AN: Ok I've skipped a few months, Mari and Jim were married and Mari left the gang two months after the wedding and set up a house for her and Jim in a small town not far Liberty, called Jamestown. Six more months passed and Mari is due to have the baby in three weeks time. Jim is about to leave the gang as well and come home to help raise his child.
Chapter 7: Home Sweet Home.
The night air was cold and the moon was so bright that Mari could see right out over the hills as she sat on the veranda late one winter night.
She sighed to herself as she gently rubbed her sore stomach. She hadn't seen her mother and father for so long and as she looked out over grasslands she thought she could see someone waving to her. She shook her head.
"You're dreaming Mari Younger." She sighed and carried on with her sewing. She had been making a beautiful christening gown. It was white silk and had a beautiful white lace trim with a tiny flower embroiled on the chest. Mari had spent many afternoons on the veranda watching for Jim and sewing her baby's gown. She tied the final stitch and held up the dress. She smiled with pride and folded it neatly before wrapping it in brown paper and getting up to go to bed.
She yawned as she tucked the dress away in a drawer in the bedroom and changed into her nightdress and a dressing gown. Mari sighed and went to have a glass of water. As she stood by the window drinking her water she saw the same figure she'd seen before but it was closer now and coming up the hill. She panicked who would be out at this time of night, what if they'd found out about her involvement with the gang? Her chest tightened and she stumbled to the door and bolted it and struggled with the table to block the way. She ran and closed all the curtains and crouched in the corner by her bed gasping for breathe.
Then she heard a familiar voice.
"Mari" it called. Mari's stopped shaking and sat frozen in the corner. "Mari"
"Jim" She whispered and scrambled to her feet, rushed to the kitchen and moved the table. Jim stood on the other side of the door listening to the sound of furniture being moved and started to shiver, the wind was picking up and was like knives against his face. Finally the bolt on the door clicked and the door opened to reveal a beautiful Mari who broke down in tears as soon as she laid eyes on him.
"Oh god I missed you" She sobbed as she threw her arms around her husband.
"I missed you too." Jim smiled as he hugged Mari back.
"Goodness it's got cold quickly" Mari said shivering. "Come inside and warm up."
"I thought you'd never ask" Jim laughed.
He entered the little house and found a beautiful kitchen with a table and two chairs, and a fireplace with an armchair either side.
"Very cosy" Jim smiled as he sunk into one of the armchairs. He looked up and smiled at Mari.
"Come here" He smiled holding out his hand. Mari smiled and took Jim's hand before sitting on his lap.
"There'll be three of us sitting here soon." Mari smiled.
"Hey little feller, it's your pa." Jim smiled as he stroked Mari's stomach.
"Excuse me it'll be a little lady thank you" Mari laughed.
"Oh really how do you know?" Jim laughed tickling Mari's side.
"Mother's intuition" she laughed. Jim stopped tickling her and pulled her close.
"I wish things will always be like this." Mari sighed.
"They will, I promise" Jim smiled. "Now you need your rest and so do I if I'm gonna build us a decent farm." Mari slid off Jim's lap and bolted the door.
"Your right" she smiled as she led the way to the bedroom and snuggled up under the sheets. Jim pulled off his boots, shirt and pants (AN: I mean trousers but as it's American I guess I have to put "pants") and snuggled up behind his wife.
Mari woke to find the sun shining through the window onto her in the morning and a bunch of flowers lay on the chair on top of her dress.
A smile spread across her face as she slipped out of bed and picked up the flowers. She held them up to her face and took a deep breathe. They smelled so beautiful.
When she'd washed and dressed she went to the kitchen, Jim was no where to be seen, but Mari didn't have to look far Jim was outside in the field opposite the house, and he wasn't alone. There were four or five other men with him. Mari panicked and made her way over to the group. As she drew closer she could see it was Jesse, Frank, Bob, Cole and Tom.
"Well hello there Miss Younger," Bob smiled, and bowed. "I do believe you're a proper young lady now"
"Well what are you boys doing here, if Pinkerton finds you he'll have you hanged?" Mari said nervously.
"Well if you must know Miss Mari we've made a deal with Mr Pinkerton. He won't use our land if we stop harassing him and his men. And he won't be hanging us seeing as we found out some very secret information about him which I don't think he'll appreciate u spreading. Something about him killing several people" Bob sighed, and looked over at Jim.
"So Jim where will we be staying?" Cole smiled.
"You're staying here?" Mari gasped
"Yep lil Jim said we can stay here so long as we help to make this a nice little farm and then help run it." Frank smirked
"Jim there's no room in the house." Mari sighed
"I know that's why the first thing we'll be building is a house for the boys." Jim said putting his arm around his wife, "Don't you worry yourself about anything. We've got it all under control."
Mari sighed, there was only one thing that was nearly as bad as Jesses smiling, and that was Jim saying everything was under control.