Sorry for the late update… I'm trying to work on this so I get an update up everyday, but this chapter was a bit more difficult for me. Just trying so hard to get it somewhat right without screwing up the characters too bad. I'm not too proud of it, but it's the best I've done so far… and I've done a few re-writes on this baby. So if you don't like it, please review and let me know… I could always use help to better my writing. If you like it, great! I would love to hear about that, too, as it helps me to stay motivated. Thanks for all the alerts and reviews to this point! Y'all are simply amazing!


Chapter 12 – And This Is My Room

Doc's wagon pulled up outside of the Roundview Saloon about 45 minutes after Thomas had showed up at Doc's door. Doc told Emily and Katie to head around to the side entrance and head up to the room while she tied up the horses and wagon out front of her office.

"You remember what I showed you yesterday? How to check her out to see how far along she is? All the body's signs?" Doc stared deep into to those chocolate brown eyes. Doc trusted Emily and knew she was capable of handling the situation until she came back around, but Doc wanted to see what Emily's state of mind was with all of this. She could see no hesitation from Emily whatsoever. Emily was there to assist her and she remembered exactly what Doc had taught her. She was ready.

Not much was said on the ride in. Emily had sat up front with Doc again, but it wasn't about being near each other at that point. There was a job to do, a serious one at that. Bringing a child into this world, out here in these desolate towns, was no easy task. If anything went wrong, not a lot could be done without a full knowledgeable staff and medical supplies and tools. Doc had a lot of the supplies and tools, but with no one else around with the medical knowledge needed to assist, it was a lot for one person to handle.

It took Doc a total of 5 minutes to settle the horses at her office and to make her way back to the saloon. Doc took the stairs two at a time and flew through the door. She didn't know what to expect, but remembered the scared look in Thomas' eyes when he mentioned Pandora being in pain. The Saloon was in full swing by this time of night. Doc could see a couple of the ladies out on the landing strutting their stuff. Doc turned and headed toward the end of the hallway to Pandora's room. She could hear the muffled cries coming from behind the door. As Doc entered the room, she noticed Emily attending to Pandora, Thomas was holding Panda's hand near the head of the bed, and Katie was in between the foot and the head of the bed just enough out of view of Pandora's private area. Doc could see Katie was not going to last as an assistant since she couldn't seem to stop making gagging faces after every little thing Emily did. Clearly medicine was not her calling. Emily, on the other hand, seemed to be a natural.

Emily stood up and approached Doc at the door to inform her of the status of her exam.

"She seems to be about half way dilated. Her pulse is strong and she says that it's painful, but not too bad yet."

"Good, good. I can see you have Thomas attending to towel duty. That's good. She needs to keep cool and stay as calm as possible. If she is only halfway there, it looks to be a long night. Katie doesn't look so good. She alright?" Emily glanced over at Katie for the first time since they set foot in the room.

"Yeah, she was never good with blood or anything like that when we were little. I'm surprised she wanted to come." Emily stated than turned her attention back to Doc.

"Have you seen Miss Effy? I need to check with her on a couple of things before this show really gets rolling." Doc looked down into Emily's deep brown eyes. She thought for a second she saw a flash of fire in them, but she must have just caught the candlelight's reflection, she thought.

"Nope, I haven't seen her at all, thank God." Doc looked a bit confused at the last part of that statement. Emily suddenly realized she stated that last part out loud and tried to recover, "I mean, I wouldn't want her to lose work over something that you and I can take care of. She has more pressing matters out there with all those cowboys, no need to worry her with this stuff." Emily tried so hard to sound convincingly sweet after her slip up. Lucky for her, Doc only ever heard Emily's voice as kind and lovable.

"I'm going to find her. I'll just be a minute. You okay to watch over Panda?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. But hurry back soon, ya?" Emily smiled up to Doc to show her sincerity in wanting her close by. She knew she could handle this situation for a bit, but she really did enjoy seeing Doc in her element. There was something very sexy about Doc's knowledge and abilities that just pulled Emily into a daze just thinking about it. She was so turned on yesterday watching Doc attend to her patients. It took everything inside of her to not tackle Doc to the floor and rip her clothes off after she performed each of the exams. They way she moved about the body, checking various spots and performing little tests, and when she would use big medical terms when she was mumbling to herself as if she were talking herself through the exam. It drove Emily crazy. It's for those reasons that she wanted her close, that and maybe she just didn't want Doc anywhere near that Miss Effy. It's not that she didn't trust Doc, but rather it was Miss Effy that seemed a little deceitful.

