A/N: This is just something that came to my head.

Disclaimer: Don't own "Oklahoma!".

Sara McKlane walked along the small town street with her brother, John. The little town of Claremore bustled about with cars driving up and down. Sara wasn't paying too much attention when she bumped into somebody, looking up she saw an older man, about the same age as their dad, maybe a year or two older. He was skinny and dirty.

"Sorry, sir. Should've been watchin' where I was goin'." she said looking at him apologetically.

"That's al'ight. No harm done, little lady." he said giving her a sad smile. Sara suddenly took a shine to him, the way one does when they see a hurt puppy, that's how she felt about this man.

"Sir, if ya don't mind my askin', but when did ya last have a good meal?" she asked boldly.

"Sara!" John hissed at her, but she brushed it off.

"Yer brother's got a good head. Don't wanna 'low strange men inta yer house." the man said.

"Well, then, guess ya better know us and we better know you." Sara said.

"My name's Sara and this here is my twin, John. Now what's yer name?"

"Well, Jud Fry, but I still don't know yer last name, but betcha I could guess, would it be McKlane?" Jud said with a smirk. Both looked at him with shock on their faces.

"Sorry, sir, but ya can't be him, he, um, well he died about twenty-years ago. Pa told us so, he watched it happen. Jud fell on his own knife. Also, how'd ya know our last name?" John said, not trusting the man.

"Well, I ain't dead and ya look like 'em." Jud said looking at the teenaged boy.

"Well, I'm shore ya ain't gonna kill us, heck ya don't look like ya got the energy to, so no matter what we're takin' ya home and Ma'll cook some food." Sara said as she started to walk back to where she and her brother lived.

"Walk right in front of us, Mr. Fry, I ain't gonna let you try any funny business." John ordered and Jud listened, it shocked John a little because of the stories he had heard from his Pa.

"Ma, we're home and we brought company." John called as they walked up to the house. Their Ma opened the door immediately, happy to see her children, but when she saw the man that was with them, she stopped fast.

"Howdy, Laurey, sorry to be botherin' ya, but your daughter insisted that I come." Jud said, not looking straight at her.

"Sara, run in and get Pa." Laurey motioned with her head to her daughter.

"Whatcha doin' here, Jud? I though ya was daid." Laurey said looking at him confused and a little bit scared, but not a lot.

"I was takin' a break from work and had decided ta walk the town. Haven't been here in a while. And no I ain't daid, close to it though when somebody brought me over to Doc." Jud said, he still hadn't looked at Laurey, only looked down at the ground.

"Jud, what do ya want?" Curly asked angrily as he came out of the house.

"Don't want nothin'. Yer girl brought me here, she's a pretty thing ya know that, looks like you Laurey." Jud said smiling a little. He had changed and Laurey could see that, not Curly though, he still knew the man who had threatened his wife and he hated him for that.

"Ya stay away from her, plump away." Curly said, his eyes on fire.

"Don't worry, I ain't gonna do anythin', know how ya feel." Jud said smiling even more as he got a distant look in his eye.

"What do ya know, yer nothin' but a filthy, no good man!" Curly shouted.

"Curly!" Laurey hissed.

"Come in, Jud. I just put some biscuits in the oven." she said and walked back in the house.

"Ya pull one stunt and I'll kill ya." Curly threatened before letting Jud into the house.

"Pa, how is he still alive? Did ya know 'bout it?" John asked before he and Curly went in.

"He wasn't quite daid when Slim brought him over to Doc's and Doc was able ta save him, didn't let me know 'til me and yer Ma got back from our honeymoon. Yer Ma didn't know 'cause I didn't wantta worry her." Curly said. The two walked into the house.

"So, Jud, what is it that you do?" Laurey asked as she served him a cup of coffee.

"I work in the mines, only way I cain really get money fer my family." Jud said nodding a thank you to Laurey as he took a sip.

"Family?" Laurey questioned.

"Yep, that's right. Got myself a woman to call my own and two daughters and a baby boy." Jud said proudly. Curly and John walked in right at that moment.

"Jud,..." Curly couldn't finish because right at that moment he passed out and fell hard on the floor.

TO BE CONTINUED