by Lori

Jimmy closed the door to the house and started down the street. He needed to stop by the jail real quick before he went to Polly’s house to get Alexis. As he reached the office, he paused and looked over his shoulder. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end and his skin felt like thousands of unseen fingers had brushed across it.

“Hey, Jimmy,” Buck said as his friend walked inside.

“Hey, guys,” he replied to Buck and Cody. “Anything new?”

“Nothin’,” Cody sighed from the desk. “’Though Buck did spot someone he doesn’t remember seeing around before, so we’re going to look into it tonight.”

“Let me know what you find,” Jimmy said as he turned toward the door.

“Don’t worry, we will. Now you better go get Alexis before she heads out by herself.”

Alexis glanced one last time at the grandfather clock in the front room. If she didn’t leave now, she and Jimmy would be late for dinner with his sisters. Regardless of what Jimmy said about giving them time to come around, she felt like they would never like her. She wasn’t Rosemary, she wasn’t involved with The Cause, and she felt they’d never see her as good enough.

Locking the door behind her, she lifted the hem of her dress slightly as she quickly headed down the street. To her, just the fact that Jimmy’s sisters never wanted to leave Rosemary at the hotel by herself spoke volumes. They knew Alexis didn’t get along well with Rosemary, and yet every time they got together, she was there. Alexis knew where Celinda and Lydia’s loyalties and preferences were.

She was so wrapped up in her fuming, that she almost missed the turn to the marshal’s office. Alexis contemplated heading straight for the hotel, but figured she’d see Jimmy near the office. If she didn’t go that way, he’d head to Polly’s house and then she’d be alone with his sisters and Rosemary.

Turning up the side street, she quickly walked along. She was almost to the main street when a hand on her arm stopped her. “Alexis, dear. Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“I’d say it’s too late for that, Buck,” Cody said as they followed Jimmy outside. They could see Alexis just across the street, talking to Mrs. Coe, the mayor’s wife. Each man paused, looking at Alexis. For Cody, it was the first time seeing the purple dress, but Jimmy and Buck had seen it on her the night she got drunk at Harkins’ bar. Of course, it looked a lot better tonight now that it wasn’t wrinkled and dirty.

“Jimmy, she sure is pretty,” Cody told him, putting his arm on Jimmy’s shoulder.

“You’re a lucky man, Hickok,” Buck added.

Jimmy didn’t hear a word they said. All he could focus on was Alexis and this feeling in the pit of his stomach like he’d eaten hot lead. She was talking to the town’s biggest busy-body, just like in his, “Dreams.”

“Jimmy?” Buck asked.

“No, Alexis, go back.”

His fierce whispering caused Cody and buck to look at Jimmy. They glanced at each other as Jimmy continued to mumble under his breath.

“Hickok?” Cody asked, resting his hand on his friend’s arm.

Cody’s touch was like releasing a brake on a wagon. Jimmy finally felt like he could move. He stepped into the street and broke out into a run. “Alexis!”

“Good evening, Mrs. Coe,” Alexis smiled through clenched teeth.

“How are you this evening?”

“Running a bit late, I’m afraid. Jimmy and I are supposed to meet his family for dinner.”

“It’s so nice they were able to come for the wedding. The whole town’s looking forward to it.”

“I imagine,” Alexis said trying not to roll her eyes.

“We’re all a little surprised how quickly you set a date. I suppose you and the marshal are just so in love you couldn’t wait. I mean, what other explanation could there be, right?”

Alexis forced herself to keep the smile on her face. She knew what Mrs. Coe was fishing for. “That’s exactly right. We nearly lost each other once; we just didn’t see a need for a long wait. We knew our friends and family would come as soon as we told them.”

“Of course, dear,” the mayor’s wife smiled sweetly. “You have such understanding friends.”

“Thank you,” Alexis said. If she didn’t leave soon, she would be late for dinner. More than that, she would say something she would regret. “I really have to go, Mrs. Coe. Don’t want to keep Jimmy’s family waiting.”

She turned and nodded her head as Mrs. Coe said good-bye. Noticing Jimmy, Buck and Cody across the street, she grinned broadly. It would be nice to finally be with Jimmy. The happiness faded when Jimmy stepped off the boardwalk and started running towards her, yelling her name. Cody and Buck were right behind him. She couldn’t understand why Jimmy yelled at her to go back when she started walking towards him.

The man on the roof watched the scene below him with a growing satisfaction. The plan was going to work out perfectly. The person paying him had insisted the marshal and the woman both be present, making the victim’s death all the more tragic as they died in the other’s arms.

