Disclaimer: Cassandra Weston and her family belong to me, Meg belongs to Cougar and is used with permission. Everyone else belongs to their respective owners, no infringement is intended!

AN: GLORY! I am so sorry it has taken this long to write this chapter! I told you all in that review that I would finish this and I intend to. The time line of this piece is a week after the last. This is when it is going to get back into the movie's story line, so now, Zee is off with Jesse on their honeymoon and Meg and Cassie are still in town.

Also, in this story Jim doesn't die (oh happy day) so it's becoming a bit of an AU. There will also be a bunch of flashbacks in this story, you'll be able to tell by the italics. Thanks again to all those who reviewed! And thanks for being so patient (assuming you all actually still watch for this story!)

My apologies for any grammatical mistakes and colourful spelling errors.

Rated: PG-13

Thanks to: Of course to Cougar for letting me borrow Meg and to all my reviewers.

..&..

"Do you ever wish, things could be like they used to be?" Cassie asked.

Meg looked over at her, "how do you mean?"

"Before the damn war, before your Pa died...before everything ."

"Times change, they always have."

Cassie sighed, "I know. Don't make it any easier. Always was a lot easier when we were kids. I'm scared. They think their invincible, that no man and no thing can stop 'em."

Meg snorted, "good to know something's never change."

Cassie smiled softly.

"I remember back when we were kids, you didn't want anything to do with a certain Cole Younger."

"Sometimes I wonder if I still don't," Cassie replied.

"Cassie?" Zee wondered, collapsing on the cool grass under the shade of a big oak tree.

"Hmm?" Cassie murmured. It was hot--too hot to think, too hot to talk. Too hot to do anything much besides swimming and staying as still as possible.

"You ever think about boys?"

Cassie pushed herself up onto her elbow, "sure I guess..."

Meg rolled her eyes, "No, she means think about boys. Like about getting married."

"Oh," Cassie pondered on that, "I'm not rightly sure."

Meg snorted, "not even if someone asked ya?"

"Who's gonna ask me?"

"Well Bob asked ya." Zee pointed out.

"Yeah...and we was six. 'Sides, Bob asked all the girls to marry him." Cassie turned to face Meg, "you ever think about getting married?"

Meg shrugged, "I dunno, maybe."

"You'd never get married," Zee sat up, "even if Cole asked ya."

Especially if Cole asked me."

"I don't see why the two of you can't just admit it already."

"Admit what?"

Zee sighed dramatically, and spoke to Cassie as if she was a small child. "Admit that you like Cole. Ain't no use denying it Miss. Cassandra."

"Oh really!" Cassie replied, "I'll deny it all my life!"

"I think it'd be mighty nice of a boy to ask," Meg said shyly.

"What's the use of a cowboy anyhow?" Cassie wondered, "they ain't nothing like them dime novels say they are. They're stupid and ugly."

"Who's stupid and ugly?"

The three girls sat up at the sound of Cole's voice.

"Well," Cassie said with a distinct air of distaste. "Speak of the devil."

Cole narrowed his eyes, "I ain't ugly!"

Cassie and Meg sniggered.

"What do ya'll want?" Zee wondered calmly.

"We're going out to play."

"I can't get dirty," Meg replied, "my Aunt's having the Minister over for tea."

"Ain't no point," Cassie brushed her hair out of her face, "we'll beat you anyhow."

"Oh yeah?" Cole challenged, looking pointedly at Cassie, "if you can keep up!"

Cassie scrambled to her feet, "you're gonna regret that Coleman Younger."

It seemed like a hundred years ago, Meg looked over at Cassie, and saw the tears standing in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Cassie shrugged. She hadn't told anyone about what had happened the last time Cole had come to visit, not even her Mother. Cassie had simply pulled herself together, wiped her cheeks and went inside as if nothing was wrong.

Meg took her friend around her shoulders, "Cassie what's the matter? You haven't been yourself for nearly a week."

"Me and Cole got into a fight," Cassie turned her face to look across the street at the general store and the hardware store, and the hotel. "It was about the stupidest thing."

"When did that happen?"

"Last Saturday," Cassie replied, "I would have told you sooner but Zee was leaving, and I didn't think it would have been right…" Cassie pulled her bonnet off, "she seemed so happy, I couldn't say anything."

Meg wrapped an arm around Cassie's shoulders.

"You and Cole will work it out," Meg said and Cassie laughed, it was a hollow sound.

"I'm not so sure this time, this fight with the damned rail road has changed him."

"It's changed all of us."

"Yeah, but with Cole, I'm not sure it's for the best." Cassie sighed, "he's likely to do something stupid, like get himself—or Jesse killed."

Meg walked beside her friend, not sure what to say. It had been a few weeks since she had gotten any mail from Bob, and she knew that the boys were trying to keep a low profile.

"I hate being here and knowing I can't do a thing."

"Besides keep the home fires burning," Meg said, the two girls looked at each other. "Somehow that's just not satisfying."

"No," Cassie replied.

By now the girls had the main road that lead to all the homes in Liberty.

"Well I best be getting home," Meg said, "Aunt Anne will be expecting me."

Cassie waved goodbye before heading down the road to her own home. It was a beautiful day, and she took her time. She turned up the drive to her farm and saw her mother standing on the porch. Mrs. Weston saw Cassie and quickly hurried down the steps.

"What's wrong?" Cassie asked as her mother caught up to her.

"A letter Cassie, a letter came for you."

&

End Note: Because I am a bad man! I will post more over the coming weeks, when I re-watch the movie and remember a few things.

Thanks, and be sure to review!