Chapter 28 – Home is Where the Heart is Missing

Alex went directly to the hotel to find Angel and Spike. They had been waiting for her when she knocked and then entered. Angel had procured two adjoining rooms, which were not overly majestic, but sufficient enough for both men to room together without stepping on each other's toes. Each room contained a large bed, separate bath, a small table for dinning along with a small sofa with two matching chairs. The rooms were modest compared to some of the suites the hotel boasted. Still, the accommodations were a lot nicer than what Angel and Spike were normally used to. Alex looked around at the tastefully decorated rooms and wondered where they would get the money to pay for all this. Silly, she thought. They'll probably skip out on the bill when we return to our time.

On the heels of that thought she wondered how upset the Earps and Doc would be when they just mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Angel had only been in town a matter of hours and already Doc was showing signs of anxiety over her departure. She didn't want him to waste time looking for her after she left and she certainly didn't want him to feel like she had abandoned him. There just had to be a way of making him understand why they couldn't have a future together. Her goal was to leave him satisfied over their unique friendship with hope of encouraging him to return home to Georgia and rebuild his life there.

As she crossed the room to greet her friends she inwardly winced at the soreness between her legs. If Doc's behavior tonight was any indication of what was to come then she had better prepare herself for some physical and emotional days ahead.

"Took you long enough." Angel snapped. He didn't notice the strained lines around her mouth and her wet lashes, but Spike did.

"Not so harsh, Mate." He scolded Angel as he walked over to take Alex in his arms. "Want to talk about it pet?" She momentarily rested her face against his shoulder, as she took comfort from his embrace. Since she had met both men she had instantly felt close to Angel, even though he was often hardheaded about recognizing her wavering emotional state. Spike was definitely more sensitive to others and in general the world around him. His keen view and sharp summaries often left her shaking her head at his intellect.

"Trouble with the dentist?" He asked again.

She sniffed and raised her head. "I'm fine. Give me a moment to change and we can get started." She walked into the bathroom. When she returned she was dressed in patrolling clothes and noticeably more composed.

"Did you find anything at the Clanton ranch?" She asked Angel and Spike.

"Just several dead cows, all bled dry." Angel replied. He was checking the sharp edge on short battle-axe he had brought with him.

"The Earps rode out to the ranch earlier today and found some horses and cows grazing in the paddock. That means the Cowboys returned to the ranch after sunset." As she talked she checked her supply of throwing darts.

"They were probably sleeping in the ground during the day. It's what I would do if my home had been compromised." Spike watched them prep and fuss from his reclined position on the bed. "Or they might have stayed in a cave or mine you haven't found yet, Alex."

She stopped her preparation to consider his suggestion. "It would have to be close to the ranch and very well hidden. Most of the other mines around that area I've checked already."

"We need a survey map of the area's mines. Spike why don't you see if the Mining Exchange might have some maps. We need to figure out where the Cowboys might be hiding." Angel suggested.

"Right." Spike agreed, even though he made no effort to get up from the bed.

"I need to lay some barriers to stop the Cowboys from entering the Earp's houses and Wyatt and Doc's hotel rooms." Alex added.

"Fine idea. I'll patrol the streets and when you're done, Alex, meet up with me." She agreed without looking over at him, but out of the corner of her eye she saw him approach and felt his gentle hand on her shoulder. "Leave Holliday alone, and stay focused on the mission. Maybe we can tighten this up before the other Guardians arrive. After they do, Spike and I won't be safe on the streets. They'll hunt us as well as Malachi and the Cowboy gang."

"I know." She replied softly.

"Don't you want to go home, Alex?" Angel asked with concern.

She issued a short bitter laugh. "Home to what, Angel? I have nothing to go home to. My future is in my past, literally." She waved off any reply he might have had. "We can talk about this later. We're losing time, let's go."


After Alex's hasty departure, Doc stayed in bed and continued to stare at the ceiling. His heart was split in two directions. He wanted to go after her, force her to return, and scream his frustration and rage at her until she finally confessed. The other half of his heart was afraid to discover the truth behind her lies and deception.

Why would she not consider staying here with him, if only for a little while longer? And why would she not explain her reason for refusing to stay? There had to be reason. Their coupling tonight had been filled with sadness and longing. Alex had cried the entire time, not from his rough lovemaking but from her internal dilemma. It only enforced his feeling that she had a reason for not staying with him, and a darn good one too, but whatever it was she was determined to keep it hidden. It was that determination that struck fear in his heart.

He had wanted tonight to be special, with anticipation of it ending with a bright new future. He desperately wanted to declare his feelings for her and had finally decided to reveal them tonight, but when she grew quiet and solemn he quickly changed his mind. She was not thinking of a future with him, she had been thinking of their parting and what would happen to him after she left him behind.

