*Author's Note*

Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.

Things are rolling now.

Warning this chapter has LEMONS! LEMONS in the third scene! ROMANTIC LEMONS!

Status-Quo

Jim Vance POV:

As soon as I pulled up to my nephew Devil Anse Hatfield's large farmhouse Cotton rushed out of the car and inside, determined to tell Levicy all 'bout his new friend, Cap's girl, Miss Nova. That boy was gonna be the reason Cap an' his lady love were gonna be allowed into the Hatfield house, brought into the fold. I turned off my old Bronco, got out, and spit some t'backy on the ground 'fore walkin up the way to the porch and lettin' myself inside the front door.

"So, Jim, how'd it go?" Anse asked from his spot in his chair, smokin' on his pipe, as I entered the livin'room.

"How ya think? Cotton's talkin' Levicy's ear off in the kitchen as she do her breakfast prep ain't he?" I remarked, going over to the chair by Anse's and sitting down in it.

"Jim…" My nephew deeply trailed off in a sigh, pulling his pipe from his mouth.

"Our boy Cap done good pickin' out this girl. She treats Cotton real nice, even used that soft mama type voice." I said in an impressed tone, shrugging my shoulders, as I leant back in my chair.

"Goddamnit." Anse swore in a deep snap.

Really, he's upset? Ah hell. "What? Thought you'd be happy hearin' she's good with the Cottonturd."

"She treated him nice, no reason for Cap to think she's usin' him to try and get them McCoys off or a lighter sentence." He explained, tapping his pipe on the armrest of his chair in a slight jitter.

"Anse, that girl ain't usin' our boy. Hell, ya saw for yourself how she was in court today. She was helpin' and backin' up Cap. Had plenty o'chances to plead stoppin' to his rough questionin' of Tolbert, but she never did. She let Cap burry the murderer cause she knows he done murder an' he's no good." I firmly told my nephew, tryin' to make him see reason, as I gave him a serious look.

"I saw, Jim." He spat roughly, his eyes staring a hole into the pipe he was tightly clutchin'.

"Anse, ya needa see them together. They're in love." If he saw them he wouldn't be so 'gainst them. Least I don't think he would, but with Anse ya never know. I mean I myself hate people, so since I like the girl ya know she's a good one.

"Ah, hell, I think that's a stretch."

"No it ain't. The way they be together reminds me of of ya an' Levicy." I told my nephew, a meanin'ful look on my face.

"Goddamnit, Jim, don't say shit like that." Anse snapped, whippin' his head 'round to glare at me with cold eyes.

"It's the truth. How I see it, Devil Anse." I wasn't no sugar-coated dandy-ass liar an' my nephew knew that. I always offered the blunt truth, too bad if he didn't want to believe it. Cap and Nova did remind me of Devil Anse and Levicy, a pair that was somethin' else and loyal to the bone to each other. And just as Nova only called Cap Will only Levicy called Devil Anse Anderson, that's real love right there.

He placed his pipe in the corner of his mouth 'fore tellin' me, "I'll think over what ya just told me 'fore I decide what to do 'bout Cap and Miss Nova."

"Well, then I'm goin' home. My work's done and Mr. Howles is prolly hungry and missin' me." I announced, gettin' up from my seat. Anse just nodded his head, motionin' for me to go. Without 'nother word I walked to the front door and outta the house. I'd done what I had'a do, took up for Cap and Miss Nova. Devil Anse had to either accept them or not, but I hoped he did cause Nova was a strong an' good girl unlike that whiney and wiltin' McCoy whore Johnse brought home all them years 'go.

Hope Mr. Howles ain't too upset I didn't come home straight 'way. Boy's prolly gonna want some extra milk-bones cause he was all 'lone for hours on end.

Levicy POV:

"Cotton, go fetch your Uncle Anse for me. Then ya can head on up and go t'bed." I told my nephew when he finally quieted and settled down. He had been talkin' my ear off excitedly for a short while now bout Miss Nova, Cap's girlfriend that he stormed out of the house over.

"Okay dokay, Aunt Levicy." Cotton said cheerfully before running out of the kitchen to do as I asked.