He personally thought his employer had over-planned this whole assassination. He’d had plenty of opportunities to kill the victim the past several weeks. Now there were more people here, one of whom was a Territorial Marshal. Of course it was easy for his employer to insist on being present when the person died, only the shooter’s neck was on the line. The whole situation was making him nervous and he couldn’t wait to do the job, take his money and get out of the area.

Watching the people below him, he held his gun and bided his time. Finally the perfect opening presented itself. The marshal broke away from his friends and the woman moved into the street. He could hear the marshal yelling for her to stay back, and he smiled wickedly knowing time had run out.

The rifle firmly against his shoulder, the hired assassin looked down the site on the barrel. His finger poised just above the trigger, he waited and then gently squeezed. The marshal and the woman had almost reached each other when the shot echoed in the street. He didn’t bother waiting, he knew the first shot had found its mark and the victim was dead. It was time to get out while he still could.

Buck and Cody stopped short when they heard the gunshot. Crouching down, guns drawn, they waited for more shots to come. When they heard none, Buck stood, pulling Cody up with him. Pointing, Buck yelled, “The roof, Cody. Go that way.”

Glancing briefly at his friends, Cody took off running. Directing his attention toward the rooftops he looked for any sign of the shooter. Spotting a figure jumping buildings, he squeezed off a shot and yelled for Buck.

The street by this time was filling up with bystanders, curious to know what happened and who’d been shot. Sam came running up and stopped short, causing Emma and Polly to run into him. Jimmy was cradling Alexis to his chest, tears running unheeded down his cheeks.

“Oh my…” Emma breathed, her hands instinctively covering her mouth.

“Alexis,” Polly gasped.

Cody ran down the passageway between two buildings, emptying out into the open. He scanned right and left, looking for signs of where the shooter had gone. Hearing noise to his left, he ducked back between the buildings as a shot whizzed past. He squeezed off a shot, then took off running after his prey. Cautiously, he turned a corner and brought his weapon up.

Buck had the shooter pinned against the wall; his gun aimed at the man’s head. Cody didn’t know how Buck had beaten him there, but he wasn’t surprised at all. Slowly approaching, Cody looked to Buck for instruction.

“Grab his horse,” Buck commanded. “He ain’t talkin’ yet. Let’s get him into the jail.”

Cody holstered his gun and grabbed the reins of the horse. They started towards the jail, each man silent and contemplative.

Nearing the jail, they saw Jimmy carrying Alexis into the doctor’s Polly and Emma following behind him. Sam was standing in the street, waiting for them. They had almost reached the Territorial Marshal when a shot was fired. The shooter twisted and then fell to the ground, blood from his head staining the dirt.

“The hotel,” Sam yelled. He and Buck ran off while Cody quickly secured the horse. He turned and saw a familiar figure standing near by.

“Tompkins,” he yelled, in a voice that booked no opposition. “Make sure nobody touches that horse.”

The shopkeeper mutely nodded, as all he saw was the back of Cody’s fringed jacket disappearing toward the hotel.

Bounding up to the second floor, Cody was greeted by confused guests mulling out the hallway. He quickly joined up with Sam and Buck as they exited the hotel out he back and looked around in vain.

“Nobody,” Cody growled.

“Back inside,” Sam ordered. “Talk to the guests. Find out what they saw and heard.”

Each man slowly walked back up the stairs and into the hotel. They started talking to the guests, asking questions and slowly making their way down the hall. Halfway down the side facing the street, Buck saw a face that made him clench his jaw.

“Buck, what’s going on?” Rosemary asked.

“Alexis was shot,” he told her. “We were bringing the shooter in when someone in the hotel shot him.”

“Is he dead?”

Buck nodded in disgust. They’d lost their one sure way to find out why Alexis had been shot.

“And Alexis?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I saw Jimmy her taking to the doctor’s. Did you see or hear anything?”

“No,” Rosemary told him. “I wasn’t feeling well tonight so I was lying down. I woke up when I heard a shot. Then I watched from up here until I heard a second shot.”

“Where did the shot come from?” Buck probed.

“Down that way,” she said, pointing. “Then I heard you guys running up the stairs.”

“Mind if I take a look out your window?”

“Go ahead,” she told him.

Buck moved to the window and looked outside. The body of the shooter still lay in the street, almost directly in front of her room. Not really knowing what he expected to find, he turned and headed for the door.

“Buck? Please tell Jimmy…that I’m sorry. And I hope…that Alexis will be alright.”

