I wipe another drop of perspiration from my forehead with a sigh. It was another really hot day. "Tired already?" I hear from behind me. I know she is smirking. Damn Nicole. I ignore her.

You see, after Doc and Jeremy left for town again this morning, Nicole spared no time in getting me going with "earning my keep". She whipped out a list of chores, which is apparently part of her daily routine.

Number one was chopping some firewood and gathering kindling to get the fire going for breakfast and lunch later. Number two was covering the old latrine pit and digging a new one. I really did not enjoy number two. No pun intended.

I currently find myself doing number three on the list: sawing timber for Nicole's various building projects. Her current one is to build a greenhouse for growing vegetables.

I let out another sigh of annoyance. I look up angrily at the midmorning sun blazingly down at us before focussing my attention back on sawing the log in front of me. I can't believe I am currently doing hard labour when I could have been at least half a day's journey closer to Purgatory. Closer to Wynonna. I grip the saw aggressively in frustration, the saw bouncing up and down in the cut as I move it to and fro.

"Hey." I feel a warm hand rest on my arm, causing me to stop my actions. I hate that she has this effect on me. Damn her gentleness. I look up into concerned brown eyes. "Take it easy, princess."

"Oh, I wanted to take it easy! I wanted to take it easy on a journey towards my sister, yet here I am doing manual labour for a stranger." It is only for a split second, but I see hurt flash in those brown orbs. I inwardly reprimand myself. Nicole has been nothing but kind to me. Infuriating, but extremely kind. She saved me from Bobo, took care of my injured foot and provided me with shelter and food.

So I soften. "I'm sorry. That was mean. You have been really kind to me so far. And… and you aren't a stranger anymore." I see the warmth return to her eyes at my words, to my extreme relief. "I am just really frustrated at not being able to go to Purgatory yet."

She looks at me with understanding. "It is okay, Waves." Waves. It is one of the rare times she didn't call me princess. The nickname coming from her has an unexplainable effect on me. It's much different to when Jeremy says it and I am uncertain what to do with the feelings blooming inside me for the infuriating woman who has me doing manual labour.

I give her a small smile and nod. Nicole smiles back at me and returns to her task of smoothing and applying resin to the wood that I finished sawing. I notice that the midmorning heat is also affecting her. The movement of a single drop of sweat from her face down to the smooth line of her neck entrances me. I feel heat rise through my whole body upon observing this sensual movement of a water droplet along perfect pale skin.

Nicole looks up at me with a questioning look, to which I very quickly turn away and refocusing my mind on the log I am supposed to be sawing.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When lunch time arrives, we have worked through a substantial amount of timber. I look proudly at the neat pile of wood stacked against the side of the house, ready to be used toward the various wonderful ideas floating around in Nicole's mind.

"Not bad. Not bad at all. For a princess." Nicole says suddenly, startling me. Then I register her words and spot that infuriating smirk that seems to be ever present on her face. I let out a huff of annoyance, turning to face her fiercely. I am pleased to see her eyes widen slightly.

"I'll have you know that I am very much capable of working hard. I grew up helping my parents on the farm every day." I say, pointing my finger towards her face menacingly to emphasize my words.

I expect her to back off at my intimidation tactics. Instead, she does something that catches me completely off guard. She grabs my hand, looking back at me with that sexy smirk. No! Bad Waverly. She Is. Not. Sexy. She. Is. Annoying.

My attempt at ignoring the race of my heart is completely thrown out the window when Nicole moves my hand to her mouth and places a tender kiss on it, never removing her eyes from mine.

"I never doubted your abilities, milady." She says and I am once again reminded of the heroes in the stories mother told me about. I must stand there gawking at her like an idiot because the smirk is replaced by a frown on her face.

I shake my head to regain my composure and pull my hand away quickly, ignoring the pout forming on Nicole's face at the action. "Wow, real smooth. For someone who lives in the woods and who only has a dog for company." I see her eyes narrow, to my great satisfaction.

