Lu smiled as she watched Michael hitch his horse and then come towards her to help her dismount. This was one of the wonderful things that she learned when she had arrived back east; men took pleasure in being able to assist a woman when she had finished her riding. Before, when she was growing up with her brother, she hopped off of the racing animal before it had a chance to stop. That was when she enjoyed the wind flowing through her hair, a time when she thought the outskirts of Charlesville was the furthest she would ever go, little did she know what the land of American held for her.

"Thank you, Michael," she smiled as he swung her down in front of him, "That was a lovely ride this morning. I am glad that you talked me into waiting to see Emily. It would have been dreadful hurrying out here yesterday afternoon and then trying to rush back before the sun set."

"I have to admit I had other intentions," Michael smiled as he brought Lu's hands to his lips, "Convincing you to hold off allowed me to spend another full day in your company."

Lu blushed and patted his chest with her white glove covered hand, "You are too much. Oh, here comes Lucky!" she smiled as she clapped her hands together, "He doesn't look very happy to see me."

"Lu, what the hell are you doing here?" Lucky asked as he came to a halt before his sister, the scraping of his boots causing a small cloud of dust to appear before her.

With a frown, Lu bent over and swatted at her heavy skirt, "Michael wanted to see Lorenzo and I thought that it would be wonderful for me to stop by and see Emily. Michael is taking me out this Saturday evening. We're going to see a small musical in the next town," she beamed up at her brother, "He's asking Mr. Alcazar if he could borrow his covered wagon. Isn't that nice of him?"

Lucky looked at Michael Corinthos with raised eyebrows, "Does my father know about this?"

Michael held back a smirk, "I spoke with both of your parents when I took Lu home last night. Your mother would like, and I agree, a chaperone for Lu on the way into town. I also planned it so that we can stay the evening. I don't think that it would be very safe to travel back the same night and I don't like the idea of Lu camping out anywhere."

Lu smiled at Michael as she placed her hand on his arm, "Isn't he the sweetest?"

Lucky folded his arms across his chest, "Should I guess who the chaperone is?"

"Kristina," Lu smiled as she turned around and pointed to a dilapidated wagon that was appearing in view, "I had a lot of pleading that I had to do with Mr. and Mrs. Lansing but they finally agreed. I assured them that Kristina would not be having an ounce of fun that evening and they said she could go."

"Kristina," Lucky said quietly as he watched the girl stop just short of Michael and Lu's horses.

"Right," Lu nodded, "The Alcazar's had supplies waiting to be picked up and Kristina volunteered to ride out with us to deliver them. Usually Mr. Alcazar comes and picks them up but Mr. Lansing heard that he was out of town so he thought it'd be nice if he delivered them. I told him that Kristina should come with us. I know that she's still not suppose to be leaving town but you have to admit that the girl needs to get some fresh air," Lu sighed, "It was bad enough she wasn't allowed to ride a horse out. You know how much she loves horses, Lucky."

"Right," Lucky said listening to his sister drone on, "Excuse me."

Lu watched her brother step right between her and Michael and made his way over towards where Kristina was coming down from her barely ride able wagon, "Well, that was odd."

Michael shook his head with a small smile, "Not really."

Lu turned towards him, "What do you mean?"

"Lu?" Emily called from the front porch, "Lu, what are you doing here?"

"Emily, hello," Lu smiled as she picked up her skirts and hurried towards her friend. They met at the bottom of the stairs and exchanged a tight hug, "Michael wanted to come see Lorenzo and I simply could not pass up spending some time with you. I'm sorry that things weren't so good the last time we saw one another."

"It wasn't your doing, Lu," Emily smiled sympathetically as she slid her arm around the girls shoulder, "How is your mother holding up?"

"As well as can be expected," Lu said, "She's my mother, always strong and steady in the face of devastation. I only wish that I could be half the woman that she is."

Emily hugged her friend again and then pulled her towards the stairs, "Come in. I was just starting breakfast. Lorenzo will be down shortly and he'll join us. Think we can steal Michael away from the horses?"

Lu looked up to locate the blond haired boy that rode in with here but instead her eyes locked with a smirking cowboy that was leaning against the side of the house and sipping coffee from a tin mug. Her smile immediately turned into a frown.

"Are you hiring that man on as a cowboy?" she asked as she turned to Emily, "I've seen him loitering around town recently."

