Chapter 12

"No marshall you wait a minute. I don't give a damn who you think you have to answer to. I have to answer to that woman laying in that bed back there. Everyone else comes second. Now you can go away, and i will come find you when i am done, or i can kill you where you stand. Your choice." Dawson says.

The marshall can feel death knocking on his door if he pushes this man. There is something in the way he is standing, the way he talks. This man is pure and simple death walking.

"Ok Mr. Leery, we will do it your way. As soon as you can come find me so we can talk."

"That will work fine for me marshall. Sorry to be so abrupt, but i have to do this, i need to see her." Dawson says a little softer.

"I understand son, i truelly do. Again i am sorry i tried to push." Marshall Witter says.

"For get it. Now i have to go see her." With that Dawson turns away and walks into the back of the hotel.

Dawson is standing at the door to Joey's room, he takes a deep breath trying to gather himself. He slowly opens the door, to see the doctor working on a prone Joey.

He sees the sweat on her forehead, he can see the pain on her face. Even with her out, there is pain. A pain he knows he caused, one he wishes he could take away.

The doctor looks his way and shakes his head. Signalling he doesn't think she will make it. His eyes hold a sadness that Dawson has seen only once. The day his wifes parents told him she was dead.

"Doc i am sorry for all of this, is there anything i can do to help?" Dawson asks.

"I'm sorry son, we've done all we can for her. The rest is up to her, if she has the will she might just make it. It is a bad wound, one that could easily claim her tonight." The doc says.

"She will have company if she does go doc, i promise you that." Dawson says. causeing the doc to shudder.

"Son i know what you are feeling right now, but would she want you to commit cold blooded murder?"

"It won't be, i'll make him draw." Dawson says in the same voice.

"It seems i can't talk you out of this, you should stay here though. Just incase she wakes up, it might be the last time you get to talk to her." The doc informs him.

"I'm not going anywhere just yet doc. I need to talk to her alone." Dawson says.

"Ok Dawson i will be getting a drink, if you need me." The doc tells him.

"Thanks doc, oh and thanks again for what you have done for her. If i can ever be of service just ask." Dawson says.

"Your welcome Dawson, and you don't owe me a thing. Just love her, that is all i ask." The doc says as he closes the door.

'I do doc, god help me i do.' Dawson thinks to himself.

He slowly walks over to the bed. He kneels down beside the bed taking her hand in his. It seems so soft compared to his, so fragil. Now more than ever he knows she is where his heart belongs. In these soft, confident, and fragil hands.

"I know that you can't hear me, but i have to tell you this. I have to get this off my chest." Dawson begins.

Dawson doesn't see Bessie crack open the door. She stands there listening to what he is telling her sister.

"You see it is hard for me to talk about this. When i met my dead wife i knew then and there that we were meant to be together. I knew i wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Then that faithful day, the day that has haunted me since. They took her from me, and when i found her she wasn't the same woman. Then her death, and the funeral. I couldn't understand why God would allow this to happen to us, to me. So picked up where i left off and started working for the law again. It was so hard for me too move past her death, no matter how many men i killed, or how many bad guys i put away. It just never seemed to fill the whole that was in my middle. Everything i did was to try to make a diffrence, in the way i saw life, in how it affectted me. Nothing has ever been able to filled that whole, till now. The day i rode into this town was the day my life changed. Now i find myself next to a bed praying against all hope that the person in it survives. Because i know that person is the only one who can save me, slefish i know. Joey i have to say this, i can't hold it back. What i am trying to say, what all of this has been leading up to is." Dawson pauses and bends his head down on to the edge of the bed.

It is at this time he feels a hand on his head, and he hears the words he was trying so hard to say.

"I love you too Dawson."

As his head snaps up and his eyes find her staring back with all the love she has.

"Joey." Is all he says.