Anna held tightly to Lizzie's hand as the men lowered Matthew Crawley's coffin into the dirt. The wind picked up and she used her other hand to hold her hat, squinting to stop the dust flying into her eyes. As the coffin settled Anna felt a hand at her shoulder and turned to see John standing there. She slipped her fingers over his and sighed as Talbot stepped up toward the gravestone.

"It is with a heavy heart that I stand before this grave and acknowledge the passing of Mr. Matthew Reginald Crawley." Talbot waited for a gust of wind to die down. "I admit that I didn't know him long but what I can say without reservation is he was a good man."

Talbot coughed, "I won't trouble anyone with platitudes about ascending to heaven or how his soul is resting peacefully because we're not here for him. Today we gather for us. The Bible says that those who mourn stand in need of comfort and the need for those who believe is to comfort those who mourn. Now is the time to mourn for we all remember that Jesus mourned." He waited a beat, "When His friends lost their brother He wept with them as we're going to weep together now."

He bowed his head, "For a word of prayer."

Anna bowed her head, pulling Lizzie closer, and intoned the words along with Talbot. As they finished, Lizzie walked forward and dropped the flowers in her hand into the grave. They stepped to the side as the other mourners paid their respects and waited a moment for the crowd to clear.

"I'm going to talk to Mary a moment." Anna gave Lizzie's hand to John. "Would you take her a moment?"

"Of course." John took Lizzie's hand and as they walked away Anna noted how the others at the funeral avoided him.

Shaking her head, Anna walked over to Mary and put a hand on hers. "Do you need anything?"

"Unless you can help me get my son his father back I don't think so." Mary shook her head, "I'm sorry, that was rude."

"It's grief talking." Anna assured her, "And if you want any help with George I'd like to step in. You know he and Lizzie are very close."

"I'll let you know." Mary wiped at her eyes and then groaned, "Now we've got to worry about Edith."

Anna frowned and looked over Mary's shoulder. Her jaw dropped and she tried to find something to say but could only cough. Riding toward the cemetery on a horse with only the bridle, was a naked woman. Anna covered her face, sighing into her hand, and then faced Mary.

"I thought she'd gotten better."

"No. She's taken to riding around covered in paint instead of fully nude but Lady Godiva's still riding around the town as if she's the only one who's really known loss."

"I guess grief hit her harder than it hits others." Anna looked over her shoulder and watched how the others passed looks toward John and Lizzie. "I need to handle that before someone thinks that outlaw is trying to steal my daughter."

"Ignore them." Mary sniffed, "At least you have someone."

"You and I both know it's temporary."

"Not if you took him and ran for it." Mary shrugged when Anna narrowed her eyes. "You've been paid and you happened to leave town and then he ran at the same time. It wouldn't be that suspicious."

"I'm sure it wouldn't take too much intelligence to see through that."

"I don't hold much to the intelligence of those about me." Mary nodded toward John. "You've an opportunity for a new life with him. I think you should take it."

"You're the one who said I was a fool for letting him in my house in the first place."

"And you told me you weren't selling so I guess we both changed our minds." Mary composed herself, "I've got other mourners who want to pass condolences I don't want and I think you need to save Mr. Bates from suspicious minds."

Anna nodded, "Just tell me if there's anything I can do."

"Always."

Anna walked to John and Lizzie, "I think we should leave now."

"Probably best." John walked with them as they moved toward their horses.

They almost reached them when a woman stepped in their way. Anna turned over her shoulder to see the others watching them while pretending they were otherwise occupied, and then faced her. "Good afternoon Edna."

"I suppose you thought you'd placated the temperance league with your offer of horses didn't you Ms. Smith."

"It's not an empty gesture." Anna hoisted Lizzie onto her hip. "The horses are ready and we're riding them into town any day now."

"I know for a fact those horses have been broken and trained for going on three weeks now and you're just delaying the inevitable by keeping him out on your land." The shorter woman sneered, "Is he riding you when he's not riding horses."

