AN: Chapter two! Yeah! Do you love western slash? Then you should also check out Wyatt/Doc Holiday SLASH from the movie Tombstone. I highly recommend that movie if you like 3:10 To Yuma. I prefer Tombstone instead of Wyatt Earp. The movie Wyatt Earp is just too long, but hey, if you like it that's totally fine with me.

Nothing much happens in this chapter- nothing slashy at least -just some explaining and getting the story going.

Warnings: Same as always SLASH! So if you don't like, don't read. Also more OCs. Thank you and enjoy.

Chapter Two -

Everyone in life is going to hurt you; you just have to figure out which people are worth the pain. - Erica Baican

It had only been a three days ride, but to Dan it had felt like an eternity. He couldn't deny that as soon as they passed the outskirts of Contention he became antsy. He needed to get home as soon as he could and see what had happened to Alice and Mark. To find out if they were alright or not. His stomach would always clench tight with fear whenever he thought something bad had happened to them and that was why they had never responded to his letters.

He knew nothing bad should have happened to them while he was gone, he had instructed Will to send some of the money that Butterfield had given them back to Alice. He made sure to give her enough to pay off Hollander and to buy Mark's medicine and some other necessities until he came back. So why hadn't she responded to his letters?

As they came trotting over the ridge, their house came into view and a sense of dread washed over him. It was completely dark and silent… and dead. Dan's horse sped down the ridge without him even realizing that he had ushered his horse into doing so. He vaguely remembered the sound of racing hooves as Will raced right along next to him.

When they finally reached the house's front porch Dan all but threw himself out of the saddle and raced up the steps, the pain in his shoulder numb and forgotten under the onslaught of fear he felt twisting in his gut.

He forcibly pushed the front door open and quickly called out to Alice and Mark, but no response came back. Will soon pushed past his father and hastily rushed through the house. In the light of the quickly setting sun the place looked cold and empty, which was exactly what it was.

"They're not here Pa!" Will practically cried, panic lacing his voice as he walked up to his father.

"Check… Check out with the cattle," Dan stuttered, moving to inspect the house himself as Will stiffly nodded and rushed out of the house.

Dan moved faster than what was thought possible for a man with only one leg, but even in his haste he took in all the details of the house. Like how the air was stale, how dust coated everything, and how anything of substantial value was missing.

The last room Dan checked was his and Alice's bedroom. He opened the door and entered the room almost silently. And as he looked about he noticed that everything of Alice's was missing while his stuff still remained, and whereas the bed linens had been taken off of the boy's bed, their's still had the quilt on it. That's when he noticed the neatly folded letter laying on it.

Dan snatched the letter up as quickly as any hawk diving for his prey and just as quickly opened it. Halfway through the letter, though, he had to sit on the edge of the bed.

Dear Daniel, the letter read in Alice's curvy handwriting, I received the money you sent in the mail and paid Hollander like you had instructed, and bought Mark's medicine. And as you've no doubt noticed we aren't here.

I sold the cattle and bought a wagon and a good pair of strong horses. Mark and I our moving to Tucson to live with my aunt, who said that she would take care of Mark and me.

I'm sorry Dan, truly I am. But let's not fool ourselves any longer. I can't live like this anymore and if you keep living like this you'll die soon. Then where would the boys and I be?

Again I say I am sorry Dan. You're a wonderful man and a splendid father, but I just don't love you anymore.

I've left your's and Will's clothes in the dresser. You may do whatever you please with the house; I have no intention of returning. And when you come up to Tucson I want to talk about this more. Below is the address of my aunt's house in…

Dan didn't need to finish reading the letter. He had read all he needed already. The hand holding the letter fell limp onto the bed as Will came charging into his bedroom. "Pa!" Will cried again. "They're not there! They're not anywhere! And the cattle are gone!"

"I know Will," Dan replied dryly.

"But… But then where are they!?" Asked Will, frantically.

"Tucson, with your Great Aunt Lisa."

"What!?" Dan just raised the letter toward Will, which Will quickly swiped out of his father's grasp. His eyes quickly scanned over the letter as first a look of confusion washed over his face and then a look of anger. "How could she do this? How could she just up and leave!? And right when you were lying in a bed practically dying!"

"It's not her fault," sighed Dan miserably, feeling fatigued as he started to take off his boots. It was like reading that letter had completely drained him of all his energy.

