*Author's Note*

Thanks for all of the follows, faves, and reviews.

I know, it's been a while since I updated this, but I was on a roll with Transcending Time and kind of put this on the back burner. But, nevertheless, here's the new chapter. FINALLY, right, lol. Anyways, have fun reading.

Failed Mission

Moses POV:

"Billy, buddy, relax." I told my best friend as we sat at a table in the saloon, a large bottle of whiskey set 'tween us. Billy hadn't been here long, only a few minutes, and he was already jumpy an' on edge.

"This is yer thing, drinkin' all nite, not mine." Billy told me with a bite to his tone. He shook his auburn covered head 'fore sighin' in a self-beratin' way, "I got a good woman at home; I should be wit' her."

"Hey, I thought we agreed to have a nite full of drinkin' and bullshittin' since we don't hang out much anymore?" I seriously asked him, pickin' up my shot glass, even tho I forced my tone to take on a friendly air.

I knocked back my shot and placed my empty shot glass onto the table with a clink. Billy's shoulder's slumped slightly and his eyes were slightly dull. "Yea…I know…but I just feel like somethin's off."

"Nothin's off, that's just ya bein' paranoid." I scoffed, rollin' my cerulean blues, as I picked up the whiskey bottle and poured myself another drink.

"No, I'm not. I mean it, Mo, somethin' ain't right." Billy defended his paranoia with a loud biting snap as I set the bottle of Old Crow by the crystal ashtray settin' on the table.

"You're wound tighter than an 8-day clock, Billy." I told him, quickly spinning my pointer finger 'ound in the air. Pointin' to his untouched whiskey, I advised, "Just have a drink; calm down."

"No, I ain't." Billy protested, snatching the shot I poured him so quick if I'd had blinked I would've missed it. He knocked back his shot 'fore tellin' me, "I just got a bad feelin', like I should be home wit' Mariah instead of 'ere drinkin' wit' you."

"Great, now you're turning into your crazy mother." I quipped, downin' my whiskey 'fore pullin' my cigarette case out of my front shirt pocket.

"Don't joke like that, I'm serious." Billy scolded me as I stuck a cigarette in my mouth, struck a math, an' lit up.

I took a long drag off my cigarette, exhaling out a large waft of smoke from my mouth and nostrils. "Billy, everything's fine. Stop worryin'."

"I know I'm s'posed to be havin' a good time 'ere wit'cha, but I gotta go home to Mariah. Somethin' just ain't right; I can feel it in my gut."

Damnit, he wants to go home. I can't let him go home, Robert E. and Mariah ain't had 'nough time to run off 'cross the tug yet. "Just hold on a minute." I blurted out, holding my palm up in a pausing gesture. "You've only had one drink and already you're 'bout to bolt and ditch me on our night of drinkin' and playin' cards." Flickin' my wrist in a whippin' motion, I added, "Talk 'bout bein' whipped."

"I ain't whipped." Billy spat, soundin' a bit insulted, as his nostrils flared angrily. His teeth gritted slightly as he defended his pussy whipped state with the weak remark of, "Just prefer to stay in with my woman's all."

"Ever think that maybe she'd like a night wit' just her and her sister to talk 'bout lady things? Hell, you can't be up her ass all the time, Billy."

"You don't understand, Mo." Billy sighed, shaking his head and rising to his feet. "Til ya get with a good woman that ya love, you won't either." He told me 'fore startin' to walk off, determined t'go home to Mariah.

Damnit, he's leavin'. "Hold up, I'll ride to your house wit'cha." I told him, standin' up from the table. He just looked at me, brow slightly raised, as I added in with a small grin, "Maybe see if I can bum a slice of Mariah's strawberry rhubarb pie." I told him as my excuse for volunteerin' t'ride back to his house wit' him. Hell, my real reason was to try and buy some time for Mariah and Robert E. to get 'way by slowin' Billy down, but he didn't need to know that.