Anna raised her eyebrow. "I don't know what I expected from someone like yourself but I'd ask that you keep in mind that my daughter has ears and I don't want her hearing the kind of filth that'll leak from yours."

"I'm sure your daughter's heard plenty more than what I'd say." Edna turned to Lizzie, "How do you sleep through the creaking of the bed?"

"That's enough." John cut in, "Ms. Smith and her daughter have been nothing but hospitable to me in my stay here and I won't have you slandering them."

"It's not slander if it's true." Edna taunted before facing Anna and jabbing a finger in John's direction. "That man should be in a cell until the Sheriff returns or else none of us are safe."

"What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you heard about the group stealing cattle from the outer ranges?" Edna snorted, "I'm sure he says he's just out riding at night."

"The men trying to steal the Crawley's cattle?" John tried to speak but Edna only shot him a nasty scowl before stepped away.

"He's brought more ruin than this town can bear and we'd all be well rid of him."

She stormed off and Anna frowned at John, "What other cattle have been stolen?"

"Some from the Drewe's ranch went missing two days ago and another dozen or so from the Drakes." Anna pivoted to face Gwen as she approached, closing her black parasol. "It's a rotten business Anna and I don't agree with a word Edna said in regards to the civil relationship you've kept with Mr. Bates here but she's right. We had a deal."

"You're not suggesting he's the one behind the missing cattle are you?"

"I'm many things but I'm not an idiot." Gwen scoffed, "And I think Mr. Bates may be many things, some of them not what I expected, but I know one man couldn't do what these men are doing. It takes a lot more work to do what these men are doing. Cattle may be dumb but they're also temperamental and these men have skill. It's a job for more than one man."

"There aren't that many men around but I know one of them shot Matthew and, if you'd allow, I'd like to see if we could find them." John stepped forward, "Put me under the supervision of Deputy Nugent if you wish but as long as I can be of use I'd like to be."

"It'd have to be the decision of the rest of the town, Mr. Bates, since you do represent a possible threat to our safety."

"Then allow me to make that decision." Mr. Crawley walked up to them. "I'm the Mayor of this town and I'd like to think I'm not so out of touch with the needs of my constituency that I don't see the benefits of keeping Mr. Bates on a longer leash than a cell in the Sheriff's office would provide."

"We know that you've been using him on your land, Mr. Mayor, and while we respect that is your decision about your property you're talking about the defense of this town left in the hands of a hand accused of some crimes we're trying to prevent." Gwen flailed her hand, "I'd find it hard to convince some of these ladies that their interests, already fragile as they are, would be in safe hands."

"I can promise he won't be riding alone."

"I'm not sure that would be a comfort to them." Gwen sighed, "I'm sorry Mr. Mayor, almost as sorry as I am for Mr. Bates, but with all the uncertainty in this town they need something they can test with their own hands and that's the knowledge that the noted outlaw, John Bates, is locked away and not a threat to them."

"I still need his help getting my horses to town." Anna lifted Lizzie slightly to readjust her on her hip. "I can't get fifty horses into town on my own."

"Then bring them tomorrow Anna and we'll sort it out from there." Gwen nodded at all of them. "If circumstances were even a little bit different I'd do whatever I could to make this better but there's nothing we can do."

"But bow to the pressure." Anna took a deep breath, "Thank you for your help Gwen. It probably doesn't seem like much to you but it's everything to us."

"I wish I could do more."

Gwen walked away and Anna sighed. "Bugger."

"I guess we were all trying to outrun time." Mr. Crawley opened his mouth but whatever he planned to say failed him and he dropped his arms in defeat. "I wish there was more I could do."

"You've already been more than generous with me and I couldn't thank you enough for that." John cleared his throat. "It's time I set my affairs in order."

"I'm sorry Bates. It's a bloody business."

"There's nothing to be sorry for here but that I made decisions that have come back to haunt me." John shook his hand, "It's been an honor to work with you again sir."

"And for me Bates."

John turned to Anna, "We should go before we cause more of a disturbance here."

"Agreed."

