In the cloak of night, they entered Redrock, leaving the horses in the nearby woods. Tate had promised that they would come back and feed them until permanent arrangements could be made. He had insisted that Boss be left behind as well, but Nick made it very clear that she would not be leaving her dog to the wolves. He tried to reason with her, but in the end Boss trotted along side of them as they entered into the city.
Nick was amazed by how immense the city actually was. Even though it was dark and any god fearing person was indoors, she could imagine clearly how packed the streets were during the day. Several saloons were open and she could hear the sounds of men laughing as they drank with their friends. In Honeycomb the saloon closed just before sun down, and anyone inside was tossed out while it was cleaned. Something was magical about this place, and she almost forgot the entire reason that she had come.
They made their way to a rather high class saloon, and Tate opened the cellar door. Once inside, he closed it behind them. The walls were made of gray bricks, and there was a circular table in the center of the room. To her right was an open doorway, the door was small and narrow but had several cots inside. Boss noticed the cots immediately and ran into the small room to lay on one of the cots. A line of beer kegs and wine bottles filled most of the walls, which Tate seemed comfortable enough to offer some to them. No one accepted still unsure as to where they were.
Waiting around the table, it took two hours before anyone came down into the cellar. It was a balding, fat man with red cheeks and a white apron. "Hey, Tate!" He smiled and walk over to him.
Tate stood from his chair and gave the large man a hug. "It's good to see you, Walt."
"Natalie didn't tell me that you were down here."
He gave a nod, "She doesn't know, if you see her can you tell her to come down here when she has a moment."
Walt nodded, "She's with a client right now, but as soon as he gets his happy ending. I'll be sure to send her to you. Are you folks hungry?" He looked over at the other three that filled the table.
All three of them sat quietly allowing Tate to answer for them, "A bowl of your famous stew would go over well with us right now."
"Just a bowl or do you each want your own?" Walt laughed at his joke, that no one else seemed to find funny. Grabbing one of the heavy kegs he lifted it to rest on his shoulder, Nick was surprised with the man's strength. "I'll send Penny down with it." He smiled and headed back up the stairs.
"Who is Natalie?" Rock asked.
"My sister." Tate told him as he took his seat next to Nick.
"Tate!" A red headed woman ran down the stairs, her arms in the air ready to embrace him.
Nick immediately noticed her low cut dress that showed off a lot more cleavage then she was use to seeing, it seemed that both Rock and Andy were interested in this fashion as well. The woman paid no attention to the three of them, only leapt into Tate's lap and began kissing all over his face. Finally, she kissed his lips as hard as she could, cupping his face in her hands.
"I missed you so much!" She squealed.
Tate had a look of shock and embarrassment on his face, he turned to look at his companions and they all had done the polite thing and looked away. Placing his hands on her arms, he pushed her off him. Until she stood on her own feet, Tate came to stand in front of her.
"Yes, it's been a while, Penny." He responded, his cheeks still red from embarrassment.
"I heard that Brody got you, and even though Natalie told me not to worry, I couldn't help it." She cupped his face again.
Grabbing her wrists, he pulled her hands away from his face and cleared his throat. "Walt said you were bringing food."
Penny's dark brown eyes looked hurt for a moment, "Yes, he told me to, but I thought I would say hello first."
"Say hello with food." He snapped and sat back down in his chair.
She stared down at him for a moment, then turned in a huff and ran up the stairs.
"You could have been nicer then that." Nick sounded annoyed.
He turned his head slightly to look at her, "Penny doesn't get it when you are just being nice. Girl won't take a hint that I am not interested."
"Seems to me you gave her a reason to think you might be."
His eyes went from relaxed to that of insulted, "I have done nothing that a paying customer wouldn't do."
"So, you paid to sleep with her?" Nick rose an eyebrow.
Folding his arms, he turned his back to her. He hadn't paid to sleep with her, actually he tried to woe her into giving him several free services. Nick was right he had given her reason to think he was interested, even promised to send for her once he was safe. If he hadn't of promised she would of never allowed him to leave.
Penny reappeared with a tray with three bowls, and a deep frown on her face. She offered the bowls to everyone, but Tate, and then headed back up the stairs. Even when Tate called to her she ignored him.
"I told you. Should have been nicer." Nick said as she started to eat her hot stew.
Tate glared down at her, and frowned. With his arms still folded he watched as everyone eat their stew, not saying a word to them. When Nick was half way finished with her bowl, she put the spoon back into the bowl and pushed it over to him.
Immediately, he pushed it back. "I don't want your charity."
Pushing it back, she stood from her seat and went into the room with the cots to lay down with Boss. Tate looked up at the other two men, who were still eating their stew.
"Better accept the lady's generosity." Rock told him with a smile.
Tate stared down at the half filled bowl, and then sighed. He was too damn hungry to be stubborn, so he pulled the bowl to him and began to finish what she had left him.
"Tate!" Natalie's voice called out, as soon as he finished the last bite.
Looking up, he knew that she wasn't pleased with him. Racing over to stand in front of him, Tate stood up to meet her. As soon as she was within range, her hand flew out and connected with his upper cheek. Rock and Andy sat back stunned and uncomfortable.