"Sure, let's go." My auburn-haired best friend nodded 'fore leadin' the way out of the saloon.

We were ridin' in the dark with only the moon and the stars lightin' our way on the path that'd take us to the house that Billy lived in with Mariah, Sarah, and Jeffie. I felt a pit in my stomach as horse hooves echoed in the humid summer night's air. I was so nervous that we'd get there and run into Robert E. and Mariah trying to flee. I was makin' us trot at a slow pace tho with the excuse that my horse's shoe felt a bit loose. I'm glad Billy bought that bullshit line or we'd be gallopin' back to his place. Dear god, he wasn't in love with Mariah, he was obsessed with her.

"Gosh, we'd be there by now if yer horse weren't bout t'lose his damn shoe."

"Hey, I can't help it that his hoof feels off when he's trottin' too fast. Blame the no good for shit blacksmith; not me."

"Yea…I hear ya, buddy."

"Don't worry, we'll be back in plenty of time." God, I hope not.

"I'm sure there'll be plenty of Mariah's strawberry rhubarb pie for ya t'et too." Billy chuckled, finally letting the dark cloud hoverin' over his soul ease up a slight bit.

"Hey, that's the only reason I agreed to end our boys' night at the saloon and go to your house. I want some pie." I lied in a warm and friendly chuckle. One that was forced too.

"Well, we're almost there."

Damnit, of course we are…I felt a great feeling of dread fill up my soul as I feared what'd happen if we ran into Mariah and Robert E. Oh dear god, I was failin' my mission and I didn't know what to do 'bout it.

"Okay." I replied to my friend's announcement, trying as hard as I could to keep any tightness and nervousness out of my tone.

Suddenly, before we came upon the clearin' that opened up to the thin dirt path that the Wolford-McCoy house was at the end of, Billy pulled his horse to an abrupt stop. Lookin' at me as I too stopped my horse in its tracks, he asked in a low whisper, "Ya hear that?"

"Hear what?" I asked, hopin' 'gainst all hope that the twig snap that lightly echoed in the nite air wasn't from Mariah and Robert E. sneakin' off together.

"That." Billy said, referrin' to the snapin' twigs an' low sounds echoin' in the brush. Shit, I was 'fraid of that. "Come on, let's check it out."

"Ah, it's prolly nothin', but a critter roamin' 'round lookin' for food."

"Still, I think we oughtta check it out."

"Okay…" I sighed, feelin' my stomach flip floppin' in anxious fear that I was gonna fail in my promise of keepin' Billy occupied so that Mariah and Robert E. could sneak off together.

Without another word, Billy urged his horse towards the sounds in a slow trot. Not havin' any other choice, I followed him. For a short time, we followed the sounds of rustlin' an' snappin' twigs til we came upon the source, much to my dismay, which was Mariah and Robert E. ridin' together on his horse. Fuck, just what I didn't want to happened fuckin' happened…

"Mariah?!" Billy exclaimed in shock as his eyes squinted in the darkness, takin' in the form of the love of his life horseback with his sworn enemy.

Robert E. halted his horse, turnin' it 'round so that him an' Mariah could face Billy head on. Robert E.'s eyes shone with determination an' resolve in the moonlight. He wasn't leavin' Pike County, Kentucky wit'out Mariah; that was crystal clear t'everyone in the woods. Robert E. stared down Billy, hard, as he told him, "She don't want you, Billy. She never did, so if ya really love her just let Mariah be happy wit' me."

Billy was eerily quiet as he stared down his arch nemesis and his lover. It was a bit concernin' since Billy's usually the type to rant an' rave, hoop an' holler. Suddenly, Billy pulled his pistol. Reactin' on pure adrenaline I screamed, "Run, Robert E., run!", while jumpin' on Billy right as he was 'bout to pull the trigger. The loud sound of Robert E.'s horse gallopin' off deep into the woods was heard as Billy's shot went off in the air, missin' the runaway couple only cause I'd jumped on the angry McCoy.

