Chapter 8
Jessie was standing in the barn and could hear Bullseye's frantic neighing. Flames were all around her, separating her from her horse. She tried to get to Bullseye any way she could, but the flames crept higher, trapping them both. Her eyes locked with the horse's and she began to suffocate.
Gasping for air, she sat straight up in bed. All of the fear, the anxiety, the grief from the entire day came crashing down. Jessie pulled her knees to her chest and began to sob.
A cool, strong hand on her back startled her. "Jessie?" asked Buzz gently.
"Oh, Buzz," she cried, falling against him.
He wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair. "Shh…it's all right. It was just a dream. You're safe." He held her tightly as she cried against him.
She let out a shaky breath, "I lost the mare. I tried to save her, but..I couldn't…and…."
It took Buzz only the briefest of moments to realize she meant the surgery. He nodded, "I know."
She sniffled, raising her tear-stained face, "You do?"
"Slink told me earlier. He was pretty worried for you."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
He gently brushed a tear from her cheek, "Figured you'd talk about it when you were ready. Besides, you'd been through enough."
She pulled his face to hers, kissing him with an intensity that caught him off guard. He responded willingly to her advances, placing his hand on her waist. He was about to roll on top of her when he hesitated, not wanting to take advantage of her already-emotional state.
Jessie grabbed his hand as he started to withdraw it, pressing it back against her. "Don't stop, Buzz, please. Every-everything thing is so sure when you're loving me. I really need that right now."
Buzz looked down into her imploring green eyes. The fear that they were closed to him forever was still fresh and he kissed her fiercely. They loved each other with an urgency, each one fighting off the fear that night had brought them. He lay awake afterwards, curled up against Jessie's back. He watched her breathing and brushed a lock of hair from her damp forehead. Kissing her shoulder, he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I will keep you safe, Jess, I promise," he whispered, falling asleep beside her.
Jessie awoke in the pre-dawn twilight. She slipped out of bed, taking care not to wake Buzz, and walked to the window. She could see the charred ruins of the barn in the early morning mist. She saw movement and realized Woody stood, silhouetted against the remains. She dressed quickly, grabbing her robe and shoes, before creeping silently out of the house and up to where he stood. She slipped her arm through his.
Woody started and smiled, laying a hand over hers, "Hey."
"Hey, yourself. Couldn't sleep?"
He shook his head, "Not much. You okay?"
She nodded, "I'm fine."
They stood in silence as the first rays of the sun broke over the horizon. The redness of the light on the burnt wood reminded Woody of the fire, and he shuddered.
Jessie hugged his arm tightly, "It'll be okay."
He swallowed the lump in his throat and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it as he turned and saw Buzz approaching. He turned as Jessie released his arm, holding out his hand to his friend.
Buzz grabbed his hand and pulled him into am embrace, knowing what was being said. He pulled away with a slight grin, "Bo's mad."
Woody blinked, "Mad? Why?"
"I dunno, but she's in the kitchen cooking up a storm and muttering savagely about your not being there when she woke up."
Woody chuckled, "I'll be sure to watch out for flying skillets." He started back to the house.
Buzz reached his hand out for Jessie who was looking at the ruins.
She smiled, taking his hand in hers, "Did I wake you?"
He shrugged, "Wasn't the first time, better not be the last." He grinned, stroking her cheek, "Sleep better?"
She nodded as they walked through the yard, "Yes. Thank you."
Woody was pensive during breakfast, his eyes looking at Jessie frequently. She finally had enough. "Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln, Woody!" she exclaimed, "Would you just spit it out already?"
Buzz and Bo both looked up from their plates, surprised. Woody finished his bite, "I was thinkin'; what do you think about having Sarge come up and see if he can determine what caused the fire?"
A frown creased Bo's pretty face, "I thought he said this was happening everywhere, that it's because of the dry spell."
Woody shrugged, "And I'd be okay with that, but for Jess' knock to the head."
"Woody, anything could have hit me; something falling from the rafters, who knows? No, I know what you're thinking, but we have no proof!"
Another thoughtful silence followed, broken by Buzz. "Where were you standing when you got hit?"
Jessie looked at him, "Right outside Bullseye's stall. Why?"
"You were definitely outside the stall?"
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, Buzz. Why?!"
He looked at Woody, then at her, "Because when I finally found you, you were inside his stall, against the haystack."
She blinked, "Inside? But… how?" She looked at Woody, noticing the tired lines under his eyes.
The cowboy shook his head, resting it in his palms, "Maybe I should just call Peters instead and tell him the ranch is his."
"Woody!" Bo exclaimed softly, rising to place her hands on his shoulders.
"No, Bo, he's made it obvious that it doesn't matter what he has to do to get it, even if it means someone getting hurt," his eyes looked over at Jessie, but she didn't look at him. "It's not worth it, none of this is worth that."
Buzz spoke up, "Maybe we should call up Sheriff Andy, let him get an investigation opened up. They can probably get at least some sort of restraining order or something."
Woody shook his head, "Based on what? He has never actually threatened me, and there is no solid basis to suppose he had anything to do with what happened last night, at least as far as Andy would be able to uncover. No, Buzz, he wins. End of story."
"Like hell he does," Jessie's voice was hard. Her green eyes met her brother's, steely with resolve, "He will not get this land."
"C'mon, Jessie. You could have died! D'you know how terrified I was last night that I was going to lose you? And for what? My stubborn family pride?" he practically spit out the last two words.
Jessie stood up so swiftly, Buzz almost spilled his coffee, "Woody James Pride, you listen to me. He will not get his hands on any piece of this land. My name's on this place, too, in case you've forgotten. And you talk about family pride as if it's a bad thing? We are the family Pride, you and I. And I'll be damned if I see this place sold to that…that man, just so he can settle some stupid long-dead score. If you so much as say one word to him, I swear I will tear you apart with my own hands; don't think I won't."
Woody closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead with his hand, "I know, I know… I just don't know what to do, Jessie."
Jessie's face softened and she knelt by Woody, taking his hands in hers, "I'm sorry, it's been a rough night, I know. But please, Woody, don't give up so easily on this one. We'll think of something, we always do." She gave him a small smile, thinking of the scrapes they had been in yet always managed to find a way out. "What did Dad always tell us but that we should stick together?"
"She's right, Woody," Buzz chimed in. "Besides, it won't be just you two in this alone. You've got a friend in me and I'll do whatever you need. Bo?"
She nodded in agreement, "Me too; I'm not some porcelain doll to keep on a shelf. As long as you need me, I'm here." She smiled down at Woody, resting her hand softly on his cheek.
Woody smiled at the other three, "What would I do without you guys? Okay, let's figure out what we need to do."
