Please see Chapter 1 for Warnings and Disclaimers.

A/N: A BIG thanks to Wolfpyre for input on this chapter. Sorry this is kind of short. Still, better than nothing right?

Chapter 15

Lauren held Vin's arm as they walked toward her place. They strolled slowly, enjoying the clear, chilly evening and one another's company. After a period of companionable silence, Lauren ventured a question.

"So, do you think he'll really do it?"

"Wouldna thought it of him, but Bucklin kin surprise ya now an' agin. If'n he said it, I reckon he'll do it."

Lauren shook her head. "I just don't know. She's already been through so much."

"Yeah, thet's so, but she caused a lotta trouble, too. Lettin' her git away with it don't bode well fer enyone. I'm guessin' he mostly done it fer True's sake, though."

Lauren nodded. "And how are you and True? I noticed she was squirming at the table."

"Thet 'as Chris's doin'," Vin replied, and then with a heavy sigh filled Lauren in on the afternoon's events.

"Will she never learn?" the pretty school teacher demanded in exasperation.

"Sometimes I gotta wonder," Vin replied with a chuckle, the fondness he felt for True evident in his voice.

There were a few moments of silence before Vin continued. "I jest don't know how ta make it right 'tween us after messin' up so bad. I git what Nettie an' Chris is sayin' an' all but..." Vin shook his head.

"You need to talk to her."

"She don't wanna talk ta me. She won't listen."

"Then you need to MAKE her listen."

"I can't tan her jest ta git her ta listen ta me, kinda defeats the purpose."

"I agree. So you have to do something else to get her attention. Something that will shock her right out of that bubble of indignation she's in."

"But what?"

Lauren furrowed her brow. "I don't know, but I'll think on it. I know she was pretty shocked by Buck's little declaration tonight. Maybe she'll feel better now that Naomi's been punished the way that she was."

"Maybe but thet don't change the wrong thet I done none."

Lauren reached up and kissed Vin's cheek. "You'll figure it out. You're a good man with a good heart and you love True. Things will work out," the young woman said confidently.

Vin blushed looking around to see if anyone had witnessed the public display of affection. Most the town folk would smile and look away, but there were some that would raise a fuss over the town's school teacher acting in such a "scandalous" manner. Vin never wanted to be at the root of any trouble for Lauren.

"What?" Lauren responded in a huff.

"Ya know what," Vin replied softly as he gently caressed her face to take the sting from his words. "We need ta be careful so's ya don't git a bad reputation."

"Phft!" Lauren responded angrily, taking a step back in her frustration. "Like I care a lick about the silly gossips in this town!"

"Ya should care. Yer a school teacher an' we're lucky yer even allowed ta have a beau. Lotta towns put thet in the teachin' contract."

"And I turned down many a contract," she added with a furious sniff, quickening her pace. "Curious how the contracts differ for male and female teachers. It is unconscionable that there be such a dichotomy of treatment for two equally trained professionals."

Vin grinned at Lauren's angry tirade. She was generally so level-headed. He rather liked to see a bit the fiery spirit that she so carefully held in check most of the time. The flash in her eyes and flush to her cheeks only added to her beauty.

"I am an adult and a professional. There is no reason I should not be able to entertain gentleman callers if I so wish and if I want to give my beau a kiss, well whose business is it other than ours?"

"An' what d'ya reckon yer daddy would say 'bout it? Ain't even asked him proper if I could come callin'. Not thet I kin do thet, with him bein' as far away as he is."

"What did I just get done saying, Vin Tanner? I am a grown woman and can make my own choices." At his pointed look she blushed and admitted with a sigh, "If father were around he would undoubtedly have a few choice words."

"If'n it were my little girl, I'd have more'n a few words."

Lauren grinned. "Well, perhaps he might as well, though most of them would be for you."

"Rightly so," Vin agreed.

"He'd like you, Vin. His own father came to this country with nothing and worked hard for everything that he achieved. My father believes that a man's worth comes from inside, and he would see the good in you. He would give his permission for you to come calling."

