Thanks everyone for the reading and responding. I really do appreciate all of your thoughts. It's inspiring!

jessalynn – Happy Be-lated Birthday! I'm glad that this story helped make your special day bright!

Chapter Thirty-six

Asa walked into the parlor, sighing with worry and disgust. Worry over the health of his daughter and disgust over how horribly his plan had gone tonight. He'd intended for Sean Logan to be humiliated, destroyed, to never be respected in Lexington again, but not at Vivian's expense he mused with frustration. Now thinking how the doctor had been there most of the night, had done everything he could to rouse his daughter, who should've been awake by now. Yet she was still out, which had caused Wilhelmina to wail with prayer, irritating him to no end, before turning to him in anger and blaming him for Vivian's condition. But Wilhelmina was wrong Asa maintained, this was Sean Logan's fault, and he was going down. Everything that had happened tonight would certainly bring about that Asa thought vengefully as he walked over to the side board and poured himself a drink; for even though Vivian had shown up, embarrassing herself and nearly thwarting his plans, while he'd not helped his cause by losing Sean's letter to that Negro, which he'd planned to have published in the local paper, everyone had heard Pete's speech, and had witnessed Sean's revolting admission to loving that Negro, including several reporters in attendance from the local press, as well as from other cities all over the state. By morning Sean Logan would be ruined the man mused with a smirk; for everyone in town, hell everyone in Kentucky, at least those that mattered, would know what a shameful bastard Logan was Asa deduced as he lifted his drink to his lips…

"Asa Winters." A voice said, disrupting Asa's thoughts, causing him to look towards the parlor door. "You got a nice place here." The man continued as he entered the room.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Asa asked with alarm, setting down his drink. "How did you get in?"

"Don't worry." The man uttered calmly, failing to answer Asa's last question. "I won't be long. I just came by to tell you that the deed is done and to..."

"What?" Asa exclaimed in shock. "You weren't supposed to go after…" He then stopped himself before saying more, rushing to the parlor door and closing it, so that no one, namely Wilhelmina, would hear. "You weren't supposed to go after Logan until next week!" He resumed sharply.

"You better be glad that we went after him at all." The man retorted. "You didn't tell me that Sean Logan was Sean Logan the politician, as in the Deputy Director of Regional Affairs."

"Had I told you, would that have scared you from the job?" Asa jabbed.

"Nothing scares me." The man snapped. "But I don't need the kind of heat that could come with attacking a politician."

"Well if you'd waited and done the job when I'd ordered, you wouldn't have to worry about any 'heat' coming to you!" Asa countered fiercely.

"Look that was the plan!" The man argued. "But when the men found out who Sean Logan was, they started to get a bit nervous, so I moved the job up to make sure it got done."

"You should've consulted me before changing the plans." Asa condemned.

"Well I didn't." The man replied stiffly. "And it's done. And now I want my money."

"Hmprh. So that's why you're here?" Asa scoffed. "I should've known you didn't come by just to give me news of the changed plans..."

"Look my men are already on their way back to Winchester…" The man explained. "And I want to do the same, preferably before day break. Now the money…"

For a moment Asa held the man's stare, thinking that he shouldn't pay him a dime because he'd carried out the job too soon, but he quickly changed his mind, knowing that he would need the man for future jobs, particularly for what he'd planned for Pete Dixon. And despite the man's apparent unease over the attack on Logan, Asa knew that the man was not someone he wanted to double cross. "All right. I'll get your money." Asa finally said; "But first, there's another job I'd like you to consider…"