As I rolled out my biscuit dough I knew I had a hard task 'head of me. I needed to make my husband see that Cap and his Miss Nova needed to be welcomed into the house. After hearin' Cotton talk in length about the girl I knew that Cap wouldn't come back unless he could bring his girl. She sounded nice and my son seemed enchanted by her, or as Cotton said 'They really really like each other. She even like his bad eye, Aunt Levicy. He let's her call him Will too.'. Also the girl was a lawyer, if she was too involved with Cap she'd either pull off of the McCoy case of sabotage it as to not burden my son and let him avenge his family. She'd want our family avenged too once she got welcomed into it with smiles, hugs, warmth, and open arms. Trick is I had'a get my husband to realize that we can use Cap's relationship with Nova to our family's benefit.

"Cotton said ya wanted to see me, Levicy." My husband said as he walked into the kitchen, his boots scuffin' against the floor.

"Yes."

"Is it about our son and the niece of the McCoy's lawyer Cline?" Anderson asked me as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Yes, it is, Anderson." I answered my husband as I began to cut out biscuits. "This girl Cap's with, Miss Nova, seems to sound like a good person from how Cotton talked 'bout her."

My husband rolled his eyes while sarcastically scoffin', "Levicy, she's so good that she's defending my brother's murders."

"But she won't be for long if she stays with our son." I pointed out, a knowin' look on my face, as I tossed some biscuits onto a pan.

Anderson raised a brow at me, his face stoic, but curious all at the same time. "What? Explain yourself, Levicy."

"Nova won't want to hurt Cap and his family by settin' Ellison's murders free. It would strain their relationship, so she'd either convince the boys to a plea deal or walk from the case." I explained while continuin' my task of cuttin' out biscuits and tossin' them onto the bakin' pan.

"Okay, but why would she be attached to our family? Only ones she knows is Cap, Uncle Jim, and Cotton. Eh, Wall too in a way." He asked me, taking his pipe out of his mouth and leanin' his elbows on the table.

"That's why we need Cap and this Nova girl back into our family fold. The more time she spends with us the more she'll feel part of our family and won't want to hurt us."

"Hmm, that does make sense." Anderson nodded, chewin' on his bottom lip.

"Anderson, we'll get better results with honey then vinegar." I grabbed the filled up pan and walked over to the stove. While placin' the biscuits into the oven I told my husband wisely, "To tie this knot and get the results you want we need to get her to love him, by extension our family too."

"Uncle Jim thinks they're already in love, but just in denial." A woman in love will do anything for her man. That's good that they're at that point, or least Jim thinks so, cause means it'll be easier for her to side with us.

"Good, then we invite them over for Sunday dinner where you'll welcome her and let him back into the family."

"Levicy, are you sure 'bout this? What if it don't work, what if we're wrong?" Anderson sighed, worry etched onto his long-hardened face.

"I'm not wrong, it'll work." I told my husband of over 30 years, walkin' up to him. Placin' my hands on his shoulders I told him, "Tomorrow you're invitin' them and that's that, Anderson."

My husband looked at me from over his shoulder. Noddin' he patted one of my hands. He was goin' to listen to me, that hand pat was the telltale give 'way.

Novella POV:

After entering the house Cap grabbed my hand in his and led me upstairs. The only sound made was that of his boots and my heels. Even with them on he was still much taller then me, with me barely reaching his chin, since he was a little over 6 foot. Not that I minded though. Silently he took us to his room, never letting my hand go even after he opened the door and we walked inside. I had slid my hand out of his whenever he was closing the door. I walked over to the long-mirrored dresser since my duffel bag was set on top of it. I had just unzipped it whenever I noticed via the mirror that Cap yanked his shirt off over his head. As I took out my pajamas he came up behind me.

"You're not gonna need those tonight, baby." Cap smirked, wrapping his arms around me from behind, before placing kisses right along the crook of my neck.

I dropped the pjs back into my duffel as I let a tiny sigh escape my slightly parted lips. I took a deep breath, calming myself, before turning around and lacing my arms around his neck. "Is that so?" I asked, quirking my thin auburn brow as I flashed him a playful smirk.

