CHAPTER TEN

She could hear their voices in the distance. She let the knife slide from her grasp. It was Vin!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The tracks lead this way." Vin pointed off to the distance after inspecting the fresh horse prints in the dirt. "She's still with 'em." he added as he slid back into the saddle, more for Ezra's benefit than anything else.

"Then let's go get her." Ezra said softly, his body weak from the loss of blood. Nathan had barely begun to fix his wound when he had heard the rest of the seven were going after Josephine and her kidnappers. He knew it had started bleeding again, but he kept that to himself. Getting back Josephine was more important, even if it killed him.

"VIN!" the high-pitched voice echoed across the hills, causing the riders to stop and look around them. "VIN!" the voice cried out again, closer this time, and very familiar. Ezra hopped quickly from his saddle as the figure came into view, stumbling every few feet as she ran, her dark hair streaming behind her. She quickened her pace when she noticed Ezra walking toward her, her face lit up in surprise.

"Ezra!" she called out, running into his arms. He winced as she held him tight, but didn't want to pull away. "My God, Ezra." she whispered, pulling back slightly to look him over, not really sure if this was all really just a mirage.

"Josephine." he whispered, brushing her tangled hair from her face. She certainly was a sight, dirt and blood streaked her pretty face, tiny nicks and scrapes covered her bare legs and feet. He gently cupped her face with his hand, examining the bruised eye and busted lip. "What happened?"

"Lucas is dead. Wills is still out there." she said, suddenly feeling very exposed in front of these men. Ezra seemed to sense what she felt, and slowly slid his overcoat from his body and gently draped it around her shoulders. "Oh, Lord, Ezra, you're bleeding." she gasped when she noticed the blood that had soaked through the bandage Nathan had quickly applied before Ezra had rushed out the door.

"I'm fine." he reassured her.

"I think we need to get you two back so Nathan can fix you up." Buck suggested quietly.

"What about Wills?" Josephine asked, tearing her gaze from Ezra.

"We'll go get him." Vin answered. Josephine pulled Ezra's jacket tighter against her body, finally noticing the cold that caused her body to shiver.

Ezra softly nudged her toward his horse, eager to get her back to Four Corners, back to where he could keep her safe. He was certain Vin, Buck, Chris, and J.D. could rustle up Wills with no problem. He would take her back, they would help nurse each other back to health, and he would convince her to stay with him. It would be the way he had always imagined it.

He helped her into the saddle, and climbed up behind, with much difficulty. He nudged the horse to a walk, back the way he came. He suddenly had no idea what to say to the woman in front of him, who, too, was quiet.

"Mutt's awake." he finally said, quietly, as if he was afraid to break the silence that enveloped them. Her slender body jerked as she tried to turn and face him, her dark blue eyes wide and brimmed with tears.

"Is he?" she asked, her own voice barely above a whisper before turning back around, bringing a slender hand up to brush away the tears before they could fall. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine." Ezra answered. "Are you?" She nodded but stayed silent. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Josephine asked, her gaze focused on the path ahead of them.

"I was supposed to be watching the door. Making sure you were safe. And I wasn't." Josephine, in spite of herself, giggled. "What?" Ezra asked, surprised at her reaction.

"Ezra Standish," she began, turning her head so she could catch his gaze in the corner of her eye, "who taught you to apologize for keeping company with a beautiful lady." Ezra smiled at her before leaning forward and planting a kiss on her neck. She sighed and leaned back against him, making sure to keep clear of his wounded shoulder. He wrapped his good arm around her waist, holding the reins loosely with the other. They continued the ride in silence, enjoying each other's company.

Nathan was waiting for them as they rode into town, as if somehow he knew they were coming. She slid from the saddle, with help from Nathan, and turned her attention to Ezra who was having much more difficulty dismounting.

After much reassuring she would get some much needed rest, Josephine helped Ezra back to his room, leaving him in the care of Nathan before checking in on Mutt. He smiled at her when she entered, his grey eyes bright, his skin showing a lot more color than a few days ago.

"Hey." she said quietly, settling on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. What about you?" he asked, warily eyeing her swollen lip and the cut above her eye.

"I'm fine. I'm sorry about all this, Mutt."

"Don't worry bout it, Jo. As long as you're okay." Josephine smiled.

"Ezra's been taking care of me."

"He's a good man." Josephine nodded and gave her cousin's hand a gentle squeeze.

"I'm going to get some sleep. You should too, dear." she kissed him lightly on the forehead and stepped out of the room, with no intention of heading back to her room. As she approached the room at the end of the hall, she paused as Nathan exited, his body showing the wares of the days' events. He looked up when he noticed her and smiled faintly, receiving a sweet smile in return.

"I thought you was gittin' some rest, Miss Josephine."

"Well, I was, but…I was wondering how Ezra was faring."

"He's fine. But I think you should be gittin' some rest. You took some bad blows to the head." A look of disappointment flashed in her eyes. "But, I'm sure he'd be happy to see you, too." Nathan graciously stepped aside, allowing Josephine to enter the room. She tossed another smile over her shoulder before closing the door softly behind her. Ezra looked up and grinned when he caught her gaze.

"I thought you were getting some rest." Josephine smiled shyly and shrugged.

"I wanted to check on you." Ezra smiled up at her and motioned her over to him. "How are you?" she asked, taking a hand into hers.

"I've been better. How are you?" Josephine nodded.

"The same."

"Why did you leave?" Ezra asked quietly after a few moments of uneasy silence. Josephine looked up at him, caught unaware by the question. She quickly looked back down at his hand she held tightly in her lap, unsettled by the look in his jade eyes and the ache in his voice.

"Ezra…" she started softly, uncertain how to continue. There was so much she wanted to say to him. So much she wanted to tell him. She loved him deeply; he had said he still loved her, too. Was it true, or was it the liquor talking for him that night?

"Ezra," she repeated after clearing her throat. "I didn't want to." she heaved a deep sigh. "You were the only man in my life who never sought anything from me." She wouldn't bring her eyes up to meet his.

"Why did you leave?" he asked again, forcing himself to sit up, ignoring the sharp pain that radiated from his shoulder when he did so. "Did you even love me?" he solicited, a little brusquer than he wanted to.

"Yes." she quickly answered, staring into his eyes for emphasis. "But…"

"But, what?" Ezra pressed.

"But…Ezra, you have to understand…everyone important to me in my life…they left me. My mother, my father, my brothers. I tried very hard to keep people at a distance from me…from becoming valuable to me…to keep from feeling vulnerable. You were the only man…I fell in love with you, Ezra. And I was certain you'd end up leaving me, too. I couldn't go through that again." Ezra's face softened and he reached up to brush her face in his hand.

"I would never have done that to you. I fell in love with you, too." Josephine smiled. A few moments later, a nervous giggle escaped her throat. "What?" Ezra asked.

"All this is dreadfully maudlin for me. And I gather for you, as well."

"It may be." Ezra agreed. "But it's the truth." Josephine's smile returned and she kept his gaze for what felt like an eternity.

She finally broke the stare and pushed herself of the edge of the bed. "I should let you get some rest." she muttered, unable to meet his eyes.

"No." he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to his bed. "Stay."

"Yes, Josephine." The familiar voice sent a chill down her spine even before she turned to look at its owner. A wicked grin spread even wider across Wills' face when he noticed the terror in Josephine's eyes. "Stay, why don't you."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am really, really, really sorry for the delay. My muse was focused elsewhere. And I really want to finish this story, so expect the chapters to not be so few and far between! Thanks for sticking by me! You know who you are