“I’ll tell him,” he replied as he stepped into the hallway. He saw Sam and Cody walking towards him, equally grim expressions on their faces.

“Nobody saw anything,” Cody said, slumping dejectedly against the wall.

“But several people thought they heard the shot fired from a room down this way,” Sam said, trying to hang onto to anything that might help them. “Let’s check it out.”

“Jimmy?”

He looked up at the person standing beside him. “Celinda.”

“How is she?”

“I don’t know,” he replied in a gravely voice. “Doc wasn’t sure how long it’d be.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said as she sat down beside him and put her around his shoulders.

“I just don’t understand, Celinda. Why Alexis? Why was she hit and not me?”

“Oh, Jimmy, you can’t blame yourself,” Lydia said as she moved beside him.

“Lydia, I know someone’s been watching me. I…I should have been able to keep her safe.”

“There’s nothing more you could have done,” Lydia told him. “You and your friends were doing all you could.”

“And it wasn’t enough,” Jimmy said angrily as he stood up. “She could die. What will I do without her?”

He rested his head against the wall separating the waiting room from the surgical area. His sisters watched him sadly, as did Polly and Emma. Emma knew Jimmy was blaming himself for this. He would drive himself mad going over it again and again, wondering what he could have done differently.

“Jimmy,” she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “She’ll be alright. The doc will take care of her. Why don’t we step outside and get some fresh air?”

He shrugged her hand off and angrily shook his head. “No. I’m not leaving her. Ike died in this room, I can’t lose her.”

“Jimmy, you can’t think like that. You have to be positive.”

“Emma, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but please, I just want to be alone.”

The others looked at each other and Polly nodded her head slowly. Then motioning toward the door, she led the others outside.

“We’ll be back in a little while, Jimmy. Can we bring you anything?” Emma asked.

Jimmy shook his head no and kept his back to the room until they finally left. When he heard the door click into place he fell to his knees and did something he hadn’t done in a long time. He prayed.

Cody and Sam stood outside the door to the room and waited for Buck to come back with the hotel clerk. Finally the two men came up the stairs and towards them. The clerk nervously unlocked the door, but it was Buck’s unreadable expression that had Cody and Sam worried.

“Thank you, Phillip,” Buck said, stopping the clerk from entering the room. “We better do this ourselves.”

“Alright,” he replied, somewhat disappointed, but mostly relieved. This was more excitement than he’d ever had in the hotel and he would be happy when it was all over.

When the clerk had started down the hall, Buck opened the door and stepped into the room. He thought that the room would be empty, that the shooter had been in this room and whomever he was working with had slipped in here. Instead the clerk had told him it was occupied and by a… “A woman’s room?” Cody asked, seeing a dress hanging over the dressing screen in the corner.

“Not just any woman,” Buck said uncomfortably.

“Buck, what’s going on?” Sam asked.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” an indignant voice added from the doorway. “What are you doing in my room?”

“Lydia?” Cody gasped.

“Yes,” Jimmy’s sister responded to Cody’s remark. “This is my room. What are you doing here?”

“Several of the guests thought they heard a gunshot come from this room,” Buck told her.

“And you think I shot someone?” she asked incredulously.

“Now, we didn’t say that,” Sam said, stepping forward to diffuse the situation. “We’re just looking into what happened.”

“Well, I’ll tell you what happened. I was in the restaurant with Nathan and Celinda waiting for Jimmy and Alexis to arrive, when we heard the first shot. We ran outside and saw Alexis lying on the ground bleeding. When Jimmy took her to the doctor’s, Celinda and I went too. We heard the second shot from the doctor’s place.”

“Where did Nathan go?” Buck asked.

“He took little William upstairs,” she said, almost horrified they might suspect her sister’s husband.

“I talked to him,” Sam said. “Their room doesn’t face the street.”

“Did anyone else have a key to your room?” Buck asked.

“Besides the clerk? No,” she said, shaking her head.

“We’re sorry to have bothered you,” Sam said as he directed Cody and Buck out of her room.

“I hope you find whoever did this,” she told them, as they walked out.

“Where to now?” Cody asked once they were in the hallway.

“The jail,” Sam answered. “I don’t think there’s more we can do here.”

“Let’s see what’s in the shooter’s bags,” Buck said. “Maybe there’ll be something in there.”

“It’s definitely our best hope,” Sam agreed.

Jimmy paced the small room silently but with growing frustration. It had been hours since he’d told everyone to go and leave him alone, but he couldn’t take the feeling of everyone hovering over him. It was as if they were waiting for the worst and he had to be strong for them. He just couldn’t stand the pressure.