"Very." He said a bit huskily as he wrapped an arm around my waist, bringing me flush against his chest.

Without saying a word, he placed a calloused hand on my cheek and dipped his head down capturing my lips in a searing kiss. Instantly my lips reacted to his, moving in sync. As our lips pressed together, tugging and pulling in a heated dance, one of my hands weaved into his shaggy hair while my other one held the back of his neck, trying to push him further into me.

Suddenly Cap pulled away, a glint of lust in his lone ice-blue ice, only to quickly push my sweater off of shoulders. Knowing he wanted me undressed, or at least topless for now, I dropped my arms to my sides and let him fully push the pink open cardigan off my arms. As soon as it fell to the floor he quickly grabbed the hem of my shirt, pulling it up. Silently I raised my arms over my head, letting him yank off my shirt. After tossing the floral cotton garment on the floor he latched his lips on the hollow point of my neck as he snaked an arm up my back. With a simple flick of his wrist my bra was popped and with a simple roll of my shoulders it went cascading down to the floor, leaving me bare from the waist up.

My nibble fingers flitters across his torso, tracing his lean muscles, as his calloused hands flanked my sides. As his open-mouthed kisses trailed down my neck and shoulder I felt his hands cup my breasts. "Will…" I whimpered, feeling my heat between my legs wetting my panties, as his thumbs brushed over my peaked nipples while he kissed the valley between my breasts.

Cap stopped kissing me and shot me a smirk as he let his hands drop from my breasts and trail down my stomach. As his hands rested on my hips he placed his mouth on mine again, his lips melting against mine in a kiss. Cap's tongue swiped across my bottom lip, asking for permission to deepen the kiss, as his long fingers began to unbutton my jeans. I granted permission for the deeper kiss, moaning a bit as I felt his tongue slip into my mouth and glide over mine.

As our tongues dueled in our deep lip lock he pulled my jeans and panties as far as he could, which was near my thighs close to my knees. In one swift motion Cap lifted me up and set me down on his dresser, never breaking our kissing as he did so. He did break our kiss to finish pulling my pants and to take off my heels. All of which he tossed somewhere over his shoulder before dropping to his knees.

Cap slung one of my legs over his shoulder while placing nibbles and pecks on the inside of my other one, the slight stubble of his cheek tickling me a bit. I felt my heart hammering as his hot breath hovered over where I needed him most. "Will…" I let out in a breathy moan once I felt his tongue lightly swipe up my heated center teasingly.

"Oh, baby, it's been too long since I've tasted you. So sweet, better then honey." Cap groaned, his nose bumping against me, before his tongue swiped at my wet heat once more.

"It's only been like a month." I reminded him. It was also his fault we broke up for a month too, but I wasn't telling him that. We both knew, no need to bring it up.

"Too long." He rumbled as he brought his fingers up to join in the teasing pleasure his tongue was dishing out.

Whatever retort I had on my tongue died whenever I felt two of his long fingers slip into me as his tongue flicked and circled my clit. Oh god, Cap was too good at this. Like the best, that's how good he was. He made me forget everything that was going on, I could only focus on the lusty pleasurable feelings he was pulling out of me.

Low moans and mewls escaped my lips as my head fell back against the mirror. "Will…oh god…Will…" I trembled, gripping onto his hair like a vice, as I saw stars and everything came crashing down. Cap's tongue rapidly lapped at me, helping me ride out my high while taking everything I offered.

My chest was rising and falling as I felt a tad bit boneless from my euphoric high. Cap stood up, right between my legs, and smirked at me. My wetness glistened on his facial hair, making him look a bit disheveled. I knew I looked disheveled too considering that I was naked sitting on his dresser trying to catch my breath from the aftermath of him going down on me. Without a word he kissed me. I could taste the tangy sweetness of myself on his tongue as he rolled his hips forward, brushing his hard jean covered bulge against my sensitive swollen center. Instinctively I moaned while bucking my hips back into his, causing him to groan.

Cap wrenched his mouth away from mine only to look at me with dark lust in his mismatched eyes before saying, "Think it's time we move this over to our bed."