Everyone was quiet; their minds deep in thought as they waited anxiously for Clay and Isaac to return. Though it had not been long since Isaac had ordered them into the house and disappeared into the night, with Clay, to find Ned and Sean, they all felt as if it had been hours since they'd gone; like they should've been back by now. Jeremy sat back in his chair, running his hand through his hair, closing his eyes, thinking about his daughter, how it wasn't too late for him to resume his plan; But he couldn't bring himself to do it; he couldn't leave the Logans until he was sure that Ned and Sean were all right he mused, now gazing around the room, his heart sympathizing with Alice and Lexy, who hadn't stopped pacing or wondering about the room since they'd come inside, and Marita, who'd been standing at the window, staring out into the darkness, since she'd stepped foot into the parlor. Marita now closed her eyes, quietly sighing, feeling as if her prayers for Sean weren't getting through. For no matter how much she prayed, desperately asking God for Sean to be okay, her heart ached more, warning her that it was over, that her pleas would never reach God's ears…

"Do you think they'll be back soon?" A small voice asked, which was etched with fear, managing to penetrate Marita's thoughts. Prompting her to briefly gaze towards the young girl walking up to join her at the window.

"I hope so." Marita quietly answered, wrapping her arms a little tighter around her waist, as she returned her stare to the darkness out the window, trying to quell her anxiety, to stop herself from going to look for Sean.

"I hope so too." Lexy sighed, now looking out the window, feeling a bit eased by Marita's terse answer and calm mood.

"Marita…" Lexy continued cautiously, directing her stare at the woman whose eyes remained fixed out the window. "Are you…in love with Sean?" the girl blatantly asked, which propelled Alice to cease her pacing, turning her attention to her sister and Marita, while Jeremy sat up in his chair and too turned his eyes to the window.

Marita's eyes instantly moved from the dark scenery out the window and onto the young girl standing next to her, then she slowly glanced towards Jeremy who appeared to be waiting patiently for her to answer, and then on to Alice, who appeared to be waiting for the same thing, her eyes emanating a strangeness that plagued Marita with discomfort Turning her eyes away from Alice, she again looked upon Lexy, waited a moment, and answered. "Yes." She said. "I'm in love with Sean."

Lexy's heart flushed with excitement, as Alice's rushed with displeasure. "Does Sean know?" the girl asked, an inkling of delight etched in her voice.

Silence –

"Yes." Marita whispered.

"Does Sean love you? I mean is he… in love with you?" Lexy continued to query. Marita lowered her gaze. Her heart panging, aching to see him, to feel him, remembering the first time he'd uttered to her his love…

"He's in love with you isn't he?" Lexy pressed, accurately reading Marita's reaction, failing to give the woman time to answer.

Marita lifted her gaze, which was now glazed with tears, confirming what everyone already knew. "Yes." She uttered softly; her soul again praying that Sean was okay.

"So it's true?" Alice asserted, impeding what Lexy intended to say, no longer able to restrain her feelings of hurt and betrayal. "Everything Pete said!" she continued as she walked towards Marita and Lexy. "How could you do this?"

"Do what!" Marita shakily asked; her voice weakened by the swarm of emotions in her heart.

"How could you get involved with Sean?" Alice charged angrily. "You knew that it was wrong; that the two of you would never be accepted and now you could be the reason why Sean and pa didn't come home tonight, why they could be in trouble."

"Alice I love your brother, but there was nothing more than friendship between us during my time here in Lexington." Marita contended a truth that bordered on a lie.

"If that's true then why did Pete accuse you of …of a relationship with Sean? And why are pa and Sean now missing after the mess that accusation created?"

"Alice I don't have the answer to that."

"You have the answer. You just refuse to admit what I know is the truth!" The young woman disputed. "Of all people I can't believe that you would lie to me. All those times we talked about being in love and finding the right one, never once did you mention my brother! Never once did you say that you loved him! I thought that you were my friend, one of the most honest people that I know!"

"Alice what did you want me to say!" Marita countered. "That your brother had my heart, that he means the world to me, but I can't have him because I'm a Negro, and because he's marrying Vivian Winters?" She questioned heatedly even though she knew that Alice's anger stemmed more from what she saw as a betrayal, than the possible danger her father and Sean might be facing. "What would've been the point of me telling you of my love for Sean? What good would it have done?"

