." Beth said.

Anna was intrigued. Beth was a good looking woman. She had long, light brown hair, and clear blue eyes. Her body was curvy in all the right places. She had everything a man would be attracted to. Yet here she was, in a dangerous town, running a store on her own.

"I know it's not my business, but can I ask how you ended up here?"

Beth looked at her, studying her face. Anna knew she was overstepping boundaries, but she couldn't help it. This beautiful woman, who she knew had to be strong and independent to survive out here on her own, peaked her curiosity.

After some time, Beth finally said, "I was captured by a gang of men fleeing here to seek refuge. I had been traveling by stagecoach in Nebraska when they overtook us."

Anna saw the emotion in Beth's eyes, and felt bad for prying. "You don't have to tell me anymore. You just seem so independent; I guess I was curious where you came from."

"It's okay." Beth said, then continued, "Long story short, the men brought me here and I was forced to work at the brothel. Eventually I saved up enough money to get out. I had been friends with the old man who used to run this store, and he gave me a job here. After he died, I took it over. Now every time a woman rides into town, I make sure she has what she needs to take care of herself, so she doesn't end up used and abused like I did."

Before she realized what she was doing, Anna had Beth in a hug. She couldn't imagine what Beth had gone through in her life, and she wasn't going to pry. But seeing her here, successfully running a store all on her own in a dangerous town... Anna couldn't help but admire her. She'd turned her bad situation around, and was providing for herself. The same thing Anna was trying to do.

The woman hugged her back, then whispered, "Please don't tell Ed what I just said. I don't him running at the sight of me."

Anna pulled back and said, "I won't. But even if I did, Ed's not the type of man to judge someone based on their past."

Beth gave her a slight smile. Anna wished she could explain to Beth how true that was, that Ed wouldn't judge her. He had his own troubled past. And she knew he would never judge someone else based on theirs. Especially someone like Beth.

Interrupting her thoughts, Beth asked suddenly, "You could tell I was single by how I looked at Ed... was I blushing?!" The embarrassment in Beth's face had Anna giggling.

"No! But he sure was... it was just clear you thought he was attractive."

"He is. And if he's with you, I'm assuming he's a good guy. We don't get many of those around here."

"I bet not." Anna mused, then said, "Ed really is a good guy, Beth. It might not hurt to get to know him."

"Perhaps not." Beth responded, as though the idea weighed on her mind.

Anna smiled, then turning to leave said, "Thank you again for your help."

"My pleasure, Anna." Beth said. Then, as she was headed for the door, Beth called out, "Maybe we could get together sometime. I'm curious myself as to how you ended up out here."

"Yes, that would be nice." Anna said, realizing she would love nothing more than another woman around to talk to.

"Come by tomorrow, we'll have tea and we can gossip... or whatever it is that noble women do in their free time." Beth said, her eyes glinting with humor.

Anna laughed. "I don't know about the gossip, as my company lately has been rather limited, but tea would be lovely."

As Anna and Beth said their farewells, she walked out the door to find Ed peering through the window at Beth. "Ready to go, lover boy?" she asked him.

Startled, he said, "Yeah, uh, we should go find Jesse."

Ed turned from the window abruptly and started down the street, not waiting to see if Anna was following. Laughing, and with a huge smile on her face, she walked briskly, trying to catch up to an embarrassed Ed.

# Chapter 19

"So, what you're telling me, is that Ed is not smooth with the ladies." Jesse laughed.

Night had fallen, and Jesse was leaning against the door of Anna's room. She was sitting cross legged on the bed, relaying the events at the general store to Jesse. As she'd told him all about Beth and Ed's awkward encounter, Jesse had watched her with a smirk on his face.

Anna giggled, "It may be funny now, but it was so uncomfortable at the time. He acted like he'd never seen a woman before."

"Oh, I assure you he has. Ed's always had an easy time... well, uh, getting women."

"Really?" Anna asked, surprised. Yes, Ed was attractive. But he didn't seem like the type of man to be with a lot of women.

"Yeah, I think he gets lonely and seeks the comfort of a woman." Jesse said, as though reading her mind.

"Like, he pays them? Like a prostitute?" she couldn't believe her and Jesse were talking about the same Ed.

"Oh, god, no. I mean, he has a few times, but usually he finds women who are ready and willing to be with him. He always regrets the time he spends with whores." Jesse clarified.

Funny, Anna never pictured Ed to be a one-night stand kind of guy. Then again, he'd spent his life constantly on the go, following Jesse. She guessed it made sense that he would look for someone to be with temporarily, since he wasn't exactly living a stable life. Which got her wondering what kinds of things Jesse had done before she came along. For all she knew, he could have been breaking hearts all across the country.

The thought made her jealous. Picturing him with another woman made her stomach knot. She forced herself to cool down. After all, he'd done nothing since she met him to suggest he was the type of guy to go around using women and leaving them broken hearted.

But at the same time, her curiosity was getting the better of her. She wanted to know. Wanted to be sure he wasn't just bringing her along for the ride then willing to leave her when he was done. Hell, if Ed was the straight shooter of the two, and he'd had his fill of women, she could only imagine the trail of women Jesse left behind.

She was about to ask when there was a knock at the door. Jesse opened it to see Ed on the other side.

"Want to grab a drink?" Ed asked.

"Yeah." Jesse responded. Then looking at Anna said, "Want to join us?"

Anna nodded. "Give me a little bit of time to freshen up and I'll meet you guys there." Jesse nodded and the two of them left, leaving Anna alone in her room.

She went over to the mirror hanging on the wall by the bed. Her hair was a tangled mess from the week of traveling and lack of bathing. She grabbed a comb from the small table under the mirror and began to work out the knots. Once she was satisfied, she looked over herself in the mirror, and cringed. She looked plain. And thinner than usual. No doubt all the traveling had taken a toll on her body. Rolling up her three-quarter sleeves past her elbows, she took in the red spots that littered her arms. Even in such hot, dry, desert-like terrain, the bugs had still managed to be an issue, coming out in the cool of night and biting her while she slept.

Well, at least she was sleeping indoors now, she thought, scratching at one of the newer bites. Shaking her head, unhappy with what she saw, she left the room and made her way across the street to the saloon.

The saloon was busy this time of night. The tables were filled with men in varying levels of drunkenness. Provocatively dressed women roamed the room. Some were sitting on the laps of men, others were leading men to a door at the back saloon, which she guessed was where the brothel was. The bar up front was lined with men, sitting on bar stools and sipping on liquor. Two bartenders stood behind the bar, grabbing bottles and glasses for people as they came up.

She generally disliked saloons, she was realizing. The men were crude, the women seductive, and the noise too loud. Why Ed and Jesse always felt the need to go to them for a drink was beyond her. She would much rather sit in her room enjoying the quiet. She smiled to herself as she thought about how she and her mother would sometimes have a drink in the library while they discussed the latest book they had read. Now that was the perfect place for a drink, she thought.

Anna stayed near the entrance to scan the room for Ed and Jesse. There was no way she was going to weave her way through the maze of men scattered around the room. Especially not with how drunk many of them were. She didn't want to draw attention to herself until she found Ed and Jesse's table and had a destination to head to.

Looking towards the corner off to her right, she found Ed and Jesse's table, and immediately she was filled with blind rage. Her whole body shook as she took in the scene. Ed was sitting on one side of the table, casually sipping on a glass of liquor and talking to Jesse, as though nothing wrong was going on. And Jesse sat on the other side of the table, with a woman on his lap. Her breasts were barely contained in the corset top she was wearing, and there wasn't even a foot of space between them and Jesse's face.

Anna looked at Jesse, saw the smile on his face and his hand resting on the woman's ass, and lost it. Her heart was heavy with betrayal. She felt stupid and foolish for trusting a man she barely knew, and who had probably been with dozens of women before her. And so, without a second thought, she stormed over to their table, and slapped Jesse as hard as she could.

"Oh shit!" Ed said, bringing a hand to his mouth, as if to hid a grin.

Jesse stood up so fast, the woman on his lap nearly fell to the floor, catching herself at the last second. "What the fuck?!" he yelled at her as he reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Don't you dare touch me!" Anna yelled back as she ripped her arm free.

By now, the men at the surrounding tables were watching them with amusement. But Anna had no desire to put on a show. Turning on her heal, she headed straight for the door to go back to the inn, trying to stand tall and proud in the process, even though she felt insignificant and weak.

"Jesus, Anna, wait." she could hear Jesse saying behind her.

She picked up the pace, not looking back. She knew Jesse was following her, she could hear his heavy footsteps behind her, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of looking back and acting like she cared where he was or what he was doing. She almost made it back to her room by herself, but Jesse ran up behind her as she opened the door. Going into her room, she tried to close the door on him, but he stuck half of his body in the doorway.

Forcing himself into the room, he said, "Would you let me explain?"

"Explain what? How your hands were all over that whore in there?" she hissed at him, every inch of her burning with anger.

Jesse closed the door and tried to get closer to her. But she side stepped him and went back over to the door, opening it.

"Leave my room. Now." she said icily.

Jesse walked over to her, grabbed her hand off the doorknob, and pushed the door closed. Before Anna could react, he had her back against the door, his hands pushing against it on either side of her face.

Looking her directly in the eyes, he said, "I wasn't going to do anything. I was trying to get her to leave."

Anna met his stare, "Yeah, it sure looked that way, what with one hand on her ass and your face practically in her chest. You sure were trying really hard weren't you."

Jesse's hands turned to fists beside her. "Damn it, Anna! Do you really think that little of me? That I would do anything to hurt you?"

She was taken aback by that, and by the raw emotion in his voice. Maybe she had over reacted and the situation wasn't what it had looked like. But then she pictured his hand hovering over that woman's body and felt hurt all over again.

"Jesse, do you have any idea what it felt like for me to walk in there and see her all over you? And to see you looking like you enjoyed it? I felt betrayed, and hurt, and..." she trailed off, not wanting to admit that she was afraid he didn't love her.

"Christ, Anna, I really didn't want any of that to happen. She just came over to our table, and sat down on my lap. I kept telling her I wasn't interested, but she wouldn't back off. Hell, it's her job to seduce men... Shit, I couldn't just throw her off my lap. I was hoping she would leave once you got there." he admitted.

Anna looked up at him and saw the regret in his eyes. She softened towards him. Then, she let out a small laugh. "Well, I guess my presence did get her off your lap."

"So you could say my plan worked." He grinned, then added with a wince, "Although, I didn't plan on getting slapped in the process. Jesus, you've got an arm."

Smiling now, she reached out and gently touched his cheek. She could see it was red where she had hit him.

"Sorry, it just killed me seeing you with that woman." she confessed.

His eyes grew dark, and a slow smirk came across his face. "You know, that's the second time you've hit me. I think you better figure out a way to make it up to me." he said mischievously.

Anna instantly felt her body getting aroused at what he was implying. She was about to step towards him, to kiss him, when his body came down against hers, pressing her against the door. His mouth met hers and he kissed her, but it wasn't slow and sensual like the first time they'd been together. Instead his kiss was hard and hungry, as if he wanted to devour her.

She reached her hands out to pull at his shirt, but he grabbed them and pinned them against the door, just above her head. He continued to kiss her passionately, his body pressed tight against hers. She could feel how hard he was as his hips pressed into hers.

When Jesse's mouth finally left hers she was breathing hard, practically panting. Jesse wasted no time pulling off her shirt, then her pants, until she was naked. When he stood back up in front of her, she reached for his pants, getting them off as quickly as she could while he took off his shirt.

Once he was naked, he grabbed her and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his torso as he made his way to the bed, kissing her the whole time. She could feel the heat between her legs, could feel herself getting wet in anticipation for him.

Setting her down on the bed, Jesse crawled on top of her, and began sucking on one of her nipples. Anna moaned, and arched into him. His hand slowly made its way down her body, and stopped between her legs.

He began stroking her, tantalizing her. When she moaned, he started penetrating her with his fingers in long, slow, movements.