"What in God's green earth, are you doing back here?" She yelled so loud that he was sure they could hear her upstairs.
"I…well…now, wait a minute." He was trying to find the words to explain, "I was passing through this small town when I got arrested."
Natalie folded her arms, and tapped her right foot on the ground. "Get to the point, Tate."
"This girl got me out, but only if I did a job for her… so…"
"So, you got suckered into another job by a pretty face. That is so typical of you! But that doesn't explain what you are doing here now!"
"I'm getting to it. The job is Brody."
"No! No! No!" With each no she stomped her foot. "You get back on your horse and you ride far away from here, do you hear me?" She pointed towards the wall with her left hand. "I already cried every tear I have for you, when I knew I would never see you again. Now, get your…"
"Is something the matter?" Nick walked out from the side room, her eyes were a little hazed over as if she had been sleeping.
"I guess you are the pretty face." Natalie snapped, her eyes went back to Tate, who nodded.
"The what?" Nick asked.
"You are so his type, no wonder he threw away everything to impress you." Natalie sighed and glared at Tate.
"Huh?" Nick looked over at Rock, who shrugged his shoulders.
"My brother is in trouble, do you understand that? His life is in immense danger in this city, hell in this part of the country. He can't be here, so you just need to find someone else to do your dirty work!"
"Now, wait just a minute." Tate barked, "I chose to take a job that would bring me back here, Natalie. This is my business, and if you don't want to house us then we will just leave. But I am going to be doing the job I was paid to do."
Her eyes calmed down with Tate's words, "Fine, I'm only trying to protect you, but if you can't…"
"I appreciate it, Natalie, I really do. Nick paid me to help her out and I am going to do so. Besides, she has a really good cause. Brody killed her entire family."
"He did? Why?"
Tate shook his head, "What other reason does Brody have? Money."
Natalie's eyes looked like they were full of pain and trying to hold back tears as she looked at Nick. "I am so sorry!" She ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her.
Nick looked at Tate, she was in shock over the woman's emotional change.
"That man is so evil!" She said still holding Nick, "I should of known that Tate wouldn't risk coming back here if it weren't for a good cause. I'm sorry, I shouldn't of acted so hastily."
"It's ok." Nick mumbled and looked towards Tate for help.
Tate put his hands on his sister's arms and pulled her away. "Natalie, I don't think it will be safe for us to stay here for very long. We need a safer place to hide, can you think of any place?"
She nodded as she wiped tears from her eyes, "Old lady Rose, she's a mean one and Brody's men never go around her cabin."
"Rose!" Tate said out loud to him, "Why didn't I think of that? Can you go out and see her tomorrow, and make sure it will be ok?"
Natalie nodded, "Yes, I will go talk to her." Her eyes went back to Nick, "I'm sorry, I am a bit over emotional right now. I never expected to see my brother again, and then…"
"I understand it's alright." Nick told her.
"Go ahead and go back to sleep, Nick. Everything is fine." Tate told her and she nodded heading back into the room.
Rock and Andy soon followed her, leaving Tate alone with his sister.
"She's pretty, Tate." Natalie said looking towards the doorway.
His eyes glared up at her, "Don't you start on me."
"What? I just said that she is pretty. Are you so blinded by hate now that you can even appreciate a pretty face?"
Tate continued to frown.
"Oh. I see." She smirked.
"No, you don't."
Natalie sat down, then leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, "I think I do."
"I think you don't."
She started to giggle, and it took a moment to compose herself. "I have never in my life seen you blush before, Tate. So, what's so special about this one?"
Tate adjusted his shirt then turned towards the room the others had disappeared to. "Goodnight." He snapped.
Grabbing his arm, she pulled him into a chair, and to her surprise he came willingly. "Go on."
Tate rubbed his face, "She isn't the kind of girl that would fall for scum like me."
Natalie nodded and thought for a moment before asking her next question, "What kind of girl is she?"
"Smart, kind, caring, one hell of a shot… when we first started riding together, she took out a group of bandits all by herself at the pass. That girl surprises me more and more everyday, she reminds me a lot of you… without the sudden mood changes."
Natalie sat grinning with her arms folded. "And why wouldn't a girl like that have anything to do with you?"
He stared down at his hands that were folded on the table in front of him, "She's got quite a bit of cash, and she thinks I am a dirty outlaw."
"And you're not a dirty outlaw? But, I still don't see your point."
"My point is a rich girl wouldn't want a poor outlaw like me, Natalie."
"Have you talked to her? Maybe you should let her make that decision herself?"
He shook his head slowly, "No, and I'm not going to. Even if she did return my feelings, I am not trustworthy of anything she could offer. God knows I've betrayed enough people in my time, and I don't want to hurt her."
Natalie smiled and rested her hand on Tate's arm, "Tate, you are my brother, and I love you to death. But, you need to stop judging yourself so harshly. You put on this big strong face, and pretend that you don't need anyone. In the end, you know what that gets you?"
He looked into her eyes questioningly.
"Nothing. Loneliness. Sadness. I am the only person in the world that knows you this way."
"What way?"