"Just because I live alone, does not mean I don't know how to be civil. I am not some wild thing, Waverly." My satisfaction dissipates completely at her words. She turns and moves towards the house; her whole demeanour indicates she is upset. I messed up. Realizing I had to fix it, I hobble as fast as I can with my injured foot after her.

As I reach for the handle of the front door, Nicole rushes back out, her bow on her back. I try to speak but she cuts me off. "I'm going hunting and will only be back later this afternoon. Feel free to do whatever you like. You can leave the rest of the chores." Then she turns her gaze to the tree line and lifts her hand, letting out a loud whistle.

Almost instantly a bush gives way to two ears followed by a brown body and tail rushing towards the redhead. Jack is practically vibrating with excitement, tail wagging frantically. "Come on, boy. Let's go chase away someone's hare." She says, looking back at me pointedly. Then she turns and starts walking in the direction of the woods.

I hobble after her. "Nicole, wait." She doesn't stop, but slows her pace enough for me to catch up. I put my hand on her arm, causing her to finally stop and look at me. The intensity and sadness I find in her eyes takes me aback.

I swallow before speaking. "I am sorry for what I said. I don't think you are a wild thing." She searches my face and finally, finding what she was looking for, nods slowly before turning and continuing to the woods.

I watch the tall woman and her dog every step of the way until red and brown disappears into the thicket. "Be safe." I whisper under my breath.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It is well into the evening and Nicole has not yet returned. I pace up and down the small living space, wringing my hands in worry. After she left, I kept busy by doing some of the other chores on the list: cleaning out the ash from the fireplace, sweeping the whole house with Nicole's handmade broom and starting with dinner.

I love cooking; mother had taught me since I was a little girl. And I still felt very guilty for my treatment of Nicole. So, in an attempt at reconciliation, I decided to make her a delicious meal of hearty vegetable soup and freshly baked bread.

I went to her pantry and was surprised to find it filled to the brim with vegetables, grains and even cheeses. How the hell did she afford all this? I decide to add this to my ever-growing list of questions on the enigma that is Nicole.

I gathered some butternut, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bell peppers and cauliflower for the soup, along with some grain for the bread. I chopped the veggies and put them into a pot with some spices and herbs.

Whilst the vegetables were busy being cooked in the pot, hanging over the small fire I had made in the fireplace, I went inside to start on the bread. I mixed the perfect ratio of flour and water, then moved on to kneading it on a well-floured surface, until the gluten started to form. Just like mother had taught me. I paused ever so often to check on the vegetables.

Once the dough was ready, I placed it inside one of Nicole's dutch oven's lids and moved some coals to the side in the fireplace. I poured some water into the dutch oven itself and nestled it in the fireplace, near the coals but not on it. Then I placed the inverted lid with the dough inside the dutch oven, smiling once again at this clever trick that mother had taught me. Then I baked the bread for an hour, turning it every now and then. The smell of bread and vegetables makes me nostalgic, missing mothers cooking and life on our little farm.

Once the food was finally done, I set the table lovingly. I was very excited to surprise Nicole with a home cooked meal after a hard day of work and hunting. After placing Nicole's spoon next to her soup bowl, I suddenly realize how extremely domestic this was. Very much like what mother used to do for daddy every day after a hard day's work. I blushed at the thought and shook my head at myself. Then I sat down and eagerly awaited the redhead's arrival, my senses honed in on every movement and every sound.

But the sun gave way to the moon and the food became cold. So that's where I currently find myself, in a state of complete worry and frustrated that I could not go anywhere to find Nicole. Besides my injured foot, I hadn't the faintest idea as to where she and Jack had gone.

With a frustrated sigh I fall into one of the chairs. I am barely seated when I finally hear the sound of footsteps at the front door, causing me to sit upright. The lock clicks and Nicole enters the house, to my extreme relief.

My happy smile quickly turns to an expression of horror as I watch a very much bloodied and beaten-up Nicole stumble into the living room and fall to her knees. "They took… Jack." Are the last words she utters before she collapses on the floor.