Now that he was alone, however, he found his mind becoming obsessed with the what-if scenarios. His dreams were playing out before his eyes and he felt dread settling into the pit of his stomach. The more time that passed, the more he feared things would end drastically wrong.

The door from the street opened and someone stepped inside. Jimmy wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and looked up from the floor he’d been staring at.

“Emma?” he croaked out in a thick voice.

“I can go if you want, but I thought you might need somebody to talk to.”

Jimmy nodded and collapsed into a chair in an undignified heap. Emma sat down beside him and put her arm around his shoulder, drawing him closer. She kept silent, knowing Jimmy would talk when he was ready.

“I can’t lose her, Emma. I just can’t. She’s everything to me.”

“I know, Jimmy,” she said as she squeezed his shoulder. “That’s why you have to be strong. I know you’re scared, we all are. But Alexis is strong, and she’ll pull through this if that’s what’s mean to be.”

“I feel so helpless. I should be helping Sam and Buck. Doing something.

“No, you should not,” Emma told him strongly. “Buck and Sam and even Cody are all working on this. They’re doing everything they can. Your place is here, with the woman you love.”

“Sam-“

“If I was lying in there,” she said, nodding her head toward the back room, “would you expect Sam to work?”

“No, we’d tell him to stay here,” Jimmy said as he shook his head.

Emma smiled and nodded. “That’s why your place is here. And I’ll stay just as long as you want me to.”

“Thank you, Emma,” he said taking her hand. He squeezed it lightly, and then unconsciously tightened his grip when the door opened and the doctor walked out. Her hand was the only thing keeping him grounded to reality and he clung to it like a lifeline.

“Nothing,” Cody sneered in utter disgust as he threw the now empty saddlebag on the desk. “We’ve been through everything and there’s nothing to say who this guy was working for.”

“At least we know his name,” Buck said as he wearily rubbed the back of his neck. “Tyrone Clements.”

“What good does a name do if we ain’t never heard of him before?” Cody snapped. “We don’t know why he shot Alexis, who he was working for if the other person is still in town.”

“Well it sure ain’t like you got anything better to go on,” Buck shot back. “I’m the one who got the guy’s name from the hotel. What did you do?”

“That’s enough,” Sam said forcefully. “Let’s remember our purpose here. We’re all tired, worried and angry. Let’s not start in on each other.”

“You’re right,” Cody said, chagrinned. He looked at Buck and said, “I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” Buck said, waiving off Cody’s apology. “Sam’s right, we’re all just frustrated.”

Sam stood and rubbed his hand across his jaw. “Why don’t you boys go get some sleep. First light, Buck, I want you and Cody to search south of town. Clements’ horse was secured for a southern escape. Maybe he was supposed to meet somebody.”

“Alright,” the two men agreed. They went to Buck’s rooms behind the jail, leaving Sam alone with his thoughts.

Stepping out onto the boardwalk, he pulled a cigar from his shirt pocket and sat down the chair outside the door. Striking a match, he puffed until the cigar caught, and then he waved the match, extinguishing the flame. The street was quiet, typical reaction he’d noticed after someone was shot in the center of town. The quiet was nice, but Sam didn’t really notice it. His mind was too busy working through the events of the day. The second shooter was really a puzzle to him. His gut told him the shooter was still in town, especially when the eerie feeling he was being watched suddenly washed over him.

Casually he scanned the streets and the buildings. He didn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean someone wasn’t there. He inhaled again, and then tossed the cigar onto the street. He thought, as he stood to go inside, that maybe he shouldn’t send Cody and Buck out the next day. Something told him they would be needed close by.

“Doc?” Emma asked, as Jimmy continued to squeeze her hand tightly. “How is she?”

“She’s alive,” he said, answering their biggest fear. “I removed the bullet and repaired the damage, but she’s lost an awful lot of blood. If she gets an infection, she may not have the strength to fight it.”

Jimmy was grateful he was still sitting down. She was alive, but the doc did not sound hopeful. He warned Jimmy and Emma that they should prepare for the possibility Alexis might not make it all. Jimmy felt like he’d been punched in gut repeatedly, and it was all he could do to take a breath.

“Jimmy?”

“Huh?” he asked, looking over at Emma.

“The doctor asked if you wanted to see Alexis,” she said softly.

Jimmy nodded mutely and stood on unsure legs. He took a step toward the door the doctor stood beside, then stopped and turned back to Emma. He put his arms around her and choked out, “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, Jimmy,” she told him. “I’ll tell the others about Alexis. You go be with her.”