He mounted his horse and Anna passed Lizzie up to him before mounting her own horse. They rode back to her house without much hurry and Anna took care of the horses as John took Lizzie into the house. She set the saddles in place and went to leave the barn when she heard something from a back corner.

Drawing her rifle she cocked it and moved toward the back of the barn. A loud crash alerted her and she turned the rifle to meet the chest of a trembling man. He backed into the wall and she held the barrel to his shirt.

"You'd best have a good reason for being here sir seeing as I didn't invite you and you're not a friend of mine dropping by for a visit."

"I'm here on orders from someone else."

"Who?" The dark-haired man trembled and Anna prodded him with the barrel. He flinched, sobbing as he held his hands higher. Anna repeated the question. "Who sent you?"

"My boss."

"And who's that?"

"He calls himself Harman."

Anna shook her head, "I don't know that name."

"He told me to come here, said he knows the place."

"Then when your Mr. Harman decides to make himself known, tell him to inquire about it with a knock to my front door instead of a little weasel like you skulking around my barn." She maneuvered to shove him toward the door. "That direction's the exit and I'll help you find it."

As they came out the doors Anna heard a shot and ducked back behind the door. She waited and then held her rifle up as she exited the doors to see dust rising just beyond her paddock. The man on horseback turned and she narrowed her eyes before firing at him.

He fell from his horse, hitting the ground just as John came to her side. "Are you alright?"

"I will be." Anna jerked her head behind her, "See if he's alright."

She hurried to the far side of the paddock as the man struggled to get back to his feet. When their eyes met Anna froze. "Alex?"

"Who's Alex?" He held his arm, checking over it as he backed toward his horse. "You shot me."

"What are you doing here?" She shook her head, cocking her rifle again, "You're supposed to be dead. Buried in whatever water marked grave that flood took you to."

"Flood?" He reached his horse, shaking his head. "You're mad woman."

"What are you doing here Alex?" Anna screamed, holding the rifle in shaking hands as she leveled it at him. "What do you want?"

"How do you know me?"

"I killed you." Anna whispered, "I killed you Alex Green."

"Is that my name then?" He swung into his saddle and grabbed his reins, hissing at the injury to his arm. "I guess that tells me something."

"Don't move or I'll shoot that horse out from under you before I make sure I blow your brains away this time."

He only laughed, "Little woman like you isn't anything but dirt on the bottom of my boot."

Anna went to fire but John caught the barrel. "He's the one who shot Matthew."

"Who?" Green drew his own gun and Anna brought hers up as well. "I guess I don't have to tell you that the man there isn't holding a weapon and even if you shoot me I've discovered I'm a good enough shot from this distance to put one between his eyes."

"I'm faster on the trigger." Anna warned but Green only laughed.

"It'd still be pulled." He kicked the horse, riding away.

Anna lowered the gun and let out a breath. John's hands came to her shoulders and she sagged against him. "It was him, John. Somehow he's alive and he's found his way back here."

"It'll be alright." John soothed, holding her. "We've got a bleeding man in the dirt we should see to."

Anna nodded, following John back to her porch where the man sat cradling his hand. John moved past him, going inside for the medical kit as Anna checked her gun. At the sound of it cocking again the man held up his injured appendage for her to see. "Bastard shot me in the gun hand. I'm useless now."

"Please keep your voice down and civil tongue in your head as I've a daughter in that house that needs neither." Anna held her rifle in an easy grip. "You said the person who sent you was named Harman?"

"That's what he said his name was."

"You didn't believe that?"

The man flailed, "From what we heard they'd found him in a ditch, half mad and soaking. Some flood'd carried him from who knows where and when the water stopped so did he. He had a gash on his head to fit the lump there and no memory of anything beyond some fuzzy details of this place."

"This ranch?" John returned, taking the man's hand and soaking it in water a moment before inspecting the wound.

"This town. He knew the name and mutter it in his sleep." The man scoffed, "He brought us here to scope the place and when he noticed there weren't that many men about he decided to make it worth the while and we took to stealing the cattle. Sold them at some good prices and should've moved on but he couldn't shake this place."

