True Conscience

By: Wolfpyre

No way!"

"Yep. I heard my pa talking to Josiah."

I stared at Creed, trying to process the information he just gave me. "But how would she know? She weren't there!"

"She said she was watching ya through the window and saw you gluing the Bible pages together."

"But Casey? I thought we came ta an understandin after that issue we had before." I could feel the anger just boiling to the surface. I had to work in the Church for two weeks because of her! "That bitch! I am sooo going to get her back for this."

"How?"

"I'll think of somethin." Part of me was slightly hurt that she told on me. I mean she's turned into the closest thing to a Sister as I'll ever get and I didn't think she'd turn me in. Whatever I came up with would have to be good. Just then, JD walked by and a light bulb when off in my head. "Hey JD!" I yelled and trotted after him.

"Hey True."

"Um, me an Creed was talkin an well…" I felt Creed come up behind me. "Do ya think I should tell him?"

Creed caught on easily. "I don't know…"

"Tell me what?" JD asked.

"Well, it's about Casey."

"What, is she hurt? Is she okay?"

"Oh, it's nothin like that. It's just…" I looked at Creed. "Why don't you tell him?"

"Nah, I think it's best if you tell him."

I looked up at JD. "Well, I overheard her talkin an she don't wanna be with ya no more, but she aint sure how ta tell ya."

"What?" JD asked sharply.

"Hey, I'm just tellin ya what I heard." It took all I had to not laugh at his confused expression. "I think she likes that Granger boy."

"Well, we'll just see about that!" He growled as he stormed away.

Once he was out of ear shot, I let the laugh I was holding in out. "That was awesome. He played right inta my hands." I glanced at Creed and saw he wasn't enjoying it as much as he should. "What's wrong?"

"Well, it was kinda mean."

"Ah, don't get your drawers in a bunch. He'll get mad at her, she'll get mad at him, yell a bit, and then they'll make up after Casey tells him he's wrong a bunch of times an JD agrees with her ta shut her up, just like they always do."

"I sure hope so, cause Casey's over there talkin to Eddie Granger right now."

I spun around. "Oh Shit!" Before I could move, JD came storming up to them. All I could hear was yelling. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but both of them were sure mad! Eddie was smart enough to walk away, which was good, because a few seconds later, Casey slapped JD, JD pushed Casey, and then Casey punched JD and threw the drink she had in her hand at him, before she ran down the street. JD glared at her as he picked up his hat and angrily pushed it on his head. He stood there for a sec, holding his hand to his stinging cheek and wiping blood and lemonade from his face, then took off for the livery.

"Well, that didn't go as I thought it would."

"Now what?" Creed asked.

"I don't know. I didn't think THAT would happen." I chewed my lip nervously.

"Well, we gotta fix it. It aint right."

"What's this we shit? You didn't have anything ta do with it."

"I played along, so I'm part of it." He stated resolutely. "Now, how can we…"

"TRUE! Supper!"

"Comin! " I yelled back. "We'll talk about this later an come up with somethin."

The next morning I was sitting at the table, eating my breakfast, when JD walked in.

"Hey True."

"Hey." He sounded really down. "Ya patch things up with Casey?" I asked hopefully.

If looks could kill, I'd be dead. "I wouldn't talk to her if she was the last girl on Earth!" He shoved himself away from the table, spilling his glass of milk. "Ah Hell!" He spat out, before slamming out of the room.

I hopped up, grabbed a towel and started cleaning up the mess. I got a weird feeling my stomach and I felt like I was going to hurl. I still didn't know how I was going to fix it…I wasn't about to get myself into trouble!

Vin poked his head into the room. "Ya ready?"

"Just a sec. I'll meet ya at the livery." Once he was gone, I grabbed my things and ran to find Creed. Luckily he was sitting outside his Pa's hardware store.

"Hey True. Wanna do something?"

"Cant. I gotta go ta Nettie's with Vin."

"Oh." He stood up and leaned close to me. "Ya figure anything out?"

"Nope." I saw him frown and put my hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll think of something. Something that wont get us inta trouble."

"Maybe we should just fess up?"

"Are ya nuts! Do you know what Vin will do ta me?" I covered my face with my hands and groaned. Things just werent working the way they should.

"It's just…I don't know if I can stay quiet about this. It aint right." Creed look miserable.