"Mr. O'Brien?" Emily asked, "Not with his recommendations. I'm afraid that he's up for the same position as your brother; foreman of the ranch."

Lu's eyebrows rose in surprise and when she turned back to find the scoundrel he was missing, literally disappearing into thin air. She shook her head and followed her friend into her warm and inviting home, wondering all the while what kind of man Johnny O'Brien really was.

"Miss Lansing, ma'am," Lucky said as he took his hat off and bowed in front of her, "To what do I owe this pleasure of seeing you this fine morning."

Kristina laughed as she stopped unloading the supplies and brushed her hands off on a pair of pants she had managed to sneak out of the house, "If you call me ma'am again you might not be seeing any more fine mornings, Spencer."

Lucky laughed as he plopped his hat back down on his head, "My sister told me that she was able to spring you from the store for a little while. She didn't tell me how she convinced your parents to allow you to wear britches."

"They didn't," Kristina said as she turned back towards the supplies, "I changed into them after I left," she reached down into the bottom of the wagon for the ten pound bag of lard, "I'll change back as soon as we get close to town."

"Uh huh," Lucky said coming up behind her, "So Michael was given the same show I was when I caught you leaving town the back way?"

Kristina turned around with her green eyes flaring and nearly tripped over Lucky's body. She gulped down whatever words she had planned to say and found that his nearness was causing her stomach to flutter unnaturally. She opened her mouth to ask him to move but his fingers slid along her cheek and brushed a stray hair behind her ear. She nearly melted on the spot.

"So?" he said in a soft voice, "Did Michael see the same show that I did?"

"I didn't…" she cleared her throat as she turned around again, "I didn't provide Michael or you with any kind of show. I'm sure that you received a much better one the night before in some whore's room."

"I can assure you," Lucky said as his arms came around either side of her body and hoisted the lard with her, "That your show was much more exciting than the ones that I get from any whore."

Kristina watched him as she released the lard and he hoisted it over her head. When she turned again he was a few feet away from her, the lard resting on his shoulder as he wiped a bead of sweat from his face. This man had no idea what he was doing to her.

"Stay for a while," Lucky said, "I'll think of something that Lu can tell your parents, some excuse about her talking so damn much and not wanting you to go back to town alone. Ric and Alexis ought to believe that one," he winked, "I have a meeting with Alcazar after breakfast and if I get the job," he said adjusting the lard on his shoulder, "I'll make sure that I give you a tour of the place. I'll even take you for a ride on one of the horses."

"Lucky don't tease me like that," she said turning back towards the wagon and unloading some beans, "You know how much I love horses and riding one on Mr. Alcazar's spread would just be…" she smiled as she shook her head, "It'd be a dream come true for a girl like me."

Lucky smiled when she stood before him again and ran his thumb under her chin, "That's why I'm not teasing a girl like you."

Kristina watched as he lifted a large can of beans with his free hand and turned to head towards the house. She sighed as she leaned against the wagon and pressed her hands against her warm face. She could feel herself turning red as she thought about Lucky Spencer talking to her, touching her and smiling at her. Most of her life she wanted nothing more than for her best friend's brother to notice her and now that he did it was scaring her to death.

Jason pulled his hat down lower as he felt the ray of the sun beat down upon them. It was well into the afternoon and he knew that they only had a few more hours left until they would have to make camp for the evening. As much as he hated to stop he knew that Elizabeth was exhausted and she needed as much rest as possible. He, himself, was a man that traveled well into the darken night but Elizabeth already dealt with one too many dark nights and he was not going to add to that.

He turned his head to the side and looked up at her. She was riding on his horse beside him, her body nearly slumped over in the saddle, her chin pressing against her collarbone and her eyes closed against the heat of the day. To any stranger she looked exhausted but Jason that this was simple defeat. She cried herself to sleep after her recent nightmare last night and hadn't said a word since. Breakfast was eaten in silence and when he offered her more clothes or a hat to wear she shook her head in decline. The biggest reaction of the day happened when he appeared to her with his horse. Her eyes grew wide, her face paled and she started to quickly walk beside him before he had any ideas of dragging her up there with them. He dismounted and held the reins out to her but the damage had already been done, not to her, but to him. Jason felt Elizabeth's terrified look deep in his soul and he vowed that when he went back to bounty hunting no rapist would ever be brought back in alive.

