Sorry been so long. Had a bit of a block. Enjoy and please review!

Emma Jane leant against the door, breathing heavily, unable to believe what had just happened. Of all the most humiliating moments of her life…There had been numerous times over the years of her marriage when she had sighed inwardly at Hank's seemingly insatiable lust for her, but deep down, it had always given her a thrill to know that he wanted her so badly. But to be rebuffed now…! She fiddled with her hair, pulling it back up into its bun and made her way downstairs to make some tea. As she walked, her mind went over and over the time she had spent with Frank. Maybe it was an omen, God's way of punishing her for being unfaithful. Maybe Hank would never want her again because of it. Maybe she was doomed to spend the rest of her life in a loveless marriage with only the memory of passion.

"Oh for goodness sake!" she chided herself as she reached the kitchen, "Pull yourself together! It was just one time!"

"What was just one time?" Jake asked, coming into the kitchen and pouring himself some tea.

"Nothing," she replied sighing, "Jake, this isn't a café. If you want tea, go to Grace's."

"This is my business," he reminded her.

"Yes and it's my home!" she retorted, "I need to make something for Hank and Will." She pushed him out of the way and set about making tea.

Jake observed her from behind, "You know something?"

"What?"

"Last few years, you've really changed."

Emma Jane turned to face him, "Excuse me?"

"I said, you've really changed."

"In what way?"

He shrugged, "Lots of ways."

"Like what?"

"You ain't as laid back as you used to be. Not that you were ever that laid back," he added quickly, "but last few years, you've been really uptight."

Emma Jane was stunned into silence, not quite sure how to respond to this assassination of her character.

"Don't mean to offend you," Jake said, "just passing a comment." With that, he turned and left the kitchen, leaving his dirty cup on the table. Emma Jane looked at it for a long moment while the tea brewed and then she mechanically poured two cups and headed back upstairs.

Will was sleeping, so she left his by the side of his bed and made her way back into the bedroom where Hank was sitting up in bed.

"Tea," she said, handing it to him.

"Thanks," he replied, a worried look on his face, "Listen, Emma, bout earlier…"

"Forget it," she interrupted, "I was asking too much, I'm sorry."

"Ain't that I didn't want to…" She refrained from replying that that was exactly what it had seemed like, "Just couldn't seem to…"

"I don't need a detailed analysis thank you," she replied, a little sharper than she intended.

A wounded look crossed Hank's face, "Well, sorry anyways."

Emma Jane sighed and ran a hand over her eyes, "Do you think I've changed?"

"In what way?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, but Jake seems to think I've changed. He said I'm more uptight than I used to be." She looked at her husband, wanting him to immediately leap to her defence.

Hank made a face, "S'pose you are."

Emma Jane's mouth dropped open, "You're not serious, are you?"

He grinned at her, "Why? Don't ya think you've changed?"

"No I don't!" Emma Jane retorted, standing up, "I'm the same person I always was. How dare you!" She stormed back to the door, "You'd soon know what it was like if I was uptight!"

"Emma," Hank tried to placate her, "Calm down."

Emma Jane took a deep breath, "Sorry. I'm sorry." She leant against the door, "Maybe you're all right. Maybe I have changed." She ran a hand over her forehead, "I just wish I could see an end to all the problems."

"Come here," Hank said and she walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. He put his hand on hers, "It's goin' to be ok."

"You keep saying that," she told him, "but you don't ever seem to be able to give me a solution. I was so focused on what was happening to the Gold Nugget and then you and Will went missing and I was so angry about how short-sighted I had been." She sighed again, "Now that you're both safe and well, the Gold Nugget's all I can think about again." She didn't mention about Frank's offer to lend them money.

"Emma Jane," Hank said her name firmly, "I ain't never let ya down yet, have I?" She shook her head, " and I ain't gonna let ya down now. We're gonna be fine. The Gold Nugget's gonna make a great profit this year."

"But…"

"Nope," he interrupted her, "stop worrying bout it."

Emma Jane sighed, knowing when to stop fighting a losing battle. She changed the subject, "So, why don't you tell me what happened?"

"When?"

"When the Indians attacked you."

A fleeting look of worry passed over Hank's face, "All happened so fast. One minute me and Will were sittin' at the creek, the next…" he trailed off, "I thought he was dead."

"So did I. I thought you both were."

He looked up at her, "Just kept thinkin' bout you. How I wanted to see you again. How if I just made it…" he broke off as Emma Jane leaned down to kiss him.

The guilt inside her was like an angry beast, clamouring to be let free. How could she have kissed another man when she had Hank?

"Whatcha thinkin' bout?" he questioned her.