"Anna, you're dripping wet." he moaned.

"Oh, Jesse..." she said, as she felt him put another finger in, and the tightness had her trembling.

He continued the slow, steady motion of his fingers moving in and out of her, until finally she couldn't take it anymore. "Jesse, I want you. Right now." she said breathlessly.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jesse removed his hand from between her legs, and stood up, pulling her with him. He led her to the foot of the bed.

"Here. Bend over. Hold on to the frame." he instructed.

Her curiosity must have shown on her face, because he pulled her in and kissed her. "Trust me, this will feel good." he said when he pulled away.

Anna did as she was told, and leaned over to grab the iron bed frame. When she did, she was surprised to look back between her legs and see Jesse kneeling down. Before she could comprehend what he was doing, he licked her, sending chills through her body. His tongue flicked over her, making her legs quiver. She was right on the edge of ecstasy when Jesse stood back up.

"Hold on, Anna." he said, and grabbed her hips. Then, in one swift motion, he thrust inside her.

Anna let out a small grunt. Jesse felt huge from this angle, like he was reaching for the depths of her, and then going even further. She had barely been able to handle him last time, and now, she felt like she was being filled even more.

"Sorry." Jesse said, then slowed the thrusting of his hips. "I didn't mean to start out that hard. You just feel so good and tight."

Anna felt herself getting used to his size, and she found herself pushing back into him, willing him to go harder. From this angle, every thrust hit her in just the right spot, making her legs tremble and her insides turn to fire. She wanted him, and she wanted him hard.

"Oh Jesse, harder..." she managed to moan. "It feels so good."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yes..." she moaned.

Jesse began pumping faster and harder, his fingers digging into her hips. Anna braced her arms to keep her from tumbling over the frame and onto the bed. With every thrust, she grew closer and closer to her climax, until finally, she couldn't control herself anymore.

"Jesse..." she moaned, as the tremors starting rolling down her body, filling her with pleasure beyond her wildest belief.

"Good, baby, come for me." Jesse said, as he continued pumping.

A moment later she heard a sharp intake of air from Jesse, and felt him tremble against her. Then, she felt the warm fluid of his ecstasy running down her lower back, and dripping off her.

Anna stayed bent over, afraid to move because of how much her legs were still shaking. Jesse came beside her, and pulled her into his chest, his arms supporting her still trembling body.

He smiled at her. "I'd say you liked that based on how much you're still shaking."

Anna smiled, but felt the heat running into her cheeks. She was almost embarrassed at how much she had enjoyed that. Finally, she said, "Jesse, you do know how to please a woman."

He let out a low chuckle, and dipped his head forward to kiss her.

"Stay here and cover up. I'll have a bath brought up for you." he said, after he pulled away.

"That would be wonderful." she said, then grabbed a sheet form the bed to wrap up in.

She watched as Jesse got dressed so he could go in search of the innkeeper. She couldn't help that her eyes wouldn't leave him, the they followed every move he made, every flex of his muscles. He'd just pleasured her beyond belief, yet here she was, wanting him again.

"Something on your mind?" he said, when he caught her staring as he was about to head for the door.

Blushing, she said, "Sorry, I just couldn't help but watch you."

"See something you like?" he teased as he walked over to her.

She nodded, her cheeks flushing red.

"And what are you going to do about it?" he asked. She could tell from the tone of his voice that he was thoroughly enjoying picking on her.

Feeling a moment of bravery, she said, "Jesse, I really want you again."

He looked at her, surprise all over his face. Then, he dipped his head to where she was sitting on the bed and kissed her.

"Hold tight, Miss Anna. I'll be back for you." he said, then kissed her on the forehead before heading out the door.

Jesse closed the door to Anna's room and smiled to himself. Damn, he was a lucky man. Being with Anna was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. In the past when he'd been with women, it was always a one-time thing, for his pleasure only. Sure, he'd go through the motions, making sure to give the woman he was with what she needed, but he'd never meant any of it. With Anna though, he found himself desperately trying to please her, to make her feel good and loved and desired. And based on what had just happened in her room, he guessed he was succeeding.

After visiting the innkeeper, Jesse headed back to the saloon to check on Ed. He found him still sitting at their table, but he looked preoccupied, almost distraught. It was a stark contrast to the mood Ed had been in earlier.

Ed had barely been able to keep his laughter to himself as Jesse had struggled with the woman on his lap. The bastard just sat there and watched, humor in his eyes, as Jesse repeatedly told the woman he was not interested. Hell, Jesse was pretty sure Ed had gotten a kick over seeing Anna walk in and slap him. But now, all the humor was gone from Ed's face.

Jesse sat down across from him at the table, following Ed's gaze to the door at the back of the saloon. The one that lead to the brothel.

"Feeling frisky tonight?" Jesse asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Shit, he knew Ed wasn't into paying for that kind of thing. Never had been, and probably never would. Still, the way Ed watched the door back there had him second guessing himself.

"Nah, man. Just thought I recognized someone who went back there." he replied, refocusing on Jesse. "You and Anna make amends?"

"Yeah, I'd say we're okay." Jesse said, smiling to himself.

"Good to hear."

"Listen, I just wanted to check on you quick, make sure you're staying out of trouble." Jesse joked, knowing full well Ed never caused conflict. "I'm heading in for the night."

Smirking, Ed asked, "Should I expect a roommate tonight?"

"Nah, man, rooms all yours." Jesse got up to leave, then added, "Everything okay Ed? You seem...off."

"No, everything's good. Enjoy your night."

Knowing pressing the issue with Ed would get him nowhere, Jesse gave his brother a nod, then started back for the inn. He just hoped like hell Ed didn't do something he'd regret. Because as much of a straight shooter as the man was, when he got into one of his moods, when something was eating away at him, he acted on it. And Jesse could only hope tonight wasn't one of those times.

Reaching the saloon door, he glanced back at his brother one last time. Ed's attention was back on the brothel door. Jesse sighed, hoping his brother would call it a night before he did anything stupid.

As the saloon door swung shut behind him, Jesse thought about Anna waiting back in her room for him. He could feel his body heating all over again at the thought of her naked under that sheet, sitting on the bed. Damn, she had him wrapped around her finger. But the thing was, he was okay with it. He wanted nothing more than to spend his days running circles around that finger. Because with each passing moment with her, he was growing more madly in love.

The second Jesse left, Ed's eyes went back to the brothel door. Beth had gone in there about a half an hour ago, and the idea of what was going on behind one of those doors was killing him. Shit, he'd barely said two words to the woman, but something about her had touched him, had made him feel like there was more to this woman than what met the eye.

Her showing up here had surprised the hell out of him. He couldn't imagine what she was doing showing up at the saloon by herself. At first, he was afraid she was meeting a man, her husband or lover or something. That fear didn't seem so bad after he watched her walk into the brothel.

God, it had gutted him. He couldn't imagine her working as a whore. She'd come across as such an independent woman. The thought of her being taken advantage of my multiple men every night had him seething.

He kept waiting for her to come out, to be dressed in a provocative outfit and start flirting with men. But she never did. And the longer she stayed behind that closed door, the more unsettled Ed felt. Hell, at least if she was out here working the floor, he could keep an eye on her. Behind that door, he had no way of knowing what the fuck was going on.

Finally, sometime later, she came back out. He took in every inch of her, looking for some sign of what had happened back there. But she didn't look any different than when she had gone in. She was dressed the same in a simple brown dress, her gold brown hair was still neatly pulled back, and her expression still the same. Her face was still serious, like she was going into a business meeting.

A thought occurred to Ed then. Maybe she was doing business tonight, except as an owner and not a worker. Shit, maybe she ran the brothel. It didn't seem likely, but he couldn't figure any other explanation for what was going on.

His eyes followed her as she made a beeline for the door. Once she'd gone, he finally relaxed a little, not realizing how tense he'd gotten when she walked in. Taking another swig of whiskey, Ed couldn't get his mind to stop thinking about this mysterious woman.

Eventually, after accomplishing nothing other than being antsy, he got up to head for his room. Tomorrow, he thought, he would get more information on Beth. Because not knowing anything was driving him crazy.

By the time Jesse got back to Anna's room, the innkeeper had just finished bringing in the bath. Anna was still wrapped in just a sheet, sitting on the bed. Closing and locking the door behind him, he went over to her. Grabbing her hands, he pulled her up, and unwrapped her from the sheet. Then, he picked her up, and carried her to the tub.

"Get in." he said, as he put her down.

She did, and he went to work on getting his clothes off. Once he was again naked, he walked over to the two lanterns burning in the room, and dimmed them. Then, he made his way back to the tub to join Anna.

"Scoot up." he said, as he stepped in behind her. When she did, he sat down behind her, his legs straddling her.

He put his arms around her, pulling her back into him. Anna rested her head against his chest, and he couldn't help but think how right this felt. Having her against him, so intimately, felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Anna grabbed the soap from the lip of the tub and began working it into a lather. Then, she started to slowly work the suds up and down his forearms. He let out a sight at the feeling of her fingers running along his skin. The softness of her touch, the way she gently prodded at his muscles, had him completely relaxed and totally wound up at the same time. The feel of her hands on him was comforting. It eased his worries and tension. But it ignited a spark in him that had him wanting her.

When she started playing with his fingers, he leaned forward to kiss her shoulders and the back of her neck. Her skin was so smooth and soft, he ached to run his mouth over every inch of it. In an effort to distract himself from how turned on he was getting, he took the soap from her and started massaging her neck and shoulders with it.

She let out a small moan, then said, "Jesse, that feels so nice. I was so sore from all the riding we've been doing."

"Hmmm... and are you referring to the horses or me?" he said, grinning to himself. He felt her shoulders tense slightly under his hands, and he knew he was making her blush. He let out a laugh, thoroughly enjoying how easy it was to tease her.

She turned around to splash some water at him, but he caught her hand before she could. Grabbing her chin, he tilted her face towards his, and kissed her. His tongue quickly found its way into her mouth, and he deepened the kiss, loving the feel of her mouth on his, of her tongue flickering against his own.

He felt himself get hard. His body heated and he couldn't keep his mouth from hers, or his hands off her body any longer. He wanted her again. And he wanted her now.

"This bath can wait." he said, getting up and pulling her with him.

He led her to the bed, both of them dripping wet. He laid down and pulled her on top of him, his hand running up and down her spine, then cupping her perfectly shaped ass. When she sat up and straddled him, he reached out for her breasts, taking them in his hands. They fit perfectly. Slowly, he began teasing her nipples, tugging on them with his fingers.

When her breath caught, he said, "Take me, Anna." And without hesitation, she positioned herself over his length, eased down, and began to ride him.

# Chapter 20

The next afternoon, Anna found herself in the small living quarters above the general store. The place was cozy, just big enough for the furniture it contained. The room she was currently in held a small table and two chairs, as wells as a cook stove and a wash tub. In an attached room, separated only by a curtain, Anna could see a bed. What had surprised her most though were the books strewn around the place. There was a small pile off to the side of the table, and more stacked on the floor in front of the bed.

Jesse and Ed had said they had business to attend to today, so Anna felt it was a perfect opportunity to take Beth up on her offer of tea. She knew from the first awkward moment of meeting her with Ed that she liked the woman. And now, after seeing all the books in her home, she liked her even more.

She looked at the book on top of the stack on the table. Pride and Prejudice. Anna had read it a few years ago. Her mother had given it to her as a gift when she turned eighteen. She knew how hard it was to come by novels written by female authors in the America's, and she couldn't imagine how impossible it must have been for Beth to find a copy of the book way out here in Siguanaba.

Beth, returning from the stove after putting water on for tea, sat down in the chair across from Anna. "Beth, do you know what the name of this town means? Siguanaba... does it stands for something?"

"It has something to do with local folklore, I believe." Beth said. Then she added, "The gentleman who used to own the general store told me that Siguanaba is an indigenous word, that means trap-woman, or net-woman... or something along those lines. Anyway, this town is infamous for the beautiful women that work in the brothel, and so the town was named after them, because the women seduce men into giving them their money... I guess that's where the netting or trapping comes in."