My best friend flung me off him like I was a sack of potatoes, causin' me to land hard on my back an' get the wind knocked outta me. Neither me nor Billy were small men so I knew he was beyond pissed t'be slingin' me 'round like I was nothin'. "Ya black hearted bastard! Ya knew she was runnin' off wit' him t'nite, why ya wanted that boys' nite huh?!" Billy screamed at me, rage flowin' from him like water flows freely from a waterfall, as he waved his gun 'round at me.

Holy shit, he wouldn't shoot me now would he? With wide cerulean eyes I held my hand up in a defensive gesture while quickly spittin' out, "Wait a minute, Billy. We're best friends, ya couldn't possible think I'd have somethin' t'do wit' her takin' off wit' him now could ya?"

"Yer sister had my brother killed an' ran off wit' her Hatfield lover, what's make ya any dif'rent?"

With a gun starin' me down right 'tween the eyes I reached my right hand subtly to my holster under my jacket while tryin' t'calm Billy down with the words of, "Now Billy, don't say that. I'm on your side, I'm your best friend an' honestly just wanted us to drink and play cards. Mariah could've done this any nite, not just t'nite."

Poucnin' on me an' gettin' into my face he seethed, "Then why didn't ya let me shoot him?"

"Buddy, you'd never forgive yourself for killin' or hurtin' Mariah by accident if the shot missed Robert E."

His temper wasn't easin' up an' I was certain he was gonna put a bullet in my brain if I didn't act first. His eyes held a broken craziness to them, somethin' bone chillingly mad. I decided that since he was too close for me to draw a gun, so I had to disarm him. Just actin' out of the pure instinct to save my ass, I quickly reached my arm out, grabbin' Billy's hand an' movin' it to the side to get the gun outta my face.

"You piece of shit! Yer on the Hatfields side, ain't ya?!" My best friend, who's lost his damn marbles if ya ask me, bellowed wit' a terrifyin' snarl as we struggled for control of his gun hand. He was tryin' with all his might to aim it at me; most likely shoot me too.

"Billy, buddy, calm down. I'm Bad Frank's personal deputy, I ain't on the Hatfields side. I'm sided wit' ya McCoys."

Billy did say a goddamn word, just gave me a deranged lookin' sneer 'fore pullin' his knife from the sheeth on his hip an' stickin' me in the side. Holy shit, he's out to kill me! Hell no, I can't let him do me in. My sister and her family needs me, I can't die. I refuse to die by the hands of my best friend. When Billy went to stick me with the knife 'gain I grabbed his wrist, tryin' to twist it so he'd drop the blade. He was strugglin' tho why spattin' out curses of, "Ya damned traitor!" and "Yer just like yer Hatfield whore sister, no good kin traitor!" Suddenly in our struggle for control of the knife it started to get close to me so I forcefully pushed his wrist 'way, an action that accidently cause me to impale my best friend with his own blade. His stormy eyes went wide and his jaw slackened 'fore his eyes went dull an' he slumped over to rest his auburn covered head on me. He was lifeless, as dead as a door nail.

At the sudden realization that I had killed my own best friend, done what Sally had prophesized I would do years ago, I felt sick t'my stomach. I pushed him off me and skidded back a bit, my chest heavin' up and down as a panic attack threatened to take me over.

Cap POV:

Whenever my front door flung open sometime 'round 10 or so with Robert E. and Mariah rushin' in I knew somethin' bad had happened. What, I didn't know, but I sure did know it wasn't good. My wife seemed to share my thoughts since a startled look appeared on her face as one of her thin auburn brows arched up high on her forehead. 'Fore either of us could ask what was goin' on Mariah shrieked, "Billy found us runnin' 'way and Moses jumped him 'fore he could shoot us. Mo's in trouble."

Oh hell no. My bonehead brother got my spyin' brother-in-law endangered. I didn't give anybody time t'react, I just stood up from my seat at the table and told firmly told me wife, "I'll go get him; bring him back here."