"Nothing," she replied smiling, "I'll go and make some lunch."

SSSS

Hank seemed to get better as the days rolled on. Eventually, he was able to leave bed and stay down in the bar, where he delighted in giving Jake orders, while falling back on his pain whenever the latter challenged his lack of help. The one thing that hadn't improved however, was his libido, which seemed to have vanished completely. Emma Jane didn't mind, soothing him and telling him it was ok, but he was grumpy about it and his attempts only made her frustrated, her thoughts straying dangerously.

Will too seemed to be improving. The colour was back in his cheeks and he had gone back to school. Emma Jane was so relieved to see him running around with the other children. The one person who was worrying her, was Victoria. She seemed to have become more and more sullen and withdrawn as time went on. She craved her father's attention and yet either snapped at her mother or ignored her completely. Emma Jane was practically at her wits end.

One morning, after a particularly vicious fight in which Victoria had declared she hated her, Emma Jane was in the kitchen making bread. As she pummelled the dough, she couldn't help wishing it was her daughter's head, if only to knock some sense into her.

As she worked away, there was a knock on the back door, and she turned around to see Frank peering in. Emma Jane froze for a moment, before wiping her hands on her apron and walking forward to open it.

"Frank," she greeted him cautiously.

"Emma Jane," he replied, touching his hat, "I see you're busy…"

"No, it's all right," she replied, "what can I do for you?"

"I wondered if you'd had any chance to think over my offer."

"Offer?" she wracked her brains.

"To lend you money for the Gold Nugget."

Emma Jane's expression hardened. No matter how bad things got, she wouldn't accept charity from anyone, least of all Frank Williams.

"I can see by your face that the thought hasn't become any more welcome to you."

"No, it hasn't."

"As I said before, it would be a loan, not a gift."

"I'm aware of that."

"Therefore, it wouldn't be charity." It seemed he had read her mind.

"It's not only that," she turned her back on him and returned to the bread.

"Then what?"

"I don't like the thought of you using what happened between us to your advantage."

Frank spluttered with laughter, "I beg your pardon?"

Emma Jane spun around, her eyes flashing with anger and shame, "You know exactly what I mean! Just because we shared a…a moment, doesn't mean you can take liberties with me."

"Liberties?" It was Frank's turn to look angry, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind."

"Yes I will mind!" Frank retaliated, "If you want to say something to me, say it to my face and not cryptically!"

Emma Jane turned back around, "I don't want you thinking that you have something to hold over my head, because I won't allow it. I'll tell Hank myself before I let you blackmail me!"

"Blackmail!" Frank almost shouted, "If I was blackmailing you, Emma Jane, I'd be asking for money, not giving you it!"

"That's as may be."

"He shook his head, "You clearly have some sort of issues that I know nothing about."

"What?"

"Clearly, you feel guilty about what happened between us, and you're lashing out at me because you can't face it for yourself!"

"Get out!" Emma Jane exclaimed, angry that he was so close to the truth, "Get out now!"

"I'm going," he jammed his hat back on his head, threw open the door and stormed out.

Emma Jane watched him go for a moment and then burst into tears, just as Hank came into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, alarmed as his wife's anguish.

"Nothing," she replied, wiping her eyes angrily, "it's nothing."

"Don't look much like nothin' to me," Hank stepped forward and took her in his arms. His love and concern only made her guilt feel worse, "Tell me what's wrong?" He pulled back from her and took her face in his hands. Under his gaze, Emma Jane knew she couldn't withhold the truth.

"I kissed Frank," she blurted out suddenly. The words hung in the air between them and she watched Hank's reaction. He stood looking at her, his expression, not one of anger, but of shock and disappointment, "Hank?" she said finally after a long silence.

He dropped his hands from her face, "When?" he asked.

"When we were in the woods looking for Will," she replied, her words coming tumbling out, "We were taking shelter and we were talking and suddenly it just happened. I didn't mean it to, I swear!" She stepped towards him, "It meant nothing, Hank, it really didn't. Please, you have to believe me." She looked up at his face, his mouth set in a grim line and she waited. Waited for the explosion, the feeling of his hand striking her, the sound of his anger. But it didn't come. Instead, he kept looking at her, before turning and heading for the door, "Where are you going?" she asked.

"To find Frank," Hank replied over his shoulder.

"What? No!" Emma Jane tore after him, "No, Hank don't, please!" She grabbed her husband's arm but he shook her off, "Hank! Hank, you're not strong enough…"

Hank didn't seem to listen. He threw open the back door, ignoring the pain in his side, and hurried out into the street, Emma Jane close on his heels. He headed towards the bank and threw open the door, causing Preston to jump.

