Sitting outside of the saloon, toying with the coffee cup under his hand, Chris Larabee covertly watched the hustle and bustle on the street before him. Things had finally settled down in the little town of Four Corners. The past several months had been quite eventful with Nathan's trial, almost dying trying to transport Darwin Jones to trial and they still hadn't been able to find out who was impersonating Mary Travis. It would be nice if they could just sit back and take it easy for awhile.

But, in Four Corners, that was seldom the case. "Telegram for you, Mr. Larabee," Jessie Martin said, holding the paper toward the gunslinger. Easing a dime from his pocket with this right hand as he accepted the paper in his left, Chris flipped the coin in the air towards the young man waiting. Chris liked the young boy, who was trying to earn a little money to help his mom feed him and his siblings. Jessie's father had been killed in a railroad accident over a year ago. Since then, everyone in town had the eleven year old do odd jobs for them.

"Thanks, Jessie," Chris murmured quietly, watching the glee in the boy's eyes at the token.

"Thank you, Mr. Larabee," Jessie said excitedly, before spinning and running off. The dime was a fortune to the youngster.

Turning his attention back to the paper in his hand, Chris' blue eyes ran over the letters carefully printed there. 'TRIAL OF CATHERINE GAINES BEGINS NEXT TUESDAY. MAY NEED YOU TO TESTIFY. BE PREPARED TO COME TO FALL RIVERS. JUDGE ORRIN TRAVIS.'

Staring at the same words on a similar piece of paper, Mary Travis felt her throat constrict. So, they had finally found her - the woman who had helped to kidnap Billy over a year ago. Although she knew this day would eventually come, it still took her by surprise. So much had happened since then. So much had changed

Looking up, Mary gazed out the window. Across the street, she could see Jessie handing Chris a telegram. No doubt, he was getting the same message. Afterall, Chris' past had been an integral part of the crime. It was only natural that he be summoned. Dropping her gaze back to the sheet of paper, Mary couldn't help but wonder why it had to happen now. Why did the events of a year ago have to come back now and bring with them all of the painful memories that were associated with that time? Easing herself onto the stool, Mary felt a loud sigh pass her lips. Suddenly, in her mind, it was as if time had somehow run backwards and she was once again standing in the General Store

Four Corners, a year prior....

"Mary!"

Halting at the sound of Gloria Potter calling her name, Mary Travis turned in the doorway of the general store to see what her friend needed.

"Mary," Gloria said again, coming around the counter, holding an envelope in her hand. "I almost forgot. This came for Mr. Larabee, care of the Clarion. Could you give it to him?"

"Certainly," Mary answered, accepting the mail. "I'm on my way home now. I saw that he was sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine."

"How's he doing?" Gloria asked, lowering her voice so that others would not hear her question. It had been a couple days since the peacekeeper had been brought back to town, a bullet deep in his side.

"Fine," Mary answered, a small tight smile on her face. "Nathan said that in another day or so, he would be strong enough to resume some of his duties."

"What do you think?" Gloria asked, knowing from experience that the seven who protected the town didn't allow themselves to heal sufficiently before they were back at it.

"I'm...," Mary replied hesitantly. The reality was that Mary had not been around the gunfighter much for several weeks. He had left town, been brought back drunk, and put in jail to sober up. Then he had left with that woman, who had arrived in town looking for him, Ella Gaines.

The only time Mary had really talked to him was when he and the others were getting ready to leave. Even then, she had noticed how reserved he was, silently telling her to keep her distance.

She had seen him reserved before, but never like that. It was like he was trying to drive everyone around him away. Still, she had wanted to talk to him, but the other regulators had advised against it.

It had been a hard couple of weeks. Mary found that she had been feeling his absence in her life a great deal. She had become more accustomed to the time they had been spending together than she had realized. Now, she was hoping things could get back to normal.

'And the perfect way to begin that process is to take this letter to him,' Mary thought. Realizing that Gloria was waiting for her to finish her thought, Mary smiled. "I'm sure he's doing fine," she assured the older woman before picking up her skirt and taking her leave.

Pausing at the doorway, Mary looked at the man sitting in front of her home. Wrapped in a patchwork quilt and without his hat, he was staring down the street at some unseen image. Watching him, Mary couldn't help but wonder again what had happened to him when he had been gone.

Oh, she knew he had been shot. Still, that didn't explain the quiet determination that seemed to radiate off of him as he sat there. It was as if he had found a new reason for living.

Moving out of the way of the couple wanting to enter the store, Mary caught a glimpse of the handwriting on the front of the envelope. Curiosity got the best of her. Holding it up, she read the scribbling. 'Chris Larabee, c/o Clarion News Paper.

For some reason, the writing disturbed her. The flowing script was a woman's handwriting. Her instinct told her it had to be from the same woman who had paid to have him brought back from Purgatory, only to have him leave town and come back injured. Now what did she want from him?

On legs that seemed to be too heavy to move, Mary began a slow progress across the street. As she neared him, she tried to stop the tremor in her hands and butterflies in her stomach.

Slowing as she neared him, Mary drew in a deep breath. "I have a letter for you," she said, holding the mail out to Chris.

Anxious about what the letter may hold in store, Mary couldn't help herself and watched as he opened the envelop. When he retrieved the insert that fluttered from it, Mary gasped at the photo glaring at her.

It was Chris in a suit, posing beside that woman. Mary's heart stopped. Had he gotten married when he was gone? Did that explain the change in him?

'Or, perhaps he had been married to her for awhile. That would explain why he had been so ready to leave with her,' Mary reasoned. But if that was so, where did that leave her?

An ache settled in Mary's chest and soul. 'Either way, it means there is no hope for us to be together?.