"Look, I feel just as bad, okay, but just give me some time. If I cant figure somethin out by tonight, I'll fess up, all right?"

He smiled. "Even if it means ya wont sit for a month?"

"Yeah, even then. I promise." And then I did something I 've never done before… I hugged him. Once I realized what I did, quickly pulled away. "Well, um see ya."

The only thing going through my head as I ran for the Livery was OMG what did I do? And I wasn't talking about JD and Casey!

The ride to Nettie's was way too quick. As we pulled into the yard, I saw Casey sitting on the porch steps, and from what I could tell, she was crying…which was not helping matters! When she saw us, she quickly wiped her face and tried to smile. "Hey Vin. Hey True. Aunt Nettie's inside waiting for ya."

"Thanks Casey." Vin replied and headed into the house.I stood for a second, trying to shove down the sick feeling I had. I've never felt anything like it before and searched my brain for what it could be. The answer hit me like a bolt of lightening…Holy Hell! I think I'm developing a conscience!

"C'mon True." Vin called and I ran after him. We did a few chores and before I knew it, it was lunch time. Nettie set out some sandwiches and lemonade. I didn't really feel like eating as I had what felt like a rock in my stomach. Apparently Casey didn't either cause she was just picking at the bread.

"True, eat."

"You too Casey." Nettie added.

Casey pushed her plate away. "Aw Aunt Nettie, I just cant." A few tears slid down her cheeks and she pushed away from the table. "I'm sorry I gotta…" She couldn't finish, so she ran out the door.

"She been like this since yesterday?" Vin asked Nettie.

"Sure has. I don't know what to do with her."

"JD'll come around. It's jist gonna take some time."

We finished lunch and Nettie stood to start clearing the table. "Casey should be doing this, but I don't have the heart to make her come in here and do it."

"I'll do it." I replied and started to gather up the dishes. No, I'm not going all goody goody. I just needed to move and think.

I saw Vin staring at me. "What?"

"Aint never seen ya volunteer to do a chore 'fore."

I didn't like the look of suspicion in his eyes. "Well, maybe all that discipline ya been givin me is finally workin."

"I doubt that." Nettie stated and kissed my forehead. "Careful putting the dishes away."

Vin and Nettie retired to the front porch as I washed, dried and put away the tableware. Deep down, I knew what I needed to do, but my sense of self preservation was overriding my conscience…at least for now.

Vin and I left Nettie's shortly after lunch and headed back into town. As I was bedding down Eavan, I heard JD and Buck talking outside the livery.

"What am I gonna do Buck? She's my girl."

" I know boy, but she'll come around. "

"She never wants to see me again." He sniffled. "I love her."

Oh for the Christ's sake! Just twist the knife in my back…Couldn't a girl catch a break?! I quickly finished and hurried towards the boarding house. Creed was waiting for me on the porch.

"Well?" He asked hopefully.

"Nothin."

"Ya gonna do like ya said?"

"I promised, didn't I?" I groaned and put my face in my hands. "I don't think I can do it. It just aint in my nature."

"Look I'll come with ya."

I looked up at him. "I don't think that will go over well. I gotta do it myself." I smiled. "But don't worry, I'm sure they'll put two an two together an yer ass will get roasted too."

"Probably." He snickered.

"Well, if I'm still alive, I'll try ta catch up with ya tomorrow."

"Sure." He caught my arm as I turned to go into the house. "Ya swear you're gonna do this?"

"I'm scared to death, but yeah, I swear."

"Good Luck." Creed kissed my cheek and ran off.

I put my hand on my cheek…he just kissed me! I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that, and didn't have time to dwell. It was time to commit suicide by brother.

I waited until after supper when everyone was relaxing in the living room. I rubbed my hands on nervously on my pants and quickly headed for Vin before I lost my nerve. "Uh Vin?"

"Yeah Sunshine?"

"I gotta tell ya something, an ya aint gonna be happy." I paused trying to gather my courage and felt tears fill my eyes.

He pulled me on his knee. "It caint be that bad."

"Oh it is!"

"Then it's best ta just say it an git it over with."

I wiped my eyes and took a deep breath."Um, well, ya know the thing that happened between Casey and JD?" I stole a quick glance at JD. "Well, it was kinda all my fault."

"That so?"

"Yeah." I gulped. "Um, I kinda lied ta JD about what Casey said. Fact is, she never said nothing. I made it all up."