"Is that why you were brought here? By that gang?" Anna asked.

"Yes. The brothel owner will pay a good amount of money to get attractive women here. And the dark reality is that a lot of the women working there are forced into it for that reason. Don't get me wrong, some of them choose to work there, but many of them have stories similar to my own, unfortunately. And by basically being sold to the brothel owner, those women have to work there for a long time to 'pay back' the money the owner payed for them."

Anna was disgusted at hearing Beth explain how the brothel here functioned. She couldn't imagine Madam Lin treating her girls in such a way. The idea that Beth, and so many other women, were sold and treated as the brothel owner's property made her stomach churn.

"Isn't there a way to help them? Can't they sneak out?" she asked, suddenly feeling bad for the woman she had found on Jesse's lap the night before. For all she knew, the poor girl had no choice in the matter.

"Believe me, there's no getting past Don, the owner. That's why I had to basically buy my way out. It's also why I take any extra money from the store to the girls there, to try to help them buy their way out as I did."

Anna reached across the table and grabbed Beth's hand. "You are an amazing woman, Beth. Truly, you are."

Beth squeezed her hand back. "I'm just doing what little bit I can. I would suggest, though, that you stay out of the saloon. I wouldn't put it past Don to try to recruit you, as women are few and far between here."

Anna nodded, and Beth got up to check on the water on the stove. It must have been boiling by that point, because a few minutes later, Beth sat a cup of tea down in front of her. Grabbing the cup, she brought it to her face and noticed the sweet, fruity smell it gave off.

"Rosehip." Beth said as she sat down. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed something sweet." she said, and sipped at the tea.

Her father had only drunk black tea. So Anna had rarely gotten the luxury of anything else. Once in a while, her mother would buy her something sweet and fruity, and her father would look on, making comments about the frivolous needs of women. Her mother would brush him off, telling him to go back to his study, and she and Anna would sit and drink, and talk about the dull tastes of men.

"I have a few different sweet teas in the store downstairs. I'll send some with you when you go." Beth offered, smiling brightly.

"Thank you, that would be wonderful."

"It's the least I could do. I know it's not that great being a woman in this town."

Anna nodded her agreement, "No, it definitely is not. I feel like I have to watch my back everywhere I go."

"Yes, that would be the smart thing to do. I mean, there are good people who live here. But it's the ones who are passing through you have to look out for. As you know, this place is a notorious haven for outlaws and wanted men. Which makes me wonder about why you suddenly showed up here..." Beth trailed off, as if hoping Anna would supply an explanation.

Anna filled Beth in on her journey here. It was the least she could do after Beth had shared her own misfortunes with her. As she explained, Beth watched her with kind, understanding eyes. And it made her feel safe telling Beth everything, about how Jesse and Ed were wanted, about their father, about her own escape from Jackson. When she finished, she let out a heavy breath, as though finally talking about everything that had happened lifted an invisible weight from her chest.

Beth surprised Anna when she said, "I know you've been through a lot, but when you talk about Jesse, you sound like you're happy with where you are."

She considered what Beth said. "I think I am. Happy that is. I mean, this isn't the ideal place to live, but it's just a temporary stop until we find a place to settle down. And really, I think as long as I'm with Jesse, I'm okay settling down anywhere."

Beth grinned, then said, "Great, now tell me all about Ed."

Anna laughed, and proceeded to tell Beth about the man who had piqued her interest.

Jesse stood, looking out at the view in front of him, and smiled. He felt like the tides in his life were finally turning, and things were looking up. Peeking over at Ed, he watched as his brother took in the sight in front of them, and couldn't help but feel how lucky they were for the blacksmith's help, which had ultimately got them to this beautiful spot.

Shortly after the sun had rose this morning, he and Ed had stopped to see the local blacksmith, Rich. According to the innkeeper, he was the man to see with any questions about the area, and Jesse had hoped Rich would be able to help them out, to point them in the direction of some good land nearby.

While Jesse hated the idea of staying near this town, at the same time, he didn't want to give up the refuge it provided. So he decided to try to compromise. His hope now was that there would be a nice place somewhere just out of reach of the town where he and Ed could settle down.

They had arrived at the blacksmiths to discover Rich was an older man, probably nearing sixty by Jesse's estimate, and aged and worn from the sun. It turned out Rich had spent his whole adult life in this town, and knew the surrounding area like the back of his leathery hand. When Jesse had asked him about a possible place to build a ranch, he didn't hesitate before pointing them in this direction.

They rode east out of town for about an hour, following Rich's instructions on how to find the area he spoke of. At first, the land had been mostly dry, with desert plant life and little shade. It definitely wasn't what Jesse had pictured in his mind as a good place for a ranch. However, as they kept going, the ground became more grass covered and green, with small rolling hills.

Now, Jesse and Ed found themselves at the top of one of those hills, looking down into a green plain with a small river running through it. There were a few trees along the river, and several others scattered about, but otherwise the area was open and grassy. The land was flat beyond the river, and Jesse, scanning the horizon, couldn't see another homestead anywhere. Quiet and secluded, it was just the kind of place he had been hoping for.

"Sure is nice out here." Ed said absorbing the scenery, a hand over his brow to keep the sun from his eyes.

"It really is." Jesse said. Perfect, he thought. Better than anything he would have expected to find out here. Their own little desert oasis.

"I can already see you and Anna building a house right there." Ed pointed down the hill to a flat spot with several tree's growing.

"And I can already see your sorry excuse for a house right next door." he replied, laughing.

Ed put his hands up, as though to defend himself, and said, "Hey, nothing wrong with living a simple life. All I need is a place to rest my head at night."

"Until you find a woman and start popping out kids. You know you'll have at least a dozen." Jesse joked, raising his eyebrows at his brother.

Ed laughed, "You may have a point. Although a dozen might be pushing it."

Jesse patted his brother on the back. "We did it, Ed. We finally found a place for ourselves. Away from the bullshit that life has thrown at us."

Christ, Jesse felt like he was dreaming. Could he really be looking at the place that would be his permanent home? He had longed for so many years for a place to call home, and now that he was looking at it, it all felt surreal.

"I think we should move out here... get out of that town as soon as we can." Jesse said, eager to get Anna out of town more than anything.

"It'll take a while to build a house. Especially if it's just the two of us out here to do it." Ed pointed out.

"Yeah, but we can set up a couple tents, get a cot to sleep on. Hell, I don't know. I just want Anna out of that town." He looked at Ed and added, "I want us to finally start that life we've been chasing after for so long."

Ed reached out and squeezed Jesse's shoulder. "I think we finally found home, Jesse."

"I think we did too, brother. I really think we did."

They went to work scoping out the area, and making plans as to where to build the first house. But the whole time, Jesse still couldn't absorb that this was real, that they were actually, for the first time in their lives, settling down somewhere permanent. It was a stark contrast to how they had lived their lives up to this point. And although it was exactly what he and Ed needed, it still felt foreign and strange. Hell, for how bad Jesse had wanted this, it was still going to take time to adjust.

As they went about plotting which way the house should sit, he couldn't help but get excited about bringing Anna out here, to show her where their new home was going to be. He wanted nothing more than to wake up next to her every day in their own house. He wanted to give her the life she never got to have with Jackson. A life full of happiness and love and passion. And all of that was right at their fingertips, waiting for them to reach out and grab it.

On the ride back into town, Jesse and Ed went over all the supplies they'd need to get going on the house. Ed had volunteered to stop by the general store to place the order, and he was glad when Jesse didn't offer to come with. He wanted the opportunity to see Beth, to talk to her one-on-one. And it was convenient that they happened to need supplies, so it wouldn't look like he was stalking her.

Which is exactly what he felt like he was doing. From the second he had met her in the general store with Anna, she was always on his mind. Then, when he saw her go into the brothel last night, he'd become an obsessed man. Something about her made him feel like he needed to know her, to know why she was here, alone, in this godforsaken town.

Once they reached the main street going into town, Ed rode straight to the general store with a mental checklist of the supplies he needed. Of course he hadn't told Jesse that list also included snooping around into Beth's life. There was no doubt his brother would have called him out on his sudden interest in the woman.

Getting off his horse, he walked up to the door of the store. As he reached for the door handle, he was surprised that he was nervous. Never before had a woman made him feel uneasy, but for some reason Beth had his stomach in knots. Taking a second to compose himself, he grabbed the handle only to find it locked. Cursing under his breath, he pulled out his pocket watch to see that it was already after six o'clock. Figuring Beth must have closed up for the day, he turned to head back to his horse, and spend yet another sleepless night obsessing over this woman.

"Ed, wait!" a soft feminine voice called.

Ed turned around to see Beth coming out of her store. And man was seeing her like a breath of fresh air on this hot day. Her hair was pulled back from her face, a neat braid resting on her shoulder. Her dress today was a soft green, and he couldn't help but notice how it made her blue eyes stand out even more. The knots in his stomach tightened.

"I was just closing up, but I'd be more than happy to help you with whatever you needed." she explained, her smile reaching all the way to her eyes, making little crinkles in the corners.

"I'd hate to inconvenience you. I can come back tomorrow during your regular hours." Liar. He wanted to inconvenience the hell out of her right now.

"Don't be silly. You're here now, so come on in." she said as she headed back inside.

Ed followed her, trying not to notice the shape of her under her dress. Fuck, he was pathetic. Never before had he let a woman affect him like this. Yet here he was, jonesing for her body and dying to figure out the mystery of who she was.

"What did you need today?" she asked, grabbing his attention.

"Uh, we...my brother and I...are going to be building ourselves a place out here. We'll be needing quite a few supplies."

A huge smile spread across her face, and Ed couldn't help but wonder if it was because he was sticking around. He hoped it was.

"Well, you came to the right place." she said finally, still grinning at him.

Ed relayed their list of supplies to her, then added that they would need a tent and some basic living supplies as soon as possible.

"I have a couple tents in stock already. And everything else you might need to at least get started. The rest of it, the lumber and tools and whatnot, I should be able to get in within a couple weeks." she offered, then added, "I hope that won't be too long?"

"No, that's perfect." Ed said.

Beth surprised him then when she said, "I had tea with Anna today. She told me about you, about how you came here to escape the law."

Ed didn't know what to say, but felt the need to defend himself. "I'm not the man they paint me to be."

"Oh, no! I didn't think you were. Anna explained kind of how you got into your situation. I just wanted you to know that I don't think any less of you... you know, now that I know you're here hiding out. Kind of like most people in this town."

Beth's words softened Ed a little. To know someone didn't judge you based on the ugly circumstances of your life... well, it made him feel damn good.

"I appreciate that, Beth." he said with sincerity.

She looked at him anxiously, then said, "I guess I just believe that someone's past shouldn't define who they currently are."

Ed nodded his agreement, but her statement had him wondering if she was referring to something other than just his past. Before he got the chance to ask, a large man with black, hateful eyes barged into the store, door slamming hard behind him.

Ed saw Beth tense, and immediately he went on the defensive. His hand instinctively hovered over his hip, ready to draw his weapon should he need it. And judging by the look of the man who had just barged in, he very well thought that might be the case.

The man walked straight towards Beth, his stature large and looming. While he was nearly the same height as Ed, he was much larger, with a stocky build and heavy muscles hugging his frame. His hair was as dark as his eyes, and his mouth was set in a tight angry line. Ed stepped in closer to Beth.

"Don, I'm with a customer. You need to leave." Beth said, as the man approached her. There was a mixture of worry and fear in her voice.

"It's past closing time buddy." the man, Don, said to Ed, his eyes never leaving Beth.

Ed hovered his hand over his pistol and said, "We aren't finished here. Why don't you come back another time?"

"I think now is the only time that will work." Don said, his voice hostile.

"Then whatever business you have, you can do with me around." Ed said, feeling like he needed to stay and make sure Beth was okay.