"When did you find him?" Anna drew his attention back to her and the man just shrugged.

"How should I know? That was before my time. Everything I know is third or fourth hand from the different crews that've passed along. We change you know."

"Then how long've you been riding with him?"

"Maybe six months."

"Is that when he got interested in this town?" Anna waited and the man frowned before shaking his head.

"No, that was about two weeks ago."

"Why?"

"How should I know? According to one of the men that rides with us he's been docile for four years and then we barely avoid a flash flood three weeks ago and it's like the man cracks. His brain's just not the same and he's always muttering to himself about things."

"What things?" Anna waited and then nudged the man with her gun. "What things?"

"Places, names, details it's like he's trying to remember but can't." The man let out a breath, "We should've left him for the coyotes or the Indians or something."

"What's your name?" Anna poked him again and the man scowled at her.

"Thomas Barrow."

"Congratulations Thomas Barrow," She smiled and he winced as John wrapped his hand tightly. "You've just taken a cell meant for someone else."


Anna leaned against the post on her porch, head back against it as the weaker wind of the night tried to cool the residual heat of the day. She turned as the wood creaked and saw John there. "All settled?"

"She's out faster than a light." John smiled and tucked his thumbs through his belt. "I don't suppose you've given any thought to tomorrow."

"Take no thought for tomorrow. Sufficient for the day are the evils thereof, Mr. Bates." Anna let out a breath before sitting on the edge of her porch. "I'm trying not to think at all really."

"Because that Mr. Barrow says they've found someone who survived a flash flood and brought him into their gang?" John joined her, "It's probably just someone who's a dead ringer, nothing more."

"He's not a dead ringer, John." Anna shook her head, "That was Alex."

"Alex is dead, you told yourself."

"I told you what I knew which was that a man who took that kind of blow to the head and then washed away in a flood should be dead but I guess the will to live is strong for those not in a hurry to meet the devil."

"He's not going to trouble you Anna. He didn't even remember you."

"Barrow said he was remembering things."

"Doesn't mean he'll remember you."

Anna faced John, "I can't take that chance. Not with my little girl in the next room sleeping peacefully because she's never met her father."

"I'm here to help you Anna."

"Not after tomorrow." Anna pushed off the porch, walking toward the barn. "Tomorrow you're going inside that cell and that'll be it."

"Anna," John followed her inside the barn as they readied a saddle. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting ready so we can leave at first light."

"We can't leave Anna."

"Yes we can and we're going to." She turned to him, "Mary gave me good advice today. She said that we needed to seize what we have and I can't do that if you're in a cell or dead."

"I'm still a wanted man."

"Then we ride north. We go to Canada and we live there." Anna put the saddle down. "I've got money and we'll make ourselves new people. We don't have to be who we are here. We can run anywhere we like and just go. We can be free."

"And always be looking over our shoulders?" John shook his head, walking toward her. "That'd ruin whatever it is you want to build with me. It'd ruin you."

"The only ruin I recognize, Mr. Bates, is the idea of living life without you." Anna pointed toward the house, now within touching distance of John. "The only ruin that little girl in there would recognize is being without you."

He put a hand to her cheek, "I couldn't ask you to risk that for me."

"You're not asking it of me." Anna took his other hand and placed it at her waist. "I'm offering it to you."

"I won't do anything unless you're sure, Anna."

She met his eyes, placing a hand over his heart. "I've never been surer of anything in my whole life."

The door to the nearest stall opened and John guided Anna into it. Flickering light from the closest lantern left them in an orange glow for what they could see and shadows where they could not. But all Anna needed was her fingers on his skin and his lips on hers to learn the rest.

It was slow, almost a measured dance, and Anna could not help but sigh at the tender touches he left over her skin. The way his hands skimmed the fabric of her clothing had her believing that perhaps he meant to replicate every part of the moment between them. And she would not stop him.

Hay scratched over her but the intensity of his gaze, the caress of his hands, and the smooth glide of his lips buried the discomfort. Anna lifted her leg to wrap over his hip, catching her skirt on his belt, and pulled him closer to her. The delicious weight settled over her and John paused to stare into her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Please John." Was all she could manage before he took her lips with his again.