He sat up on the edge of the bed and began to roll a smoke. Maybe she was right. Maybe he should return home and try to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. He could move to Florida and stay with his uncle, and start his dental practice there. It would be close enough to his Georgia relations and yet far enough away from a sudden scandal. Like the scandal you created with Mattie?

What would Mattie do if he suddenly returned home? Would she relent and become his wife or would she continue to abide by the rules of society and the church? Perhaps he should return in the dead of night, break into her bedroom and suggest they run away together to Philadelphia, or even New York. They didn't really need a marriage certificate, they could just tell everyone they were married. No one would be the wiser.

He smiled devilishly to himself. Now that would be the scandal of the decade. He could imagine how the headlines in the papers would read, "Future Nun runs off with Outlaw and Gambler." The gossip would feed the vultures in his hometown for months on end.

He struck a match and leaned back against the plump bed pillows to smoke and think some more. It had been eight long years since he last saw Mattie. At times he could barely remember what she looked like. He had only vague memories of her dark hair and soft-white skin, the turn of her cheek, and the smell of her skin, but no distinct features struck him clearly.

What he did see clearly were light-green eyes, long blonde locks and a modest mouth that could break into dimples and a bright smile in the turn of a heartbeat. Hell, he could still smell the apple peels and hear the teasing clip in her voice as she chased away his anger and heartbreak with her smile and a few well-chosen words. Even now he felt the laughter in his chest eager to escape as the image of his father sporting a horse's tail surfaced in his mind. Alarming appendages, indeed.

He rose from the bed and put out the remains of his smoke.

No, he could never go back to Mattie. They were different people now and had grown apart. And there was no way he could marry her while he remained in love with Alex.

He grabbed his pants and shirt.

What he should do is ask Alex to be his wife. He didn't have much to give her but he could offer her the remaining years of his life.

Finding his socks and shoes was frustrating but he finally managed to locate them under the bed.

If he continued to feel as good as he had today, he was sure they would have a few good years together. She could give him children and leave a stamp of his existence behind.

After he buttoned his vest, he fastened the buckle on his shoulder holster and slid his gun comfortably to his side.

They could travel East, first by stage and then by train and arrive in Florida by October. His Uncle's family would be happy to attend their marriage ceremony by the sea, and afterwards, when the sun went down, and everyone had returned home, he would make love to her in the sand.

Smiling to himself, he reached for his jacket, long coat and hat.

She would fight him, he had no doubt about that, but there were ways to work around an edgy female, several of them were not at all gentlemanly, but they were definitely effective.

Briskly, he walked down the steps and out the main door of the hotel in the direction of the Oriental.

One or two good doses of laudanum and she would be unconscious for hours. If anyone should inquire about her health he would say she had been ill. Once they were on the way he would keep her quiet with small doses of the drug. If that didn't work he could always make love to her in a dark corner of the train car.

He still had the bottle of laudanum Dr. Goodfellow gave him, but he would need one more bottle just in case. And if Alex was telling the truth about never having taken the drug she may not even know what was happening to her until it was to late. Yes, there were definite possibilities ahead. He would tell Wyatt he was leaving and then he would find another bottle of laudanum. If his timing was right he would have her on a train heading East in a day or two.


Alex headed to Virgil's house first. Under the dark of night her clothing blended seamlessly. Once she was near the house she squatted behind a large boulder to mix her herbs together in a small cloth bag. Father Martin had given her a large quantity of communion wafers and to a good size batch of lavender and sage she add two of the precious wafers. She crushed the ingredients into a fine sashay that would not be noticeable in the daylight. Then she broke cover and made her way in the direction of the house. From inside the quaint wooden structure she could hear Allie pumping her sewing machine and Alex knew she was busy sewing a new dress using the beautiful mauve fabric she had purchased. Virgil's low voice could be heard over the whirling of the machine. Alex only caught snatches of his conversation but she could tell he was teasing her about the color and model of her new dress, and then she heard Allie's high-pitched feminine laughter float over his soft chuckles.

They were such a loving couple and so good together that it made her long for some happiness and love for herself. She knew she must go back to Doc tonight and make up for their earlier disagreement. She didn't want to fight with him any longer, but there was work to do first.

She squatted low so she would not be seen and when she was several yards from the house she dropped to her knees and began to crawl. As she made her way in a circle around the house she sprinkled a fine line of the sashay in the soft dirt. In a soft voice she said a prayer of protection in Latin, over and over as she crawled. Once the circle was closed she could almost feel the barrier rise and enclose the house and surrounding property in a protective cocoon. The undead would not be able to cross over the circle. It wasn't much protection but at least Virgil and Allie would be safe and undisturbed while inside the barrier.

One down, three more to go. Her next stop was Morgan's house.


A/N: Hi All! Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I would love to hear from you, so please leave me a review! Thanks!