Jimmy released her and gave her a weak smile. Turning, he followed the doc into the other room where Alexis lay. When the doctor left and closed the door behind him, Jimmy crossed the room and sat beside the bed. He reached for her hand, softly taking it between his, as tears coursed down his cheeks. Drawing in a shaky breath, he wiped the wetness from his cheeks and then smoothed back her hair. Her face was so pale; she looked like a porcelain doll tucked neatly into a bed. Except, he told himself, nobody would be this cruel to a doll. A monster had done this to her, and he vowed he would find whoever was responsible for this and make them pay.

“Sam…Sam, wake up,” Buck said as he nudged the sleeping man.

Sam’s feet dropped off the desk to the floor with a resounding thud. Rubbing his hands over his tired eyes, he peered up at the two men standing before him. “It ain’t even day yet.”

“It will be soon,” Buck replied. “We figured we should get an early start.”

Sam hesitated a moment before speaking. “I think just one of you should go. I think the second shooter’s still in town.”

“What makes you say that?” Cody asked, leaning against the desk and studying the marshal intently.

“I felt like I was being watched last night,” Sam answered. “I think the shooter’s still in town. Either he’s waiting to make another move, or he’s hoping to let things calm down before he makes his escape. I want a stronger presence in town.”

“Alright,” Buck agreed. “Which one of us do you want to go?”

“You go, Buck. I don’t know what to tell you to look for, but I trust your instincts. Be back by noon or so.”

Buck nodded and headed outside to ready his horse, anxious to finally be doing something after waiting all night. Cody watched him go and then turned to Sam. “What do you want me to do?”

“You and I are going to ask around town. I want us to check the boarding houses, the saloons, and the hotel again. Somebody had to have seen or heard something.” He reached into a desk drawer and flipped something shiny to Cody. “You remember how to be a deputy don’t you?”

Cody nodded as he pinned the tin badge to his vest. “Let’s get to work.”

Early in the morning, Jimmy woke with a start, the grisly image of Alexis lying bloody in the street floating before him. He looked over at the woman he loved, and listened carefully to make sure she was still breathing. She hadn’t changed at all during the night. Her pale skin glowed in the lamplight. Under different circumstances he might have been captivated by the way the light played across her skin, but now he just found it an unearthly color. Reaching his hand out, he touched her forehead for signs of a fever.

He was relieved to find it felt normal. It wasn’t overly cool, or too warm. Touching his hand to how own forehead, he was comforted that the temperature closely matched hers. He figured, no he hoped, that was a good sign. Alexis stirred slightly at his touch, and he watched her expectantly to see if she was waking.

“She’ll probably sleep for a while longer,” the doctor said. Jimmy looked around, realizing for the first time that there was someone else in the room. “I gave her some more laudanum when I checked on her a couple of hours ago. I’d like to keep her still for a while longer.”

“She doesn’t feel warm,” Jimmy commented.

“No, I think she’s been lucky so far. I want to clean the wound and change the dressing again, just to make sure infection doesn’t set in.”

Jimmy nodded and looked back down at Alexis. “Do you think she’ll make it?”

“She made it through the night, and that’s a good sign. I’ll feel better tomorrow if an infection hasn’t come. In the meantime, I’ll like to clean her wound,” the doctor said again, trying verbally to nudge Jimmy out of the way.

The young marshal stood, stretching the kinks out of his back while the doctor gathered his supplies and walked to the bedside. “Why don’t you go get breakfast, Jimmy? I’ll stay with her ‘til you come back.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Jimmy said, looking down one last time at the still woman lying on the bed. Then he picked up his hat and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Twenty minutes later, Jimmy stood in the hotel lobby. He’d gone to the house and quickly changed his shirt, taking just a few minutes to scrape the whiskers off his face. Rubbing his hand absently along his jaw, his fingers found a small patch that he’d missed in his haste.

“James?”

He stiffened slightly at the voice behind him. It was unmistakable, combined with the fact that only she called him James.

“Rosemary,” he said as he turned. Whatever she wanted, she was going to have to broach the subject, because he was in no desire to start a conversation with anyone, let alone her.

“How are you?” she asked softly, moving a step closer.

“I’m fine, Rosemary,” he said, his jaw clenching. “The woman I love is fighting for her life, but I’m fine.”

“I’m sorry about Alexis, I hope she’ll be alright.”

“Thank you,” he said tonelessly, glancing toward the dining room, silently begging the chef to hurry.

