'I'll be sure to make good on that.' Forrest thought to himself. He backed out of Richie's hospital room and made his way towards the small group of men huddled closely together. They were speaking in hushed tones. "Jack, you stay here and, uh, keep an eye on 'em." Forrest instructed his baby brother. Jack looked as though he wanted to protest but knew better than to open his mouth. Especially under these circumstances.

The other men standing around immediately dispersed except Howard. They didn't need instructions to know what was on the agenda. Both older brothers watched as the youngest made his way back to sit next to Bertha. Forrest knew that he owed his kid brother everything in his being. It was because of him that their family is now able to hold Arrilyn in their arms again.

"So what's the plan here, Forrest?" Howard asked as they headed out the hospital doors. Forrest remained silent- almost as if he was deep in thought- until they were by their truck.

"We make 'em suffer." Forrest grumbled. He opened the passenger door with his good arm and climbed inside. Howard did the same, starting the truck up and following the other car down the road.

I stared at my brother's pale face, wishing this was all just a dream. The man laying here in this hospital bed doesn't even resemble the stubborn, strong willed man I've always known. Questions and realizations start to plague my mind. Why, always seems to be the only question that I've been asking, not only myself but to whoever it is that decides our fate. I've also come to realize that with every moment of happiness in my life there is always tragedy waiting in the shadows to tear my world apart. The tragic moments seem to last longer and seem to get harder and more painful to overcome.

I should be happy and relieved that my daughter is back where she belongs safe in my arms. I glance down at the little girl in my arms. I'm conflicted by what I want to feel, what I should be feeling, and how I'm feeling at this very moment.

A family who suffers from a history of loss and pain, along with a family whose legend keeps them alive. All I can do is hope that my family is integrated enough to reap the benefits of the Bondurant legend.

"Rise and shine, princess." Howard says as he pulls the blindfold from Deputy Rakes eyes. Rakes is tied to a chair in the middle of a dimly lit shack. All the men completely visible to him, all except Forrest, who is standing behind the deputy hidden in the shadows.

"I am an officer of the law!" The deputy shouted. "They'll kill each and every one of you hillbillies if something happens to me." He hissed through gritted teeth. Howard chuckled along with Danny and his men as he took a swig from a mason jar.

"Is that so deputy nance?" Howard asked. His eyebrows raised mockingly at Rakes. "I don't think God himself would care 'bout what happens to a piece of shit like you." He says and takes another swig from the mason jar.

Rakes starts to snicker. "You boys think you're so goddamn tough, dont you? It took the lot of you to come after one man. Pathetic!" He laughs maniacally.

In the shadows Forrest' hands clenches. He would like nothing more than to shut him up for good, but he made a silent promise to his lady at home. He would make this man suffer for the hell he caused upon his extended family. For everyday that Babette woke from a nightmare, for everyday that his baby girl was away from them, for aunt Gillian, for almost killing his brother-in-law, and for Cricket Pate. Deputy Rakes will feel pain and then he will meet his maker.

"I see your coward of a brother sent you to handle his dirty work. Consoling that young girl of his." The tension in the room became thick. The faces of the men standing around harden at the mention of Babette. They knew what he did to her and they have waited for this day to show the vile man how they felt about it. None of them moved, they just listened as he dug his own grave deeper and deeper into hell. "She's a fighter." He grinned evilly.

"She made the game fun when she ran." Howard looked as though he wanted to rip Rakes' head off, but he knew that this was Forrest' to deal with. "I can see why your hillbilly brother fell in love. Soft to the touch. Tight." He taunted and winked at Howard.

Forrest had heard enough. Stuffing his fist into his sweater, his heavy, slow steps caused the deputy to cease his trip down memory lane of his encounter with Babette. Rakes' nostrils flared at the sight of the man before him. Forrest stood a few feet away, his head down and his hat pulled low. Lifting his head slowly, Forrest' narrowed eyes zeroed in on the deputy's face seeing a flash of fear consume the monster in front of him.

In the blink of an eye Forrest' brass knuckled fist met the deputy's face with a loud crack whipping it to the right. Forrest turned away unfazed by what he had just done. He proceeded to take his sweater off and then rolled up his sleeves. He grabbed a knife that sat on top of a workbench and turned back to a heated Rakes. Blood from his mouth running down his chin and onto his clothes.