"What do you mean it's not her fault!?" Will was turning hysterical as he started to pace the small room in frustration.

"Will!" Called Dan, finally getting his son's attention. "Just leave it be for now. In the morning we'll head into Bisbee, get some supplies, and be on our way again to Tucson. For now could you just put the horses away and bring in our bags? I'm too tired to even stand."

Will's look of anger and frustration melted into a look of sympathy as he looked at his weary father situated on the bed. "Sure Pa," he softly replied turning to leave but stopping as he remembered something and turned back toward his father. "You want something to eat?"

Dan just shook his head as he put his boot and prosthetic under the bed and started to slip out of his coat and shirt. "I'm not hungry, but you go ahead and eat. When you're done you should go to bed. We're going to have to share mine because your's doesn't have any blankets on it."

Will nodded his head in understanding and quickly headed out of the house, leaving his father to lay alone in the rapidly darkening room that used to belong to him and his mother, but was now just a room with a bed and a half empty dresser.

With each minute that passed it was starting to look more and more like Charlie would have to resort to his last option. Wade was still as apathetic as when they had first left Contention about the whole Mary Mill train heist. And it was getting on his nerves. He wanted the old Ben Wade back, as did everyone else. And if this last resort was the only way to make Wade happy, so be it.

Levi entered the old church, his boots barely making a sound against the wood of the floor. "You wanted to talk to me?" Levi asked as he walked up the short aisle and to the only other person in the building.

"Yes," Charlie replied quickly. "As you know Wade hasn't been quite himself lately. And no matter what I try to snap him out of… well, whatever it is he's in, I just can't seem to get to him." Levi nodded. "But I do know one thing that will bring back the old Ben Wade." Levi perked up like a dog that had just caught the scent of a tasty meal. "Dan Evans."

"The one legged rancher from Bisbee?" Levi asked, confusion clearly written on his face.

"Yeah, it would seem Wade's taken a sort of fancy to him."

"Ya don't say," drawled Levi, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "So what ya propose we do then? Kidnap the rancher, tie him up in a pretty bow, and present him as a present to Wade?"

"No. I highly doubt that would work." Charlie turned away from Levi for a moment as he took off his hat and ran a hand through his short blonde hair. "I have this plan, but I don't know how well it will work."

"What is it?"

"We kidnap the stubborn rancher and force him to join our gang."

"I think that he'd die before he willing did that."

"That's why we'll threaten the life of his family." Charlie smirked up at Levi as he placed his hat back on his head. "We'll tell him that if he doesn't join and convince Wade to rob the Mary Mill's train we'll kill his family."

"And then what? What if he tells Wade?"

"We'll just tell him not to and that if he convinces Wade to do the Mary Mill's job, we'll let him go. That's all we really need him for. After that job we'll all be set for life."

Levi looked long and hard at Charlie, the wheels in his head turning vigorously. "Why don't we just do the job without Wade?" He finally asked. "You're just as good as him and just as capable."

Anger flared in Charlie's eyes as he pushed Levi up against the nearest wall. "No one can replace Ben Wade," Charlie ground out between clenched teeth. "And no one is as good as him. Not even me. So we're not doing this without him."

"Okay. Okay. Relax. I was just asking is all," replied Levi as Charlie backed away from him, finally releasing him from his tight grip.

"Well, don't ask again," hissed Charlie. "Get Sutherland. We have plans to make."

Dan hissed in pain as he rolled out of bed, his shoulder blossoming in pain as he became more conscious. He looked at his bandaged shoulder and grimaced. The once white bandages were now completely dyed with a pink hue. Thankfully, it wasn't the deep red color of freshly spilt blood, but the soft pink color of a slowly healing wound. He figured that he must have agitated the wound with all the moving around he did last night.

Deciding to ignore the injury for now, Dan reached under the bed and pulled out his boots and put them on. It was then he noticed the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting into his bedroom. He could definitely go for some of that right now.

Dan hobbled his way into the kitchen, careful not to jolt his aching shoulder. "Will!" He called out as he left his bedroom and entered the kitchen.

"Yeah Pa!" Was Will's return call. And not a second later Will was standing in front of him. "Pa," he said in a more hushed tone of voice, "we have company." Will's eyes cut quickly from his father's to his side and then back to his father's.