Beth pleaded, "Please Don. Don't do this."

"Don't do this? You ungrateful whore! If it weren't for you I wouldn't have to be here right now!" the man yelled at Beth.

Beth flinched and took a step back, as Ed took another one forward. He didn't know what the hell this was about, but he sure as shit wasn't going to let someone speak to Beth that way. In one swift motion, he pulled out his gun, and aimed it directly at Don's chest.

"I suggest you leave. Now." Ed said, as he took yet another step forward and cocked his pistol.

Don looked at Ed's gun, as though sizing up the situation. Then, with a slight nod towards Ed, said, "Alright, I'll leave."

Out of options, Don slowly made his way to the door, eyes never leaving Beth as he backed up. When he reached the door he paused, and said to her, "This isn't over. You fucking mess with my business again, and I'll make sure your life is a living hell. And next time, no one will be around to stop me."

Don left then, slamming the door behind him. Ed went to the storefront window and watched until Don was out of site. Then he turned his attention back on Beth.

"Care to explain what the hell that was all about?" he asked, his voice still hard from what had just happened.

Her voice shaky, Beth said, "I used to work for him."

"So what... do you owe him money or something?" Ed asked, confused about the situation.

"No. Not really." she responded.

"Beth, what the fuck is going on?" he asked, running out of patience.

He couldn't fathom why someone would attack Beth like that. Especially someone she used to work for. She didn't strike Ed as the type to rip someone off, so why was this guy threatening her.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "That guy, his name is Don Juarez... he runs the brothel in town. I used to work for him, but I got enough money to buy my way out. That's when I took over this store..."

"You used to work at the brothel?" Ed interrupted, not wanting to believe it. Christ, what the fuck had he walked into...

"I know you probably think I'm a whore now, but it wasn't by choice." she said defensively.

"Shit, I don't know what to think!" he said with more hostility than he meant to.

"Well, if you would let me finish, maybe you would." she snapped.

Ed took in her defensive posture and the hurt in her eyes. Sighing, he put his hands up and said, "Okay, so why is he threatening you?"

"Listen, I was forced into working there, but I was able to get out. Now, whenever I get extra money from the store, I help the other girls working there buy their way out. Fuck, most of them aren't there by choice, Ed. They're girls who were runaways or kidnapped. I try to get them out, and he doesn't like that because it means he has to find new girls. It hurts his business."

Suddenly, Ed knew the reason why Beth had been at the brothel last night. She had been trying to help one of the girls buy their way out. And here he was, judging her for having been forced to work as a whore. Fuck, he was the worst type of person, blaming her for a past she had no control over. Much like his own.

He looked at Beth then and saw her eyes filling with moisture. It tore at every part of him. Walking over to her, he pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry for what you went through, and I don't think you're a whore. I just... fuck, I didn't expect that."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. Just please Ed, trust that I'm doing what's right." she said, her voice muffled against his shirt.

Christ, he had so many questions he wanted answered. But he stayed quiet, respecting her privacy.

After a moment, she pulled away and said, "You should go. I'll be fine here."

Ed could see the distance in her eyes, and knew she needed space. Nodding, he said, "Lock the door right behind me."

He walked out and waited for her to lock the door. When she did, he grabbed his horse and started walking back to the inn, keeping a lookout for Don the whole time. When he got to his room, he was glad to see that Jesse wasn't there. He was in a piss poor mood and he didn't want to talk about it.

His mind raced thinking about all the things Beth had said tonight. About how she used to work at the brothel, and that Don had been her boss. And how she had gotten out, and made a living on her own at the general store. He thought about how she now helped other women buy themselves freedom. Yet through all of that, the thing that stood out most in his mind, was her saying that she had been forced into working at the brothel. And that thought put him in a blind rage.

Forcing himself not to spiral out of control, he thought about last night, when he had seen Beth go into the brothel. He knew now why she had been there; to try to save one of those girls from going through what she had. She was using her freedom, and her own money, to essentially buy those girls their freedom back. And Don was coming after her for it.

Fuck, this was more than he had bargained for when he had wanted to learn more about Beth. But now, even knowing what he did, he still found himself wanting to get close to her. He wanted to protect her from Don, and he wanted to kill the bastards that had forced her into working as a whore.

He cringed. She may have been forced into sex work, but she was anything but a whore. Instead, he thought she was brave and independent and strong. She'd gotten herself a better life, and was trying to help others do the same.

Christ, he couldn't believe everything that had happened today. His mind was still running, trying to make sense of it all. One thing he knew for sure though, Beth had just came storming into his life, and he didn't see her leaving anytime soon.

# Chapter 21

The next morning, Anna found herself being woken up before the sun had even risen. Her eyelids were heavy, and she wasn't ready to get up for the day, especially not after the night she had. All she wanted to do was snuggle back into Jesse's arms, and sleep a few more hours. But he wasn't going to let that happen.

"Jesse, stop. Please." she said groggily, while he playfully nudged her. But to her dismay, he continued to pester her. In a last ditch attempt, she threw her pillow at him.

He grabbed it before it hit him, then leaned over her and started kissing her neck. They were both naked under the covers, and he started running his hands down her sides.

"If this is your attempt to get me up, it's not going to work." she said, a small smile playing on her mouth.

"Are you saying you've had enough of me?" he asked as he ran a hand down her thigh.

Anna turned her head to look at him. Even through her sleepy eyes, she could see how handsome Jesse was. This morning, his dark hair pointed in every direction, and the stubble on his face had filled in even more. But despite that, she could still see the sexy lines of his jaw. There was no hiding his good looks.

She turned on her side to face him. "Are you saying you didn't get enough?" she teased him.

He'd taken her twice last night. By the time they had finally gone to bed, it was well after midnight. Yet here he was, waking her up in the early hours of the morning, and turning her body on yet again.

He laughed and said, "Ah, I don't think I could ever get enough of you, Anna." He kissed her, then added, "But that's not why I woke you up. I have something I need to show you."

She looked at him, curious. She could see the excitement in his eyes, but had no clue what it was about. Besides, what could he possibly have to show her that couldn't wait until later, or at least until the sun came up.

Jesse jumped out of bed and started getting dressed, clearly not affected by the lack of sleep. Anna, on the other hand, felt like she was made of lead. Her body was tired and didn't want to move. Reluctantly, she forced herself up and started getting ready for the day. Once she was dressed, Jesse took her hand and walked with her to their horses.

"Where are we going?" she asked him.

"Someplace I want to show you."

"And where's that? Jesse, the sun isn't even up yet."

"I know. Just trust me on this." he said as he got on his horse.

She followed his lead and mounted her own horse, and the two of them started to head east out of town. Jesse didn't say anything else, so she kept quiet and followed him out into the darkness.

As they rode, Anna started to enjoy the cool morning air on her face. It was a welcome relief from the summer heat that would creep back up with the sun. The sky above her was clear, and she could make out the last few stars that were bright enough to linger this late into the morning. And while the sun hadn't come up yet, it's impeding arrival gave just enough light for her to watch Jesse riding in front of her.

She took a deep breath of cool air. While she had been tired and crabby this morning about their surprise excursion, she was now utterly satisfied. The cool, still air calmed her. And the darkness cocooned her, like a protective sheath keeping everything bad away. For the first time since she'd become engaged to Jackson, she felt truly happy. Completely and wholly happy. And she knew it was because of the man riding in front of her.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined heading out west and falling in love with someone. Especially someone who had stumbled into her life in such an unexpected and dark manner. Her one goal had been to forget her past by building her future. She had wanted to be independent, to make a way for herself, to make herself happy. And yet, this man had come into her life, and did that for her.

Anna took in Jesse's outline in front of her, his wide shoulders and his strong back, and smiled. When he and his men had attacked her train, she'd been angry. She'd been afraid. Afraid that he had just ruined her chance at a new life. But in reality, he had saved her. He'd shown her what a good man was. He'd shown her what it meant to care completely for someone, so much so that you would put their welfare above your own. And he'd shown her love. Something she never expected to find.

She watched as the horizon began to slowly light up ahead of her. She and Jesse were making their way to the top of a small hill, and she knew the sun would be just beyond it. Right before they reached the top, Jesse got off his horse and helped her off her own. Then he walked her the rest of the way up the hill, and rolled out a blanket at the top.

Together, they sat in peaceful silence as they watched the sun creep up over the horizon. It illuminated the flat, grassy land that stretched out in front of them. Its rays made their way to a small river running along the bottom of the hill. The shadows from the scattered trees stretched out long, like arms reaching out to them. And as it continued to rise, Anna could feel the warmth on her face.

Jesse grabbed her hand and she looked over at him. Rather than watching the sunrise, his eyes were focused on her. He watched her, as though he was searching for something.

"What do you think?" he said at last in the softest of voices.

"It's beautiful out here. Thank you for bringing me. The sunrise was gorgeous." she responded, putting her other hand over his.

He nodded and pulled her to her feet. Pointing he said, "You see that spot down there, by the cluster of trees, just off the river?" She followed his out stretched arm with her eyes and nodded. "That's where I'm building a house. Our house." he said.

His words took her by surprise, and she turned to him, searching his face. He grabbed her hands in his then, and held them tight against his chest.

"Anna, I don't know what the future holds, for you or me. But what I do know, is that I don't want a day to go by without you by my side. You've been my rock and my comfort during some of the worst days of my life. You've seen me at my worst, and yet you never ran. Instead, you stuck with me. You saved my life, and my soul. And I will forever be indebted to you for it."

Anna felt the tears springing to her eyes. Her heart pounded, and her hands start to shake. Jesse held them tighter.

"I love you, Anna. I may never be able to give you the life you pictured for yourself, but if you'll have me, I want you to stay here with me. I want to build a life with you, and a home with you, right here."

Unable to hold back the tears any longer, Anna felt them start to trickle down her face. Jesse brought his hands up and cradled her face, wiping away the tears with his thumbs.

Anna took a deep breath, willing her voice to not shake. "Jesse, I love you too. And I want nothing more than to stay here with you. To be with you, for as long as you love me."

Jesse smiled at her, so kindly it made her heart flutter. Then, pulling her close, he dipped his head to hers and kissed her.

Ed walked up to the door of the general store. He hesitated as his hand reached for the handle. He'd spent the entire night tossing and turning, thinking about Beth and everything she had told him yesterday. His mind wouldn't shut down, and even now, it was still going.

He'd been torn between giving Beth some distance today and going to her to make sure she was okay. He finally decided to check on her, with the excuse of picking up some of the supplies he and Jesse needed. But now as he stood in front of the store, he wasn't so sure he had made the right choice.

He couldn't imagine what Beth had been through in her life. Couldn't imagine what it would be like telling someone about a past you were ashamed of. And yet, yesterday she'd given him a glimpse of herself. A glimpse that unnerved him, that had kept him on edge all night.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and went in. Beth was behind the counter, helping another customer. She looked up from her conversation to see who had come in, then quickly refocused on her customer, making no acknowledgement to Ed. Shit, maybe he should have given her some space.

Making his way to the back of the store, he looked at his options for temporary housing while he and Jesse worked on building a house. He tried to pay attention to what he was looking at, to make a decision on something so he and Jesse could move out of this town, but his mind was preoccupied. He couldn't help but over listen as Beth told the customer when he could expect the next shipment of supplies to come in. Once the other customer finally left, he listened to her soft footsteps as she walked in his direction.

"Good morning, Ed." she said, her voice completely businesslike, revealing nothing of what had happened the night before.

"Morning." he responded, trying to sound casual.

"Come to look at those tents I told you about?" she asked.

"Yeah. Just, ah, trying to decide which ones to get." he lied, completely uninterested in the tents at the moment.

Beth began telling him about each one she had in stock. How big they were, if they kept out rain, how many people could sleep under one, and so on. He tried to listen, to act interested in what she was saying, but he just couldn't. Hearing her rattle off information about tents after what had happened last night was driving him insane. The way she acted so distant and impersonal to him was killing him. It was like she was trying to hurry up and get him to buy one so he could leave.