"Do you want me to help?" Robert E. asked me as I went over to the coat rack, swiftly grabbin' my hat and shovin' it onto my head.

"No, Robert E., you've done 'nough." I barked at him, feeling anger course in my veins; mixing in with my blood, as I grabbed my coat and quickly put it on. Takin' my gun belt from its spot on the bottom of the gunrack next to the coat hooks and puttin' it on I ordered, "Just stay 'ere wit' Nova and Mariah til I get back with Moses."

"Be careful and don't come back til ya find my brother." Nova told me, her voice quiverin' and threatenin' to break wit' unchecked emotions, as I grabbed my Winchester from the gun rack.

"I know, sweetlin' and I will." I told my wife 'fore walkin' out the door.

Nova POV:

The door slammed shut a bit harshly as my husband stormed out of the house, determined to find an' save my brother. Oh lordy, a shit storm's rainin' hell on my family tonight. Robert E. and Mariah were had frightened an' guilty looks on their faces as they stood a few yards from the door, his arm protectively wrapped 'round her. It was clear as day t'anybody that tho they were young they were very much in love. Even tho I hadn't been 'round Mariah for years I felt like she was a nice girl; good for Robert E. too. I also commended her for runnin' away wit' him instead of settlin' for a miserable life chained t'Billy. Hey, since I've been in her shoes, I understood her reasons for jumpin' sides in this godforsaken bloody feud.

"I'll put on some coffee." I told my impromptu house guests as I stood up from the table and made my way over to the stove to grab the empty coffee pot off it. Robert E. and Mariah didn't say a word, just nodded and went over to sit at the table. "Mo'll be fine, my brother's a tough an' rowdy one." I assured them while fillin' up the coffee pot with water and placin' a cheese cloth full of Folgers in it.

"Billy was gonna shoot me, but Mo jumped off his horse an' tackled 'im to the ground. He saved my life, but it might've cost him his." Robert E. sighed, guilt and shame heavy in his voice, as I pleaced the coffee pot on the stove and grabbed some nearby kindlin' to fire the stove up with.

"Don't think like that, Robert E." I ordered my brother-in-law, givin' him a compassionate look from over my shoulder, as I tossed kindlin' into the stove.

"Billy had a crazed look in his eyes when he stumbled up on us. I've nev'r seen him like that; it scared me." Mariah told me as I tossed a match into the stove, lightin' it up, 'fore returnin' to the table and sittin' down.

With a thin ghost of a sympathetic smile, I patted Mariah on the hand and told her, "You're lucky you've never seen Billy act crazy 'fore considerin' his personality mirrors Tolbert's." Removin' my hand from hers and placin' it on the table, I firmly told her, "Take it from me, the best thing you did was run off wit' Robert E. here." Mariah just nodded, pushin' me to tell her in a knowin' tone, "Trust me, Billy would've treated ya like a china doll, usin' ya for his pleasure when it suited him while bitchin' an' beratin' ya the rest of the time."

"Were things that bad with ya an' Tolbert?" Mariah asked, her eyes wide and curious, as she looked at me from her spot by Robert E.'s side.

I nodded, "Yes, so much so that I inquired 'bout a divorce."

"Why didn't ya do it?" Robert E. asked 'fore quikly addin' in the clarification of, "Divorce him."

I let out a long sigh before lengthily explainin' to my brother-in-law the harsh reason for my lack of a divorce from a man I once sorta loved, but grew to quickly hate. The harsh reason being, "Perry Cline had heard 'bout my affair with your brother, Cap, from Nancy McCoy cause he had her spyin' on me. He promised me that if I went thru wit' filin' divorce papers on Tolbert that he'd have papers in Tolbert's name drawn up for a counter suit; that his judge friend Tobias would sign 'em an' strip me of my daughter an' make me out as an adulteress, leavin' me with only my claim to the sawmill."

