Chapter 36

Maura woke Jane the next morning. She was happy to have Jane back in the hotel with her. she knew it wouldn't last, but she was glad to have what time she could while she could. Jane stirred slightly but didn't open her eyes.

"Jane, hun, wake up," Maura stated.

Jane stirred slightly, again. Maura rubbed her leg, first, and then continued up her side to Jane's arm. Finally, Jane's eyes started fluttering and opened. Deep brown met green-hazel and locked on, holding Maura's as she started to sit up.

"What time is it?" Jane asked as she righted herself on the bed.

"Just after ten, I think. I am not sure. However, your mother has been up twice to see if you were awake. I sent her away both times, but I don't think that I will be able to do so a third time. I am afraid that she'll barge in and demand to see you."

"That would be my mother," Jane replied.

She stood up and straightened her back out. She was sore but it was in a good way. She'd enjoyed her night with Maura and she finally felt like she found home. She noticed that she was looking forward to come back to her more and more, each time she went out looking for Hoyt. Two days without Maura was starting to feel like an eternity, but she knew that it would be worth it in the long run. Once Hoyt was caught, she wouldn't have to worry about it unless something came across the wire for her.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I don't want to go back to work, and I want to stay up here with you for a good long time and not worry about the rest of the world downstairs," Jane told her as she leaned into Maura and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Maura smiled at her. She couldn't help herself. She got to see a side of Jane that no one else really did. There was Jane the friend. There was Jane the Ranger. Even, Jane the daughter or sister. But, it was Jane the lover, the woman she was behind their closed door that meant the most to her. She'd met her in that wikiup and that Jane had never left Maura's side.

Jane was moving around the room. She grabbed a new shirt and pulled it on.

"Your father left your boots by the door. He cleaned them up. I didn't know that they were ever that color."

"They won't be for long," Jane commented as she plopped down in the room's only chair and put her boots back on.

"Jane?"

"Yes, Maura," Jane replied as she looked up from where she was sitting in the chair to see the worry in her hazel green eyes.

"Are you being careful?"

"Yes, Maura, I am."

"Do you think that this will actually work?"

"I have no other choice. I am not going to dangle myself out there as bait and I'm sure as Hell not going to offer you or my family up to get his attention. Patrolling is the only way that I can think of that will keep everyone vigilant and safe. Hoyt is a very dangerous man and honestly, I am not sure that even patrolling will be effective. I know that we are going to eventually get complacent and the patrols aren't going to be super vigilant. And, that worries me to no end. But, I can't let him win, Maura. I can't let him hurt anyone else. I just can't," Jane told her.

"I know that, Jane. I am not asking you to stop doing your job. I wouldn't. I just think that you need more time to relax."

"I can't relax, Maura. I can't. I have to find him. That is my goal. It is the one and only thing that I have to accomplish now. I have to find him."

"Are you going to kill him?" Maura asked as she sat down on the bed and looked at her.

"Have you been talking to Korsak and Frost?"

"No, I haven't seen them in days. I've only spoken with your parents and your brothers. Should I have spoken with them?"

"No...no. I don't know, Maura. I feel like I should, but then I wonder what that says about me. Frost has asked me to let someone else take the shot if it comes down to it. He says because if I do it, it'll be murder. I've thought about it. I want him dead. I know that it is the only way that he won't be able to hurt anyone else. But, again, I am an agent of the law. I shouldn't want that."

"You're human, Jane."

"I know."

"I am sure that it weighing on you as well. You have too much to think about. You're chasing your own personal demon. You're fighting your own morals, too. I think that you need time off. I know that you won't take it, but you need more downtime. Two days isn't enough. Can't you stay around town for a little while more? Change the rotations up or something?"

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise that you are going to like it."

"I know that, Jane. I am worried about you. You're going to run yourself into the ground. And, being run down isn't going to help you on the trail, is it?"

"Well, no," Jane answered.

"You need to take care of yourself, Jane. You can't keep going out there and hoping that you'll run into him. It might not work out like that."

"I know that, Maura, but I don't want him just walking into town. Too many people could get hurt. You included. No, I can't have that. I have to protect the town. I have to protect you."

Before Maura could say anything more, there was a knock at the door. Grabbing her pocket watch, Jane looked at it. She couldn't really believe how late it had become. She knew that she needed more rest. Maura was right, but she just couldn't make herself do it. She rationalized that she couldn't until Hoyt was captured. After she had him in custody or he was dead, then she could rest all she wanted, but until then, she had to do whatever was needed.

"Janie!" Frankie called from the other side of the door.

"Coming," Jane said.