"Beth, stop." he finally interrupted her.

She looked at him, as if unsure of what to say or do. And for whatever reason it drove him mad. He could feel his body tense as his anger grabbed hold.

"How can you just come over here and act like nothing happened last night? For god's sake, someone threatened you. And then you tell me you were forced into working at the brothel. You think I haven't been going crazy thinking about that?" he snapped.

Beth took a step back, at first startled by his outburst. Then, her spine straightened and she put her hands on her hips.

"Maybe I don't want to think about it. Maybe it hurts to bring up my history. Did you ever stop to think how I felt telling you that? That I was a whore? That I was afraid of you judging me for it." she shot back, her face getting red.

"Beth, I would never judge you for something like that, something you had no control over." Ed said, more gently this time. "It doesn't make me think any less of you. I just... feel sorry about what happened to you."

"I don't want your sympathy." she replied coldly.

"Damn it, Beth. I spent the entire night awake thinking about you, worrying about you. I wanted to kill the bastards that forced into that life. So cut me some god damn slack!" he yelled, his frustration getting the best of him.

Ed watched as Beth visibly softened. Her shoulders slumped slightly, and she crossed her arms over her chest, as though to protect herself from his words.

"Listen, I'm sorry I yelled, but the things you told me last night... I couldn't just walk away from that and pretend it didn't happen. I wanted to see you today to make sure you're okay. I could care less about these fucking tents right now." Ed said, as calmly as he could.

Beth surprised him when she walked over to him and put her hands on his arms. "I'm okay." she said, then added, "And thank you for checking on me. I... I just didn't want you to know about that part of my life. I've always tried to keep it buried. I don't want people feeling sorry for me, or judging me."

Ed nodded. "I'm glad you're okay. And if you don't ever want to bring up last night again, I'll respect that."

"Thank you." she offered him a smile.

Unsure what to say, Ed stepped backwards out of her reach and went back to looking at supplies. Beth watched him as he eyed the tents in front of him.

"I think I know what we need. Can we get everything ready to be picked up tomorrow morning?" he said finally.

"Yes." she said, and went about putting together everything Ed told her he needed.

After everything was paid for, Ed left the store with plans to come back tomorrow morning with Jesse to pick everything up. As he headed back to the inn though, he couldn't shake Beth from his head.

She didn't want to talk about her past, and he could understand that. But imagining everything she'd been through killed him. And he wanted to know who was responsible for it, so he could hold them accountable. Changing directions, Ed headed for the saloon instead. He needed a drink.

He should have been happy. He and Jesse were finally settling down, building a home and future for themselves. And yet, here he was, pissed off over what had happened to Beth. He knew he couldn't change anything, that he couldn't take away the pain and suffering she had been through, but he could make sure nothing like that ever happened again. And that started with making sure Don never got the opportunity to carry out his threat.

Eyeing the door at the back of the saloon, Ed knew what he wanted to do. He couldn't intrude on Jesse and Anna's life. He knew his brother wanted to start a life with her, and he felt wrong always being their third wheel. They deserved the chance to build their own future, a future for just the two of them.

Ed had spent his whole life following Jesse, being his guardian, making sure he was always okay. But now, he finally felt like Jesse had let go of some of his demons, that he was ready to forget the past and focus on the future. And he knew without a doubt that was thanks to Anna. She had freed his mind and his spirit. She'd shown him compassion and understanding when others would have run. And in return, Ed saw passion and meaning returning to Jesse's life. He had something to live for.

What Ed needed to do was make his own future. He needed to find his own path to follow in life. He knew he was a smart and hardworking man. He could make a life for himself anywhere. But he knew exactly where he wanted to be. Here. In this town. In Purgatory. He wanted to make a life for himself that allowed him to make sure no one ever got to Beth again. Because everyone deserved the chance to get away from their past, and not have to fear for their future.

# Chapter 22

"You want to do what?" Jesse asked Ed, thinking he hadn't heard his brother right.

The two of them were at the saloon, kicking back whisky and planning the construction of the house. Night had fallen, and Anna had gone over to Beth's to 'rummage through her treasure trove of books,' she had told Jesse. He hadn't objected, thinking this was the perfect time for he and Ed to figure out how they wanted to map out their future home. But now here his brother was, shocking the hell out of him.

"I want to stay here, in town. You and Anna need space if you're going to start a life together. And hell, like I want to watch your puppy dog eyes follow her around every day." Ed said, as he picked up his glass of whiskey.

"Ed, you won't be in the way. We'll build a place big enough for all of us. Or we can build a second house out there." Jesse said, still unable to believe his brother.

"No, Jesse. I love you brother, but I think it's time we went our separate ways a little bit. You have a life ahead of you with Anna, and I need to build a life for myself. I'll still help build the place and pay for supplies, but I don't belong out there with you guys."

"Shit. I guess I get what you're saying. Just seems wrong after having spent our entire lives together." Jesse finished off his drink, and poured himself another glass. Then he asked, "Where are you going to live?"

"Our good friend the blacksmith has a room above his place that sits empty. Said it's mine for as long as I keep paying him." Ed said grinning, clearly thinking about the fiery old man.

Jesse sipped on his whiskey. Hell, he couldn't believe this day had come. The day he and Ed lived separate lives. And it felt bitter sweet. For as long as Jesse could remember, Ed had been the one who was there for him. Never had his brother let him down, even when he followed Jesse into things he didn't want to do. But now, Jesse would be without his protector and best friend. And instead, he would be with the woman who protected his heart. And that was a sweet, sweet thought.

He was eager to build a life with Anna, to settle down in one place and give her the love and life she deserved. He was forever done with the life of crime, of running from the law, and of being haunted by his past. He was ready for the future Anna provided him.

"If that's what you want, then I am happy for you man." Jesse said to Ed as he refilled his brothers glass.

"It is. But I still plan on going out there with you tomorrow to start on the house." Ed said. "Or at least what we can get started on until supplies get in."

"Fine with me. I'll take all the help I can get. Did you talk to Beth today about having things ready to go for us in the morning?"

"Yup. We'll have everything we need to live out there while the place is being built. And we should have enough supplies to at least get a frame up. Beth's working on getting a wagon and some horses for us to move everything out there."

"Hell of a woman to go out of her way and do that for us."

"Yes, she is." Ed said, the corner of his lip twitching at the thought of her. "She knows what it's like to start over in life. I reckon that's why she's going out of her way to help."

"Really?" Jesse asked, curious as to what his brother had found out about Beth.

"Yeah, and don't ask me what I know." Ed said, giving Jesse a warning glance.

"Okay, I won't. But Ed, does she have anything to do with you staying in town?"

"No." Ed lied.

"Huh." Jesse said, then dropped the subject.

He and Ed spent the rest of the evening talking about the layout of the house. Once he felt like they had a plan for tomorrow, he finished his drink and went back to the inn, eager to get back to Anna. Lately, she was the only thing on his mind. Shit, he was a man obsessed.

When he got back to her room, he was surprised to see she wasn't back yet. He did a quick look over of the room, but didn't see her gun. Knowing she had it with her made him feel a little better, even if she hadn't ever shot it. Hell, he should give her a shooting lesson. He hoped she would never have to use it, but he would rather have her ready and able to defend herself than simply using the gun as a scare tactic.

Jesse walked over to the window in the room which faced out into the street. He could see the general store four buildings down and across the road. The light upstairs was on, and he could just picture Anna pouring over Beth's books. A slow smile spread on his face. Not only was she beautiful, but she was intelligent. And he knew her mom had been the one to instill a love of books into her. He ached for Anna, wishing she still had her mom in her life. He would have liked to meet the woman who had raised such a compassionate and intelligent daughter. The woman who had instilled confidence and strength into her, and who had been the only one to stand up for Anna and her engagement to Jackson.

His hands balled into fists. He couldn't control the reaction when he thought about that bastard. He hoped like hell Jackson was suffering some terrible misfortune in Philadelphia for the way he had treated Anna. She'd only told him a little bit about her fiancé, but he knew from the look in her eyes when she talked about him that she was holding things back. That things had been worse than she said. And that cut at his very heart.

The only thing that made him feel better about the situation was knowing Anna was with him. That he would never do anything to hurt her. And that she was out of Jackson's reach forever. As long as he was alive, he'd never let anything hurt her again.

Jesse walked away from the window to sit on the bed. He took off his shirt and shoes, antsy for Anna to get back. Hell, he couldn't wait to get his hands on her. Every time he made love to her, she left him wanting more. Just thinking about her now was making him hard. Annoyed at how easily his dick responded to the mere thought of her, he threw the covers over himself, and tried to wait patiently for Anna to return.

Anna had spent the last few hours with Beth drinking tea, laughing, and talking about books. In the few short days she'd known Beth, the woman had already become a dear friend. She was smart, witty, and funny, and was just the kind of female company Anna needed. Not to mention she was independent and self-sufficient. Anna admired her and her ability to make a living for herself after the circumstances that had come her way. She'd gotten herself out of an awful situation, and now she was thriving.

Beth had stacks of books, and she'd brought them all out to her little kitchen table for Anna to look at. And boy had Anna looked. She took her time looking over all of them, trying to decide which one to read first. She'd poured over the titles and authors, and skimmed the pages of at least a dozen different books. She had finally decided on Little Women, at Beth's suggestion, and was anxious to dive back into a book. She'd always cherished the times when her and mother had discussed literature, and she couldn't wait to do the same with Beth.

"I'll take this one and bring it back for another one when I finish it." Anna said, as Beth handed over the book she had picked out.

"You'll love it." Beth said cheerfully. "I just know it."

Anna smiled brightly back at her, then asked, "Would you be able to order some books for me?"

"Of course! I order all mine in from the states. They take a while to get here, but it's always worth the wait."

Anna smiled, grateful for this new connection to the outside world. Her and Beth laughed some more as they finished their tea, then, book in hand, she left to head back to the inn. Night had fallen, and she figured Jesse would be waiting for her. She knew he got nervous about her being out alone at night, especially in this town.

Heading out the back door of the general store, Anna started around the building to get to the main street. It was better lit out there, as the glow coming through the windows of the businesses provided some light, and it made her feel safer walking around this town at night. She had just walked along the side of the building, and was about to step out into the street, when she ran straight into someone.

"Oh! Excuse me." she said startled.

A man about six inches taller than herself stood in front of her. She could see he had dark eyes and sharp features. He had an unkempt beard and his hair was long and uneven. While his hair might have been dark at one time, it was now sprinkled throughout with gray.

He reached a hand out to her shoulder. "You are excused little lady." he slurred, his breath smelling heavily of alcohol.

Anna eased her way out of his grasp. Something about him unnerved her. While he didn't look particularly intimidating, she couldn't help but feel like she recognized him from somewhere or something, and it wasn't giving her a good feeling.

As she started to turn away, he grabbed her hand. Her heart started to flutter as fear coursed through her.

"Wait a second here... maybe... maybe you can help me." the man stumbled over his words.

"Let go of me and I'll see what I can do." she said, trying desperately to put some space between herself and this man. She thought about the gun at her hip, thankful she had it with in case she needed to use it.

He dropped her hand, then said, "I'm looking for someone... someone dear to me. My son... he ran away."

Anna looked at him confused. He was so drunk, she didn't even know if he realized what he was saying. "I'm sorry. I don't think I know your son. I don't really know anyone here." she replied, hoping to end the conversation.

"He's a small lad, only ten years old." the man slurred, staring into the space above her head, as if recalling some memory.

"I haven't seen any children here. I'm sorry, but I need to get going." she said, anxious to get away from him.

"Okay. If you see him... tell him... tell him I'm looking for him. That dad's coming for him."

Anna nodded and watched as the man stumbled over his feet, then leaned against the wall, his head hanging as though in defeat. In that moment, she felt for him. She couldn't imagine losing a child, and she guessed he drank to deal with the pain. He looked like a man burdened, carrying some invisible weight that was slowly but surely wearing on him.

