SUMMARY: A continuing story Beth Tucker and Lora Lawter. This time Beth is caught off guard and is a little too honest.

WARNINGS: PROFANITY

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Some references to an old John Wayne movie, 'The Quiet Man.' It's a little overblown, but I'm having fun with it. I know there are some timing issues, but I like the story more than an accurate time line.

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DISCLAIMER: The name "Jericho" and all character names and trademarks associated with the television program are the intellectual property of Junction Entertainment, Fixed Mark Productions, CBS Paramount Television and/or CBS Studios, Inc. The following stories are works of fan fiction intended solely as an intellectual exercise without profit motive. No infringement of copyright is intended or should be implied.
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TITLE: Tuckers-Going To Town-Chapter 2 of 3
AKA:

STORY TYPE: Complements Episodes with Alternate Characters
TIMELINE: 200X1204 (Bombs+65)
EPISODE GUIDE: after (1-14)Heart of Winter, before (1-15)Semper Fidelis
TUCKERS GUIDE: after Meet The Tuckers
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Beth started touring the dozen stalls at the market while Lora Lawter was at the Medical Clinic. Beth was looking for the little things the Tuckers were missing. To be honest, there wasn't much they couldn't salvage, but one day even that would run out. In the meantime, she way able to help some people that were down on their luck. She would never set foot in Gracie's Market, but out here in the parking lot she walked past seller after seller. Occasionally she would make a deal for something the Tuckers needed. Other times, she traded for things the people needed.

Pride is a powerful force. There were some people in town who wouldn't accept charity. Most of them were from an older generation, but in Beth's opinion, their pride shouldn't keep them from getting the food they needed. In one space was Paul Gint. She has been a substitute teacher for his daughter on several occasions. Her son Andrew had pointed him out, because his daughter was sick in the clinic. His daughter was diabetic and they were trying to ration the last of the insulin for her.

The Tuckers had looked for insulin when they went outside of town, but the problem had been the power outages. Insulin has to be refrigerated and every bottle they found was spoiled. They even tried to find some at Blackjack, but there wasn't any to be had.

Beth knew that Paul's daughter was going to die. There was just no way around it. For him to be here at the market, meant the family was in desperate need. It made sense since he had been at the clinic with his daughter for the last week.

Beth looked down at the things he was selling. It was a mix of pens, paper and an old manual typewriter. "Oh Paul, this is just what we need at the clinic or if we're ever to get the school going again. What are you asking for the whole lot."

He look up at her, "I was hoping to get some fresh food for my wife. We're using the Town's rations, but she really can't digest the corn."

"Well, I think we can do some business today. I hope it's a fair trade." Turning to her son, "Andrew, go get the bag left for Mr. Gint. While you're over there, take my coat back to the cart. Its getting warm today."

Andrew ran across the street. He put his mother's coat over the seat and came back with a shopping bag. "Paul I think you can stretch this out for a while. I hope its enough for what you have here." Beth nodded to Andrew and he handed the bag to Mr. Gint.

Inside he saw two loaves of bread, onions and potatoes. He looked up at Beth Tucker. "Are you sure?"

"Yes sir. I have a small garden out back. We have enough to get by. This is extra."

"My wife will be very happy. Thank You."

"It's a fair trade, Paul. Could I ask one favor? Do you mind taking this to Gail the next time you visit your daughter?"

Paul Gint, looked up from where he was sitting on the pavement and shook his head. "We lost her."

"Oh Paul, I am so sorry. Never mind these things; I will get them up there. You take this back to your wife. I am so sorry."

"No ma'm. We made a fair deal and its only right to delivery it for you. I won't take no for an answer." With that, he thanked her again and loaded everything in a wheelbarrow. He turned, thanked her again and headed up the street.

Beth Tucker was through with the market. Her shopping bags were gone, but she still had two cases of potatoes to take to the food bank at the church. As she started to turn, a voice commanded her to "STOP".

She looked to her left and right. She had all three children in her view and all of them were to her front. Who ever it was had stopped about five feet behind her. The command was repeated again, but was in a slightly higher octave. "Stop Mrs. Tucker."

"Deputy Bill Erickson… what bug have you got going?" Beth slowly started to turn around.

"Mrs. Tucker. That's a pistol on your hip."

"Well that's very astute of you Bill. You know darn well I have a permit to carry this. You were there when the Sheriff signed it."

Beth had forgotten she carried the Glock on her hip. In the past months it had become second nature to her. Normally concealed, she had been foolish when she had taken her Jacket off.