He gently patted his horse when he saw the small outline ahead. They were approaching a town, one that was smaller than Charlesville, but he knew that it housed a mercantile and a place where he would be able to get Elizabeth something other than jerky and beans. He looked back up at her when he felt her blue eyes boring into him and stepped away, motioning for her to join him on the ground. She slid off the right side of the horse, allowing the animal to stay between her and Jason, before she slowly walked towards him, her fingers twisted together.

"Are we stopping for the evening?" she asked quietly.

"No," Jason said shaking his head, "No we can go further this evening. I want to go further," he did, he wanted to get her home as fast as he possibly could, "There's a town up ahead, a few more miles. I wanted to stop in and get some food to go and some clothes. I won't be that long, maybe an hour or two, but I wanted to take the horse. I want to find a safe place for you to camp while I'm gone."

"No!" Elizabeth said frantic as she stepped towards him only to jump back, "No you can't leave me, please. You have no idea what happens when people leave me all alone. I won't be a bother. I'll give you back your horse. I'll walk the rest of the way."

Jason felt the rage build up again as he watched her plead with him to drag her into a town she shouldn't be within fifty miles of. He felt his eyes water and he had to look away from her as her hands resumed their almost constant shaking. She needed to get home, she needed to be placed somewhere safe where no harm would ever come to her again. He needed to find the bastards that did this to her and skin them alive. He knew that none of this would happen anytime soon so he turned back to her and nodded.

"I'll take you, I will," he said as his voice shook. He let out a long breath and cleared his throat, "You can't go like that. If someone else sees you in that…attire they're not going to want to service you. They might even throw you out of town and I can't…"

"I know," she whispered as she looked up at him, her eyes tortured, "They did that to me in the last town. That was how I ended up where I did."

He felt his hand reaching out to her but he pulled it back just before it connected with her beautifully curled hair, "There's a way…I have some extra clothes. I had them cleaned in the last town that I was in. You can wear those and we'll throw my hat on you. They're big enough. We can make you appear to be a young boy and hopefully no one will think otherwise. It'll probably be best for you to get boys pants. It'll make traveling, riding on the horse, easier to deal with."

She watched him as he went to the back of the horse and untied his saddlebag. He dug around until he found what he was looking for and approached her, his hands holding out a flannel shirt, a pair of pants and a string of rope to be used as a belt. The last thing he held out was his hat.

"I'm going to walk a ways," he said, "Give you some privacy. I know that this is going to be awkward but it will bring less attention to you."

"Attention is the last thing I want," she whispered.

"Then this is the way to go," he said.

Elizabeth nodded, "And the clothes will be more difficult to take off."

Jason felt his heart lurch again as she walked around towards the other side of the animal. Even though he was going to walk away she still felt the need to put something between them. He did as he said, presenting her with his back and walking a few paces away. With each new step, a silent tear slid down his face.

Rachel smiled and waved as the townsfolk traipsed by the saloon and went about their day. The sun had yet to see set and it was still going to be a few more hours before the saloon would open for business. She was eager to start working. The accounting books were finished this morning and anything else that needed to be done was locked up in Sonny's office along with Sonny. With the mood he was in this morning, she had no intention of going in there and asking for more work.

Turning around she saw Courtney emerge from the kitchen with a heaping plate of food and a tall glass of water. She settled herself down at the bar and started digging in before she realized that Rachel was staring at her and offered her a dumb smile.

"I was hungry and they opened the kitchen early for me," she said, "You know I get bored without Michael around. No one else pays any attention to me."

"Well you better find yourself someone else to cling to real fast," Rachel said, "Lu Spencer attached herself to that man and she has no intention of letting him go. I told you when you got involved with him that Mr. Corinthos is not going to let his son marry a whore."

"I know that," Courtney said with a mouthful of potatoes, "But Michael is so young and he shouldn't be settling down."

"Michael isn't young. He's at the age where he should be settling down," Rachel said as she moved behind the bar and searched for a bottle of vodka, "By next year the Spencer girl is going to feel like a spinster if she hasn't dragged someone to the preacher so you can bet that you won't be seeing Michael anytime soon."

"I just saw him last night," Courtney said as she rolled her eyes.