“Is there any word on the shooter?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve been at the doc’s all night with Alexis. I’m gonna go over and talk to Sam as soon as my food gets here.”

“Marshal,” a young waitress said, as she approached with a large tray. “Four orders of steak and eggs.”

“Thank you, Carol,” he said with a weak smile. “Can you send the bill to the Marshal’s office?”

“There’s no bill,” she said gently. “It’s on the house. We all hope Alexis is better soon and you find whoever did this.”

Jimmy told himself it was because he was tired, but he turned his head briefly as he felt his chest tightening at her words. “Thank you, Carol.”

He picked up the tray and turned for the door. He was almost there when Rosemary spoke again. “I hope everything works out, James.”

He’d forgotten she was there and briefly felt guilty that he’d just walked off, but he was eager to get to the jail. As soon as he talked to the others, he could go back to the doctor’s and Alexis. He turned back and with a tone he hoped was pleasant said, “Thanks, I’ll see you later.”

Then he was out the door and across the street, not bothering to wait for her answer.

“Was that Jimmy that just left?” Lydia asked as she came down into the lobby.

“Yes,” Rosemary answered softly as she turned from the door.

“Any news on Alexis?” she asked, coming to stand by the Abolitionist’s widow.

“No. No change.”

“Any news on the shooter?” Lydia asked after another pause.

“He didn’t know. He was going to go over to his office and talk to the others.”

“Did they talk to you last night? They came into my room thinking that the shooter had been in there. Can you believe that?” she asked, glancing at the smaller woman out of the corner of her eye.

“Why would they think that?”

“Jimmy’s deputy said others thought the shot sounded like it came from my room.”

“Did they say if anyone saw someone in your room or leaving it?”

Lydia took a moment before answering. Rosemary seemed to be holding herself perfectly still, but also at the ready to bolt. “They didn’t say. Why the questions, Rosemary?”

“No reason,” she said quickly. “Just curious. Excuse me, but I really must go.”

Lydia watched Rosemary walk off and her eyes narrowed briefly. Something was definitely going on, she just wasn’t sure what yet. Maybe she should talk to Celinda about it.

Jimmy slipped into the room and closed the door softly behind him. Sitting wearily on the chair he scrubbed his hands over his face and pushed them through his hair. Nothing. He really hated that word. Sam and the others had found nothing on the two shooters. Buck was searching outside of town and Sam and Cody were searing in town, but so far they found nothing.

It was the same with the doctor. Nothing had changed with Alexis. He thought after drugging her to get some restful sleep during the night that she would wake soon. But she wasn’t waking up, and there was nothing more the doctor could do. They would just have to wait. So now Jimmy was supposed to sit here and do nothing, while the woman he loved slipped further away from him. He could feel it, and he feared it. So it was time to stop doing nothing and start doing something.

Reaching out, he clasped her hand in his and looked down at their linked fingers. His callused thumb brushed over her knuckles gently. With his other hand he softly moved the hair off her faced while he studied her features intently. Clearing his throat gruffly he winced at the loud sound in the previously quiet room.

“Alright, Alexis, here’s the deal. It’s time to wake up. We’re all sitting here; worried and waiting for you to wake up and come back to us. So, although I’m sure you’re tired and it feels good to sleep, you need to wake up.

“Everyone came for our wedding, you remember that don’t you? Of course Polly and Lou and Rachel have been doin’ most of the planning,” he said with a soft chuckle. “You’d probably be happy if we just ran off and eloped. I gotta say, that looks really good to me too. So, what ya say you wake up, I spring you from this joint and we go get married?”

He looked down at her, a smile fading his lips and turning serious again. “Alright, should have known you wouldn’t be that easy to get through to. But come on, Alexis, you need to wake up. Right now I know you think it’s easier to stay in that place you’re in. You’ve created a little place where you feel safe. The rest of the world is dark and you’re afraid, but you have to come back.

“You have to fight your way back through that darkness. You can do it, you’re strong. You’re the strongest person I know and if anyone can fight their way through it’s you. So come on,” he squeezed her hand tightly as he swiped his tears with his free hand. “Fight your way back, Alexis. Come back to me. Come back to us.”

Feeling defeated, Jimmy dropped his head onto the bed and listened to her steady breathing. The rhythmic sound of her breaths lulled him, and soon his eyes dropped closed. He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep until he found himself fighting to wake up. His senses told him something was different, and his conscience was desperate to find out what it was.

Slowly blinking his eyes open, he turned his head and found himself staring into the deep blue vastness of Alexis’s eyes.