Bill Erikson was deputy only because Jericho was a small town with a small budget. The Sheriff had several very good deputies, but then he also had a couple who manned the office while everyone else was out patrolling. Bill was in charge of the coffee. He was a modern cousin to Barney Fief who never did quite explain how he ended up duct taped in the trunk on his patrol car.

"Mrs. Tucker, I'm going to have to disarm you."

"The Hell you say?"

"Mrs. Tucker, After Gracie was murdered; Mayor Anderson ordered that no one was to carry arms in the town." With that, he reached for her gun. It was not a wise decision.

Beth Tucker was not a black belt in martial arts, but after four years at the county YMCA, she was a brown belt. She began taking the classes as away to maintain her flexibility and later to take off her pregnancy weight. She started before conceiving Andrew, but took a break because of the pregnancy. After Emma was born, she started training again with a vengeance. She tested straight through several belts. About the time she was working on her black belt, they moved to Jericho. One of the compromises meant giving up her formal training.

Bill was right handed. Beth was a leftie. This meant that he was reaching onto her strong side. She caught him off guard by reaching straight forward with her left hand. Before he could pull his hand back she grasped it, twisted the wrist left and pulled hard. Suddenly Bill found himself off balance and falling fast. She twisted her body to the left while her right hand grazed his chin and pushed behind his ear. All hope Bill had of not hitting the ground were gone. He had just enough time to think, 'This is going to hurt.'

Instinctively, he tried to land on his back. In training, Beth would have let him down softly on the mat, but now she was pissed. She raised up her right knee and followed him to the ground. A half second after the ground pushed the air from his lungs, her knee impacted into his groin.

Her brothers had once explained a kick to groin as a bright white light followed by the most excruciating pain possible. Bill looked as if he had seen the light.

Unfortunately, Beth was seeing a bright red light. She stood up, leaving Deputy Bill writhing on the ground. She looked to see that her kids were all right, then made a bee line for the steps of town hall.

Jimmy Taylor looked out the window to see what the commotion was. It didn't take a second to see Bill on the ground and Mrs. Tucker coming straight for the stairs. Jimmy had seen that look before… not from his wife, but from his mother. He might not be twelve years old any more but he knew when to step out of the way and let someone else take the heat; "MAYOR ANDERSON, there's a citizen coming in with a complaint."

Andrew and Emma had never seen this look before. All they could do was grab hold of their younger brother and follow. They threw looks at each other, but both shrugged their shoulders. After a moment, Andrew had a revelation. He had seen this look before, but it wasn't his mother. It was that big guy in that old movie mom and dad watched; 'The Quiet Man.' He just didn't know who his mother was going to fight.

Beth Tucker pushed the doors open hard enough to crack the glass. A small crowd followed the Tucker kids in behind her. "Jimmy… Is that ass in there?" Jimmy just nodded his head as Mayor Gray Anderson had the unfortunate timing of walking out of his office.

The first thing he received was a stiff jab in the chest. "WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING HAVING YOUR DEPUTIES COMING AFTER CITIZENS IN THE STREETS! I come into town with my children to donate to the food bank and you send Bill to disarm me. Are going you or deputy Fife going to protect me? Somehow I sincerely doubt you can cover your own ass much less protect someone else's!! I swear to God, if you ever mess with me or my family again, you'll be the one I leave laying on the ground."

Meanwhile Gray Anderson did not know what storm he had walked into. He has no idea what was going on. He was completely speechless.

Beth Tucker was full of adrenaline. She could take on an army, but the pathetically clueless look on Gray's face took the wind out of her sails.

She stops and realizes there is no point in going farther. Another moment and she realizes she has assaulted a police officer and a town official. She had better call it a day.

As she turns around, she sees the crowd surrounding her kids. Now she's just embarrassed she let it happen. She walks over to the kids and politely says, "Kids… its time to go. Get your things."

Jimmy is left flabbergasted as Beth Tucker walks out the front door with her kids.

Lora Lawter is just pulling up in her cart as two people help Bill Erickson off the ground. To her right she sees Beth and the kids exit town hall. She pops the reins and steers the horses over to meet Beth at her cart. As she does she notices a half dozen people exiting the town hall. Mayor Anderson comes out the doors, but stops at the top of the stairs.

It takes a moment for Beth and Lora to converge, but the look on Lora's face asks the question Beth is too embarrassed to answer. "Not now. Could we please just go home?"

With that, Beth loaded up the kids and turned the cart for home.