"Let me make this a little more clearer," Rachel said, "Seeing Michael for anything more than a romp in the hay is not going to happen. If the Eastern girl has something to say about it that will be cut off shortly as well."

"She wouldn't!" Courtney gasped.

Rachel laughed, "Lesley Lu Spencer probably has a whole lot of ideas in her head about what goes on between a man and a woman and I'm sure that one of them includes a man saving himself for marriage," she laughed, "As if that's even possible."

"Excuse me, Courtney," Sam said as she appeared at the bottom of the stairs, "Have you seen Mr. Corinthos today? Has he returned from going out this morning?"

"He…"

"He didn't go anywhere this morning," Rachel smirked, "He came right downstairs and locked himself up in his office. I'm assuming he's been waiting for you all day," she shrugged, "Guess I was wrong."

Rachel watched as Sam turned and made her way down the hall towards Sonny's office. There must be trouble between the two mismatched people if Sonny looked like hell and Sam thought he was at once place when he was really at another. A smile slowly spread on her face, she loved it.

"That was mean," Courtney hissed, "You know that Mr. Corinthos does not want to be disturbed and Sam will get in trouble for walking in there."

"It's about time that girl realized who she was dealing with," Rachel said, "I run this place and Sonny was mine before her busty body arrived. I'm not as nice as the Southern people she grew up with. I don't share the boys I keep and it's about time she learned that lesson."

"We can't find a witness, no one saw anything happen. It was as if she was on the path one minute and gone the next," the sheriff stated, "We found her things, her belongings, her bags, but no signs of the men who did this to her."

"Men?" Sonny asked quietly as he clenched his fists together, "You know there was more than one?"

"The undertaker," he cleared his throat, "He said that with the amount of trauma on her body it looked as if…"

Sonny felt the wet tears slid down his face. He remembered the words as if they were spoken to him only moments ago. His life, his wife Carly, was yanked into an alley in broad daylight, she was brutally assaulted and murdered, and the law couldn't do a thing about it. There were no witnesses but there were plenty of markings on her beautiful body to indicate that more than ruffian was involved.

"I want to see Mama," Michael cried.

"You can't," Sonny said, his voice breaking, "She went somewhere else. She's in a better place now. She's with God," he hesitated, "She can't come home anymore, Michael."

"No!" Michael screamed as his fists punched at his father's chest, "No!"

Sonny stumbled back as he brought his hand to his wounded shoulder. His son was getting so big. He would soon be dating, experiencing women and finding out all about the real world that awaited him. His mother would never see a moment of it.

"I want Mama!" Michael screamed.

"I do too," Sonny whispered, "I do too."

Sonny squeezed his eyes shut as he remembered having the break the news to his only child. Carly was the best mother a child could ever have. She doted on Michael because he was the only child that God had blessed her with. There was a time when she felt inadequate for being unable to provide Sonny with more children but he told her than he was happy with everything that he had; a beautiful wife, a wonderful son and a thriving law practice.

In an instant it was all gone, his happy existence buried with his dead wife.

"Promise me something," Carly laughed as her husband pinned her to the bed, "Sonny, promise me."

"What?" he smiled with his dimples showing, "I'll promise you anything."

"If something were to ever happen to move…"

"Carly, no." Sonny warned.

"Sonny, please," she laughed, "If something were to ever happen to me you have to promise me that you will go for someone with dark hair and thicker meat on their bones and demur and the total opposite of me," she collapsed into a fit of giggles when he started tickling her, "No more blonds, Sonny."

Sonny grinned as his kissed his wife, "No more blonds."

Sonny snapped back into the present when he felt another body slid on top of his own. Sam was sitting mere inches from him; her body pressed against his, as her fingers slid along his face and wiped away every tear stain that was there. He sighed and closed his eyes again when he felt her warm lips press against his forehead.

"You were back there again," Sam whispered.

"I was," Sonny breathed as he ran his hands up her back, "Thank you for coming in here."

Sam gave him a small smile as she pulled back and let her dark eyes meet his own, "We can go back upstairs. You can take the night off. We can do what we do best and pretend that we're the only two people in the world," she ran her fingers down his chest, "We can escape from everything, Sonny."

Sonny took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly as he looked at her. She was petite, unlike Carly. Her body had a curvy, hourglass figure, unlike Carly. She had dark brown hair and eyes that were almost as black as his, unlike Carly. She was soft, gentle, someone that would listen to him, learn from him and want to spend the rest of her life pleasing him. She was the total opposite of Carly.