Dan got the hint and looked cautiously behind his son, and sure enough there was a burly man seated at their dining table. The man with graying whiskers looked up at Dan, a sympathetic smile gracing his lips. "Hello Dan," greeted the man.

"Hello, Johnson," Dan replied as he walked over to the table and took a seat opposite the man. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Needed to see how you and your boy were," answered Johnson taking a sip of his steaming coffee as Will put a mug down in front of his father.

"Didn't even know anyone knew we were here."

"Some of the boys saw ya riding in last evenin'." Dan nodded his head in understanding as he sipped on his own hot coffee. "How ya doing Dan?"

"As well as can be expected I guess," Dan mumbled over the rim of his coffee mug. Will had disappeared back into the bedroom somewhere.

"I know about Alice, Dan. She saw me before she left. She wanted me to check on you and Will as soon as you arrived."

"Yeah?" Dan asked limply. "And what did she tell you?"

"Nothing much. Just that she couldn't stay here any longer. Not by herself, at least. And that she wasn't sure that you'd be coming home alive." Johnson paused a moment and looked guiltily down at the mug in his hands. "Said that even if ya did come back alive, you'd just have another injury that would never heal properly, and other stuff."

"What kinda other stuff?" Asked Dan, sharply, his eyes turning fierce.

"Just stuff."

"Johnson," Dan warned in a tone that clearly stated that he was not in the mood for this.

"She just said that once you came back you'd be in no shape to run the ranch and it would just be better to get rid of it."

"I see," muttered Dan softly, looking into his mug of coffee but not really see it. "So, I suppose you're the one she sold the cattle to."

Johnson nodded as he leaned back in his chair. "It's not right what she went and done to you, Dan. But I can also see it from her point of view. A lonely mother out here all by herself with her sick child." Johnson shook his head slowly. "This ranch is too much to handle with three people working on it, let alone a lone woman. Now, I want you to know that I gave her a fair amount for the cattle. I even paid full price for the more sickly looking ones."

"I know," whispered Dan. The longer the conversation carried on the more he seemed to shrink in on himself, both physically and mentally.

His wife thought he would be lame and unable to work when he returned. So she packed up and left before she was burdened with the responsibility of taking care of him too, along with the dying ranch. He felt like crying, but both his pride and stubbornness wouldn't allow him to do that.

"Listen Dan," said Johnson, breaking through Dan's thoughts. "I know you're gonna be wanting to leave immediately to go after her. So, I'll watch the place while you're gone. I'll make sure no vagabonds or drifters come by and squat on your land, and I'll keep Hollander off your back for awhile."

"Thanks Johnson. You're a good man."

"So are you Dan." Just then Will came back into the kitchen carrying a few medical supplies in his arms. "I think I should be going." Johnson stood, picked up his hat off the table where it lay, and pushed in his chair. "I thank ya Will for the coffee and your hospitality. And Dan, if ever ya need me you know where to find me." Dan nodded to the older man as Johnson tipped his hat to them and left.

There was a long silence between Dan and his son after Johnson had left. Dan sat quietly at his spot at the table, back toward his son and Will stood, pensively, behind him, the items in his arms momentarily forgotten.

"How much did you hear?" Dan finally asked, his voice a soft whisper.

"Enough. Pa?" Asked Will as he walked to stand in front of his father. "Are you and Ma… breaking up?"

There were no words in which Dan could comfort him with. No explanation he could give him to assure his son that everything was going to be alright. Nothing. And the sad thing was he, himself, didn't know what was going to happen from here on out.

The silence in the air grew thicker, and Dan found it odd how something could be so deafeningly loud and yet, at the same time, be noiseless.

"I don't know Will," whispered Dan as his eyes flicked away from his son's intense stare and out the window behind him. "I don't know."

Dan barely heard the sigh that escaped Will as he began unwrapping his father's shoulder. He was too consumed in watching the dust outside the window swirl and flutter across his land. So the rain hadn't made it to Bisbee. He looked around and saw that everything was dead and dry outside his window. In his mind he knew that Alice had made the right choice. But even knowing that didn't stop the ache he felt in his heart at the thought that his wife didn't think he was worth her care, love, and time.

A/N: Poor Dan. But sometimes when one door closes another opens. So same as always, spot any grammar mistakes please, please let me know how to fix them. Please review if you found this story worth your time. Your reviews will keep this story alive.