Chapter Thirty-Two

Clayton and Simpson each held up their pistols as they took ten long strides in opposite directions with their backs to each other. On the tenth count they turned, pistols aimed.

"On the count of three, wait for my call to fire." The overseer announced.

Archie could no longer be heard breathing behind her and Emma found herself holding her breath as well.

"One...two...three..." Emma's heart was pounding in her ears. Her body stiffened in anticipation. She bit her lip and kept her eyes on Clayton the whole time. She never heard the blast of the gunshots. It was only the sight of Clayton's lanky form giving a jolt that told her Simpson had fired. Fired and hit. She was jerked from her numbness when Clayton fell face forward onto the snow and Archie ran towards him. Emma followed him, her shoes sliding dangerously on along the snow covered earth. Out of the corner of her eye, Emma spotted the overseer attending to Simpson who had been wounded as well.

"Clayton. Clayton! Can you hear me?" Archie demanded kneeling next to Clayton's prone form.

"Help me turn him over." Emma said. She scanned his back and ran her hands up under the back of his coat to feel along his shirt. No exit wound. The pounding in her ears got louder. "Carefully." Emma warned as Archie helped Emma turn Clayton onto his back. The snow beneath him was stained scarlet but that was nothing compared to blood drenched shirt that clung to his chest where the bullet was still lodged. His eye were open and Emma was glad to see that he was still conscious. Clayton's gaze met hers and he gave her a pale weak smile.

"Not quite what I had in mind, lass." Clayton murmured, his voice thick with pain.

"Shh. Save your strength. The doctor will have you right as rain in no time." Emma said but her eyes lowered to the wound and they both knew the promise was an empty one.

"There's nothing more I can do for him." The doctor said coming out into the corridor. His friendly wrinkled face lined with the stress of a man who'd lost as many battles as he'd won. "The bullet's out but the damage has been done."

Emma doubted she would have been able to remove the bullet herself, given her emotionally frayed state and heavy cloak of guilt. Her hands trembled with the knowledge that had he not stepped in, it would have been Horatio and not Clayton laying in the hospital bed. "It's only a matter of time." He concluded with a sad shrug. Emma clapped a hand over her mouth in anguish.

"Can we see him?" Archie asked solemnly.

"Of course. Go on in." the doctor nodded.

Archie held the door open for her and Emma walked through to Clayton's bedside. His skin was nearly as pale as the sheets.

"Kennedy." Clayton called to the young man. Archie stepped closer, standing beside the seat Emma had taken by the bed. "I'm sorry..." Clayton groaned as a flash of pain seized him.

"Shhh, man. Don't strain yourself." Archie insisted.

"I'm sorry I didn't kill him." Clayton said. Archie swallowed and cleared his throat. His nose and ears were pink with the effort of staying composed but Emma could see that Clayton's words had affected him deeply. She watched him close his eyes against a wave of sadness.

The door suddenly burst open startling the three of them. Horatio rushed into the room, seeing Clayton laying on the bed, his face fell.

"Clayton." He cried rushing to his friend. "Why? Why did you do this?"

"You were right when you said someone should stand against him." Clayton reminded him. "But not you, Horatio. You have too much to live for, man." Clayton's eyes met Emma's and then so did Horatio's. She saw the sadness in her husband's eyes. And the anger. Emma shivered with dread at the confrontation she knew was coming. "I should have beaten him. I should have. I had an even chance." Clayton said softly. His body stiffened as another bolt of pain shot through him. Emma let the tears roll down her cheeks unheeded. Clayton turned his attention back to her.

"No regrets, lass, aye? I'd do it again. Now I..." His face tightened in a mask of pain. Emma and Horatio turned to the window, distracted by loud shouting. "What is it?" Clayton asked, breathless.

"I don't know. Archie." Horatio said, sending his friends out to see what the commotion was about.

Archie took Clayton's hand and gave him a final nod of goodbye, then left the room.

"I'll ask you to hold my hand, lass. If you would." Clayton asked.

"Of course." Emma agreed, tucking her hand into his. His skin was already beginning to cool. It was only a few quiet minutes later that Henry Clayton's breath stilled forever.

Horatio and Emma sat in the quiet sterile room for a good fifteen minutes. Both lost in their own guilt, shame and grief. Then Emma watched Horatio take a deep breath, grab her hand and pull her to her feet.

"Outside. Now." He ordered pulling her out with him into the hall and then down the stairs.

"Horatio-" Emma protested as he nearly dragged her along quickly. "Where are we going?" But he didn't answer her. They passed a wounded Jack Simpson.

"Hornblower! I'm not finished with you yet..." The rest of his sentence faded as Horatio pulled her out into the cold. She shivered, and then did so again under her husband's furious gaze.

"What on earth were you thinking, you stupid girl?" Horatio shouted at her.

"Stupid? What on earth are you yelling at me for?" Emma asked, confused and insulted.

"Thanks to your interference, a good man, a man I called a friend is dead." Horatio gripped her by the shoulders.

"Oh." Emma said quietly. The sleeping powder in his tea. In the sadness of Clayton's death she had forgotten the very reason that Horatio hadn't been in his place. But it came back to her now. Along with the certainty that she had done the right thing.

"Yes, 'oh'. You had no right-"

"I had every right." Emma snapped at him. "You are my husband. A fact you seem to have forgotten. Now forgive me if, although I grieve for Clayton, I am glad that it is not you that is being prepared for burial right now."

"Your meddling resulted in his death, Emma." Horatio tried to reign in his anger and maker her understand.

"That is not fair." Emma said, blinking back tears. "And not only that, it's untrue as well." Emma sniffled and then straightened her spine. "The duel is what killed Clayton. A duel you, instigated." That seemed to hit the mark as Horatio winced visibly.

"Aye, and I would have carried it out if you hadn't drugged me-"

"And I would do it again, dear husband." Emma smiled sweetly while her eyes burned with fury.

A.N:

Camreyn: I'm glad you keep checking back cause I love your feedback! (laughs) My attention is split between this story and my BSG one so I try and keep them both updated frequently.

The love scene is coming. I promise. (laughs) We will get one this episode, it just hasn't been the right moment yet but when it comes the time will be right. And no, Horatio is NOT gonna be a happy camper for a while as you can start to see here. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Sweet A.K: Yep, as you can tell the basics of Clayton's death are still in tact. (sniffles) I was so sad when he died cause he was such a great character!

I figured having Emma knock Horatio out would set up some nice conflict for this shmoopy couple. (smiles)

I'm glad you enjoyed the piccie! I got such a kick out of it cause Jamie is such a lover of literature and such so it was really funny that he would screw up 'a lot' (laughs). It made me feel better for not learning it was two words until last year (I'm 27 now) Mr Englishman's lapse made me feel better about my own stupidity. (smiles) On second thought, maybe the Brits spell it differently than us in Canada and it really is 'alot' over there? In which case I will fall to my knees and .ahem. beg his forgiveness.