"Sonny, are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," Sonny said as he twisted his fingers in her dark locks, "I was just wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me."

Sam's face brightened, "Are you going to cook?"

Sonny shook his head, "No, but I am going to take you to the best place in town."

"What?' Sam asked surprised.

Sonny nodded with a small laugh, "I'm courting you, Samantha McCall."

Lucky smiled as he watched Kristina lean against the wooden rail of the corral. They had separated after unloading the supplies in the Alcazar home. Lorenzo had wanted to speak with him and Johnny immediately and Kristina went to have breakfast with his sister and Michael. He had been looking for her for the past hour and someone pointed him in the direction of the corral. He didn't know why he didn't check there, he knew the love the young woman had for horses.

When he was growing up with Kristina Lansing he remembered how the red head drove him crazy. She was always tagging along with him and Lu, forever getting him in trouble for taking her into places that she shouldn't be. They fought a lot. It always ended with her calling him mean Lucky Spencer and storming away but the next day they were both back on their horses, both of them causing a stir. He hadn't seen much of her since Lu was sent back east. She had been buried in the store, becoming more involved in the family business. He was trying to stay away from everything that was family. Then there was that one day outback of the saloon. He smiled as he came closer to her. He was grateful he snuck out the back.

"They're beautiful aren't they?"

Kristina turned her head and smiled when she saw Lucky stand beside her, his arms resting easily on the rail. The butterflies were back in her stomach as her mind screamed at her to not act like an idiot and to be nonchalant around him, like at the store early yesterday. It was hard listening to her head when her heart wanted her to throw her arms around him and kiss him.

"Lorenzo Alcazar is known for having the best horses in the west," Kristina smiled, "Best horses, best cattle, best ranch. Emily is a really lucky woman."

Lucky laughed and nodded, "I hope that soon word will be spreading that he has the best foreman as well."

Kristina's eyes grew wide, "You got the job?"

Lucky nodded and caught her as she laughed and threw herself in his arms, hugging him tightly. He remembered that when Lu found out she told him it was wonderful and gave him one of her small eastern hugs. This was the reaction he was looking for, someone to be just as excited as he. When she pulled back however, Kristina looked embarrassed.

"Thank you," Lucky said as he took hold of her chin and forced her eyes to meet his, "Thank you for being as glad as I am that they're giving me a chance. My parents are going to hate this and Lu can only show so much happiness or else it isn't proper."

"Neither is throwing my arms around you in front of many visible people," Kristina said motioning to the cowboys that were working with the horses.

"You know what," Lucky said, "You put on men's pants, you ride horses, you don't listen to a thing that your parents say," he winked, "I like it when your improper."

"You," she said punching him lightly before turning back towards the horses. She knew that if this continued on any longer she would turn into a fool and blurt out that she was crazy about him, "I can't wait until you start here so that I can take you up on your offer. I would love to go riding on Mr. Alcazar's land."

"Well I start tomorrow but since you're here today," he laughed when he saw how Kristina's face light up; "Lorenzo said that we're all invited to go out for a ride. He didn't think it'd be right for you three to go back into town without getting one."

"Really?" she practically squealed.

"You want to hug me again, don't you?" Lucky said and then laughed when she punched him, "Lu is getting fitted for a side saddle, although I don't know why because she can ride fine on a regular one," he shrugged, "We can go out as soon as she's ready."

"Can we go out now?" Kristina asked, "I can ride bareback. We can leave ahead of them and get some more time in. Please, Lucky."

He smiled as her green eyes beamed up at him, "I do owe you a race." His smile quickly faded when he realized what he had brought up, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up. That was a horrible day for everyone involved."

"It was your family," Kristina said quietly, "I'm sorry for you, Lucky."

"I regret that you had to go through that," Lucky said, "No one should have to see what you did and you did it so amazingly. You checked on me the whole day, you didn't give a damn about yourself and you…you should be pampered Kristina, put up in a fancy house where you don't have to work all day. You should be riding in a carriage, not on a creaky wagon. You shouldn't be racing a want to be cowboy and finding gory sites in the desert."

"I grew up with you, Spencer," she said softly as she reached out and squeezed his hand, "There are a lot of things I can handle because of you."