"I don't know!" Alice yelled, tears in her voice. "I don't know…but if anything happens to pa and Sean because of this…mess with Pete, because of your relationship with my brother. I will never forgive you." She said. "Never!" She ended lividly; then turned and quickly exited the room, nearly running out the door, prompting Marita to go after her.

"No wait!" Lexy asserted, stopping Marita. "Let me try and talk to her." She said; then moved to follow her sister out of the room, but not before telling Marita that she was sorry for stirring things up.

"It's okay." Marita somberly stated to a remorseful and sad Lexy, who reluctantly accepted the woman's reprieve; then exited the parlor in search of her sister.

Marita stood there a moment, gazing at the door where Alice and Lexy just exited, feeling guilty and hurt by all Alice had said. The girl was right she thought, if Sean and Ned were out there injured, it was all her fault. If only she'd turned Sean away when he'd come to Cholena. If only she'd stuck to what she knew was best, which was them being apart, maybe Ned and Sean would be home, safe and sound. Marita closed her eyes, her heart paining at the possible trouble they could be in, and the fact that she couldn't have turned Sean away even if her life had depended on it. She'd loved and wanted him so much, she still did…

"Are you all right?" Jeremy asked as he slowly walked up to Marita, wanting to comfort her if he could; but Marita didn't answer; instead she abruptly stepped away from him and begin to head for the parlor door.

"Where are you going?" Jeremy asked worriedly, immediately following her.

"I'm going to find Sean." She answered determinedly as she continued to move towards the exit of the room. "I can't sit here and do nothing."

"You can't go out there." Jeremy challenged, now following her into the hallway. "It's still dark out, and your pa specifically said that we were not to leave the premises."

"I don't care."

"Marita you can't go out there." Jeremy reasoned. "It's too dangerous!"

"I said I don't care!" Marita countered as they arrived in the foyer. "Sean is out there…" she continued now retrieving her coat from the coat stand and putting it on. "And I can't sit here hoping that he'll come home to me. I have to do something, I have to find him." She finished firmly; then moved towards the front door of the Logan home.

"Marita wait!" Jeremy asserted, grabbing her arm in panic. Then quickly letting it go when she stopped and turned to face him. "I know that you want to help…" he persisted. "But putting yourself in danger is not the way! Your pa wouldn't want this and neither would Sean."

"Jeremy if someone you loved was in danger, someone you loved with all of your heart. Could you just sit by and not do anything to help them?" Marita asked emotionally. "Could you just wait around for someone to come back and tell you whether they found them dead or alive?"

Jeremy uneasily swallowed, touched by Marita's words, thinking of Anna, how if he'd known that she was in the trouble, that she was dying giving birth to their child, he would've moved heaven and earth to get to her, and would now do the same for Danielle. Seeing the answer in the boy's eyes, Marita didn't wait for him to speak, but turned to go.

"Wait!" Jeremy declared, causing Marita to again stop. "I'm coming with you."

"You can't." Marita immediately rejected. "You need to stay with Alice and Lexy."

"There's no way I'm letting you go out there alone." Jeremy stated emphatically as he put on his coat; then removed a rifle from the nearby gun cabinet. "Alice and Lexy will be fine."

"Jeremy no!" Marita disapproved, even though deep down, she knew that she shouldn't be doing this alone.

"Either I go with you or Alice and Lexy find out what you're about to do." Jeremy threatened. "You know that they'd never let you leave here alone."

Marita sighed with frustration, knowing that Jeremy was right. That Alice and Lexy would insist that they be allowed to partake in the search too, which would be totally unacceptable. "All right." She reluctantly agreed; "You can come." She said; then turned and quickly exited the Logan home, with Jeremy following behind, trailing her down the porch's steps, and across the lawn to the stables.

Wilhelmina stepped outside of Vivian's room, pulling the door closed, sighing with worry…

"What are you doing out here?" Asa questioned stiffly as he came into the hallway.

"Mr. Winters." Wilhelmina sighed with a start as she turned to face her boss. "I was just coming to fetch you." She continued. "Vivian is awake."