"A kind and gentle man, who had no other choice but to be a criminal. Do you remember when I was a little girl about seven, and I found that injured bird? I took it to mother and she told me that it was just the way life was, and to leave it where another animal could eat it." She smiled, "I remember crying as I walked towards the plains, and you came back from fishing with the other men. You saw me and asked me what was wrong, and when I showed you the bird, you took it from me. For four days you took care of it, trying to let it survive to see another spring. Do you remember?"
Tate nodded, "Yes, but the bird died."
She smiled and chuckled, "Of course it died, there was nothing that we could do for it. Everyone in town told us that, but you kept insisting that you could help it. You never gave up, even when you knew that it was close to death. I'll never forget when it did finally die and we buried it together on the hill."
Tate began to finish the story, "You asked me what the point was, if it was just going to die. And I said at least we gave it a peaceful ending, that all any of us could ask for." Tate smiled, "Yeah, I remember. But what does that have to do with Nick?"
"You are giving up on a healthy bird, when you didn't on the dying one." Natalie stood from her seat and squeezed his shoulder as she walked past him. "The Tate I know, doesn't give up on anything until the bitter end."
With those words, she had left the cellar. Tate stood from his seat, and went to claim his cot. His eyes went to Nick's sleeping angelic face, her arm wrapped around Boss soft fur. The dog looked up at him, as he stood in the dark silent. He rubbed the dog's head then sighed. It wasn't the time to tell her, but Natalie was right. He should at least give her the chance to reject him.
As he laid down, he didn't notice Nick opened her eyes and watched him lower himself onto the cot with his back turned to her. She hadn't been able to sleep, and had over heard their conversation.
Sitting on the porch of the cabin was an old woman in a rocking chair, on her lap was a large rifle. Her gray hair was tied back in a French braid with a brown ribbon at the end, that matched her dress. When she saw them approaching, she immediately stood up and aimed her rifle at them.
"I told you to stay away!" The old woman's voice shook.
Boss growled at the old woman, as she stood next to Goliath.
"Miss Rose, it's me, Natalie." She said, as she dismounted Tate's horse. "And Tate is here too."
Rose squinted her eyes, and she lowered her rifle. "Nat, where have you been?" She asked, as she went to stand at the top of her porch stairs.
Natalie made her way up the stairs to stand next to the elderly woman, who obviously couldn't see very well. "I'm sorry, Rose, there has been a lot of work in town for me. Are those men still coming here and bothering you?"
"Damn crooks!" Rose snapped, "Want to steal my land! My boys may not want to live here, but ain't no one getting my land until I'm in my grave!"
Natalie patted her hand, "I know, but look Rose, Tate and his friends need a place to hide, can they stay here?"
Rose looked at the four others that had dismounted their horses, "Tate? Is he the loud mouthed one? Called me an old witch?"
She chuckled, "No, that was Chris, Tate is my brother. Remember, he put up those fence posts for you several years ago."
"Oh, yes, Tate is the good boy." Rose looked at Rock who came to stand behind Natalie on the porch, the sun had risen and was shining into his eyes over the house. "You're bigger then I remember. Thought you were a skinny mutt."
Again, Natalie laughed, "This is Rock, Rose. A friend of Tate's." She pointed down the stairs, "The other boy is Andy, and the girl is Nick."
Rose looked but obviously couldn't see anyone, "They can stay, but it ain't no free ride. There are chores to do, and I need help keeping those thieves away!"
"I'm sure that Tate and the others will be glad to help." Natalie smiled at Tate, "Well, I am going to head back into town."
"I've got some business in town, we will take my cart." Rose told her, and then disappeared back into the cabin. When she returned she was wearing a hat, "You say there was a girl here?"
"Yes." Nick answered.
"There are vegetables that need chopping on the table in there, cut them up in small pieces… the meat too. Put them on the pot over the fire, understand?" Rose wasn't looking in Nick's direction, but instead at Andy.
"Alright." Nick answered.
"Boys can find some tools in the shed out back, and do some repairs on my cabin." Rose was helped down the stairs by Andy, and Natalie helped her the rest of the way to her cart. There was no horse tied to the cart, and Andy helped them by getting one out of the barn, which Rose kept calling a shed. Boss followed Andy into the barn and ran around the horse that he brought back out.
Rock went to the barn to fetch the tools as per Tate's orders, and Nick found herself alone with Tate. The words that she had over heard between him and Natalie had come back to mind, and she felt uncomfortable in his presence. Walking into the cabin, she located a knife and began to chop up the vegetables and meat.
It wasn't a large cabin, and had a total of four rooms. The kitchen, dinning room, and living area were all the main room. There were two bedrooms upstairs, and a what appeared to be a storage room. The main room had a fire place and a large table, beside it a armoire with dishes inside, and several wooden chairs lined the wall. Only one chair was pushed up next to the table which had caused Nick to frown. The living area of the main room had several stuffed chairs and a few bookcases.
The vegetables had been placed neatly on the table, and the knifes hung over the fire place. Nick checked the boiling water on the fire a couple times before she had begun to chop up the food like Rose had asked her.
After ten minutes, Tate came into the house with a bucket of nails, a hammer, and some few wooden boards. He kneeled down next to the door and began to repair the door frame, he began by taking the old one off. Rock was on the outside of the door doing the same. Nick watched him flex his arms as he pulled the nails out of the old frame. She wondered when he had last washed his hair, when she noticed that his black hair had several knots, and the leather strap he used to tie back his hair was wrapped inside the knots.
"Ouch!" Nick cried, when she cut into her finger.
Tate flipped his head around in time to watch her put the bloody finger in her mouth, "You alright?"
She nodded, then pulled the finger from her mouth. It was a deep gash, but at least she didn't cut her finger off. Staring at the wound, she watched as it refilled with blood. Now what was she going to do? She had thought to herself, she would need to find something to wrap it in until it stopped bleeding. Rough fingers touched her own, and Nick looked up into Tate's face. He stared down at her cut, before placing his thumb over the wound to stop the bleeding.
"I'm fine." Nick said, wanting her hand to be out of his own.
"Might need to sew it together, looks bad." Tate looked around the cabin. "Wonder where she would keep her kit."
Nick knew he meant sewing kit and she pulled her finger away, "I'm fine, I'll wrap it with some cloth and it will be fine."
He felt a little hurt that she didn't seem to notice his kindness towards her. There wasn't much else he could think of to explain what he was trying to say. He remembered his sister words, but he didn't want to be a fool and come right out with his feelings. What exactly he was feeling he wasn't even sure about just yet, though he was going to make an effort to be nicer.
Truth was, Nick had noticed his sudden concern, and it had embarrassed her. Had she not over heard his conversation, she might not of thought twice about it. Yet, now she saw it in his eyes whenever he looked at her, and it made her uncomfortable. Tate was right when he had told his sister that she didn't want anything to do with an outlaw, but she didn't know how to tell him. At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
"What are we going to do when it's all over though, Nick?" Rock asked, his eyes were ahead of them.
Nick shrugged, "I guess we can head far away from here. I still have my money, I bet you, me, and Andy we could all start a ranch. Make a new beginning, a new family."
He looked over at her, "A new family, huh? Is that even possible?"
She frowned, "I hope so. I really do." She had picked up a twig and was slowly breaking it between her fingers, dropping the small pieces that broke off.
"Me too." He mumbled, "You know me and Andy will follow you, no matter where you go."
Nick smiled, "I know, and I am thankful for it."
He gave a short nod, then grinned, "A new ranch, huh? What would we call it?"
She smiled, "I don't know, what do you think?"
"Hmm, New Hope Ranch?"
Dropping another piece of the twig, she agreed, "I think that would be perfect. New Hope Ranch, a place where we can forget who we once were and become what we want to be."
Rock chuckled, "No longer having to live by what others once thought we were."
He came to a stop, and the shadow of the cabin could be seen in the distance. Nick stopped with him, and leaned against a thin tree behind her. Both stood in silence for some time, thinking over the future plans that they had.
"After we get Brody." Rock said, "I mean, do we really need to do that? After all that has happened? Do we really want to become like him, if only for a moment?"
Nick's eyes dropped to the grass below her, "I can't let him get away with what he took from us. It probably won't make me feel any better, Rock, but I can't live my life knowing I was this close and I quit."
He gave a nod, "Alright. I suppose I will have to understand that." Another moment of silence passed, "I was just starting to feel like part of the family when this happened. I almost belonged."
"You did belong, Rock, whether you felt you did or not. If you had left there would have been a void that could never be filled in our lives."
He smiled, "Yeah?" His eyes went up to the stars and then back down to her, "After all the wrong I had done, ya'all still like me, huh?"
She chuckled, "We loved you, Rock. Even Teresa loved you, she would of put up much more of a fight about you living there if she hadn't."
"She was your ma, wasn't she?"
Nick nodded, "Yes. I always hated the things she did to me. Making me invite Avery over for dinner, trying to marry me off to every available man in town, even you." She sniffled, "But, she was my ma, even if I never called her that."
"Even me?" He laughed.
"Yeah, that was until you cheated on me."
Rock dropped his eyes to the ground, "I'm sorry, Nick."
"I know. I shouldn't of brought it up, I'm not sore about it, anymore." Nick tried to smile over her frown, "We're good friends now, and everything will be alright."
"That's not what I mean, and I think you know it." He took a step towards her, placing his hands on her shoulder. "When this is all over, and we become a family. Let's really become a family, Nick."
She rose an eyebrow, curious. "What do you mean?"
"I did it, I cheated on you, because you got to close. I'm sorry, and it will never happen again, I promise. Being here now, I see that I could possibly lose you. Tomorrow might be to late, so…"
Nick shook her head, "No, Rock. You only get one chance to break my heart, and you used it."
His head dropped suddenly, "I thought you would say that. Is it Tate?"
"No, it's not Tate. It's you. I don't care how scared you were, what you did will never be forgotten. I forgave you, and that's all that I can do."
"I love you though, Nick."
She stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around his chest, and his wrapped around her shoulders. "I love you too, Rock, but you don't get another chance."
He nodded and kissed the top of her head, "Forgive me if I keep trying."
"I'll forgive you, as always, but it will never work."
Nick was amazed by how immense the city actually was. Even though it was dark and any god fearing person was indoors, she could imagine clearly how packed the streets were during the day. Several saloons were open and she could hear the sounds of men laughing as they drank with their friends. In Honeycomb the saloon closed just before sun down, and anyone inside was tossed out while it was cleaned. Something was magical about this place, and she almost forgot the entire reason that she had come.