Lucky smiled as he released her hand and took a step backwards, then another, "You did grow up, Kristina. I'm finally starting to see that."

Lu ran her fingers over the many saddles that Lorenzo Alcazar held at his ranch. She remembered a few years back when her father had brought home a catalog that he picked up at the Lansing's mercantile. It held all sorts of things for girls her age but she wanted a saddle, one made out of the finest leather and had the most detailed stitching. The day she received it she rode her horse around town for hours, testing it out to make sure that the animal was comfortable with it. She had never been happier in her life. Then she was sent back east and she couldn't remember what happened to her prized saddle. It no longer matter for she wouldn't be able to ride it; a lady always rode a side saddle and never raced her horse.

"You need help picking out one of those? I'm sure the men back east arrived at your house in style and never on a horse," Johnny grinned as he leaned against the wall and hooked his one foot over the other, "Do you even know how to climb up on one of those beasts?"

"When I think of a beast, Mr. O'Brien I think of you," Lu said as she turned and selected her saddle, "I do need to have a conversation with my dear friend Em. I don't know what was going through her head when she decided to hire you."

"Emily Alcazar doesn't do the hiring on this ranch, her husband does," Johnny said, "Please let me know when you are going to speak with Lorenzo. I'd love to be there."

Lu decided that her best defense was to ignore him so she turned her attention back to lifting the saddle from the rail that it sat on. When she was growing up in Charlesville she took care of her own horse and was able to easily place and remove the saddle from the animal's back. Over the past four years, the heaviest thing she lifted was a tea cup and she was finding herself struggling with the large seat. Plus it was leaving some dirt stains on her dress.

"Why don't you let a man help you with that?" Johnny asked coming up beside her.

"Why don't you find me one and I will?" she snapped.

"I wish someone else were around when you speak like that," he said as he took the saddle from her, "People around these parts are so enthralled by you and your delicate nature. They wouldn't believe the mouth that you have," he grinned, "Its beautiful too, nice and full, twitching just a little as you grow angry with me. It makes me want to lean down and…"

Lu tried to grab the saddle back and then thought better of it. When she released her grip however she was unaware that Johnny released his as well. The saddle fell from both of their hands and the corner of it landed in the middle of Johnny's foot. Lu gasped and placed her hand over her mouth while Johnny let out a slew of curse words that she heard Lucky say numerous times.

"If you would stop fighting it so hard you would admit that you have feelings for me, Lu," Johnny seethed as he rubbed his foot and then stamped it back against the ground, "Your so intent on hating me that you don't realize you want nothing more than for me to throw you down right here and show you want its like to have a man's hands on your body. Believe me, baby, you would enjoy every minute of it."

Before she realized what she was doing, Lu drew her hand back and slapped Johnny hard across his right cheek. She looked just as surprised as he was and she backed up instinctively, not sure what his reaction would be. She had to result in physicality before, back east, when a boy or two had gotten out of hand but they were eastern gentleman, they took it in stride. Johnny O'Brien was the epitome of the Wild West and cowboys did not take to women hitting them, justified or otherwise.

"I…"

He was stalking towards her, a gleam in his eye, like that of a mountain lion after its prey. She nearly tripped over a rope as she stumbled backwards and found her back hitting smack against the wall. She reached around for something, anything, to use as a defense against this man who was not backing down.

"I have no idea what it is with you," he said as his hands came on either side of her body, "I have no idea why I want you. I can have my choice of women from Texas to California. Some of them have even thrown themselves at me," he smirked, "I even had a whore pay for me a time or two but you Lesley Lu Spencer, you…" he reached up and twisted a loose strand of brunette hair in his finger, "You set me on fire."

He looked down at her, those terrified eyes that smooth skin, those pouty lips. He did want to take her right here. He wanted to throw her down and claim her as his own. He knew that buried beneath all those petticoats and fancy skirt lie a fiery woman that needed to be unleashed. Michael Corinthos was not the man to do it; he was.

He leaned closer to her, his finger moving from the strand of her hair to dancing across her cheek. He inhaled her beautiful scent, one that he couldn't quite make out because he was overwhelmed by her presence, the nearness of her body and the way her shaking hands came up and rested on his arms. Fear was no longer in her blue orbs, acceptance was.