“Alexis?” he whispered, almost afraid to blink for fear this would all be a dream. She nodded her head just a fraction, but it was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. After watching her lie motionless for so long he was thrilled that she was finally awake.

“Hello, Beautiful,” he smiled down at her after propping up on his elbow. “I’m so glad to see you awake.”

“Jimmy,” she croaked out, then coughed. He shook he head, indicating for her not to speak. Sitting up, he reached for the ceramic pitcher on the table beside the bed and poured her a glass of water.

“Thanks,” she said softly as after she drank deeply from the glass and then settled back on the bed. She closed her eyes and then slowly opened them, trying to focus on her surroundings. “What happened?”

Jimmy picked up her hand and held it gently between his. “You were shot. I’m so sorry.”

“Did you shoot me?”

“What?” he choked out, horrified at her words. “No. Some drifter did. Cody and Buck chased him down, but somebody shot him. Alexis, I could never hurt you.”

Her eyes twinkled slightly. “I know that. So don’t apologize for something you didn’t do. I remember you running for me and reaching for me. The last thing I felt was love. Don’t ever apologize for that.”

Jimmy closed his eyes and dropped his head. He should have known she wouldn’t blame him or want him beating himself up over this. He lifted his head and looked at her. “I love you.”

“I know. I love you too. Just don’t forget that.”

“I don’t think I could,” he chuckled. “But I think you should stick around to remind me of it.”

A sly smirk covered her face. “You know, I have just the way to do that.”

“And that is?”

“As your wife. That way, every day I can tell you just how much I love you.”

“You have a deal. So, you do everything the doc tells you, and as soon as he says you’re all better, we’ll get married.”

“Promise?” she asked sleepily.

“Nothing and no one can stop us,” he said placing a tender kiss on her forehead. “Now, I’m going to get the doc.”

Alexis sat on her bed and fought the urge to scream. After spending three more days at the doctor’s, she’d finally been allowed to go back to Polly’s house. She had been so excited to finally be able to leave the prison she considered the doc’s to be. Little did she realize she was trading one prison for another.

For the past five days she’d never been alone. Emma, Rachel and Polly were constantly hovering around her. Jimmy’s sisters and Lou stopped by often as well. The only time she was alone was when she was asleep, which everyone was constantly fussing at her to do. Then if she wasn’t being fussed over to sleep, they wanted her to eat, or tell them how she was feeling.

She was never alone and she couldn’t take it anymore. The only time she didn’t mind having someone with her was when Jimmy took a break from the Marshal’s office. However, with the continuing investigation and the normal day to day business of the town, he didn’t have a lot of time to be with her.

As Alexis listened to Polly continue to fuss over her, she just wanted to yell with frustration. Polly held a special place in her heart, but at this moment the older woman was on her last nerve. Forget the fact that Teaspoon and Polly had become her surrogate parents, forget that they had laughed and cried together, forget that she and Polly had grown ever closer after Teaspoon’s death, all Alexis wanted to do at that moment was grab one of Jimmy’s guns and point it at the older woman and tell her to get out.

She shot a glance at Jimmy and felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders when he gave her a small nod and a smile. “Polly? She’ll be just fine. Could you give us a minute?”

“Oh, right,” she said with a small chuckle. “Sorry, Alexis. I’ll go get us some lunch, would you like that?”

“Thanks,” Alexis smiled and watched as Polly left the room and pulled the door closed behind her. Turning to Jimmy she let out a huge sigh of relief. “Thank you. Everyone is driving me crazy with their constant mothering.”

“They’re just worried about you. You know how that goes. If I remember correctly, you fussed over me quite a bit when Seth shot me.”

She huffed and tried to look indignant. “So this is payback for not letting you ride for several weeks?”

“No,” he said as he leaned closer, “this is about me taking care of you because I love you. Just like you took care of me because you loved me.”

A smirk crossed her lips. “So, can I start grousing and demanding to go outside? After all, I was shot over a week ago. We let you leave your bed after a week.”

“First, I did not grouse. Second, you’ll have to ask the doctor, but if he says you can get up, I suppose you could sit on the sofa.”

“You, dear, were a bear,” she laughed lightly. “Admit it.”

“Never,” he laughed.

“And,” she drew out the word, pointedly ignoring his interruption. “I don’t want to sit on the sofa. We let you sit outside. I need fresh air, Jimmy. I’m goin’ stir crazy.”

“Alright, you poor thing,” he laughed. “I’ll talk to the doctor and see what he says. If he says you can, you and I will sit outside this evening.”

