A McCoy, For Better Or Worse

by CalvinHobbesGatsby

Jed Graham is a man on the run from a dark past that haunts him. He comes to Pike County and finds himself smitten by the beautiful Alifair McCoy. Jed courts her and becomes part of the McCoy family. However, this puts him in conflict with the Hatfields of West Virginia. Can Jed keep his wife safe not only from Devil Anse Hatfield and his kin, but from those who would see him hang?

7. Courting Alifair

I DO NOW OWN HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS. I WANTED TO DO A FLUFF CHAPTER THIS TIME AROUND BEFORE WE GET TO THE DEEP STUFF.

Winter, 1878. Pike County, Kentucky.

As the Autumn turned to Winter on the Tug River, The McCoy family watched as the love between Jedidiah and Alifair blossomed. The couple spent every waking moment together, except for when Jed was working of course. When he wasn't, the two made every effort to be in each other's presence. They sat next to each other at every meal and if there was a chance, Jed and Alifair would go on strolls and horse rides. It was very easy for Jed to talk to Alifair. In the past, he had never really gotten close to anyone. He simply couldn't afford to; if he did, they would eventually find out about his past. Either by him, or by the people from his past that pursued him. He wanted nothing more to settle down with Alifair and help her raise his children and take care of her for the rest of their lives, but he was afraid and rightfully so. He wanted to be honest with Alifair before he asked Randall McCoy for his daughter's hand in marriage. He just didn't know if she would understand what had happened. In his heart, he knew he had done right by his family, but still...it was not easy to sit someone down and tell them that you did what Jed had done. He tried to put it out of his mind as he romanced the McCoy girl, as he did one day when they had went outside to play in the snow.

"Damn, the snow sure is cold." Jed remarked as he worked on constructing a snowman while Alifair gathered more snow.

"What?" Alifair chuckled. "You telling me the winter in Tennessee was never chilly."

"Not as chilly as this, no." He insisted.

"Ah, don't be a baby." She mocked as she came over and kissed him upon the lips. Jed blushed as they kissed while falling on their backs in the white landscape. They continued to build for a while until the sun started to go down. As they made their way back to the McCoy home for dinner, As they ate, Jed conversed with the McCoy family. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he belonged with these people. He had not known what having a family was like since his father and his sister were taken from him. He enjoyed having people around that he cared for and who cared for him. As he went to bed that night, after long talk and make out session with Alifair, Jed felt that he was finally in a good place. He didn't have to run anymore, he didn't have to fight anymore, unless a Hatfield came around. Jedidiah Graham was finally content with his life in Pike County. Little did he know, that his life was once again, about to be uprooted.

NEXT TIME, JED'S PAST IS REVEALED AND IT IS DARK AND ANGSTY. REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED.