Wild Horses and Second Chances

A follow up fanfic to the movie, 'Cold Around The Heart'

By Sunshin68 and Flora Belle Jardinier

1. Where the Story Ended

You thought the story of Ned and Jude ended with them dyin' in a big blaze of glory? Well, it didn't 'cause I lied about that. The story sounded better that way – much more romantic like Romeo and Juliet. I'm Bec Rosenthal and I'll tell ya what really happened – as I said before, some of it I was there for and some I was told about later.

Ned lay with a knife wound since the bitch stuck him and twisted the blade just to make sure she done the job good. When she started after me, Ned shot her. They both propped themselves against a gas pump - Jude puttin' pressure on the bullet wound and Ned holdin' his stomach. So much for love. So much for trust. Fucked again I thought. Guy can't catch a break when it comes to this bitch. And as angry as he was at her, Ned Tash couldn't let go of her.

"The bitch of it all is that I love you," he said to her. His problem – he just didn't freaking trust her.

"It ends here," Ned stated pulling a cigarette from her pack.

"Yeah, bucko, it does. Right here, right now," Jude agreed.

Ned looked into her eyes and smiled. "You fucking stabbed me," he said with a laugh.

"Butthead, you shot me," she retorted pulling her hand away from the gaping wound.

A long moment passed and I could tell by the looks in their eyes that they knew it had to end.

"I can't do this any more," he added. "No more running. No more chasing."

Jude took the cigarette as Ned struck the flame on the lighter and stared at it. They both knew they were dyin'.

"Blaze of glory?" Jude asked agreein' with Ned's plan to end it all – a small town story of crime and murder.

"I can't live without you." I could see the love in his eyes. He hoped she'd be a little more compassionate knowin' they weren't long for this Earth. "But, I'll never f'n trust you."

Grasping him around his neck, she buried her face into his long red hair bawlin' her eyes out. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Yeah, right, I say. Just another freakin' lie.

After she backed away, they both looked into the flame again. Gas was leaking all around them when Ned ordered me to leave. Sure, I took his Lincoln Continental and sped outta there. I knew the explosion would be seen for miles around and both of them would be burned to a crisp. But they'd be together. Ned couldn't live without his girl and Jude needed her man.

"Just you and me," he added ready to end it all.

I didn't see it for myself, but I heard their lives were spared because one of Ned's stray bullets ended up hitting a water pump nearby and it leaked enough water to drown the gas. He was tired of runnin' – tired of feelin' betrayed – tired of Jude screwin' him over. And when hope of the abandoned station goin' up in the world's biggest fireball was stopped, there was nothing left but to wait to bleed out and die.

I couldn't let him die. Yeah, maybe Uncle Mike was right. I had it a little bit for Ned. He'd been the first guy to actually be nice to me. Hell, man, he killed his friend to protect me. That's more than anyone ever did for me. I'll never forget that wild look in Ned's eyes when he pulled Mike offa me. He took a beatin' for me but didn't give up. That's when I heard the shot and learned to what extent Ned would go to protect someone.

"Mike, you left me no choice," he said to the old man and I knew he regretted it a lot. After all, he wasn't so cold-hearted as I thought.

He tried to tell me he'd kill me if he was left with no choice, but I didn't believe him. He had plenty of chances to rape me or kill me or leave me by the roadside, but that big heart never failed to make him think otherwise. I wouldn't listen to him when he tried to leave me off with money demanding I find a better place. I knew he cared enough not to want to have me get hurt. But, I couldn't leave him. He was so determined to find Jude – convinced he needed to get back at her for Jude did him wrong so many times that he was ready to kill her – and he convinced himself that was the way their story would end.

Yet, I had faith he'd find his rightful way. Sure, I'd seen him do some bad stuff and he told me about other bad stuff he did. Yet, I felt no matter what, no matter how many times he tried to be cold, his heart had enough warmth to make me believe he deserved better. Bein' cold was his way to survive, but I knew he yearned for somethin' more – somethin' better.

And because of that, I betrayed Ned. I didn't listen to him. Sure, I would have been safely far away but I kept thinkin' of what he did for me and I couldn't leave him for dead. I was happy to find a cop along the roadside and it didn't take much to get him to follow me back to the abandoned gas station where Jude and Ned were dyin'.

They were dyin' in the heat and the blood they was losin'. I couldn't live with that. Yeah, Jude needed to die. She freakin' tried to kill Ned. She didn't love him at all – usin' bitch! All she cared 'bout were the diamonds. But Ned – sweet Ned – I couldn't let him die

It wasn't his fault he had a beautiful heart he liked to ignore. He'd suffered and been used enough. I knew deep down inside he wanted to live a clean life. Maybe if he lived, he'd find it. I remember him tellin' me how much he wanted to go to Canada – how beautiful it was and how it offered plenty of open space and freedom and good health care.

It sounded perfect as it would be far away from my freakin' abusive father. That's why I ended up in Ned's company to begin with. In fact, I ended up goin' there just because Ned made it sound so wonderful, but that part is for later.