“Just like an old married couple,” she sighed.

“It’ll be soon, I promise. But I better get back to the office,” he said regretfully. “Polly’ll be in soon with your lunch.”

He leaned over and softly brushed his lips across hers. Then he stood and left the room. Alexis leaned back against the pillows she was propped up with and sighed. A few blissful moments alone. Soon her reverie was broken by the sound of Jimmy’s boots signaling his return.

She looked up and raised her eyebrows in question. “Forget something?”

“Polly must have left to get lunch. I guess I’ll wait for her to get back.”

“Nonsense,” she stated firmly. “Polly will be back soon. I’ll be just fine sitting here. I do not need a babysitter. So go to the office. The sooner you do, the sooner you can talk to the doc and the sooner you and I can sit outside. Go.”

Jimmy laughed as she made little shooing motions with her hands, but after a quick kiss he grabbed his hat and left. Alexis sat there after she heard the front click and sighed. Alone. Such a wonderful state of being. Nobody hovering, fussing, or bothering her.

Throwing back the blanket, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and slowly stood. Finally on her feet, she smiled as she felt only a brief moment of dizziness. Because she had lost so much blood, she had been quite dizzy and weak, but she was finally regaining her strength. She walked slowly across the room and then turned and headed the other direction. It felt so good to finally be doing something other than lying around.

After a couple of passes back and forth, Alexis stopped and decided to go for the big test. She first rotated her uninjured shoulder just to get her upper body used to some movement. A small twinge of pain rippled through her body, but it wasn’t anything that she couldn’t handle. Then gently she moved the shoulder that had been shot.

Little spasms of pain shot through her shoulder and down her arm as she moved. She kept the movements small and slow, since this was the first time she’d really moved it. Limited motion, and pain, but finally moving it went a long way to easing her mind that she was going to be all right. It was also beginning to get to her and make her light headed.

Knowing when to call it enough, she slowly sat down and settled back on the bed. Mentally assessing the pain and the reasons for it, she figured that the wound wasn’t that bad. The doctor said the bullet had gone clean through. Blood loss had been a bigger worry. The pain and stiffness was most likely from not having moved it in over a week because of being in a sling until the day before.

Alexis was so busy thinking about her recovery and when, among her many visitors, she might be able to move her arm to loosen it that she didn’t hear the front door open. She heard it click closed, and hastily rearranged her covers as best as she could with one arm. No sense in Polly figuring out she’d been up and bout and then watching over her like a hawk. She’d never get a moment alone that way.

She heard footsteps softly echo through the house and down the hall. Polly had returned with lunch. Normally Alexis would try and persuade Polly to let her eat at the table, but after her little excursion she was secretly looking forward to lunch in bed and a little pampering. But she couldn’t deviate from the everyday routine.

“Polly, I’m glad you’re back. Think I could eat lunch at the table?” she asked, her voice light and joking.

No answer.

“Come on, Polly. You know I’m feeling cooped up in here. Not answering me isn’t going to make me stop asking.”

Again, there was no answer and the footsteps fell silent for a moment. Then, they began again.

“Emma, Rachel is that you? Sorry, I thought you were Polly with lunch.”

Again, no answer. The footsteps were slower and quieter, like the person as exercising great care not to make too much noise.

The hair on her neck stood on end, and Alexis was suddenly very aware of how vulnerable she was. The shooter was still out there and she was alone. Stupid woman. Told Jimmy he could leave, that you’d be fine. Oh yeah, you’re just fine. Your gun is across the room in the bureau drawer and you’re in bed. Remain calm, do not panic, figure out what you have to your advantage.

“Lou, is that you?” she asked loudly, trying to mask the sound of her shifting on the bed. If she could make it to her gun, then maybe she could have an edge. “I don’t know why you’re being so quiet.”

She was now out of bed and she couldn’t hear footsteps on the other side of the door. “Oh, I know, Jimmy. You sly fox, you. You probably ran into Polly and brought the lunch back. You simply are too good to me.”

She was now at the dresser and had her hands on the drawer. One more little speech to cover the sound and then she’d have a weapon. Suddenly the hope that had been rising was violently shoved to the bottom of her stomach when the door was forcefully flung open.

Rosemary stood in the threshold, the gun in her hand pointed straight at Alexis’ chest, and her eyes filled with pure hate. “James is mine. He was with me until you came back into his life with your sad tale of that old man’s death. Why couldn’t all of you just leave James alone? And why can’t you just die like you’re supposed to?”