They made their way to a rather high class saloon, and Tate opened the cellar door. Once inside, he closed it behind them. The walls were made of gray bricks, and there was a circular table in the center of the room. To her right was an open doorway, the door was small and narrow but had several cots inside. Boss noticed the cots immediately and ran into the small room to lay on one of the cots. A line of beer kegs and wine bottles filled most of the walls, which Tate seemed comfortable enough to offer some to them. No one accepted still unsure as to where they were.
Waiting around the table, it took two hours before anyone came down into the cellar. It was a balding, fat man with red cheeks and a white apron. "Hey, Tate!" He smiled and walk over to him.
Tate stood from his chair and gave the large man a hug. "It's good to see you, Walt."
"Natalie didn't tell me that you were down here."
He gave a nod, "She doesn't know, if you see her can you tell her to come down here when she has a moment."
Walt nodded, "She's with a client right now, but as soon as he gets his happy ending. I'll be sure to send her to you. Are you folks hungry?" He looked over at the other three that filled the table.
All three of them sat quietly allowing Tate to answer for them, "A bowl of your famous stew would go over well with us right now."
"Just a bowl or do you each want your own?" Walt laughed at his joke, that no one else seemed to find funny. Grabbing one of the heavy kegs he lifted it to rest on his shoulder, Nick was surprised with the man's strength. "I'll send Penny down with it." He smiled and headed back up the stairs.
"Who is Natalie?" Rock asked.
"My sister." Tate told him as he took his seat next to Nick.
"Tate!" A red headed woman ran down the stairs, her arms in the air ready to embrace him.
Nick immediately noticed her low cut dress that showed off a lot more cleavage then she was use to seeing, it seemed that both Rock and Andy were interested in this fashion as well. The woman paid no attention to the three of them, only leapt into Tate's lap and began kissing all over his face. Finally, she kissed his lips as hard as she could, cupping his face in her hands.
"I missed you so much!" She squealed.
Tate had a look of shock and embarrassment on his face, he turned to look at his companions and they all had done the polite thing and looked away. Placing his hands on her arms, he pushed her off him. Until she stood on her own feet, Tate came to stand in front of her.
"Yes, it's been a while, Penny." He responded, his cheeks still red from embarrassment.
"I heard that Brody got you, and even though Natalie told me not to worry, I couldn't help it." She cupped his face again.
Grabbing her wrists, he pulled her hands away from his face and cleared his throat. "Walt said you were bringing food."
Penny's dark brown eyes looked hurt for a moment, "Yes, he told me to, but I thought I would say hello first."
"Say hello with food." He snapped and sat back down in his chair.
She stared down at him for a moment, then turned in a huff and ran up the stairs.
"You could have been nicer then that." Nick sounded annoyed.
He turned his head slightly to look at her, "Penny doesn't get it when you are just being nice. Girl won't take a hint that I am not interested."
"Seems to me you gave her a reason to think you might be."
His eyes went from relaxed to that of insulted, "I have done nothing that a paying customer wouldn't do."
"So, you paid to sleep with her?" Nick rose an eyebrow.
Folding his arms, he turned his back to her. He hadn't paid to sleep with her, actually he tried to woe her into giving him several free services. Nick was right he had given her reason to think he was interested, even promised to send for her once he was safe. If he hadn't of promised she would of never allowed him to leave.
Penny reappeared with a tray with three bowls, and a deep frown on her face. She offered the bowls to everyone, but Tate, and then headed back up the stairs. Even when Tate called to her she ignored him.
"I told you. Should have been nicer." Nick said as she started to eat her hot stew.
Tate glared down at her, and frowned. With his arms still folded he watched as everyone eat their stew, not saying a word to them. When Nick was half way finished with her bowl, she put the spoon back into the bowl and pushed it over to him.
Immediately, he pushed it back. "I don't want your charity."
Pushing it back, she stood from her seat and went into the room with the cots to lay down with Boss. Tate looked up at the other two men, who were still eating their stew.
"Better accept the lady's generosity." Rock told him with a smile.
Tate stared down at the half filled bowl, and then sighed. He was too damn hungry to be stubborn, so he pulled the bowl to him and began to finish what she had left him.
"Tate!" Natalie's voice called out, as soon as he finished the last bite.
Looking up, he knew that she wasn't pleased with him. Racing over to stand in front of him, Tate stood up to meet her. As soon as she was within range, her hand flew out and connected with his upper cheek. Rock and Andy sat back stunned and uncomfortable.
"What in God's green earth, are you doing back here?" She yelled so loud that he was sure they could hear her upstairs.
"I…well…now, wait a minute." He was trying to find the words to explain, "I was passing through this small town when I got arrested."
Natalie folded her arms, and tapped her right foot on the ground. "Get to the point, Tate."
"This girl got me out, but only if I did a job for her… so…"
"So, you got suckered into another job by a pretty face. That is so typical of you! But that doesn't explain what you are doing here now!"
"I'm getting to it. The job is Brody."