Knowing she was no help to him, she turned and made her way down the street, careful to avoid any more run ins with drunk men. Once she got to her room, she was happy to see Jesse lying on the bed waiting for her.

"I was starting to wonder if you were ever coming back." he said, the corner of his mouth twitching.

She held up her book. "I got carried away in Beth's book collection."

"I see." he said, getting up and walking over to her.

Anna took him in. He was wearing just his pants, and looking handsome as ever. She eyed the strong muscles of his chest and his arms, and the smooth plains of his stomach. She didn't think she would ever get tired of looking at him.

He pulled her in to kiss her, but stopped just inches from her mouth. "Jesus woman, did you and Beth each have a bottle of whiskey? You reek of it." he said, laughing.

Anna pulled away, unsure of how to answer. She knew Jesse wouldn't like the idea of her conversing with drunken men in the street.

He must have noticed her apprehension, because he asked, "Anna, why do you smell like liquor?"

"I ran into someone accidently in the street. He was quite drunk." she confessed.

"He didn't try to do anything, did he?" Jesse asked, quickly becoming protective.

Anna reached a hand out to his cheek. "No, he didn't. He was looking for his little boy who ran away from home. I'm guessing that's why he was drinking so heavily."

Jesse visibly eased. "Shit place for a kid to go missing." he said.

Anna nodded. Who knew what would happen to that boy if no one found him. She shuddered thinking about how dangerous it was out here for a child with no one to look after them.

Jesse pulled her back into him, saying, "For all the times you deal with my whisky breath, I think I can deal with you this one time." He winked at her.

She giggled, and reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him. When she pulled back, he said, "Tomorrow we're moving out to our new home."

This made her smile. "I'm so happy for you Jesse. And Ed. You're finally getting what you've always wanted."

"Ed's not coming with us. I mean, he'll live out there while we build the house, but he's getting a place here in town to live."

This was a surprise to Anna. She knew how close the two were, and how badly they'd wanted to find a place to both settle down. "Why did he change his mind? About living out there?" she asked.

"He wanted us to have some privacy to build our life together. And he wants to build his own. He won't admit it, but I think Beth has something to do with it too."

"Beth didn't say anything about Ed while I was with her." Anna mused.

"That's probably because she doesn't realize how smitten he is with her." Jesse said, a hint of humor in his eyes.

Anna laughed, thinking what an unlikely couple the two of them would be.

"Come, get into bed. We have a big day tomorrow." Jesse said, pulling her towards the bed.

Smiling at him, she said, "The first day of the rest of our lives."

Jesse pulled her down onto the bed with him and kissed her deeply and passionately. Anna smiled inside, so happy that this was the man she was building her future with. And tomorrow, they would go home.

# Chapter 23

The next week was a blur. They'd all been so busy on the house, that Anna barely had time for anything other than sleep and helping Jesse and Ed where she could. So far, they had managed to get the frame up, and were now waiting on the supplies Beth had ordered to finish it. Jesse thought that they would be done in a few more weeks, and Anna hoped he was right.

They'd been living in tents since the start of the project, and while she didn't mind, she was definitely ready to have a permanent roof over her head. The tents were better than the sleeping arrangements they had when they'd been traveling, and her and Jesse had a nice big, thick blanket to sleep on, but she was dying for a bed. The nights of sleeping on the ground were getting old quick.

The house Ed and Jesse had laid out was small and simple. It had a kitchen and dining room, two bedrooms, and a small porch on the front that faced the river. Jesse had surprised her a few days ago when he told her there was an extra room she could use for a study and library, and it had completely melted her heart that he was so thoughtful. Her house back in Philadelphia had a library, and her and her mother had spent countless hours in there.

This morning, Ed rode back into town to get an update on when the supplies would be in and to start moving into his own place. While Anna knew it was hard for Jesse to see Ed slowly distancing himself from them, she was grateful for the alone time with Jesse. She loved talking to him about anything and everything, loved hearing the sound of his voice as he talked about the future with her. And she loved the way he held her, and kissed her, and made love to her. They'd been so busy the last week, that they hadn't gotten to be intimate, and she was happy to have the alone time with him today. She missed his touch.

Jesse had left a while ago to explore downstream a little ways, but she'd elected to stay instead, wanting to start the book she'd borrowed from Beth. Now that she'd had a few hours to read though, she was anxiously waiting for him to get back. She was ready for that alone time.

Setting her book aside, she laid down on the blanket she had brought down to the river. Closing her eyes, she listened to the sound of the water trickling along, and the birds in the trees. The day was sunny and warm, without even a breeze. The stillness around her was relaxing, and she smiled as she thought how Jesse had picked the perfect spot for them to build their house.

As she laid there in the warm sunlight, she was lulled into a peaceful bliss by the sound of the slowly running water. After some time, she heard a horse off in the distance, and she smiled to herself, glad that Jesse was back. She wanted him to join her by the river, to make love to her here like the first time he'd had her. She felt her face heat as she thought about that first time, about how gentle and tender he had been with her. He'd been patient and kind, easing her fears and worries. And he'd been so passionate with her every time sense, like he was afraid it would be his last time and he wanted to savor every second of it.

The heat spread through her body, and she was aching for him. As she heard the horse get closer, her anticipation built. "Jesse, I'm so glad you back." she said, still imagining him loving her.

"I'm afraid I'm not Jesse." said a male voice.

Her eyes shot open. She recognized that voice. Sitting up, she saw that the man riding to her was the one who had ran into her outside the general store. The one who was drunk and looking for his kid.

Nervously, she said, "Sorry, I was expecting someone else."

"It's no problem, ma'am, no problem at all." he said, with a strange look on his face.

He wasn't slurring his words, and that made Anna feel a little better about the situation. Still she stood up, not liking how powerless she felt down on the blanket. She put her hands on her hips, hoping not to let her nerves show, and that was when she realized her gun was in the tent. She tried to keep herself composed as fear started trickling in. She needed him to leave, and now.

"I ran into you last week, outside the general store." she said, wondering if he even remembered. "You were looking for your boy. Were you ever able to find him?"

She hoped that was the reason he was out here, and that by cutting to the chase he would leave sooner. His presence still gave her a bad feeling. She took in his face, and it still looked so familiar, yet she couldn't place him.

"I'm afraid not," he said, then added, "but I think I'm getting close."

The sudden coldness in his voice when he said that had her on edge. She studied his face, trying to place him, to figure out why his presence was so unsettling. She took in his sharp nose, and strong jaw, his tan skin and salt and pepper hair. Then she looked at his eyes, really studying them.

It hit her like a brick. He had the same eyes as Jesse. He looked so familiar, because he looked a lot like Jesse.

She knew then, without a doubt, that she was looking at Jesse's father, and her heart sank.

Jesse was on his way back to Anna, to their home. It still felt weird for him to use that word. Home. It had been such an elusive thing to him his whole life. Something he was always striving towards, but never quite reaching. When he started falling for Anna though, he knew home would be with her. Had she not been waiting for him, all he would be returning to was a half built house. A house that probably would never feel like home. She was what made it special.

Jesse had followed the river for a few miles, taking in the area around it. The land along the river had remained grassy with scattered trees, and Jesse thought it would provide enough vegetation for some livestock. After the house was finished, he'd look into getting some cattle and starting up his ranch.

He'd also been thinking about Anna's future, and what she wanted. There weren't a lot of children in the area, but there were some. He'd asked Beth earlier in the week if there was a school for them, and she'd said no. He knew Anna would be able to provide an education for them, teaching them to read and write, and he'd been running ideas through his mind about how to make that possible. He thought some of the local businesses might be willing to donate time and money into building the schoolhouse if they knew it would have a teacher, and Jesse knew just the person for the job. He hoped to get to town in the next few days to start asking people about it, and seeing if a schoolhouse was a realistic possibility. Hell, even if it wasn't, she could run the school out of the library he was building for her in their house. They only lived a mile out of town. It was close enough for kids to walk.

Jesse smiled. His life felt surreal, like he couldn't believe he had actually made it to this point. He'd spent his whole life chasing this, and now it was a reality. Better than he ever thought it could be. He and his brother had found refuge, and in the process had laid their past to rest. Anna had been an unexpected surprise, and one that he was grateful for every day. And Ed, he was settling into his own life, a life he guessed would include Beth.

Ed and Jesse's outlaw lifestyle had paid off, even if not as originally planned. They hadn't gotten enough money to live off of comfortably, but they'd managed to get enough between the two of them to at least get started. And that was all that Jesse needed. He didn't mind hard work, didn't mind starting from the bottom. And he knew he and Anna would be successful, that they would be able to earn a living for themselves and live the life they wanted. For the first time, Jesse felt content. Content with where he was in life, and content with where he was going.

Looking up ahead, Jesse could just start to make out the frame of the house. He was eager to get back to Anna. He hadn't told her about his ideas for a school yet, and he thought that today was the perfect time to do it since they were finally alone and able to relax. He wanted to be able to discuss his ideas with her, and get her input. No doubt she would know more about running a school than he did.

As he got closer, he couldn't see Anna, and figured she was probably reading somewhere. He could see a horse though, but it didn't quite look like Anna's. Granted it was hard to tell from where he was, but it's coloring just didn't seem right. He guessed that maybe Beth had decided to come out and see the place. After all, she and Anna loved to spend time together, and Ed had said something about her wanting to come see the progress on the house.

However, the closer he got, the more something didn't seem right. He could tell now that the horse grazing by the water definitely wasn't Anna's. Which meant someone else was around. But he couldn't hear anyone talking, or see anyone. Everything was eerily quiet.

His senses quickly went into overdrive. He knew he was probably overreacting and that nothing was going on, but he nonetheless felt hyper alert. Stopping his horse, he got off a short distance from the house. If something was going on, he didn't want to ride in and startle whoever was there. Instead, he quietly made his way to the house on foot.

As he neared the corner of the house, he heard a shuffling noise, like something dragging against the ground. Following the noise, he saw movement behind a stack of supplies near the house. The top of a head full of mahogany brown hair was just visible over the supplies. He'd recognize that head of hair anywhere, it was Anna.

Exhaling, he calmed himself down and walked in her direction. Anna was here and she was safe. And whoever's horse that was had probably just stumbled upon their house by accident. He felt paranoid and foolish for over reacting.

"Anna, what are you doing back there?" he asked as he walked over to her.

Her response was just a noise, voice muffled, words unintelligible.

Jesse's body immediately tensed. Something was wrong. Running, he rounded the corner of the pile of supplies she was behind. When he saw her, he froze. The blood drained from his face, and anger pulsed through him.

Anna was sitting on the ground. A rope had her hands tied behind her back, and the other end of it was tied into the stack of supplies. A handkerchief was tied around her mouth, leaving her unable to talk. Tears ran down her face, and her breathing was quick and irregular from having to breathe through her nose. Jesse ran to her.

"Anna!" he whispered. "Who did this to you?"

He crouched down beside her as soon as he reached her, and untied the handkerchief from around her head. She gasped for air, taking deep breaths.

"Jesse, you need to get out of here. Now!" she said, her voice panicked.

"What? No! What the fuck happened?" he demanded as he started untying her hands.

He was so angry, his hands shook as he worked on the knot. He needed to get her untied and out of here. Whoever had done this couldn't be far away if their horse was just down by the river.

Once he got the knot untied, he pulled her to her feet. "Do you know who did this?" he asked.

Anna nodded and said, "Jesse, please, we have to go."

Just then, he heard a crack behind him, like someone stepping on a branch. Anna froze, staring at whoever was behind Jesse.

"Looks like I found my boy." a male voice said, followed by the click of a gun being cocked.

Jesse's heart stopped. The ground fell out from underneath him and time stood still. He'd recognize that voice anywhere. It was the voice of Malcolm, of his father. It was the voice of the man who had been at the center of everything Jesse had done in his life. It was the voice of the man who haunted his dreams, and darkened his soul. It was the voice of the one man who he hated, who had led him on a path of self-destruction for so long, and who had threatened to take his life fifteen years ago. And now, here he was again, threatening his very existence, and the woman he loved.