"And if'n he seen us kissin' in the street?"

"He'd give us both the tanning of our lives," she said with a hearty laugh.

"Thought so," Vin said with a grin. Casting caution to the wind, he looked carefully around and then took Lauren by the waist and mischievously swung her into the shadows. Lowering his head he whispered, "But it would be worth it." He claimed her lips in a soft kiss that quickly deepened into passionate, before pulling away and escorting her back into the light and on to her place where he said goodnight at the door.

M7***M7***M7***M7***M7***M7

Rhianna paused on the wooden steps, not really wanting to enter. Chris and Mary had arrived at Mary's after their walk and sent her back to the boarding house to get ready for bed. The girl was restless and really wasn't ready to head up to the room she now shared with with her clan member. Though she was curious about what had transpired between Buck and Naomi, she was not so much so that she couldn't wait to find out. Perhaps a little walk would do her some good. Chris would not be happy, but then he would never need to know. Her guardian was helping settle Billy into bed and would undoubtedly spend a bit more time with his fiance after that. Turning on her heel, Rhianna inhaled the crisp, cool air deeply into her lungs, looking up at the bright stars as she took several steps away from the boarding house and down the side street.

"Where ya think yer headed?" a stern voice demanded.

She turned to see Vin pinning her with an accusatory glare. A million responses came to mind. Rhianna knew that she could easily defuse this situation, but she wondered if she might not be able to give Vin a push in the right direction by choosing to escalate it instead. After allowing the silence to become awkward, she cast an insolent smirk his way.

"And what is it to you?"

Vin's shock was evident on his face, though he recovered quickly enough, his eyes narrowing. "Chris know where yer at?"

"He sent me back to the boarding house. I arrived...and now I am departing. I have decided a short walk would be just the thing before bed."

"Git yer tail into thet house an' up ter yer room," Vin insisted, furious with her insolent demeanor.

"Why should I?"

Vin's jaw actually dropped. He could not believe the blond girl was speaking to him this way. He wondered if she too were still angry at his mistreatment of her cousin. He was torn between taking her to task and letting her know how sorry he was for his actions.

"If you are going to offer True free rein, I figured there is no reason I should not reap the same benefits," she stated impudently, trying to goad Vin into action, well aware of his conflicting thoughts.

"Yer pushin' me on purpose," the sharpshooter commented tightly.

"Just trying to make a point," she answered evenly. "Vin, I know True seems -"

Vin held up his hand to forestall the girl's words. "I done been lectured by Nettie an' Chris already."

"And?"

He took a few long strides to clear the distance between them, scooping the girl up around the waist and carrying her to the porch where he propped one leg up on the step and deposited her over his thigh. He landed six swift swats to her skirt clad bottom before pulling her into a hug.

"And if'n ya ever speak ta me thet way agin, yer gonna be feelin' my belt on yer bare backside."

Rhianna returned the embrace with a sniff. Apparently, she had misjudged Vin's need for additional persuasion. He dropped a kiss on her curly blond head. "Thanks, Kitten, fer carin' enuf ta bring it up. Jest watch yerself next time ya wanna go makin' a point."

"Yes, sir."

"Now off ta bed."

She was quick to scurry off, avoiding the gentle swat he'd aimed at her departing rear. He sighed deeply. He knew Josiah had taken True with him when he left after supper. Offering an excuse that he hoped True could help figure out what was bothering Mrs. Becker's setting hens, since the woman depended on the egg money to help meet household expenses while her husband was recovering from a bad fall. Everyone knew it was a ruse to get her out of the house while Buck dealt with Naomi. The tracker had decided on a plan which he only hoped would work. He best go talk to Buck before the man turned in for the evening.

M7***M7***M7***M7***M7

True entered her room with a yawn. The last few days had been full of activity and emotion. She would never in a million years admit it to any of the grown-ups but she was more than ready for bed. She stopped short at the sight of Vin sitting on the bed, the light from the kerosene lantern playing upon his still features. Her eyes fell immediately upon the switch he held in his hands.

"We need ta talk, True."