"Hank!" Preston declared, standing up quickly, "What on earth…?"

"Where's your little friend?" Hank demanded.

"What? Who?"

"Frank," Hank replied, "Where is he?"

At that moment, Frank appeared from a room at the bank of the building. He and Hank stood looking at each other for what seemed like the longest moment. Emma Jane held her breath, watching them both.

Frank spoke first, realising instantly what had happened, "I know what you must be thinking…"

"You ain't got no idea what I'm thinkin'," Hank replied, stepping forward, "You ain't got a clue."

"I know you're angry," Frank continued, "It's only natural, I realise that. But you have to understand…"

"No," Hank shook his head, "Don't got to understand nothin'." He stepped right close up to Frank. "Not when ya bin interferin' with my wife."

Preston was agog, wondering what on earth had taken place to create this extremely tense atmosphere. He couldn't wait to get home to tell Sarah. She would be really irritated to have missed it. He stole a glance at Emma Jane who had gone deathly pale and was clutching her hands together nervously.

"It was only a kiss," Frank said, trying to keep his fear hidden. Hank could be pretty terrifying when he was angry, and this cold, collected anger was truly unnerving. "It didn't mean anything to her, Hank. She loves you, she told me so."

"But ya wouldn't say no if she offered, would ya?"

Frank shook his head, "No, I wouldn't. But she's not free, and she made that perfectly clear to me."

Hank nodded, fighting down every urge to punch the well-dressed man in front of him. It would make him feel so much better, but he had lost so much in the past due to violence that he didn't want to risk losing it all again. Instead, he leaned in close so only Frank could hear, "Ya ever touch her again, go near her, even look at her, I swear I'll kill ya. Ya get me?" Frank nodded, "Good." He stepped back from Frank and turned back to where Emma Jane and Preston were still staring, "Thank you Preston." He took his wife's arm and pushed her ahead of him out of the bank.

Preston looked at Frank, "Did you…you did, didn't you?" A smug smile spread across his face, "You dog!"

Frank didn't share in his boss's joy. He just felt sick.

Outside, Hank pulled Emma Jane into him and looked into her eyes for a long moment. He could see the fear, the uncertainty and knew what she was expecting, "Get back in the hotel," he told her. She looked at him, a small frown on her brow, "I said, get in." A hint of malice crept into his voice and Emma Jane moved ahead of him back into the Gold Nugget. With Hank right at her back, she made her way upstairs and into the bedroom where Hank shut the door behind them.

"Why didn't you hit me?" she asked, "Why didn't you hit Frank?"

""Did that once before and lost ya. Ain't goin' to go through that again." He kept looking at her.

Emma Jane wasn't sure she liked this. She was used to the flare-ups, the unbridled anger, the temper. She was used to it and even loved its familiarity. But this quiet, controlled Hank was making her feel worse than if he had hit her. She opened her mouth to ask what on earth was going on when Hank launched himself at her, slamming her back against the wall, his mouth covering hers.

For a moment, Emma Jane struggled against the weight of her husband's body against hers, but after a while, she started to relax as he continued to kiss her. His mouth moved from hers and planted hot kisses down her neck while his fingers deftly pulled open the buttons at the front of her dress.

"Ain't gonna have a problem this time," he told her, before his mouth claimed hers again. Emma Jane didn't protest as he pushed her back towards the bed, both of them shedding clothes in the process. They both fell onto the bed and quickly freed themselves from the constraint of the material until naked flesh met naked flesh.

Unlike their previous attempt, Hank was instantly inside her, pushing himself gently against her hips. Emma Jane felt her body responding and she pushed herself against him, running her hands over the contours of his body.

"Hank…" she murmured his name as he pushed deeper inside of her. Memories of Frank, of the moment they had shared together, slowly began to fade from her mind. This was what she loved, this was who she loved and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man.

Hank's thrusts became more urgent and Emma Jane cried out as waves of pleasure coursed over her.

"I love you!" she gasped, as he twitched inside of her, "I love you."

Afterwards, as they lay, breathing heavily, their skin slick with sweat, Emma Jane turned to where her husband was lying beside her. She studied his profile until he turned to look at her. She smiled tentatively.

Hank rolled over so he was lying on top of her and pushed her damp hair away from her forehead. He kissed her again and then pulled back and looked at her, "Yer mine," he told her, "whether ya like it or not. Ya know that, right?"

Emma Jane nodded, "I know."

Hank moved down in the bed and rested his head against her chest. He felt satisfied that he had been able to make love to her again. Whatever Frank Williams had materially, he had never, and would never, have that.

"If ya want a fight," he muttered to himself, "Ya got one."