"WHAT?!"

Startled, I turned to a very angry JD. "I'm sorry!"

"Why? Why would you?"

"Well, I was trying ta get Casey back for tellin on me about the Bibles." I looked at the others in the room and quickly added. "I know it was wrong, but it just sorta happened!"

"Bibles?" Josiah chimed in. "I take it Creed was eavesdropping?"

I nodded. "But that's all he did. He had nothin else ta do with it." I added emphatically.

"How could you do this True?" JD asked quietly.

"I didn't think things would happen like they did!"

Vin pushed me off his lap and stood up. "That's yer problem! Ya never think!" He growled.

"If it helps any, I feel horrible…I havent been able to eat or think of anything else but what I did!"

"Oh, yer about ta feel worse!"

I almost fainted when he pulled his knife out. I knew exactly what he wanted me to do with it. "Oh no. No No No…No Way!"

"Go out ta that tree across the street an cut a switch."

"What? No! Everyone will see me! It'll be humilating!"

"No worse that what JD had ta deal with when he an Casey was fightin."

I looked at the others, hoping one of them would come to my aide.

"Don't look at us. We aint gonna save ya." Chris growled. "Get movin. An make sure ya keep the switch where everyone can see it."

This just couldn't be happening. "But…"

"Ya got three seconds to get goin or I'm gonna whip ya, then make ya cut it."

Knowing I had no choice, I slowly walked out the door. Luckily, it was later in the day and getting dark, so not many people were out, but there were still enough to embarrass the hell out of me! I quickly made a selection and ran back to the boarding house. I handed it to Vin along with his knife.

Vin turned to JD and held out the switch. "S'you she wronged. You cain punish her."

JD paled. "I…I..I cant do that to True…I just cant."

"S'all right JD. " He turned to me. "Git yer ass up ta yer room. NOW!"

As I was running up the stairs, I heard Chris say, "I think I'll go have a talk with Jared about Creed's part in all of this." Great, now Creed's in trouble….could things possibly get worse.

God, my ass is on fire! Vin gave me 10 licks…one for each year of my life he said. When I pointed out that because of the growth inhibitor I was still only 9, Vin response was, and I quote, "Ya been here fer a year an ya had a Birthday, so's yer 10." Damn technicalities!

I was crying into Vin's chest, completely miserable, when he made my day even worse. "Ya know, yer gonna tell Nettie an Casey, don't ya?"

"But…but Nettie'll tan my hide an hang on her wall!"

Vin smiled. "I dont think it'll be that bad." He kissed my head. "Ya know, what ya done was downright mean, but I am proud ya told me Sunshine."

"I knew what I did was wrong, but couldn't figure how to fix it without fessin up." I sighed. "I didn't want JD and Casey to break up…I was just so angry with Casey. I thought I could trust her an she told on me!"

"Casey did what she felt was right."

"I know…I can see that now." I rubbed my butt. "Wish I saw it before I said what I did."

Vin ruffled my hair. "Ya know, if'n JD decides he wants to punish, yer ta take it without any lip. Got me?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good." He laid me on my bed on my stomach. "Ya cain just say up here. I want ready fer be in ½ hour, got me?"

"Yes Sir."

I had just changed into my night clothes, when JD knocked on the door and came into the room. He was holding a writing tablet, pencil, and The Bible. He set them on the table in my room, turned the Bible to a page he marked. "When I was a boy, my Mama made me copy Bible verses as punishment. Since I aint got it in me to spank ya, I thought this would be the next best thing."

Oh, it was actually worse! Eveyone knows I really hate writing!

"Josiah was kind enough to pick out a verse. I want ya to copy it in your best handwriting 50 times by tomorrow night."

"But in order to write nice, I gotta sit down…" I winced at the thought. "Cant I work in the Church instead?"

"Nope." He sat down on the bed. "Mama said the lesson works better if you're doing it on a sore backside. Keeps your mind focused."

"Oh." I wanted to argue, but I remembered what Vin said. I stood in front of him and looked him in the eye. "I'm really sorry JD. I really didnt do it ta hurt ya…or Casey."

"I know." He pulled me into a hug. "Next time, think before ya speak, okay?"

"I'll try."

"Good." He let me go and turned me towards the table. "Now get writing."

"Yes Sir." It was gonna be a loooong night!