Moving to escape the photo and all of the implications it held for her, Mary was stopped by Chris calling her name. Spinning, Mary allowed her hurt and anger to be reflected in her countenance. Every inch of her body screamed that there was nothing she wanted to hear nor was there anything he could say to make this better. The facts were too obvious.

Not trying to hide the feeling that she had been betrayed, Mary fled inside firmly shutting the door behind her. Leaning against the door, a single choked sob escaped as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Folding the letter and sliding it and the picture back in the envelope, Chris glanced again at the retreating form of Vin Tanner. The ex-bounty hunter had been tracking Ella Gaines for several days with no luck. Chris had assured him that someday they would meet up with the woman who had been responsible for Sarah and Adam's death. Of that, Chris was positive. For the first time, he knew who had killed his wife and son, and why.

That knowledge had given him a new sense of determination. A new reason to fight the demons that had once again overtaken him for the past several weeks. It just seemed easier to believe the little voices that screamed that he was the reason for all the pain. Those same voices had begun to convince him that any attempts to resume a normal life would only bring more pain - to himself and those he cared for.

It had been simple to believe his friends would not miss him. Likewise, with Mary. It was for her own good that he was leaving. She would only be hurt if they were to continue the courtship that had begun between them. That belief had made it easy to 1eave with Ella Gaines and to stay with her. She was after all, a working girl, so there were no ties that went with it; no danger of being hurt.

Then the truth had come out.

It had been Ella who had arranged for Sarah's and Adam's death. It had been Ella who had lured him and the others into a trap to once again strip him of all he held dear.

And it would be Ella who would die.

Looking back over the past several weeks, Chris understood why he had done the things he had. Still, that did not ease the guilt he felt at betraying his friends. He knew he had hurt them. What could he say to any of them to make everything all right again? More importantly, what could he ever say to Mary to take her pain away?

Mentally cringing, Chris remembered how she had looked a few minutes earlier. She was the last person in the world to deserve the hurt he had brought her. Yet, it had happened.

"Time for you to be gettin' some rest now," Nathan Jackson said, coming up behind Chris. "Easy there," the healer soothed, seeing Chris jump at the sound of his voice. It was evident to Nathan that whatever Chris had been thinking about had taken him someplace where he didn't hear Nathan's approach. "Don't want to be breakin' them stitches now," the healer murmured, slipping a hand under Chris' elbow to help him rise.

Sliding the last of the items she was taking with her into a satchel, Mary took one last look around the small living quarters to make sure everything was in order. Gloria and Nettie had promised to look in a couple times to make sure nothing was being disturbed. 'Plus, Vin and others will be here,' Mary thought.

Spotting her wedding picture, Mary walked over and picked it up. Running her fingers across the small frame, she debated on whether or not she should take it with her. Straightening her shoulders, she quickly set it back down. After all, she wasn't leaving permanently. This was her home. She would be back when....

'When I've figured out a way to be around Chris without it ripping at my heart and soul.'

"Mama!" Billy Travis yelled, running through the front of the Clarion into the living area. "The stage is coming."

Smiling tightly at her son, Mary turned back to the bed and quickly tied the bag closed. "Did you tell everybody goodbye?" Mary asked.

Nodding, Billy's head dropped. "Everybody that you told me to. Why do we gotta leave and how come we can't wait for Chris to come back?"

Biting on her lower lip, Mary had to take several deep breaths. The misery in his voice was only adding to her own. Forcing a smile back on her face, Mary looked at her son. "We'll be back. And you can see Chris then. Okay?" Not waiting for an answer, Mary put on her shawl and picked up her bag. "Grab your bag now and let's go. We don't want to miss the stage," she instructed in a voice filled with forced levity.

Pulling the door firmly shut behind her, Mary followed her son towards the waiting stage. Ignoring the stunned looks coming her way from several of the townsfolk witnessing her progress, Mary handed her bag to the stagehand and lifted Billy into the carriage before turning back to meet the well-dressed man rapidly approaching from the saloon. She had prepared herself for this moment. She knew Ezra was the only peacekeeper in town as the others had gone out to Chris' place or were on patrol. That was why she had chosen this particular day to leave.

"Mr. Standish."

"Mrs. Travis," Ezra Standish greeted the newspaper woman with a hint of confusion in his voice. "Has something happened that necessitates this unexpected trip?" In the past, the seven who guarded the town knew days, if not weeks, in advance when the lovely widow would be out of town. As far as he knew, no such trip had been planned.

"I would appreciate it if you and the others could keep an eye on the Clarion while I'm gone," Mary said, ignoring Ezra's question. "Nettie and Gloria have said they would help, too." Pulling on her gloves for an excuse not to look at Ezra, Mary continued. "Please tell Mr. Larabee that I have arranged for all telegrams from the Judge to be delivered directly to him."

"How long will you be gone?" Ezra asked quietly, his alarm continuing to rise. He knew the past month had been difficult on her. Chris' blatant disregard for her feelings when he had taken off to Purgatory and then with Ella Gaines had been evident to everyone. Then, something unknown to him or the others had happened between her and Chris that had driven the widow into near seclusion for the past week. Now, she was leaving town on an unscheduled trip. All of these events left Ezra with the uneasy feeling that Mary was leaving for good.

Finally looking at him, Mary forced a small smile on her face that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm not quite sure. You will give the others my regards, won't you?"

Seeing the hidden pain behind her smile, Ezra took a step closer and laid a hand on her arm. "Mary...."

"Please don't," Mary choked out softly, knowing that any sign of caring from him would cause her carefully crafted mask to crumble. Pulling away from his touch, she sent him a silent apology with her eyes before turning and climbing into the stage. In a few minutes, it lurched forward, taking her far from Four Corners.