"No! No! No!" With each no she stomped her foot. "You get back on your horse and you ride far away from here, do you hear me?" She pointed towards the wall with her left hand. "I already cried every tear I have for you, when I knew I would never see you again. Now, get your…"
"Is something the matter?" Nick walked out from the side room, her eyes were a little hazed over as if she had been sleeping.
"I guess you are the pretty face." Natalie snapped, her eyes went back to Tate, who nodded.
"The what?" Nick asked.
"You are so his type, no wonder he threw away everything to impress you." Natalie sighed and glared at Tate.
"Huh?" Nick looked over at Rock, who shrugged his shoulders.
"My brother is in trouble, do you understand that? His life is in immense danger in this city, hell in this part of the country. He can't be here, so you just need to find someone else to do your dirty work!"
"Now, wait just a minute." Tate barked, "I chose to take a job that would bring me back here, Natalie. This is my business, and if you don't want to house us then we will just leave. But I am going to be doing the job I was paid to do."
Her eyes calmed down with Tate's words, "Fine, I'm only trying to protect you, but if you can't…"
"I appreciate it, Natalie, I really do. Nick paid me to help her out and I am going to do so. Besides, she has a really good cause. Brody killed her entire family."
"He did? Why?"
Tate shook his head, "What other reason does Brody have? Money."
Natalie's eyes looked like they were full of pain and trying to hold back tears as she looked at Nick. "I am so sorry!" She ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her.
Nick looked at Tate, she was in shock over the woman's emotional change.
"That man is so evil!" She said still holding Nick, "I should of known that Tate wouldn't risk coming back here if it weren't for a good cause. I'm sorry, I shouldn't of acted so hastily."
"It's ok." Nick mumbled and looked towards Tate for help.
Tate put his hands on his sister's arms and pulled her away. "Natalie, I don't think it will be safe for us to stay here for very long. We need a safer place to hide, can you think of any place?"
She nodded as she wiped tears from her eyes, "Old lady Rose, she's a mean one and Brody's men never go around her cabin."
"Rose!" Tate said out loud to him, "Why didn't I think of that? Can you go out and see her tomorrow, and make sure it will be ok?"
Natalie nodded, "Yes, I will go talk to her." Her eyes went back to Nick, "I'm sorry, I am a bit over emotional right now. I never expected to see my brother again, and then…"
"I understand it's alright." Nick told her.
"Go ahead and go back to sleep, Nick. Everything is fine." Tate told her and she nodded heading back into the room.
Rock and Andy soon followed her, leaving Tate alone with his sister.
"She's pretty, Tate." Natalie said looking towards the doorway.
His eyes glared up at her, "Don't you start on me."
"What? I just said that she is pretty. Are you so blinded by hate now that you can even appreciate a pretty face?"
Tate continued to frown.
"Oh. I see." She smirked.
"No, you don't."
Natalie sat down, then leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, "I think I do."
"I think you don't."
She started to giggle, and it took a moment to compose herself. "I have never in my life seen you blush before, Tate. So, what's so special about this one?"
Tate adjusted his shirt then turned towards the room the others had disappeared to. "Goodnight." He snapped.
Grabbing his arm, she pulled him into a chair, and to her surprise he came willingly. "Go on."
Tate rubbed his face, "She isn't the kind of girl that would fall for scum like me."
Natalie nodded and thought for a moment before asking her next question, "What kind of girl is she?"
"Smart, kind, caring, one hell of a shot… when we first started riding together, she took out a group of bandits all by herself at the pass. That girl surprises me more and more everyday, she reminds me a lot of you… without the sudden mood changes."
Natalie sat grinning with her arms folded. "And why wouldn't a girl like that have anything to do with you?"
He stared down at his hands that were folded on the table in front of him, "She's got quite a bit of cash, and she thinks I am a dirty outlaw."
"And you're not a dirty outlaw? But, I still don't see your point."
"My point is a rich girl wouldn't want a poor outlaw like me, Natalie."
"Have you talked to her? Maybe you should let her make that decision herself?"
He shook his head slowly, "No, and I'm not going to. Even if she did return my feelings, I am not trustworthy of anything she could offer. God knows I've betrayed enough people in my time, and I don't want to hurt her."
Natalie smiled and rested her hand on Tate's arm, "Tate, you are my brother, and I love you to death. But, you need to stop judging yourself so harshly. You put on this big strong face, and pretend that you don't need anyone. In the end, you know what that gets you?"
He looked into her eyes questioningly.
"Nothing. Loneliness. Sadness. I am the only person in the world that knows you this way."
"What way?"
"A kind and gentle man, who had no other choice but to be a criminal. Do you remember when I was a little girl about seven, and I found that injured bird? I took it to mother and she told me that it was just the way life was, and to leave it where another animal could eat it." She smiled, "I remember crying as I walked towards the plains, and you came back from fishing with the other men. You saw me and asked me what was wrong, and when I showed you the bird, you took it from me. For four days you took care of it, trying to let it survive to see another spring. Do you remember?"
Tate nodded, "Yes, but the bird died."
She smiled and chuckled, "Of course it died, there was nothing that we could do for it. Everyone in town told us that, but you kept insisting that you could help it. You never gave up, even when you knew that it was close to death. I'll never forget when it did finally die and we buried it together on the hill."