Now, that bitch, Jude – she did it again. She betrayed their love and refused to die with him. Bitch was only out for herself no matter how many times she would say otherwise. If she was going to die, she would die on the run and not in the company of a cop. When we got there, Jude was high-tailin' it outta there escaping the one cop I had with me.

Ned was still on the ground. There was so much blood comin' outta that knife wound I thought I would puke. He was unconscious and alone. I wanted him to live because he deserved a second chance. If he lived, I had no idea how he'd react when he found out Jude ran off and left him behind – again! Maybe Uncle Mike was right – Ned was born stupid when it came to women. Ned would never accept it, but then again, the truth hurts sometimes.

I was happy I went back with the cop. Ned was saved. Sad part is that he went on trial for the diamond heist murders. He got ten years in County Lockup because he lucked out. He should have had life for what they said he did. The only thing they had on him were a few of the diamonds they found at the gas station. No one knew I had the rest – and I never told.

The lighter sentence came down with a manslaughter charge because there was no proof Ned actually killed those people. We both knew Jude did it, but there was no proof of her bein' there. He lived every day knowing what he did and didn't do, and no matter how hard he tried to convince his court-appointed lawyer that it was Jude, the bitch was nowhere to be found. Ned grew even angrier with the woman but happy the jury saw things his way.

I could just hear him sayin', "Bitch! She did it to me again!"

I know the hate festered deep inside Ned's heart and I wouldn't doubt he'd actually kill her if he ever saw her again 'cause he was that pissed off. And then again knowin' him, I am sure he'd think twice once she got to his heart and his body thinkin' of all the good times they'd shared together. He told me how they had great sex, did lots of robberies together, and I know she was a really pretty woman. Ned loved her too much even though the bitch was no good for him. So, he could piss and moan all he wanted and be angrier than a bull on fire. He loved her too much and never failed to have a change of heart even when he felt he didn't have a choice to shoot her.

He told me in a letter that he copped to the plea the Court gave him and he got a reduced sentence if he gave up his accomplices. But Jude was smart. He knew that about her, that's why she was a dangerous and awesome partner. However, the bitch disappeared without a trace and, no matter what information Ned could give, he had no way to know where she'd go.

Ned got them ten years and I wrote him every week while I traveled. I'd send him polaroids as proof of the beauty I saw along the way. When I got to Calgary, I liked it best so I decided to stay there for a while. I kept hoping my letters and pictures made him smile, and he later wrote me tellin' me they did.

He was happy I got to have a second chance at life because I deserved it. I told him he deserved one too and I kept hoping that when he got outta jail he'd come to Canada and live that clean life he really wanted. He was right – there was lots of open space, not too many people, and it was beautiful. It was perfect for me and I knew it would be perfect for him.

I was happy each time I got a letter from him after I settled into an apartment with an address. He started signing the letters 'your friend, Ned' and that always made me smile. Ned never talked about having friends – at least not the real kind – friends a person trusted. I like to think I was Ned's first friend in a long time. I tried to keep him hopin' and dreamin' and focused on seekin' that second chance. I was glad he did too as he said in many of his letters.

I was happy to hear Ned got out in three for good behavior. I know he worked his ass off for it, steerin' clear of trouble as best he could. He benefited from the fact that the jails in Arizona were pretty crowded, so the Court paroled him quickly. He told me he wanted to stay in Arizona for awhile, and he worked on stayin' clean by taking up little jobs here and there.

The hardest part was thinkin' that Jude was out there someplace. I tried to convince him that he was better off without her, to just forget about her and get on with his life, just as I was better off without my father around. He told me he still wanted to kill her, and knowin' Ned, he'd find a way if it meant him not getting' caught. Well, he'd threatened to do it many times before and only at the end did he think he actually succeeded.

But you already know that's not how it worked out. The next time… the next time she was history. It was the one crime he didn't care if he went down for. He loved her so much that maybe in his own way it was the only way to save his soul – by ridding the world of the likes of her.

There wasn't anywhere he could go without people noticing him as part of the Ned and Jude robbery team. He now had a reputation as a felon – a murder rap was not goin' to be easy to shake. But, he was determined to cope with the all the shit in the newspapers, reporters followin' him for a story, and even just the bullshit of not bein' trusted by the townsfolk. He needed to prove somethin' to himself and I respected that. He wanted his second chance and come hell or high water, he was gonna find it.

It was hard though – every soul in town kept watch on him because they all figured he wasn't to be trusted. Hardened criminals didn't change their ways as easily as Ned did. The funny thing is that Ned wasn't so bad. His reputation was too big now to just put aside. But, I know Ned – I believed him when he said he was under scrutiny – havin' everyone starin' at him no matter who he tried to be friends with, where he ate lunch, or where he tried to find work.

It was hard for him to get a start, but he kept going in spite of everything. Ned got his first big break when this mechanic dude hired him on. Call it lucky because Don Davis had lots of compassion for guys like Ned. He too wanted to see Ned get his second chance, and all was goin' well. That is until he got the damned phone call from the middle of frickin' Maine.