"Y...You piece of shiit." Rakes mumbled and slurred through, what looked liked a broken jaw. Forrest approached Rakes like a predator stalking his prey, just waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. "Aye, Forrest, her moans and whimpers..." Was all Rakes got out before Forrest plunged the knife deep into his left thigh. His blood curdling scream filled the shack. The sound was music to Howard's ears. A evil grin spreading on his face anticipating what was next to come.

Two hours had gone by, but neither Forrest or any of the other men have yet to return. Pop had come in and insisted on taking his granddaughter. I think she is the anchor for our diminishing hope. The one good thing that was given to my family despite all the bad. Eli sat in the waiting room. He couldn't bear to see his little brother in this state. I, on the other hand, couldn't leave him. My eyes traveled between his chest and his face. Watching his chest rise and fall as proof that he is still alive. When I would stare at his face I would just reminisce of all the stuff that happened and all the things that I would trade just to have that back. He's always been the hothead of the bunch, and lord knows I've been on the receiving end of his wrath far too many times, but I will continually live with that if it means he gets to live. Taking his rough hand in mine giving it a gentle squeeze, words start to flow out of my mouth.

"I remember when I was nine. The year mama passed away... I never wanted to leave her side when she was bedridden. Charlie was only three at the time and he would always try to get me to play with him. Mama would tell me to go, but I remember being scared that she wouldn't be there when I got back. Pop even let me sleep with her cuz I was bein' so stubborn." I chuckled halfheartedly. "One day- One of the many bad days that mama had... you and Eli got me to leave my place beside her bed to go out and get some candy. Mama promised that everything would be fine, but there was something about the way that she spoke to me that felt different at the time. I just couldn't figure out why it felt different until we got back home." I sniffle wiping my nose with the back of my hand.

"We got home a few hours later because you and Eli made sure to keep us occupied... They were taking her body away when we got there. I don't remember much after that, but I do remember trying to run after them and you grabbed and held me until I stopped fighting. You calmed me down. You kept telling me that mama didn't want me to see her go but I didn't understand why at the time.

I understand now. She didn't want me to see her take her last breath. She didn't want me to have that image in my head. That was probably for the best because all I have are memories of her being alive. Even when she was sick and bedridden she still made those moments happy for me. She knew that I wouldn't leave her side so she fought to survive everyday that I was next to her." I'm crying now. Tears flowing freely down my cheeks.

"On the days that she would beg me to go outside and be a kid- I know those were the days she wanted to give up... But I stayed and she stuck it out for one day after the other if it meant that I wouldn't be scarred for life with the image of her succumbing to her illness." I start to sob.

"Please don't give up Richie. I will sit here by your side for days- weeks- months on end. Just fight like she did. P-Please. You're a fighter just like mama. I-I know y-you are. You wouldn't be lying in this bed if you wasn't. You're the reason my lil girl is alive and breathing. Jack told me how you got in the way of those bullets that would have surely taken her life.

I need you Richie. We need you. Tragedy after tragedy cannot be the only tale anyone knows of this family. So you fight to stay with us, okay?" I kiss the back of his hand and then rest my forehead on it.

A weak squeeze of my fingers in Richie's hand causes me to look up.

Forrest stood outside the shack puffing on a cigar. His hands and clothes stained with the deputy's blood. Forrest was able to get out his full aggression on Rakes with permission from Babette. He made Rakes feel exactly or if not more pain for the moment that he step foot on the station up until a few hours ago when he held his daughter captive. The last thing Forrest did before he stepped out, was slit Deputy Rakes' throat. He didn't wait to watch him die. He just walked out and left the other men to entertain themselves with watching a rat slowly die. The evil that had tried to takeover Franklin County had finally been purged.

Author's Note: Long wait for this one. Believe me I know and I'm sooooooo sorry for that.

I'm sad to say that this story will be coming to an end in a few more chapters. I'm not quite sure how many exactly. I love this story but all good things must come to an end right? I never thought that my first story would get this much support from you guys. I love you and thank you all! ;-*

The subscribes/likes/comments never go unnoticed.

As sad as it may be for this story to come to an end, I am in fact thinking of doing another one. But I think I will be trying to do an original story this time around. So I hope you guys would give it a shot when I do finally post it.

I don't ask for much just that you read and enjoy and I hope you continue to do so! :-D