Doc stared deep into Emily's gaze, smiled, and winked. "I promise to only be a minute. There is no other place I'd rather be than right next to you."

Doc exited out of the room, turned left, and headed toward the landing. Once on the landing, Doc found Miss Effy in her usual spot, peering down over the rowdy crowd.

"Hello Boston. How's my girl doing?" Miss Effy never took hers eyes off the men below.

"Hey Miss Effy. Ah, she's good. A bit in pain, but that's to be expected when your popping a little human out. Emily and Katie are in there with her now. You mind if I sneak into your room and get those supplies you said you had?"

Miss Effy's attention immediately turned toward Doc. With one eyebrow cocked and a devious little smirk firmly planted on her face, Miss Effy inquired further about Doc's little helpers.

"Emily and… Katie?"

"Yeah, she wanted to help tonight… wait a minute! Miss Effy do not get any ideas. I know she agreed to your little proposal, but she's too naïve to the ways of the West. She's a good girl, but has it stuck in her mind that she needs to do this in order for her to stay in this town with Emily. Please do not go through with this. If she passes your little test, you know she wouldn't make it one night with these men." Doc pleaded her case, but she could see Miss Effy was off in her own mind and not really listening to her speech.

She's here. She's really here. If there is any chance that tonight could be the night, I want to be ready. Candles, soft sheets, and sweet wine. I wanna make this perfect for her.

Miss Effy's mind was racing with all kinds of thoughts. Although Doc thought this was one of Miss Effy's games that she played, she was wrong. Miss Effy never indulged in more than just sex with people. She had made a promise to herself a long time ago to never allow anyone to get too close. People who had got too close only ended up hurting her in the end. This was different. Katie was different. From the first moment Miss Effy laid eyes on her, she was intrigued. She had never seen anyone so beautiful, and when Katie was so brash with her about a job, it just sent her over the edge. She knew this girl was unlike anyone she had ever met. Miss Effy definitely wanted to see more of who this girl was.

Doc knew all about Miss Effy's commitment issues from a late night conversation she and Miss Effy had had after a few too many bottles of liquor. Doc assumed Katie was just another notch on Miss Effy's belt.

"Don't worry Boston, I won't do anything she doesn't want me to do." Miss Effy's smirk firmly planted on her face, her eyes never waivered from Doc's.

Doc decided an argument with Miss Effy at this moment was not in anyone's best interest. Pandora was in labor, Emily and Katie currently on their own with her in her room, and Doc still needed to get some supplies from Miss Effy's room. Doc dismissed Miss Effy's last statement and made a mental note to come back to her later on when she could pull her aside and talk some sense into her.

"Just stay clear of her for now, kay?" Doc stared directly into Miss Effy's eyes to make sure she knew how serious she was.

"Don't worry, I won't go looking for her." Miss Effy face showed a half smirk and a half glare.

Doc made her way into Miss Effy's room, scooped up the supplies and made her way back to Pandora's room. She entered the room finding only Panda, Thomo and Emily present.

"Where's Katie?" Doc asked a little concerned.

"She wasn't feeling too well. I think this was a little much for her. She said she was going to the WC, and if we needed her, we could find her there." Emily had a cute little smile on her face. Doc couldn't help but smile at the thought of 'in your face' Katie feeling weak from this. Then again, Doc had always had a steel stomach when it came to anything medical.

"Poor thing-" As Doc began to speak, Pandora let out a hefty scream in pain. Doc switched into gear and her and Emily began working their magic to get this baby delivered.


Katie exited the bathroom after she began to feel a hint of energy surge back in her. She had already vomited twice in the last 10 minutes and thought that this would be the worst of it as long as she didn't go back in that room. After cleaning herself up and gargling for a few minutes, Katie walked out of the WC. She could partially see out to the landing where a few girls were strutting their stuff. Katie ventured down the hall to get a closer look. As she peered around the end of the hall toward the landing, she saw none other than Miss Effy lost in thought as she was looking out over the bar. Miss Effy's face looked quite serene. Katie took a moment to take in the sight of Miss Effy in her eveningwear.

When Katie last saw her, Miss Effy was wearing a beautiful full-length dress that covered the appropriate amount of skin. Tonight was the exact opposite. Her dark blue dress was set low off the shoulders, showing copious amounts of skin, including a fare shot of cleavage. The fabric hugged her body just right around each of her curves. The bottom of the dress was shorter in the front then in the back, but still only fell just to mid calf. The front stopped just above the knee. Her boots came up just to below the knee and were a whole 'nother world of sexy then Katie could have imagined. Katie's jaw dropped nearly to the ground at this sight.