Her face was titled upward, her lips pressed together, her eyes fluttering closed as he inched towards her. He was going to kiss her again, she was going to like it as much as she did before and maybe this time it would lead to something much more.

Johnny smiled and whispered softly, "My Miss Eastern."

"Lu! Lu, where are you?"

Lu's eyes snapped back open and she pushed against Johnny who moved easily aside. Her face was flustered and she looked at him surprised before she looked back out towards the open door. He was out there, calling for her, the man that she came with, the man she was going to have dinner with this weekend, the man of her dreams.

"Michael," she whispered.

She looked over at Johnny, saw the passion flaring in his eyes, the way that his fists were clenching and that he stood stock still as if he were unable to move. He would move, if she asked him, she knew that much. He would take her back into his arms, back to the place she just was, where her body was tingling and her heart was screaming for whatever he had to offer. Johnny wasn't her dream man; he was a cowboy, a drifter, someone who fit right into the world that she was trying so hard to run from.

With a small cry she picked up her skirts and ran from the small building, towards the voice that would offer comfort and promised her many things. Michael Corinthos would shield her from all that she was trying to escape, including the thing that haunted her the most; Johnny O'Brien.

Elizabeth watched as Jason pushed around some of the sticks in the small fire that they had going. The ride into town had been successful. She had been able to get some clothes along with a bar of soap and some more food to eat. As soon as they returned she had changed from Jason's clothes to her newly bought boy attire and gobbled down the canned fruit. He had offered to be a lookout in case she wanted to take a bath but Elizabeth was not ready to do that. She was not going to make it any easier for this man to rape her.

She blinked away the tears and placed her face in her hands. She wanted to trust him. This man said that he was friends with her family, he knew them all and he helped buried the loved ones that she had lost. Still, she couldn't believe him. He could be luring her in, wanting her to believe his pack of lies and when her guard was finally down he would take her until she couldn't take anymore. She was wishing for the millionth time that she was back in the camp of White Bear where at least he was her protector.

"Is there anything I can do for you before I settle down for the evening?" Jason asked quietly.

Elizabeth looked up again and she saw her own pain reflected in this man's eyes. He wanted to help her. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted to do whatever he could to make the pain a little more bearable. Somewhere, deep inside of her, where the old Elizabeth was buried, she knew that this man would take her pain away, burden himself, if he could.

She shook her head and pushed aside her bedroll so she too could try and get some rest for the evening. She hoped that the nightmares wouldn't return tonight. After spending time with White Bear she would have a night or two where they wouldn't appear but when the other man attacked her it all came back and she was reliving every moment all over again.

"It will take two days tops before we reach where I want us to go," Jason said quietly as he fiddled with the fire again, "I think that it's best that we stop by my brother in law's ranch. It's a few hours ride from Charlesville and my sister will make sure that you can bath privately. We can get you in some new clothes too."

He was referring to girls clothes. Although he didn't say it Elizabeth was aware of the guilt he had for making her dress like a boy. She had meant what she had said earlier. It didn't bother her and it would be more difficult to try and get the pants off a woman than it would be to just lift their skirts.

Jason had cleared his throat and her attention turned back to him, "I think that when we return we do it at night. I don't think that it's a good idea to go riding in anywhere in the middle of the day. I'm not one for a lot of attention."

Elizabeth knew that he wouldn't be getting any attention, she would. She would be the tortured girl who had survived the Indian attack on her family. People were going to stare at her, whisper about her, pity her and then ignore her all together. Jason was trying to lesson the blow so that her introduction to Charlesville was done slowly and not in the middle of town.

"I'm going to pick up the pace for myself tomorrow," Jason said, "If we cover enough miles we might be able to make it to the Alcazar spread before two days."

"We'll ride double," she said it before she could take it back and then she realized that she didn't want to.

"No," Jason said shaking his head, "I'm alright with walking. I know that doubling up makes you feel uncomfortable and I wish that I could have afforded another horse but I only brought so much money with me."

"I'm the reason your walking," Elizabeth said, "I'm the reason your running out of money as well. I'm going to fix that tomorrow. We'll start riding double."

"Elizabeth," he said softly, "I'll make it as comfortable as I can. I'll try not to touch…"

"Don't you get it?" she asked quietly as she burrowed down into her bedroll, "Nothing can touch me anymore."

Jason was afraid that what she said was true.