Anger coursing through his body, all Jesse could think about was getting rid of the bastard once and for all.

# Chapter 24

Anna watched the color first drain from Jesse's face at hearing his father's voice, then his skin flush red at the realization of who it was standing behind him. She watched his body tense, every muscle become hard, preparing to fight. She saw his hand instinctively hover over his gun. She felt the anger pouring out of his very being and witnessed the hatred in his eyes. He was a man possessed. Possessed by a hatred for his father, and a need for revenge.

And she felt helpless. Her gun was in the tent, and she was still struggling to catch her breath. She offered nothing, other than being a liability to Jesse. Not knowing what to do, where to go, or how this situation would unfold, all she could do was hold tight, and pray like hell Jesse walked out of this alive.

She caught Jesse's eye, and saw a hint of fear in it. Not for himself, but for her. And it wasn't hard to figure out why. Everyone Jesse was close to had been hunted down by the men his father had hired. And most of them had ended up dead. She was just a sitting duck, waiting to be another to add to the list of deceased. Another victory in his father's attempt to ruin Jesse's life. A life she guessed Malcolm would take from him sooner rather than later.

Jesse turned to face his father, and Anna braced for what would happen next. Whatever was coming, it wasn't going to be good. Jesse harbored too much hatred for his father to let this end in anyway other than somebody dead. And right now, with that gun pointed at Jesse, she feared that it would be him.

Swiping at the tears still on her cheeks, she knew she needed to do something. She couldn't just stand here and watch Jesse get shot. She needed to get to her gun, or distract Malcolm. Something, anything, to keep Jesse from getting hurt. Because the fear of losing him, was greater than the fear she had for herself. The thought of living without Jesse tore out her heart.

"Where's that brother of yours?" Malcolm asked as Jesse finally faced him. "I expected big brother to be here to save poor little Jesse." he continued, disgust in his voice.

"He's not here." Jesse said, with nothing but pure anger in his voice.

"And who's the whore?"

Anna saw Jesse flinch. "She doesn't have anything to do with this. Let her go to her horse and leave."

"Huh. I'd say she's someone pretty important to you, based on that reaction." Malcolm sneered.

Anna knew where this was going before it was said. She knew she was in trouble, and needed cover. Slowly, heart beating out of her chest, she began to inch towards the supply pile, hoping to get on the other side of it.

Jesse stepped protectively in front of her. "Look, this is about you and me. Let her leave so we can settle things between us once and for all."

"Let her go?" Malcolm laughed, a cruel, harsh sound to Anna's ears. Then he lost his temper, and yelled at Jesse. "You took my wife from me! You were a curse since the day you were born! Why the fuck would I grant you the privilege of letting her go?" Malcolm repositioned himself, and pointed his gun at Anna.

She froze, afraid to move, afraid to breathe. Jesse put out his arms, as if to block her as much as he could.

"Move boy." Malcolm said, circling to the side to get a better shot.

Jesse saw this, and before Anna had time to react, he charged at his father, right as a shot rang out.

Red. It was all Jesse saw, all he could comprehend. There was red blood on his knuckles as he beat at Malcolm's head, over and over again, unable to control himself. There was red blood on Malcolm's face as Jesse pulled his fists back to strike him again and again, his face becoming an unrecognizable, flesh torn, blood soaked mess. He saw red blood seeping down Anna's arm, as he glanced back at the bullet wound in her shoulder. And there was pure, red hatred that seized him and took control of his body. Hatred that pulsated through him, devouring every inch of him, leaving him incapable of feeling anything else. And it was all hatred for the pain that Malcolm had caused him.

Except this time Jesse wasn't a scared ten old boy, who was eaten alive by guilt that made him think he deserved what he got. This time he wasn't afraid. Instead, he was angry, and ready to put the past to rest.

He beat at Malcolm, watching his face crumbled under the weight of his blows. He relished in the savage, animalistic way that he destroyed his father, one hit at a time. And when finally Malcolm's face was destroyed, and his chest quit rising and falling under Jesse, he pulled out his gun, put the barrel between Malcolm's eyes, and pulled the trigger. Once. Twice. Three times. Until nothing remained of Malcolm, but a body without an identity, without a face.

Jesse rose off Malcolm, then fell to his knees as he tried to walk away. His breathing was ragged and uneven. His body shook from the adrenaline that had been pumping through it. Yet he felt numb and empty inside. Hatred had possessed him, and left him a shell of a man.

He looked at his hands, which were covered in blood. His clothes were splattered with red droplets. He could feel the wet speckles of blood on his face. And he cringed when he looked back at Malcolm. His father had made him into the type of man he never wanted to be. In his hatred for Malcolm, he became just like him. He let his soul be possessed, and instead of forgiveness, all that he wanted was revenge. Just as his father had wanted revenge for the suffering caused by his wife's death, Jesse had wanted revenge for the suffering he'd experienced from Malcolm.

Jesse felt himself spiraling. Felt those all too familiar feelings of guilt and shame and self-hatred rearing their ugly heads. But then, he looked up, and looked at Anna, and he snapped back into reality. He'd done what he needed to do to save her, to save Ed, and to save himself. And if that made him a bad man, so be it. He'd kept his loved ones safe.

Forcing his legs to work, Jesse stumbled towards Anna, dropping down beside her. He gazed at the bullet wound to her left shoulder. It was bleeding badly, the blood leaving trails down her arm, down her chest. Her face was pale. Her breathing shallow. For the first time since Malcolm had shown up, Jesse felt truly panicked.

"Anna, can you hear me?" Jesse asked, his voice shaking. She managed to lift her head slightly, before dropping it back down as she became unconscious.

Jesse felt the moisture coming to his eyes as his heart was being ripped in two. Placing his hands on her face, he kissed her forehead, and said, "You'll be alright, baby."

Forcing himself to stay as calm as he could, Jesse ran for his horse. Then, as gently as he could manage, he pulled Anna onto it with him, and rode like hell towards town. He knew he was no help to her now, that she needed a doctor, and she needed one fast.

Urging his horse to move as fast as possible, Jesse prayed he made it to town before it was too late.

"Mommy!" Anna cried out, tears pouring down her face as she held her arm.

Her mother ran through the tall grass to get to her. When she reached Anna, she brought her into her arms. "What happened baby?" she asked, taking in Anna's arm and the pain on Anna's face.

"I... hurt... my arm." Anna managed to say between sobs as she cradled her hurt arm against her body.

Her mom reached out, and gently, with sure and steady hands, reached for the injured arm. She brought her face in close, examining the bleeding area. Then, she kissed Anna's forehead.

"Now how did you manage to do that?" her mom asked, as she pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it around Anna's elbow.

"I fell... chasing a bunny." Anna said, her crying finally slowing down enough to breath evenly again.

Her mom pulled her into a hug. "Oh, my sweet baby girl. I think you'll be okay. But maybe it's time you start leaving those little bunnies alone." she said, in a warm, caring voice.

Anna wiped at her tear stained cheeks with her hands. "But I want one."

"I know, sweetie, but daddy said you can't have one." her mother said. Then, her face becoming a blur and her voice fading, she added, "Now, come along with me and I'll make you some sweet tea."

"But my arm still hurts!" Anna protested.

"I know baby, but it will be okay..." her mom said, before the image of her began to fade, and eventually disappear.

Anna felt two strong, warm hands cradle either side of her face. She felt someone kiss her forehead softly.

"You'll be alright, baby." Jesse said, his voice briefly coming into focus.

And then, nothing. Nothing but silence. Nothing but darkness.

# Chapter 25

Ed spent the morning settling into his new living arrangements. The place was a one room living area above the blacksmith's business. And although it was small, it was all the room he needed. He lived simply and didn't need much, so the tight space didn't bother him. But he was grateful that the place was furnished with a bed, cook stove, and a table with one chair, so he didn't have to worry about buying anything. And the blacksmith had been more than helpful, bringing up some cooking supplies and blankets that his wife had sent with him to give to Ed. In the end, he was pretty happy with the place, and even happier that it was so close to Beth.

After spending some time talking with the blacksmith, whose full name he learned was Richard Atler, he was now making his way down the street to the general store. He needed to check on the status of the supplies he and Jesse had ordered to finish the house. But even more so, he wanted to see Beth and talk with her.

The whole last week he'd been anxious as hell about her. He hated not knowing what was going on with her while he camped out with Anna and Jesse. Shit, he knew she was a strong woman, and could handle her own in most situations. But still, the thought of Don coming around again worried him. Based on the one time Ed had met the man, he knew that was someone you didn't want to mess with. And he didn't take Don's threat lightly. He just hoped Beth didn't either.

He was halfway to the store, when he saw someone riding like a bat out of hell into town. As the rider got close, Ed stiffened. It was Jesse, holding an unconscious Anna in front of him. Jesse flew passed Ed, heading straight to the doctor's office at the north end of the town. Without a second thought, Ed turned, and ran like hell in the same direction.

When he got to the doctor's he flew through the front door, looking for Jesse and Anna. Not seeing them, he continued through a door at the back of the front office, and there he saw Anna laying on a table, the doctor bent over her shoulder.

Ed's breath caught at the amount of blood he saw on Anna's clothes and now on the doctor. She looked so pale, she could have passed for a ghost. Looking for his brother, he saw him pacing back and forth on the other side of the table. His hands were covered in blood, the rest of him splattered in it. He looked angry and scared all at the same time.

"What the fuck happened?" Ed said to the room in general as he walked to his brother.

"Bullet to the shoulder." The doctor said, not looking up from what he was doing. "Looks like it hit the subclavian artery."

"Jesus Christ, how did that happen?" Ed asked Jesse.

Jesse stopped pacing and looked at Ed. His eyes were bloodshot, his face lined with worry. "Malcolm."

Immediately anger flooded Ed. "Where is that son of a bitch?!" he spit out.

"Dead. I took care of it." Jesse said, his voice emotionless.

Ed studied his brother. He looked at the blood covering him, at the worry and pain in his face, and the tense, uneasy movements of his body. The man was wrecked. On the one hand, Ed knew a large part of that was because of Anna, that Malcolm had managed to hurt yet another person the Jesse loved. But another part of Ed knew that while Jesse had longed for the day he could get revenge on Malcolm, now that it had come, it had damaged him. Jesse no longer had to worry about the threat Malcolm posed, but Ed could see clear as day that Jesse was hurting. Hurting for having been put in this situation to begin with.

Ed pulled his brother into a hug and said, "You did the right thing. No matter how it went down, you did the right thing."

Jesse nodded and began to cry. It was the first time Ed had ever seen Jesse show this kind of emotion, and Ed hugged him even harder, as though trying lend him the strength he needed to get through this.

"I'm afraid she won't make it." Jesse said into Ed's shoulder.

Ed looked over at the doctor, and at Anna's frail body. Seeing all the blood, he feared the same thing. Letting go of Jesse, he went over to the doctor to see what he was doing.

"She going to make it, doc?" he asked quietly.

"Honestly, I don't know. The bullet is lodged against that artery. I need to get it out so it stops bleeding." the doctor said, never looking up.

Ed looked up to see Jesse watching, his face full of pain and fear. Seeing his brother like that killed him, so instead he focused on what the doctor was doing. Reaching for a tool on the tray beside him, the doctor put a clamp like instrument in the bullet wound, forcing it open, stretching the skin. Once it was in place, he grabbed what looked like tweezers, and not very gently, stuck them into the wound. After a moment he pulled them out with the bullet pinched between the ends. Then, he moved quickly.

"You, grab a stack of cloth from that table behind you, and press down on the bullet wound with as much pressure as you can." he said to Ed as he pulled out the clamp holding the wound open and pressed a hand down over the hole left behind.