I nodded, watching him pull off his boots and socks before unbuttoning his jeans and riding himself of them too. I slightly leaned forward so our faces were mere inches apart and placed my hands on either side of his hips. Cap smirked, raising a brow at me in desire, as I shoved his boxers down. "Take me to bed, Will. Make love to me."

He languidly kissed me before curving his arms around my back, lifting me up. Instinctively I wrapped my legs around his waist and braced my hands on his shoulders. Cap pulled away from our kiss, resting his forehead against mine only to grab the scrunchie holding my hair up in a messy bun. While tugging my hair free, letting it fall in copper tangles and waves around my shoulders, he told me in a deep husky promise filled tone, "I'm gonna take my time with ya tonight. Got a whole month to make up for, baby."

With another kiss Cap walked over to his bed, where he gently laid me down on it so that he could make good on his promise.

Our chests were slightly heaving up and down as we laid tangled together, covered up in blankets and drenched in sweat, in our afterglow. My head was on Cap's chest, my ear right above the thumping beat of his heart, while my hand rested on his sternum. One of his hands was lightly trailing up and down my back, the touch feeling smooth and ghost-like.

Cap's chest vibrated beneath my head as he said in his deep rolling tone, "Ya know since you're spendin' the weekend we need'a go grocery shopping so ya can feed me."

"You're un-fucking-believable." I sighed, a slight giggle of disbelief tinting my words. "No pillow talk from you. Just getting down to talking bout grocery shopping and me cooking weekend dinners."

Cap chuckled before pointing out, "Hell, baby, we've been together long 'nough that we don't need pillow talk no more."

"Of course, you'd say that. You're one of a kind." I mused, rolling my cornflower blues. "Most guys whisper sweet nothings in their girl's ear after love making, but not you." I pointed out to him factually, not insultingly, as I began to tap my fingers against his sternum, moving in rhythm with the beat of his heart.

While trailing his hand up and down my back lazily, Cap told me in a deep unwavering tone, "We both know how I feel 'bout ya. I'm not gonna shove it down your throat every second of the day."

"I know." Well I guess now I did. Clearly, he cared a lot and deeply. He gave me a key for Christ's sake. Oh, and the way he poured all his energy into our lovemaking, yep he cares on a deep level.

Quickly following my remark was Cap's deep voiced assurance of, "I also know how ya feel 'bout me just by the fact that you're here. Ya don't have to voice nothin', neither of us do."

"Yep." I softly popped out before simply saying, "We just get each other I reckon."

"Mhm, reckon so."

"So, since you brought it up how much do we need to buy at Walmart tomorrow?" I asked, moving our conversation back to the original subject he wanted to talk about.

"Uh, 'nough that I won't starve to death and die." Cap sarcastically joked, his deep waving tone having a twinge of mirth to it.

"Aw, and what're you gonna do Monday when I go home? Starve and die?"

"Nah, just eat stuff outta cans and frozen dinners."

"Num-nums." I sarcastically scoffed.

"Hey, if ya were 'round all the time then I'd have a cook and wouldn't have to eat that shit, but you're just a weekend live-in." Cap told me, whether in sarcasm or seriousness I wasn't quite sure. I think he was being serious, but with his cold cocky ass it was hard to tell.

"Weekend live-in, is that the status-quo now?" I asked him, lifting my head up to look him in his mismatched eyes.

"Yep." He popped his tongue, bringing me a bit closer into the side of his body even though I was already practically glued to him. After a moment or two he spoke up gently in his deep rolling tone with, "Babe, I know ya ain't too fond of Pike so anytime you need to get away feel free to pop over. I gave ya a key, use it."

"Okay." I agreed since I was feeling tired and didn't really know what else to say, honestly.

After that we fell into a silence. The only sound in the room was of our breathing and hearts beating as we laid, fitted like perfect puzzle pieces, with the covers pulled around us for warmth. Eventually we drifted off to sleep, his arms around me holding me against him.

AN:

AHHH Novella & Cap did beat around the bush, but both admitted to having deep feelings for each other! YAY! Oh crap, how will Tolbert step up his game to wiggle his way in with Novella? First loves die hard, ya know…