Her struggle with the tie at his neck or the buttons of his vest of the strap of his belt failed to distract her from the shivers when he laid a trail of kisses down her throat. Or when he pulled her blouse apart to suck and lave the bodice supported breasts available to him. Or when his other hand slid up her thigh to brush the fabric of her knickers against her tingling nerves.

Anna moaned and John tugged the laces loose on her bodice to let it fall open. They both paused and Anna sat up enough to discard her clothing and John left his drift to the side. He positioned her, careful to take their clothing to lay it under her, and returned his attentions to her throat.

She sighed, basking in the memorization of his fingers on her skin and keened whenever he found her overly sensitive. Anna sent her fingers through his hair, enjoying the tickle of it in contrast to the coarser hair of his chest. He groaned, pausing just above an exposed nipple, when she brought her nails over the muscles working above her.

As she went to do it again her hands faltered, trembling at the tug of John's teeth and the suckling motions of his tongue over her breasts. Her hips rocked toward him and the hot presence of him slid over the skin of her thigh. Anna opened her legs wider at the tentative tease of his fingers above her hips.

John kissed down her stomach as he stroked a finger through her folds and then tweaked them in ever lengthening pulls. Her lungs felt empty, her head light, but it was all Anna could do not to give over to the pleasure. And when his fingers slipped inside her she nearly broke.

"You're so beautiful like this Anna." His voice was in her ear and Anna scrambled to find a grip around his shoulders to hold herself closer to him. "So free and unguarded. Please let me set you free."

"Yes." She sobbed under him, "Please."

A moment later Anna shattered, clenching around his fingers while leaving scars of her own over his shoulders. She settled back a moment, looking at John's face, and then pulled him to her. Their lips crashed together now, the earlier calm broken as she was.

"Please take me John." Anna rested her forehead on his, eyes closed to try and remember the feeling dying down in her blood. "Please take me."

Before she could comprehend reality John was inside her. Anna clutched her fingers into the muscle of his arms, holding herself still as they waited for her body to acclimate. When he tried to move Anna shook her head.

"Not yet."

And he waited. Waited until she lifted her hips and rocked against him. John kept his pace slow, moving so gingerly it left Anna aching. She skated a hand down his back and sunk her nails into the flesh of his ass. He stuttered and looked at her.

"Faster, please." His first move stayed slow but Anna shook her head, "Faster. I can't… it's too slow."

John forged ahead and soon Anna could register the tremor from the collide of their bodies. She tipped her head back and John's lips coated her neck and breasts in kisses. Her own fingers kneading at any part of his skin she could reach to hold herself steady in the midst of the rise coming to claim her body a second time.

Whatever intuition guided John had his fingers teasing at her nerves again and Anna writhed in response. Her second peak took her over just before the crash of his own. And as they both settled, bodies still shuddering and thrusting until all energy was spent, Anna held him close.

"Thank you." She whispered to his neck, "Thank you."

John adjusted, slipping free, and laid beside her. "For what?"

"I'd never…" Anna shook her head, "I'd never felt that before."

"I thought Green-"

"Alex never worried about me." Anna closed her eyes. "You're the first who's ever worried about me. Worried about Lizzie."

"I love you both."

Anna put a hand to John's face, "I can't lose you."

"You won't."

"Run away with me then?"

"Of course." John kissed her hand and then took a deep breath. "But I think, for now, we should be getting back to the little girl asleep in the house."

"Not before we've rinsed." Anna stood, "I don't want her thinking anything."

"Anna," John caught her hand, pulling her close to him, "People've already called me names, said horrible things about us, and I… I don't want you to regret anything you've done with me and if-"

"Mr. Bates," She put her finger over his mouth. "We're together for the moment, you and I, so can we not let that be enough for now?"

"Only if you're sure."

"I'm sure." Anna smiled, "I know now that I'm who I was always meant to be and that is by your side. Wherever that may lead."