"That's why Cap left ya 'lone, stopped goin' t'Blackberry Creek to visit ya." Robert E. stated, not asked, in an understandin' tone while Mariah just shot me a look full of sisterhood an' empathy.

"Yea, Cap broke things off so that I wouldn't lose Anna. He said that he wasn't worth the risk of losin' her."

"But in the end ya'll got married an' had more babies." Mariah pointed out, a barely there smile on her lips.

"Only cause Tolbert got himself executed for murderin' Ellison. If he'd still be alive, I don't know where I'd be right now." Honestly rolled off my tongue 'fore I could even think better of it.

Robert E. shook his head 'fore firmly tellin' me, "You'd be here wit' Cap. Neither on of ya'll would've let yourselves be miserable an' parted, not when you're so much in love."

I mulled on my bronze haired brother-in-law's words for a few moments before noddin' and confirmin', "You're right, Robert E., Cap would've stoled me an' Anna 'way eventually."

'Fore anything else could be said, the coffee pot boiled at whistled. Silently, I rose from the table and rushed over to the bot belly stove to grab the coffee pot so it wouldn't bubble ov'r and scorch. As I poured the mugs of coffee, I couldn't help, but think that tonight was gonna be a long and tense night.

Moses POV:

After I realized that it was my fault my best friend was dead, I ran away from Kentucky an' crossed over the border into West Virginia. I had no idea where my sister was, but I knew I needed to find Nova or else I'd be swingin' from a tree once the sun came up. My side burned like it was on fire as blood soaked thru my shirt and ran down my side. My fingers were coated crimson since my hand was pressed against my side, trying to slow or stop the bleedin'. In my hasty retreat I left my horse back in Kentucky. Yea, I didn't even think bout grabbin' him, I just high tailed it and ran.

When I reached Mate Creek I was temped to ask if anyone knew where the Hatfields were at, but then I thought better of it and decided to just walk up the road that led to the hills. I figured that once I made it to the far-off hills then I'd have a better chance of runnin' into the Hatfields. Plus, I wasn't sure 'bout who I could trust in town either considerin' I was workin' for Bad Frank or at least I was up til I stuck my best friend an' killed him.

I'd been walkin' for hours down and I was exhausted. Goddamn, I felt like I was 'bout to fall to my knees and collapse from pain, fatigue, and blood loss. I was on some desolate road surrounded by trees and rollin' hills. I had no idea where I was goin', but I figured that once I reached the high hills in the far distance then I'd be able to find the Hatfields.

Cap POV:

I was ridin' down the road, determined to get to one of my contacts in Mate Creek to see if they knew where Moses was at or if he'd come to town lookin' for help, whenever I saw a figure on the road trudgin' towards me. I couldn't tell who it was since it was dark and the only light was the dim silver glow of the moon paired with the twinkling stars. Figurin' it's better to be safe then sorry, I drew my gun and asked the figure, "Whose there?"

"Cap?" Moses asked in a pained tone 'fore collapsin' in the middle of the road.

Oh shit, I found him an' he ain't doin' too good. Lettin' out a deep sigh, I directed Badger over to Moses. Once I was near my brother-in-law, I dismounted and rushed over to his side. He looked a bit pale in the moonlight and he was clutchin' his side. It looked like his hand was soaked with blood too. Shit, he got stuck by the McCoy. Lettin' out a long sigh, I grabbed him under the arms and lifted him up. He felt like dead weight as I hauled him over to my nearby horse and flung him over the back behind my saddle. I let out a big breath, feelin' winded from tossin' my broad brother-in-law over my horse. Hell, Moses would be built like a brick.

After catchin' my breath, I mounted my horse and started on my way home. I just hoped that the sight of Moses hurt and blacked out don't tear my wife apart.

AN:

Next up is the aftermath of Billy's death. Poor Moses, he killed his best friend (accidently and in self-defense) in order to protect himself and his other friends. Feud's got another bounty huh?...