Tate began to finish the story, "You asked me what the point was, if it was just going to die. And I said at least we gave it a peaceful ending, that all any of us could ask for." Tate smiled, "Yeah, I remember. But what does that have to do with Nick?"
"You are giving up on a healthy bird, when you didn't on the dying one." Natalie stood from her seat and squeezed his shoulder as she walked past him. "The Tate I know, doesn't give up on anything until the bitter end."
With those words, she had left the cellar. Tate stood from his seat, and went to claim his cot. His eyes went to Nick's sleeping angelic face, her arm wrapped around Boss soft fur. The dog looked up at him, as he stood in the dark silent. He rubbed the dog's head then sighed. It wasn't the time to tell her, but Natalie was right. He should at least give her the chance to reject him.
As he laid down, he didn't notice Nick opened her eyes and watched him lower himself onto the cot with his back turned to her. She hadn't been able to sleep, and had over heard their conversation.
---***---
Natalie woke them up before sun break, and headed out to help them gather their horses. She told them that they needed to get out of Redrock before light could become their enemy. Natalie rode with her brother as they left the city, until they reached a cabin in the clearing of a woods. It had taken them two hours to ride there, and Nick had almost drifted off on her horse several times. Andy had shoved her upper arm, whenever her eyes began to close. Natalie would always chuckle when she was abruptly awoken by the shove, and Nick would smile at her.Sitting on the porch of the cabin was an old woman in a rocking chair, on her lap was a large rifle. Her gray hair was tied back in a French braid with a brown ribbon at the end, that matched her dress. When she saw them approaching, she immediately stood up and aimed her rifle at them.
"I told you to stay away!" The old woman's voice shook.
Boss growled at the old woman, as she stood next to Goliath.
"Miss Rose, it's me, Natalie." She said, as she dismounted Tate's horse. "And Tate is here too."
Rose squinted her eyes, and she lowered her rifle. "Nat, where have you been?" She asked, as she went to stand at the top of her porch stairs.
Natalie made her way up the stairs to stand next to the elderly woman, who obviously couldn't see very well. "I'm sorry, Rose, there has been a lot of work in town for me. Are those men still coming here and bothering you?"
"Damn crooks!" Rose snapped, "Want to steal my land! My boys may not want to live here, but ain't no one getting my land until I'm in my grave!"
Natalie patted her hand, "I know, but look Rose, Tate and his friends need a place to hide, can they stay here?"
Rose looked at the four others that had dismounted their horses, "Tate? Is he the loud mouthed one? Called me an old witch?"
She chuckled, "No, that was Chris, Tate is my brother. Remember, he put up those fence posts for you several years ago."
"Oh, yes, Tate is the good boy." Rose looked at Rock who came to stand behind Natalie on the porch, the sun had risen and was shining into his eyes over the house. "You're bigger then I remember. Thought you were a skinny mutt."
Again, Natalie laughed, "This is Rock, Rose. A friend of Tate's." She pointed down the stairs, "The other boy is Andy, and the girl is Nick."
Rose looked but obviously couldn't see anyone, "They can stay, but it ain't no free ride. There are chores to do, and I need help keeping those thieves away!"
"I'm sure that Tate and the others will be glad to help." Natalie smiled at Tate, "Well, I am going to head back into town."
"I've got some business in town, we will take my cart." Rose told her, and then disappeared back into the cabin. When she returned she was wearing a hat, "You say there was a girl here?"
"Yes." Nick answered.
"There are vegetables that need chopping on the table in there, cut them up in small pieces… the meat too. Put them on the pot over the fire, understand?" Rose wasn't looking in Nick's direction, but instead at Andy.
"Alright." Nick answered.
"Boys can find some tools in the shed out back, and do some repairs on my cabin." Rose was helped down the stairs by Andy, and Natalie helped her the rest of the way to her cart. There was no horse tied to the cart, and Andy helped them by getting one out of the barn, which Rose kept calling a shed. Boss followed Andy into the barn and ran around the horse that he brought back out.
Rock went to the barn to fetch the tools as per Tate's orders, and Nick found herself alone with Tate. The words that she had over heard between him and Natalie had come back to mind, and she felt uncomfortable in his presence. Walking into the cabin, she located a knife and began to chop up the vegetables and meat.
It wasn't a large cabin, and had a total of four rooms. The kitchen, dinning room, and living area were all the main room. There were two bedrooms upstairs, and a what appeared to be a storage room. The main room had a fire place and a large table, beside it a armoire with dishes inside, and several wooden chairs lined the wall. Only one chair was pushed up next to the table which had caused Nick to frown. The living area of the main room had several stuffed chairs and a few bookcases.
The vegetables had been placed neatly on the table, and the knifes hung over the fire place. Nick checked the boiling water on the fire a couple times before she had begun to chop up the food like Rose had asked her.
After ten minutes, Tate came into the house with a bucket of nails, a hammer, and some few wooden boards. He kneeled down next to the door and began to repair the door frame, he began by taking the old one off. Rock was on the outside of the door doing the same. Nick watched him flex his arms as he pulled the nails out of the old frame. She wondered when he had last washed his hair, when she noticed that his black hair had several knots, and the leather strap he used to tie back his hair was wrapped inside the knots.