Once Ed had the cloth, the doctor removed his hand, and Ed took over, pressing down on the wound like his life depended on it. At the same time, Jesse came over and grabbed Anna's hand on the other side of the table. Leaning down to her ear, Ed heard Jesse whisper 'I love you.'

Ed felt his throat tighten, but forced himself to focus on keeping pressure on her wound. She had once saved him, stopping the bleeding from the wound he got during the train robbery. Damned if he wasn't going to help save her now.

The doctor came back to Ed, a needle and thread in his hand. "Okay, when I say so, you're going to remove the cloth so I can stitch the wound closed. As soon as I finish, put the cloth back over it again until I can get it bandaged. Got it?" Ed nodded. "Good. Remove the cloth."

Ed did as he was told, and watched as the doctor stitched the wound closed. His hands remained steady the entire time. And he worked quickly. In a matter of minutes, the hole in Anna's shoulder had been sewn shut. Ed put the cloth back against the wound.

"Not so much pressure this time. You don't want to pull at the stitches. Just hold it firm so it doesn't bleed." the doctor said.

The doctor got up and went to a cabinet behind him. He pulled out an assortment of bandaging materials and came back to the table. He quickly got to work bandaging the wound, with Ed helping to move or lift Anna a certain way so the doctor could get a good, firm wrap of the bandage around her.

Once he was done, he said, "We need to leave her here to rest. I'll keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't start bleeding through."

Ed nodded, but Jesse said, "I'm not leaving."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you wish." the doctor said, a sympathetic smile on his mouth.

Jesse grabbed a chair and pulled it to Anna's side. After he sat down he asked, "Is she going to make it?"

"I don't know. She lost a lot of blood. Only time will tell." Then, more gently, he added, "We did all we could do."

Jesse nodded, then rested his elbows on his knees and hung his head. He looked defeated. Ed knew Jesse's heart was breaking, and in return, that only made his own hurt for Jesse.

Turning to the doctor, Ed asked, "What was your name, sir?"

"Juan. Dr. Juan Garcia." he held out his hand, and Ed shook it.

"Thank you, Dr. Garcia. We appreciate your help."

Dr. Garcia offered him a kind smile, and said, "I'll be in the office up front if you need me. If that bandage starts to bleed through, get me right away."

After the doctor left, Ed sat down in the chair the doctor had used while working on Anna. He had no words to say to his brother, and he knew nothing he said would make Jesse feel better anyway. So instead, he sat in silence with Jesse, offering him the only thing he could. The comfort of his presence.

Anna's world was foggy. The blackness slowly receded, and the silence lifted, yet nothing seemed real. She recalled a memory of her mother, comforting her after she had fallen and scraped her elbow chasing rabbits when she was five. She didn't know why she thought of it, but the image of her mother so gently wrapping her elbow stuck in her mind.

All of a sudden, she felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder, and the image of her mother vanished. Instead, it was replaced with the memory of Jesse running towards his father, as a bullet hit her, sending shooting pains through her. Instantly, the events before her being shot came flooding back to her. Worry seized her heart and made her chest heavy. Jesse. What had happened to him?

Slowly, Anna forced her eyes open, and saw the reason for the sharp pain she had just felt. A young man, with tan skin and black hair, was pulling a bandage off her shoulder. He was bent over, working diligently. Once he removed the bandage, he glanced up, and saw that her eyes were open.

"Well, looks like someone decided to come back to us." he said, his voice kind.

Anna heard a rustle, and footsteps across the room. A moment later, Ed and Jesse were standing over her. Relief flooded through her as she took in Jesse's face. He was alive.

"Jesse..." she whispered, her throat dry and scratchy.

"I'm right here." he said, his voice thick with emotion. He grabbed her hand, and she could see the moisture in his eyes. "And I'm okay."

Anna tried to smile, but instead flinched as she felt another sharp pain in her shoulder. She turned her head to the side to see who she assumed was the doctor pressing lightly on her bullet wound.

He smiled at her, and said, "Stitched are holding and the wound is healing nicely. I'd say after a few more days of rest, you'll be good to go. Just don't use that arm until your shoulder is pain free." He began to re-bandage the area.

Anna nodded, then turned back to Jesse. She wanted to ask him what happened, where Malcolm was, but she was so tired. Her eyelids grew heavy, but she tried to force herself to stay awake.

"Jesse..." she started, but couldn't form the rest of her sentence.

"Shhh..." he said, running a hand over the top of her head. "You need to sleep. We can talk once you're feeling better."

Anna didn't respond. Instead, she drifted to sleep, her mind at ease knowing Jesse was alright.

It took three days of rest before Anna had the strength to get out of the doctor's office. And Jesse had stayed there with her the entire time. After she had woken up that first time, and the doctor said she was going to be fine, Jesse had told Ed about what had happened with Malcolm, and that his body was still at the house. Ed had volunteered to go out there and get rid of the body, and Jesse was grateful. The last thing he wanted to do was bring Anna home to that bloody scene.

Beth had stopped by earlier in the day, bringing with her some new clothes for Anna. And now, Jesse found himself helping her into them so that the blood stained ones could be thrown away. Once she was dressed, Jesse walked with her to their horses, to start the ride home.

As they neared the half-finished house, Jesse couldn't help but feel like he had finally put his past to rest, that he had silenced the ghosts that had haunted him his whole life. At first he'd felt ashamed of what he had done to Malcolm. He felt like he had turned into a monster, just like his father was. But after talking about it with Ed for some time, he accepted that he had done what he needed to do to survive. And with that acceptance, came peace.

There was nothing standing in the way of his life anymore. There were no demons that haunted him, or ghosts from his past. He and Anna were free. And he was very much ready to finish their home and settle in with her, and see what their future had in store.

When they finally reached home, Jesse jumped off his horse, and went over to help Anna off hers. When she was on the ground, he pulled her into his arms, and held her, careful not to touch her bad shoulder. She put her good arm around him, and held tight. The feeling melted his heart, and words couldn't describe how grateful he was that she here with him, and that she would be okay.

When she pulled back slightly, he looked down at her to see moisture filling her eyes. Before he could say anything, she put her hand over his heart, and said, "I love you."

Jesse tipped his head, and kissed her softly on the lips. Then, pulling her into him again, said, "I love you, too. Welcome home, Anna."

#  Chapter 26

Three months later...

Anna snuggled into the side of Jesse. They were both naked, lying in bed in their new house. His body was warm and hard, and she molded herself to it as she came down from the high he had just given her. He was absentmindedly playing with her fingers, as he held her hand over his chest, and when she looked at him, he looked completely at ease.

Since Anna's shoulder had healed, and she'd convinced Jesse that he wasn't going to hurt her, he'd been insatiable in bed. Anna laughed as she thought that it was probably a good thing Ed had decided not to live with them. No doubt he would have been driven mad by Jesse's appetite lately, especially since there was no place in the house where Jesse hadn't taken her.

"What's so funny?" Jesse asked at her laugh.

She giggled. "I was just thinking that it's a good thing Ed isn't living with us."

Jesse laughed, "Yeah, poor bastard would be getting quite the show."

Anna giggled again, and Jesse rolled on top of her, stopping her laughs with a kiss. As his tongue found hers, she ran her hand through his hair and down his back. She loved the feeling of him on top of her, of has strong arms on either side of her, of his mouth trailing slow, sweet kisses over her body, and his legs nestling themselves between hers. She felt completely enveloped by him, and it was the best feeling in the world.

As he started running his hand down her side, she wiggled beneath him. "Jesse, stop." she laughed. Then added, "We need to get dressed. Beth said she would stop by this afternoon, and I'd hate for her to stumble in on us like this."

"She'll knock..." Jesse mumbled as he started to kiss the scar on her shoulder from the bullet wound.

Anna was about to give into him, to let Jesse make love to her again, when there was a knock on the door.

Jesse smiled at her, humor in his eyes, "See, I told you she would."

Anna laughed and playfully pushed against his chest to get him off her. But she failed, and he managed to steal another kiss before letting her get up.

Beth knocked again, and Anna ran about the room throwing on her clothes, all while Jesse took his leisurely time. "You're sure in no hurry." she teased once she was dressed and saw that his chest was still bare.

Jesse winked, and said, "I doubt Beth would mind catching a glimpse of me like this."

Anna grabbed a pillow from the bed and chucked it at him while he continued to laugh. Then she made her way to the front door, only to hear Beth knocking yet again.

"I'm coming!" she said through the door as the unlocked it.

Opening it, she smiled in expectation of Beth. She'd been eagerly awaiting Beth's visit all day, as she was supposed to be bringing over a new book for her. But when she saw who was on the other side of the door, the smile fell from her face.

"Annalee." Jackson said, his tone business as usual, holding no hint of emotion. "I've been looking for you."

She froze for a moment, shocked that Jackson was standing on her doorstep. He was dressed in his usual business ware, the fine cloth highlighting his high social status. His blonde hair was slicked back as usual, but instead of his typical clean shaven face, he had a few days worth of stubble shadowing his features. Anna looked at his cold, blue eyes, and shivered. He harbored nothing but darkness, just as he always had.

Anna took a step back to distance herself, at which Jackson took another step forward. She felt trapped, the presence of him in the door frame suffocating her. She reached out to close the door on him, but he grabbed her wrist before she could.

"I'm here to bring you back to Philadelphia." he said, his fingers digging into her flesh.

"No. I'm not going." she said, and tried pulling her wrist out of his grip. But he didn't let go. Instead, he began pulling her towards the door.

"No!" she yelled, as he drug her down the porch. "Jesse! Help!"

Jackson continued to drag her around the corner of the house as she tried desperately to fight him. A short distance from the house she saw a stagecoach, as well as a dozen or so men on horses and dressed in uniforms of the police officer's back in Philadelphia. Anna panicked and fought, kicking at Jackson, clawing him, trying to get him to loosen his grip on her wrist. Instead, he pulled her closer to him, and grabbed her hair at the back of her head with his other hand, forcing her forward to the stagecoach.

"Get in." he commanded.

"No!" she screamed. Then, as Jackson began pushing her into the stagecoach, she cried out, "Jesse!"

Anna saw him run out of the house, and the realization that hit him when he saw Jackson pushing her into the stagecoach.

"Anna!" he yelled, and began to run towards her.

At the same time, the uniformed men came towards Jesse. Several got off their horses, and ran at him, tackling him to the ground. Anna watched as they tied his hands in front of him, despite his efforts to get them off him. She kept fighting Jackson, trying to wiggle free. Tears poured down her face, as he shut the stagecoach door in front of her.

"Jesse!" She yelled through the glass, her arms hitting against it. She tried the handle, but it didn't move.

She watched helplessly as Jesse was drug to his feet, then led over to the rest of the uniformed men on horses. They tied the other end of the rope that bound his hands to one of the horses, and they began to ride out, forcing him to walk behind them. The whole time, he kept his eyes on her, fighting against the rope that pulled him forward.

"Let's go!" Jackson yelled to the man driving the stage coach.

As they went past Jesse, Anna's eyes followed him. Through her clouded vision, the last thing she saw as the stagecoach pulled away, was Jesse watching her with a dark look on his face. It was the same look he had when he had wanted revenge on his father. She knew then that he'd come for her. Somehow, some way, he would find her.

Anna looked at Jackson sitting across from her, at the smug expression on his face. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her weak, she dried her tears, squared her shoulders, and refused to give into a fate that consisted of a life with him. Her mind turned, as yet again, she planned her escape.

Hello Reader!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read "An Outlaw's Vengeance." I hope you enjoyed the story! (And are eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!) If you can, head over to where ever you purchased the book and leave a review... it means the world to authors to get feedback on their work.

In the meantime, I will keep diligently working on the rest of the series. Jesse and Anna have quite the story to tell. Stay tuned to find out what happens next with them, and get ready for some other characters to return, as well as some new ones to be introduced.

For updates on what I'm working on, to interact with me, and to participate in give-aways (I love giving away free books!), find me on Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks again for reading!

-A. M. Wagner