"What." The man uttered, relief in his voice as he instantly moved towards Vivian's room.

"Sir there's something you should know before you go in there." Wilhelmina pronounced, now blocking the man's way into the room.

"What are you talking about? Is something wrong? Is Vivian not well."

Silence –

"Wilhelmina?"

"Sir she's asking for Sean." The woman revealed. "She thinks that she and Mr. Logan are still engaged."

Isaac and Clay had been riding for miles, accompanied by the small group of men they'd gathered to assist with their search for Sean and Ned, and still they had found nothing, which worried Clay more, and caused Isaac to deem that if the worst had happened, which he now suspected it had, that it must've happened closer to town, or someplace that was out of the way of the ranch. Just then, several yards ahead, a figure appeared in the road, emitting disorientation, but steadily moving forward.

"Oh my God that's pa!" Clay asserted, immediately recognizing his father due to the light radiating from the moon that only minutes before had moved beyond a veil of clouds. Isaac and Clay hastened their horses toward him, prompting the men behind them to follow, reaching Ned within seconds. Once upon him they all dismounted their steeds, with Clay making his way to his father before anyone else.

"Pa thank Go…oh my God your shoulder!" The boy stated shakily, fear in his voice as he now noticed his father's shoulder which was grossly out of joint.

Ned muttered incoherently. His head faintly pounding; his shoulder severely throbbing as he tried desperately to convey his need to find Sean.

"Ned who did this to you?" Isaac asked as he rushed up to the man and his son, eyeing his gashed forehead and displaced shoulder, shaken by what he saw.

"Horsemen. Hooded men." Ned uttered more clearly. "We were ambushed. I'm sure it was planned." He nearly groaned as another surge of pain shot through his arm.

"Pa…" Clay asserted with alarm, frightened by his father's demeanor. "We've got to get him to a doctor." The boy said to Isaac who was now assisting him in helping his father along.

"No!" Ned rejected. "I've got to find Sean."

"Where is he?" Isaac inquired worriedly. "Where's Sean?"

"I don't know." Ned answered, anguish in his voice. "When I came to, he was gone." He said, causing Clay to unleash a troubled sigh.

"How far from here did the attack happen?" One of the men asked.

"It couldn't have been more than 2 miles down the road." Ned replied hoarsely.

"They couldn't have taken Sean far." Isaac concluded; then ordered a couple of the men to ride ahead and search the woods near the sight of the attack. "We'll find him." He resumed to Ned. "But right now you need a doctor. Sam!" Isaac called. "You take Mr. Logan and Clay back to the ranch…"

"Isaac No!" Ned rebuffed angrily, immediately gasping in pain, at the strain his assertion had put on his shoulder. "I'm not going back to the ranch without Sean."

"But Pa you're hurt…"

"Ned you need a doctor." Isaac argued "Your shoulder…"

"Isaac I'm not going back without Sean, and that's final!" Ned roared and nearly doubled over in pain.

"You can't go looking for Sean with your shoulder in this condition. You'll never make it."

"Then fix it!" Ned ordered impatiently.

"What!" Isaac exclaimed with shock.

"Fix it like we did in the war!" Ned instructed, instantly stirring Isaac with memories, flooding back to him of the war, when one of their comrades was injured in battle. And they'd been days from the nearest med tent, and had to fix the man's shoulder themselves…

"Ned that was over 20 years ago…." Isaac replied.

"I don't care how long it's been! I have to find my son!" Ned insisted, groaning from the pain he was feeling. "You'd ask the same of me if it was Marita, and I'd do it, now please…help me…" Ned begged, finally getting through to Isaac, who knew that his friend was right…

Moments later there came an agonizing scream, resounding through the area, wakening every creature nearby, except one, a man – Sean, who was somewhere in the woods, injured and bruised, oblivious to his father's scream; for his mind was still in the void, buried in the darkness, and thus unaware of what was going on, unaware, of the conscious world.