She stood up and crossed the room. She took Maura in her arms and held her for a few moments. It was enough to calm her. She took the warmth and love that Maura was giving her and took it in like it was armor against the world. She gave her a brief kiss to the cheek before she let her go and answered the door.

Frankie was standing there. He looked a little ragged and upset. Immediately, Jane knew that something was wrong.

"What happened?" Jane asked him with the door wide open.

He could see Maura and shook his head. Jane turned and saw Maura. She stepped out into the hallway and shut the door behind her. As soon as the door was shut, she grabbed Frankie by the arm and started pulling him down the hall.

"What is it?"

"Lozan and Elan are here. He was speaking so fast that I couldn't understand him. Something's happened with the Apache, but he knows something, too," Frankie told her.

She didn't need to hear anymore. She ran down the stairs with Frankie on her heels. She didn't even grunt a response at her mother or father as she ran passed them and out into the street. She normally kept to the boardwalks, but in her haste, she ran through the streets, proving her earlier statement about her boots not remaining clean and pretty for long, to the sheriff's office.

It didn't take them long to make it inside. She saw Lozan and Elan sitting there. She could see the worry on their faces.

"Hello, brother and sister, what brings you here?" Jane asked them in Apache.

"The Skin Walker is closer than you think," Elan told her.

"He is?"

"Yes, he camps nearby. We've been watching him. He's been watching you. He hunts your soul."

"Can you take me to him?"

"No," Lozan told her. "He will come to you. We will make sure that he can't escape you, but you cannot go to him."

"Why not?"

"He is too powerful on the prairie, Ranger Jane," Lozan replied.

"He is too powerful period."

"He cannot hurt you here," Elan stated.

"How can he not?"

"Your power comes from here. Your love protects you. He can't get to you. He's frustrated. He isn't really trying to hide anymore."

"He will try to make a play soon. My warriors will be on him. He will not succeed. Already have some on your parents' and brothers' places. They don't see us. He won't either. He tries to be better than Apache, but he isn't. Apache too smart for him and know the land better than he does," Lozan told her.

"And, the Army?"

"Moving between forts. They don't know what to look for, we do. We will drive him into town. We will let you know," Lozan answered.

"He is worse than a rattling snake. He looks for someone to attack. But, he's tasted your fear, and he wants more. It drives him. He cannot stop it. He doesn't want to stop it. He needs to destroy you," Elan told her.

"He won't succeed."

"No, he won't. Not on our watch," Lozan replied.

"We go for now. We'll find you and let you know what we know as fast as we can. You will know before he comes. Watch the sky, Ranger Jane. You will see the signs. And, keep Green Eyes safe. She isn't done healing you," Elan stated as he stood.

"Well met, brother," Jane said as she shook Elan's hand.

Lozan gave her a nod, as she gathered her rifle and bed roll. She whispered words at Jane as she passed her. Jane was sure it was some sort of prayer or protection spell. She didn't care. She'd take whatever help she could get at the moment.

She watched them leave and mount their horses. They rode away with no issues. Jane looked down at her boots and almost laughed.

"Double the men at the inn."

"Why?" Frankie asked her.

"I know you don't know Apache like me, Frankie, but they've found him."

"And, he still breathes?"

"Elan and Lozan know that he must die, but the Apache cannot kill him."

"Why not?"

"Because then the Army will hunt them for killing a 'white man' regardless of his crimes. They are protecting the town and keeping eyes on him. He's coming for me and me alone, but don't think that he won't try to get you, Tommy, TJ, Ma or Pop. He knows that you are all protecting me and he has no qualms about taking any of you out to make me suffer."

"He won't get you," Frankie said detereminedly.

"I am not planning on him getting me, Frankie, but I need to know that you all are safe. I need to know that you can do that for me. If you can't, I'll get someone else to do it. But, I need to know that my family is safe," Jane explained.

"I'll take care of it. Don't worry about Ma and Pop. I'll get them to come stay with me. I already have Garcia and some others from our posse staying up at my place. I'll get Tommy and TJ to come stay with me, too, until this is all over. I'll have Ma and Pop escorted, too."

"Don't make it look too obvious, but do it. I know that you're a good shot, but damn it, I don't want you to have to kill anyone. Just keep them safe. I need to go talk to Korsak and Frost," Jane said as she was working her way through the doorway of the sheriff's office.

"Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"What about Maura?" he asked her.

She hid her shock. She should have known that her brother would known, but it still wasn't something that they really talked about. She just nodded.

"Why do you think that I'm going to talk to Frost and Korsak?"

"Promise me one thing, Janie," Frankie begged of her.

"What's that?"

"Don't face him alone."

"I'll do what I can," Jane stated as she finished her way out of the sheriff's office and back on to the dirt street towards hotel.