"I, I ain't done nuthin'," she sputtered without even thinking. Then upon considering the day she added. "Chris already tanned me fer thet stuff with Naomi."

"I know," Vin stated softly. "This ain't fer you, True."

The girl sighed in relief before demanding irritably, "What the hell's it for then?"

"I made a mistake, True. A real bad one. I shoulda listened to ya, shoulda at least heard ya out. I don't expect ya ta jest fergive me an' I thought meybe it'd help ta even the score." He lifted the switch for the girl to take, which she did still looking utterly perplexed. Not until Vin lowered himself across the bed did the girl understand what her brother was getting at and her blue eyes grew wide at the very thought of what he was suggesting. Vin wanted her to give him a whipping? With a switch? She just couldn't wrap her mind around this turn of events. As many times as she had been on the receiving end, she had never once even considered being on the other. The girl swished the thin piece of wood experimentally in the air, considering Vin's proposition.

Vin looked over his shoulder. "Ya wantin' me ta take my britches down?" he asked.

"EWWW! What the hell? Ya tryin' ta scar me for life?"

"Well, whatcha waitin' on then?"

True threw the switch across the room angrily. "Fuck this! I don't wanna hit ya Vin!"

Vin sat up. "An' why's that? I know ya's plenty mad at me an' rightfully so. I'm givin' ya the chance ta take it outta my hide."

"I don't wanna! Thet's all!"

"An' believe it or not, I never, ever wanna cause ya pain neither. I only do it ta teach ya somethin' when ya do wrong." Vin stood and pulled True into an embrace from which she did not pull away, though she stood stiffly. "Sunshine, I know I was wrong and nuthin's gonna change thet, but the reason I done it was cuz I love ya an' I want ya ta grow up an' have all the best in life. Thet means I caint let ya get away with mishavin' like ya have been. I'm givin' ya the chance tonight ta give me what I done gave you, but after tonight it's over. I ain't puttin' up with no more nonsense from ya. No more disrespect or disobeyin' and no more cussin'. I love ya too much ta let ya act thet way cuz yer better'n thet."

Slowly, True wound her arms around Vin's waist. It felt so good. It's what she had wanted to do all day, but her anger just wouldn't let her. "Fuck, Vin, I ain't been gettin' away with nuthin'. Chris's been on me like fleas on a coon hound."

SMACK!

"Ouch!"

"I hear that word one more time and it's gonna be my belt on you," he warned, pulling her comfortably back into his arms.

"Sheesh! Ya'd think I'd a earned some grace or sumthin'. Hey! That sounds like a right good idea," she said, warming up to the possibility. "Ya gave me a lickin' fer sumthin' I didn't do, so now ya gotta let me offa the next one I earn."

"That so?"

"Yep!" She said definitively.

He picked her up and started tickling her sides, bringing peals of laughter from the little ten-year-old until she was breathless. Vin couldn't believe how good it felt to hear her laugh. Better than any music he'd ever heard anywhere.

"I don't think so," he said finally sitting down with the True in his lap. "I do love ya, True. An' I really am sorry."

True cuddled into his chest, and sat quietly for a long time lost in thought. Finally, she was unable to stop the tears from falling. "Ya done hurt me real bad, Vin," the girl said seriously, "I know I gotta bit o' history with prankin' and I can see why ya thought what ya did but when ya wouln't even listen ta me - " her voice broke and she couln't continue.

Vin's hold tightened. His heart constricted as she shared her pain. He ran his hand through her hair and kissed the top of her head. "I know, Sunshine," he said, his own voice quivering.

True looked up in surprise and then reached a hand out to wipe away the tears on Vin's face. "Yer cryin'," she stated simply.

Vin nodded closing his eyes and taking a breath. When he opened them again his voice was steady and his blue eyes looked earnestly into hers. "I would take a hundred lashes, hell, I would take a bullet before I'd ever intentionally hurt ya like thet agin, little one."

True shook her brown curls furiously. "I wouldn't want neither of those things to happen. I love you, Vin."

TBC...