A/N I need to clarify that the previous chapter is supposed to be taking place at, roughly, the same time Nick and Kimimela left the cabin and started back. So…the two lines are running alongside each other in all reality.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Nick, who still stood in front of Kimimela, knew the two strangers had no idea he knew who they were. "May I help you?" he asked, making sure Kimimela remained behind him.

Nels leaned forward in his saddle and took a hard look at Kimimela. That is as good as he could considering where she was standing. He'd heard everything that Frederick and Nick both had yelled. He'd hoped to see something in Kimimela that would say she was Frederick, as he liked what he saw. Only problem was, she was the spitting image of her mother. There wasn't a thing about her that would tell him if she was a Barkley or a Cartwright. Hoping the beautiful woman in front of him would have some sort of reaction that would tell him the truth, Nels said "We have business with Mr. Hunter and his daughter." He got a reaction, just not the one he was hoping for.

"I'm not his daughter!" Kimimela snapped as she thought on Ben Cartwright.

"As I was reminding him," Nick, who couldn't bring himself to refer to his uncle by any name, spoke up after Kimimela's outburst. "And as she's said, Kim's not his daughter; Ben Cartwright is her father. If you don't believe us, go into Virginia City yourselves." Nick replied. "So, any business you have should be with Mr Hunter is with him and him alone."

"I say kill both men and take the girl. Who cares who she belongs to?" George spoke loud enough as to enable Nels to hear him, but soft enough to keep Nick, Kimimela or Frederick from speaking.

On the other hand, Nels had a dilemma going inside of him. He'd meant what he said when it came to not touching what belonged to another man. He knew of Ben Cartwright's reputation and that of his sons. If Ben had indeed claimed Kimimela, there was no way he was taking on the whole Cartwright Clan. And, since Nick wasn't showing any signs of knowing who he and George were, Nels couldn't see the two riding to tell the law anything. He was about to reply when Frederick, who had moved closer to Nick and Kimimela as Nick talked with Nels, shocked everyone by grabbing Kimimela's arm and pulling her to him. It was an action that made Kimimela scream at the time of her lungs.

Nick whirled around and went for Kimimela as George drew his gun.

~oOo~

Ben, Adam and Jarrod all ducked to miss low hanging branches as they hurried down the path Ben had turned onto. The men with them would have questioned the direction they were taking if it wasn't for the fact that it was the Cartwright patriarch leading them. As they passed one tree after another, Jarrod felt an urgency to move faster start roll over him. He might have said something only Ben started pushing Buck faster as well. 'Must be getting the same feeling' Jarrod thought as he ducked yet again.

"You men," Ben surprised everyone when he stopped his horse and looked at everyone but Adam and Jarrod, "Follow that path right there." He pointed to a path connected to the one they were currently on. "We'll stay on this one. Eventually the two come together again." Ben said as he knew the basic route, but he didn't know which of the two connecting paths Nick and Kimimela would use.

Once the other men had started down the second path Ben, Jarrod and Adam continued traveling on the first one. Jarrod's mind turned to the moment Ben hurried into the café and told Jarrod and Adam to follow him to the church, said he'd explain on the way. He remembered how Nick had pulled him aside after the reverend had joined Nick and Kim in holy matrimony and talked with him, sending shock waves through Jarrod as he did so.

"You and Kim belong with us, in Stockton. Nevada's not your home." Jarrod's eyes pleaded with Nick to reconsider. Ben and Kim talked with the good reverend while the two brothers were standing in the back of the chapel.

"Ben's offer was a serious one, Jarrod. He's right when he says I need to be on a ranch. It's the only life I care to live. I don't know." Nick clenched his fists on put them on his hips, growling in frustration, "With the things way are, I just might take him up on it. The last thing I want is for Kim and me to always feel like we have to be on the defensive."

Jarrod had backed off only after Nick told him he'd already written Heath, Audra and Eugene telling them of the marriage, but had not said anything when it came to where Kim and Nick planned to live. He then remembered how his mother had begged him to tell Nick she accepted the marriage and wanted a chance to talk to him. Jarrod couldn't help but wonder if Nick would indeed listen to his mother. Since Nick and Kimimela hadn't decided where to live, Jarrod hoped that meant there was still a chance to tear down the wall that had been built by his mother's former meddling.

Jarrod came out of his thoughts as he could see through the trees that were roughly thirty feet in front of him, Ben and Adam. His heart skipped a beat as he was sure he saw Nick, Kimimela and some other men in the clearing…though with all the trees in his line of vision, Jarrod wasn't sure just how many men there really were. However, his heart jumped into his throat as he heard a shot ring out and he saw Nick, who had just grabbed Kimimela, start to fall to the ground along with Kimimela. Who had just been shot? By the time he, Ben and Adam entered the clearing more shots had rung out.