"Ouch!" Nick cried, when she cut into her finger.
Tate flipped his head around in time to watch her put the bloody finger in her mouth, "You alright?"
She nodded, then pulled the finger from her mouth. It was a deep gash, but at least she didn't cut her finger off. Staring at the wound, she watched as it refilled with blood. Now what was she going to do? She had thought to herself, she would need to find something to wrap it in until it stopped bleeding. Rough fingers touched her own, and Nick looked up into Tate's face. He stared down at her cut, before placing his thumb over the wound to stop the bleeding.
"I'm fine." Nick said, wanting her hand to be out of his own.
"Might need to sew it together, looks bad." Tate looked around the cabin. "Wonder where she would keep her kit."
Nick knew he meant sewing kit and she pulled her finger away, "I'm fine, I'll wrap it with some cloth and it will be fine."
He felt a little hurt that she didn't seem to notice his kindness towards her. There wasn't much else he could think of to explain what he was trying to say. He remembered his sister words, but he didn't want to be a fool and come right out with his feelings. What exactly he was feeling he wasn't even sure about just yet, though he was going to make an effort to be nicer.
Truth was, Nick had noticed his sudden concern, and it had embarrassed her. Had she not over heard his conversation, she might not of thought twice about it. Yet, now she saw it in his eyes whenever he looked at her, and it made her uncomfortable. Tate was right when he had told his sister that she didn't want anything to do with an outlaw, but she didn't know how to tell him. At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
---***---
That evening Rose gave them all a list of chores to be done the next day. Andy had stabled all the horses, and was taking care of Rose's own horse. Rock and Nick went for a walk before sun down, and had been talking about the road ahead of them. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do now that they were here in Redrock. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted Brody to suffer."What are we going to do when it's all over though, Nick?" Rock asked, his eyes were ahead of them.
Nick shrugged, "I guess we can head far away from here. I still have my money, I bet you, me, and Andy we could all start a ranch. Make a new beginning, a new family."
He looked over at her, "A new family, huh? Is that even possible?"
She frowned, "I hope so. I really do." She had picked up a twig and was slowly breaking it between her fingers, dropping the small pieces that broke off.
"Me too." He mumbled, "You know me and Andy will follow you, no matter where you go."
Nick smiled, "I know, and I am thankful for it."
He gave a short nod, then grinned, "A new ranch, huh? What would we call it?"
She smiled, "I don't know, what do you think?"
"Hmm, New Hope Ranch?"
Dropping another piece of the twig, she agreed, "I think that would be perfect. New Hope Ranch, a place where we can forget who we once were and become what we want to be."
Rock chuckled, "No longer having to live by what others once thought we were."
He came to a stop, and the shadow of the cabin could be seen in the distance. Nick stopped with him, and leaned against a thin tree behind her. Both stood in silence for some time, thinking over the future plans that they had.
"After we get Brody." Rock said, "I mean, do we really need to do that? After all that has happened? Do we really want to become like him, if only for a moment?"
Nick's eyes dropped to the grass below her, "I can't let him get away with what he took from us. It probably won't make me feel any better, Rock, but I can't live my life knowing I was this close and I quit."
He gave a nod, "Alright. I suppose I will have to understand that." Another moment of silence passed, "I was just starting to feel like part of the family when this happened. I almost belonged."
"You did belong, Rock, whether you felt you did or not. If you had left there would have been a void that could never be filled in our lives."
He smiled, "Yeah?" His eyes went up to the stars and then back down to her, "After all the wrong I had done, ya'all still like me, huh?"
She chuckled, "We loved you, Rock. Even Teresa loved you, she would of put up much more of a fight about you living there if she hadn't."
"She was your ma, wasn't she?"
Nick nodded, "Yes. I always hated the things she did to me. Making me invite Avery over for dinner, trying to marry me off to every available man in town, even you." She sniffled, "But, she was my ma, even if I never called her that."
"Even me?" He laughed.
"Yeah, that was until you cheated on me."
Rock dropped his eyes to the ground, "I'm sorry, Nick."
"I know. I shouldn't of brought it up, I'm not sore about it, anymore." Nick tried to smile over her frown, "We're good friends now, and everything will be alright."
"That's not what I mean, and I think you know it." He took a step towards her, placing his hands on her shoulder. "When this is all over, and we become a family. Let's really become a family, Nick."
She rose an eyebrow, curious. "What do you mean?"
"I did it, I cheated on you, because you got to close. I'm sorry, and it will never happen again, I promise. Being here now, I see that I could possibly lose you. Tomorrow might be to late, so…"
Nick shook her head, "No, Rock. You only get one chance to break my heart, and you used it."
His head dropped suddenly, "I thought you would say that. Is it Tate?"
"No, it's not Tate. It's you. I don't care how scared you were, what you did will never be forgotten. I forgave you, and that's all that I can do."
"I love you though, Nick."
She stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around his chest, and his wrapped around her shoulders. "I love you too, Rock, but you don't get another chance."
He nodded and kissed the top of her head, "Forgive me if I keep trying."
"I'll forgive you, as always, but it will never work."