It was as if she could feel those dark brown eyes burning into her, Miss Effy turned her head and saw Katie standing off to the side of the landing. She shot Katie a sweet, but direct enticing smile and then left her spot on the landing heading directly toward her bedroom. Katie stood and watched as Miss Effy left the landing. Before disappearing down the hallway, Miss Effy paused and stared directly into Katie's eyes. Almost as if summoning her to follow, she took one long last look, smiled a genuine smile, and stepped out of Katie's sight. Katie took a step in her direction, than stopped. Two of the three girls on the landing, turned and saw her standing there. Both looked from Katie to where Miss Effy was standing and back again. Both grinned wide knowing what lied beyond that hallway. One winked at her before both then turned back to the rowdy crowd down below.

Her mind was screaming at her to turn back around and go back to Pandora's room. But Katie saw that smile that Miss Effy gave her right before she disappeared down the hall. She couldn't shake it. For some reason, it seemed to bring a sort of comfort to her, while simultaneously turning her on. She crossed the landing as quickly as her legs would carry her. Once she turned the corner of the hallway, she could see Miss Effy's door left slightly cracked open.

With every step Katie paused and tried to convince herself that she could do this. Her eyes glued to the ground fearing that if she looked up and saw Miss Effy, what little she had left of any confidence, would all just disappear.

"You can do this." Step. "It's just one night." Step. "Just don't freak out." Step. "You have to do this, for Emily." Step. "She's just a gir-"

Right there in front of her, Katie could see through the crack in the door and her voice faded away. Miss Effy was walking around the room lighting candles. Katie saw her smooth out the already smooth sheets, double check that she had two glasses ready and waiting to be poured with whatever kind of alcohol she had in a the ice pot next to it, and again smooth the already smoothed out sheets. Katie smiled to herself. It looked as if Miss Effy was showing signs of some nerves. This was something Katie never thought she would see in this girl. She seemed so confident, cocky even, when she had her run-in with her previous. It was one of the reasons why Katie stepped up her game with her.

Katie stood back for a moment thinking if she could really make this girl nervous. Sure, any boy that ever approached her always had a bit of nerves to them. Fumbling over their words, tripping over nonexistent things, laughing at inappropriate times, but that was all quite obnoxious to Katie. Sure she loved the attention, but she wanted somebody more confident than that. She thought for sure Miss Effy exuded confidence, but from what she could see, she was just like one of the boys. The only difference was Katie seemed to find 'this' Miss Effy more endearing than all of those boys put together. Katie relaxed and smiled to herself.

"What the fuck Katie? Pull your shit together. She's a girl, you like boys. Emily is the one who is different." Katie berated herself in whispers outside Miss Effy's door. She couldn't believe she could feel something for another girl. She never had before, but wasn't quite so sure that it was all completely false either. Whatever the sight of Miss Effy was doing to her, it was real, and it was happening now.

Miss Effy thought she heard a noise from outside her door and strolled over to it, hoping to find exactly what she had been waiting for. And Katie didn't disappoint her. There stood Katie, a bit taken aback by Miss Effy now standing in front of her with the candlelight at her back, almost angel-like. Miss Effy now had the sweetest inviting smile on her lips. Katie couldn't seem to stop staring at it, taking a step forward as she grasped the outstretched hand of Miss Effy. Miss Effy pulled her gently into her room, closing the door behind her.

Katie stopped in the center of her room. Miss Effy strolled past and took up a spot on the crimson colored sheets that she laid upon her bed. Katie couldn't help but notice the deep blue of her gown against the red, and the beautiful porcelain white contrast of Miss Effy's skin. Miss Effy patted the spot right next to her. Katie hesitated at first. Nervous thoughts again streaming through her mind, but all those stopped when she remembered what she saw through the crack of Miss Effy's door moments ago. Katie seemed to find a little bit of confidence in knowing that she wasn't the only one nervous about tonight. She strolled, somewhat seductively, over to the bed and took up the spot next to Miss Effy, almost sitting on her lap, she was so close. Katie took a moment to gaze into those beautiful blue eyes and reached up to touch her cheek. She felt Miss Effy's breath hitch. Katie knew right then that she was in control and this girl was hers for the taking. Katie leaned in and captured those beautiful lips.